The Traps of Black Swan

It had totally gone out of Aarvi's mind that there is another man in the mansion. Yeah, she had brought Shawn with them when Aaron and she returned from the Rivas mansion.

Dax had got a chance to break Master Hays face on the wedding day of Ava Kelly and Vance Hays and a chance to crumble their business. So Shawn at least wanted to watch them beg for mercy and see how she handles the Hays family for daring to smear their dirt on her.

Even though it was what he reasoned, Aarvi knew he just wanted to be beside her for missing to stand by her when she needed the most.

Since Leon Harmon's men kept their eye on Shawn's activity, Aarvi had asked if he could go with them to avoid Leon Harmon's men following him on Monday.

So they pulled a Rolls Royce phantom out and Shawn slept on the backseat to avoid others noticing Shawn in the car while Aaron drove the car with Aarvi on the shotgun seat.

Now, Aarvi wasn't sure how to handle Shawn and his delight for watching them kiss. She doubted if he was happy for his own first kiss.

Caught by Melia and the maids are fine but Shawn? Aarvi wanted to bury herself in Aaron's embrace just so she doesn't have to face the teasing Shawn who will definitely tell Dax.

Instead of thinking why their first kiss had to be outside in the open, she thought, 'Why did he come out right at the time?'

Aaron hadn't noticed his little brother. Notice? He hadn't cared about anything, much less be aware of Shawn's presence there.

He thought Aarvi might unwrap her hands and face Shawn but heard her incoherently mumbling to herself. Then he noticed Shawn quickly reach the pool and sit at the edge holding his sipper bottle which had a post-workout protein shake.

"Bro, you won't believe me, I and Dax hated every guy who was proposing or asking her out. I can bet you are the best choice for Little Heart."

Then he stood up and smacked his own head walking towards the mansion asking himself, "Damn, why didn't I try to introduce them to each other in the country S?... If Bro wasn't cold with all, I would have definitely arranged a blind date for them..." He continued to scold himself for not speaking her name in front of Aaron.

Aarvi who was standing next to Aaron watching Shawn's back asked to confirm, "How did he know it's our first kiss?" She fluently asked but her face betrayed slowly morphing to pinkness.

Aaron retracted his gaze from Shawn and asked, pushing her wet hair behind her ear grazing her pink cheek, "How about a practical explanation?"

'Practical?' She turned to him when he was leaning to her. She started to walk backward to get out of the pool accurately guessing he was talking about going for another round.

She would love to kiss those lips again but they will get late. So she coughed to clear her throat, looking at him crossing the distance between them, "I- I can find it out myself."

'Wait, did I stutter? Oh god, why am I behaving like this for a kiss?' She gulped her non-existent saliva trying to distract herself.

Aaron's hands trapped her between him and the corner of the pool and asked in his dangerously tempting tone, "I can help you."

Aarvi realized she wasn't afraid but anticipating. It's just her heart continued to drum and her body was instinctively reacting but opposite to her anticipation. 

'What the hell! Why do I have opposite reactions at the same time?' She thought gazing at his eyes which were right on her, probably reading her messed thoughts.

Aaron closed the distance causing her to close her eyes, curled her fingers to fists and toes but the cold lips landed on her forehead causing her to open her eyes instantly and look at him in surprise.

He slid his arm in the water and wrapped them around her legs. Before Aarvi could realize what he was up to, he lifted her to go out of the swimming pool and she easily sat at the edge.

Aaron whispered in a deep but seductive voice to trick her, "Run before I change my mind."

In the reflex, Aarvi actually got up and ran to the pool lounge before turning to him thinking why did she run and heard him chuckle teasingly.

Throwing his robe on his face, she left wrapped in her robe listening to his voice of amusement, "Thank you for passing me the robe, Ms. Evans"

'Aaron Rivas, I will torture you next. Hmph.' She thought as she went upstairs to her bedroom.

....

After stuffing a lot of sense to her brain, Aarvi distracted herself from the kiss but she was at loss feeling butterflies in her stomach. 

