PROLOGUE
“Dance with me, Raashi,” whispered a silken voice just below her ear. A shiver rippled across her skin on hearing his voice. Sameer Sehgal! His voice and his face had invaded her thoughts and captured her dreams for so long now. Sighing, she turned around to face him.
Sameer had been watching her for a while now. They were in his hotel lawns, at his cousin Kabier’s wedding reception. The party was going on in full swing and the hotel lawns were beautifully decorated and lit. All around there were a number of couples dancing to the romantic music that the band was belting out. She had been standing quietly in the shadows, in a corner of the lawns, observing the crowd and he couldn’t resist going up to her and teasing her senses by whispering softly to her in the darkness. Standing close to her, he saw her shiver and felt elated. He had been wooing her for the last few months and knew exactly how to bring about this desired reaction in her. He held his hand out to her as she turned, his eyes never leaving her beautiful face, waiting for her to put her hand in his.
To step into his arms and dance with him.
Raashi looked at the outstretched hand in front of her for several seconds before she raised her gaze to his face, into eyes the color of dark, dark chocolate and was lost. She had been resisting him since so long and now finally she was tired, tired of playing safe, of always wanting to do the right thing. Giving in to him would mean coming out of the safe cocoon she had built around herself. And today of all days she wanted to let loose and fly. She put her hand in his and let him lead her to the dance floor.
He held her lightly on the waist and she moved closer to him, putting her hands on his shoulders and swayed with him to the music. This close, she could inhale the unforgettable fragrance that she always associated with him. The woody, musky fragrance of his cologne mixed with the unique scent that belonged only to him. She inhaled, breathing him in again. God! He was becoming more and more irresistible and if she weren’t careful, she’d be caught in the silken web Sameer Sehgal had been spinning around her.
“You’re unusually quiet today,” Sameer said.
“I’m questioning my intelligence in agreeing to dance with you.”
He laughed, his typical throaty rumble and Raashi couldn’t look away. He was one of the most gorgeous men she had ever met and she was flattered he was paying so much attention to her. Her eyes could never stop following him when he was around. Tonight, he just looked splendid in the dark, well-fitted, three-piece suit that defined his well-toned body to perfection.
“Now you have me intrigued! So have you come up with an answer to that one yet?” he asked her.
“Well, considering your intentions towards me, I think that it definitely wasn’t in my best interest to be dancing with you.”
“Beautiful, I always have your best interests at heart.”
“Yeah, right,” Raashi rolled her eyes.
They both knew what he wanted from her and he had ensured she knew exactly what that was.
“I never lie. You will have the best time of your life with me,” he told her confidently, his eyes never leaving hers.
Sameer watched her digest the obvious implication in his words. He had wanted her for so long and seeing her look so beautiful in the deep cut amber gown that showed off her perfect curves, was driving him crazy. He whirled her around the dance floor and before she knew it, they were dancing in a secluded alcove, surrounded by palms, away from the dance floor, away from any possible prying eyes.
He drew her closer to him. Raashi wrapped her arms around his neck and rested her head on his shoulder. Oh! Being close to him was heaven and yet it was so dangerous for her heart. She ought to put some distance between them. But right now it felt great to be held by Sameer, even though she knew she was heading towards trouble.
He had chased her persistently the last few months, using every opportunity presented to him to tease her, to challenge her and to be with her. Their lives recently had become intertwined with the same set of people they cared for, that they had met ever so often.
She recalled a conversation she had had with him a few months ago when he had openly made his intentions clear to her.
“I want you, Raashi, in my bed and I will have you there pretty soon,” he had told her in his typical bold and confident manner.
Raashi had been stunned.
Finally, she had replied saying, “I don’t do one-night stands and from what I’ve heard of you, that’s what you usually do. So, go find someone else. I’m not interested.”
His lips had curved into a wicked smile in response.
“You are interested. I know it. When I touch you, you go up in flames.”
He’d brought his face close to hers, so close that there wasn’t an inch of space between them. So close that her heart had pounded, but she had stood still, refusing to let him know that she craved his touch. And then he had rubbed his cheek against hers - slowly, softly, letting her feel the scratch of his perpetual five o’clock shadow on her skin. Helplessly, she had shut her eyes and trembled. He had lit a fire within her and he was aware of it.
Satisfied, he’d tipped her chin upwards. Raashi had opened her eyes to see him smiling cheekily at her.
Gathering her courage she had taken a step back from him.
“Stay away from me, Sameer. This was nothing. I’m not your usual type of woman. So leave me alone.” Saying that she had walked off.
But he hadn’t left her alone. In fact, he had pursued her even more relentlessly. He would touch her; the slightest of caresses that would make her burn for more or whisper softly in her ear like earlier that would drive her mad. She wanted him and the worse thing was that he knew it.
Now, dancing with him, his strong arms encircling her, was slowly melting away her resistance.
