Page 16 of Reckless Rival

“I promise to cancel any other dates I have if you want to catch up one of these days.” His cocky side was back. She was starting to miss it.

“Stop,” she said, looking away, unable to handle the mischief in his eyes.

“I was gonna go, but I can stop and stay back if that’s what you’d like,” he taunted, and that only deepened the flush on her cheeks.

“Stop… flirting with me.” She held his gaze in a challenge. The tension relaxed very quickly, and a sizzle passed through her.

She fisted her palm, her fingertips digging into the side of her hand to stop her wild thoughts from taking over, but there was no stopping him. The next thing she knew, he had one hand on her cheek, and his lips were on hers in a hungry kiss. She may not have initiated it, but when he was moving away, she closed the gap, pulling him in for another kiss.

He had his arm around her and pulled her to him even as he balanced the motorbike with his feet planted firmly on the ground. She moaned into his mouth when his tongue teased her lips apart, and as if struck by the reality, she pulled back. “I… I need to stop kissing you like this.”

He slowly wiped the moisture off his bottom lip as if in a tease and said, “I don’t mind it at all. For a change, I was the one who started it.”

She pressed her lips together to curb the need to kiss him again. “Good night! Thanks for the ride back.”

Rana winked in response, making her heart slip. “I’ll see you around. On another date, soon?”

She could only smile in response to his insistent manner. “I like you, Rana, and I would love to go on another date with you but not yet. I want to focus on my architecture project. I’ll go out after I’m done.”

He nodded. “Fair enough.”

“I’ll see you.” She blushed, unable to hide her feelings and only hoped he didn’t see how much she was fighting it.

Chapter 6

Two days at Simha, and it was already a rollercoaster ride for Nami. Between the course work and the project, she didn't know how the forty-eight hours slipped by so fast. The third day was the first time she was set to start with her sports internship—the closest she got to checking off the box to meet the athletic department requirements.

She was not against picking up a sport and giving it her best, but it was about the time she wanted to spend on her project. The one delivery that could potentially secure another semester at Simha as an exchange student.

Why? Why couldn’t she go to Simha like her father?

Letting out a sigh under her breath, she stepped into the Martial Arts Center. Many of the Simha students who represented their country in the Olympics were trained at the Simha campus facilities. She walked down the long corridor looking at the pictures of the athletes, some familiar faces, others not.

She finally arrived at the boxing arena and stopped short, more shocked than surprised. In front of her stood the guy she had been pretending to ignore. He was faced away from her talking to a man in a coach uniform, and he had on a pair of boxing shorts. A plain white towel was draped over his shoulder.

Was he a boxer?

Good job choosing to be a boxing assistant, Nami! Great way to stay away from him.

Nami walked over to the coach, and as she approached them, both men looked toward her. Although she was looking at the coach, she could see the taunt in Rana’s eyes in her peripheral view. He knew she had chosen boxing and didn’t say anything on their date.

“Hello, Coach. I’m Namrata.” She hoped her voice didn’t sound as shaky as it felt.

The older man smiled. “Welcome, Namrata.”

“Thank you, Coach Vansh.” Her eyes wandered to meet Rana’s as the coach turned to look at him.

The coach patted Rana’s shoulder. “This is Ranveer Simha, famously known as Rana, the boxing champ, our defending champion of the men’s lightweight boxing. You will be his second in a few weeks or sooner if your training is complete.”

Ranveer Simha. Rana Veer?

The words resonated in her head, and numbness settled over her as her grandma’s words replayed in her ears.

His name is Veer…Veer Simha. Remember to stay away from him.

She felt the blood drain from her face even as she managed to smile at the coach and shook Rana’s hand like they met for the first time.

Holy crap! She not only talked to the guy she was supposed to avoid, she also kissed him! Twice she had already kissed her rival!

---