Chapter 54
Aditi's Perspective
We pulled into the parking lot of the restaurant, and as soon as Kabir turned off the engine, I reached for the door handle, ready to step out. But just as my fingers touched the cool metal, I felt his hand on mine, stopping me.
"Wait," he said, his voice soft but firm, "let me get that for you."
I blinked at him, momentarily caught off guard by the book-boyfriend gesture. Before I could protest, he was already out of the car, jogging around to my side. I watched as he opened my door, offering his hand to help me out.
I couldn't help the smile that spread across my face. What a gentleman, I thought to myself, as I placed my hand in his. His grip was firm but gentle, and he pulled me out of the car with such care, as if I was something precious, delicate.
As I stepped out, I looked up at him, my heart swelling with emotions I wasn't sure how to express. "What did I do to deserve you?" I whispered, the words tumbling out before I could stop them.
Kabir's eyes softened, his expression warm as he leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to my cheek. The simple gesture sent warmth flooding through me, making my heart race in the most wonderful way.
"You deserve the world, Aditi," he whispered against my skin, his voice so low that only I could hear it.
My chest tightened at his words, my throat closing with emotion, and I couldn't speak for a moment. All I could do was let him guide me toward the entrance of the restaurant, our hands still entwined as if we were afraid to let go.
As soon as we stepped into the restaurant's dimly lit, elegant space, Kabir turned to the hostess, keeping my hand in his. "Reservation for two under Kabir Mehra."
The hostess gave him a polite smile, glancing briefly at me before focusing her attention on Kabir. She quickly confirmed the reservation and gestured for us to follow her, leading us toward a cozy, intimate table in a quiet corner of the restaurant. Kabir never let go of my hand as we walked, his thumb brushing the back of it gently, sending little sparks of warmth through me with each touch.
When we reached the table, I noticed the waitress standing by, already setting the glasses of water. She smiled—at Kabir. And maybe it was my imagination, but her smile seemed just a little too sweet. She barely glanced my way, her eyes fixed on him, lingering for a moment longer than necessary.
I felt a small pang of annoyance rise in my chest. The way she kept looking at him, with those overly sweet eyes, as if I wasn't even there—it irked me. But Kabir didn't seem to notice. His focus was entirely on me, as if the rest of the world didn't exist.
"Can I get you something to start with?" the waitress asked, her voice dripping with honey, and her gaze still on Kabir.
He looked slightly uncomfortable, his eyes darting between me and the menu as if trying to figure out how to navigate this awkward interaction. I could feel my irritation building, not at him, but at her.
Before Kabir could respond, I leaned forward, my tone deliberately casual yet firm. "Well, let me and my husband go through the menu, and we'll let you know what we'd like to have."
Her expression faltered for a moment, and I could see the subtle shift in her demeanor as my words sunk in. Husband. I let that word hang in the air, enjoying the slight flicker of surprise that crossed her face.
Kabir smiled at me then, and under the table, he squeezed my hand, his thumb stroking the back of it softly. The waitress muttered a quick, "Of course," before scurrying off, clearly sensing that she was no longer the star of the show.
As soon as she was gone, Kabir chuckled softly, leaning across the table to catch my eye. "Husband, huh?"
I flushed, realizing how easily the word had slipped out. But looking at him, seeing that easy, amused smile on his face, I didn't regret it for a second. "Well, it worked, didn't it?" I teased, raising an eyebrow.
Kabir grinned, leaning closer. "It definitely worked." He brought my hand to his lips again, pressing a soft kiss to my knuckles. "But now you've got me thinking about what it would be like to actually hear you call me that."
I felt my heart skip a beat, my cheeks flushing as I looked into his eyes. There was something so sincere, so full of warmth in the way he was looking at me, that it made me feel like I was floating.
I laughed softly, shaking my head to hide how flustered I felt. "You're impossible, Kabir."
"Only when it comes to you," he said softly, his thumb still stroking my hand. His eyes were so full of affection, so full of love, that I had to look away for a moment, my heart too full to speak.
We spent the next few minutes skimming through the menu, but honestly, I wasn't even paying attention. My mind kept drifting back to him, to the way he had held me, the way he had kissed me in the car. I couldn't focus on food when my heart was so full of him.
