‘Like what?’ he mused.
She narrowed her eyes at him. ‘Like whatever you’re thinking may require me to fill out a very detailed HR complaint.’
His shoulder shook from laughter as he made his way to her. ‘You can file whatever you want, but all I’m guilty of is being completely crazy about my wife.’
She looked away, shaking her head, like she always did when she wanted to hide how much she liked hearing things like that from him. ‘Well, unfortunately, being crazy about me isn’tgoing to get the investors to sign off on the gemstone collection. So maybe focus onthatinstead of flirting with me.’
Abhay came up behind her, and leaned forward until his breath skimmed her neck. He slid his hands over her shoulders and his thumbs pressed gently into the knots beneath the silk fabric.
‘What are you—Abhay, we’re in the office and there is so much work to do,’ she meant to scold him but by the end, only a sigh came out.
He bent closer, his lips brushing against the shell of her ear as he whispered, ‘Shh, exactly, which is why I’m helping you relax to make sure you survive the day.’
‘I don’t need your help,’ she said firmly.
Abhay was getting used to her reluctance to accept help, but it didn’t mean he would let her continue it with him. ‘Tough. You’re still getting my help.’
‘I cannot afford to relax! The meeting is in an hour and I have a ton of things to check,’ Siya argued, stiff under his touch.
‘Come on. I’ll finish your checklist for the meeting. Let me take care of you. Just for a minute.’
Siya shook her head. ‘Not at all, you are so disorganised you can’t keep track of the smallest of things. Why do you think I have curated a detailed task list for everyone but you?’
‘If I’m that bad at keeping track of things, how come I safely held on to your anklet all these years?’
She took a moment before answering. ‘Don’t flatter yourself. It’s not that big of a deal.’
‘Is that why you still have it on?’
‘I might have forgotten to take it off,’ Siya quipped.
He smiled inwardly when he felt her shaky exhale and that was all the permission he needed.
He pressed with slow, deliberate circles, finding every tight knot along her nape and coaxed the tension out of them. The bone-deep exhaustion was etched into the curve of her back. Her skin was warm beneath his touch, and he wanted to memorise the feel of her all over again. Slowly, he felt her relax.
‘Since you’re already here, how about I bring you up to speed?’
When he nodded, she began typing again and the soft glow of her Mac screen came to life. She zoomed in on the design list, explaining the colour palette, and their sources and origins.
The scent of her vanilla shampoo blending with the softness of her floral perfume teased his nose and he took a deep inhale, savouring it. She yawned once, covering her mouth with the back of her hand, and on impulse, he leaned over and pressed his lips to her cheek. A shiver ran through her in response and she closed her eyes.
He kneaded hard in the middle of her back, until her spine straightened, her body leaning back into him. He felt immense delight in the way her muscles relaxed under his hands and he was glad to give her a semblance of rest in the eye of the storm.
When she slightly slumped back, her eyes closed, Abhay realised she’d dozed off. Her eyes fluttered lightly and her lips were parted. His fingers itched to brush the stray hair from her face. She looked adorable.
He noticed the subtle glint of her mangalsutra tucked inside her silk top, and the wide dot of sindoor she wore in the partingof her hair. Unable to resist, he caressed his thumb over the single mole on her shoulder that he’d once kissed in the dark.
A wave of possessiveness came over him. He traced a thumb along her cheekbone but froze when suddenly, Dhruv strode into the cabin without knocking. Acting on impulse, Abhay lifted one hand, palm outward, and silently willed him to back off.
Dhruv hesitated, lips parted as if to speak, but Abhay shook his finger to warn him. Resentment boiled under his calm exterior. Siya badly needed a few minutes of rest, and he wouldn’t let her stepbrother shatter her momentary peace with his barbs.
Dhruv stepped back, muttering under his breath, and left the door ajar.
Just then, his phone buzzed in his pocket and he pulled it out to see a message from Aadar. The marketing campaign checklist he’d asked for was waiting for him in his cabin. Reality and duty tugged at him, pulling him away from her. He pressed a soft kiss to her temple, then slipped out of the room with half a heart.
As he passed Namita’s desk, he instructed in a hushed tone. ‘Do not let anyone in right now, and knock on the door when there are ten minutes left for the meeting. Before she goes in, make sure to bring her coffee, please.’
Namita gave a sharp nod.
