“I won’t if you don’t like it. I won’t do anything unless you like it.”

How was it fair that someone who looked like him had such a filthy mouth? How was it fair how much she liked it?

“I don’t like it.” She hated that name. “Or I don’t when . . .”

“When anyone else uses it. I get it. It’s okay to like things when I do them. It’s my gift. I’m impossible not to like.”

“Oh my God, Vansh.” He went from hot to silly like it was nothing, winding her up, then unfurling her. Heat and warmth. Laughter and more emotion than she could contain. “You know what your gift is? Arrogance.” But she wanted to stroke the smile splitting his face.

“Damn straight I’m arrogant. How could I not be when someone like you finds it impossible to resist me?”

“I can resist you just fine.”

“Why though? Who’s asking you to? Aren’t we adults?”

“I’ve seen you in diapers, Vansh!”

“I haven’t been in diapers for a very long time, Naina.”

“I was going to be your sister-in-law. Your family will kill me.”

“I didn’t say I wanted to fuck you when you were going to be my sister-in-law. I didn’t even look at you when you were with Yash. Even though you were never with Yash. I didn’t even think about you that way. I swear. This is about you and me. No one else.”

“Mina Auntie will fillet me.”

He cupped her cheek and her entire body sank into his touch. “Hey, Ma loves you. She always has.”

She had to drop a kiss on his lips, because for all his dirty talk, he saw what mattered to her, what made her ache. The idea that Mina Auntie might not love her anymore killed her. Her fear shivered on her mouth and he sucked in her lower lip, soothing her. He dragged kisses along her jaw, whisper soft. He heated her blood even as he stroked her senses, calming her.

“What if I hurt you?” she whispered as he pulled her onto his lap and she straddled him, their bodies moving and fitting with the kind of ease that baffled her. “Mina Auntie would never forgive me if I hurt you. I can’t have her hate me. She’s . . . I just can’t have her hate me.” How was she even thinking about this with what was at stake?

“I’m a big boy, Knightlina.” He dropped a kiss behind her ear on a spot that connected directly to a spot between her thighs, where she was already pressed close enough to know exactly how big of a boy he was.