Chapter 63
Aditi's Perspective
"For everything," I murmured, lifting my head just enough to look up at him. "For being patient, for understanding."
His brow furrowed slightly, the confusion still lingering in his eyes. "Aditi, you don't have to thank me for that."
"I do," I said softly, my voice steadier now, though the emotion was still thick in my throat. "You could've... I mean, we could've just lost ourselves in the moment, but you didn't. You were thinking about me, about us. It means more to me than you know."
Kabir's expression softened, the hard edges of desire that had been on his face melting into something warmer, more tender. He tucked a stray strand of hair behind my ear, his fingers lingering on my cheek for a moment. "Of course I was thinking about you," he said, his voice gentle. "I'll always think about you."
His words made my heart flutter in a way that had nothing to do with physical desire. It was deeper than that, more profound. It wasn't just that he made me feel wanted, or that he respected my boundaries—it was that he truly saw me. All of me. And still, he wanted me.
I rested my head back on his chest, closing my eyes for a moment, letting myself revel in the warmth and security of his embrace. The night outside was cool, the faint sounds of the city barely audible through the office windows, but in here, in his arms, I felt cocooned in a sense of calm I hadn't expected. It wasn't the fiery passion we'd just shared—it was quieter, softer. But it was no less powerful.
We stayed like that for a while, just holding each other, our breathing finally evening out. I could feel his fingers lightly tracing patterns on my back, soothing me, grounding me in this moment with him. My mind began to clear from the haze of desire, and for the first time since we'd left the party, I felt truly at peace.
After a long while, I finally spoke, breaking the comfortable silence between us. "Kabir... can I ask you something?"
"Anything," he replied without hesitation, his chin brushing against the top of my head as he spoke.
I hesitated for a moment, unsure of how to phrase what I was feeling. There was so much I wanted to say, so much I wanted to understand, but the words felt tangled in my throat. I bit my lip, wondering if I was being silly, but the question kept pressing at the edges of my mind.
"Why me?" I finally asked, my voice soft, barely above a whisper. "Why do you look at me like... like I'm the only person in the world?"
Kabir stilled for a moment, as if he hadn't expected the question. I could feel the rise and fall of his chest beneath my cheek, steady and calm, but he didn't answer right away. His hand paused on my back, his fingers curling slightly, as if he was gathering his thoughts.
After a long pause, he gently lifted my chin, making me look up at him. His eyes were intense, but not in the way they had been earlier. There was a softness there now, a vulnerability I hadn't seen before.
"Aditi," he began, his voice low but firm, "I don't think you realize how special you are."
I blinked up at him, my heart skipping a beat at the sincerity in his voice.
He continued, his eyes never leaving mine. "From the moment I met you, I knew there was something different about you. You're strong, intelligent, compassionate... but more than that, you have this way of making everything feel lighter. Even when things are difficult, you find a way to bring light into the room. You make me want to be better, to do better."
My breath hitched as his words sank in, the weight of them filling my chest with a warmth that made my throat tighten. I wasn't used to hearing things like that—not in a way that felt so real, so honest. I had always prided myself on being independent, on standing on my own, but hearing Kabir say those things... it was like he had seen straight through me, to the parts of myself I didn't often acknowledge.
"I'm not perfect," I whispered, my voice trembling slightly. "I don't always feel strong."
He shook his head, his thumb brushing softly against my cheek. "You don't have to be perfect. None of us are. But you... you're real. And that's what makes you perfect to me."
I swallowed hard, the lump in my throat making it difficult to speak. There was something so overwhelming about the way he looked at me, the way he spoke to me. It was like he saw every part of me—the good, the bad, the broken—and still, he wanted me. Not despite my flaws, but because of them.
"I don't deserve you," I said softly, the words slipping out before I could stop them.
His brow furrowed again, this time with a flicker of frustration. "Don't say that," he murmured, his voice firm but gentle. "You deserve everything, Aditi. And I'm lucky to be the one standing here with you."
I looked up at him, my eyes searching his face, trying to find any trace of doubt, but there was none. He meant every word. And in that moment, I realized something that had been slowly dawning on me for a while now—he wasn't just someone I was falling for. He was someone who made me feel like I was more than I ever thought I could be.
