Chapter 34

Shreya was excitedly telling the story of the book she just read while still sitting over his laps. Charan leaned back on the headboard of the bed and looked at her excited little face. He was not really listening to the story. He just let her sweet excited voice seep through his ears and relished in them. Her eyes gleamed every now and then whenever she will reach certain parts of the story that she particularly likes and enjoyed.

Shreya suddenly stopped when she finally noticed Charan's expression.

"You… You are not listening at all are you??" Shreya asked pointing at him accusatorily.

"Of course I am. Why would you think I am not listening??" Charan played dumb with a sickeningly sweet smile.

"Because… you are having that dreamy looking eyes while looking at me." Shreya replied pointing at his eyes. Annoyed that she had been talking for half an hour straight only for them to go un-heard, she glared at him irritated.

She looked like a small little kitten growling at him ready to pounce.

"I was just lost in your beauty," Charan said cheekily earning himself a swat on his forehead.

"Save the flattery. It won't work on me," she said and pouted. Folding her arms she looked away from him.

Damn those pouting lips!!

She looked adorably enticing. Charan suddenly flopped her down the bed and hovered over her. Surprised from his sudden attack, Shreya looked at him with wide eyes while an incoherent yelp escaped her lips.

As their eyes met, Shreya clearly felt the tension suppressed in them. Charan's eyes darted over her face in one slow sweep while his hand gained a brain of its own and caressed her cheeks.

"You know… It was not flattery. You are absolutely beautiful Shreya." Charan whispered in a deep voice that was extremely sincere while his eyes bored into her's peeling out even the smallest layer of barrier between them.

Shreya couldn't take her eyes off of his. His eyes were drowning her and there was nothing she could do about it.

"And thanks for the job… I won't let you down." Charan whispered once again with the same sincerity and then leaned down and locked his lips with hers for a quick kiss.

"You just have to do your best. And you are most welcome." Shreya said brightly smiling at him.

Charan pulled away and sat beside her. He looked at his hands and spoke, "Why did you choose me? For a person of your means, you could have easily found someone better… even from abroad to do this for you… so why me?" he asked the one question that had plagued him from the moment he had left her office. Maybe, for her, choosing him was nothing short of a kid choosing his toy but for him, it was a huge leap that he had not even dreamt of. She lifted the whole of his career in a single whim. And he wanted to know why this had happened.

"Don't think this was in a whim Charan. Yes, if I hadn't known you, this project might not have come to you… I agree. But I really need you for this one. I can find anyone I want… yes… with how things. I really can't just hand it over to anyone and I won't be able to find someone I trust at this short while and I can't afford to delay this one any further. In a way, it's you who is helping me out here." Shreya said truthfully.

Charan's lips twitched on the corner. After all, there is no other feeling more blissful than being needed by the person you love.

Charan leaned down and kissed her one more time and said, "I will do my best."

"That is all I need from you. And I was thinking… I know you will be busy these few months… Will it be alright if I take care of Akira in the meanwhile?? I mean… it's just an idea…" She finished slightly hesitating to continue further.

"I will ask her…" Charan said. He then properly laid down on the bed while Shreya snuggled closer to him.

"Just let her stay here… I will be able to fair well with everything else except for cooking. For cooking… I will ask my maid to do it." Shreya rambled on about her grand plan to spend time with Akira. Charan felt left out all of a sudden.

"Only Akira can sleepover??" Charan asked innocently interrupting her.

Shreya blinked not understanding what he meant.

"I can't stay over??" Charan asked acting pitiful.

"Won't you be busy in office??" Shreya asked completely oblivious.

"…" Charan did not know whether to laugh or cry. How can someone so smart be so clueless sometimes he did not know? And between his daughter and himself, somehow his daughter always won. He did not stand a chance.

Shreya let out a giggle seeing his disappointed face. She pinched on his cheeks with a huge grin.

Shifting to lie down over his chests, she spoke softly against his skin, "You can come and stay over whenever you want. That's the whole point of adding your biometrics to my security system in the first place. You could come and go as you please. No one can question you."

Her giving him a free rein into her home is almost like she is giving him free rein over herself and her life. And the fact that she was giving him that right humbled him and he wanted to cherish it with all his might.

Somehow at that moment, he realized there was no going back for him. She had completely drowned him. She had him on his knees and she was it for him. He wanted a future with her… a whole life with her. She had completely swept him off his feet with a few simple sincere gestures and he was caught completely off guard.

"Hey… what are you thinking?" Shreya asked bringing him out of his train of thoughts.

"I was thinking that I will be one happy man if I could get a lifetime with you…" Charan confessed bluntly in his deep warm voice.

Shreya was completely shocked by his confession but not in a bad way… it's just… since she did not know his train of thoughts, it caught her off guard. But when she comprehended what he meant, her lips spread out reaching her ear.

"I don't know what brought this up… but since you want it… I will make it happen." She said confidently showing off her overbearing side.

Charan let out a chuckle while warmth spread all over his heart making him dizzy with happiness. Her overbearing side was almost like she would strive hard to fulfill anything as long as it's him who is asking for it.

What a valiant knight in shining armor he has got for himself?

At that thought, he laughed out loud.

Shreya looked at him weirdly not knowing why he was laughing all of a sudden.

"What happened??" She asked.

"Nothing… I was just thinking about something." He said vaguely brushing it off.

Then he got up to freshen up.

"You go to sleep… I will have a quick shower and come." He said and got down from the bed.

Shreya pouted for being left out of a joke.