Bridging Hearts

20. You're impossible.

Her

I had to bite the inside of my cheek to keep from smiling as Bhaiya drove us to the QuantumTech building. The familiar sight of the tall, sleek skyscraper came into view, its windows gleaming under the sun. My excitement bubbled under the surface, but I couldn't let it show. Bhaiya was too perceptive, and the last thing I needed was for him to get suspicious.

This past week had been a whirlwind of sneaky meetings, stolen glances, and secret touches that had my heart racing every time I thought about them. Dante and I had perfected the art of pretending to be at odds while secretly sharing moments that made my head spin.

Bhaiya interrupted my thoughts as he turned the car into the parking lot. "You ready for the meeting?"

I nodded, putting on my best calm face. "Yeah, I've got the designs ready. I think you'll both like what I've done with the lobby concept."

He glanced at me briefly before focusing back on the road. "Good. It's a big project for us. You've been working hard."

"Of course," I replied, keeping my tone neutral. Professional. "I want it to be perfect."

We parked, and as we stepped out, I forced myself to look focused. As much as I wanted to rush into the building and find Dante, I knew better than to let my excitement get the best of me.

But sneaking around wasn't without its challenges. Just yesterday, Dante and I had met in one of the empty corridors, stealing a quick moment away. He'd cornered me against the wall, his eyes dark with mischief, lips inches from mine. I could still feel the ghost of his breath on my skin when-

"Tara!" Bhaiya's voice snapped me out of my thoughts, and I blinked, realizing I had been daydreaming.

"Yes?"

He was holding the door open for me. "We're going to be late if you keep standing there."

"Right, sorry," I muttered, stepping inside.

The meeting room was large, with a massive glass table in the center and a panoramic view of the city stretching out beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows. Bhaiya took a seat at the head of the table, and I laid out my designs, carefully avoiding Dante's gaze as he entered the room behind us.

"Let's get started," Bhaiya said, his voice all business. I pulled out my tablet and started explaining the new design layout for the lobby.

I could feel Dante's eyes on me the entire time. The heat of his gaze was palpable, sending a shiver down my spine. It took everything in me to stay professional, to focus on the presentation. Bhaiya asked a few questions, and I answered them confidently, pointing out the functionality and aesthetics of the new design.

But then Dante spoke up, and I instantly knew where this was going. He smirked, leaning back in his chair, his arms crossed over his chest. "I think the lighting could be better," he said, casually picking apart one of the elements I'd spent hours perfecting. "It feels a little... flat, don't you think?"

I shot him a look, my irritation half-real, half-fake. I knew he was only doing this to start an argument in front of Bhaiya, and while it was part of our act, he always managed to rile me up. "The lighting is designed to highlight the central art piece, Mr. Grump. It's supposed to draw attention, not overpower the room."

Dante leaned forward slightly, his smirk deepening. "But if the lighting's off, the whole effect is lost. It's too soft."

I rolled my eyes, pretending to be exasperated. "Do you ever stop being a stubborn jerk?"

Bhaiya chuckled, clearly used to our back-and-forth. "Alright, you two. We don't need to turn this into a fight."

But Dante wasn't done. He stood up, walking around the table as if inspecting the designs more closely. His movement was slow, deliberate. I should've seen it coming, but I was too caught up in the argument.

He stopped beside me, leaning down to examine the design laid out on the table. His face was close to mine, too close, and my heart stuttered when he leaned in even further, his lips brushing the shell of my ear.

"Only when I'm busy imagining how perfectly stubborn our kisses can be," he whispered, his voice low and teasing.

Heat flooded my face, and I clenched the pen in my hand to stop myself from reacting. Bhaiya was right there. I swallowed hard, struggling to keep my voice steady.

"Y-you wish," I muttered under my breath, glaring at him for effect.

Dante straightened up, his expression neutral again as he moved back to his seat. I stole a glance at Bhaiya, who hadn't noticed anything as he was busy observing the blueprints.

Thank God.

The rest of the meeting went by without further incident, but my heart was still racing by the time it ended. Bhaiya stood, stretching his arms. "Alright, I need to take a call. Tara, good work as always. Dante, try to be less picky next time."

Dante gave a mock salute. "I'll try, but no promises."

Bhaiya left the room, and as soon as the door closed behind him, I let out a long breath. Dante stood up, crossing the room in a few long strides to stand in front of me. His playful smirk was back.

"Petardo," he murmured, his hands coming up to rest on my hips. "You handled that very well."

I tried to scowl at him, but the warmth in his touch and the softness in his voice made it impossible. "You almost got us caught."

"But we didn't get caught," he said, leaning closer, his lips hovering over mine. "And that's what makes it fun."

I rolled my eyes but couldn't stop the smile that tugged at my lips. "You're impossible."

Dante chuckled softly, his breath warm against my skin. "Impossible, yes, but you love it."

Before I could respond, the door opened again, and we jumped apart like guilty teenagers. Bhaiya walked back in, oblivious to what had just almost happened. Dante shot me a quick wink before turning back to Bhaiya, launching into some random discussion about company finances.

I crossed my arms, trying to look annoyed, but inside, I was buzzing.

Later that afternoon, I found myself in the break room, grabbing a coffee when I felt Dante's presence behind me. His hand brushed mine as he reached for a cup, and my pulse quickened.

"Meet me on the rooftop in five minutes," he whispered, his voice sending a shiver down my spine. Then he was gone, leaving me standing there, trying to hide the smile that threatened to break through.

Ten minutes later, I slipped away, heading up to the rooftop. When I arrived, Dante was already there, leaning against the railing, waiting for me with that mischievous glint in his eyes.

"You're late," he teased.

"I had to make sure Bhaiya didn't notice me sneaking off," I replied, stepping closer.

Dante grinned and pulled me into his arms, his lips finding mine in a slow, deep kiss that sent sparks through my entire body. For a moment, nothing else mattered but him and the feel of his hands on my waist, the taste of his lips.

Just as things were heating up, the rooftop door swung open, and we jumped apart again. Bhaiya's voice called out, "Tara! Dante! What are you two doing up here?"

I turned around quickly, frowning. "What else? Trying to get him to agree with the lighting design!"

Dante crossed his arms, pretending to be irritated. "As if she could ever convince me of anything."

Bhaiya raised an eyebrow, clearly not in the mood for our bickering. "Both of you, stop fighting and get back to work. I don't have time to babysit you two."

We exchanged a quick glance, suppressing our laughter as Bhaiya disappeared back inside.

The second we were alone again, Dante smirked. "This is getting way too fun, Petardo."

I shook my head, grinning as I leaned into him. "You're going to get us in trouble."

"Maybe," he whispered, "but at least it'll be worth it."

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