Zoya's eyes had graced over the poster in their living room numerous amounts of time but she had never really taken the words in. "Judge a man by his questions rather than by his answers" she read aloud the quote by Voltaire, a man who much like her husband believed in the freedom to be whoever you wanted without judgement, she assumed that was why he'd spoken his proposition so outright without even a tinge of shame on his tanned skin.

A week had passed since their initial conversation where he spoke and her jaw remained on the floor. Ever since the words escaped his mouth, her heart had pumped dizzyingly and she'd tried her best to stay as far away from him as she possibly could, so when he'd told her to take time to think about it, she'd done just that.

Sunday had been filled with sorting out her filing cabinet, cleaning her office and deciding to redecorate her entire work premises, simply because why not?

Monday passed during a multitude of phone calls to family and old friends that she likely didn't need to speak to but did just so whenever her husband walked into her home office she could excuse herself by claiming false busyness.

Tuesday ticked by while she shopped for groceries, home essentials and things she didn't need but liked because she deserved to treat herself after the conversation that took her breath away and caused far too many sleepless nights.

The next three days were spent at a spa, cleansing her skin while she cleansed her soul of all concerns that her husband would fulfil his desires in bed with another woman. It wasn't that she was jealous, but since they were married in the eyes of the law it felt odd, to say the least, to find him coming home late after spending all his energy on a night time woman for a few hundred.

When the week had completed a full circle landing back on Saturday again, Zoya had slept in, scheduled business meetings late in the afternoon so she wouldn't have to cross paths with Aditya only to find a merger file on Kashlank Industries that she knew he needed for his meeting in thirty minutes. So, after having a go at herself in front of the bathroom mirror and bracing herself to see him again, she set off.

Ananya peered over her computer "Mrs Hooda, what are you doing here?" Her smile was polite, grey eyes filled with eagerness at someone to talk to.

"Hey Ana" she wrapped an arm awkwardly around her from over the desk. "Aditya forgot this file, he needs it for his next meeting" placing it down, she searched around slyly to ensure he was nowhere to be seen.

"Oh, he's in the conference room, just through there" she winked, "Catch up soon?"

Realising she'd have to drop it off to him herself, she paled. "Sure, see you" walking as slowly as humanly possible, she checked her hair in the glass, patted it down then used her hip to open the door "File, Boss".

Aditya jumped up from the chair "I wasn't expecting you" he lied, he'd purposely 'left' his file at home so she would have no choice but have to face him and what he'd said, he just hadn't thought she'd show up so late and catch him in his preparation time.

Opening her mouth to say something, anything, she shut it abruptly in a goldfish like manner at the sight before her.

Dressed in a dark grey blazer and trousers to match, his sleeves were rolled tightly to his elbows, but that wasn't what caught her off guard, it was the fact he had cartoon stickers of Winnie The Pooh all over his face.

Circling her own face, she pulled one from his cheek, giggling when he hissed and covered the side of his jaw with his palm. "Is your meeting today with children?"

Smiling tightly, his eyes narrowed without amusement. "If you must know" he sighed, "Oh, is that the time? My meeting begins soon, so-".

"No" Zoya placed a hand on his shoulder, "You're not getting away that easily, you have another fifteen minutes or so".

Rolling his eyes, he peeled away the stickers then scrubbed his hand over his face. "Something I did when younger" he shrugged it away, a rare kind of innocence taking over his features to add a boyish charm to the maturity she knew so well.

She'd never seen him like this, bashful and shy, never imagined him this way either. Her voice took on a softer tone she hadn't meant it to as she surveyed him "Why do you do it now?"

"Nannu told me that if I made myself look as silly as I could before I did something I was worried I'd embarrass myself in then no matter how many mistakes I made I'd never feel as bad because I'd already been sillier in private" turning away, he huffed "It's stupid".

"No, it isn't" Zoya warmed his shoulder with her hand. "It clearly works for you and for everyone else, I mean no one would suspect that you are ever nervous" to be honest she was happy she'd come, she'd longed to see a more vulnerable side of her husband for a while now, but whenever she got a glimpse he'd build up his walls again and pretend whatever she'd saw had been nothing more than a figment of her imagination. "I think it's cute".

