Pari was curious to receive answers to the questions in her mind but Ishaan suggested having food first so Pari agreed to his words and they enjoyed dinner before returning to the swing on the terrace. They sat facing each other at opposite ends of the swing.
“Let’s get started,” Ishaan said, and Pari took a long breath.
“Let’s get started with this place before we talk about us,” Pari said, bracing herself to hear what he had to confess. Ishaan chuckled at her curiosity before he began.
“All the properties were bought and built by either Grandpa, Appa, or Mithun mamu, but I thought my girl deserves something from me, so I bought a couple of properties. I haven’t built anything yet. I want you to plan what we should build for us. For now, I wanted a place to propose to you, so I built this cottage. There’s a beautiful garden around it; you should see it in the morning. I made all the arrangements when I mentioned our weekend plans.”
Pari was astounded by his words. Everything he did or said reflected how much he loved and respected her.
“I’m honored by your thoughtfulness,” she said. “We’ll plan the construction later, but I love this cottage so let it be exactly as it is. Let this place be a memory of this night. Now tell me, how did you buy this outfit? This is the same dress I chose for the party, but that dumbo wouldn’t let me pick it and here you are wearing the same outfit. How is that possible?”
Ishaan chuckled and rubbed his eyebrow, he still wasn’t sure how she would react, but he decided to confess everything.
“The distance between us is too great to answer that simply, baby,” Ishaan said, beckoning her to him. Pari moved closer, and Ishaan traced her cheek with his knuckles. “I never left you alone, Pari. I would sneak around and watch you from afar. Call it stalking or whatever you want, but I couldn’t stay away from you. Just like every other time, I was at the boutique. I watched how much you loved that dress. Guess what? I wanted to shred him into pieces — who in his right mind thinks a woman should dress according to a man’s wish? I loved the way you twirled around in this gown.”
Ishaan unlocked his mobile and showed her the photos and videos from that day — images of Pari in that outfit. Pari was stunned; she realized she had been right to feel watched.
“I was right. I always felt watched. In fact, I suspected it might be you, but I thought you were a gentleman and wouldn’t follow me.”
Ishaan laughed at her words.
“Baby, I am a gentleman and that’s exactly why I never left you completely. I was at your convocation, at every birthday. The distance between us may have been small, but our hearts were so far apart that it hurt me.”
Pari felt ashamed and hung her head, mumbling, “Sorry.” Ishaan lifted her chin with his forefinger and kissed the tip of her nose.
“Don’t ever be sorry,” he said, and Pari nodded slowly.
“Why didn’t you confess and let me stop being so foolish? You could have called off the engagement, Ishu.”
Ishaan pulled her into his lap and nudged the swing with his foot.
“First, you weren’t in a place to hear me out. Second, Appa didn’t want me near you, and I couldn’t meet you until he allowed it. He called me the day before the engagement, but Mamu has always kept in touch and let me know everything happening in your life. He never made me feel like I was missing out.”
Pari shot him a look and pinched his ear playfully.
“What if Rey uncle hadn’t called you? I would have still been a fool in his game. Would you have let him ruin me and my life if you weren’t called back?”
Ishaan released his ear from her hold and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.
“Did you think Appa would let his son lose the woman he loves? Everyone in our family knows we were made for each other. Our parents understand the value of love; they wouldn’t betray that. They didn’t try to force you because they wanted you to realize on your own. Every time Varun tried to propose, Appa and Mamu made sure his business suffered a setback so he couldn’t follow through. He knew something was wrong when his plans failed repeatedly, so he proposed to you over coffee out of nowhere. Everyone suspected he had proposed because he’d noticed men following him and you. We expected you would accept him and you did.”
Pari felt guilt weighing heavily on her heart and tried to move away from him, but Ishaan, sensing her inner turmoil, refused to let her go and gently rocked her body.
“Don’t feel guilty, Pari. He played you. Let’s not spoil this day talking about that bastard and his dirty plans. Tell me, what should we do to celebrate this night?”
Ishaan traced her bare thigh with his finger through the slit of her dress, making her breath hitch. He moved her hair to the front and pressed a kiss to her nape, his hot breath sending shivers down her spine. Pari shifted sideways and looked at him; his eyes burned with desire, mirroring her own. Her chest rose and fell rapidly as she softly whispered his name.
Ishaan’s heated gaze lingered on her, his thumb brushing across her lower lip. Pari cupped his cheek, her thumb caressing him gently as their eyes locked. They leaned in, their lips brushing against each other before pausing, lingering in the closeness. Pari wrapped her arms around his neck, and then, slowly, their lips parted and met again in a kiss—soft, deep, and passionate.
Ishaan stroked her back with one hand and her thigh with the other. Pari moaned into his mouth, and he grunted as he felt her soft curves pressed against him. Pulling back, Ishaan lifted her into his arms in bridal style. Carrying her into the bedroom, he set her down gently. Pari slipped out of his arms, sliding off his blazer and tugging him closer by his tie. Ishaan wrapped his arm around her waist, yanking her body against his, while his other hand held her nape as he kissed her fervently. Turning her around, he pinned her against the wall, their kiss burning with intensity.
