Aditya gestured for her to take a seat before he sat behind her so his chest was resting against her thinning back “I will kick the bottom, just keep your feet on the standing there” his voice was a mere husky whisper against the lobe of her ear.

Shivering, her eyes shut tightly when he brushed her hair out of the way so he could rest his chin atop her shoulder. “Where do I put my hands?”

Kicking the wheel, he placed his hands around hers after centring the clay “Just here” he mouthed across her skin, hands curving to press the heels of her hand so it would become circular. “Now stretch out your fingers and push in with a little pressure” his thumb moved down hers, stopping at her wrist and rubbing soothing circles that made her press against him a little more.

“What” she gulped, “What are you doing?” Zoya knew the way his fingers moved against hers was straying from what they were meant to be doing, but having him so close didn’t seem so bad when all she’d ever dreamt of was cherished moments with someone special, yet even something as small as this worried her, though she enjoyed him and everything he did, be it their movie and pyjama day, the food he made her or this, she also found herself being too scared to just live in the moments she’d wished forever for, one because it always ended badly and two because she could only be safe if she didn’t develop feelings, due to his odd quirks and childlike behaviour as well as the way he’d treat her she found herself beginning to fall for him- and that was one thing she’d been trying so hard not to do.

“Enjoying you” he smiled into her hair, a part of him knew that being this forward would scare her and having her in a position where she was caught between his arms would only leave her feeling boxed in, but he couldn’t help but want to explore more with and about her. She was exquisite and having her so near to him had only exuberated his own desires that had manifested throughout the years alone, he hated to be the kind of man affected by his baser urges, but he couldn’t stop if he tried.

“Oh” ducking her head, she dug her nails into the clay when his lips traced a scar on her back “A-Aditya if someone sees then”.

“Mm-hm, my brother and his wife are in the storeroom, no one else is here” moving his hands to her arms, he buried his nose into her hair, a rough sigh warming her neck. “Staying away from you is by far the hardest thing I have ever had to do” he admitted, it always was easier to be honest when she couldn’t see him. “If you want me to stop just say the word” resting his forehead beneath the crinkled skin, he huffed. Aditya could only hope at this point that she wouldn’t turn him down, being this way felt so unknown to him, he wasn’t usually the type to be so affected by someone, but she was changing a lot about him.

Turning her head a little, her nose scrunched “You have some um” she gestured to his face, a melodic giggle shaking her shoulders when he touched the wrong side, “No” holding a tissue in the water, she dabbed it on his cheek slowly, her breath catching when she noticed his gaze fall to her lips.

Arjun peered down at his watch “Wait, let me just ask Bhai something” his foot rose to step outwards when his wife gripped his wrist in a deadlock hold. “What are you doing?”

“Shush” she growled “Look” her smile widened, “I’ve never seen him so happy”.

Following her line of sight, he grimaced “He may get too happy if I don’t distract him” yes his classroom was dirty, but not that kind of dirty and if that occurred he’d never be able to go in there again.

“Oh, stop being so boring, leave them be” she rebuked, dragging him away.

Considering it for a moment, he hummed “Fine” he agreed as if he had a choice, but as long as Kuhu was around he never really did, he wasn’t about to admit that she wore the trousers in the relationship, but unfortunately, that was the case.

The second he leant it, Zoya pulled away and jumped from the chair, not because she didn’t want to, but because she did. Everything about him called out to her, but staying safe had to be her priority and if she allowed him to consume her she’d never put herself first. “I, I have to” she stepped back, head turning away from the sadness so clear on his handsome features.

“I didn’t mean to push you” he moved to stand before her, “Zoya I” his eyes shut to hide the emotion so prominent in his chocolate orbs, they’d got so far and now he’d ruined it all just in one moment.

“Please” her voice cracked just like his heart, “I have to go”.

“Wait, go where? Zoya” Aditya stepped closer, hand out to touch her but she was nowhere to be seen.

“Um excuse me?”

Noor span around, a shrill shriek escaping her lips and her hand resting on her chest “Oh, you scared me” she giggled. “All okay?” She’d been hoping to get her brother in law’s wife alone, she so desperately craved some girly time after painting her husband’s toenails far too many times and finding out he enjoyed it more than she ever would.

“Um, Aditya’s birthday is coming up soon and I wanted to go and buy him something, but he can’t know” she’d initially kept this money in case she needed to escape, but this felt more important. “I was wondering if-“.

Her squeal cut her off “Yay, shopping trip” she clapped. “How did you manage to get away from him? I saw how he was looking at you” her brows waggled.

“Uh, I think he thinks I’m not interested” she blushed, talking about things like this was definitely new to her, but Noor seemed friendly enough and at a time like this, she could really do with someone to talk to about how she was feeling.

“But you are?”

She nodded.

“Aww, this is too cute, right let me get my coat and we can leave, I’ll tell Arjun to busy his brother, any ideas what you want to gift him? From personal experience I have realised gifting a man your body works wonders” she stopped at the alarm on her face, “But you don’t have to do that, no pressure” she rubbed her arm. She’d always been far too vocal and often walked with her foot in her mouth, but Zoya was shyer so she’d have to either tread carefully or bring her over to the dark side where the cookies were kept!

+ + +

Aditya had wanted to ask his wife where she’d ran off to and what it was exactly that she had in the bag she held close to her chest but all he could manage was: “Are you mad at me?”

Jumping at the disturbance to the silence, she frowned “No, why would you think that?” Stepping out in front of him she raised a hand to rest on his chest but dropped it before she could touch him.

Watching her hand, he sighed “You ran away, I thought maybe you wouldn’t come back” stepping off the boat, he helped her up. “I didn’t mean to push you, I just” his head shook, “It doesn’t matter, I crossed the line and I’m sorry, I understand our relationship won’t ever be like that” missing how her face dropped, he brushed his hand through his luscious waves. It wasn’t that he had a problem with it, not at all, he was just angry at himself for how he’d behaved with her, she deserved so much more respect and now he’d gone and made her uncomfortable, at this rate she’d always feel scared of him.

How could he possibly think that? Did he not see just how easily she reacted? How attuned she was to him? “No, Aditya I-“.

His fist clenched as he saw Oatie rolling on the snow near high heeled boots, slowly he looked up to see tight leather trousers that buckled beneath a lacy top that matched raven pin-straight hair. “What are you doing here?” He snapped.

“I’m here to remind you what a real woman is” she stepped in front of him, her hand on his cheek that he quickly brushed off. “And I want to meet the woman who made you avoid my calls” her cold glare fixed on Zoya.

*Insert dramatic music here*

You asked for a longer story, so here we go!