Another business party. Jai should be used to them by now but he wasn't in the mood for social gatherings today. He's usually not but today, he would do anything but take part in the event. He tried to convince Ishita to skip it, but she said it would be the last event she could attend as his assistant so she wanted to go. He laid down on the edge of the bed, watching Ishita yap away at how expensive the dress he had bought for her was as she applied her makeup. If she cleared out a few more drawers in her flat and moved them here, she would have officially moved in. Her toiletries occupied more than half of his cabinet, the sheets smelled like her, Ki preferred to curl on her lap instead of Jai's and the recommendations on his streaming services were no longer to his preferences; it was a mix of Asian dramas, supernatural and horror-thrillers. Every time Jai noticed these changes, he was not afraid or uncomfortable. He only smiled.
"Done?"
"Do you think these earrings go with the dress? Or should I pair it with something gold?" Ishita asked, holding a pair of gold earrings to her ear. She was wearing a midnight blue saree with a sleeveless sequined blouse.
"No, silver looks good."
Her eyes narrowed. "Are you saying that just so I would hurry up?"
"No. It's really good," he said, rolling off the bed to stand next to her. "Come on, astronaut. Let's go early and return early."
"What's with your aversion today?" she asked, glancing at him as she sprayed perfume on herself.
"I don't know. I just don't feel like it today," he said. Ishita stepped closer and looped her hands around his neck.
"Are you not well?"
"No, I am fine. It's just... it's fine. I'm okay. Let's go," he said, rubbing her arms once and giving them a squeeze before letting go and stepping away from her embrace.
When they arrived at the party, the investors and the board members were already present. Ishita greeted them with a polite smile as they were all familiar with her from their meetings and then excused herself. Jai didn't like letting go of Ishita but she had beelined straight towards his mother's table, a broad smile on her face. He hid his own smile and focused on the discussion. His father joined them soon and business talk slowly faded to casual personal conversations. And as expected, the topic of his marriage came.
He already dreaded it. He began looking for escape exits or hoping Ishita would come rescue him.
"Marriage is a life-time investment. You know how careful Jai is with his investments. He doesn't like to waste his time with someone he doesn't really love. It was a fair argument. I let him do his thing. He can marry whenever he wants and whoever he wants. It's his life. I trust his decisions regarding the firm and I trust his decision when it comes to his life," Pa said, shocking Jai. Only then, he realised his parents had not brought the topic of marriage since his father's birthday. When he looked at his father in question, his eyes flittered towards Ishita. Did she... Oh my God, what had she told to change their mind?
"That's fair," One board member said. "When we were young, we were pressured into marrying a woman we barely know. We weren't even given time to get to know each other. That's why all our marriages are like this."
The other men chuckled. "We may be the one in authority in the firm but at home, when our wives say something, there's no other way around it."
Jai glanced at Ishita. As if feeling his gaze on her, she turned and locked eyes with him, an eyebrow raising. All okay? she mouthed.
I love you, he mouthed back.
He saw her eyes round, the glass of pink lemonade in her hand slip. Jai's mother rushed to her aid, helping her blot out the drink on her dress with tissues. What did my son do? Ma asked her. He could read her lips.
Ishita shook her head, tears filling her eyes. She glanced back at Jai and bit her lip. "Excuse me," he said and his father gave him a knowing smile. He walked towards Ishita and stretched out an arm. She took it, half-glaring at him and half- ready to bawl her eyes out. He knew she was holding back a string of creative curse words for him. Once they were away from the crowd, somewhere that the stairs led them to, Jai let her hand go.
"I fucking can't believe you," she whispered.
"I know I should have said it in person. But I've been holding those words back for a long time, astronaut, scared it will scare you away. I couldn't anymore. I physically couldn't," he said, reaching for her waist. "Don't run away from me."
"I don't run. I told you," she whispered, not fighting his embrace.
"I was scared."
"Did you really mean it?"
"I meant every word. I love you, astronaut. I love every inch of you, your soul, your body. I love you so much it consumes me," Jai said, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear and letting his finger linger there.
Ishita's eyes brimmed with tears. Her lips wobbled. "I love you too. The words kept coming to me whenever I spoke to you for the past few days but I didn't want to give you those words and then break your heart."