Turning so fast she got whiplash, he scowled, a gruff sigh brushing over her lips as he got closer "Are you making fun of me?"

"No!" Smacking his hand away from her hip, she leant forward to press her lipstick covered lips to his cheek "You'll do great" she reassured.

"Hm" he seemed thoughtful, "I might believe it if you do that again" he opened his arms. The second he got her into his hold, his eyes shut, nose buried in her strawberry scented locks that had curled from the heavy rain outside. "I haven't forgotten".

Acting confused, she pulled back "Forgotten what?"

Pursing his lips, Aditya gathered the papers "Our conversation".

"You mean the one where you spoke and I listened?"

"That's the one, glad you remember" passing her slowly, his hand coiled around her hip, squeezing it gently, he let her go. "We'll talk tonight" then he was gone, an immovable smirk on his soft lips.

•••

Dread had slunk her shoulders till they ached and gave her a pounding headache, so after three business lunches and two phone calls, she jumped into the shower, curled herself up in a blanket and one of her husband's worn shirts and spread out on the couch.

She awoke a few hours later to beams of moonlight adding a glistening glow to her husband's handsome features. "Aditya" she sat up, groaning at the dull ache in her spine. "What time is it?"

"2:30 am" he didn't look her way.

"Did you just get in?"

"Yes" his hair was windswept, a 5 O'clock shadow across his jaw that she hadn't noticed before and a grim expression on his lips.

He worked late, that she knew, but never this late. "Where were you?"

"Work".

The way he refused to look at her spoke volumes, had she left it that late in giving him an answer that he'd heard a yes from someone else? "Oh" sliding away, she pulled her knees to her chest.

"Something wrong?" Aditya moved to behind her, hands firm on the throb in her upper back to remove the knots.

"Nope" she shook her head, a blissful moan dripping from her parted lips when he touched the right spot. Deciding not to question his actions, she moved back into his capable hands, eyes pushing back till they were white when he rubbed his thumb hard at the top of her neck.

A hoarse groan tilted from his tongue at the way her body flexed and her hands tightened around the blanket. "How was your day?"

"G-great" she shuddered, "Yours?"

"Amazing" he smirked against her skin as he moved to sit behind her for better access.
Zoya had a funny feeling he wasn't talking about work anymore. "I know what you're up to, you know".

"And what am I up to?" Aditya's throaty chuckle hit her back in a wave of heat.

"You're trying to knock me out of my senses so I'll agree to the new addition".

"Is it working?" He teased.

She wanted to say no, but the magic from his fingers to her bones told another story. Before she could respond, his hand moved into her hair so his nails could scratch against her scalp "Mm, that's oh" she gasped when he used his wrist to draw circles on the middle of her back, "That's um new".

"And how does new feel?" He wanted her, so very badly and he knew if she just gave his offer a thought that she'd find enjoyment too. They'd ran around each other for over three years now, tempting one another but never broaching the subject of intimacy. In his eyes, if they tested his theory she wouldn't be so affected by her godforsaken ex anymore.

Gritting her teeth, her eyes forced themselves shut "So good" she bucked her hips, no longer caring in that moment if he worked out that the enjoyment she was feeling was no longer platonic.

"You like that?" He continued massaging her back and scalp, voice throatier with his own arousal.

"God, yes" Zoya dug her nails into his thigh, far too lost in the sensation to make sense of his next words.

"See, now wasn't this a good conversation?"

Stopping his hands, she got up, spinning to face him "Did you just try to seduce me into saying yes?"

Aditya's face dropped "What, no, no that wasn't what I was" pinching the brim of his nose, he massaged his own head carelessly. "I wanted to show you that intimacy could be beneficial for us both, that it wouldn't be that much of a change and we could do it without the complications of feelings, how was I meant to know you were going to get turned on by a massage?" He huffed.

"I was not turned on" she screamed, blanket guarding her body.

"Oh yeah?" He shot up, eyes dark, "Well you certainly fooled me" storming out, he slammed the living room door with purpose.