& Then They Wed (Ampersand Love #2)

34. Envy

34

Envy

Aditi

W earing all the facets of one’s nature with confidence was like having the perfect bra. It was not always a comfortable process to get there, and the damn sizes kept changing as you grew. But with enough effort, one could understand what suited them and find that they were uplifted in the best ways.

Aditi had believed she’d undergone this transformation already and had become self-aware. She thought she’d learnt to find a balance between the good and bad. She always tried to be kind, she tried not to covet that which wasn’t hers. She tried to let go of bad experiences, forgive and move on.

Today however, she was neck deep in a feeling she had thought she wouldn’t have cause to experience.

Envy.

Even with Harish, she’d only felt sad or disappointed when his behaviour had worsened. With Rian, she wanted to growl at any woman looking at him and hide him away .

She had to bite back a frown when the lady Rian was speaking to wouldn’t quit staring at him. It was natural. Not only was he easy on the eyes, he was also an attentive listener, a polite companion, and a perfect gentleman.

She just wished he was being that way with her instead of someone else.

Not that this distance was his fault, her conscience chided her. He’d been more than ready to announce their engagement to their friends. It was Aditi who had stopped him.

It was neither the time nor the place for it, she had explained to a disappointed Rian. She wanted to tell her parents first, before everyone else found out. And she would get that chance later tonight, she thought, checking her phone for her flight details.

“All okay?”

Aditi glanced up to see Kaya returning to their little hideaway at the edge of the ballroom. She handed her a glass of some sparkling pink drink.

“Just checked in to make sure the flight is on time.”

Kaya nodded, coming to stand right beside her. “Thank you, Aditi,” she said after a moment, looking almost shy.

“What for?”

“For attending this party despite having to travel tonight. Being around so many people gets overwhelming for me,” Kaya admitted sheepishly, gesturing to the crowded ballroom around them. “I don’t make friends too easily either so events like this tend to be a lonely and trying affair. Having you here means I have one more person I’m not awkward with.”

Aditi placed a gentle hand on Kaya’s arm, squeezing it in support. “I wouldn’t have missed your success party! Besides, I get to flex knowing a real-life author now. Do you know how jealous my sister is going to be when I tell her? ”

“Tell her what?” a deep voice interrupted them. Immediately, Kaya’s face cleared. Her entire body relaxed and a blinding smile lit up her features as her husband joined their conversation.

Aditi took a sip of her drink, watching Kaya’s confidence grow under Arjun’s undivided attention as he showered her with genuine praise regarding her work. Her face softened at the couple she was observing. They truly seemed to need no one else when they were together. Their affection for each other was obvious and their love—palpable.

She’d only heard bits and pieces of their story. That they had been separated for a long time. That they had only recently found each other again. Given the newness of their friendship, Aditi had not probed. As beautiful as she found them, she also felt envious.

They had the kind of love she hoped fervently to share with Rian.

Every day since her war of words with Leela, she had tried to not let her insecurities grow and get in the way of her relationship. More often than not, she succeeded. Rian made it easy to remain in the moment with him. He was loving, generous, and showed his care in a multitude of little ways. From staying up with her in the evenings to sending her packed meals at the hospital, checking on her via messages or simply dropping by with flowers to cheer her up during her night shifts, Rian had been everything she’d never dared to dream of.

Being in love with him was exciting, but it scared her all the same. The fear of losing him troubled her in the distant periphery of her mind.

Knowing she’d be away from him had unfortunately amped up all her negative emotions. It hadn’t helped that in the week leading up to today, they’d both been so busy that they’d only managed to intermittently catch little moments of togetherness. She wished she could steal away time with him before she left, but being here to share in Kaya’s achievements was important .

Inevitably, she found herself sweeping the ballroom to catch sight of her man. What she saw only made the tightness in her chest double.

Rian was standing with Sonia Dasavi and her family, his mother grinning approvingly as she hailed a photographer to take a picture of all of them together.

Aditi’s gut twisted when Sonia hooked her arm with his, leaning her head on his shoulder like it was natural. The flash of the camera went off and when the haze cleared, Aditi's eyes met Leela’s. The older woman raised a brow, her smile turning smug.

Aditi glanced away, knowing that Rian wasn’t at fault. Leela was clearly trying to get under her skin. Unfortunately, she was succeeding. Her hands firmed over the flute she was holding. She threw her head back and chugged the rest of her drink, the bitterness in her mouth overwhelming her despite the sweetness of the liquid.

