Page 42 of Playing By her Rules

“Ugh, no! He’s like a sibling.” Her eyes flared. She planted a hand on her hip. “Would I have kissed you if I was with him? Is that the sort of woman you think I am?”

He shook his head slowly. “No.”

She took a step forward and then halted again.

“Why did you continue to kiss me even after realising that Akash had seen us like that, especially if you thought he and I were dating? In fact, why did you kiss me at all?” Her tone grew angrier with every sentence. “You were out with Kanika that night as you are today. I should be furious. Fuck! I’m such an idiot. What am I even doing with you right now?”

She spun around, intending to walk away. He caught her arm, turning her to face him.

“Kanika and I are not together,” he informed her.

“But your dad said that he and your mom had hoped you’d marry her someday, and that you’d dated her longer than other women.”

His eyes rounded. “What? Why would my dad say something like that? That dinner with her last night was the second time I’d gone out with her.”

His dad’s words made no sense. None at all. He shook his head. “I never hinted to my parents that I was interested in her. In fact, I told her sometime back that she and I have no future. Accepting her dinner invitation that night was a mistake. Inviting her here for the races was an even bigger one.”

She narrowed her eyes. “Why?”

“Because she’s not the woman I’m attracted to. She’s not the one giving me sleepless nights. She’s not the one Iwant.”

Jiya gasped.

He leaned forward to whisper in her ear. “And, Jiya, I kept kissing you in front of Akash because I didn’t like the mere possibility of you and him being together.”

He straightened and stared at her for a long moment. A myriad of emotions crossed her beautiful face. Shock, followed by understanding, followed by a huge grin. He found his lips curving in response. He’d finally acknowledged it to himself and to her that he wanted her. What he did about that want was still to be seen. But at least the truth was out in the open now, and they wouldn’t be tiptoeing around one another anymore.

11

They continued toward the stables. A well-dressed man called out to Rohan, and he stopped to talk to him. Jiya waited ahead, a little distance away, watching him. Excitement bubbled inside her. Rohan had openly accepted that he wanted her. Her heart was doing a happy little dance in her chest at that knowledge.

She smiled. Something had blossomed between them since the first time she’d laid eyes on him. She’d seen him and had been drawn to him instantly. She couldn’t explain how and why. It was as it was. But ever since she’d kissed him in his office that day, his magnetic pull had only grown by leaps and bounds. And now, finally, he’d accepted that he was also attracted to her.

She’d been so eager to attend the races and thus meet him again. The whole last week, he’d hardly been in office. She knew he was busy with today’s racing event and the gala later at night. She’d learned from Akash that Rohan actually lived at the stud farm, and she was so excited to see his home. But all that euphoria had disappeared the second she’d seen him with Kanika again. It had hurt and angered her in equal measure.

She hadn’t understood how he could kiss Jiya so passionately and still be out with another woman. She’d made up her mind then and there that even if it would be hard, that even if it would be the last thing she ever did, she would stop this mad infatuation and fascination she had with her boss. She was not any man’s toy to play with as and when he wished. So, she’d deliberately not sought him out today. And when he had approached her earlier, she had tried to act normal with him until he’d told her that he wanted her.

His words had changed everything. This man, he was complicated and confusing, and she could never guess the next thing he would say to her, but she craved him, nonetheless. Her body hummed in delight as he approached her. He was so handsome to look at. Dressed in a dark grey suit in the color of his eyes, with a white shirt and a black tie, his hair styled back from his forehead, and slight stubble on his jaw, he was perfect in every way. Her heart drummed as she studied him.

Rohan neared, and they continued forward, entering the stables. Immediately, she was assaulted by a plethora of sounds, sights, and smells. Horses neighed, trainers and jockeys led several horses to and fro from their various stalls, and cleaners and caretakers scurried about moving bales of hay and buckets of water, grains and whatnot. Added to all this was the smell of animal sweat and dung. She took all of it in, captivated by everything around her.

Rohan, of course, must be used to it, as he didn’t even bat an eye as they moved through the stalls. They passed several stalls filled with horses until they reached one right at the end. Rohan nodded at the caretaker stationed outside and opened the stall door.

A tall, pitch-black horse with a white patch shaped like a star on his forehead neighed, bobbing his head when he recognized Rohan. The horse was huge, but he was also one of the most beautiful horses she’d ever seen.

She waited at the door as Rohan stroked his muzzle, from his forehead to his nose, whispering words of encouragement to him. The horse dug his forehead into Rohan’s hand as if enjoying the attention.

“He’s gorgeous,” Jiya remarked.

“Come in.” He dropped his hand from the horse. “Xerxes won’t hurt you.”

She entered the stall, coming to stand by Rohan’s side. She was an animal lover, and as long as the owner of the animal deemed it to be safe, she was okay to take her chances with it.

“How old is he?” she asked.

“He’s four.”

Rohan continued to pet him, a small smile on his lips.

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