Posted: July 5th, 2017 | Edited: October 23rd, 2019
| . . . C H A P T E R - 3 . 1 : S W E E T - T H I N G S . . . |
"What are we doing today, stuck in this room?" I questioned after both of us had showered and were ready for the day but with nothing to do.
"Anything you want to do," he replied fixing the bed covers even though it was a hotel room and he could have left them as is. I don't bother pointing that out to him either as I know I won't win that argument.
"Hmm... let's see. Not much to do stuck in this room. And we can't go out, since again, you lied that I'm sick. I can't believe this. I'm in Rome but stuck in a hotel room!" I went on to exclaim, for it was ridiculous. I should be out there.
"My bad. I shouldn't have been looking out for you."
I sighed. "I didn't mean it like that. I wasn't taunting you; just stating the fact like it is."
He held back on the sarcasm, "Fine... any games in mind?"
I thought, and then shook my head. "Not games... but there is something we can do."
"Go on." He seemed interested in hearing this. Perhaps because for the first time in a while, I am taking the initiative to suggest an activity rather than just going along with whatever someone else has already planned.
"Will you teach me how to cook?"
His eyes widened hearing that. He knew for a fact I hated it. "Excuse me?" He exclaimed.
"I know, I don't like cooking. I don't have the patience for it, and I am a horrible cook. I just want to learn something. It's almost insulting to myself that I can't cook, being a girl and all."
He chuckled, "You're different than all girls. That's what I love about you."
I tried not to blush by covering it by teasing him. "And here I thought you hated me all these years."
He flopped on his back. "And there she goes to ruin it."
"Yeah, sure. Now come on, teach me how to cook!" I demanded.
He grunted and pushed himself up on his elbows. "Eager much?"
I glared at him, before grabbing his wrist and forcing him to get up. I pulled him towards the mini-kitchen in the suit. "Well, there isn't anything really that you can cook from what is available here." He concluded five minutes later, after he had checked the fridge and drawers for ingredients, which was mostly empty.
"Don't tell me a multimillionaire like yourself can't call someone and have them deliver things from the grocery store."
He raised his brow at the indirect challenge and instantly walked to grab his cell phone. Finding the nearest store and their number, he noted it down. "Alright, what do you want to cook?"
"Um, can we bake?" I asked with uncertainty. "I know you're diabetic and can't eat sweet stuff. But I think I'm going to like baking more than cooking. You do know how to bake though, right? I guess it's okay if you don't. We can cook anything too. I don't..."
I kept on rambling, not looking up and thus having missed seeing his amused face. He walked to stand right in front of me, his face so close to mine, and I didn't even realize. "Sweet pea, I swear, I will kiss you to get you to stop talking."
I gasped and my face flinched up to see his so very dangerously close. "I..." I started to say, when he neared his face further in if it were even possible.
"Hmm?" He challenged, and I leaned away, digging my back in the sides of the counter.
I placed my index finger on my lips to indicate that I was going to be dead silent. He had kissed my cheek in the morning. I didn't dare challenge him on this. Satisfied, he took a step back. I gulped down the anxiety which had been building up inside slowly. Atleast I hadn't instantly gone into panic mode like the previous times, but he had never stood this close to me either and threatened with what he just did.
Progress.
"Now, to answer your question, yes. I can bake. Lavanya bakes all the time for Aarav so I've picked up on a thing or two."
I opened my mouth to reply with excitement, when I slammed it shut after he raised his brow. Not daring to speak, I simply nodded, containing my happiness. I didn't know why, but I was feeling too happy, and for once, I wasn't afraid to let myself be happy and enjoy. It could be the overflow of crying yesterday that had peeled away a layer of burden from my chest, allowing me to be happy and carefree today. Then again... the dormant fear remained. So much had happened since last night and I was afraid that even the slightest, tiniest bit of thing could set off my panic attack. I didn't want that happening.
But no. I won't think about that right now and spoil the current light mood we have going for us. After a long few weeks, years even, we deserved it.
He questioned with a smirk, "Should I be offended that you don't seem too eager to kiss me?"
I stared at him, horrified. What was he trying to hint at? His smirk widened before he walked away to call the store. I didn't dare move an inch from where I was standing by the kitchen counter.
Fifteen minutes later, there was a knock on the door and Arnav opened it. The bellboy held up the bags and Arnav guided him in to leave them on the kitchen counter.
