Page 26 of No Other Love

Vikrant was alarmed. ‘It could bite you too! Be careful.’

‘I will,’ I promised him solemnly.

***

I walked into the bathroom and there it was. The culprit that had allowed me to see Vikrant in all his beautiful, buff glory for a hot, sexy second.

Thank you, Mr. Lizard.

It was stuck right next to the showerhead, bulging brown eyes twitching this way and that. Right at Vikrant’s eyesight. No wonder he’d freaked out.

It was so cute that a normally calm man like Vikrant shuddered at the thought of creepy crawlies. I was the one who dealt with spiders and ants and other creepy crawlies, during thunderstorms.

He just cowered in the corner and called out unnecessary advice.

Like now. ‘Turn on the handheld shower, okay?,” Vikrant called out. “It’s the faucet on the left side.’

‘Okay,’ I called back.

I turned on the left side faucet and the overhead shower drenched me even more in ice-cold water.

I shrieked. Turned it off. The lizard scampered as my shriek reverberated against the bathroom walls, disappearing into the shower grate.

***

‘Fuck! Are you alright?’ Vikrant burst through the door. And froze right where he stood.

‘Yeah, yeah, I’m fine.’ I sagged against the wall, as the shock wore off. ‘Your lizard’s gone.’

‘Great. That’s great.’ Still, he didn’t move from the middle of the bathroom. And his hold on the towel was alarmingly precarious.

I licked my wet lips and pushed wet hair back from my face.

‘You should finish your shower. The danger has passed.’

I forced myself to look nowhere but at his eyes. His hot, intense, focused eyes which were also looking at nothing but my face.

‘You’re...’ He cleared his dry throat. ‘You’re all wet.’ He made a gesture with one hand, pointing in the general direction of my torso.

I looked down at my soft tee shirt. It was completely drenched. It was also sticking to my chest like a second skin, which meant he could see that I wore no bra, and the cold water had peaked my nipples.

Fire flashed through me, until I was sure steam would come off my clothes and dry them off.

God, yes, I was all wet.

‘Dammit,’ I muttered. I unstuck the tee shirt from my stomach. ‘I didn’t bring any other night clothes.’

‘Oh.’

I sighed. And made to take my tee shirt off, forgetting for a moment that Vikrant was even there.

‘I’ll lend you my tee shirt,’ he said loudly. Reminding me of his presence.

I paused in the act of undressing. ‘That’s…nice.’ And it was. Although, before, he would have been just as happy to have me naked and willing in his arms.

‘Wait here.’ Vikrant nodded stiffly and turned and walked out, holding the towel in a death grip.

I sighed once more as the bathroom door closed behind him.