"It wasn't love at first sight. It was more like... gravity.

One day, you look at the person and you just know."

- To all the Boys I've Loved Before

~ A D V I K ~

Later, Chaya wandered off toward the café with Yash while Aarohi stayed near the shoreline collecting seashells like an excited child.

I watched her quietly for a moment before walking closer.

"They're pretty!"

Then suddenly she held one up toward me.

"Look."

I took the shell from her fingers carefully. Small. White. Perfectly curved.

"It looks ordinary," I admitted honestly.

Aarohi stared at me in betrayal.

"You have no soul."

"I have standards."

She rolled her eyes before stepping closer beside me near the water. The waves brushed lightly against our feet now, cold and soothing beneath the heat of the sun.

For a moment neither of us spoke.

Just the sound of the ocean.

The breeze.

Her beside me.

Then quietly "You've been distant this week."

The words caught me off guard instantly.

I looked at her.

Her expression wasn't accusing.

Just... observant. Soft. Dangerous.

"I've been busy."

"That's not what I asked."

God.

I looked away toward the water because somehow facing billion-dollar negotiations felt easier than facing this woman.

She waited patiently beside me.

And somehow that made it worse.

"I just..." I exhaled slowly. "I don't know how to do this."

"Do what?"

"This." I gestured vaguely between us. "Marriage. Feelings. Whatever this is becoming."

The wind softened around us.

"I was good before you came," I admitted quietly. "Everything made sense when it was simple."

"And now?" she asked softly.

Now?

Now my chest tightened every time she laughed.

Now I searched for her first in every room.

Now her sadness physically irritated me.

Now one touch from her could ruin my entire nervous system.

I swallowed hard.

"Now you're becoming important."

The honesty slipped out before I could stop it.

Her breath caught slightly. Mine did too.

Stupid.

Stupid Advik.

I laughed dryly afterward, trying to ruin the moment before it ruined me instead.

"Which is unfortunate because I'm emotionally defective."

That earned me a look.

Then unexpectedly.....

Aarohi stepped closer.

Close enough that the ocean breeze carried her perfume toward me. Vanilla. Salt. Something soft.

"You know," she said quietly, "for someone who claims he's emotionally unavailable..

Her fingers lightly caught the collar of my open shirt.

"...you look at me like I hung the moon."

Just like that, my brain chemistry was altered.

She, smirked.

Idiot woman.

She slightly adjusted my collar.

I closed my eyes instantly.

Inhaling her scent. Vanilla. Salt and sea.

The waves crashed somewhere behind us.

People laughed in the distance.

Music drifted softly from the resort.

But all I could focus on was her fingers against my shirt.

Her eyes holding mine.

Her voice.

God.

Then suddenly a strong wave crashed harder against the shore. Aarohi lost balance slightly against the wet sand.

Instinct took over before thought could.

My hand caught her waist immediately. Pulling her against me before she could fall.

And the second her body collided softly against my chest....

Everything went quiet.

Her fingers tightened against my shirt automatically.

My hand flexed around her waist.

Too close.

Way too close.

I could feel her breathing.

Could smell sunscreen and ocean and her perfume all at once.

Her eyes lifted slowly toward mine.

And for one terrifying second.

I thought she could hear how violently my heart was beating.

Neither of us moved.

Then after a beat, I let her go finally.

~A A R O H I~

The waves crashed around our legs while the sunset painted the entire beach gold and orange. Around us people laughed, children ran through the water, distant music floated through the air from a nearby café....

but somehow my entire focus remained on him.

On the way his wet black shirt clung against his shoulders.

On the way his hair fell messily over his forehead now.

On the stupidly attractive smirk resting on his face.

Attractive man..

Before I could continue arguing, he suddenly splashed water directly at me.

Cold water hit my face.

I stared at him in betrayal.

Advik slowly took one step backward.

"...Don't."

"Oh, now you're scared?"

"Aarohi," he warned immediately, trying not to laugh already. "Behave maturely."

I bent down instantly and threw an entire handful of water at him.

His jaw dropped.

"YOU...!!" I ran.

Straight through the shallow waves while laughing uncontrollably.

Behind me I heard him groan dramatically.

"AAROHI! COME BACK HERE!"

"NO!"

"You started a war!"

"everything is fair between love and war!!!"

Another wave crashed against my legs while I nearly lost balance laughing. The cold water soaked the ends of my clothes completely now, but I couldn't even care.

I felt light.

Free.

And maybe Advik noticed it too.

Because when I finally turned around again, he wasn't immediately chasing me anymore

He was just... standing there.

Looking at me.

The ocean behind him.

The sky burning gold above him.

