Better Together

29 | pillow talks

Ruhaani blinked a couple of times looking at him and then at Ashvi, wondering if she heard that right. "what did you say?" she asked unable to believe what she had just heard. Aadarsh was requesting her, so nicely. It must surely be the tequila finally hitting her brain.

"I said, please, let Ashvi hold your hand."

Ruhaani blinked perplexed again wondering why was he being so sweet. She was ready to argue but then this man left her confused again. She was still wondering when Aadarsh moved ahead with Abhi while leaving Ashvi to hold her hand. He purposely took the side of the pebbles so that Ashvi moved Ruhaani to the other side which was a relatively flat surface.

"I miss Paa too," Abhi mumbled, as Aadarsh made him sit on the back seat. "When I'd doze off on the carpet while watching TV, he'd pick me up, take me our room and tuck me in." He turned to his brother glossy eyed. "I miss him. Them."

Aadarsh ran a hand through his brother's hair and then kissed his forehead, like their father used to. He shut the door of the back seat and walked over to the other side. No matter how much he tried, a part of Abhi would always miss his father, love his father never mind everything that had happened.

Ruhaani was whispering something, very loudly, in Ashvi's ears. He could hear some hushed words but nothing more. Then she laughed and Ashvi turned to him, pointing to her temple and then swaying her hand in the air indicating— Ruhaani was losing it.

"Let me help her, you get into the car." He said, placing his hand on Ruhaani's shoulder.

"Come on," he said softly.

"You're driving?" She asked, as he led her towards the open door of the back seat.

"Yes, come on, sit." He said holding the door in place.

She went closer to the car to get in but then stopped and turned to him abruptly . "Say please," she uttered her face a few inches away from his.

Aadarsh's jaw tightened as he noticed the amusement shine in her eyes and the corner of her lips quirk, ready to smile. His victory of a few minutes ago was backfiring on him.

"Not funny, Ruhaani. Get in" He muttered, looking around.

Ruhaani folded her arms. "Say it with a please."

Aadarsh inched closer to her. "If you don't get in, I am going to lift you up and shove you in," his eyes that almost matched the color of the midnight sky stared right into her dazzling light honey brown ones.

"You can't move an inch of me without my will." She said stubbornly.

"You'll be surprised," he muttered, glancing at her lips then looking back at her eyes.

"Say a please." She stuck to her demand.

"Ruhaani, stop being immature."

"You, Mister, stop ordering me. Say it with a please. Now."

Aadarsh's lips thinned. What an irony! She was ordering him to stop ordering her. "Please, get into the car, Ruhaani." He said in a voice so measured and packed that it almost felt like it strained him to say those words.

Ruhaani smiled, at her victory. The curve of her lips bright and wide. She complied with his wishes and sat in. Aadarsh sighed, he had to get even with her for this, later. He was about the shut the door when he noticed the water bottle next to her feet.

His gaze shifted to her face to realize she wasn't even looking at him, she had turned to talk to Abhi. He leaned forward, picked the bottle from beside her feet, his gaze momentarily falling on her feet. It slowly moved up as the inky black strap of her fancy footwear wrapped in criss-cross fashion around her ankle, twinning slightly up to her calf muscle.