Page 43 of The Royal Contract

What was he asking about? The airport fiasco or the one with the sleazeball?

“He was mean to Aish, and I… it happened before we realized it,” she confessed.

His brow furrowed. “Was that you who threw wine on him?”

Was he mad at her?

At that point, she didn’t care if her fake husband was unhappy with her actions. Too bad. “Yes, and he asked for it.”

He nodded, a slight smile surfacing on his face. “I’m glad you were with Aish.” She was glad he didn’t sound mad about what had happened. A moment passed with them looking at each other before he slowly reached for her hand.

Her eyes went to their joined hands and followed them to his lips as he planted a kiss on the back of her hand, just like he had before they went to the airport inauguration. They were not in public, and she was confused as to why he was so close to her, but she welcomed it. The very gesture, combined with the intensity in his eyes, made her shudder. She looked away, unable to hold his gaze.

“Thank you,” he said, his voice a whisper as he moved closer to wrap an arm around her. His words threw her off yet again, and she looked up at him. Like he was amused with her puzzled look, he chuckled before leaning closer and whispering, “Can I hug you?”

Like those were the magic words, she smiled broadly, her eyes lighting up like stars. “Yes.” Her voice was a hiss as he pulled her to him and held her close. The jitters were gone, and she was suddenly at ease. “Why do I get a hug? And I’d like to bargain for more if I did something good,” she asked, pulling back to look at him.

He didn’t respond immediately. Instead, he slowly raised his hands to cup her face, tilting her it to meet his eyes. “You deserve anything you want, name it. I’ll make it happen.”

The moment was intense, and her heart leaped with joy in response. She managed to hold his gaze. “Not sure what I did, but I’ll take a rain check on naming what I want. Can you please tell me I’m not in trouble for… you know? I’m not proud of my actions, but—”

Her words were lost when he smiled, his eyes lighting up. “I’m glad you were with Aish.”

She was suddenly embarrassed by how she behaved with a palace guest. “Jai, I may have taken it a bit too far. I have been…” she started to ramble. “I could have avoided what happened at the airport, then today—”

He hushed her gently. “What happened at the airport that you should have avoided?” His eyes held hers, and even as she fought her need to look away with embarrassment, she held his gaze.

Should she apologize for kissing him, even if deep in her heart, she was not sorry for what she did?

“The contract…” she whispered, and she saw something flash in his eyes before he started to move his hands away from her face. In her frenzy that he misunderstood what she was stating, she placed her hand over his and brought his palms back to her cheeks. “Hold me,” she said. “I like it when you hold me close to you and when you let me hug you. The other day, I did something I should not have done under the terms of the contract.”

His eyes searched hers for a long moment before his lips descended on hers for a slow kiss. Her eyes rolled shut, and she melted into his arms, her body arching as she moved closer. His hand moved down to cup her neck as he deepened the kiss.

She moaned when he angled her face, his tongue slipping past her quivering lips for a sweet exploration. The conflicting emotions were gone, and there was only one thing she knew and felt his touch—the way his lips moved against hers and how he held her to him like she was a precious doll.

Her heart drummed in her chest as a range of thrills made her levitate in the warmth that encompassed her. She ran one hand along his neck before running her arm around him, closing the gap between them.

She was lost in a euphoric moment, and just as she felt her lungs fighting for air, he pulled back, making her gasp. The bliss of the moment lingered even as the confusion of what had happened seeped into her mind. She slowly opened her eyes to find him looking at her, his eyes dark as the night.

Did he just kiss her? It was a real and dangerous one.

“What just happened?” Before she knew it, she had blurted the words. “I shouldn’t have kissed you at the airport, and now—” An idea flashed through her mind. “And you kissed me.” She smiled, relief sweeping over her. “We are even. Is that why you kissed me?” She let out a nervous laugh.

One end of his mouth twisted up as if in amusement. “Is that right?”

She pulled back from him and hoped she sounded casual enough. “I kind of got carried away that day, and it’s good that you kissed me today. It’s not awkward anymore for both of us.”

“Oh, so if you kiss me and I kiss you back, we’re good?” he asked, a curious eyebrow raised high questioningly.

Sanjana nodded like she had that figured out in her mind eons ago. “Yeah, that’s it… you know… we balance it out.”

“Sounds fair.” He shrugged, and Sanjana could not believe her luck. She was just glad she got away with something she had no intention of starting but somewhere, a voice raised a flag.

Could there be another reason for him to kiss you?

She shushed that voice and said, “Well, if that’s the case, I don’t know whom you are supposed to throw wine at for making that even.” She bit back a smile. She liked where the conversation was going. She was moments away from having a clean slate after a week of irrational behavior.

“How about I take a rain check?” He winked, and that made her stomach roll into a knot. “I’ll figure out when to play that card.”

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