Chapter 38

Manik slowly finished his drink before turning towards Nandani. When he finally did his eyes were stormy but in the low lighting, she could not tell what mood he was in.

"I think about you too," he said. Something in her thrilled as he reached a hand out to her hip, pulled her gently toward him, leaned down until his mouth brushed her ear. "I think about my mouth on you." Manik's voice was low, his lips on her skin. Something in her curled at the feeling. "When you are just starting to come, you make those little noises because you are so close you want to scream." He pulled her harder against him. A bolt of pure lust ran down her body. She had no idea whether he felt anything beyond the physical, but she was ready to take anything he would give her.

Manik's mouth grazed her ear again. "I would make love to you, and when you are so far gone that you would scream my name with desire." His voice was rough but his lips were soft, moving back and forth across her sensitive skin. When he spoke she could hear not only hunger but something else. Something deeper. "And you say my name over and over, Nandani."

She realized that she had missed him more than she had thought possible. At that moment, with him pressed up against her and whispering those things, she needed him back. She would tell Mukti about them. And even his family. And anyone else who cared to listen. She would shout it from the top of the Empire State building. She thought it was not fair to deny themselves the possibility of something epic because of the fear of what could go wrong? What Mukti or her parents might say or do?

The reasons that she had been keeping themselves apart suddenly seemed feeble. As they crashed down around her, in their place she felt a sudden possessiveness spring up.

At that moment Nandani did not care that he was her best friend's brother. He was her Manik now, her's first. Everyone else could get the hell in line.

She grabbed his hand and pulled him behind her towards a secluded spot. She looked up at him for the first time in weeks.

Manik towered over her, looking like a Greek god. The stormy eyes were just inches from hers appeared a deeper brown. His breathing was unsteady like he was not sure where his words had left them. Like he did not know what his words had done to her. He was as if waiting for her to give permission. But then she had dragged him there, hadn't she?

"Don't go shy on me now, Manik." She raised her chin, both in challenge and surrender. Manik's eyes blazed at her and he released a long breath she had not noticed he was holding. "Fuck you are gorgeous. It has been driving me crazy, being away from you," he murmured, lips moving on her neck.

"Tell me you missed me, Nandani."

"God, more than you can imagine." The words were husky.

"Tell me you need me," Manik said.

"You have no idea. I always need you. Only you," she muttered.

Manik groaned and she could tell her words were affecting him. Nandani's whole body shook, with desire. Holy God, this boy undid her, she thought. The dirty talk, the sweetness, the innocence, the boldness. All wrapped up in a combination, that was Manik.

Then Manik kissed her, once more, lightly, before leaving her, to find her way to the dance floor.

Oh god! How badly she needed a drink. "There you are!" Mukti exclaimed. "I have been wondering where could you be?"

Nandani blushed all kinds of red, hidden, she hoped, by the darkness of the club. "Where were you?" Mukti asked her.

"Bathroom. Now, Can I get a drink?" Nandani asked her.

"Sure. Then after that get your ass back out here and dance," Mukti said.

Nandani was not able to work out how she was going to see Manik without Mukti noticing. Nandani also did not want to have this conversation with Manik in the middle of a club. But she might have to.

Nandani drank and danced, trying to smile along with Mukti until one guy monopolized her attention. He was older, with broad shoulders and dark hair styled in a deliberate part. He wore a suit. He did not seem to be a person for Mukti to get swept in, but whatever he murmured in Mukti's ear had her fascinated.

After dancing with him for ages, Mukti came up to Nandani, her eyes sparkling. "Will you hate me if I ditch you?"

Nandani thought with Manik waiting for her? Hell no, she wouldn't. "No, it is okay. But I do not know how safe it is for you to go home with some random guy," Nandani told Mukti.

"He is fine, trust me. I will text you his address," Mukti replied.

Nandani's phone buzzed and she glanced down without Mukti noticing.

Put Mukti in a cab and meet me out, back

Five minutes, Manik

"Okay, Mukti. I will see you tomorrow. And don't have too much fun. Be back by eleven in the morning, so we can have lunch and prepare for the meeting, alright? She watched Mukti leave with the guy before heading to the door herself.

Manik was waiting when she got there. He held open the door to a cab and she stepped in, conscious of her dress rising her thighs, as she sat. He shut the door behind her and walked around to get to the other side.

"My place or yours," Manik asked after sitting down.

"Um, yours," she replied. She did not want to risk Mukti coming home early.

Manik plucked the phone from her hands and pocketed it. His eyes darkened. "I have not seen you in weeks. I am not in a mood to share you with anybody," he said.

Nandani tried to make some appearance of conversation during the unbearably long ride. "Mukti said you were here for a conference?" she asked him.

"I bought the plane ticket, earlier this fall. It was going to be a surprise." Their eyes connected and her heart swelled in her chest. "In the end, I could not cancel, and figured why waste, a perfectly good trip to New York? Then when Mukti did mention your plans tonight..." Manik said, but stopped mid-sentence, as they reached the hotel.

They managed to get out of the cab and into his hotel. The elevator ride was a blur, his mouth on hers before the doors even closed. He pinned her up against the mirrored wall, and her legs wrapped wantonly around his waist as her hands fisted in his hair that had grown longer over their break.

"God I missed you," he murmured against her mouth. A thrill rushed up to her spine, not just because his hardness was pressing against her stomach. She had missed him too, more than she wanted to admit. Missed his voice. The way his mind was always running underneath the smooth surface. The way he could be sweet when he thought no one was paying attention, unlike most guys, who waited until they would be noticed.

A/N: Dear readers, do you want a nice hot romantic chapter? If yes, I want to hear that loudly. Do vote and comment. Come on guys cheer me up! A little romance would harm no one! But only after you vote and comment. Or else, I will straight go to the next chapter. Come on darlings, your countdown starts now........❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️😁😍😍