Sharayu stormed into her house, dumped her bag on the couch, and collapsed face-first onto her bed.
What. The. Hell. Was. That.
Her mind was a mess. It was one thing to be secretly dating her professor, but entirely another thing to be shamelessly teased, bitten, and then almost caught—all in the same day!
She groaned into her pillow. Satish was impossible. Utterly, completely, impossibly infuriating.
How dare he sit there, so calm and composed, while she had been on the verge of losing her mind the entire time?!
And the worst part? The smirk.
That damn smirk.
The way his lips curled, how his dark eyes gleamed with mischief, like he knew exactly what he was doing to her.
“No, you don’t hate me, sweetheart.”
Sharayu screamed into her pillow.
Her entire body felt like it was overheating, her face was so red she could probably fry an egg on it, and her heart was still beating at an unhealthy speed.
This was his fault.
That stupid man, with his sharp jawline, deep voice, and sinful words.
That stupid man, with his long fingers that knew exactly where to touch, where to trace, where to drive her absolutely insane.
That stupid, frustrating, unfairly attractive, utterly infuriating man.
Sharayu groaned, rolling onto her back, staring at the ceiling like it held the answers to why she was still alive after all that.
The next morning, Sharayu woke up with a groan, her body still buzzing with the aftermath of yesterday’s chaos. She had barely managed to get any sleep, thanks to a certain menace of a man occupying every single corner of her thoughts.
But life didn’t care about her existential crisis.
Before she could even process her first breath of the day, her mother’s voice rang through the house—loud, commanding, and laced with the kind of authority that only mothers possessed.
“Sharayu! Get up! If you sleep any longer, I’ll personally drag you out!”
Sharayu let out a defeated sigh. There was no winning against that tone.
She forced herself out of bed, trudging to the bathroom with all the energy of a zombie.
This was it.
This was her life.
Secretly dealing with an infuriating professor while publicly remaining a dutiful daughter who had to do morning chores before anything else.
By the time she was done brushing and freshening up, her mother had already lined up her daily responsibilities.
“Wash the utensils, wipe the floors, and help me with breakfast. I need to go to the temple later, so behave and don’t laze around.”
“Yes, Aai,” Sharayu muttered, rolling up her sleeves like she was preparing for war.
As she scrubbed the plates, her mind kept replaying yesterday.
The teasing. The biting. The smirk.
“Ugh!” She banged a plate against the sink, startling herself.
“What’s wrong with you?” Her mother frowned.
“Nothing! Just… a stubborn stain.”
And the stubborn stain had a name—Satish Singh Rajvanshi.
By the time she finished wiping the floor, her arms felt like noodles.
If only Satish could see her now—drenched in sweat, hair sticking to her forehead, looking anything but the graceful, composed person he loved to tease.
Maybe then he’d stop calling her ‘sweetheart’ in that insufferable tone.
She was helping her mother set the table when the doorbell rang.
Her mother raised an eyebrow. “Who’s here this early?”
Sharayu wiped her hands with the cloth and walked to the door, opening it without much thought.
And there stood Vanya Singh Rajvanshi—all smiles, dressed in casual jeans and a loose t-shirt, looking like she belonged in a college drama film.
“Hey, Sharayu!” she beamed, pushing past her before Sharayu could even react.
“Aunty, namaste!”
Sharayu’s heart stopped.
Her mother blinked at the sudden intrusion but smiled politely.
“Namaste, beta. You are?”
“Oh! I’m Vanya. Sharayu’s friend from college!” she chirped, her act flawless.
“I needed her help with a project, so I thought I’d pick her up. Hope that’s okay?”
Sharayu internally screamed.
This was not happening.
Her mother eyed her suspiciously. “Project? You never mentioned anything, Sharayu.”
Sharayu scrambled for words. “Uh… yes! Yes, Aai! I forgot to tell you. It’s for, um…Black Book Project!”
Her mother’s expression remained unreadable. “And when will you be back?”
Vanya smiled sweetly. “Oh, just by evening! We’ll finish up quickly and I’ll drop her home.”
Sharayu held her breath.
Please buy it, please buy it.
Her mother sighed. “Fine. But don’t be late.”
Sharayu grabbed her bag before she could change her mind.
As soon as they were outside, she turned to Vanya. “Are you insane?!”
Vanya just grinned. “Relax, bhabhi. It worked, didn’t it?”
Sharayu choked. “DON’T call me that!”
Vanya giggled. “Now come on, we have a house to crash!”
***
Satish was having a normal day.
A rare, peaceful, completely drama-free day.
He had woken up early, gone for his morning run did his gym, and even made himself a cup of coffee without any interruptions from his chaotic younger siblings.
But peace was always short-lived in this house.
Especially when Vanya was involved.
Satish was in the living room, flipping through a book while absently sipping his coffee, when the front door burst open.
“Guess who I brought home!” Vanya’s sing-song voice rang through the air.
Satish barely had time to register her words before he saw her.
Sharayu.
Standing in the middle of his living room, looking just as shocked as he was.
His brain short-circuited.
For a solid five seconds, he just… stared.
Coffee halfway to his mouth, book forgotten in his lap.
Processing. Calculating. Trying to figure out if he was hallucinating or if Vanya had actually managed to kidnap his girlfriend and drag her here without him knowing.
Daksh, who had been sitting on the couch, barely held back a laugh at his brother’s expression. “Surprise?”
Satish slowly set his coffee down. “I—” He blinked at Sharayu, then at Vanya, then back at Sharayu. “What. The. Hell?”
Sharayu, red-faced and flustered, glared at Vanya. “TELL HIM.”
Vanya grinned. “I thought you’d like the surprise!”
“SURPRISE?!” Satish nearly choked. “You brought her here like she’s a pizza delivery order?!”
“Excuse me?!” Sharayu snapped, stepping forward. “Did you just compare me to PIZZA?”
Daksh, now thoroughly entertained, snorted. “I mean, you are his favorite thing, bhabhi—”
“DAKSH!”
Satish shot him a murderous look before turning back to Sharayu, who looked dangerously close to throwing something at him.
He cleared his throat. “I—I didn’t mean it like that. I just—” He exhaled, raking a hand through his hair. “I was already planning to take you out today, but apparently, my wonderful, thoughtful, completely unhinged sister had other plans.”
Vanya smirked. “You’re welcome.”
Satish groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Why do I even try to have a normal life?”
Sharayu folded her arms. “So, what now?”
Satish looked at her—really looked at her.
The way her cheeks were still flushed from embarrassment. The way she was chewing on her bottom lip, probably regretting all her life choices that led her here.
And just like that, his initial frustration melted into something much softer.
A slow smirk curled on his lips.
“Well, sweetheart… since you’re already here—” His voice dropped slightly, making Sharayu stiffen.
“No.” She shook her head, immediately sensing danger. “Whatever you’re thinking—NO.”
Vanya and Daksh exchanged a knowing glance.
Satish leaned back against the couch, looking way too relaxed. “Let’s see what happens, hmm?”
Sharayu groaned.
***
Sharayu was still trying to process her utterly ridiculous situation when Vanya grabbed her wrist and dragged her toward the couch like they were long-lost best friends.
“Come on, bhabhi, make yourself at home!” Vanya beamed, plopping down beside her with zero remorse.
Sharayu’s eye twitched. “STOP calling me that!”
Daksh, who had just settled comfortably in the armchair, smirked. “Why? It’s inevitable at this point, bhabhi.”
Sharayu turned her glare to him. “YOU too?!”
Satish sighed, shaking his head. “You two have exactly three seconds to stop before I throw both of you out.”
Vanya gasped dramatically, clutching her chest. “Wow. Betrayed by my own brother.”
“Tragic,” Daksh added with a fake sniffle.
Satish ignored them and turned to Sharayu instead. His expression softened as he patted the space beside him, silently urging her to sit.
Despite her lingering embarrassment, Sharayu hesitated only for a second before scooting closer to him.
And that was when Satish did something unexpected.
He reached out and tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear, his fingers lingering for just a moment too long. His gaze met hers, warm and reassuring.
“Relax,” he said softly. “You’re not on trial here.”
Sharayu swallowed.
Right. Easy for him to say.
She was sitting in his house, how was she supposed to relax?!
To make things worse, Vanya took full advantage of her distraction, leaning onto her shoulder with a bright smile. “So, how does it feel?”
Sharayu frowned. “How does what feel?”
“Being in your future sasural.”
Sharayu nearly choked. “VANYA!”
Daksh, completely unbothered, leaned forward. “By the way, bhabhi—how’s your leg now? You good?”
Sharayu, still recovering from the future sasural comment, blinked at him.
“Uh… yeah, it’s fine. Much better now.”
Daksh nodded. “Good. Otherwise, Bhaiyya would’ve burned the whole hospital down.”
Satish shot him a warning glare. “Daksh.”
“What? It’s true. He was this close to losing it when you got hurt.”
Sharayu’s breath hitched slightly.
She had never really asked Satish about how he had felt when she had her accident, mostly because she had been too overwhelmed at the time.
But now, seeing the way Satish looked away, slightly uncomfortable yet guilty, she felt a weird tightness in her chest.
“You—” She licked her lips. “You were really that worried?”
Satish exhaled, running a hand through his hair. “What kind of question is that, Sharayu?” His voice was quiet but firm. “Of course, I was.”
The room went silent for a second.
Then Vanya, ever the chaos queen, clapped her hands. “Well, now that we’ve established that Bhaiyya is hopelessly in love—what’s next?”
Satish groaned. “Vanya, I swear—”
Daksh grinned. “Should we start planning the wedding?”
Sharayu let out a frustrated noise and buried her face in her hands. “I am never coming here again.”
Satish, despite himself, chuckled.
Sharayu groaned, still hiding her face in her hands.
“Why am I here? Why do I put myself through this?”
Vanya patted her back in mock sympathy. “Because you love my brother, and fate has brought you to your rightful place—in his house, surrounded by your dearest devar and nanad.”
“I am not your bhabhi!” Sharayu snapped, finally looking up.
Daksh smirked. “Denial is the first stage, bhabhi.”
“I WILL THROW SOMETHING AT YOU.”
Vanya gasped dramatically. “Such violence? And here we thought you were sweet and innocent!”
Sharayu picked up a cushion and hurled it straight at her. “Take that back!”
Vanya dodged effortlessly, laughing as Daksh caught the flying cushion mid-air. “Wow. That was a terrible throw, bhabhi. You really need to work on your aim.”
Sharayu glared at him. “STOP CALLING ME THAT!”
Daksh, completely unfazed, leaned back and shrugged. “I mean, technically, you already belong to Bhaiyya, so—”
Satish, who had been silently observing the chaos with mild amusement, choked on his coffee.
“Daksh!”
Daksh gave him a knowing look. “Oh please, Bhaiyya, don’t act innocent. Our family knows you’re hopelessly obsessed with her.”
Satish sighed, rubbing his temples. “Daksh, I will throw you out of this house.”
Daksh just grinned. “Not before you throw bhabhi out first. Oh wait—that’s never happening.”
Vanya giggled, leaning toward Sharayu. “So tell me, what’s it like being Professor Rajvanshi’s weakness?”
Sharayu’s entire face burned. “I—I am NOT his weakness!”
Vanya gave her a look. “Uh-huh. And that’s why he was two seconds away from murdering the doctor when you got injured?”
Sharayu turned to Satish with wide eyes. “You WHAT?!”
