Sanvi's POV~

I got rid of my tee shirt and jeans which were by then twice their weight and glued to my skin. The next few minutes were spent on deciding whether I should leave the wet undergarments on under the dry clothes Rishabh gave me. The overly sensitive side of my mind compelled me to give into the proposition of an uncalled for fever that might await me if I drove in the wet bra and panty while the rational, alert side wanted to keep the remaining dignity I still had intact by not getting entirely naked in a strange house.

I was torn.

But as all the few people knew me, I would definitely give into the overly sensitive side of my brain in the end of that banter. I discarded my undergarments and awkwardly tucked them inside the pockets of the dry trouser.

The main issue that remained was to maintain a safe one-hand distance from Rishabh, so as to not give away the idea of my partial nudity under the thin drape of his clothes. Which lunatic would like to brag around that they have worn practically nothing under their clothes? I was basically nude, but not in the practical sense of the term. It made me feel exposed and I didn't like that, especially not in front of Rishabh, not tonight.

It felt bizzare, the way I smiled looking at my reflection once I was done changing. Rishabh's shirt and trousers were baggy for me and I looked like an over-stuffed fluffy animal. His clothes exuded a musky scent that I had absolutely despised my entire life but couldn't help smell a little more then. It was weirdly addictive. A similar tingling sensation gripped my toes as I incessantly inhaled the scent which I had smelled on him a few minutes before. My eyes felt heavy and the scent seemed to lull me into drowsiness. I felt tired. I missed my bed. And I smelled like Rishabh. And quite unfortunately, I liked smelling like Rishabh. I hated myself for this in the consecutive days.

The next moment, I sprang my eyes wide open and slapped my cheeks. I should be castrated to think that way. I was definitely going insane.

Unbolting the door, I dashed out of the bathroom. My eyes scanned the whole room, frantically searching for him. He was standing in the balcony, looking down on something. His still-shirtless body glistened under the moon light and I felt myself sigh.

'Not again...'

I found my heart thumping against my chest as I walked up to him. Stupid hormones. He was leaning by his shoulder on the wall with his fists inside his pockets, looking at nothing in particular.

"Did you drive out this far in your scooty?" I heard him ask even before I could make my presence known. His head gestured towards my vehicle parked outside the gate of the mansion.

"Pretty much." I nodded in a daze, standing beside him, looking out at the beautiful moonlit landscape that surrounded the Rathore mansion. It truly was breathtaking and I couldn't help but ponder over my previously rejected notion of whether money could actually buy the peace that I felt standing there as the gentle breeze of the night washed away my fatigue.

Rishabh Rathore lived a considerably wealthy life with their family business reigning over half the technological market of the state. Heck their money even bought them the most lavish mansion in the most peaceful, secluded and pollution-free area of the city. But I liked the peace I had in my own company in that dingy apartment of mine. I liked the peace I felt when my mother fed me food made by her own hands when we were alone in our Dixit Villa. I felt the peace when I drowned myself in a book about magical creatures. I might have been dazed but the peace I had felt standing there felt quite similar to the peace I felt in those situations.

"Why is it parked outside the gate? You do know that anyone could have just stolen your scooty while you sprinted around in the mansion?" Rishabh turned towards me with a risen brow. I shrugged my shoulders.

"I have my keys right here. Besides, it was an urgent case. I was in a hurry.." I had lost my defensive spirit.
My eyes couldn't help dart beneath his weirdly attractive face down to his shaped body. Six well-defined abs. I counted while my eyes lingered over them. And the dude was just 18? His skin seemed creaselessly smooth. To my utter shock, the previously felt tingles returned but in the fingertips of my hands.

I coughed a bit to shake myself out of the trance but the brat didn't miss my reaction.

"Urgent case? I had no idea that you ran a Dixit Agency for rescuing drunk teenagers." I rolled my eyes at his snide remark. Always the nit-picker, you see.

"Shut up." I exclaimed while my eyes found myself staring at his half naked torso yet again.

"I would have never pegged you to be a pervert, Dixit. Why are you looking at me with those predatory eyes?" My jaw almost dropped at Rishabh's sudden pretence of covering up his body with his arms in a feigning attempt to protect himself from my 'perverse' gaze. That jerk.

But you were truly ogling at him like a perv Sanvi.

I scoffed at his remark.

"Jerk! We can never have a decent conversation!"

His lips curled up from one corner at my response.

"We can but you have to go out of your way to turn it into an argument everytime."

The nerve of that guy!

That definitely was my cue to get the hell out of that place. I was in no mood to quarrel.

As I began storming off, a gust of warm air engulfed me and I was pulled back and pinned to the wall. I couldn't feel the floor below. He had pulled me a few inches up against his body. Our faces rested at the same height. My chest pressed against his and his arms caged my waist ever so tightly. The sheer gasp that left my mouth left me breathless. I couldn't help but hold onto his bare shoulders for support.

'What on earth...'

I cursed involuntarily as for the second time in a day, I found myself sandwiched between the wall and Rishabh. Nervous would have been an understatement for my state at that moment. I bet that he could easily hear her heart beats. Perhaps his mother upstairs too could hear them? I was all the more shocked to decipher the mischief in his eyes as he pulled me closer.

'No..no..no...no...' I squeezed my eyes shut, not letting my heart give into the debaucherous temptation. I was sick to my stomach thinking of how low my desires had stooped.

'No, what Sanvi?' His whispered in the smoothest voice, igniting a fire in my stomach.

"Put me down, Rishabh, I am warning you.." My presupposed voice was stern but the words came out in a rather weak whisper. My legs were jelly.