I passed him a small smile. Arnav locked the door behind him after tipping him. He then took out everything from the bags and placed them on the island. "I believe you wanted to learn?" Getting what he was hinting at, I jumped down the counter. He instructed, "Alright, mix The dry ingredients. 2 cups of flour and sugar, 3/4th cup cocoa powder and 1 teaspoon baking soda."
I looked around for a bowl, and upon finding one, I did as told. While I did that, he mixed the eggs, oil, milk, and vanilla extract. When he looked up, he asked, "What are you doing?"
"Mixing this?"
He rolled his eyes. "Who mixes it using hands? Sweet pea, you aren't making dough for flatbread. You're making batter for a cake."
I pouted. "Like I'm just supposed to know that."
He shook his head, amused. "It's common sense, sweet pea."
"Whatever," I replied and looked around for a batter spoon.
"In there," He pointed towards a drawer. I was about to open it, when my bangs irritated my face. That was also when I realized my hands were dirty as I was about to pull my hair back. He chuckled before his hand came around my left side, opening the drawer for me and making me jump back... to lightly crash into his torso. "Go wash your hands."
I didn't even wait a second to say anything and instantly turned on my heels to walk around him towards the sink. I got out all the flour sticking to my fingers and wiping my hands, got to work again. Minutes later, when I was done, I waited for Arnav. Then he poured his mix into mines. He asked me to mix that and he cleaned up his side of the mess, putting things in a corner in an organized manner.
After not even a minute, I complained. "Okay, my hand hurts now." I wished there was an electric mixer instead of having the beat it using the spoon.
"Here," he took the spoon from my hand coming from behind. I was about to shift, when his other hand rested on the counter over the other side. I was ultimately trapped. I looked back to see all of his attention on the batter. He hadn't truly realized what he had done.
I convinced myself to stay, deciding I could always tell him to move if it got too uncomfortable. I knew he wouldn't be offended. The only reason I stayed was because I had to get used to this. I couldn't say I loved him, but still fear any sort of intimacy – atleast not with him. Whilst it was racing my heart beats, I wasn't panicking. So, I did all in my might to not focus on the proximity.
As if realizing I was too silent, he turned his focus from the batter to me. His eyes widened on finding me right in front of him. Realization dawned on him, and he shifted on his feet, changing from his carefree position to rigid. He moved his hand which was around me and trapping me in the middle, thus releasing me.
"I'm sorry. I didn't realize. Why didn't you say anything?"
I turned around to face him. I was in the same spot, right in front of him. The only change was that I was facing him instead. It made it more of a reality, but I kept a smile to not let it intimidate me. "It's okay."
He looked at me a second longer for confirmation, and when I didn't move but instead started to relax, he stopped feeling guilty and relaxed as well. He smirked then, "So this means that I can..." and started to lean closer.
And I put an end to it, my hand on his chest just for a brief second to halt him and give him a slight nudge back. "You aren't that lucky, Raizada." I told him, making him chuckle.
"I didn't think so either." He spoke the truth. He had to know I wouldn't allow him to touch me inappropriately or kiss me on the lips overnight. And I knew he was just teasing me.
I swatted his arm and jumped up on the counter, the part that Arnav had already cleaned up. He went on to finish the batter to the right consistency. He made a few remarks as he did, giving me tips on when and how to tell it is the right consistency and things like how overbeating the batter can cause it to flatten and keep it from rising in the oven, but was I really paying attention? I was nodding along, but no. All I could do was watch him.
My eyes shifted to his looks. A five o'clock shadow was starting to appear on his jaw. On his sharply defined jaw. His face looked tired from yesterday's aftermath but unless you looked closely, into his eyes, you wouldn't be able to tell because he was giving off all the happy vibes. He probably was the most charming person I had ever seen. Sure, there were actors. But, in my real life, he was one different.
And he was mine.
My fiancé.
When did I get so lucky? A guy who loves his sisters, knows cooking, is so caring and adorable, who could also be scary and dominating in office. Add looks to it and he's just a complete, perfect package. The more I thought of it, the more he was like Armaan, a precise personality that deep down, I always wanted in my husband. I hadn't even asked for it, and I had gotten it.
"Sweet pea?"
Still a bit dazed, I asked dreamily. "Hmm?"
"Taste this and tell me how it is?" He was holding the batter up in front of me.
"Why me?"
"Come on, sweet pea. I can't eat sweet things, you know that."
"You can't have sweet things, and yet you call me sweet pea?"