Excusing herself, she stalked off in search of a quiet spot to cool down in. So in her own head was she that she didn’t hear the approach of footsteps behind her.

A warm hand curled about her upper arm, spinning her around.

“Rian?” she questioned, confused when his hand slid down to lace their fingers together. Wordlessly, he tugged her, nodding towards the winding stairs that led up to the hotel terrace. Her heels clicked on the marble floor, her dress swishing about her ankles as she let him guide them to an unknown destination.

Rian stopped beside a door and knocked, leading her in a moment later. Aditi cast a glance about the fancy washroom—the kind that people flaunted in their social media posts. This was less so a washroom and more a place for the ladies to rest their feet, touch up their cosmetics, and pout for the perfect behind-the-scenes pictures. Velvet loveseats with plush cushions, scented vanilla candles on the side, gleaming countertops, and muted gold sconces throwing light everywhere. It screamed opulence and glamour .

She spun slowly on her heels, awed by the details in the room. She came to a stop in front of the ornate wall mirror, realising finally that she was under observation.

The click of the lock sounded louder in the closed space than she would have expected.

Aditi said nothing as Rian came to stand behind her, his hands resting on either side of her hips. With her heels on, their height difference was reduced.

“Why’d you bring me here?”

The enigmatic look on his face revealed little of his thoughts.

“You’ve been somewhere else all evening.”

“I’ve been at the same party as you,” she said, tilting her head to the side when he dropped a delicate kiss at the edge of her exposed shoulder.

“But not with me,” he complained, his voice low. “I don’t like not having your attention.”

Her lips twisted. “I don’t like not having yours.”

“You think I’d look anywhere else, especially when you’re in a dress like this?” he muttered, his eyes trailing down towards her ankle before lifting up, lingering on every curve he adored. “Tease.”

“You bought me this dress, Bugs. You insisted on it.” Her stomach clenched when his hands slithered up and down her sides and pulled her into him, the ample curve of her bottom set firmly against his front.

“Because I thought I’d have you on my arm all night. Instead, I had to watch other men make eyes at you.”

She scoffed disbelievingly, shaking her head.

“You have no idea how sexy you are,” he insisted, running the tip of his nose along the elegant line of her neck and appreciating the mild scent of the floral perfume she used.

“As sexy as the woman you were taking pictures with?”

The moment the question left her lips, she regretted it. Insecurity was not attractive, after all. But it was too late. Rian’s head lifted, eyes narrowed. He leaned in, caging her between his arms. His warmth at her back was a marked contrast to the cold stone counter in front of her.

“You didn’t like it?”

She shook her head.

“It won’t happen again.”

The promise, so easily made, mollified her.

“You were jealous?”

She nodded, feeling embarrassed at having to admit this.

Aditi couldn’t explain what it was she saw in Rian's expression. For a moment, he’d looked almost glad. Whatever it was, she was unprepared for his response.

“Next time you feel this way, claim me. No matter where we are or who is watching, walk up to me and mark your claim.”

She blinked, goosebumps rushing across her skin when he dropped a whisper of a kiss on the hollows of her cheek. “I’m yours,” he told her firmly, his chin resting on her shoulder. Their gazes were locked on each other’s reflection. “Tell anyone you want, however you want to. But do it with a smile.”

Her chin tipped up, questioning him.

“You haven’t smiled much at this party. I know, because I’ve been watching you. I need you to smile, Doc, especially when I’m around.” His hand cradled her throat from the front. A rough thumb traced the edge of her jaw, sending her pulse fluttering with the look in his eyes.

“And if your lips are not smiling when they are with me,” he added, his voice dropping to deep rumble, “they better be busy moaning my name.”

Her heart rate picked up when his hold tightened and he angled her face up towards his.

“What will it be, Doc?” he asked, his breath flirting with her lips. “A smile, or a moan? ”

Her fingers clenched into the counter in front of her, feeling his arousal press into her back. Her gaze flickered between his mouth and eyes.

“Do it,” she whispered. “Make me moan your name.”

Clearly, she could still surprise him because his hand dropped.

“Here?” he asked, needing to be sure.

“Here,” she repeated, maintaining eye contact despite the furious blush that was beginning to spread across her skin.

He had wanted her to claim him. She found that she felt no differently. She needed his closeness to dismiss the unwelcome fear that had struck her, watching his mother push Sonia towards him.

“Now,” she instructed him, facing the mirror as she began to lift her skirt slowly, knowing that this action would entice him to listen.