Satish groaned. “Daksh, I swear, if you say another word—”
Daksh grinned like he had just won the lottery. “Oh no, please, Bhaiyya. Let’s continue. I’m enjoying this.”
Sharayu folded her arms. “You threatened a doctor?”
Satish cleared his throat, looking everywhere but at her. “That’s an exaggeration.”
Vanya smirked. “He literally said, ‘If anything happens to her, I’ll ruin your career.’”
Sharayu gasped. “SATISH!”
Satish groaned again, silently planning how to get rid of his younger siblings.
Daksh sighed dramatically. “Ah, young love. So intense, so dramatic.”
Vanya nodded solemnly. “So romantic, yet so violent.”
Sharayu picked up another cushion and launched it straight at them.
But this time, Satish caught her wrist mid-throw.
His grip was firm but gentle, his fingers lingering just a little too long. When she turned to look at him, his dark eyes locked onto hers, something soft and unspoken passing between them.
For a moment, everything else faded—the teasing, the laughter, the bickering.
Just them.
Satish smirked. “Throwing things won’t save you, sweetheart.”
Sharayu swallowed hard. “Then what will?”
His smirk deepened. “Me.”
Vanya and Daksh gagged at the same time.
“OH MY GOD, GET A ROOM.”
Sharayu yanked her hand away, face burning, while Satish just chuckled, clearly enjoying her flustered state.
Daksh shook his head. “Bhaiyya, I love you, but please, stop being disgusting in front of us.”
Vanya nodded. “Yeah. We are but children.”
Satish rolled his eyes. “You are both legally adults.”
“Exactly! We are young and innocent—don’t ruin us!” Vanya protested.
Sharayu groaned. “You two are the most annoying people I’ve ever met.”
Daksh grinned. “Aww, we love you too, bhabhi!”
Sharayu threw another cushion at him.
This time, Satish let her.
***
After what felt like a lifetime of teasing, bickering, and throwing cushions, the chaos finally settled—at least for now.
Vanya, being the self-proclaimed event manager of the day, suddenly clapped her hands. “Okay, enough roasting session! Now, we chill.”
Sharayu, who was still recovering from the endless ‘bhabhi’ attacks, sighed. “How do you define ‘chill’? Because if it includes more of you two annoying me, I’m leaving.”
Daksh scoffed. “Bhabhi, we’re offering you free entertainment. Don’t be ungrateful.”
Before Sharayu could retaliate, Satish interrupted. “Let’s just put on a movie before I actually kick both of you out.”
Vanya grinned. “Ooh, good idea! Horror?”
Sharayu immediately shook her head. “Nope. Absolutely not.”
Daksh smirked. “Scared, bhabhi?”
“No, I just don’t like unnecessary stress in my life.”
Satish chuckled at her immediate reaction. “Fine, no horror. Pick something else.”
Vanya hummed, scrolling through movie options. “Rom-com? Or should we watch something totally cringey for fun?”
Daksh perked up. “YES! Let’s watch a terrible movie and roast it.”
Sharayu blinked. “That… actually sounds fun.”
Vanya beamed. “See? I knew you had good taste, bhabhi!”
Sharayu groaned. “I take it back.”
After a few minutes of arguing over which bad movie to pick, they finally settled on some over-the-top Bollywood drama with exaggerated action scenes and even worse dialogue.
As the movie started, they sprawled across the living room—Vanya and Daksh took over the floor with pillows and blankets, while Sharayu and Satish sat on the couch.
Vanya insisted on turning off the lights “for the cinematic experience,” but Sharayu was pretty sure it was just an excuse to make the whole atmosphere feel extra ridiculous.
Halfway through the movie, the room was filled with laughter.
“OH MY GOD, DID HE JUST PUNCH TEN GUYS AT ONCE?!” Vanya shrieked.
“No, no, bhabhi, LOOK—he literally kicked a guy, and the dude went flying like a rocket!” Daksh added, rewinding the scene to watch it again.
Sharayu was crying from laughing. “WHY IS HE DOING A SOMERSAULT AFTER SHOOTING A GUN?!”
Satish, who had been quietly observing all three of them, finally chuckled. “This might be the dumbest thing I’ve ever watched.”
Vanya gasped. “Excuse me? This is ART.”
“Yeah, Bhaiyya, respect the cinema!” Daksh added dramatically.
Satish just shook his head, taking a sip of his coffee. Meanwhile, Sharayu was still recovering from laughing too hard.
Then, mid-movie, Vanya’s stomach growled loudly.
Everyone paused.
Vanya blinked. “Oops.”
Daksh sighed. “Here we go.”
Sharayu laughed. “Hungry?”
Vanya placed a hand on her chest. “Bhabhi, I am STARVING. We need FOOD.”
Daksh groaned. “I knew this was coming. I should’ve ordered something already.”
Satish shook his head with a smirk. “Fine, let’s order something.”
Vanya immediately perked up. “Pizza? Momos? Chinese? Biryani? Ice cream? ALL OF IT?”
Sharayu raised an eyebrow. “Are we feeding an army?”
Vanya waved her off. “Bhabhi, today is special! We have to celebrate.”
Satish sighed. “What exactly are we celebrating?”
Daksh grinned. “The fact that bhabhi is officially a part of the Rajvanshi chaos.”
Sharayu groaned while Vanya cheered.
Eventually, they settled on ordering a mix of pizza, fries, and milkshakes. As they waited for the food, Vanya randomly threw a blanket over all of them.
“Cuddle session! No one is allowed to move!”
Sharayu yelped. “What is WRONG with you?!”
Vanya just hugged her tighter. “Shhh. Accept the love, bhabhi.”
Satish chuckled, watching the madness unfold as Sharayu desperately tried to free herself from Vanya’s grip while Daksh kept making sarcastic comments.
And for the first time in a long while, Satish felt something warm settle in his chest.
His house, which usually felt too big and too quiet when his parents were away, was now full of laughter, warmth, and chaos.
And right in the middle of it was Sharayu.
Maybe, just maybe—this was exactly where she was meant to be.
***
After an evening filled with laughter, food, and endless teasing, the chaos still refused to die down.
Vanya and Daksh were on their third round of debating whether the movie they just watched was a masterpiece or garbage, and Sharayu was stuck in the middle of their loud arguments.
Satish, on the other hand, had other plans.
He had been sitting silently, watching Sharayu react to his siblings with that adorable mix of exasperation and amusement. But all he could think about was how long it had been since he had gotten a moment alone with her.
And right now?
With Vanya and Daksh completely distracted?
It was the perfect opportunity.
Without a word, he casually got up and stretched.
Sharayu barely glanced at him—too busy stopping Vanya from throwing a pillow at Daksh.
Satish smirked.
Perfect.
In a swift movement, he leaned down and grabbed her wrist.
“Come with me.”
Sharayu blinked, startled. “Huh? Where—”
Before she could complete her sentence, Satish gently but firmly pulled her up.
“Just trust me.”
Sharayu frowned, glancing at the other two, who were still too busy bickering to notice them. “They’ll—”
Satish smirked. “Not if we move fast enough.”
Something about his expression—mischievous yet serious—sent a thrill down her spine.
Against her better judgment, she let him guide her out of the room.
Soft steps. Careful movements. Silently maneuvering through the house.
The way his fingers curled around hers, firm and warm, made her hyper-aware of every single touch.
It took them only a few seconds to reach his room.
The door shut behind them with a soft click.
Silence.
Sharayu exhaled sharply, turning to him. “Okay, what was—”
Before she could finish, he had already backed her up against the door.
Her breath hitched.
Satish placed one hand on the doorframe beside her head, leaning in just close enough to make her skin tingle.
“Finally,” he murmured.
Sharayu swallowed hard. “Finally… what?”
Satish smirked. “Alone. Just you and me. No interruptions. No teasing idiots.”
His voice was low, rough—dangerously smooth like velvet.
Sharayu tried to act unaffected, but the warmth in his dark gaze made it nearly impossible.
“You could’ve just asked,” she muttered.
He chuckled. “Where’s the fun in that?”
Her pulse raced as he lifted a hand to trace his fingers along her wrist, sending a trail of fire up her arm.
“You’ve been running away from me all day, sweetheart,” he said, tilting his head slightly. “Why?”
Sharayu scoffed, trying to ignore the way her heartbeat had completely lost control. “Maybe because your siblings are insufferable?”
“That’s not the reason.”
His fingers traced up her arm, featherlight, teasing, making her shiver.
Her breathing turned uneven. “Satish—”
“Hmm?”
His smirk was dangerous now, as if he could hear the way her heart pounded.
Sharayu gritted her teeth, trying to act unaffected. “I should leave.”
Satish leaned in just a little closer.
“No, you shouldn’t.”
Sharayu sucked in a sharp breath.
He wasn’t touching her—not fully—but he was close enough that she could feel every inch of heat radiating from him.
“Admit it, Sharayu.”
Her fingers curled into fists. “Admit what?”
His eyes darkened. “That you missed me.”
Sharayu glared at him. “Don’t flatter yourself.”
Satish chuckled. “Liar.”
Before she could react, he reached out and tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear, his fingers brushing against her skin—soft, slow, deliberate.
Sharayu’s breath caught.
His hand lingered.
“I missed you,” he murmured, so softly it made her stomach flip.
Her pulse skyrocketed.
For a moment, she forgot how to breathe.
Then—
A sudden loud BANG on the door.
“BHABHI, WE KNOW YOU’RE IN THERE. STOP BEING DISGUSTING AND COME BACK!”
Sharayu yelped and jumped away from him.
Satish groaned. “For the love of—”
“YOU CAN’T HIDE FROM US!” Vanya shouted.
Daksh snickered. “Yeah, Bhaiyya, stop being a menace and return our bhabhi!”
Sharayu buried her face in her hands. “I am never coming here again.”
Satish sighed, rubbing his temples.
Vanya banged on the door again. “BHABHI, DON’T LET HIM HYPNOTIZE YOU WITH HIS PROFESSOR CHARM!”
Satish smirked, turning to Sharayu. “Too late for that, isn’t it?”
Sharayu threw a pillow at his face.
Satish sighed dramatically, rolling his eyes as he turned toward the door.
“Vanya, Daksh—leave us alone.”
Silence.
Then—
“EXCUSE ME?!” Vanya screeched.
“Bhaiyya, at least pretend to be decent!” Daksh added.
Satish smirked, completely unfazed. “Why? You both already assume the worst. Might as well make it worth your while.”
Sharayu choked on air. “SATISH!”
Vanya groaned. “Ugh, disgusting! Fine! But bhabhi, remember—we’re always watching.”
Their retreating footsteps faded into the distance, followed by the sound of a door slamming somewhere in the house.
Finally. Silence.
Sharayu turned to Satish, scandalized. “You’re unbelievable!”
Satish grinned lazily, stepping closer. “And you love it.”
She huffed, crossing her arms. “I hate you.”
“Hmm.” He tilted his head, pretending to think. “Funny, because the way you were looking at me earlier? Didn’t seem like hate at all.”
Her stomach flipped. “You’re delusional.”
Satish took another step forward—close enough that her back hit the door once again.
His voice dropped lower, teasing. “Oh? Should I remind you exactly how you were looking at me, sweetheart?”
Sharayu gulped. “D-Don’t test me, Satish.”
“Oh, but I love testing you.”
His fingers reached out, brushing against the inside of her wrist—barely touching, but enough to make her shiver.
