I Found You

35.

Setting his hair back with gel, Vikram dabbed cologne on his neck and then on his wrists, taking a glance in the mirror.

He was dressed in a crisp white shirt paired elegantly with black jeans. The idea was to twin with his wife, who was currently getting ready with the girls in the other room.

As he fastened the Rolex around his wrist, he realized it had been eight hours since she had been away from him.

But at least she was happy now, spending time with everyone, after being off since the morning despite his efforts to cheer her up.

Her capacity to find happiness in the tiniest of details never ceased to amaze him. The way her eyes had lit up when Kabir gifted her pink roses and the heartwarming smile that adorned her lips when she saw her family.

After pocketing his phone, he decided to head down to the hotel's backyard to make sure everything was in order for the family dinner and celebration.

As he turned the doorknob, his breath caught in his throat at the sight of the beauty in front of him. There she stood, adorned in an ankle-length white dress he had bought for her.

Her hair fell in loose waves, with front locks loosely braided and fastened at the back of her head with a single pink rose tucked in between the braid.

Her brown eyes were accentuated by a soft shimmery eyeshadow. Her cheeks flushed faintly with a subtle shine on them, adding to her radiating glow. Her lips were coated in a soft rosy gloss, the one he liked on her.

The fragrance of her vanilla body mist hung in the air, intoxicating his senses, urging him to lean closer to her neck and inhale deeply.

Though every fiber of his being yearned to close the distance, to wipe off the gloss from her lips, to envelop himself in her until he started smelling like her, he held back.

"Be quick, guys, everyone is already downstairs." Mukti's voice pierced through the air, pulling his attention away from Adhira's face.

Glancing up, he caught the girls exchanging grins and a few words, undoubtedly meant for them alone, before they left. Entering the room, Adhira turned her focus back to him, her gaze timid.

"You are beautiful," he found himself unable to tear his gaze from her.

Vikram Vashishth, you lucky dog!

"I... I got sunflowers for you, you love them, right?" he murmured, moving back to the sofa to grab the bouquet.

A soft smile graced her lips, her eyes fixed on him with an intensity that did something deep within his soul.  He felt his cheeks heating up under her gaze, a shyness taking over him.

As she extended her hand to receive the bouquet, the briefest touch of their fingers ignited a rush of emotions within him.

Fuck! Why am I acting like some fucking love-struck teenager? I've never been the mushy, sunshine type. What the fuck happened to me?

As she tore her gaze away from the flowers, her eyes met his. Moving closer, she rose on her toes, the click of her heels echoing in the room.

She cupped his left cheek, her palm warm against his skin, before she pressed her lips to his right cheek. Her kiss lingered for a while before she pulled back, leaving him longing for more.