Her phone vibrated suddenly on the counter. She jumped, breath catching. The name flashing on the screen made her pulse stutter:

Omkara.

Her heart raced as she opened the message:

"Just got home... but all I can think about is you. And how warm you felt in my arms tonight."

Gauri's fingers trembled as she typed back, "...You shouldn't do this."

"Do what?" his reply came instantly. "Think about you? Want you? Remember every shiver you gave me? Because I can't stop either."

Her cheeks flushed, heat crawling over her body, pulse thrumming. He's doing this on purpose... and it's working.

"Omkara... stop teasing me," she typed shakily.

"Stop what?" he countered. "Thinking about you? Or picturing how you melt when I touch you just enough to make you want more?"

Her breath hitched, fingers shaking as desire and guilt tangled inside her. I shouldn't want this. Not after everything. And yet... oh, I do.

She hesitated, thumb hovering over the screen. His next message came before she could respond:

"Tell me what you want, Gauri. Even just a little."

Her pulse slammed against her ribs. Even just a little... She typed slowly, biting her lip:
"...I want... you."

"Good," he replied immediately, the words like fire across her skin. "Because I want you more than you can imagine. I want to feel you... even if it's just in my mind right now."

She shivered, pressing her phone to her chest. Her breath came faster. He's making me burn... and I can't stop it.

"Omkara... don't make me think like this," she whispered to herself, typing:
"...Stop making me think about your hands on me."

"I can't," he shot back, teasing and commanding at once. "I keep imagining your skin under my fingers. How you'd arch for me... how your lips would part when I whisper your name..."

Her pulse jumped, heat pooling low in her belly. Oh gods... I can feel it just from his words.

She typed back, voice trembling through the screen:
"...Stop. You're torturing me."

"Good," he replied, blunt, wolfed and teasing. "Because I want you to feel every inch of me... even if it's just in your thoughts tonight. I want to hear you gasp when I finally—"

Gauri's fingers froze mid-typing, face burning. Oh no... She whispered aloud, "I shouldn't be wanting this... not like this."

"You do," he replied instantly, almost smug, "Every word you just typed screams it. Every heartbeat of yours calls for me. And I... I want to answer. I want to taste you... to touch you until you forget your own name."

She dropped the phone on the counter for a moment, clutching her chest, breath shallow. Her mind screamed caution, but her body betrayed her alive, aching, and ready.

After a few moments, trembling, she picked the phone back up, typing slowly:
"...Omkara... I—"

"Shh," he interrupted in text, wolfed and teasing. "Not yet. Just let me think about it. Let me imagine you beneath me. That's all I need for now... but soon, Gauri... soon, I'll have you."

Her pulse raced so fast it nearly hurt. She leaned back against the counter, hot, breathless, heart tangled with desire and guilt. Soon... he says soon...

"Soon," she whispered aloud, trembling, heat crawling through her veins. And I... I can't wait.

The phone buzzed again:

"Sleep in that thought tonight... and when you wake, we continue. Slowly, carefully... but every moment, closer. You're mine, Gauri. Always."

Her fingers lingered over the screen, trembling, breath shallow. She sank onto the chair, staring blankly at the wall, the storm inside her far from over. The night was alive, thick with tension, and Gauri realized, with a mixture of fear and longing, that she didn't want the storm to stop. Not ever.