“By the way, I do like surprises.” I tilt my head, not removing my gaze from him. “And this is my personal favorite,” I add, blushing.
Raag inhales and smiles. “By the way, Mayuri, you look like a well-written poem.”
“By the way, Raag, you need glasses.” I look up at him, and he narrows his eyes. I point at my outfit. “Look at me!”
Raag shakes his head, laughing. Then he tucks a few loose wet tendrils of my hair behind my ears. Oh, I could get used to this!
“For a second, I thought you were going into shock or something,” he says.
“What can possibly happen to me while you are here?”
The magical comfort between us is there—the same comfort I felt with him when we talked for the first time, and the many times after. It feels like this is our daily routine.
“So?” Raag asks expectantly.
I narrow my eyes, puzzled. “So?”
A momentary pause and my brain registers how cleverly Raag tricked me into kissing him. As he gazes at me, I look down and blush. I clearly understand what he meant. He knows this.
“Well… No rush,” Raag says. “Let me make sure you don’t catch a cold.”
I look up, wondering what he is up to. Raag takes his jacket off.
“Please…” He holds it up, expecting me to slip it on.
Oh, so caring!
I thought a moment like this only happened in movies, under the explicit instructions of directors and by a careful exhibition of the actors. Well, this magical rainy midnight, him and I…it all feels like the most romantic movie scene or a dream. I hope this is not a dream within a dream.
I let go of the railing and shrug into his warm jacket. Raag comes so close to me that I can feel his breath. Smoothly he pulls my wavy hair out of the jacket, letting the loose tendrils trail down my back, and steps back. I take long, steadying breaths in an attempt to calm down my neurons. Raindrops slowly start drenching him, but he doesn’t care. I guess he likes rain as much as I do. I would like to dance in this midnight rain with him.
“Better now.” Raag pauses then steps back even farther. Turning, he closes the balcony door. “Perfect,” he says as he turns back toward me and shrugs. “We don’t want your sister to wake up.”
“Yes, we don’t,” I murmur, crossing my hands and leaning against the railing as his jacket comforts me.
“So, where were we?” Raag rakes his fingers through his hair.
“We were at… Oh, wait.” I pause, narrowing my eyes. “Where someone tricked someone into kissing someone.” I scowl playfully.
Raag smiles back. “You were very easy.”
“Tired and desperate are the words I would choose!” I speak with an edge of fake anger in my tone. Raag shakes his head and smiles, resting his hands on his waist. When he tilts his head a second later, he looks lost in thought.
“Let me ask you something before we move further from here,” Raag says, and I wonder what he means by that. “I would like to know if you will be comfortable with me.” Taking a deep breath, he paces back a little. Thin lines appear on his forehead, and he looks genuinely worried. “Take a good look at me. I don’t want you to rush into anything.”
Oh, I see what he means. The first time seeing him in person and all that. How do I tell him that I’m not only taking a good look at him, but I am practically ogling?
Raag continues, “Look, we’ve been talking for a long time now, but this is the first time you’re seeing me. You are going to spend the rest of your life with this.” He’s not smiling anymore; instead, he’s serious. Slowly he takes a couple of steps backward, carefully observing my reaction.
I gaze at him—an absolute gentleman standing right in front of my eyes, who is going to be mine. I am in such awe. He never ceases to impress me. I don’t know how I managed to spend so many months apart from this wonderful man who puts me before him, always.
Raag breaks my chain of thoughts. “Look, in the morning, things will be different. Your family and mine will start talking about rituals and traditions. You must have a chance to see me in person before those conventions begin.”
How can I not fall in love again and again with this man?
“So…what do you think?” Raag says, pulling me out of my thoughts once more, and I sense a bit of impatience in his tone.
Well, you are not responding to anything he has to ask, a voice from within reminds me.
I squint my eyes and thoughtfully start moving my gaze from his toes up to his head. “Let me see…” I say humorously.
Raag looks uncomfortable since he does not have the slightest idea about his totally killer impression on me. Looking at his tall figure, I guess that if we hugged, I would come up to his chest, a perfect spot.
God, even my subconscious wants to hug him right now.
“Um…you have to come a little closer to hear what I have to say,” I say with a straight face.
Reflexively and mechanically he takes a couple of steps forward. Though Raag’s square jawline, slightly pointy nose, and deep dark eyes look divine, his forehead is still creased.
“A bit more,” I whisper, tilting my head, leaning back on the railing. I purse my lips to hide my amusement. Raag’s creased forehead eases up, hinting his awareness of my intentions.
He comes close, so close that I can feel his sweet breath again. Butterflies flutter in my stomach.
My heart races and my lungs yearn for more air, and I start breathing heavy. Raag leans over to me, circling his arms around and rests them on the railing, holding me imprisoned. He gazes intently into my eyes, and I reciprocate.
Raag tilts his head, extending it up to my ear, and whispers, “Better now, Ms. Bhatt?”
Again, a deep breath, and I manage to whisper, “Much better.” I tilt my head a bit closer to his cheek, and plant a soft kiss on it.
“That is a very delightful answer.” He moves back a little, so he can see my face. “So, Ms. Bhatt, now that I have your answer, it is almost time for my reward.”
“I thought the answer was the reward, Mr. Purohit.”
“Are you sure you don’t have cold feet?” Raag comes too close to my lips.
Extending my neck, a little closer to his lips, I touch them with mine, and whisper, “Mayuri Bhatt, and cold feet!”
Then I find his lips locked on mine. As I leaned back, he slowly holds me into his soft embrace, supporting me. I let myself be lost in this moment. Our first kiss—the midnight drizzle, cloudy sky, and occasional lightning. This moment is rather perfect.
Then Raag slowly releases the hold and so do I. Unwantedly so, but I do it. He gazes me as I open my eyes. “I love you, Mayuri,” he murmurs.
I unfold my crossed hands and wrap them around Raag, taking him into my embrace. “I love you too.”
Oh, I’ve wanted to do this for a very long time. I rest my head on his chest and hear a steady rhythm of his heartbeat. Raag tightens his embrace in response, and I know that he too is savoring this sweet moment.
The seemingly endless wait for this perfect moment is all worth it.
“Let’s go?” Raag asks as I relish in the beauty of this time and his warm embrace.
“Now?” I ask, puzzled. “Where?”
“Somewhere…”