All Strings Attached

Chapter Twenty Four

I lend a hand in brining the dishes from the dining room to the set up outside while the drivers set the chairs and fans.

I notice Dhushyanth as I pick up the big hotbox containing rice. "You're back!" I exclaim, grinning at his tired face.

Dhushyanth frowns at the hotbox in my hands. "Why are you doing all of this?" He asks, stepping forward to take the vessel from me, but I refuse silently, stepping back.

"You've just come back," I tell him, "go upstairs and freshen up. I'm just helping Sasi and Kavitha, there are too many dishes."

"We have Sasi and Kavitha and the others so you don't have to do all of this," Dhushyanth argues, looking around, as if to find someone to take the box from me.

"Dhu— Yevandi," I sing, watching his tanned cheeks grow pink even within the dim light. Quite honestly, I don't see why he gets so flustered by it, but I cannot say I do not enjoy how flustered he does get because of it. "I can manage, it's just one hotbox of rice."

"Actually," Dhushyanth clears his throat, leaning closer to my face. "Good that you have something in your hands." Before I can fully process what he said, he cups my face, tilting it upwards and presses a kiss to my lips.

"Dhushyanth," I gasp, jumping back. I look around to see if anyone's seen us, and sure enough, I catch Dhruv's eyes.

My brother-in-law shakes his head. "I don't know what it is with the two of you and PDA," he comments. "And why are you always getting caught?"

"Po bey," Dhushyanth waves him off, easily, as if it's no big deal at all, before he leans down for another peck, except I jump back.

"Dhushyanth," I warn, sternly. "It's not funny."

"I wasn't joking," he replies, his eyes narrowing at me. "Why won't you let me kiss you?"

I look around, and being to list all the people I cannot see. "For starters, mamayya is outside with a tonne of people, and you must've brought a tonne of people, and there's workers around the house, and family members!"

"So?" he questions.

I huff, imitating his previously narrowed eyes. "So nothing," I shrug it off. "I said I don't want you to kiss me, you can't kiss me."

"You don't want me to kiss you?" He repeats, his dark eyes zooming into my lips and back to my eyes. My heart begins to the crazily as I realise he has me trapped. How would I answer that?

"Madam?" I hear a meek voice, saving me from the devil's advocate.

Kavitha glances between me and Dhushyanth, her eyes quickly cast downwards towards the floor. "I'll take the hotbox," she says, stepping forward with outstretched hands.

I let her take it, precisely aware of Dhushyanth's eagle eyes on me.

"Cheppu," he demands, as soon as Kavitha is out of earshot. "Do you not want me to?" He repeats, in English.

I rest a hand on his chest, in an attempt to calm him down. "You should freshen up," I suggest, "we'll talk later, tonight."

"We have nothing to talk about if you don't want me to kiss you," Dhushyanth says, stepping closer to me, his height towering over me as he gazes at me, his eyes daring me to reject his advances.

I glance around the hall, the hustle and bustle only seems to get louder, every footstep becomes clearer, before my heart begins to thud loudly against my chest, blocking out everything else.

"Dhushyanth," I attempt to discourage, laying a hand on his chest, to create space between us. "Evaraina chusthaaru." [Someone will walk in.]

"Chudanivvu," he shrugs, as if he couldn't care less. [Let them see.] "Nuvvu cheppu." [You tell me.]