"You kissed me?" I ask, my mouth slightly parted in shock.
"Yeah, I did," he smiles and tucks my hair behind my ear.
"Why did you kissed me?" I frown in confusion.
"Because I wanted to," he shrugs and smirks.
"You wanted to?!" I half-yelled.
He suddenly kissed me out of nowhere just like that, because he wanted to. He should be lucky I am still slightly in shock otherwise he would be nursing his precious jewels.
"You know this the first time I kissed someone, who didn't kiss me back. I should be the one mad at you," he says as he presses his lips in a tight line and nods, pretending to look serious.
"You know this is the first time someone kissed me, that too without my permission. So, I should kill you," I retort.
"This was really your first kiss?" Now he is looking surprised as his eyebrows shoot up.
"You stole my first kiss?" I narrow my eyes and jab my finger at his chest.
"My first kiss," I pout sadly and whisper.
"How can I steal something which was already mine?" he arches an eyebrow," Your first kiss was mine and let me tell you I never let go what is mine," he says smugly.
"However, I am feeling a bit generous. So I will happily give you back your kiss, which is actually mine in the first place," he says with a mischievousness dancing in his eyes as he leans and pulls me closer.
"Oh, hell no!" My eye widens and I frantically shake my head.
"Oh, hell yes," he grins and nods.
I place my hands on his shoulders and push him back with my full strength. He falls back, on the other side of the couch, laughing loudly as I quickly sprint to my room.
I close the door and lean against it as my lips stretch into a smile, as I think about the kiss. Maybe I am going crazy, I lost my first kiss unanticipatedly, instead of being angry I am smiling.
My mind was constantly dreading to face Ram, and I just want to forget what happened. Well, not the kiss but the embarrassment.
The kiss was, I don't know... good. I mean I have never been kissed before, so I can't really say it was good or not, however, there is an unexplainable feeling of contentment which I have never felt before. At the same time, fear is also lingering somewhere in my heart, that what if my heart will be crushed again...what if I am getting my hopes high for no reason.
After an hour I come out of my room, as eventually, hunger wins over my awkwardness.
"I assumed you will never come out of your hiding place." Ram teases me as soon as he sees me. Ignoring him, I walk straight into the kitchen.
I start rummaging through the fridge to look for something to eat, but I find nothing appetizing. So I grab some fruits and thought to make a simple fruit salad.
"I have ordered pizza," he folds his arms as he leans against the countertop, "to celebrate your first kiss," he smirks.
"Ugh..." I drop the knife loudly and turn to him, "Please stop saying that," I cry as heat rises to my cheeks.
"For one second I thought you are ignoring me, but then how can you ignore your first kiss," he says with a straight face, but the corner of his mouth slightly twitching upwards.
"Ram, you are a terrible person," I cover my face with my both hands to hide my embarrassment. He chuckles seeing my flustered state.
"Why don't you go find somebody else to annoy?" I try to sound irritated but failing, as a smile is threatening to come on my face.
"Firstly, there no one else here, other than two of us," he says and tilts his head slightly, "secondly, when I have you, why would I bother anybody else... as you may have learned by now that I love to irritate you," he gives me a lopsided smile.
The doorbell rings and he walks to answer the door. Abruptly he stops and says over his shoulder smirkingly, "It will be fun seeing you all flustered after every time I kiss you."
Leaving me there all shell-shocked.
Nearly after two hours of facing embarrassing remarks and three slices of pizza. My humiliation comes to an end. However, my plan of curling on my bed and reading a book goes all in vain when I get mom's message.
"What happened, why this long face after red face?" Ram raises his eyebrows questioningly.
"Mom has asked me to go and check the fashion show preparations, as she is busy handling other important things," I mumble while replying Mom, ignoring his red face comment.
"Why she is asking you?" he slightly frowns looking confused.
"Di handles mom's work, but as she is pregnant and not keeping well so, she is taking off from work," I tell him and dials Driver's number.
" I have to go out in an hour...I will send you the address," I inform him.
"Want to come with me?" I ask Ram.
"Okay, but if you want me to come, you have to kiss me," he shrugs.
"Well, in that case, it means I have to kiss you," I sigh dramatically, as his eyes widen in shock clearly not expecting this reply from me.