Her breath hitched as he slowly trailed his fingers up her arm, dragging fire along her skin.
“You get so flustered,” he murmured. “So defensive. Like you think you can actually fight this.”
“Fight what?” she whispered before she could stop herself.
Satish leaned in, his lips dangerously close to her ear.
“This.”
His breath was warm against her skin, sending a delicious shiver down her spine.
Sharayu sucked in a sharp breath, fisting her hands at her sides, willing herself to stay still.
“You’re playing dirty,” she accused.
Satish smirked. “Sweetheart, I haven’t even started.”
Her heart slammed against her ribs.
Before she could say anything else, he reached out and traced a slow line down her jaw—gentle, teasing, knowing exactly what he was doing to her.
“Satish…”
Her voice was barely above a whisper, but the way his gaze darkened made it clear—he heard it.
His thumb brushed over her bottom lip, his eyes locked onto hers with an intensity that made her knees weak.
“Say my name like that again,” he murmured, “and I won’t be responsible for what happens next.”
Sharayu swallowed, her body betraying her as she leaned just the slightest bit closer.
The air between them was thick, charged, dangerous.
She knew this was a game. He was testing her. Pushing her.
She knew she should push him away, roll her eyes, and act like his words didn’t set her entire body on fire.
But she didn’t.
She couldn’t.
Because Satish Singh Rajvanshi was looking at her like that.
Like she was something to be unraveled. Something to be ruined—slowly, deliberately, thoroughly.
His fingers lingered against her jaw, his thumb still tracing the curve of her bottom lip—soft, lazy, dangerous.
“You’re too quiet, sweetheart,” he murmured, his voice dipping lower, rougher. “That’s not like you.”
Sharayu forced herself to breathe, even though every single nerve in her body was screaming.
“Maybe I just don’t have anything to say,” she muttered.
Satish chuckled, and the sound was dark, amused, entirely too knowing.
“Liar.”
Her pulse spiked.
His fingers moved—trailing down from her jaw, along the side of her throat, until they rested just above her collarbone.
Sharayu barely held back a shiver.
“You talk back to me all the time,” he continued, tilting his head slightly. “Always so feisty. But now?”
He leaned in, his lips brushing against the shell of her ear.
“Now you’re just standing here. Letting me touch you.”
Sharayu sucked in a sharp breath, her fists tightening at her sides.
“Shut up,” she whispered.
Satish smiled against her skin. “Make me.”
Her breath stuttered.
She swallowed hard, forcing her voice to sound steady. “You think you can get away with anything, don’t you?”
His fingers flexed against her collarbone, barely applying pressure. “I don’t think, sweetheart. I know.”
Her lips parted, her mind racing.
He was too close. Too warm. Too much.
She needed to stop this.
She needed to—
“You’re staring, Sharayu,” he whispered, his eyes flickering to her lips.
Her stomach dropped.
“You’re impossible,” she managed, her voice weak.
Satish smirked. “And yet, here you are.”
His fingers skimmed down, trailing along her arm until they reached her wrist again—like he was mapping her, memorizing her.
Sharayu’s breath hitched.
Her body was betraying her completely.
She wanted to move. She wanted to slap his hand away, tell him to stop looking at her like that, stop touching her like that.
But she didn’t.
Because Satish was leaning in again, his lips ghosting over her ear as he whispered—
“Tell me to stop, and I will.”
Her pulse hammered.
He was giving her a choice. He was always giving her a choice.
But damn him.
Damn him for knowing that she didn’t want to say it.
Sharayu could barely think, barely breathe, because Satish was looking at her like that.
Like she was something precious. Something untouchable.
Yet, he wanted to touch her anyway.
His fingers traced slow, lazy circles against her wrist, his grip light but firm. Like he was holding back. Like he was stopping himself from doing more.
And then—
His voice, low and rough, barely a whisper.
“You don’t have any idea what you do to me, Sharayu.”
Her breath caught.
She knew she should pull away, say something smart, deflect, but instead—
Instead, she whispered back.
“What do I do to you, Satish?”
The shift was instant.
His fingers tightened around her wrist, his entire body going rigid, tense, burning.
His jaw clenched. His dark eyes flickered with something unreadable—something dangerous.
Sharayu swallowed hard. Had she gone too far?
But then—
He let out a rough, almost bitter chuckle.
And before she could process it, his free hand lifted—trailing up the side of her face, cupping her cheek.
His thumb brushed against her skin, his touch slow, deliberate, like he was memorizing her.
“You drive me insane.”
Sharayu’s heart slammed against her ribs.
“Satish…”
His gaze softened, but the intensity never faded.
“You are too pure,” he murmured. “Too innocent. Too good. And yet—”
His thumb ghosted over her bottom lip.
“You make me want things I have no right to want yet .”
Sharayu froze.
Her pulse was wild, erratic, completely out of control.
She should look away.
She should step back.
But she couldn’t.
Because Satish Singh Rajvanshi was too close, too intense, too much.
His fingers curled slightly, tilting her chin up.
“Just get married to me one day, Sharayu.”
Her breath hitched.
Her heart stopped.
Her lips parted, shocked, unsure.
And Satish?
Satish just smirked.
“Then I’ll show you exactly what you do to me.”
Her entire body burned.
Heat exploded in her chest, rushing to her cheeks, her ears, everywhere.
“S-Satish!”
He chuckled, leaning in, his lips a breath away from her skin.
“What?” he teased. “I’m just telling the truth.”
Sharayu clenched her fists, struggling to form words, to think.
But how was she supposed to think when he was looking at her like that?
Like she was something he had already claimed. Something he wasn’t willing to let go.
“You’re impossible,” she muttered.
Satish smirked, brushing his thumb against her lip one last time before pulling away.
“And you love it.”
The room felt too small.
Or maybe it was just him.
Satish Singh Rajvanshi, standing in front of her, looking at her like she was his entire world.
Like she was his to have, his to ruin, his to love.
His fingers still lingered against her skin, his thumb tracing slow, deliberate circles over her cheek.
“You have no idea, do you?”
Sharayu swallowed hard, barely able to breathe. “No idea about what?”
Satish exhaled sharply, shaking his head. His eyes—dark, intense, burning—trapped her in place.
“About what you do to me,” he murmured. “How you drive me out of my damn mind every single second of the day.”
Sharayu’s heart stuttered.
“Satish—”
His fingers tightened around her wrist.
“You think this is just flirting?” His voice was rough, almost frustrated. “You think I say these things just to tease you?”
Her stomach twisted. “I—I don’t know—”
Satish let out a bitter chuckle, his hand sliding down to her waist, gripping firmly, pulling her closer.
“You’re in my head, sweetheart. Always.”
Her breath hitched as their bodies barely brushed together, heat radiating between them.
Satish tilted his head slightly, eyes locked onto hers. “I don’t just want you, Sharayu. I need you.”
Her entire body went rigid.
The sheer weight of his words crashed into her, drowning her, setting her completely ablaze.
“Satish…”
His fingers brushed against her jaw again, tilting her face up toward his.
His eyes flickered down—to her lips.
And that’s when she realized.
He wasn’t just flirting anymore.
This—this was something else.
Something dangerous.
Something raw.
Something she couldn’t stop.
And she didn’t want to.
Satish let out a shaky breath, his forehead pressing against hers.
“Tell me to stop.”
Sharayu’s pulse roared.
His voice was strained, desperate.
Like he was barely holding himself together.
Her lips parted—not to tell him to stop, but to say his name.
And that was it.
That was all it took.
Because in the next second—
His lips crashed against hers.
It wasn’t soft. It wasn’t gentle.
It was raw. Hungry. Completely, utterly consuming.
His hands gripped her tighter, pulling her against him like he couldn’t stand even an inch of distance.
Sharayu gasped, her fingers curling into his shirt, holding on for dear life.
Because Satish kissed like a man starved.
Like he had been waiting forever. Like she was the only thing he had ever wanted.
Her mind was blank, her body burning, every single thought wiped away by him.
By his hands on her waist. By his lips moving against hers.
By the sheer desperation in the way he kissed her—like he was afraid to let go.
Satish was losing it.
Every time he kissed her, every time she melted against him, it only wrecked him more.
Because Sharayu wasn’t just anyone.
She was his.
And she had no idea just how much he needed her.
His hands gripped her waist tightly, his fingers pressing into her soft skin as he lifted her—effortlessly.
Sharayu gasped, instinctively wrapping her legs around his waist as he pinned her closer, closer, closer.
Satish groaned against her lips. “You’re going to be the death of me, sweetheart.”
Sharayu’s breath was ragged, uneven, completely shattered.
She felt lightheaded, breathless—intoxicated by him.
By the way his hands held her, gripped her, refused to let her go.
By the way his lips moved against hers, deep, slow, consuming.
By the way he was losing himself in her, like nothing else mattered.
His steps were slow, measured, careful—but his hold on her? His kisses?
Desperate. Starving. Uncontrollable.
She barely noticed that he was walking them toward the bed until he slowly sank down onto it, pulling her onto his lap.
Their lips never broke apart.
His fingers traced up her spine, sending shivers down her back.
His breath was warm, heavy, teasing against her lips.
“You’re so damn addictive, Sharayu.”
She shivered.
Something inside her snapped.
Because for the first time—she didn’t want to be shy.
For the first time—she wanted to see what would happen if she teased him back.
So instead of leaning in for another kiss—
She pulled away.
Satish barely had time to react before Sharayu suddenly pushed him back onto the bed, making him fall flat against the mattress.
His dark blue, blown-out eyes widened.
“Sharayu—”
But before he could say another word—
She climbed onto him, straddling his stomach, hands pressing against his chest.
Satish froze.
His breath hitched.
His fingers instinctively grabbed her hips, holding on like he might lose his mind.
“Sharayu.” His voice was hoarse, unsteady. “What do you think you’re doing?”
She tilted her head, lips curving into a dangerous little smirk.
“Driving you insane,” she whispered.
His jaw clenched.
His grip on her hips tightened.
His self-control snapped.
In the next second, Satish’s hands slid up her thighs, gripping her waist firmly, keeping her exactly where he wanted her.
His dark eyes burned Into hers.
“You’re playing with fire, sweetheart.”
Sharayu’s heart was racing. Her skin was burning. But she wasn’t afraid.
She leaned down, her lips a breath away from his.
“Then let me burn.”
Satish had always prided himself on his self-control.
But Sharayu ?
She was ruining him.
Sitting on top of him, her hands resting lightly on his chest, her mischievous, teasing smirk making his pulse skyrocket.
His fingers tightened on her waist as he looked up at her, his dark eyes burning.
“You have no idea what you’re doing, do you?” His voice was rough, strained—like he was one second away from losing it.
Sharayu tilted her head, feigning innocence.
“I don’t?” she asked, her fingertips trailing down his chest—slow, deliberate.
Satish exhaled sharply.
She knew exactly what she was doing.
And damn her, she was enjoying it.
His grip on her tightened just a little more. “Sweetheart, you’re playing a very dangerous game.”
Sharayu leaned in, her lips hovering just above his.
“And what if I win?”
Satish let out a low, rough chuckle.
His hands slid up, tracing slow circles along her waist, his touch both gentle and possessive.
“You won the moment you walked into my life, Sharayu.”
Her breath hitched.
His words—smooth, deep, sinful—wrapped around her, sinking into her skin, making her heart stutter.