I groaned in my mind, frustrated. I was never so bold, never so open!
My breaths grew erratic as I felt his palm gently massage the skin over my waist, sending unusual shivers down my neck. These feelings were definitely alien to me! Well what else would you expect from a closed off person like me? I had never shared such physical intimacy with a guy to experience such explosive feelings. Never in my life did I ever wonder how being close to a boy, or precisely this Rathore would do such things to me. My subconscious mind wanted to push him away and yell at him for touching me inappropriately but a tiny portion of my heart wanted to be in his arms, this close, blocking all other sources of external disturbance, just with HIM, forgetting that both of us couldn't even bear each others sight.

Oh how I wanted the night to end that instant. I honestly couldn't bear being this close to him anymore. And on top of that I couldn't bear showing this weak demeanor of mine in front of him. He was always a prick that extracted joy while playing with my weaknesses. He had always made a plaything out of my feelings about anything. Nothing would change with a single accidental kiss.

My breaths were still irregular and my chest was still heaving up and down erratically...but nothing came from his side. I couldn't feel his arms encircling me anymore. The warmth under his hold was lost. My anticipation of something was suddenly...lost.

I jolted my eyes open.

There he stood, one hand away from me, gawking at me shamelessly as my back was still stuck to the wall, sweat beads garnering my forehead.

"Do you want something Dixit?" I saw him smirking at me.

My hands itched to slap the smug look off of his face. He WAS playing. And I shamelessly gave into that. I was once again wheeled out by my immaturity. Mother was right. This world needed better people. Better than the fox, Rathore.

Okay? He wanted to play?

Every dog has its day.

I'd definitely show him what an actual game is once I settled my composure.
But right then, all I needed was my bed, to cry and sleep on, or perhaps endeavour to make a Voodoo doll out of Rathore and curse it to death.

"Hey, hold on, I was just messing around." He tried grasping my hand when I harshly slapped his palm away.

"Touch me again, and I'll break your bones to dust."

I threw him a murderous look and turned away to storm the hell out of that place with the packet under my arm. I walked towards the door of his room and held the knob to open it. But it didn't open. I tried again but I guess the universe was adamant on showing me down in every damn aspect on that specific night. I could almost feel his mocking gaze on my back. He stood behind me, chuckling heartily as I wrestled with the door.

"Useless as usual, aren't you, Dixit?" I jerked my head towards him at the comment and that guy had the audacity to look that good even when I wanted to rip his face off.

"Wear your tee shirt and open this door!" I bellowed frustratingly.

"Is it distracting..?" He smirked and pointing towards his bare body.

"Screw you! Don't flatter yourself Rathore. Just open this goddamned door at once!"

He passed a coy smile at my words.

"I would love to..." He smirked yet again, looking all smug for some reason. After wearing his tee shirt,
he held the door knob and rotated it anticlockwise for once then clockwise again and the door bolted open. Wow. Fancy lock for a fancy house full of fancy people. It was a pity their son lacked some decent fancy behaviour.

But the innuendo in his intention when he said that he'd love to do it dawned upon me quite late. He said he'd love to open the door for me...or screw... Nevermind. I looked at him all horrified that instant but managed to mask my expression before he could interpret it. I needed to bathe in some holy water.

I walked out of his room and paced towards the corridor, without looking back for a second. I didn't bid him a good night. He wasn't worthy of that.

But I soon felt him walking behind me. Did he want to see me off?
Wow. Isn't Rathore was definitely a package of surprises today? Why was he so clingy, all of a sudden? I don't know why but I couldn't help smile a little. The mansion was surely confusing and I had previously gotten into the sticky situation because I couldn't locate Veronica in the large mansion. I wouldn't mind a little help.

"What are you cooking up there? I am just showing you the way out. Dont misinterpret my intention!" He narrowed his gaze at me as he caught me smiling.

Rats.

"Huh! As if I am interested in your so called intentions!" I flared my nose and Rishabh rolled his eyes. I needed to learn some good comebacks for situations like those. But I wasn't going to be in one from then anymore and I had promised myself that.

We walked down the stairs, though the living room. I noticed his mansion once again. It was really spacious and beautifully decorated. Only if the people living in it were a little bit humane. I didn't mean it for Mrs. or Mr. Rathore. I had never met them directly. But their son was so annoying! I scrunched my nose as I felt his hand brush against mine while going down the porch.

Rishabh noticed the continuous change in her expressions, indicating that she was definitely bitching him in her thoughts. He chuckled inwardly.

Once we were out of the mansion, I felt him still walking beside me.

"I know the path from here.. You may go."

"This is my house. I can roam anywhere, anytime inside its premises and you are no one to order me. Why do you feel like I am accompanying you? Unless you want me to.." I put my palm up in front of his suggestive face and hurried out. Sometimes he just needed to keep that trap closed.

I sighed, pulling my scooty out from the stand and putting the key in the ignition. As I was about to start up, out of no where, I felt his hands blocking mine and he pulled me towards him making me stumble a bit with the scooty.

"What?!" My frustration had reached its peak.

The next second I felt a moist peck being planted against my right cheek. But he withdrew his lips in a jiffy.

"Thanks for coming to my party. I won't invite you next time too." He muttered against my ear and released my hand.

As if in a daze, I kept looking at him retreating back into the mansion.
My hand unknowingly touched the cheek where he had planted the peck and a bewildered smile curled up my lips.

What on the earth was going on with that boy?

"Also, I didn't know you were so wild as to go commando in the clothes of another person!" He yelled from the porch and I felt myself reddening with shame. That jerk announced in the entire neighborhood that I was practically nude under his clothes. I really should have had kneaded him where the sun doesn't shine.

That was my cue to ride out of that posh neighbourhood in warp speed. And I did. I couldn't have hated that Rathore more than I did at that moment.

**********

TBC