Shivaay walked towards the dining area to see his girlfriend looking after the arrangements of New Year dinner.

"Hey pumpkin", he whispered in her ear making her smile widely. She was wearing black high waist bootcut pants with black sweetheart neckline crop top having roses printed on it. She kept a high ponytail with minimal makeup.

"Hey", she said softly making him kiss her bare shoulder, wrapping arm around her waist from behind. He was compliment her wearing a semi casual black trousers, shirt and waistcoat with a red square pocket in his waistcoat.

They came back to his home as everyone will be celebrating New year at the backyard. They came early to check the arrangements. She was better on her ankle so was using a forearm crutch.

"Is everything done?", he asked. She nodded smiling brightly.

"I am so excited for the clock to strike twelve. It's our first new year", she said happily. He chuckled and leaned it kissing her lips.

"Did I told you, how beautiful you're looking tonight?", he said caressing her cheek.

"Just tonight?", she teased making him laugh faintly and kiss her again.

"You look beautiful dressed up or casual", he said making her smile softly.

"You are looking no bad", she said keeping hand on his chest. He smile joining their forehead and peck her nose.

They just heard a shuttering making them turn their heads towards the side to see Malika and everyone standing there with Rudra having camera in his hand.

"You guys are goals", Malika said making Annika giggle and Shivaay smile taking her in a side hug.

"Where's everyone?", he asked looking at Malika.

"Oh they're inside talking over the wedding. We're thinking destination wedding", Malika said looping arm around Arnav's arm who smiled pecking her hair.

"That would be so nice Mal. after all wedding is done only once", Annika said smiling widely.

"I doubt on your case Annika. Dadi is already fascinated over yours and bhaiya's wedding saying it will be both catholic and traditional", Gauri chuckled making Annika blush.

"It has time guys, focus on Malika and Arnav now", she said making other chuckle and nod.

"So decided any place?", Shivaay asked.

"Not yet. Waiting for pandit ji to come tomorrow and tell the dates for wedding", Arnav said.

"Okay great. Let's play something", Bhavya suggested.

"Cool. You all decide it, I will bring drinks for us", Annika said going towards the bar station. Others nodded.

"I will help you", Shivaay said making her smile softly and go ahead.

"Help with the drinks only, bhaiya", Rudra teased getting a smack on his head from Shivaay while going. Others giggled.

|••|

Shivaay came to the bar station to see Annika filling some glasses with wine while some with cocktails. He noticed her lost somewhere.

"Hey", he called out sitting on the chair. She smiled filling the glass.

"I will have-"

"I know, champagne", she completed with smile, making him smile and nod.

"You're lost somewhere. Something happened?", he asked pouring strawberry cocktail in a glass for her.

"Not really. I dropped from the movie I was doing", she sighed shrugging.

"You mean the one because of which your arm and ankle is hurt?", he asked shocked. She nodded.

"Why? It's one of the biggest movie making in Indian cinema and you were so happy with your role", he asked confused.

"They needed some bold scenes and some real kisses. They should have informed this earlier but telling me now. When I said I am not comfortable, they said then I may need to leave the film. It will sound a petty reason to others but not me", she said making him look still her with a conscious face.

He didn't know what to say. Of course he can't see his love kissing some other guy or making out with him even if it's for the sake of movie. These things were personal and intimate for him.

"But Annika- it was your dream role. So feminine, strong just the way you like", he sighed.

"No more than my morals and it's clearly mentioned in my contract Shivaay. No PR stunts and kissing scenes", she said in serious voice.

"The reason is not me right?", he asked making her look at him in disbelief.

"Of course. Remember these were the same clause when we met for catalogue shoot", she grinned remembering their initial meets.

"You still kissed me and make outs, let's not go there", he said looping arms around her waist, pulling her closer. She giggle as he smooches her lips.

"You're exceptional and worth breaking the clause and other thing Mister, you're my boyfriend", she said keeping her finger on his chest poking there.

He sighed and kept his head against his head pecking her nose.

"Jokes apart, Shivaay even if the reason is you, I don't think it will be wrong. I know you can't see anyone touching me like you do or get intimate with me and there's nothing wrong in it. Even I can't see you like that so chill", she said smiling at him. He sighed and nodded.

"Yeah. Okay, that's true. I love you", he said kissing her forehead.

