Page 27 of No Other Love

Closure, I repeated. This week was all about closure. Not resurrecting inconvenient feelings that would only end in disaster. No matter how badly I’d wanted that towel to drop.

Fourteen

Anika

After that charged moment, it was a little anticlimactic to climb into the big bed wearing my ex’s tee shirt which smelled of him – a unique combination of detergent and Vikrant’s own musk.

I was sure I’d be wide awake, unable to sleep with Vikrant only feet away for the first time in months.

I dropped off like a stone the second my head touched the pillow.

And I dreamed.

Of the night we fought so horrendously badly, our marriage, our epic love story had come to a screeching halt.

***

I was exhausted after finishing a double shift at the hospital and cramming for the MD exam. My nerves were frayed to within an inch, and I was even considering talking to a mental health professional about the workload and pressure.

‘Honey, I’m home,’ I called out, as I keyed the lock open.

The soft strains of a Tender song drifted through the sound bar Vikrant had gifted me on my birthday, two months ago. We’d used it to make love to one of my favorite songs – Ed Sheeran’s Bad Habits.

I frowned.That couldn’t be the last time we’d been together. Could it?

‘Vik,’ I said softly. Knowing he wouldn’t hear me. The music was loud. ‘Are you there?’

Taking a bold decision, I turned around to check the lock was secure on the door. Yep, all locked in.

I smiled softly. Love suffusing my desire with a depth that hadn’t been present since I started preparing for the MD exam. Tonight, I was going to tell Vikrant maybe I’d take a break and prepare for longer, when money wasn’t so tight, and we were in a better place together…

I dropped my bag on the floor. Then I took the hem of the simple cotton tunic, the lacykurti, and tugged it off over my head. It snagged on the haphazard bun at the nape of my neck. I shook my head, and the tunic cleared my skull. My hair came down in a waterfall on my shoulders and back.

I toed off my functional sneakers with the hidden heels and walked into the hall. One hand on my jeans, unbuttoning them.

‘Hey…’ I began provocatively, searching for my brilliant,sexyman. Desire flooded my veins, making me weak and wet and needy before he even touched me. Evenseenme.

Vikrant was sprawled on the couch, staring blankly at the ceiling. He didn’t hear me.

‘Vikrant,’ I said a little louder.

His eyes snapped to mine. They widened when they saw me half-naked in the doorway.

***

‘Hey, stranger.’ I stuck out my hip, increasing the length of my leg with the pose. Aware of the jutting of my tits in the functional lacy bra. ‘Miss me?’

‘What are you doing, Anika?’ Vikrant swung his legs to the floor. ‘What is this?’

‘What does it look like I’m doing, dummy?’ I unbuttoned the jeans and drew the zipper down but didn’t step out of them yet. ‘I’m seducing you.’ I winked. ‘You have to get seduced now.’

“Anika…” he trailed off as I came to settle on his lap.

I straddled his waist, legs on either side of his thighs. ‘Vikrant…’ I whispered. ‘I need you.’ I hoped he could see I didn’t mean just for this, our physical connection.

I needed him to affirm his love for me, myself.

‘Ani, please,’ he began hoarsely. But his dark eyes burned. As his breath hitched, his fingers clutched my hips, fingers digging into the tender flesh. A welcome pain.