She stood before him, her heart in her eyes, a rose blush spreading across her face, her hands clenching and unclenching nervously as she repeated her request.

"Make love to me Raman"

He stood up slowly, his heart beginning to hammer wildly as his burning desire for her wrestled with the knowledge that he must not, could not, hurt her.

"Are you sure?" his voice was barely above a whisper as he questioned her. "I'm not...I'm not some romantic hero Ishita..I...I've been broken, I'm damaged goods...and this...this shouldn't be something you do lightly...you'll meet a good man someday, someone who will love you, someone who can marry you..this shouldn't be how..."

His voice shook as a deep burning need ignited in him at her closeness. He had to deny her, it was the right thing to do, but it was so difficult when he wanted her with every pore of his being.

"Don't you find me attractive, Raman?" Her voice was soft but he could hear the hurt, the bewilderment as she spoke.

"Dammit Ishita, It's not that. It's not that at all" The words were wrenched out of him, despite himself.

Find her attractive? If only she knew. All their fights during these past two weeks, the tension between them, had all been because if he didn't fight with her, he would have crushed her in his arms. If he didn't spar with her verbally, he would have kissed her senseless. If he didn't taunt her, he would have ravished her. No woman had ever affected him in this way, had turned him on so much that he could barely think when he was in her presence. Find her attractive. Oh yes, he found her attractive.

"Then what is it?" Her voice was quiet, uncertain, unlike the strident quarrelsome Jhansi Ki Rani, the fabled warrior Queen she had been channeling for the past fortnight.

Her posture of defeat irritated him. Did he have to spell it out? Why didn't she understand?

"You're a virgin Ishita" he spat out the words, striding forward to grab her roughly by the shoulders. "This is not how your first time should be. With a stranger, in a primitive cabin in the middle of nowhere, with no promise of a relationship, no expectations. You're just not the type of woman who can have a one night stand Ishita. If there's anything I've learnt about you in the past two weeks, it's that you...you're a very nice woman. You're beautiful, intelligent. But you're also very traditional. There's nothing wrong with that, but this is just not you Ishita. You'll regret this tomorrow. You deserve better than this, better than me."

He stared deep into her eyes, his face inches from hers, his hot and heavy breath fanning her face.

"I won't regret anything Raman. I'm not a child. I know what I'm doing. And you're not a stranger to me. Not any more. We've become friends. So why not? Raman, I want this. I want you."

"Ishita" Her game was wrenched from his lips in protest as he let go off her shoulders, took a step back and turned his head away. Her closeness would be his undoing.

Her eyes flashed fire as she put a hand on his shoulder, forcing him to turn around again, to face her.

"I want you Raman. I want this experience. I want to know what it's like to feel wanted, to be desired. You said you find me attractive, so why not? When you kissed me earlier, I could feel.... I don't need any promises. Any relationship. Just tonight. And marriage? You think I should wait for marriage? You know all about my failed engagement Raman. You know why Subbu dumped me. No one will ever marry me, I'm barren Raman. Baanj hoon mein."

"Don't you dare say that" he hissed fiercely, grabbing her by the shoulders and pulling her to himself. "Don't you dare use that ugly word about yourself. You...you're beautiful. You're the sexiest....You think I don't want you ...Oh God, don't do this to me. Don't tempt me like this."

His hands moved down her shoulders to her arms, his breath catching in his throat as he caressed her satiny soft skin. "Dont" he repeated, as his hands caught both of hers, his fingers entwining with hers and tightening. "Dont."

"Make love to me please" she whispered, dogging her fingers into his palm, desperate to get even closer to him.

Just two weeks of knowing him, so many differences between them, and yet she had never felt as sure of anything as she did tonight about this, about making love with him. She had been brought up to believe that sex was a sacrosanct part of marriage. She had never let her boyfriend of ten years do anything physical with her, had never felt any burning desire to make love with him before their wedding, had never felt a compulsion or need as she felt today.. She should be scared, she knew that, but she wasn't. She didn't know how to describe this emotion, what to call this need, but it was raw, it was deep and it was completely honest. She felt safe with him, secure, protected, cocooned. She wanted him so much. She loved him so much. She would never tell him, she couldn't let him suspect. But she loved him. And she wanted to be loved tonight.

She raised her face to his, her quivering lips almost touching his.

"Raman" his name was an entreaty on her lips, a sexy whisper that was a siren call, and he knew he was lost.

He gathered her to himself with a groan, his lips searing hers, as she sunk into his arms. She did not know what tomorrow would bring, but tonight she was his. And he was hers.

It's You - Ali Gatie
It's you, it's always you
If I'm ever gonna fall in love I know it's gon' be you
It's you, it's always you
Met a lot of people, but nobody feels like you
So, please, don't break my heart
Don't tear me apart
I know how it starts
Trust me, I've been broken before
Don't break me again
I am delicate
Please, don't break my heart
Trust me, I've been broken before
I've been broken, yeah
I know how it feels
To be open
And then find out your love isn't real
I'm still hurting, yeah
I'm hurting inside
I'm so scared to fall in love
But if it's you then I'll try
It's you, it's always you
If I'm ever gonna fall in love I know it's gon' be you
It's you, it's always you
Met a lot of people, but nobody feels like you
So, please, don't break my heart
Don't tear me apart
I know how it starts
Trust me, I've been broken before
Don't break me again
I am delicate
Please, don't break my heart
Trust me, I've been broken before
I know I'm not the best at choosing lovers
We both know my past speaks for itself
(For itself)
If you don't think that we're right for each other (Baby, no)
Then, please, don't let history repeat itself
'Cause I want you (yeah, yeah), I want you (yeah, yeah)
There's nothing else I want
'Cause I want you (yeah, yeah), I want you (yeah, yeah)
And you're the only thing I want
It's you, it's always you
If I'm ever gonna fall in love I know it's gon' be you
It's you, it's always you
Met a lot of people, but nobody feels like you
So, please, don't break my heart
Don't tear me apart
I know how it starts
Trust me, I've been broken before
Don't break me again
I am delicate
Please, don't break my heart
Trust me, I've been broken before
'Cause I want you, baby I want you
Baby, I want you, baby I want you