"Love you too", she grinned pecking his lips, "now let's go", she said taking one tray. He smiled taking another and both went to the others.

There, everyone were sitting in the sitting area at the backyard talking with each other.

"What are we playing?", Annika asked sitting on the double seater couch, keeping the tray on table. Shivaay followed the suit.

"We've decided truth and dare", Gauri said smiling widely.

"Okay so let's begin. Who's spinning?", Shivaay asked rubbing his palm.

"Me! Me!", Rudra shouted taking the bottle. Others chuckled shaking their heads.

"We can hear you, human hulk", Bhavya rolled eyes.

"That's good, gorgeous", he said grinning with a wink and bumped their shoulders together.

Don't call me that", she glared at him.

"Oh come on Bhavya, you're pretty beautiful, don't underestimate yourself", he said making her shoot daggers through eyes towards him. He chuckled. It's always fun to rile her up.

"Ugh!", she held her head groaning. He chuckled more.

"Okay guys! Enough. Let's start", Annika chuckled, "spin the bottle", she asked. He nodded.

Rudra spined the bottle and it stopped on Malika. All booted.

"So truth or dare?", Rudra asked.

"Truth", she said confidently.

"Tell us, how many you've dated before Arnav", Shivaay asked making Malika's eyes widen.

"You didn't! Shivaay...!", she said in disbelief making him grin.

"Fine", she sighed, "I have dated two guys before you Arnav but I swear, they're just time pass. Infact, one of them was in my high school", Malika said making everyone gape getting the new information.

"I trust you", Arnav chuckled seeing her horrified face. She sighed and he pulled her in the side hug kissing her hair.

"Aww!", Annika smiled widely, "Let's start again."

Malika spined the bottle this time and it stopped on Shivaay. Malika grinned mischievously.

"Now, now! It's my turn", she said clapping her hands.

"Fine, ask. It's truth", Shivaay said rolling eyes on her excitement.

"Tell us honestly, when did you started feeling for Annika", she asked.

"Oh come on! Even I know this, after our farmhouse trip. Right?", Annika said looking at Shivaay with a smile.

"Wrong, love", he said making her confused and surprise, "it was our third meet. In my office when others were busy in preparation for outdoor shoot. You're bored and sitting in my cabin. Remember?", he said softly making her look at him with smile gaining new information.

"You're constantly talking to me even when I wasn't replying much and just humming or nodding. I was never an expressive or much talkative person but listening to you, hearing your talks, seeing your accent, they made me feel like talking to you. Know you more. That's when I realised that I feel strongly for you. I wasn't getting how to believe it or express you", he said with a chuckle.

As he looked at her face, he saw tears lining in her eyes but there was a serene smile on her lips. She sniffed and chuckled looking away.

"I thought I was irritating you or disturbing you. I never thought this was running in your mind that moment", she said and tears started flowing which she tried to hide giggling. He smiled taking her in a side hug kissing her cheek.

"No crying guys!", Malika said herself feeling emotional.

"Let's start ahead", Annika said and the bottle was spin again. It stopped on Rudra this time.

"I will take dare", he said confidently.

"Great", Om and Shivaay said together with a grin.

"Rudra, do a sensuous dance around any of the girls here", Om said making girls look at each other.

"Hawh! Okay fine", Rudra said and looking at all the girls. Rudra was going to take a step towards Malika but Arnav pulled her closer.

"No.. Not my fiance", Arnav said making him frown and look towards Annika with a smile. He knew his Annika didi won't deny him for a dare.

"Don't. Don't even think", Shivaay said pulling Annika closer to himself. Annika looked at him apologetically. Like this even Om pulled Gauri away making Bhavya's eyes widen. At last, Bhavya got fortune to have Rudra Singh Oberoi dance sensuously around her. Not the sarcasm.

Bottle was spun again and it came on Annika. She smiled nervously and nodded.

"Okay um.. Dare", she said.

"You sure?", girls asked together. Annika shrugged nodding.

"That's nice. Annika give Shivaay a lap dance", Malika grinned naughtily.

"What? No!"

"Oh wow!", two replies came making Annika look at Shivaay in disbelief.

"Really Shivaay?", Annika said.

"Why not. It's just me", he shrugged with a smug smile. She hit on his arm rolling eyes. She know he just love teasing her.

"Exactly! Annika, don't be a spoil sport. You can do it. It's just bhaiya", Gauri encouraged.