Pari gasped when she felt his arousal press against her, and Ishaan pressed closer, letting her know the effect she had on him. He broke their kiss only to trail kisses along her jaw and down to her neck.
In one swift move, he lifted her over his shoulder and dropped her onto the bed. Hovering over her, he began sucking at her pulse point, making her whimper beneath him. His lips trailed to her chest and cleavage, his groans and grunts stoking her desire. Her fingers tangled in his hair, gripping tighter as she pulled him closer. Fueled by her response, Ishaan kissed her mouth hungrily.
His hand slid from her thigh to her abdomen, stopping just below her bosom as he traced slow circles. Then, pulling away, Ishaan pressed a tender kiss to her forehead.
“I’m sorry, Pari. Let’s stop here. My patience is hanging by a thread, and I don’t think I can hold myself back any longer.”
He sat on the edge of the bed, loosening his tie and rolling up the sleeves of his shirt. Pari leaned against his back, pressing her cheek to him. Ishaan held her hand, taking a few deep breaths to steady himself before finally turning to face her.
With a soft smile, he kissed the tip of her nose.
“I want you, Pari. I want to mark you completely, every inch of your body with my lips. I want to devour you, make love to you, claim you as mine in every way. But I want that to happen when you are truly mine… when we are husband and wife.” Ishaan said, his hot breathe brushing her cheek.
“You don’t trust me, Ishaan? You think I would leave you anytime?” Pari’s eyes welled up with tears. Ishaan lay back on the bed and pulled her on top of him.
“Don’t you ever say that again, Pari. I trust you, and I trust our love more than anything. But the day I left you, I promised myself I would make you mine, make love to you only after claiming you as my wife. I don’t need a legal paper or a ritual to see you as mine but our parents value those traditions, and we respect them. So let’s wait. Is that okay with you?”
Pari’s lips curved into a smile as her heart swelled. This man never failed to amaze her. His love and respect for their families only made her love him more. She pecked the tip of his nose, folded her arms on his chest, and rested her chin on them.
“I’m happy with your decision. We’ll wait until we’re married. I’m sure we’ll still share plenty of kisses and little touches like tonight. But since we’ve decided to stay in control, I think you should go sleep on the couch,” she teased with a smirk, trying to get down.
But Ishaan flipped her beneath him, pinning her hands gently on either side.
“I said we’ll wait but that doesn’t mean we can’t cuddle. I want you in my arms every night,” Ishaan said, his gaze fixed on her. Pari raised her head, her lips close to his lips but deliberately stopped short of kissing him.
“Fine,” she said mischievously, “but don’t blame me if you lose control, because I might have my own fair play of games to tease and test your patience.”
Ishaan smiled at her daring words and leaned in to kiss her, but Pari quickly lowered her head back onto the pillow, dodging his lips. Ishaan released her hands and puckered her lips.
“Baby, I’m Ishaan Rey. Mess with me, and the consequences won’t be pleasant,” he warned playfully.
Pari shoved him off, and Ishaan chuckled, resting his head on his arm. Pari propped herself on her elbow and mischievously twisted his moustache.
“Everything is fair in love and war, Mr. Ishaan. Now tell me, are we staying here tonight? I need clothes to change,” she asked as she slid off the bed.
Ishaan followed her, opening the wardrobe where he had already placed some clothes for both of them.
Pari pushed him onto the bed and, removing his tie, blindfolded him. She stepped back, and within seconds Ishaan’s Adam’s apple bobbed at the sound of a zipper. His jaw clenched as he realized she was undressing. Before his thoughts could run wild, her gown landed on him. Her perfume hit his nostrils, driving him crazy.
“Pari…” Ishaan mumbled, clutching the gown in his hand.
Pari removed her jewelry and slipped into the washroom with his shirt. After cleaning off her makeup, she put on his shirt that fell loosely to her thighs. Tying her hair into a bun, she walked out and climbed onto the bed. Pulling the blanket up to her neck, she lay down and then removed the tie from his eyes.
Ishaan turned toward her and saw her snugly wrapped in the sheet, covering herself completely.
“Good night, Ishu. I’m tired,” Pari said.
Ishaan smirked, picked up his clothes, and headed into the washroom. When he returned, he was wearing only shorts. Pari gasped at the sight of his perfect abs and toned torso.
“Two can play this game, babe,” Ishaan teased as he joined her in bed. Pulling her closer, his hand brushed against her bare legs. Pari placed her palm firmly on his chest, only to catch his mischievous smirk.
“You’re such a tease, Pari,” Ishaan whispered before kissing her cheek and then her lips. Soon after, they cuddled into each other and drifted to sleep.
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A/N:
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