His expressions were softer than I had ever seen before.

My laughter slowly faded.

And then that idiot ruined the moment by splashing another wave at me.

"ADVIK!"

He burst out laughing instantly.

The sound deep. Warm. Real.

Not the polite laugh.

Not the controlled smile he wore around people.

This was different.

This was him.

I grabbed water again aggressively.

"Oh you are DEAD."

"You're short. You can't reach me."

The audacity.

I marched toward him through the waves only for him to catch both my wrists suddenly before I could attack again.

The force made me stumble directly against him.

My breath hitched.

Because now he was close.

One of his hands still held my wrist while the other settled carefully against my waist to steady me.

(At this point, his just trying to find reasons to hold her waist. #Waistholic 😜)

The water moved around us softly while the wind pushed damp strands of hair across my face.

And annoyingly...his eyes dropped to my lips for one tiny second.

Then back to my eyes.

"Aggressive woman," he murmured softly.

"You deserve it."

"Probably."

But he still didn't let go.

The waves crashed harder now against us, soaking us further. Somewhere behind us Yash and Chaya were yelling about something, but their voices sounded distant suddenly.

Because Advik was looking at me again in that strange way.

Like he was trying to memorize my face.

Like he didn't fully understand what was happening to him either.

My heartbeat turned uneven.

Then his expression suddenly shifted mischievously.

Dangerous.

Very dangerous.

Before I could react,he grabbed me properly around the waist and lifted me clean off the ground.

"ADVIK OBEROI!"

He laughed harder now, holding me effortlessly while I smacked his shoulder repeatedly.

"You said violence was wrong!" he defended.

"PUT ME DOWN!"

"Hmm. Thinking about it."

"ADVIK...!!!!"

Then he stepped backward straight into a larger incoming wave.

And dumped both of us directly into the ocean.

Cold water exploded around us instantly.

I resurfaced gasping dramatically while he emerged beside me laughing like an actual menace.

We both were drenched. My white top now stuck to my body like a second skin.

"You psychopath!" I yelled.

"You survived."

"I HATE YOU."

"No you don't."

The words came easily.

Playfully.

The water reached around his waist now while droplets slid down his face and throat. His hair was completely ruined, shirt soaked, sleeves rolled messily to his elbows.

And somehow he had never looked more beautiful.

Then suddenly another strong wave crashed toward me unexpectedly.

Before I could lose balance, Advik pulled me instantly against his chest.

One arm around my waist.

The other shielding me instinctively.

My palms pressed against him automatically.

And there it was again.

That silence.

That dangerous silence between us.

The world kept moving around us...

waves crashing, people laughing, wind roaring softly through the shore....

but inside that moment, everything slowed.

His breathing.

Mine.

The space between us.

I could feel his heartbeat beneath my fingertips. Fast. Hard. Unsteady.

And the way he looked at me now...

God.

It didn't look casual anymore.

His thumb flexed unconsciously against my waist.

Like he was resisting something.

Like he wanted to pull me even closer.

"Aarohi..."

My name sounded different in his voice this time.

Lower. Rougher.

Almost dangerous.

His gaze stayed on my lips for half a second more before looking back to my eyes.

My fingertips lingered near his temple for one second too long.

And something inside him snapped quietly.

Not lust.

Not attraction.

Something worse.

Something terrifyingly gentle.

He leaned down slightly before I could think better of it. Foreheads almost touching now.

Close enough that his breath mixed with mine.

Close enough that I could see every tiny flicker in his eyes.

"If you keep looking at me like that," he murmured softly, "I'm going to do something irresponsible."

My lashes fluttered.

"What irresponsible thing?" I whispered back.

His hand still rested against my waist beneath the water. Warm.

Not forcing. Never forcing. Just there.

Like he wanted permission to keep holding me.

My fingers remained against his jaw almost unconsciously now.

I had never seen him like this before.

This wasn't the composed businessman.

Not the sarcastic tease.

Not the emotionally unavailable man who hid behind work and arrogance.

This was simply... Advik.

His eyes searched mine carefully before he spoke again.

"You should stop looking at me so sweetly," he murmured.

I blinked softly. "Why?"

A faint laugh left him.

"Because I'm trying very hard to behave."

Heat rushed to my face instantly.

That stupid man noticed immediately too.

Of course he did.

"There," he whispered "Blushing."

"I am not."

"You absolutely are."

His thumb moved slightly against my waist unconsciously.

Just one small

movement.

But it sent a shiver straight through me.

And the worst part?

He felt it.

"You've ruined me beautifully, Aarohi Advik Oberoi"

My soul left my body frantically.

________

________

You are definitely blushing internally...Am I right...?

🙈