She swallowed hard, refusing to let him see just how much that affected her.
“That’s a big claim, Professor.”
Satish smirked.
“Oh, sweetheart. You have no idea just how obsessed I am with you.”
Her stomach flipped.
But before she could react—
Satish suddenly flipped them over.
A gasp escaped her lips as her back hit the mattress, Satish hovering over her, caging her in.
Her pulse pounded, breath uneven, body burning.
His hands pressed into the bed beside her, his gaze dark and filled with something dangerous.
“What happened?” he teased, smirking. “You were bold a second ago.”
Sharayu’s breath caught.
She hated how easily he could flip the game back on her.
But she wouldn’t back down.
Her hands slid up, fingers gripping the collar of his shirt, pulling him closer.
Their lips barely touched, their breaths mingling, the heat between them suffocating.
“I’m still bold,” she whispered.
Satish’s smirk faltered.
His eyes flickered down to her lips, his own parting slightly.
“Sharayu…” His voice was hoarse. “You’re making it very hard to be a gentleman right now.”
She smiled, her fingers brushing against the back of his neck, pulling him just a little closer.
“Then don’t be one.”
Satish groaned softly, his forehead dropping against hers.
“Sweetheart, you’re going to ruin me.”
Sharayu’s heart pounded.
“Good,” she whispered.
Satish’s breath was hot against her skin, his lips hovering near her jaw, close enough to make her shiver, but not enough to satisfy.
Sharayu’s fingers curled into his shirt, her body thrumming with the heat of his presence.
He was everywhere. Surrounding her. Consuming her. Holding her captive with just his touch.
“Satish…” Her voice came out softer than she intended, her breath uneven.
He chuckled, his lips brushing against the shell of her ear.
“Say my name like that again, sweetheart.” His voice was pure sin—low, teasing, completely in control.
Sharayu felt her skin burn where his breath touched.
His fingers traced lazy patterns down her arm, slipping beneath the fabric of her sleeve, warm and possessive.
Her hear’beat was loud—too loud.
Satish kissed just below her ear, slow, open-mouthed, lingering.
Sharayu gasped, her eyes fluttering shut.
“You’re too easy to unravel, you know that?” His voice was rough, amused. “All I have to do is touch you like this…”
His hand slid down her waist, firm and unhurried, sending shivers down her spine.
“…or whisper in your ear like this…”
His lips brushed against the sensitive skin of her neck, and she nearly lost herself right there.
Sharayu’s grip on his shirt tightened.
“Satish, stop teasing,” she breathed, eyes half-lidded.
Satish pulled back just enough to look at her, his gaze dark and unreadable.
“Teasing?” His lips curved into that infuriating smirk. “Oh, sweetheart. This isn’t teasing. This is just me enjoying what’s mine.”
Her stomach flipped.
She shouldn’t let him have this much control.
So she did the only thing she could—flipped them over again.
Satish let out a surprised chuckle as he landed on his back, Sharayu straddling him once more.
Her hands pressed against his chest, her boldness returning.
“I can tease too, Professor.”
Satish’s smirk faltered for half a second before his hands found her waist again, gripping firmly.
“Sweetheart, you’re playing a game you won’t win.”
Sharayu leaned down, her lips brushing against his jaw, her voice a breathy whisper.
“Who said I wanted to win?”
Satish groaned, his fingers digging into her skin, his restraint slipping.
“Sharayu…”
His voice was dangerous now. Low, rough, filled with something that made her entire body burn.
His hands slid lower, gripping her thighs, pulling her just a little closer.
The air between them was thick, charged, intoxicating.
Satish’s fingers gripped her waist, his dark eyes devouring her, his breath ragged against her skin.
“You drive me insane, you know that?”
Sharayu smirked, enjoying the power she had over him.
“Good. Now you know how it feels.”
Satish let out a deep groan, his restraint hanging by a thread.
And just as he tilted his head up—ready to claim her lips again—
RING!
A sharp, loud ringtone cut through the tension like a knife.
Sharayu froze.
Satish?
He looked like he was ready to commit a serious crime.
His jaw clenched, his brows furrowed, his entire existence vibrating with frustration.
“You have got to be kidding me.” His voice was pure agony.
Sharayu bit her lip, fighting back a laugh.
“Maybe you should answer it?” she suggested, amusement laced in her voice.
Satish groaned, throwing his head back against the pillow.
“Sweetheart, if I answer that call right now, I might actually throw my phone out the window.”
Sharayu chuckled, rolling off him, sitting beside him on the bed.
“Go on, Professor. It might be important.”
Satish let out a long, suffering sigh, running a hand through his hair before grabbing the phone.
“Whoever this is,” he muttered under his breath, “I hope you’re prepared to suffer.”
With a deep breath, he swiped to answer.
“What?” His tone was flat. Dead. Completely unamused.
On the other end, a very confused Daksh blinked.
“Uh… Bhai? Why do you sound like you’re about to kill someone?”
Satish closed his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose.
“Because, Daksh,” he said, his voice dripping with exhausted patience, “you have the worst timing in the history of mankind.”
Sharayu snorted, covering her mouth.
Daksh, clearly oblivious to what he had interrupted, continued.
“Okay…? But Vanya and I were just wondering—do you guys want ice cream? We were about to order.”
Satish blinked.
“Ice cream?”
Daksh hummed. “Yeah. You want some? Also, why is Sharayu bhabhi so quiet?”
Sharayu choked on air.
Satish closed his eyes again, praying for patience.
“Daksh.”
“Yeah?”
“I swear to every god in existence, if you ever call me again at a time like this, I will personally make sure you never eat ice cream again.”
Silence.
Then—
“…Wait. Time like what?”
Sharayu burst into laughter.
Satish groaned, flopping back against the bed, glaring at the ceiling.
Daksh gasped dramatically. “Bhai, what were you doing?!”
Satish hung up.
Sharayu was still laughing, clutching her stomach.
Satish turned his head to look at her, his expression deadpan.
“You think this is funny?”
Sharayu nodded, tears in her eyes from laughing too hard.
Satish exhaled deeply.
Then, without warning—
He suddenly rolled on top of her again, trapping her beneath him.
Sharayu gasped, laughter dying in her throat.
Satish smirked. “Let’s see if you’re still laughing in five minutes, sweetheart.”
Satish’s smirk was dangerous.
He hovered over her, his dark eyes gleaming with pure mischief, his weight pressing her into the mattress just enough to make her pulse race.
Sharayu swallowed hard.
Her laughter had well and truly died.
“Satish—” she started, but the moment she said his name, his fingers slid down her waist, slow and deliberate.
Her breath hitched.
“Hmm?” he murmured, his lips dangerously close to hers.
The heat between them was intoxicating.
Sharayu was about one second away from completely losing herself again when—
Her gaze flickered to the clock on the nightstand.
And her entire soul left her body.
“Shit!”
Satish blinked, startled. “What?”
She shoved at his chest. “Satish, it’s late! I have to go home!”
Satish, completely unimpressed, refused to budge. “And?”
Sharayu gaped at him. “And?! My mother thinks I’m doing a project! If I don’t get home on time, she’ll—”
Her eyes widened further. “Oh my god. What if she calls Rutuja? What if she realizes I’m not there?! I AM SO DEAD.”
Satish sighed dramatically.
“Sweetheart, stop panicking. Just text her and say you’re running late.”
“I can’t just say that! She’ll ask why! And then I’ll have to come up with a lie, and I’m already lying about this stupid project, and—”
She paused, suddenly glaring at him. “This is all your fault.”
Satish raised an eyebrow, amused. “My fault?”
“Yes! If you weren’t so—so—” She gestured wildly at him. “So—unfairly distracting—I wouldn’t have lost track of time!”
Satish smirked. “Unfairly distracting? I’ll take that as a compliment.”
Sharayu groaned. “Not the point!”
Finally managing to push him off, she scrambled off the bed, grabbing her phone.
“Oh god. I have to leave right now. Like, right now. Right this second.”
Satish, still lying on the bed, propped himself up on one elbow, watching her amusedly. “You’re so dramatic.”
Sharayu whirled on him. “Excuse me, you are the reason I am in this mess! YOU sneakily took me to your room! YOU distracted me with all your—your—” she waved her hands around, “annoyingly attractive nonsense!”
Satish grinned. “Annoyingly attractive nonsense?”
“YES!”
He chuckled, clearly enjoying this way too much.
“You know,” he mused, “you could just stay the night.”
Sharayu froze.
Her entire brain short-circuited.
“WHAT?!”
Satish shrugged, completely unbothered. “Vanya and Daksh wouldn’t mind. You could say the project is taking longer than expected.”
Sharayu stared at him, horrified.
“Satish. Are you insane? My mother would kill me.”
Satish sighed, dragging a hand through his hair. “Fine. Then at least let me drive you home.”
Sharayu shook her head frantically. “NO. No way. If someone sees us, I am DEAD.”
Satish groaned, throwing himself back onto the bed. “Then how are you planning to leave, genius?”
Sharayu bit her lip, thinking.
“I’ll just sneak out quietly.”
Satish stared at her like she had grown two heads.
“Sweetheart, you do realize this is my house? You don’t have to sneak anywhere.”
Sharayu ignored him, already rushing towards the door.
Satish sighed, finally getting up.
“Fine. At least let me walk you to the gate.”
“Nope! You stay here!” She pointed at him accusingly. “I don’t trust you!”
Satish smirked. “That’s smart of you.”
“Exactly—WAIT, WHAT?!”
He just laughed.
Before she completely lost control, she whirled around and rushed out—her entire face burning.
Satish chuckled, watching her leave.
Sharayu practically flew down the stairs, her heart pounding in her chest, still reeling from everything that had just happened upstairs.
This man—this menace—was going to be the death of her.
Satish Singh Rajvanshi had no shame. None whatsoever. Not an ounce.
And worst of all? He knew exactly what he was doing to her. That smug, unfairly attractive, annoyingly composed idiot.
Sharayu shook her head furiously as she approached the living room, ready to sprint out of the house before Vanya or Daksh could ask any unnecessary questions.
But of course, because the universe hated her, she didn’t even get the chance.
The moment she stepped into the living room—
“OHHH, BHABHI JI!”
Sharayu froze.
Daksh and Vanya were sitting comfortably on the couch, grinning like absolute devils.
She swallowed, forcing a nervous smile. “Uh… hi?”
Vanya smirked, leaning forward. “So. Enjoyed your little ‘project work’ upstairs?”
Sharayu choked. “W-What?! It wasn’t—! We weren’t—!”
Daksh waggled his eyebrows. “Oh, come on, bhabhi. We’re not kids. We KNOW what kind of ‘talking was happening up there.”
Sharayu’s soul left her body.
“OH MY GOD, DAKSH!” she shrieked, grabbing a cushion and hurling it straight at his face.
Daksh, the little menace, dodged effortlessly, laughing like it was the funniest thing in the world.
“Hey, hey! No need to get violent! We were just giving you two lovebirds some privacy!”
Vanya grinned. “Yep! We decided not to interrupt. You’re welcome, by the way.”
Sharayu groaned, covering her face.
This was humiliating.
Satish should be suffering this embarrassment with her, not sitting comfortably upstairs, completely unaffected.
Sharayu groaned, whirling back toward the door.
“I’m leaving before I actually commit a crime.”
And just as she reached for the doorknob—
“Leaving without saying goodbye, sweetheart?”
Sharayu jumped.
