Page 141 of A King's Oath

He kept going, keeping her close and manoeuvring with her to avoid the crowds lining up outside ristorantes or cafes.

“Samarth…” she trailed as he spun her into his arm just at the entrance of their hotel. The street was cool and shaded, and yet her skin heated up as he held her closed into his body with just one arm, the said arm on her back, under her loose ponytail, caressing the skin that again came under his entire palm.

“Ava.” His head dipped.

“Hmm?”

“I want to wait.”

“Wait for what?”

“After we are married.”

“You don’t trust me?”

He let out an incredulous laugh.

“Then why did you bring me back here?” She pouted.

“Open communication. Here it is — let’s not go all the way.”

“Why?”

He shrugged. “It just feels right to wait. We have both had no experience. I don’t know what good I’ll be. Let’s take it slow.”

“But you want tostart, isn’t it?” She eyed his chest, the smattering of hair peeping out of the V of his shirt. His fingers took her chin and tugged her face up — “Yes.”

She took his chin and gave it a shake — “My virgin boyfriend… Aaa!”

The world tilted as he slung her over his shoulder.

“Samarth!”

He was walking through the hotel lobby.

“Oh my gawwwdd! Samarth! Put me down! You crazy! What’s wrong with you?!! They are all looking!”

“Let them look.”

“They’ll know!!!”

“What?” He pressed for the elevator and it opened with a ding. Avantika saw the elevator upside down and muttered a grateful prayer that it was empty.

“Samarth! They’ll know!”

“I repeat — What?”

“That… that I am your girlfriend!”

“You are.”

“We checked in separately!”

“So?”

“So…?” The elevator dinged again and he walked down the lobby to her room. A beep, the door swung open and she found herself righted on the bed, bouncing, finding her bearings again. And then the 6”1’ polo player was on her, his mouth in the crook of her neck and his fingers pulling the scarf from her hair.

“You should have tied your hair up,” he grunted into her skin, laving the hollow of her clavicle. She gasped as he nipped it, pressing into her flesh.

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