Page 57 of The Pursuit
We barely made it through the door before Krish captured me in his arms, his kisses searing with rekindled passion.He trailed his lips along the sensitive hollow beneath my ear, murmuring endearments that set my skin tingling with desire.
“You know, there are distinct advantages to this location being so remote,” he said with a roguish grin. “The privacy allows for certain... athletic activities to keep agents like us fit, right?”
I grabbed double handfuls of his shirt and pulled him flush against me, delighting in the hardness of his body.
“Are you insinuating something scandalous?” I teased breathily.
His cocky smirk broadened wickedly. “When it comes to you, Ms. Choudhary, I’m always ready to get... athletic.”
We collapsed onto the soft, inviting bed, a tangled mess of limbs and heated kisses. As Krish stripped me of my clothing, his lips traced every newly exposed inch of skin with fervent devotion until I writhed shamelessly beneath his touch.
“This is heaven,” I managed to gasp out as he rained openmouthed kisses along my collarbone. “How could it possibly get better?”
Krish lifted his head, his eyes darkened to stormy jade with undisguised wanting. “Oh, I have a few ideas,” was all he said before claiming my mouth in another searing kiss...
***************
The next morning, I woke up cocooned in deliciously soft sheets, sunlight filtering through the gauzy curtains. As the heavenly scent of Kashmir roses wafted in fromthe garden, I felt Krish’s arms tighten around my waist, pulling me back against the solid warmth of his bare chest.
“Good morning, beautiful,” he murmured, his voice still husky with sleep as he nuzzled the crook of my neck. “Slept well?”
I hummed contentedly, “Like a log. Although I vaguely recall a certain someone thoroughly wearing me out last night with his... athletic pursuits.”
Krish chuckled, the low rumble reverberating against my back. “Yes, well, I did promise a vigorous workout routine for this trip, did I not?”
Turning in his arms until we were face-to-face, I traced the chiselled line of his jaw tenderly. “And don’t think I've forgotten about your vow to make me swoon at least once a day.”
“A promise I am quite determined to keep,” he assured me, though his eyes were sparkling with mirth. “That reminds me of a few specific techniques you mentioned wanting me to... re-visit this morning.”
I felt my cheeks flush hot as his hand trailed slowly down my side. “Is that so? My, it’s not even proper morning yet, and someone is getting naughty ideas.”
“Only with you, baby,” he purred, leaning in to capture my lips in a slow, smouldering kiss.
His tongue stroked against mine with delicious familiarity that ignited the slow burning of desire coiling low in my belly. I returned his kisses with abandon,savouring the heady combination of his warm, masculine taste and the crisp, fruity notes of the wine we’d shared somewhere in the middle of the night, still lingering between us.
We finally broke apart, foreheads resting together as we struggled to catch our breath.
“I never thought I would get so lucky, having you back in my life, this time forever,” Krish rasped out, drawing me back into his arms.
I held him close as we watched the sun rise behind the snow-capped peaks, painting the sky in vivid shades of crimson and red. Life never seemedthis perfect.
KRISH
It had been four months since the threat of the Bat gang was finally neutralised, and Ayaan and Meher’s lives could return to normalcy. The moment Ayaan revealed his real profession as a Director at GLEN to his family, I decided it was time to open up to him about the depth of my feelings for Trisha.
The perfect opportunity arose during Devika’s baby naming ceremony, with the entire Shergill and Walia clans in full attendance. I pulled Ayaan aside and confided my intention to propose to Trisha. I couldn’t reveal that we’d been secretly dating for the past four months, but it was true that today I was going to propose to Trisha—for marriage, something even Trisha was not aware of. Seeing my best friend deliriously happy in his married life gave me the push I needed to seek the same joy with the woman I loved.
In the last four months, I had never broached the subject of taking that monumental next step. Today, I was finally going to ask for her hand—if she’d have me.
Ayaan gave me a thumbs up, adding with a teasing smirk, “She likes you enough to not say no, dude.”
His vote of confidence helped settle the flock of nerves in my stomach. Still, I couldn’t deny the kernel of doubt, that maybe Trisha wasn’t ready for that level of commitment yet. Her role as an agent at GLEN mattered immensely to her. Would she still want the life of a spy if it meant being a wife too?
There was only one way to find out. Just before dinner, Itook Trisha’s hand and led her away from the crowd to a secluded courtyard nearby.
“Krish, what’s going on?” she asked with a bemused smile as I turned to face her.
“Trisha...” I began, suddenly feeling like a lovesick teenager all over again as I gazed into her warm brown eyes. “These last few months with you have been... everything.”