She turned around and—of course—there he was.
Satish leaned against the staircase, looking infuriatingly relaxed, one hand in his pocket, the other casually adjusting his watch.
Unfair. Completely unfair.
Vanya smirked. “Oh, now he shows up.”
Daksh sighed dramatically. “Romance scenes are over, bhai. You missed your chance.”
Satish ignored them entirely, his sharp gaze locked on her.
Sharayu shifted uncomfortably, her earlier frustration returning.
“I have to go. I’m already late.”
Satish, completely unfazed, took a slow step forward.
“I’ll walk you out.”
“NO!” she said quickly.
Satish smirked. “Scared someone will see us?”
Sharayu glared. “I don’t trust you!”
Vanya gasped. “Excuse me, bhabhi! You trusted him enough to—”
“VANYA, I SWEAR TO GOD!”
Satish chuckled. “Alright, alright. I won’t come to the gate. But—”
Before she could react, he reached out and grabbed her wrist, tugging her closer.
Her heart did a full gymnastics routine.
His dark eyes softened, his voice dropping low.
“Text me when you reach home, hmm?”
Sharayu swallowed hard, nodding quickly. “Y-Yeah. I will.”
Satish smiled, pressing a lingering kiss to her forehead.
Sharayu’s entire face burned.
And behind them—
Vanya and Daksh giggled like schoolchildren.
Sharayu sighed, fighting the urge to strangle them.
This was the last time she was ever stepping foot in this house.
…Probably.
***
By the time Sharayu reached home, her soul had aged at least ten years.
Her heart was still pounding, her face was still burning, and worst of all—her mother was already waiting for her at the door.
Oh. No.
Sharayu swallowed nervously, trying to act casual as she stepped inside. “Hi, Aai.”
Her mother crossed her arms. “You’re late.”
Sharayu froze.
She had ten seconds to come up with a believable excuse before she was grilled like a suspect in a crime drama.
Think, Sharayu. THINK.
“Uh—yeah! The project took longer than expected.”
Her mother squinted. “What kind of project?”
Sharayu forced a very unconvincing laugh. “Haha. You know. College stuff. Very… studious. Lots of, um… research.”
Her mother narrowed her eyes.
Sharayu started sweating.
“And which subject was this for?”
Oh. Crap.
She had no idea what subject she was supposed to be lying about.
Her brain panicked. “Research Methodology?”
“Sharayu.”
Sharayu mentally cursed Satish. This was his fault. If he hadn’t been so distracting, she would’ve come up with a better lie!
Her mother sighed. “Go freshen up. We’ll talk later.”
Sharayu nodded aggressively. “Yes! Good idea! I’ll just—zoom! Off to my room! Bye!”
And before her mother could say another word, she sprinted to her room, slamming the door behind her.
***
The moment she was alone, she collapsed onto her bed, burying her face in her pillow.
What. A. Day.
She had spent hours at Satish’s house. Had been teased mercilessly by Vanya and Daksh. Had almost lost her mind upstairs with Satish.
And then—that forehead kiss.
Sharayu groaned. “I am DOOMED.”
She rolled onto her back, staring at the ceiling.
The worst part? She wanted to go back.
She actually wanted to go back to that insane house filled with maniacs.
For him.
Her phone buzzed.
Satish: Reached home safely?
Sharayu bit her lip, typing quickly.
Sharayu: Yes. Somehow.
Satish: Good girl.
Her entire face caught fire.
That stupid man.
Sharayu: STOP SAYING THAT!
Satish: Why? You like it.
Sharayu threw her phone across the bed. “I HATE HIM.”
Her phone buzzed again.
Satish: By the way, if you were wondering—I’m still thinking about you.
Sharayu screamed into her pillow.
***
Sharayu was having a perfectly normal morning.
She had survived her mother’s mild interrogation, had mentally recovered from Satish’s shameless texts, and had even managed to get to college without getting into any awkward situations.
For once, life was peaceful.
And then—she saw it.
Her steps faltered, her stomach dropped, and her mood instantly soured.
There, near the faculty parking lot, a woman stood way too close to Satish.
Way. Too. Close.
She was tall, elegant, and unnecessarily gorgeous. The kind of woman who looked like she had her entire life perfectly planned out—and who had no business being that close to Satish Singh Rajvanshi.
Sharayu quickly ducked behind a pillar, pretending to check her phone while shamelessly eavesdropping.
“So, Satish,” the woman purred, her voice smooth and confident, “what’s your ideal type?”
Sharayu froze.
Her eyes snapped up to look at them again. What the hell kind of question was that?!
Satish, to his credit, looked completely uninterested. His arms were crossed, and his expression was the same calm, unreadable one he always had in college.
But the woman? Oh, she wasn’t done.
Before Satish could even answer, she smiled knowingly and continued, “I bet I already know.”
Sharayu frowned.
What?! Who did this woman think she was?!
The woman tilted her head, looking at Satish like she was solving some deep philosophical mystery.
“You should date someone mature,” she said smoothly, “someone who is independent, career-oriented, and well-established.”
Sharayu’s heart sank.
“Someone who understands the responsibilities of life,” the woman went on, “who can match your intellectual level. A woman who is sophisticated, elegant, and can truly satisfy a man like you.”
Sharayu felt sick.
She didn’t want to listen anymore.
She didn’t fit any of that.
She wasn’t tall, or elegant, or effortlessly mature. She was chaotic, a little too emotional, and still trying to figure out her life.
And the worst part?
Satish hadn’t said anything.
He wasn’t agreeing, but he also wasn’t disagreeing.
That was all the confirmation Sharayu needed.
Before she could stop herself, she turned around and walked away.
Fast.
Satish blinked at the woman standing in front of him, arms crossed, eyebrows raised, completely unimpressed.
“…I should date someone like that?” he repeated, his voice dangerously calm.
The woman, clearly convinced of her flawless logic, nodded confidently. “Of course. A man like you needs someone equally established—someone who is Independent, ambitious, mature, and… you know…” She gave him a knowing smirk. “Capable of satisfying you.”
Satish let out a slow exhale, looking at her as if he was trying to decide whether she was actually serious or just plain stupid.
“Interesting,” he said, voice utterly neutral. “So, let me get this straight—you think I should be with someone who fits this… checklist of yours?”
The woman grinned. “Exactly. It’s logical, isn’t it?”
Satish tilted his head slightly, like he was studying a rare species of idiocy.
Then, he stepped forward, just enough for his presence to feel heavier.
“Tell me something,” he said, his voice dropping just a little, “when exactly did I ask for your opinion on my love life?”
The woman’s smug expression faltered. “I—I mean, I was just saying—”
“Unsolicited advice.” Satish nodded, as if coming to a grand conclusion. “Fascinating how some people assume they have the authority to dictate what kind of partner would ‘satisfy’ me.”
She swallowed. “I just meant—”
“No, no, I understand.” His smile was sharp, but his eyes were colder now. “You believe love should be a strategic career move. That two people should be together based on professional compatibility, financial status, and—” he raised an eyebrow, “—their ability to ‘satisfy’ each other. That’s new.”
The woman took a step back, clearly uncomfortable now. “I didn’t mean—”
“Let me tell you something, Miss Expert-in-Other-People’s-Relationships.” Satish’s voice was smooth, but there was steel underneath.
“The kind of woman I want has nothing to do with what looks good only on paper.”
He leaned in slightly, lowering his voice to something almost dangerous.
“My woman will be someone who drives me insane, who challenges me, who makes my perfectly organized life an absolute mess—and I will love every second of it.”
The woman blinked, stunned. “I—”
“She’ll argue with me, frustrate me, and make me laugh at the worst times. She won’t be perfect, and I won’t want her to be.” His lips curled, as if he was already thinking of someone specific.
“She will be my peace and my chaos. And that?” He let out a short chuckle. “That will satisfy me more than anything else ever could.”
The woman’s face was a mix of shock and embarrassment.
Satish simply smiled politely. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have actual work to do.”
And with that, he walked away—completely unaware that the one woman who needed to hear those words… had already run away.
***
Satish had called her twice.
No answer.
He had sent three messages.
No reply.
He had even casually walked around campus, pretending to be on a call, just in case he happened to “accidentally” run into her.
She was nowhere.
By the time the evening rolled in, his patience was wearing thin.
Sharayu had never ignored him like this before.
Sure, she got shy, flustered, and dramatic, but she never vanished like this.
Satish leaned back in his chair, arms crossed, his phone resting on the desk in front of him. His gaze was sharp, thoughtful.
She went home.
Without telling him.
Without even looking at him.
And she was ignoring him.
Satish exhaled slowly, rubbing the back of his neck.
Alright.
Fine.
She needed space.
But since when did having space come between them?
Since when did she feel the need to push him away?
Something was wrong.
And Satish didn’t like it.
Not one bit.
His fingers drummed against the table as he thought.
She had been fine yesterday night. Laughing, teasing, throwing attitude like she always did.
Then, suddenly, radio silence.
His jaw clenched. Did someone say something to her? Did someone upset her?
If someone did… they better start praying.
Satish grabbed his phone again.
This time, he wasn’t asking.
Satish: Sharayu, pick up the phone. Now.
No reply.
His patience snapped.
Fine. If she wouldn’t answer, he’d find her himself.
Sharayu sat on her bed, hugging her pillow like it was her emotional support system.
She had been ignoring her phone all day, pretending that Satish didn’t exist.
It was for her own good.
Because the moment she saw him, her stupid heart would start racing again, her brain would turn into mush, and she would completely forget that she was supposed to be mad at him.
And she was mad.
(Well. Technically, she was more insecure than mad, but that was a minor detail.)
Just then, a knock came at her door.
Sharayu frowned. “What the—”
Another knock.
Then another.
Then a voice whisper-yelled, “Open up, you idiot!”
Sharayu froze.
That was Rutuja’s voice.
What the hell was she doing here?
She got up, cautiously pulling the door open, only to find Rutuja hanging onto the ledge like a Bollywood hero trying to sneak into a girl’s house.
Sharayu’s jaw dropped. “Rutuja, what—?!”
“Shh! Just let me inside !” Rutuja hissed, .
Sharayu hurriedly grabbed her arm, pulling her inside. “Why are you entering my house like a thief? Are you okay?!”
Rutuja dramatically collapsed onto the bed. “No, I am NOT okay! I have been forced into a MISSION.”
Sharayu blinked. “…What?”
Rutuja sat up, fixing her hair. Then, she grabbed Sharayu’s shoulders, staring intensely into her soul.
“Listen very carefully. I came here under orders.”
Sharayu’s stomach dropped.
No. No, no, no.
“What orders?” she asked cautiously.
Rutuja sighed dramatically. “Rajvanshi orders.”
Sharayu almost fainted.
SATISH.
HE SENT HER?!
Sharayu immediately shook her head. “No. Nope. I’m not going anywhere. I refuse.”
Rutuja gave her a deadpan look. “Oh, come on. Just go talk to him.”
“NO.”
“Yes.”
“NO.”
“YES.”
Sharayu glared. “Why are you on his side? YOU’RE MY FRIEND!”
Rutuja sighed like a tired mother. “Yes, I’m your friend. But I also don’t want to see Satish Sir hunting you down like some escaped fugitive.”
Sharayu crossed her arms. “Well, let him hunt.”
Rutuja smirked. “He’ll just come to your house next.”
Sharayu’s soul left her body.
Because he would. He absolutely would.
