Shivanish lay sprawled across Vaani's bare chest, his weight pressing down on her in a strangely comforting way. His cheek rested against the smooth rise of her sternum, while his breath escaped in slow waves, warm and rhythmic, each exhale brushing against the soft curves of her breasts. Every flutter of his breath sent tiny shivers running across her skin, sensations she wasn't used to, yet ones that made her body feel startlingly alive.

Her hands moved lazily, almost hypnotically, through his hair, twirling strands between her fingers, sometimes pressing her palm against the back of his head as though she never wanted him to lift it. The intimacy felt surreal—so much more than she ever imagined she would have with him. There had been times she couldn't even picture such closeness, let alone believe she would one day lie bare with Shivanish draped across her, vulnerable yet secure, his warmth melting into hers.