Talk of the Town

35 //

Miraya can’t stop smiling. She had left the hotel early in the morning to dig up more on the life of the  jewellery artisans. When she was talking to a young girl who helped make bracelets, there came a slight tap on her shoulders. She simply could not believe that Shray had traced back to her because she never once mentioned where she was going to be. 

Shray chose to hijack the camera and do his own thing when Miraya refused to give him attention. When she was satisfied with the content she gathered and the work she had done, Miraya joined Shray and they walked together. 

That's when Shray decided to hold her hand. 

Miraya glanced at him and then went back to staring forward, a small smile playing on her lips. 

And she hasn't stopped since then. 

None of them chose to speak about what happened between them the previous night. Miraya was anxious when she woke up with her cheek pressed to his chest and his arm curled around her waist. They had slept in the same bed together. They had kissed and made out and almost had sex. 

But none of those scary details made Miraya regret it. She was anxious about discussing what happened because she doesn't have an explanation for losing control and acting on her desire. Whatever she says will make no rational sense. That scared her. 

But since both of them had silently come to an agreement to not bring it up but continue on that path, it was okay. For one day, she would forget all her inhibitions against giving Shray every bit of herself and act on what she wants. 

Him.

When they go back to India, this glossy dream will shatter and she will have to face reality. She will have to think of a way to fake-break up with Shray to stop the marriage. 

But today, she was just going to live in the moment. With Shray, in his arms, next to the iridescent waves and beachy sand. 

"What are you thinking?" Shray asks. He is wearing a pale pink translucent shirt and denim shorts. Coincidentally, his outfit matches with her pink floral sundress. 

"Nothing," she says, leaning into his side.

Shray lifts her hand and presses a sweet lingering kiss over her knuckles. As if he wasn't the least bit aware of Miraya's heart exploding into pink glittery goo inside, he removes his hands from her hands and circles it around her waist, pressing their sides.

"I love this. You, me, here and the fact that I can show you off to these people," Shray says. 

Miraya smiles and sighs, feeling like someone tipped a bucket of warm sunshine on her, brightening her life. She gripped his shirt tighter and leaned closer to Shray. A delicious mixture of mandarin and musk and something so entirely him fills her nose and like every woman in a romance book, she wants to bottle it up and wear it around her neck. 

"You smell so good," she mumbles, placing a hand on his chest. 

"I know."

Her eyes narrow and she smacks his chest. "You've been given so many compliments that it's gotten to your head."

"I don't care about what the others say, Miranda. I only care about what you do," he says. Miraya pulls away from his hold and crosses her arms across her chest, a smirk playing on her lips. 

"Oh really? I think I remember someone whining over an article just two weeks back saying they got called cute instead of sexy. It looked a lot like you but I guess I was wrong. My bad," Miraya comments.