“You wouldn’t.”
“I won’t. But HE WILL.” Rutuja gave her a sweet smile. “So, either you walk down yourself, or we wait for him to knock on your front door and explain to your mother why he’s here.”
Sharayu cursed under her breath.
THIS WAS UNFAIR.
But she was trapped.
With a dramatic groan, she grabbed her shawl, muttering, “I hate you.”
Rutuja grinned. “Love you too, babe. Now let’s go before he loses the last bit of patience he has.”
Satish stood near his car, arms crossed, looking as calm as ever.
Except for his eyes.
The moment Sharayu stepped outside, his gaze locked onto her, dark, unreadable, and absolutely unforgiving.
Sharayu gulped.
Maybe… just maybe, she had made a mistake ignoring him.
Rutuja patted Sharayu’s shoulder. “Good luck, babe. Don’t die.”
And then?
She RAN.
Sharayu turned to glare at her retreating figure. “YOU TRAITOR—”
“Sharayu.”
Her spine straightened.
Oh no.
Slowly, she turned back to Satish, forcing an awkward smile.
“What?”
Satish raised an eyebrow. “Seriously?”
Silence.
Deadly silence.
Sharayu fidgeted.
Satish tilted his head. “So, we’re ignoring calls now?”
Sharayu opened her mouth—only to immediately shut it.
Satish took a step closer. “And running away without telling me?”
Sharayu stared at the ground. “…I was busy.”
Satish let out a humorless chuckle. “Busy.”
Sharayu nodded aggressively. “Yes. Very busy.”
Satish leaned down slightly, voice deceptively calm. “Too busy to even type a single text?”
Sharayu swallowed. “…Yes?”
Satish let out a slow, deep sigh. Then, before she could react, he grabbed her wrist and pulled her closer.
Sharayu squeaked. “What—?!”
Satish leaned down, his face just inches from hers. “Enough of this nonsense, Sharayu.”
Sharayu blinked rapidly. “What nonsense?”
Satish’s gaze softened, just a little. “You. Running. Hiding. Avoiding me.”
Sharayu bit her lip, looking away. “I wasn’t hiding.”
Satish tilted her chin up, forcing her to meet his eyes. “Liar.”
Sharayu’s breath hitched.
He sighed, rubbing his thumb over her wrist. “Now. Are you going to tell me what’s actually going on, or do I have to kidnap you?”
Sharayu pouted. “You can’t just kidnap me.”
Satish smirked. “Sweetheart, if you test my patience any further, I just might.”
Sharayu’s brain short-circuited.
Sharayu knew she was being ridiculous.
Satish was still staring at her, waiting for an answer, his sharp gaze pinning her in place.
And what did this stupid brain of hers decide to do?
Be an idiot.
She crossed her arms, lifted her chin, and said the most nonsensical thing possible.
“Go to the woman who can satisfy you.”
Silence.
Dead silence.
Satish just… stared.
Like he was trying to process if she had actually said what he thought she said.
Then, very slowly, he blinked.
Sharayu huffed. “You heard me.”
Satish’s lips parted slightly, as if he was about to say something, but then…
He just.
Laughed.
Laughed.
Sharayu’s blood boiled. “WHY are you laughing?!”
Satish tilted his head, smirking. “Because I’m trying to decide if you’ve lost your mind or if you’ve always been this insane.”
Sharayu gritted her teeth. “I am NOT insane.”
Satish raised an eyebrow. “Sweetheart, you just told me to go to some imaginary woman who can ‘satisfy’ me. What part of that is NOT insane?”
Sharayu’s face burned.
Okay, maybe that wording wasn’t the best choice—BUT STILL!
She turned away, muttering. “It’s not imaginary.”
Satish’s smirk dropped.
His gaze sharpened. “Excuse me?”
Sharayu folded her arms tighter. “I heard her. That woman. She was all over you, talking about what kind of girl you should date.”
Satish’s expression shifted from amusement to understanding.
And then?
Pure disbelief.
He dragged a hand down his face. “Sharayu…”
She cut him off. “She was saying things like—oh, you should be with someone tall, independent, mature, career-oriented, someone who can—”
She suddenly stopped, because—nope. She was NOT repeating the rest of that sentence.
Satish tilted his head. “Someone who can what?”
Sharayu’s face burned even hotter. “Nothing!”
Satish chuckled darkly. “No, no, sweetheart. Don’t stop now. What did she say?”
Sharayu glared. “Forget it!”
Satish leaned in, voice low and teasing. “Was it something about ‘satisfying’ a man like me?”
Sharayu wanted to DIE.
WHY DID SHE EVEN BRING THIS UP?!
Satish clicked his tongue. “So, let me get this straight. You heard some random woman talking nonsense, and instead of coming to ME and asking about it, you decided to run away and ignore me?”
Sharayu huffed. “It wasn’t nonsense! She sounded very confident!”
Satish sighed so deeply, it was as if she had personally exhausted his entire soul.
Then, he crossed his arms, mirroring her stance. “Sharayu. Did I entertain her?”
She opened her mouth. Paused.
“…No.”
He gave her a long, pointed look, his expression a mixture of disbelief and irritation. “Then what exactly is your problem?”
Sharayu’s brows knitted, her tone defensive. “She indirectly said you should be with someone like her.”
Satish let out a humorless laugh—short and sharp. “Yes, and you didn’t even wait to hear what I said next, did you?”
She looked away, arms folding across her chest like a shield. “You didn’t stop her. You didn’t even cut her between—”
“Because,” he interrupted, his voice tightening, “if you’d stayed there for ten more seconds instead of walking away, you would have heard me tell her to stop talking nonsense.”
Her eyes flicked up at him, guilt flickering briefly before pride masked it.
He stepped closer—just one step—but the shift in his presence made her heart race. “But of course,” he continued, his tone dipping into sarcasm, “you didn’t. You made up a whole story in your head, decided I was the villain, and now you’re—what?—punishing me with silence?”
Sharayu flinched. He wasn’t shouting. That almost made it worse. His anger was quiet, measured—like a storm he was holding back out of love.
“Do you even think before reacting sometimes?” he asked, voice dropping softer but heavier. “You know me, Sharayu. You know what I feel for you. And still—one random comment from someone else, and suddenly, I’m the bad guy?”
She bit her lip, unable to meet his eyes.
Satish shook his head, the muscle in his jaw twitching. “You have this habit,” he muttered, pacing a step, then turning back to her, “of jumping to conclusions, assuming the worst, and then avoiding me like I did something unforgivable.”
He took anotherr step closer, enough that she could see the storm in his eyes—hurt wrapped in anger.
“Next time,” he said, his tone calm but cutting, “instead of building a whole drama in your head, try talking to me first. I have a mouth. I can explain. You don’t have to turn every misunderstanding into a cold war.”
His words hit her harder than if he’d yelled. They carried disappointment—worse than rage.
Sharayu’s throat tightened. She whispered, “I just… didn’t like the way she spoke.”
He sighed, the anger softening slightly. “Neither did I. But I handled it. You just didn’t wait long enough to see that.”
For a moment, silence stretched. He looked at her again—this time with frustration laced in affection.
Then, in a low, dry tone, he added, “Next time, please—use those brilliant brains of yours. Not your imagination.”
Her cheeks flushed, partly out of guilt, partly out of embarrassment.
He turned away briefly, running a hand through his hair, exhaling sharply before glancing back at her.
“Because honestly,” he murmured, voice rough now, “I don’t get mad often, Sharayu. But when it’s you… it gets to me. Because I expect you to know me better than that.”
And that—his quiet disappointment, his refusal to raise his voice—was enough to break her stubborn silence.
The tension that had built up a moment ago was slowly dissolving into a heavy, guilty silence.
Sharayu stood there, chewing on her lower lip, her fingers fidgeting with the edge of her kurti. Satish still looked away, arms crossed, jaw clenched — the picture of controlled irritation.
She took a cautious step closer.
“Satish…” she began softly.
He didn’t look at her.
Her voice grew smaller. “I’m sorry.”
Still no response. Just the sound of him exhaling through his nose.
“Fine,” she muttered, eyes narrowing playfully. “Don’t forgive me. Stay angry. Grow grey hair early. Look like an old professor before your time.”
He turned his head slightly, giving her a sideways glare — one eyebrow raised.
“Sharayu—”
“Arre, what?” she interrupted dramatically. “You’re the one ignoring me! I said sorry, na! I even accepted my mistake!”
He tried to hold his stern expression, but she wasn’t done.
She took another step closer, tilting her head innocently. “Okay, what if I add interest to my sorry? Like… a ‘sorry plus’ version.”
He sighed. “And what exactly is a ‘sorry plus’?”
She grinned mischievously. “It’s a sorry with… extra cuteness. Limited edition.”
Satish’s lips twitched, betraying the tiniest hint of amusement.
Sharayu caught it instantly. “Aha! I saw that! You smiled!” she accused, pointing a finger at him triumphantly.
“I did not,” he replied, voice firm but a faint chuckle hiding behind it.
“You did,” she insisted, stepping closer until she was right in front of him, eyes wide and pleading. “Please don’t stay mad, na… I don’t like when you’re angry with me.”
He looked down at her, his expression softening despite himself. “You make it very hard to stay angry,” he muttered.
She gasped dramatically, placing a hand on her heart. “So you admit it! You love me too much to stay mad!”
He groaned, turning away to hide his smile. “You’re impossible.”
She followed him, poking his arm. “But adorable impossible?”
Finally, his composure broke. A small laugh escaped him — low, reluctant, but warm.
“Hopelessly adorable,” he said, shaking his head.
Her eyes lit up. “See! My plan worked!”
He gave her a look, half fond, half exasperated. “What plan?”
She clasped her hands behind her back, grinning. “Operation ‘Make My Professor Smile Again.’ Successful.”
He chuckled, finally letting his hand rest on her cheek, thumb brushing against her skin. “You’re a menace.”
“But your menace,” she said softly, leaning into his touch.
Satish sighed — this time not in anger but in pure defeat to her antics. “Yeah,” he murmured, his smile returning fully now. “Mine.”
Satish let out a low, slow chuckle.
And suddenly, before she could react, he gripped her chin gently, tilting her face up.
His eyes were dark, intense, and amused all at once.
“Sweetheart,” he murmured, his voice dipping into something dangerously smooth.
“If I wanted someone like her… don’t you think I would have gone to her already?”
Sharayu’s breath hitched.
His thumb brushed over her jaw, slowly, deliberately.
“You think a woman like that can ‘satisfy’ me?” he mused, voice teasing, but his eyes?
His eyes were pure heat.
Sharayu swallowed hard. “I—I don’t know?”
Satish smirked, his gaze dropping to her lips. “Let me tell you a secret, then.”
He leaned in, so close that she could feel the warmth of his breath against her skin.
“Only you do that, Sharayu.”
Sharayu forgot how to breathe.
Satish tilted her chin up a little more, his lips just barely brushing against hers.
“And that isn’t changing. Ever.”
Sharayu felt her knees go weak.
Her heart was slamming against her ribs.
But before she could respond, Satish suddenly pulled back slightly, smirking.
“Now. Are we done with this nonsense?”
Sharayu scowled, shoving him back. “Go to hell, Rajvanshi!”
Satish chuckled, catching her wrist before she could run.
“Oh, sweetheart. I’d much rather stay right here—with you.”
Sharayu screamed internally.
Sharayu was not going to let him win this.