I lean forward and place my hands on his chest, steadily holding his gaze. I bring my lips extremely close to his, slight smile forming on my face as I can feel his heartbeats quicken slightly under my hands. He also leans forward and as our lips are about to touch, I turn my face to the other side and quickly place a kiss on his cheek and stand up.
Airy laugh leaves my lips looking at his stunned expression.
What did he think he will tease me and I will do nothing?
"This is what you get for making fun of me," my tone laced with smugness.
I am waiting for Ram near the car, as he is attending some call.
"I feel bad that you don't have an off day because of me."
I honestly feel bad for him. He works here full time like 24/7, obviously, dad gives him a good package but still.
"It is not a problem, plus I don't have anywhere else to go,
we are ready to leave. As soon as we settles on our seats . Ram grabs my arm making me turn to him.
"Don't think I have forgotten your little stunt back there," he leans and whispers in my ear.
"Oh trust me I haven't forgotten, your face was too hard to forget," I smirk and remove his hand from my arm.
.............................................................................
"Priya," I turn to see Ritika coming towards me, a bright smile adorning her face, with a measuring tape hanging around her neck.
"Hey!" I reply as she hugs me.
"I had listened to you and sent my designs here, and got selected," she beams," and you know Mrs. Sharma helped me to get enroll in fashion designing institute. Now I am pursuing my degree and working here as well."
"Wow, that's great..." I genuinely feel so happy that she is following her heart, "I am so happy for you."
"I am happy for you as well," she gives me a meaningful smile as she looks between me and Ram.
"Congrats, Ritika, "ram says while giving her a side hug.
"Thanks," she replies and leaves when she hears somebody calling her.
"Ram, there is a bar over there," I point at the corner of the hall, "You can go there and sit."
"Why did you ask me to come with you?" he asks as his eyes move around.
"I don't know... I just wanted to you come with me," I half-lie.
I do know why I wanted him here with me as after that club incident; I am still lightly shaken up going anywhere alone. I can't explain but there is an overwhelming sense of being secured when he is around.
"Okay, listen don't worry about me I am fine," he says, "I will be just around if you need me," he smiles.
I nod at him with a grateful smile and head to check how things are coming along.
From time to time, I keep stealing glances at Ram, sometimes he is talking on his phone, sometimes he is busy observing things or sometimes I find him interacting with people working here.
However, the Ram I am seeing here is different from the Ram who was back at the house. That Ram was playful and the Ram in front of me is serious and all businesslike.
"Hey," I say as I go to him, he quickly turns his attention to me, giving me a glimpse of the easy-going Ram.
"Are you done yet?" Ram asks.
"Almost, we can go as soon as the sponsor will leave," I sigh, "Riley is showing him around, he wanted to see all the arrangments." I wave my hand nonchalantly and shrug.
"I'll be just back," I say to him as I see Riley motioning me to come where she and some other people are standing.
"Hello, I hope you are satisfied with all the arrangments," I politely say and make quick eye contact with Riley, who in turn rolls her eyes at them.
"Mrs. Sharma's secretary has shown me everything around here and I am quite pleased, everything is up to my expectations," One of the men says, as everyone else nods in agreement. Instantly, I figure he is the sponsor.
"That's great to hear," I give him a small and tight smile.
"Oh, sorry I forget to introduce myself," he says as he extends his hand, "I am Raj Kamat and it is pleasure meeting you Miss. Sharma." I shake hand with him, then instead of letting go he lightly shifts my hand and places a kiss on my knuckles, which turns my smile into a grimace.
"Mrs.Kapoor," Ram corrects him in an authoritative tone, as he slides his arm around my waist. He stares at his hand then to his face. I use this opportunity to pull back my hand, feeling relieved.
"Excuse me?" Raj frowns.
"Ram, meet Mr.Kamat he is the sponsor and Mr.Kamat he is Ram," I say, as I try to break the staring contest between both.
"Her husband," Ram says, smirk forms on his face when he sees raj looking a bit embarrassed, but raj quickly covers it up.
"It is good to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Kapoor," he says giving a forced smile, "I think we should leave now," he turns his head to the people standing behind him, then giving a curt nod he leaves along with others.
"And I think we have some unfinished business between us," Ram smirks as he gazes down at me.
"I don't remember any such thing," I shake my head and reply innocently.
"By the way, you are not as innocent as you look," he says as he takes my hand and starts heading outside, "and just for your information, as you are suffering from partial memory loss, I will thoroughly enjoy in helping you recall what was left unfinished."