"My one arm is broken", she reasoned.

"I don't have problem with it. It will be more sexy", he said making Annika give him a look.

"Yes yes! Go for it Annika. Girl power! Anyways if you'll loose, they'll ask you to do something. Maybe it will be more tough", Arnav said with a smile.

"Fine", Annika muttered making everyone hoot turning her cheeks red. He knew she wasn't uncomfortable just shy so didn't opposed. Anyways little fun with girlfriend is not wrong. Right?

Rudra brought a barstool and kept it on grass in center. Shivaay was asked to sit there. He winked at her and sat down on it, anticipated. Malika played akh ladd jaave and all hooted for Annika.

"Come on Annika, you can do it", she muttered to herself and kept her crutch away. She was better on her ankle with just a slight almost gone ache.

Annika smiled at him sexily biting her index finger and started arms and hips in front of Shivaay. She circled around him opening her hair and shaking them, making them messy.

She started moving her arm and body in front of him, just little away from his face. Parting his legs, she stood between them and wrapped his arms around her waist. He was spellbounded by her moves and looked at her with open mouth. Her moves were definitely hot enough to warm him up.

Tracing the finger from his forehead to his chin, she left a butterfly kiss on his lips making everyone shock and hoot over it. She wasn't shy anymore. Joining his legs back, she sat down on his lap and winked at him to hear the hoots again.

She shook her head on the tunes of the song looping arm around his neck, rubbing her toes from his knee to ankle. Getting up, she sat down straddling him just to increase the hoots, he held her properly and carefully even in his dazed state. He couldn't believe she was his pumpkin. Seems like sweet pumpkin turned to pumpkin spice!

As the song ended, her hair was on her one side shoulder and uneven breath. His condition was no less, just a simple touch of hers can ignite fire inside him and she just gave him a freaking lap dance!

Everyone clapped hooting. Rudra blow the whistle hooting with others. Annika winked at Shivaay and got down from his lap.

"That was so hot Annika", Malika said fanning herself dramatically making Annika chuckle and tuck her hair behind her ears. She looked around for her rubber band when Shivaay forward it, coming in front of her. She blushed lightly seeing a smitten look on his face.

"Stop looking at me like that", she blushed.

"I never knew my baby is so hot", he said wrapping an arm around her waist. She shrugged, "and such a minx", he added rubbing their nose. She giggled blushing.

"You see, your girlfriend is a surprise package", she said softly seeing others talking over themselves.

"Ah! She definitely is", he said pulling her closer. She smiled keeping hand on his chest.

"Guys! Let's get inside. It's 2 minutes to strike 12", Gauri shouted excited and everyone nodded.

"Go. We're coming", Shivaay said without looking away from her face. She was smiling at him.

"Annika, it's been two month since we're dating. I know it's a small span but falling in love with you was the most real thing happened to me. I promise to our long journey of life together, to spend every happiness with you, share every sadness with you. I know we'll have our own sets of fights, disagreement but I promise you. You'll be the person I will come at last, because you're my home. This new year, I take the resolution to never give up on us", he smiled holding her palms.

"I promise you the same. I will always love you, understand you, stay by your side. I too take the same resolution to never give up on us because that's the last thing I would want to do", she said softly.

He leaned it and kissed her forehead. She held his hand which was on her cheek closing the eyes.

"It's 10 seconds to 12. 10...9...8...7-"

"6...5...4...3...2..", she continued and stopped looking at him. He smiled and took her in a kiss. The noise of crackers, shouts of happiness could be heard all around telling that the new year started.

Kissing each other for a while, both parted away and smiled at each other. The smile on one's face was mirroring on others.

"Happy new year pumpkin", he said taking her in a hug.

"Happy new year, babe", she said back wrapping the arm around him keeping head on his shoulder hugging him as much as she could from one arm.

As he was busy in hugging her, she took her hand back and took out phone from her pocket opening her social media. With a smile, she posted something which was surely going to spread like fire and make many people happy. Specifically and importantly, him.

|••|

Hey guys! Thanks for your votes and comments on the previous chapter. Keep reading, voting and commenting your views. They means a lot to me♥️

Hope you liked the update. Do tell me how it was😁
This was a busy month but now the updates will be regular like before😁

Precap: Annika's new year surprise

Love,
K♥️