He watched, riveted as inch after inch of her pretty legs were revealed for his view, his body tightening in response when she leaned forward, ass jutting back, her invitation clear.

Warm hands stroked up the backs of her thighs, cupping her at the apex between them. She grew damp against his hand, biting down on the inside of her cheek when she felt her thong being moved aside. The blunt top of one finger circled her entrance, collecting evidence of her arousal.

“Fuck, you really want this,” he said, his voice thick with desire.

“I want you in me. No foreplay.”

“I don’t have a condom,” he told her, giving her a chance to change her mind.

“I don’t care,” she panted, the mere feel of his index dipping into her pussy causing her mind to go blank with pleasure. “There’s only you, Rian.”

The vein in his head throbbed as he physically reacted to her words, growing immeasurably harder. “Then spread your legs wider, Sunshine. Show me what’s mine.” His pride deepened when she obeyed instantly .

He curled his finger into her, stroking her slowly to prepare her for him. Aditi would have complained, except she was too busy watching him release himself from the confines of his slacks. Their eyes locked as he held the base of his shaft, pumping himself a few times and moaning her name with each move. Her mouth dried at the sensuality of this view, her core wetting in anticipation of what would come next.

Her eyes fluttered to a close at the feel of his wide head nudging her opening. When he slid into her, she couldn’t hold back a heartfelt sigh, focused on the pleasure of stretching around him when he was bare. “Holy fuck,” Rian groaned as he hunched over her, one arm slipping around her waist to hold her to him. “So fucking good.”

He shifted her hair over one shoulder, dropping a kiss at the exposed crook of her neck. Greedy hands cupped her bosom, kneading her, making her ache to feel his fingers on her skin. Impatiently, she grabbed both his hands and directed him to grip her hips.

“I need you to move,” she commanded, pushing back onto him. “Or I will.”

Chuckling at her bossiness, he pulled out leaving just the tip in.

“Rian!” she moaned, a warning and an entreaty in a single word. He pulsed into her without warning, making her gasp out loud at the force of his entry.

“Is this what you wanted, Sunshine?” he rasped, out of his mind with the beauty of her abandon.

“Yes,” she whimpered as she fell forward, her palms slapping against the marble countertop when he drove into her with a particularly hard thrust.

To witness Aditi want him without any reservations drove him crazy with lust. He loved being desired without thought to the world around them. He exulted in her possessiveness because it told him she felt about him the way he felt about her .

His thrusts turned more forceful, pushing her chest onto the cold counter, her cheek resting sideways as he fucked her from behind. At his mercy, Aditi gave herself up for his possession, his passion consuming her. A finger slicked in between her legs, pressing at her bundle of nerves while his deep-seated movements nudged against that part inside that whipped her into a furious crescendo. A scorching flush spread across her being as she reached completion, waves of icy fire licking her skin, making her toes curl in pleasure.

The tight clenching of her body milking him stirred the beginning of his orgasm. His powerfully muscled arm clutched her, lifting her into him. One hand held the inside of her thigh, forcing her to remain spread until he pumped every last drop of his release into her quivering womb.

For a long minute after that, the only sounds around them were the rough and staggered breaths they took as their bodies relaxed, trying to come down from the high they’d both achieved.

Without slipping out of her, Rian leaned over to grab a soft washcloth, dampening one edge of it.

He held it between her legs while he pulled out and tucked himself back into his pants, manoeuvring her to face him.

“I can clean myself, Rian.”

Aditi adjusted her top and tried to take the cloth from him, scrunching her nose when he pushed her hand away.

“Let me,” Rian murmured. He kissed the side of her lips softly before kneeling in front of her, bunching her skirt up and holding it by her waist. “At least this way,” he added, sliding the damp cloth up the inside of her thigh, “I can see what you look like if I could leave you marked with my come.”

Her brows shot up. “What?” she asked with a breathy laugh that was part shock, part interest.

“Every time you feel me drip down your thighs, you’ll remember what I did to you. What I have done before, and what else I will do in the future.” Silver eyes pinned her in place, holding her attention when he spoke, each word sending a shiver down her spine.

Aditi thought she might faint a little. Rian was revealing bit by bit every desire he had for her and instead of scaring her, it felt thrilling. He was sweet and indulgent outside their bedroom, but incredibly outgoing, experimental, and as she had found in the last couple weeks, utterly insatiable in bed.

“What do you say, Doc?” he asked with a little smirk, pecking her thigh before standing up. His hand remained firmly wedged between her legs.

“About?”

