Page 87 of A King's Oath

“Still hard?” He asked. She nodded, unable to tear her eyes away from his skin, the tan lines of his polo shirt’s half-sleeve leading up to the fairer skin that disappeared under his shirt. She couldn’t even look below — at those veins popping on his forearms. No, Avantika shuffled her gaze upwards. To his face. That wasn’t helping either.Mummy!She wanted to cry.

“Years of high-intensity training,” he supplied, blissfully ignorant. “Polo biceps don’t bulge. They are dense, firm and hard because you’ve held the reins and swung the mallet for hours.”

She took a deep breath and pulled her hand away — “And missed penalty shots.”

He sputtered. Avantika felt blood rise up to her chest. He still sputtered? Just like her? She giggled too, unaware of how girly that sounded.

“Your Highnesses?” The Air hostess returned, bending down to their level. “I apologise for this, but some passengers are complaining.”

“Oh.” “Why?!”

“Because we are loud, Ava.”

“Can I have your beds made?”

“Sure,” Samarth took her hand and pulled her up before she could protest. He stepped off, taking her with him towards the pantry area.

“We weren’t that loud! Who the hell is complaining? That baby in 2J is howling and nobody says anything…”

“Softer, softer, Ava,” he left her hand, folding his arms across his chest, leaning back against the cabin entrance. “That’s a baby and we are not.”

“It’s like we are back to school.”

He smiled — “It is.”

“And look at you! Turning 26. So, what’s more? Are you happy?” She asked, exactly what she used to ask him over the phone every year.

“Yes.”

“Excited?” She folded her arms across her chest, mimicking him by leaning on the opposite side of the entrance.

“No.”

“Wait, you will be away from home on your birthday this year?”

“For the French Open, yes. We have practise sessions starting tomorrow.”

“So… oh, where is Harsh? Isn’t he travelling with you?” Avantika peeped out into the dark cabin.

“No. He had to stay back for his divorce hearing. He will join me as soon as that is sorted.”

“He is married?”

“He is 33, of course he is married.”

“What happened?”

“He didn’t want to get married. Ajatshatru Kaka, as usual, forced his hand. The girl… Sukanya Bhabhi, she has partial deafness and their families thought that’s how matches are made. He didn’t stay at home much, choosing to travel with me. And that’s taken its toll now.”

“That’s sad. You know…”

“Your Highnesses,” the Air hostess found them. “The beds are made.”

“Thank you,” Samarth smiled, opening an arm for her to precede him. She padded to their seats and found the privacy screen up between their beds. Avantika went around it and sat down on her bed. It was comfy and cool, the linen soft. She pulled off her socks and pushed back on the stack of pillows just as she felt Samarth’s movements on the other side of the privacy screen.

“Ava?” His quiet voice came.

“Hmm?”

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