Ruin In Royals (Royal #1: Book 2) | ✔

6

-• alone together •-

He's changed in a white v-neck and black sweats that hang low on his hips. His presence is larger than his body, it's everywhere, in every damn corner of this humongous suite, and hence, the space suddenly feels small. For someone who has lived in the room half the size of a cave, it's embarrassing to complain, because despite what I say, I know it's not the size of the room that bothers me, it's him.

"Are you planning to avoid me again? Because I'm starving and I'd really appreciate some tv while I eat my dinner."

I blink.

Did he catch on me avoiding him?

Of course he did, Tara, you weren't really being discreet.

I clear my throat and clutch the remote tighter in my hands, just because I need something to hold on, something to control, so I can lie firmly to him, without a waver in my voice. "I was not avoiding you. Something else had my attention more."

He cocks a brow and leans on the doorframe, hands buried deep in his sweat pockets. "And what was that something else?"

"Shopping." I fix a nonchalant smile on my face. "Every woman's guilty pleasure."

He nods slowly, pretending to buy my answer. "Was it worth it then?"

"What?" I whisper, the slow music from the television fading into the background.

"Whatever you bought."

"Yeah," I reply. "It is."

"Anything else occupying your attention right now?" He inquires.

I release a breezy chuckle. "Nothing that I can think of. The day is almost over."

"Good," he gets off the door frame and strolls over, sprawling on the seat beside me. I feel the dip of the couch before his scent hits me and my toes curl in reflex, my arm on the crest retracting into itself. "You can focus on me."

My eyes snap to him in shock. "Excuse me?"

He leans over slowly, holding the eye contact that makes my breathe grow deeper and before I realise his proximity is for the remote, I've already lost the battle to my heart as it thrums wildly into my chest, as though it's a drum and every inch Shourya erases is a beat.

"Let's watch a movie." He whispers, sitting back relaxed, thighs spread as he casually changes the settings from cable to Netflix. "I haven't really watched many movies. Suggest me some?" He glances at me curiously.

I tear my eyes off him before he realises he has my interest more than I prefer and he'd indulge. "I don't know. I'm not a big movie fan."

"What do you like to watch then?"

"Choose anything you want." I get off the couch to leave.

"Avoiding me again?"

I grit my teeth. "Unless someone's taking me out on a date, I'd like to sit around in more comfortable clothes."

"This can be a date," he smirks, looking up at me from his sexily hooded eyes.

"This," I flicker a finger around the suite. "This is what you call a date? I'm a high maintainenance girl, Shourya. My brothers make sure I don't touch the ground with bare feet." I shoot back smugly. "You'd have to do a lot more than lousy dinner and Netflix movie to earn a date with me." With that I turn around and leave to change into something more comfortable.

I feel his eyes follow me, and if his gaze had a height, it'd be the same as mine. Because I feel it on every fucking inch of my body, burning and seeping into my skin like a molten lava.