Rudra's lips pressed against Ayaan's. Just a simple, soft kiss—but it was enough to shatter every ounce of composure he'd ever had.
Immediately, heat flared across his cheeks. His hands shook slightly as he instinctively gripped Ayaan's shoulders for balance. The kitchen floor suddenly felt too slippery, too real, too… alive.
Ayaan, eyes wide, mirrored the chaos inside him. His own lips tingled, heart hammering violently against his ribs. The height difference—a mere two inches—made it perfect, like their faces had been built to fit this moment. And yet, Rudra's size and strength made the kiss overwhelming for him.
Rudra's knees nearly buckled. Ayaan's hands moved reflexively, holding him up, pressing against his chest to keep him steady.
"…Rudra—" Ayaan whispered, his own breath shaky.
Rudra froze, a small, embarrassed gasp slipping out. He blinked rapidly, trying to reclaim control, but his body betrayed him. The warmth of Ayaan against him, the soft press of lips, the intoxicating closeness—it was all too much.
He stepped back slightly—too quickly—and almost fell.
Ayaan, still pressed against him, let out a quiet laugh, nervous and breathless.
"You're… clumsy," he teased softly, though his own face burned crimson.
Rudra's jaw tightened, trying to mask the mess he had become. "…I—It's… my first kiss," he admitted, voice low, rough, and embarrassed beyond measure.
Ayaan froze, then blinked. "…You… never…"
Rudra shook his head, trying and failing to look composed. "…Never with anyone. And certainly not like this."
Ayaan's smile was soft, tender, and teasing all at once. "Well… then I guess it's my job to make it memorable," he whispered.
Rudra blinked, heart hammering so violently he was sure it could be heard in the walls. He wanted to protest, to act cold, to regain himself… but as Ayaan leaned just a little closer, warm and steady, he realized he didn't want to.
Not for a second.
And so, for the first time in his life, Rudra Malhotra—the untouchable, feared CEO—stood in a kitchen blushing, breathless, and utterly, completely, helplessly in love.