"Mmmm..... ", she moaned as he planted a wet kiss on her ears.

His fingers ran up even further. Every second he moved up higher inch by inch till his fingers reached the end of the slit. But he didn't stop his voyage there and explored further and started playing with the laces. His fingers were burning her skin with their light and seductive touch. He was so close to touching her at the places where his heart desired, that for a moment he completely forgot that he was at the City Center.

It was only when she tugged on to his jacket very tightly that he realized that he was about to cave in and he hurriedly distanced himself from her.

He took a step back and calmed his nerves while she was still trying to understand what had just happened. She looked up at him for she couldn't understand why he distanced himself suddenly from her.

"What happened? Everything ok?", she was worried to see him holding his forehead all tensed with his hands.

"Not ok !!! Don't you get it? Nothing is going ok here Akira !!!", he blurted out.

"Talk to me, Raymond. What did I do? Are you still angry with me that I went for that dance with him? Is that what it is? Then I am sincerely sorry for that, but I had already told you about it a long time back right?", She asked looking all worried.

"It's not that Akira. It's not about that. It's about me. I am losing my mind with you. You need to leave this room as soon as possible, for if you don't then I will not be responsible for the consequences", he said and sighed. His hands were still pinching the space between his brows for he was still worried if something might happen.

"What consequences Raymond?", Akira asked and took a step forward.

"Akira don't !!!. Don't you dare take one more step ahead", Raymond warned.

"Else what Raymond? Else what? Do I look like a child to you? Or does this relationship look like a joke to you? Do you not know how devoted I am to you? Do you think I don't understand what your deepest desires are? Do you think I do not want it myself? Your heart speaks to me Raymond, every single day, every single time. I know what it wants, I know what demons you are trying to reign over inside of you. So when I say that I trust you, I trust everything that comes with you", saying that she started taking her steps forward.

"Your problems, your pain, your happiness, your sorrows, your desires, and your dark secrets, they are all mine. I want to share them all. But I can do that only if you let me in Raymond?", she said and held his palm in her hands.

He had calmed down somehow and looked into her eyes and found nothing but unconditional love for him. He took a deep breath and then lightly kissed on her forehead and said,

"Go back. Else Vikram will think that you always take unusually long washroom breaks".

"But what about our dance Raymond?", she asked eagerly for she was dying to share the dance floor with him.

"How can we do that with Vikram and Scarlett around. He will suspect about us Akira", he said and tried to dismiss her.

"I don't know, just help to arrange it. I do not care how you do it. Do you think I wore this dress for Vikram? Do you think I was so eager to come here for the first dance?"

Raymond heard her and smiled silently.

"What? Tell me what is so funny in your head?", she asked getting all curious and equally irritated.

"I thought it was me who was thinking all dirty all the time. Looks like your mind is equally dirty", he said and smiled again.

"What dirty? I just want to dance with you that's it. What's dirty in that?", she retorted.

"Oh, so you haven't given any thoughts to my hands touching you while we dance? And don't tell me that you didn't even think about how it would be to melt in my arms when our breaths collide?', Raymond said and stared at her.

"No I didn't", she said and left the room immediately.

But he could hear her faint giggle as she fled the room.

He had already arranged for the dance with her, just that she wasn't aware of it He wanted it to be a surprise for her. He wanted her to want it so bad !!!

When Akira reached the VIP area in the balcony, Vikram asked,

"All ok? You took so long".

"Don't even get me started on that. I had to calm my nervous heart for a good 10 minutes before I could even think of doing anything".

"I see. Btw did you change your lipstick shade?", Vikram asked.

"No why?"

"Nothing just that it appears quite light right now".

"Aah, I wiped it off when I went to the washroom. It was way too dark for my liking, The dance was over so I thought maybe I could tone it down a bit", she said and faintly smiled, for now, she was worried if Raymond came out with his lips looking all wine colored.

She texted him immediately,

"Get a tissue and wipe your lips" - Akira

"Already did. But my tongue did that for me for I didn't want to be parted away from anything that's yours" - PRIVATE NUMBER

She blushed hard and controlled her smile from escaping to her face.

From up top she saw him coming out from the washroom area and found him touching his lips with a faint smile spread on his face. Her face beamed with happiness instantly for that was all that she wanted. Somehow this game of hiding and seek had become so much fun to play with.

---

After multiple rounds of drinks were served and dinner was over. The anchor once again took the center stage and announced.

"Ladies and gentlemen. Now that our stomachs are filled and our moods are uplifted with the wine and champagne, lets celebrate this gala dinner with a couple dance".

"I request all the couples to please come forward and join us for the dance finale".

Hearing him all the couples came forward along with 'Akira and Vikram' and 'Scarlett and Raymond.'