Is't Called Destiny

RETURN FROM ITALY

Part 45: Return from Italy

The morning sun kissed the rolling hills of Tuscany as Darsh and Kanishka packed their bags, preparing to leave the picturesque Italian villa that had been their home for the past week. The honeymoon had been a whirlwind of beautiful sights, delicious food, and, for Kanishka, a rollercoaster of emotions. As she zipped up her suitcase, her mind was still reeling from the events of their last night there.

Darsh, on the other hand, seemed to be in high spirits. He was humming a cheerful tune as he folded his clothes, casting sly glances at Kanishka every now and then. He had been teasing her relentlessly about their night together, and she was growing increasingly irritated.

"Are you ready to go, Mrs. Singhal?" Darsh asked with a playful smirk.

Kanishka rolled her eyes. "Yes, Mr. Singhal. Let's get this over with."

Darsh chuckled. "Oh, come on. Don’t be so grumpy. We had a great time, didn't we? Especially that last night..."

Kanishka shot him a glare. "Can you just drop it, Darsh?"

He leaned closer, his eyes twinkling with mischief. "Why? Are you embarrassed about how much you enjoyed it?"

Kanishka's cheeks flushed. "I told you, we were drunk. It was a mistake."

Darsh straightened up, looking mock-offended. "A mistake? Is that what you call a night of passion? Because if that's the case, I wouldn't mind making more 'mistakes' like that."

"Darsh, stop it!" she snapped, her irritation evident. "This isn't a joke."

He laughed, clearly enjoying her discomfort. "Relax, Kanishka. I'm just teasing. But you have to admit, it was pretty memorable."

She sighed, rubbing her temples. "Can we just focus on getting back home?"

Darsh grinned. "Sure thing. But just so you know, I won't forget that night anytime soon."

They finished packing and headed to the airport, with Darsh continuing to drop suggestive comments whenever he got the chance. On the plane, he nudged her playfully as they settled into their seats.

"Do you think the flight attendants will notice if we sneak into the bathroom together?" he whispered.

Kanishka groaned. "Darsh, please. Can we have a normal conversation for once?"

"Define normal," he said with a wink.

She sighed, trying to ignore him as she pulled out a book from her bag. "Just... try to behave, okay?"

"For you, anything," he said, leaning back in his seat with a satisfied smile.

As the plane took off, Kanishka tried to focus on her book, but Darsh's presence was impossible to ignore. Every now and then, he would lean over and make a cheeky comment, earning himself a frustrated huff from her.

"Remember that time at the vineyard?" he whispered. "I think that was when I really saw a different side of you."

"Darsh, I'm trying to read," she said through gritted teeth.

He chuckled. "Alright, I'll let you read. For now."

The flight seemed to stretch on forever, and by the time they landed back home, Kanishka was exhausted from both the journey and Darsh's constant teasing. As they waited for their luggage, he sidled up to her again.

"Home sweet home," he said, stretching his arms. "But I have to say, I'll miss Italy. Especially the nights."

Kanishka gave him a pointed look. "Do you ever stop?"

"Not when it comes to you," he replied smoothly. "You make it too easy to flirt."

She shook her head, exasperated. "You're impossible."

"But you love it," he said with a grin.

They finally collected their bags and headed out to the car waiting for them. As they drove home, Darsh continued to make light-hearted comments, clearly enjoying the effect he had on her. Kanishka did her best to ignore him, but it was hard to completely shut him out.

Back at their house, they began unpacking their things. Darsh leaned against the doorframe of her room, watching her with a smile.

"You know, Kanishka, if you ever want to relive that night, just let me know."

She turned to him, her frustration boiling over. "Darsh, enough! I get it, you had fun. But for me, it was a mistake, okay? Can we just move past it?"

He raised his hands in surrender. "Alright, alright. I'll stop. But just so you know, I don't regret it."

Kanishka sighed, turning back to her suitcase. "Well, I do."

Darsh's playful expression softened a bit. "Okay, I'll stop teasing. But Kanishka, I meant what I said. There's something between us, even if you don't want to admit it."

She didn't respond, focusing on her unpacking. Darsh watched her for a moment longer before leaving her room, giving her the space she clearly needed.

As Kanishka continued to put away her things, she couldn't help but feel a pang of uncertainty. Darsh's words echoed in her mind, and despite her frustration, she couldn't deny that there was a spark between them. But for now, she was determined to keep her distance and focus on her own path.