The damp cloth swirled around her other thigh, slowly moving up. She didn’t know if cleaning up after sex was meant to feel so damn sensual but she’d given up trying to understand her body’s reactions to Rian altogether.

“Will you let me do it?”

“Hmm?” she swayed, her eyes struggling to focus.

With a silent laugh, Rian leaned in to place nibbling kisses on the side of her neck as he pushed the cloth against her clit. The coolness of the towel and the gentle rubs against her oversensitized skin made her gasp and moan at once. Reacting to this, she tried to close her legs, finding that one knee was held captive by his hip.

He pressed up against her, pushing gently as he whispered into her ear. “Should I fill you up again? When you try to talk to someone else, you’d do it with me on your mind, and me inside your body, my essence sliding down your perfect thighs, colouring that pretty little cunt.”

She trembled, his words sending little bolts of current through her that collected at the tips of her breasts. Her clothes felt like torture devices, binding her, separating her from his touch.

“Will you wear my scent like I am wearing yours, Sunshine?” He rubbed her softly, dragging the edge of the cloth along her folds as his thumb pressed on her clit through the cool material .

“Yes,” she cried softly, not sure if she was saying yes to his finger or his question.

“That’s what I thought,” he husked, scraping the lobe of her ear with his teeth.

He pressed the towel harder, then softer, circling exactly where she needed the pressure until she was panting against his shoulder.

“So lovely, spread out, ready to take my cock inside this sweet pussy, my good girl.” Rian felt her body go taut before her fingers dug into him. His mouth covered hers, drinking in her cries as she barrelled off the cliff once more, her nerves tingling in rapture.

“You made me come again,” she told him breathlessly, sounding awed.

His eyes twinkled, revealing to her that he’d done it deliberately. He had known exactly what to say and how to touch her to distract her spent body from the demand of another orgasm until it was too late for her to deny it.

He tossed the damp cloth into the bin, adjusting her skirt around her legs, looking supremely pleased with himself.

She checked the mirror once the aftershocks had dwindled enough to let her move, patting her hair in a wasted effort to look presentable. Her skirt was rumpled, her lips swollen, and the beginnings of a hickey marked the side of her neck. She spun towards him, drawing some of her hair to the front, hoping it would be enough to cover evidence of what they’d done.

“How do I look?”

With a smirk, he ran a finger down the side of her temple, leaving behind tingles.

“Like I made you come twice.”

She smacked his chest playfully, giggling at his answer, feeling the hot flush of a blush come on again.

“Fuck,” he cursed softly, gulping like he’d just seen a magical being.

“What? ”

He drew the same finger across her cheek. “You’re pink.” Then, he groaned.

“What’s wrong?” she asked, concerned with the sudden change in his mood.

“I just remembered where else you get pink and then I realised you’re leaving, so I can’t see your gorgeous body get pink for me for a while.” He dropped his head against her shoulder, his hair tickling her collarbone. “Why do you have to go again?”

“Because it’s my parent’s anniversary.” She laughed, pulling him out of the washroom in case he was tempted to keep them there longer. “I can’t miss it.”

“I should come with you,” he suggested as they made their way down the stairs, back towards the ballroom. “I need to meet your family anyway.”

“You can’t miss your meeting with the investing board.”

“That's two whole days away. I can drop you off in Bangalore, tell your folks about us, then pop back before the meeting.”

Aditi was not convinced. “You need to focus on the meeting first. This is the dream project. Besides, I need a little time to lay the groundwork with my family.”

“You think they won't like me?” Rian asked, worried. He knew how important it was for her to have her family’s acceptance. Thankfully, Aditi didn’t seem to share his concern.

“Have you met you?” She chuckled, coming to a stop a few feet away from the open hall doors. She brushed the lapels of his jacket, pretending to adjust them simply to have an excuse to touch him in public. “You could charm a cactus if you wanted to.”

“Then why not tell them?”

“My parents were really hoping I’d agree to marry Pratik. I want to let them down easy.”

“You better not listen to someone there and say yes to that perfect NRI. ”

She tapped his nose fondly to stop him from grumbling. “I think I’ll stick with you.” She gave him a sultry look that made him want to take her right back up for privacy. “Besides, that perfect NRI would probably not know how to sex me up in a fancy hotel washroom.”

That made Rian grin so hard, he was sure his face was going to split.

She glanced around to check if anyone was watching before leaning up to kiss the side of his jaw.

“Go, socialise.” She bashfully waved him off. “I’ll find you when it’s time to leave.”