Chapter 12

Aria's POV

The party was beginning to feel like a slow, torturous descent into boredom.

Aria swirled the remnants of her drink, barely listening as Aarav rambled on about his recent business trip to London. His voice droned in the background, but her mind was elsewhere—trapped in the ghost of a moment that had nearly unraveled her.

That almost-kiss.

She had felt the heat of it long before their lips could meet, the way Kabir had looked at her like he was ready to consume her whole. And she had wanted it. For one reckless second, she had leaned in, heart hammering, lips parting.

Then footsteps had shattered the moment.

And now, here she was, nodding absently at Aarav's latest anecdote, the taste of what could have been still lingering on her lips.

Her gaze flickered across the room, scanning for the one man she wasn't supposed to be thinking about. She spotted him near the exit, engaged in conversation—with Sanya.

Something in her chest twisted.

Sanya was leaning in too close, her fingers brushing against Kabir's forearm in a way that was far from casual. Aria knew that body language too well—Sanya was on the hunt.

Aria exhaled sharply, irritated with herself. Why should she care? Kabir could do whatever he wanted. He was just a business associate.

Right.

Still, when she saw them heading toward the exit together, her feet moved before her brain could stop them.

"Aria?" Aarav's voice snapped her out of it, but she was already walking away.

She reached the parking lot just in time to hear Sanya's unmistakable honeyed tone.

"You know, Kabir, I've been thinking… we never really got to finish what we started last time," Sanya purred.

Kabir exhaled, his tone even. "That's because there was nothing to finish, Sanya."

Aria stopped in her tracks, hidden just enough in the shadows to remain unnoticed.

Sanya laughed softly, tilting her head. "You're always so serious. We had fun, didn't we?" Her fingers traced a slow path down his sleeve. "We could have fun again."

Aria's jaw clenched.

Kabir took a small step back, enough to put space between them. "I don't mix business with pleasure," he said, his voice firm.

Sanya didn't take the hint. "You make it sound like it's a rule," she teased.

"It is."

That was it. No room for argument, no lingering politeness. Just finality.

And damn it if Aria didn't feel an odd, almost victorious satisfaction swell in her chest.

She stepped forward, making her presence known. "Oh, I'm sorry," she said with a saccharine smile. "I didn't mean to interrupt. You two must have so much to discuss."

Sanya turned to her, blinking in mild surprise. "Oh… Aria."

Kabir, on the other hand, just smirked.

Aria ignored him and sighed dramatically. "Actually, my car is acting up again. Would you mind giving me a ride, Kabir?" She glanced at Sanya. "I wouldn't ask, but it'd also give us a chance to go over some final points on the Veda Islands account. You don't mind, do you, Sanya?"

Sanya's lips pressed into a thin line. She clearly did mind, but there was no polite way to object.

Kabir tilted his head, amusement flickering in his dark eyes. "Of course," he said easily. "I'd be happy to."

The drive was quiet at first, the tension in the car simmering beneath the surface. The city lights blurred past as Kabir expertly maneuvered through the streets, his fingers tapping lightly against the steering wheel.

"So," he finally said, breaking the silence. "How much of that did you actually hear?"

Aria smirked, staring out of the window. "Enough."

"Enough to know I let Sanya down gently?"

"Enough to know you have a very strict 'no business with pleasure' rule." She turned to him, arching a brow. "Sounds exhausting."

He chuckled. "You'd be surprised how many people don't take no for an answer."

She hummed in agreement, tapping her fingers against her knee. "Speaking of business…" She turned to him fully now, meeting his gaze. "I think it would be good if my team and I stayed at Veda Islands for a couple of days—to really experience it before we begin crafting the campaign."

Kabir's lips twitched, amusement flickering in his dark eyes. "I was actually going to suggest that."

"Really?"

"Yes." He glanced at her briefly, then back at the road. "But I was only thinking about you, not the whole team."

She laughed, shaking her head. "Nice try, Oberoi. The whole team stays."

Kabir exhaled a dramatic sigh. "Fine. The whole team stays."

The car slowed as they reached his villa, the grand structure standing tall against the backdrop of the night. He pulled into the driveway, the engine humming before he shifted into park.

Aria let out a breath, reaching for the door handle, but she hesitated.

She wasn't sure what possessed her. Maybe it was the stillness of the night, the way the air between them had thickened with something unspoken. Maybe it was the memory of the almost-kiss, the way his lips had been so close yet just out of reach.

Or maybe it was just him.

She turned toward him, her heart hammering against her ribs. Then, before she could overthink it, she leaned in.

It was meant to be brief. Just a simple brush of her lips against his.

But the second she started to pull away, Kabir's fingers curled around the back of her neck, keeping her there.

And then he kissed her back.

Fiercely.

It wasn't careful or slow—it was hot, demanding, full of barely contained restraint breaking free all at once.

Her breath hitched as he deepened it, his other hand gripping the steering wheel like he was barely holding himself together.

Heat licked through her, sinking deep, curling low in her stomach. She felt herself melt into it, into him, her fingers twisting into the fabric of his suit jacket.

Then, just as quickly as she had initiated it, she pulled away.

Her breathing was unsteady, her pulse a wild drumbeat in her ears.

Kabir's eyes were dark, unreadable.

She swallowed, reaching for the door handle again. "I'm just two blocks away," she murmured, forcing her voice to stay even. "I'll wait to hear from your team on when we can stay at Veda Islands."

Kabir didn't say anything at first. He just watched her.

Then, with a low chuckle, he nodded. "Goodnight, Aria."

She stepped out, her legs slightly unsteady as she walked away, feeling his gaze on her the entire time.

She told herself the cool night air would help.

But it did nothing to extinguish the fire still burning inside her.