Beauty and the Bodyguard

Chapter 19: Nightmare

How amazing was WPL - and how amazing were the girls! Man, every time I looked at Shreyanka, all I could see was Ishan's enthusiasm. On a side note, I thought they would look good together. :)

Also, I would like to dedicate this chapter to the Mumbai Indians' social media admin, who is providing me with all the Ishan content I need - the only downside is Mr. Kishan and Mr. Gill seem to be happy to torture me by not interacting. At all. 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ishan needed to get laid, and he needed to get laid, fast.

Normally that would not be an issue - a charming smile and a willing body will get you almost anything, but Ishan was finding it harder and harder to feign interest in anyone when a certain somebody was always in his thoughts. Now though, he was in real trouble.

Shubman looked like Lucifer, tempting him to all kinds of sin, and being cooped up on a boat with him was making matters worse. Before Ishan could walk away after Robby had caught him staring, Shubman stepped in his path.

"How–how are you?"

Casual conversation is how we are playing it now, is it, mused Ishan's mind, but before he could speak, Shubman continued.

"I mean, what were you thinking Ishan, goading those goons into attacking - do you have a death wish? Do you want me to strangle you and fulfill it?"

Ishan's mind had come to an abrupt halt, all conversation starters from "I am fine" to "How are you" getting blown out of his mind. Who was this gutsy guy, and what had he done with Ishan's shy and nervous Shubi?

Ishan's Shubi?

No, wait, scratch that.

He shook his head to get rid of his thoughts, but the thunderous yet sweet expression on Shubman's face nearly melted Ishan into a puddle.

He still cares, his mind screamed.

Of course he does you idiot, what did you think was going to happen, his brain supplied sarcastically.

Ishan wanted to leave, to gather his thoughts and then come back, but he knew he could not afford to do that everytime Shubman opened his mouth, so he did the only thing he could.

He became an asshole instead.

"I'm fine, don't worry about it. You're here on a holiday, aren't you? Let loose man, and who knows, maybe Amu might even find you someone," Ishan said, with a hint of forced laughter in his voice.

Shubman still tried.

"Ishan, please, about what happened –"

"Forget about it; these things happen, okay? What has happened has happened, let's now dwell on it."

Ek hi dil hai, kitni baar tootega, was what Ishan thought, as he saw Shubman's face go from caring to rage in a second. But he persisted - even if I have to break his heart a hundred times, he will thank me for it in a few years, thought Ishan, as he simply gave him a perfunctory pat on his back and hightailed it out of there.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

On Amu's insistence, Ishan led his brigade of friends and bodyguards to an exclusive club that had its own security as well, and positioned everyone around the perimeter. He kept his thoughts about Shubman locked into a box far, far away, and decided to concentrate on his job. Pretty easy to preach than to follow, as his eyes were constantly drawn to that lone figure in pink.

If Shubman in India was a diamond, here, he shone like the sun. Everything else faded away, and the only thing Ishan could see was Shubman and the nervous yet cute way he was dancing. The way his hips moved in the lights was downright sinful, and Ishan wanted nothing more than to drag those hips in his arms and never let go. Those lips that he had felt on his own were getting chewed red, as Shubman looked around nervously, yet the way his body moved, it felt like an angel was gliding on the dance floor.

Control yourself, he chided his mind harshly.

He closed his eyes, let out a frustrated breath, and asked another bodyguard to switch places with him, somewhere he doesn't have to watch Shubman. Ishan had no control when it came to Shubman, and today, it was being tested severely. He came to stand beside Shikhar, who looked to be in another one of his teasing moods.

"Kya janaab, sab thik?"

"Don't start."

"What, I didn't say anything."

"No, you just bought the aafat here."

"Hey, destiny brought him here, I was just the messenger."

"How about I shoot the messenger."

Shikhar chuckled at that. They spent the next few minutes in silence, and just when Ishan was beginning to relax, Shikhar let out a raunchy whistle. Ishan looked in the direction Shikhar was looking at, and felt cold shivers up his spine.

Shubman was dancing.

Closely.

With a girl.

Who had her arms wrapped around his neck.

A muscle ticked in Ishan's jaw. He felt the air whooshing out of his lungs, and the world around him faded to red. He felt the familiar adrenaline rushing into his system, his muscles flexed, and his head swam.

A hand on his shoulder brought him back. Opening his eyes, he looked into Shikhar's pitying ones.

"Man, you've got it bad."

Shrugging the hand off his shoulders, he glanced at Shubman once; Shubman, who was now exchanging sly glances and his number with that girl. Ishan needed no further confirmation - he simply lit a cigarette and walked out of the club.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When they got home, it was quite late. Amu wanted to stay out late, but security concerns meant everyone was hauled home. Amu also didn't want to disobey Ishan, who looked like he would unload all his bullets into the next person who crossed him. The ride home was tense to say the least, but they all breathed a sigh of relief once they reached their respective rooms.

Ishan took a much needed bath, and thought about the day.

Shubman was here.

After all those months of aching to hear his voice and see him, he was finally here.

He wasn't here for Ishan though, was he?

No, he was here to get some, as apparent by the company he was keeping tonight.

Ishan wanted to get mad, he really did, but somewhere even he knew that nothing would come out of it. He was the one who had decided to leave Shubman, he had rejected the kiss - he was responsible, he had no rights to get mad at Shubman for meeting someone else.

For now, he was simply tired to fight a losing battle with his mind, so he let calm wash over him, and felt at peace for the first time in ages, only because his rooh, his sukoon, was finally under the same roof as him. If Ishan thought this simple thought would put him to a peaceful sleep, he was about to find out just how wrong he was.

Because smack dab in the middle of the night, Ishan had a sex dream.

About Shubman.

Uh oh.