Eventually, we decided on our order, and when the waitress came back—this time more professional and less flirtatious—we placed it, Kabir once again doing most of the talking. But now, her gaze flickered to me more often, as if she realized that I wasn't going to fade into the background. I was here, and I wasn't going anywhere.
After she left, Kabir reached across the table, taking my hand again. His touch was gentle but firm, and I marveled at how natural it felt to be this close to him, to be so connected.
"So," he began, his voice soft as he gazed at me, "what's on your mind, Aditi?"
I smiled at him, feeling my heart swell at the question. He always had this way of making me feel like whatever I was thinking or feeling was the most important thing in the world. "Just thinking about how lucky I am," I said softly, squeezing his hand.
Kabir's eyes softened, his thumb still brushing over my skin. "I'm the lucky one, you know."
I laughed, shaking my head. "No, Kabir. You have no idea. You... you make everything better. You make me better. Sometimes I feel like... I don't deserve you."
His expression grew serious, and he leaned forward, his gaze never leaving mine. "Aditi," he said, his voice low, "don't ever say that. You deserve all of this and more. You deserve everything."
My throat tightened, and I had to look away for a moment, blinking back the sudden moisture in my eyes. "I just... sometimes I wonder how I got so lucky. You're kind, patient, loving... I'm not perfect, Kabir. You deserve someone who—"
"Stop," he whispered, cutting me off. He stood up from his seat, rounding the table before pulling me gently to my feet. Without a word, he guided me to his side of the table, sitting me down beside him. His arm wrapped around me, holding me close as his other hand cupped my cheek.
"You're perfect for me, Aditi," he said softly, his thumb brushing away a stray tear that had fallen from my eye. "I don't care about perfect. I care about you. You're everything I've ever wanted, everything I could ever need."
I looked into his eyes, feeling the sincerity of his words wrap around me like a warm blanket. He wasn't just saying it to make me feel better. He meant it. Every word.
"I love you, Aditi," he whispered, his lips brushing against my temple. "More than I could ever put into words."
My heart swelled in my chest, and I leaned into him, letting his warmth seep into me, letting his words settle in my heart. "I love you too, Kabir," I whispered back, my voice thick with emotion. "I love you so much."
For a long moment, we sat there in comfortable silence, just holding each other. The world outside seemed to fade away, and there was only us, wrapped up in each other's warmth, in the quiet promise of forever.
When the food finally arrived, neither of us was in a hurry to move. Kabir picked up the fork, wrapping the noodles carefully around it, and I watched as he brought it to my lips.
"Here," he said softly, his eyes filled with tenderness.
I blinked back tears as I opened my mouth, letting him feed me. The taste of the noodles was familiar, but what made my eyes moisten was the gesture itself—the care, the love behind it.
"Hey," Kabir said softly, his brow furrowing as he noticed the tears in my eyes. "Why are you crying?"
I shook my head, trying to laugh through the tears. "You're just... you're way too good for me, Kabir."
He smiled, shaking his head as he reached out to wipe away the tear that had escaped. "Shh," he whispered, "don't say that."
Before I could protest, he gently tugged me closer, making me stand up and sit beside him again. His arm wrapped around me, holding me close as he leaned in, his lips brushing against my temple.
"I love you, Aditi," he whispered softly, his hand squeezing mine. "More than anything. You don't need to be perfect for me. Just being with you is enough. You are enough."
I looked up at him, my heart swelling with love and gratitude. "I love you too, Kabir," I whispered, leaning into his touch. "I'm so lucky to have you."
He smiled, his eyes filled with warmth as he kissed me softly, his lips lingering against mine for just a moment longer than necessary.
We spent the rest of the evening feeding each other, laughing softly as we shared bites of food, our hands never straying far from one another. It was one of those moments that felt simple, yet profound—like everything had fallen into place, like the universe had aligned just for us.
As we finished our meal and sat back, I glanced at Kabir, feeling the overwhelming weight of my love for him settle in my chest. "You know," I began, my voice soft, "I think this might be the best night of my life."
Kabir smiled, his hand squeezing mine gently. "It's only the beginning, Aditi," he whispered, his eyes filled with a promise that made my heart race. "Just the beginning."