Page 145 of One Hellish Desire

Turning off the gas burner, she plates the omelets. “Is everyone at the table?”

I nod.

“Great. Then let’s finish this fast as I need your advice on a few things.”

“Sure. Regarding what?”

“Just the usual.” She kisses my cheek and drags me out.

Breakfast is unusually silent, and I decide to change that.

“I’m going to drop you both at the airport.”

“That’s not necessary,” Maahi utters. “I hate saying goodbyes at airports.”

“And I don’t want to waste a single moment with you if I can.”

Maahi agrees reluctantly. As promised, I finish quickly and meet Maahi in the bedroom, where she stands at the huge glass windows, looking out at the city sprawled below.

“I’m here,” I whisper, but my voice trails off as I see tears in Maahi’s eyes. “Hey...” I pull her to me. “You’re crying?”

It takes her a minute to compose herself. She presses my arms and meets my eyes again.

“Vikram, I want you to know I’m equally in pain for leaving you here and flying alone to India to take care of my work. Am I selfish?”

“Selfish?” I snap. “Maahi, taking responsibility for what you own isn’t selfishness. I know how much hard work and energy you’ve put into starting your boutique. You can’t leave it halfway just to stay with me.”

She sobs again, and I take her to the recliner, forcing her to sit while I kneel at her feet.

“Marriage is important, but we both have our businesses to handle, and many people, from our employees to our clients, depend on us. We can’t fail them,” I add, wiping her tears. “To be honest, we should have taken care of these things before getting married. But saving Devki Estate from going to the wrong hands was important too. So never mind. And it was you who opened my eyes and made me see reality. Just because you’re my wife doesn’t mean I expect you to leave everything and settle here with me. Likewise, I wouldn’t make any such decision either.”

“Then how will this work?” She swallows her tears.

“I’m thinking about it. For now, we go back to our respective lives, stay in touch, miss each other, share our routines, and most importantly, trust each other. Can you do that?”

Maahi pouts. “The last one seems tricky.”

I laugh, and she does too, but I want her to know something. So, I pull her face close and say, “I’ve touched you... I don’t want to touch any other woman that way for the next seven births. I promise.”

I kiss the tip of her nose.

“You’ve ruined me for other women, Mrs. Maahi Awasthi Singh Grover.”

I brush my thumb over her bottom lip, and her sadness lifts. She pulls me in for a kiss, and we don’t realize when I pick her up and carry her to the bed without breaking the kiss.

An hour later, I help Maahi pack the rest of her stuff. She’s grumpy now because I’ve left marks on her body during our last make-out session, which could be easily noticeable if she doesn’t hide them under a polo neck top.

“Your toiletries,” I say, passing her the kit. She quickly packs them in the bag.

I reach the closet to see if she left anything there. “I think we’re done,” I say, scanning the drawers and racks.

“Not yet.”

She quickly grabs my unwashed white shirt, sniffs it, and hugs it to her body. “I’m taking this one with me.”

My eyes sparkle with delight. She wants to take my shirt?

“I’m going to sleep in this... every night,” she adds seductively, making me want to take her back to bed. But we only have an hour left before leaving for the airport.

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