No. Absolutely not.
Just because he had a ridiculously smooth voice, dangerously intense eyes, and the ability to make her brain short-circuit with a single sentence did NOT mean she was going to melt like an idiot.
She was still mad.
And she needed to remind herself of that.
So, instead of backing down, she yanked her wrist free and crossed her arms, narrowing her eyes at him.
“You’re still an idiot, Rajvanshi.”
Satish tilted his head, unimpressed. “And you’re still the most dramatic person I know.”
Sharayu scoffed. “I am NOT dramatic.”
Satish raised an eyebrow. “Sweetheart, you ignored me for hours, avoided my calls, and then told me to ‘go to a woman who could satisfy me.’”
He let that sink In for a second before deadpanning—
“Explain to me how that is NOT dramatic.”
Sharayu opened her mouth. Closed it.
…Okay, maybe she was a little dramatic.
But was she going to admit that?
Absolutely not.
Instead, she huffed and looked away. “It’s called self-respect, Rajvanshi.”
Satish chuckled darkly. “Self-respect? Or just unnecessary jealousy?”
Sharayu snapped her gaze back to him. “I was NOT jealous!”
Satish gave her a slow, knowing smirk.
“Oh?” he murmured, stepping closer.
Sharayu stepped back instinctively.
Mistake.
Because now he was crowding her space, watching her with that intense, unreadable gaze.
“So, you weren’t jealous?” he asked, voice infuriatingly amused.
Sharayu lifted her chin defiantly. “No.”
Satish hummed, trailing a finger along the side of her arm.
“Not even when she was standing too close to me?”
Sharayu refused to react.
“Not even when she was batting her eyelashes like a fool?”
Sharayu ignored the warmth creeping up her neck.
Satish’s fingers ghosted over her wrist, his touch feather-light.
“Not even when she said I needed a woman who could handle me?”
Sharayu gritted her teeth.
Satish grinned. “You clenched your fists just now.”
Sharayu glared. “Because you’re annoying.”
Satish chuckled. “Or because you were jealous?”
Sharayu shoved him back. “Go away!”
Satish did not budge.
Instead, he leaned down, voice lowering into something devastatingly smooth.
“You really think anyone else could handle me, Sharayu?”
Sharayu’s breath hitched.
Satish tilted his head, watching her reaction closely.
“You really think I’d even look at another woman?”
Sharayu swallowed hard.
Satish sighed, softly brushing her hair behind her ear.
“I only have eyes for you, sweetheart. Always.”
Sharayu’s heart slammed against her ribs.
She hated how easily he did this.
How effortlessly he could turn the tables on her.
How he could melt away all her anger with just a few words.
Stupid man. Stupid, frustrating, unfairly attractive man.
Sharayu scowled. “You still should’ve told her off more aggressively.”
Satish sighed. “I DID tell her off. You just ran away before you could hear it.”
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
Satish’s fingers brushed her cheek, his touch unbearably gentle.
His voice, when he spoke again, was lower, quieter.
“I love you, Sharayu. And you really, REALLY need to get that into your little head.”
Sharayu felt her heart stutter.
And before she could even think, her arms were already looping around his neck.
She buried her face into his shoulder, muttering, “I love you too, idiot.”
Satish chuckled, wrapping his arms around her waist and holding her tight.
“Good. Now, can we stop being dramatic?”
Sharayu snorted. “No promises.”
Satish sighed, laughing.
***
Satish pulled back slightly, just enough to look at her face. His dark eyes held something unreadable—something fond, something annoyingly soft.
Sharayu blinked up at him, still feeling a little guilty for her unnecessary jealousy-fueled meltdown.
And then — he remembered.
He walked toward his desk, picked up a wrapped bouquet, and turned back to her.
Golden petals peeked out — bright, cheerful, unmistakably sunflowers.
Sharayu froze. “What…?”
Satish rolled his eyes, shoving them toward her.
“Here. Take them before I change my mind.”
Sharayu’s lips parted as she looked at the bright yellow flowers in front of her.
They were beautiful.
Big, bright, fresh, ridiculously cheerful-looking.
Just like the ones she had once mentioned she loved.
Her chest tightened. “You bought these for me?”
Satish scoffed. “No, I bought them for the ground. Thought they needed some sunshine.”
Sharayu scowled, but she still took them, pressing them to her chest.
Satish watched her with a small, knowing smirk. “You’re smiling.”
Sharayu schooled her expression immediately. “No, I’m not.”
Satish leaned down. “You so are.”
Sharayu huffed. “I’m still mad at you.”
Satish arched an eyebrow. “Really? Because I just saw you blush.”
Sharayu glared. “I did NOT blush.”
Satish narrowed his eyes at her. “You did.”
“I didn’t.”
“You SO did.”
Sharayu was about to argue more, but then—
Satish’s fingers suddenly curled around her waist, yanking her forward.
Sharayu squeaked, colliding straight into his chest.
“What—”
Satish smirked, lowering his face to hers. His nose brushed against her cheek, his voice dropping into something dangerous.
“You blush every time I get this close, sweetheart.”
Sharayu’s face immediately heated up.
Satish chuckled darkly. “Like right now.”
This man. This stupid, frustrating, unfairly attractive man.
Sharayu shoved his face away. “Shut up!”
Satish laughed. “You’re adorable.”
Sharayu scowled, looking away. “Whatever.”
Satish sighed dramatically. “And so difficult.”
Sharayu scoffed. “And you love me anyway.”
Satish smirked. “Damn right I do.”
Sharayu bit her lip, staring at the sunflowers in her hands.
And then, before she could overthink it, she rose on her toes and pressed a quick kiss to his cheek.
Satish stilled.
Sharayu immediately spun around, heading toward the door before she lost her nerve.
“Okay, I’m leaving now, bye!”
Satish blinked. And then—
He grabbed her wrist, pulling her back toward him.
Sharayu yelped, crashing against his chest once again.
“Satish—”
Satish’s arms tightened around her waist.
“You don’t get to just kiss me and run away, sweetheart.”
Sharayu gulped.
Satish’s fingers brushed over her jaw, tilting her chin up.
“I deserve a proper kiss for my efforts, don’t you think?”
Sharayu’s eyes widened.
Satish grinned. “Or should I take back my flowers?”
Sharayu gasped. “You wouldn’t!”
Satish smirked. “Try me.”
Sharayu gasped again, dramatically clutching the flowers to her chest.
And then, before he could react, she jumped onto her toes and smacked a kiss onto his lips—quick, but firm.
Satish’s eyes snapped wide open.
Sharayu pulled back, triumphantly smirking.
“There. Happy now?”
Satish stared.
…Oh.
Oh, this girl was playing a dangerous game.
His hands flexed at her waist, grip tightening.
And then, before she could escape—
He leaned down and kissed her properly.
Slow. Deep. Unapologetic.
Sharayu froze for a second, before her fingers curled into his shirt, pulling him closer.
By the time he pulled away, her face was bright red, her eyes dazed.
Satish smirked. “Now I’m happy.”
Sharayu gaped at him. “You—You—”
Satish grinned, leaning down to murmur against her lips.
“Love you too, sweetheart.”
Sharayu’s heart melted into a puddle on the floor.
She threw her arms around him without warning, squeezing tight.
“Thank you…” she whispered into his chest.
He smiled into her hair.
“Come,” he murmured, “I’m not done pampering you.”
They sat by the window in her favorite little cafe — the cozy one filled with fairy lights and a soft chocolate aroma in the air.
She gasped as the waiter arrived with blueberry cheesecake — her absolute favorite.
“What— you remembered?” she asked, stunned.
“I remember everything about you,” he replied casually, as if it wasn’t the most heart-stopping line ever spoken.
Sharayu flushed, trying to hide her smile.
Before she could take the first bite, he slid the plate toward himself and cut a perfect spoonful.
“Open your mouth,” he said, tone playful yet possessive.
Her eyes widened.
“Satish— people are watching…”
“And they should learn how to treat someone they love,” he countered smoothly.
Heat rushed to her face as she opened her mouth, letting him feed her.
She let out a little hum of delight — sweet, creamy, perfect.
Satish absolutely melted watching her.
She chewed slowly, still blushing.
He examined the spoon — a little bit of creamy blueberry was still clinging to the edge.
Without breaking eye contact, he brought the same spoon to his lips…
and licked off the leftover in one slow, confident motion.
Sharayu froze — eyes huge.
“Satish!” she whispered-shrieked, scandalized and flustered.
He smiled like he had just won a championship.
“What?” he asked innocently.
“It’s the same spoon I fed my girlfriend with. I think I’m allowed.”
Her heart was not prepared.
She tried to glare but ended up smiling like she was helplessly in love — because she was.
He leaned closer, eyes softening as he watched her blush deepen.
“You should get used to it,” he murmured, “I plan to feed you like this… always.”
Her breath caught.
***
Later that evening, as Sharayu sat on her bed, staring at the sunflowers on her desk, she couldn’t stop smiling.
She had been mad at him. Really, truly mad.
But then that stupid man had shown up with flowers, teasing, and that infuriating smirk—and now, here she was, grinning like a fool.
Ugh.
Sharayu sat cross-legged on her bed, the evening sunlight pooling through the curtains, turning everything golden.
The bouquet of sunflowers lay against the windowpane — tall, glowing, alive. Just looking at them made her lips curl into a tiny, helpless smile.
She picked up her phone, unlocked it, stared at the camera for a moment… then at the flowers.
“Ugh, why am I even doing this,” she muttered under her breath, but the smile didn’t fade.
With a soft sigh, she adjusted the frame, making sure the petals caught the last glint of sunlight, and clicked.
The picture looked beautiful — effortlessly warm, just like how he’d looked when he handed them to her.
Before she could overthink, she opened Instagram, chose the photo, and added a song — ‘Chahun Main Ya Na’ — letting the melody fade right on “tujhse hua mujhko pyaar ooo…”
No caption.
No emoji.
No explanation.
Just that.
Just the sunflowers — sitting pretty, whispering a secret only one person would understand.
She hit “post” before her overthinking brain could interfere and tossed her phone beside her.
But five minutes later — exactly five — her screen lit up.
Satish✨ sent a voice message.
Her heart skipped.
Curiosity (and something more dangerous) made her open it.
The moment she pressed play, his voice filled the quiet of her room — deep, unfiltered, him.
“Itna bata du tujhko…”
He sang softly, that smooth, teasing lilt in his tone.
“Chahat pe apni mujhko yu toh nahi iktiyaar…”
Sharayu’s hand flew to her mouth, muffling a laugh that was half gasp, half blush.
He didn’t stop — his voice turned warmer, like he was right there beside her:
“Phir bhi ye socha dil ne… ab laga hoon milne… poochu tujhe ek baar oooooo…”
The song faded into a small chuckle at the end — his chuckle — low and knowing.
Before her heart could recover, her phone buzzed again.
Incoming call: Satish.
Her breath caught.
For a moment, she just stared at his name flashing on her screen, pulse racing, the voice note still echoing in her ears.
***
The classroom was buzzing with murmurs and the occasional rustling of notebooks as students settled into their seats.
At exactly 10:00 AM, the door opened, and in walked Professor Satish Singh Rajvanshi, dressed in his usual crisp white shirt and dark slacks, his sleeves rolled up just enough to make half the class swoon.
He placed his books on the desk, adjusted his watch, and leaned slightly against the table before scanning the class with sharp, observant eyes.