Jai took her hand, closed his palm over her fist and pinned it on his chest. "Look at me, Ishita. I'll spell it out for you now. You better keep this in your mind. You are not going to break my heart. Even if you do, you'll be the one to mend it. It's yours to do with what you will. But it's not going to change the fact that it's yours. You hear me? Sure, we've had little disagreements in the past two months but have we ever gone a night without talking to each other? You tell me."
"I can't sleep knowing you're mad at me."
"Exactly. We sort it out, right? Whatever it is, we talk it out. I promised you honesty and have I ever broken it once?"
"No," she murmured.
"So why do you think we will let these little disagreements fester into something more and tear us apart? Give me one reason why you believe that," Jai said.
"My past relationships—"
"They're not you and me. That doesn't count."
Ishita looked away and whispered, "I'll stop thinking that way."
Jai tipped her chin up and made her look into his eyes. "You have the space to be insecure, to tell me how you are really feeling, what you are thinking. I don't want you to think you cannot discuss this with me if it bothers you again. But before you spiral down that hole, think of what I said, alright? Will you do that for me?"
She nodded.
He pulled her into his arms and buried his face into the crook of her shoulders. "You are fucking perfect, astronaut. You can be clingy, jealous, throw tantrums, be stubborn and you'll still be perfect to me. We are perfect for each other. We took a long time to find each other but we did now. I'm not letting go of you."
"Okay," she said, sniffling. "Thanks, Jai."
"I love you," he whispered again.
Ishita pulled Jai into a kiss. The kiss started out slow — caressing, assuring, promising, loving. As her fingers curled around his collar, the kiss picked up fervour. She parted her lips, inviting him to consume her mouth. Jai backed her against her a wall and his hands roamed. From the back of her neck to the curve of her breasts, down to her hips to her ass. Ishita groaned, pressing herself against him. Jai's mouth sponged kisses down her throat, to her neck — barely holding himself from leaving marks — and down to her blouse outlining the slopes of her breasts. He moved away the sheer fabric of her saree and sucked at the skin under her blouse. Ishita's fingers weaved into his hair, tugged at the roots as he was leaving a mark that no one could see other than the two of them.
"Jai—" she rasped. "I can't— we can't — your parents are— ah."
"Let's go home," Jai said, kissing her lips once more but not letting her go.
"But we have to be there. People will notice," she said, her chest still rising. Ishita was restless. She wanted to properly get her hands on him. Tear at his clothes. Have him to herself. She wanted him badly.
"I don't care. You only have two more days of work. You've already sent in your letter," he said, taking her hand.
"Are you sure?" she asked, wiping the lipstick stain from his lips.
"Yes. Let's go."
When they turned around, Gaurav stood there, smirking. "Well, well. I wondered how you got the job when Jai rejected people who were more qualified than you. Now I know why. You were fucking him?" he said, pushing himself off the wall. "What if HR gets to know about this?"
"Then the police will know about what you are doing —" Ishita began but before she could finish Jai had already punched Gaurav.
"Fuck man, what's wrong with you?" Gaurav snarled, cradling his jaw.
"One more word about Ishita and I'll break your bones," Jai spat. Ishita blinked at him. She did not expect him to get violent because he was always the calmer one. But she shrugged it off. Gaurav deserved it. Especially after his wife confided in her that he often forced himself on her when he came home drunk. Ishita had a feeling if Jai knew about it, he'd probably kill his cousin himself. Besides, it wasn't her secret to tell. The most she could do was convince Gaurav's wife to talk to the police herself.
"Any move against Jai will affect you directly. Use that microscopic brain of yours," Ishita shot back.
"I should have known. I should've known when you defended him at the last party like he was your everything," Gaurav said, clutching his jaw and frowning before pulling out a broken tooth from his mouth. "What the fuck, Jai!"
Jai held in a laugh. "Send the invoice for your appointment with the dentist. I'll pay, don't worry," he said, pulling Ishita out of the hall.
"Is this why you didn't want to come today?" Ishita asked after they were seated in the car. Jai was texting his parents that they had to leave early.
"I'm glad we came, though. It was worth it," Jai said, winking at her.
"You sure Gaurav won't pull anything?"
"He's all bark and no bite. He is nothing without my father and me," Jai said, reversing the car. "Stop thinking about Gaurav. Let's think about resuming our alone time once we're back home."
"Alone time? What are you, a child?" Ishita laughed and then leaned in close to his ear. "Let's have mind-blowing hot sex."
Jai simply shook his head in quiet laughter, ignoring how heat crept up his neck.
a/n: two more chapters left. let's prepare to say goodbye to these babies!