15 Chapter 14

Charan looked at her intently stranding her. She was the most heartwarming thing he ever laid eyes on in such a long time. He ran his fingers through her hair and tucked them behind her ears.

Shreya's eyes darted over him confused. She did not know what was happening. She was completely oblivious to the effect her small little act has had on Charan. For her protecting people around her was something she did. It was something she got used to doing on a daily basis. It was nothing special. She doing this without any expectation is what made her special. This attitude of hers was what moved the people around her. Everyone around her was actually fiercely protective of her even though they are yet to have the opportunity to show it.

Charan ran his thumb over her frowned little face. His fingers traced her brows, her nose and finally settled on her cheeks.

"You??? You don't fool around. I am not falling for it again. I am not going to lose the bet." Shreya said pouting holding her head high proudly.

She looked so adorable at that moment that Charan couldn't take it anymore. He leaned in and captured her lips in his gently. Her soft lips felt heavenly against his. He nibbled on her lower lips softly. There was not hunger in them. He just wanted to convey him emotions across. Thus he kept the kiss soft and sweet. He sucked on them gently before letting go.

Shreya was dazed. She did not expect this. The kiss left her blank. When his lips touched hers, she felt a tingling on her lips that made her feel all fuzzy on the inside. By the time she came back to her senses Charan was already pulling away from her. But she was not ready to let go yet. Without her knowing, her hands gripped on his t-shirts and brought him closer. Her lips smacked against his for one more kiss. But this kiss was completely different from the first one. This one had a sense of hunger and desperation in them. Shreya desperately bit on his lips and then soothed them later. Her hunger was contagious that drove Charan to the brink of sanity. He held her head with his hands and plunged on her lips with vigor and passion.

Both of them finally pulled apart when they were completely breathless.

Shreya took deep breaths leaning over his shoulders to calm her racing heart while Charan kept a protective hand over the back of his head caressing them gently. Only the heavy breathing of the two can be heard.

Once Charan got back his normal breathing, he said in a soft voice, "Thank you…"

Shreya pulled away and asked with a frown, "For what??"

"For Akira… When I lost Samantha my whole world revolved solely around Akira. Akira made everything easier. Everything I did, I always considered what's best for her. But that day when I met you… for the first time I was impulsive… I did something for myself… All the way home that day I was afraid how it would affect Akira… And you eradicated all that fear in one day…" Charan said looking up at her sincerely.

"I know what it is like to lose a parent. You can have all the love in the world but nothing is ever going to be able to fill the gap that they left behind ever in your life. It's because I understand her that I am able to be there for her. I know I can never fill that gap in her. Nobody really can. I'm just trying to make a place for myself in there." Shreya said with a distant look in her face.

When she lost her parents, her uncle and aunt pitched in. They tried so hard to fill in that gap. She loved them so much more for it. But what they did not realize was no one can fill that gap. But she was really grateful for them for being there for her. Without them she did not know how she would have coped.

Charan caressed her head comfortingly and said, "Maybe unconsciously even Akira actually realizes your intentions. She has never been so taken by someone so soon before. She is actually pretty reserved. Moreover that face of yours helped a great deal."

"How so??" Shreya frowned and asked.

"She said you look like a princess." Charan replied remembering his daughter's reaction after seeing Shreya's photo for the first time.

"Really??" Shreya asked with glittering eyes as if her crush had just complimented her.

Charan chuckled and ruffled her hair. For a second there her sparkling eyes and the dazzling smile took his breath away. He did not know how to look away from them. At that moment he perfectly understood his daughter's reaction. She really was pretty as a picture.

Shreya waited for his reply but instead all she got was a slightly dazed stare.

"Oye" Shreya called out waving her hands in front of him bringing him back from his daze.

"Sorry…" Charan mumbled at last coming back to reality.

After a while Charan thought of something and asked, "Was it okay for you to spend the whole day with us??"

Shreya shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly and said, "It's not a big deal. There are other people there to deal with things."

Charan looked at her suspiciously. While they were in the park Charan noticed Shreya would keep getting calls and messages. She snuck out every now and then to answer them when Akira was distracted. More than that, she was not meeting his eyes now as if she was hiding something.

But before Charan could ask anything, his own phone pinged.

Zack: Is Shreya with you??

"You have to be somewhere aren't you??" Charan asked after seeing Zack's message.

Shreya hung her head low but did not reply.

"Come on. Get down. I will walk you to your car." Charan said taking her hands in his.

But Shreya did not budge. Instead she clung to him. She circled her hands and legs around him and whined, "I don't want to go."

Charan let her be for then and caressed her head. Then he started convincing her softly like he convinces his daughter.

"It's important right?? Or else Zack wouldn't have contacted me. You go now and resolve this. Once you are done, call me. I will pick you up. Okay??"

"But it will take a long time… The meeting will take forever to finish" Shreya whined childishly making a crying face.

Charan let out a sign but then he did not try to talk to her anymore. He simply lifted her by her hip and started walking out of the house.

Shreya yelped in surprise and then tightly gripped her arms and legs around him and held on to him.

"Charan," Shreya called out irritated and tried to get down. But Charan held her in place. He let her go only when they reached her car.

He carefully placed her on the ground and gave her a kiss over her forehead. Shreya very reluctantly got into the car and drove off.