Heavy raindrops drummed a relentless beat against the metal roof of Adil’s luxury SUV.
Wipers swept frantically across the windshield, but the sheets of water were too thick, blurring the streetlights of Mall Road into smeared halos of orange and yellow.
Adil cursed under his breath, leaning forward to peer through the glass.
Traffic was deadlocked, a sea of red taillights stretching endlessly into the dark, storm-swept night.
Lightning illuminated the sky in a violent flash, exposing the skeletal branches of ancient banyan trees bending under the gale.
Squinting through the side window, Adil noticed a figure huddled under the narrow concrete awning of a closed shop.
There, standing in the freezing downpour, was a girl.
Her silhouette was framed by the dark brick wall behind her.
Water drenched her completely, her long, dark hair plastered against her pale cheeks and neck.
Adil’s heart skipped a beat, his grip tightening on the leather-wrapped steering wheel.
Simple white chiffon of her shalwar kameez had surrendered completely to the storm.
Wet fabric clung to her body like a second skin, leaving absolutely nothing to the imagination.
Thin, translucent material outlined the sharp curve of her collarbones, the full, rounded swell of her breasts rising and falling with her heavy breaths, and the narrow contour of her waist.
Every line of her body was on display, glistening under the dim streetlights.
Adil felt a sudden, fierce heat flare deep in his chest, defying the freezing air outside.
His eyes tracing the wet curves of her body, his mouth went completely dry.
Vulnerability rolled off her in waves as she shivered violently, wrapping her arms around her chest in a futile attempt to shield herself from the biting wind.
Without a second thought, Adil pushed his door open.
Cold wind whipped rain into his face instantly, but he barely felt it.
"Hey!" he called out, his voice cutting through the roar of the thunder.
Startled, the girl looked up, her wide, dark eyes locking onto his.
Her face was incredibly beautiful, scrubbed clean by the rain, with long eyelashes holding heavy droplets of water.
"Get inside!" Adil shouted, gesturing toward his car as he opened the passenger door from the inside.
Hesitantly, she took a step forward, her bare feet slipping in her wet sandals.
Slender legs moved quickly, the wet fabric of her trousers clinging tightly to her thighs with every step she took.
Sliding into the passenger seat, she let out a soft, trembling gasp as the warmth of the car’s heater hit her cold skin.
Slamming the door shut, Adil quickly climbed back into the driver's seat.
Rain continued to lash at the windows, sealing them inside a private, dimly lit cocoon.
Slowly, Adil turned his head to look at her.
His breath caught in his throat once more.
Up close, the sight of her was almost torturous.
White fabric of her kurta was completely transparent, soaked through to the point of being invisible against her warm, golden skin.
Droplets of water ran down her throat, tracing a path down to the deep valley between her breasts.
She was shivering so hard her teeth chattered, her hands trembling as she tried to wring out the hem of her wet dupatta.
"I... I am so sorry to ruin your seats," she whispered, her voice a fragile, breathy sound that sent a jolt of electricity straight to his core.
"Don't worry about the seats," Adil managed to say, his voice deeper and rougher than usual.
Reaching into the backseat, he grabbed his thick leather jacket.
"Put this on," he ordered gently, holding it out to her.
Fingers brushed as she took the heavy jacket from him.
Electric heat shot up his arm at the brief contact of her icy skin against his warm hands.
Nimra pulled the jacket over her shivering shoulders, burying herself in its warmth and the rich scent of his expensive cologne.
"Thank you," she muttered, her cheeks flushing a delicate shade of pink.
Her voice was like music, soft and sweet despite the cold.
Silence descended upon the car, thick and heavy with unspoken tension.
Adil tried to focus on the road ahead, but his gaze kept drifting back to her.
---
Minutes ticked by slowly, the storm outside showing no signs of letting up.
Heater vents blasted warm air, filling the cabin with the scent of wet earth, leather, and her sweet, rain-washed skin.
Mist began to form on the edges of the glass, isolating them even further from the rest of the world.
"Where were you going in this weather?" Adil asked, breaking the silence as his eyes scanned her profile.
Turning her head slightly, she looked at him, her dark eyes reflecting the soft glow of the dashboard lights.
"My car broke down a few blocks back, and my phone died," she explained, her voice still trembling slightly.
Adil studied her face, noting the way her long lashes cast soft shadows on her cheeks.
Strands of wet hair clung to her forehead, and he felt a sudden, overwhelming urge to reach out and brush them away.
"You shouldn't have been out here alone," he said, his tone carrying a hint of protective anger that surprised even himself.
"I know," she admitted softly, looking down at her hands.
Her full lower lip trembled, and Adil had to force himself to look away before he did something reckless.
Adil gripped the steering wheel harder, his knuckles turning white.
"What is your name?" he asked, trying to ground his racing thoughts.
"Nimra," she whispered.
Saying her name felt like a prayer, smooth and warm on his tongue.
"Adil," he replied, offering his own name in return.
Recognition didn't seem to spark in her eyes, which brought him a strange sense of relief.
Shivering again, she reached down to adjust her wet bag, her movements clumsy from the cold.
Wet leather of her purse slipped from her numb fingers, spilling its contents onto the floorboard.
Small papers and a water-soaked folder slid open, scattering damp documents across the floor.
Adil bent down at the same time she did to gather them.
Hand meeting hand, they froze.
Their faces were inches apart now, the heat of their breath intermingling in the tight space.
Breath warm against her cheek, Adil could see the tiny droplets of water clinging to her upper lip.
Adil's eyes darkened with a raw, intense hunger.
Right there, beneath the heavy jacket, the swell of her chest pressed slightly against his arm.
A photo slipped out from the damp folder, landing face-up on the floor.
Adil's eyes locked onto the image, and his entire body went rigid.
But what caught his attention was the name printed in elegant script at the bottom of the document beneath the photo.
Before he could process the shock, her phone screen lit up, vibrating violently on the dashboard where she had placed it.
Phone screen glowed in the dim car, the caller ID flashing a name that made Adil’s heart stop completely.
Screen displayed: *Father-in-law.*
It read a number that belonged to none other than Adil's own father, the man who had been orchestrating an forced marriage for him.
Looking up slowly, Adil realized the girl drenched in his car was the very fiancée he had sworn never to meet.
Her eyes widened as she noticed him staring at the screen, a sudden look of dread crossing her face.
"Adil?" she whispered, her voice trembling as she looked from the phone to his face.