"Well, it makes sense don't you think? It's not like you let me have you." I gaped at his instant remark, my jaw dropping at this new side of his. Was he always this flirtatious? No wonder he was quite the ladies' man in college. He smirked, lifting the batter towards me again. "Now come on, be a sweet pea and tell me if it needs more sugar."
I was about to scowl, when I got an idea. I put on a sweet smile and dipped my finger in the spoon, sweeping some of the chocolate batter on my index finger. Only, instead of eating it like he assumed I would, I applied it on his cheek, shocking him. I held back a laugh, but it only lasted so long.
Then, in a calm voice, told him. "You see, Mr. Raizada, your fiancé doesn't like to be told what to do. I think that habit got rubbed off on her from..." My sentence trailed off when he suddenly grabbed my wrist, jerking me towards him. "...you." I whispered the last word of the sentence as the smile vanished from my face and I noticed the dark look in his eyes.
I blinked, reminding myself this was Arnav. Even if his eyes were glazed from physical attraction, he wouldn't hurt me. He knew my limits better than anyone else and he had much better control over himself than anyone I knew. He wouldn't push me out of my comfort zone. The extent to which I now trusted him should scare me, but it didn't. Instead, it felt like there was a warm glow inside of me that was now, finally, starting to take shape.
"Khushi, the batter before I force you." He put the spoon in front of me again; only, I didn't swipe my finger through again. Noticing the flinch at the word 'force', he released my wrist and his eyes softened, "Sorry, wrong word to use."
Instead of listening, I leaned in and kissed his cheek, where I had previously spread the batter. Again, leaving him stunned... and myself. Ever since we'd woken up today, we were stunning each other. I pulled back, trying to not pay too much attention to what I had just done. "Yup, it's fine." I said, but he was no longer paying attention. It didn't matter. "Um, Arnav?" I called him on not getting a response.
"Sweet pea?" He said, not blinking.
"Hmm?"
"I'm too young to die..."
"Huh?"
Instead of answering, his fingers went up to touch his cheek where I had kissed him. I caught on to what he was talking about and blushed. Trying to hide it, I got down and got the round baking pan. Spraying it with grease, I poured the batter in.
He wouldn't let me put it in the oven. I bet he is afraid I would have another kitchen accident and hurt myself. After closing the oven door, he announced. "Now, we wait." Standing behind me, he wrapped his arms around me, resting his chin on my shoulder.
I remained calm for a second, but then I remembered what had happened in the elevator as I felt his body heat radiating off to mine. "Arnav."
Hearing me take in a sharp breath, he instantly pulled away. "Shit. I'm so sorry! I don't know what's wrong with me today. It won't happen again. Are you okay? I swear, I didn't mean to..."
"Shut it, Raizada." I told him, feeling guilty seeing him get so worked up. It was obvious he wasn't lying. "I'm fine." I assured him. "You just took me by surprise, that's all."
"Sure?" He questioned, worry all over his face.
I nodded. "I guess I'm starting to get used to being around you."
He smiled, "That's a good thing, right?"
"It is."
That made his smile turn into a grin. "Now this calls for a celebration." He said, and then pulled me towards the bed, turning on the TV.
I didn't even bother to ask what celebration he was going to plan. I just sat back on the bed, snatching the remote from his hand. "There is no way I am going to watch business news or discovery channel."
He retrieved it from my hand, "That's not all I watch." And, as if to prove that, he started scrolling through the guide before picking an English movie. My mind flashed back to few months ago. One of the first times I'd stayed over at his place when Armaan and Riddhima were out of town. That had probably been the start of all the good days between us.
Yes, we did have our rough days lately, and I imagine it might get tough ahead with everything Shyam and Vivek seem to be planning, but we only seem to be going uphill. In a way, it's still progress. We're learning to rely on each other during the tough times rather than our usual actions of turning away from each other and keeping secrets.
I thought back to today and yesterday's events. I glanced at Arnav, wanting to bring it up but unable to. It'd been a wonderful day. I didn't want to ruin it... but I couldn't push back the thoughts of what Shyam could do either. He brought an innocent child into his twisted game. How could anyone be so evil? What would he get out of revictimizing us? Torturing both Anjali and me by never letting us forget.
And Arnav... he'd been calm today but how long would that last? It was no secret how protective he could get over Anjali di and Aarav. For them, he had sacrificed himself and his happiness. He had pushed me away and that was when he believed his uncle would harm them. What would he do now, knowing Shyam is out to hurt them again... to hurt us again?
I didn't want him to do anything reckless, but... would he tell me what he's planning before he goes through with it?
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