She knew she shouldn't be distracted at the most important time when Leon Harmon was waiting to see if anybody was going to attack Hays International. 

She can't let her plans fail due to whatever she was feeling but she couldn't help but think of Aaron and it weirdly satisfied even though she felt like an idiot smiling to herself.

After calming herself, Aarvi exited her bedroom and peeked inside Shawn's room where he was ready in a bodyguard suit. Noticing her peeping, he wore his big sunglasses and turned to her, "Shawn Rivas reporting."

Aarvi chuckled entering his room, "My personal bodyguard is so handsome. Who will believe a bodyguard could also be hot?" She raised her brow pulling his cheek.

Shawn was happy with the compliments but teased, "Sweet words after a sweet kiss. My Little Heart is overflowing with love."

Aarvi: "..."

'Is it important for you to remind me?' Aarvi thought and squinted her eyes at him without showing any change in her emotions.

Shawn least wanted to provoke her else she won't take him with her so he quickly changed the topic, "If Leon Harmon is keeping an eye on us, how are we going to celebrate Dax's birthday tonight?"

He didn't like that they had to be cautious due to Leon Harmon. Even though he knows her reasons, he just hated Leon Harmon to the bones and was proud of his training that it paid off and he is impotent. 

An evil glint flashed in his eyes and asked, "Little Heart, how about kicking Vance Hays in the balls? He anyway did all this because of it."

Aarvi chuckled, shaking her head in resignation. If Vance Hays dares to play her again, she might not think twice to do it again. The difference will be, she didn't know the results when she had kicked Leon Harmon, now she knows.

She checked the time on her wristwatch and patted his arm, "We have to leave quickly, get to the breakfast table soon."

Shawn made an OK sign when she was leaving. He quickly went to the door and asked, "Will Bro come with us tonight?"

They were planning to stay in Dax's villa, so "I will ask him." She responded nonchalantly and went to Aaron's room.

Unlike Shawn, Dax celebrated only with them and he will meet his parents in the morning. Aarvi had heard he didn't celebrate past years but just met his parents so they thought to go by Dax's wish.

Entering Aaron's room, she looked around but didn't find him. She went to his cloakroom door and knocked, "Aaron, are you there?"

The door opened and the man appeared holding his blazer in hand and untied tie around his neck with his collar button open. But her eyes which were on his stunning face landed on his lips.

'Shameless Aarvi.' She chided herself and turned around as she asked, "Tomorrow is Dax's birthday, Shawn and I will be celebrating tonight in his villa. Do... you... want... to... come?" She dragged each word feeling Aaron was right behind her.

Pausing, she turned around to scold him but he took a step almost bumping her and she fell back on bed losing her balance.

Aarvi: "..."

'How did I fall when he hadn't even touched me? Please bed, hide me quickly.' She realized he was still the same trying to tease her but the flustered, confused, overwhelmed one is her.

Breathing a long deep breath, she extended her hand at him to pull her up but she was too naive.

The man threw his blazer on the bed, placed his knee on the bed to support him as he pinned her on the bed with an evil smirk showing a dangerous sign.

However, he asked a different question seeing her widened eyes, "I didn't know you liked this angle to tie me the tie."

Aarvi: "..."

Aarvi's lips curled to O assuming she overthought but she hadn't. He was purposefully playing her.

Her gaze landed on his tie which was her gift. Her hands reached his tie and bit her lip, "Will you teach me how to tie it?" 

She was too young to tie for her grandfather when she was with him. Zain and she never lived together. Her younger brother was a little boy and her father never let her step in front of him so she never learned or tried to tie a tie.

Aaron's teasing mood softened looking at her disappointed in herself for not learning such a simple thing. His backhand caressed her cheek, his voice carried a hint of mystery stating, "I will, but on a condition."

'A condition against teaching me to tie a tie?' She could have easily pushed off saying she will learn from an online video but she tried to guess his condition.