“Settle down, everyone. Let’s begin.”
The whispers died instantly.
Satish picked up a marker, turned to the board, and wrote in bold letters:
GST REGISTRATION
He turned back to the class, his voice smooth yet authoritative.
“Before we dive in, let’s do a quick recap. What is GST?”
A few hands shot up.
“Goods and Services Tax, sir,” a student replied.
Satish nodded. “Good. And why do we have GST?”
“To remove the cascading effect of taxes and unify the taxation system.”
Satish gave a small smile. “Excellent. Now, moving forward—registration under GST. Who here can tell me—who is required to register under GST?”
Silence.
Satish’s eyebrow arched slightly. “No one? Miss Sharayu, why don’t you answer?”
Sharayu, who had been diligently taking notes (and definitely not getting distracted by his rolled-up sleeves), blinked.
“Uh—Businesses with a turnover above ₹40 lakh in normal states and ₹20 lakh in special category states must register?”
Satish nodded. “Correct. But there are also certain cases where registration is mandatory, irrespective of turnover. Anyone?”
Rutuja raised her hand. “E-commerce operators, inter-state suppliers, and casual taxable persons?”
“Very good.” Satish turned back to the board and began writing.
→ Who needs to register under GST?
Businesses exceeding turnover limit
Casual taxable persons
Non-resident taxable persons
E-commerce operators
Input service distributors
Those paying tax under reverse charge
He turned back to the class, setting the marker down. “Now, let’s talk about the process of GST registration.”
He moved to the projector, displaying the GST portal on the screen.
“Step 1: Visit the GST portal—(http://www.gst.gov.in).”
“Step 2: Click on ‘New Registration’ and fill in the required details—business name, PAN, email, and mobile number.”
“Step 3: Verify the OTP sent to your email and phone.”
“Step 4: Fill in business details, upload documents, and submit the application.”
“Step 5: Wait for verification, and once approved, get your GSTIN.”
As he explained, he moved seamlessly between the screen and the board, highlighting key points, ensuring every student was engaged.
Suddenly—
Sharayu, who had been scribbling in her notebook, couldn’t help but glance up.
Why did he have to look so ridiculously good while explaining tax laws?
Satish, oblivious to her thoughts, continued, his voice smooth and engaging.
“Alright, let’s take a small break before we move on to Composition Scheme under GST.”
As soon as he announced the break, the class erupted in whispers, some discussing taxes, others simply sighing dreamily at their professor’s intense lecture style.
And Sharayu?
She was busy glaring at Rutuja, who was smirking at her knowingly.
Because she had definitely noticed the way Satish had called on Sharayu first.
Right before ending the lecture, her phone had buzzed discreetly.
Satish : Meet me in my cabin after class. Now.
***
Now, standing outside his office door, she hesitated.
Why was she nervous?
She had literally spent the last twenty-four hours being teased, kissed, and borderline devoured by this man, and yet—one simple text and she was here, overthinking.
Taking a deep breath, she knocked.
“Come in.”
She opened the door, stepping inside cautiously.
Satish was there, leaning back in his chair, his sharp gaze lifting from some papers straight to her.
The door clicked shut behind her.
“Shut the blinds, sweetheart.”
Sharayu swallowed.
The way his voice dipped slightly at the end, the way his fingers tapped lazily on the desk—this man was dangerous.
She did as he asked, and the moment she turned around—
He beckoned her forward with a tilt of his head.
“Come here.”
Sharayu huffed, crossing her arms. “I swear, if you called me here to scold me about —”
“Sharayu.”
Her name in that deep, smooth voice? Yeah, she was finished.
She walked over, only for him to reach out and pull her between his legs, his hands gripping her waist firmly.
“So,” he murmured, fingers tracing slow, lazy circles on her hips, “you want to tell me what today’s little ‘makeover’ was about?”
Sharayu stiffened.
Shit.
Of course, he had noticed.
He always did.
“Nothing,” she muttered, looking anywhere but at him.
Satish’s grip tightened slightly.
“Sharayu.” His voice was calm but firm. “Look at me.”
She hesitated, then finally met his gaze.
Big mistake.
Because his eyes were dark, sharp, completely focused on her—like she was the only thing that mattered in this entire world.
“You think you have to change yourself for me?” he asked softly.
Sharayu froze.
“You think you need to dress differently? Act more mature? Be someone else just to hold my attention?”
She opened her mouth to argue, but he didn’t let her.
“Sharayu, my attention has been yours since the day I met you.”
Her breath hitched.
His hands slid up her arms, slow and deliberate, his thumbs brushing over her skin.
“You don’t need to wear something special to look beautiful. You don’t need to act ‘mature’ for me to take you seriously. You don’t need to change a single damn thing about yourself.”
He leaned In, voice dropping lower.
“I love the way you are.”
Sharayu’s heart was pounding.
“Chaotic, clumsy, a little too dramatic for your own good,” he listed lazily, “but also ridiculously attractive, even when you don’t try to be.”
Sharayu opened her mouth, closed it, then opened it again.
“I—”
“And another thing,” Satish continued, his hands tightening on her waist,
“Jo pasand hai,
woh har haal mein pasand hai.
Aur jo nahi pasand,
who chahe mathe pe chand saja aye, phir bhi padand na aye.”
Sharayu stared.
The way he said it—so firm, so unwavering—it left no room for doubt.
He meant it.
Every single word.
Her fingers twitched by her sides.
Slowly, hesitantly, she reached out and brushed her fingers along his jaw.
“You really mean that?” she whispered.
Satish’s jaw clenched slightly at her touch, but his gaze didn’t waver.
“Every word, sweetheart.”
For a long moment, neither of them spoke.
The air between them was charged, warm, suffocatingly intimate.
And then—
She smirked.
“So you think I’m ridiculously attractive, huh?”
Satish groaned. “You’re impossible.”
Sharayu grinned. “But you love that too, don’t you?”
Satish sighed, gripping her waist tighter before pulling her flush against him.
“Woman you are gonna be the reason behind my death,” he muttered, before crashing his lips to hers.
Satish’s lips crashed against hers, firm and unrelenting, as if he had been holding himself back for far too long.
Sharayu barely had a moment to process before her body melted against his, her fingers clutching at his shirt.
His hands, strong and sure, gripped her waist, pulling her impossibly closer, making her feel every inch of him, every bit of his unspoken desire.
She whimpered when his hands slid lower, fingers teasing the curve of her hips before squeezing, his silent way of reminding her exactly who she belonged to.
Satish growled lowly into the kiss, a deep, satisfied sound that sent a shiver down her spine. His lips moved with precision, slow yet consuming, like he wanted to make sure she felt every single second of it.
And oh, she felt it.
Felt him.
Felt the way his beard prickled against her soft skin, the coarse roughness scraping over her jaw, her cheeks, her neck.
It burned, leaving behind a faint irritation—tiny rashes forming under his touch.
She knew it.
And so did he.
She felt the way he hesitated, just for a second, when his lips trailed down her neck, felt the way he slowed down when he noticed the slight redness blooming on her skin.
But he said nothing.
And neither did she.
Because she didn’t care.
Because she wanted more.
Her fingers tangled in his hair, tugging slightly, and that was all it took for Satish to snap.
He bit down gently on her pulse point, a mixture of a tease and a warning, before soothing the spot with his tongue.
Sharayu’s breath hitched.
Her nails dug into his shoulders, holding on for dear life as he continued his slow, torturous exploration—his lips tracing a heated path from her jaw to her collarbone, his hands slipping beneath her kurti, palms pressing against her bare waist.
His touch was hot, demanding, and entirely consuming.
Satish’s breath was warm against her skin, his fingers firm where they pressed into her waist. Every second that passed felt like a new kind of torture—a test of how much she could take before she completely lost herself in him.
And he knew it.
Of course, he did.
The dangerous smirk curling at his lips as he pulled back just enough to meet her gaze told her everything. He was enjoying this. The way she clung to him, the way she shivered with every little touch, the way she was completely at his mercy.
“Satish…” she whispered, her voice barely audible.
His eyes darkened, fingers tightening on her waist. “Hmm?”
Her breath hitched as he tilted his head, letting his nose graze against hers, teasing, taunting—always making her wait.
“Stop… playing.”
Satish let out a soft chuckle, his lips barely an inch from hers. “Oh, sweetheart…” his voice dropped lower, “you should know by now—I don’t play fair.”
And then—
His mouth was on hers again.
This time, it wasn’t slow.
It was desperate. Starving. Relentless.
He devoured her, lips moving with a purpose, as if trying to prove something, as if trying to remind her exactly how deep she had sunk into him.
Sharayu barely had time to react before he lifted her effortlessly, settling her on his desk, pushing between her legs as his hands gripped the edge of the wooden surface beside her.
Her fingers tangled in his hair, tugging just enough to make him groan against her lips.
That sound?
It sent a shiver straight through her spine.
Satish pulled back just slightly, enough to take her in—her swollen lips, her flushed skin, the way her breath came in short, shallow gasps.
She looked wrecked.
And all because of him.
God, he loved it.
“You have no idea what you do to me, Sharayu,” he murmured, brushing his lips along her jaw.
She shivered, barely able to form words. “Then tell me.”
Satish chuckled, his voice dark and teasing. “Telling you won’t be enough.”
His hand trailed up her back, fingertips ghosting over her spine, making her arch slightly against him.
Before she could even process what he had said, Satish leaned back with that infuriating smirk, like he hadn’t just completely wrecked her entire thought process.
“But for now—” he kissed her again, slow, deep, “—we should probably leave before someone walks in and finds us like this.”
Sharayu was still trying to remember how to breathe.
***
Satish walked into his house that evening with a mission.
The moment he stepped into the bathroom, he stared at himself in the mirror, running a hand over his rough, stubbled jaw. The faint red marks on his skin where Sharayu’s delicate skin had been irritated because of his beard flashed in his mind, and that was it.
He picked up the razor without hesitation.
***
That night, as Sharayu lay on her bed scrolling through her phone, her fingers hovered over the contact labeled --Satish
She bit her lip, contemplating.
Something had been off about him today. He had sent her home early, saying he had “work,” but his texts had been strangely short. No teasing, no flirting, no usual Satish-like behavior.
Her eyes narrowed.
Suspicious.
With a huff, she tapped on the video call icon.
The call rang once. Twice. No answer.
She frowned.
Again.
Still no answer.
Her eyebrows furrowed deeper. He never ignored her calls.
What was this man up to?
Sharayu scowled at her phone screen, her foot tapping against her mattress impatiently. Something was wrong.
Or… was he avoiding her?
Her mind immediately jumped to the worst possibilities.
Did something happen? Was he upset? Had someone said something? Had he—
She shook her head. No. No overthinking tonight.
If Satish wasn’t picking up, it was probably because he wanted her to suffer for some reason.
Typical.
Well, two could play at that game.
She huffed and threw her phone aside, determined not to text him again.
…
Five minutes later, she was staring at the screen again.
Shamelessly.
Because what if he was actually in trouble?
What if—
PING!
A text.
Satish: Sleep, sweetheart. See you tomorrow.
Sharayu squinted at the screen.
That’s it?!
No explanation. No reason for ignoring her calls. Just this?!
Oh, he was definitely hiding something.
With a dramatic groan, she flopped back onto her bed, glaring at the ceiling.
“Fine, Rajvanshi. Let’s see what game you’re playing.”
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