I didn't know how to respond to that. Instead, I leaned up, pressing a soft, lingering kiss to his lips, hoping he could feel everything I couldn't put into words. He kissed me back, slow and tender, his hand cradling the back of my head as if he was afraid I might slip away.
When we finally pulled apart, I rested my forehead against his, my eyes closed, just breathing him in. The tension from earlier had melted into something softer, more intimate. The heat was still there, simmering beneath the surface, but it wasn't urgent anymore. It was patient, steady, like the kind of warmth that lasts.
We stayed like that for a while, just holding each other, the quiet hum of the city outside the only sound in the room. I felt safe in his arms, like nothing in the world could touch us here. It was a feeling I hadn't known I needed until now, and I didn't want it to end.
After a while, Kabir broke the silence. "Do you want to stay here for a bit?" he asked, his voice soft, almost hesitant.
I nodded, not trusting my voice to speak. The idea of going back out into the world, back to the noise and chaos of the party, felt impossible right now. Here, in this quiet space with him, everything felt... right.
Kabir smiled, a soft, knowing smile, and then, without another word, he gently scooped me up in his arms and carried me over to the small couch in the corner of the room. I let out a soft laugh, the sound light and breathy, and he grinned down at me, his eyes sparkling with mischief.
He set me down carefully on the couch, sitting beside me, his arm wrapping around my shoulders as he pulled me close. I snuggled into his side, resting my head on his chest, feeling the steady rise and fall of his breathing beneath me.
The weight of the evening, the emotions, the intensity of what had almost happened, all began to fade into a comfortable silence. I felt... content. More content than I had in a long time.
"Thank you," I whispered again, my voice soft and barely audible, but this time I knew he understood. This time, it wasn't about gratitude for what he hadn't done, but for everything he had done. For being him. For seeing me.
He pressed a soft kiss to the top of my head, his lips lingering there for a moment before he rested his cheek against my hair. "Anytime," he whispered back, his voice warm and filled with something that made my heart swell.
His arms wrapped around me, and for a while, we just sat there, comfortable in the quiet of the room. But the world outside didn't wait, and eventually, I knew we'd have to leave this small bubble we'd created.
"I guess we should get back," I said, my voice low, though a part of me didn't want to go anywhere.
Kabir gave a small, reluctant nod, his thumb brushing gently against my arm. "Yeah, we probably should. But we don't have to rush." His smile was soft, and I couldn't help but smile back.
I stood up slowly, my body still warm from his embrace, and Kabir followed suit, his hand lingering on my waist as if he wasn't quite ready to let me go yet. He stepped around me, heading toward where my dress lay discarded on the floor.
Picking it up carefully, he held it out, a playful glint in his eyes as he said, "Here, let me help you with this."
I raised an eyebrow but smiled as I stepped closer to him. His eyes met mine as he gently slipped the dress over my shoulders, taking his time as he helped me slide the dress back into place. His hands lingered at the back, carefully tugging the fabric to smooth it out before finding the zipper.
My back tingled as he slowly zipped it up, his fingers brushing lightly against my skin. The moment felt intimate, even more so than I expected. I hadn't thought getting dressed could feel this... connected.
"There," he said softly, his breath warm against my neck as he finished. His hands rested lightly on my shoulders for a second before he stepped back. "Perfect."
I turned around to find him watching me with a tender smile, the kind that made my heart skip a beat. "Your turn," I said, picking up his shirt from the couch where it had been carelessly tossed earlier.
He gave me a mock-serious look, his lips twitching as he suppressed a grin. "I suppose I could use some help," he teased.
I moved toward him, slipping the shirt over his shoulders and taking my time as I buttoned it up, one button at a time. My fingers brushed against his chest as I worked, and I could feel the way his body responded, even in this simple act. We were so close, yet it wasn't about desire anymore—it was about something more tender, something that felt... real.
As I fastened the last button, I couldn't help but look up at him, our eyes locking. "There," I said softly, my hands resting on his chest. "Perfect."
Kabir smiled, a slow, warm smile that reached his eyes. He took my hand and pressed a soft kiss to my fingers before stepping back, giving me one last lingering look.
"Ready?" he asked, his voice soft but steady.
I nodded, even though part of me wasn't quite ready to leave the comfort of the cabin. But I knew we couldn't stay hidden away forever.