"From Rivals to Forever: A Journey of Love"

Chapter 70

Kabir's Perspective

The night was winding down after what had been a whirlwind of an engagement. The sounds of laughter and clinking glasses still echoed faintly in my ears as I sat back, my black sherwani feeling just a little too snug now that the excitement had worn off. But my mind wasn't on the party anymore—it was on her.

Aditi had been a vision tonight. She looked even more stunning than I had imagined, and I couldn't stop replaying how she smiled shyly every time our eyes met across the room. That same excitement buzzed in my veins as I pulled out my phone to text her.

"Still awake?"

Her reply came almost immediately.

"Barely, but yes."

A smile tugged at my lips. Of course, she was awake. I knew she had to be feeling just as restless as I was.

"Good. I wasn't done talking to you, fiancée." I typed back, loving how that word sounded. Fiancée. It had a ring to it, didn't it?

"Oh? What else do you want to say, Mr. Fiancé?" she teased.

"You looked breathtaking tonight. Every time I saw you, I wanted to..."

I left it unfinished, knowing it would leave her hanging. She didn't disappoint.

"Wanted to... what?"

My heart raced, imagining her reading my texts with that small smirk she always had when she was playing along.

"Wanted to pull you into a corner, pin you against the wall, and kiss you senseless," I typed, the image vivid in my mind.

Her reply came slower this time.

"Kabir..."

There was something in that one word that made my pulse spike. She was flustered, I could tell.

"What? Just being honest. You in that outfit, how was I supposed to keep my hands off you?"

Her response made me grin. "You're impossible, you know that?"

"You love it."

"Do I?"

I could feel the playful tension building between us. She wanted me to work for it, to push her just a little more.

"Oh, you definitely do. Don't pretend like you weren't thinking the same thing when you saw me in my sherwani."

"Well... maybe. But I'm not admitting to anything!"

I laughed softly to myself, knowing she was blushing on the other end.

"You don't have to. I know exactly what you were thinking when you saw me. It's written all over your face."

There was a brief pause, and then: "You wish!"

"Oh, I know. And you want to know something else?"

"What?"

I leaned back against the wall, letting the moment build.

"I can't stop thinking about how incredible you looked tonight... and how much better you'd look with nothing on."

I could practically feel her breath catch as she read that. It took her a minute to respond.

"Kabir!! You can't just say things like that!"

"Why not? You already know what I'm like."

"I'm in bed! Trying to sleep!" she texted, but I could sense the excitement beneath her faux protest.

"That's the point. I want you thinking about me while you're lying there."

Her reply was hesitant but playful: "I already am."

That did it. I couldn't hold back any longer. I sent her a voice note, my voice low and teasing as I spoke.

"I know you're thinking about me, Aditi. I can feel it. Just imagine me right there with you, running my hands down your body, whispering in your ear. You wouldn't be able to stop yourself from wanting more."

I hit send, knowing it would push her over the edge.

After a moment, I got a frantic text back: "Kabir! Oh my God, I forgot to put in my earphones!"

I laughed out loud, picturing her fumbling with her phone, panicking. "Oops. Did I wake someone up?"

"No, but Arushi and Ridhima are in the room with me!"

"And you still haven't learned to be careful around me?" I teased.

"You are so bad for me," she replied, but I could tell she wasn't really mad. Just flustered, which was exactly what I wanted.

"Not bad. Just the right amount of trouble," I corrected.

The teasing, the playful back-and-forth—it was all part of what made us us. And as much as I loved driving her crazy, I knew she loved it too.

Her next message was quieter, more intimate. "I'm putting my earphones in now. Talk to me."

I smiled, imagining her lying there, waiting for my voice. I sent another note, keeping my tone soft, almost like a whisper this time.

"I can't wait to see you again, to hold you in my arms. You'll be mine soon, Aditi. And when you are, I'll make sure you never forget moments like this."

She took a moment before responding.

"You have no idea what you do to me."

"Oh, I think I do. And I'm just getting started."

I could feel the temperature rising between us, the teasing giving way to something deeper, something more intimate.

"You're going to make it impossible to sleep now," she confessed, and I couldn't help but smile.

"Good. Then you'll be thinking about me all night. And I'll be thinking about you."

Her next text was almost shy. "You really have no filter, do you?"

"Not with you. Why should I? We've seen it all before, haven't we?"

I knew that would get to her, and it did.

"You remember that?" she asked, and I could picture her blushing, remembering the time we'd been so close, so exposed.

"How could I forget? You looked so damn beautiful, even like that. Especially like that."

Her reply was slower this time. "You're going to be the death of me, Kabir."

"Maybe. But I'll make it worth it."

The playful banter continued, each message more charged than the last. The teasing, the back-and-forth—it was like a dance we both knew by heart, one we never wanted to end. But eventually, the fatigue caught up with us.

"We should probably sleep," she texted reluctantly.

"I know. But I don't want to stop talking to you."

"Same. But we'll talk tomorrow, right?"

"Of course. I'll call you first thing."

I smiled, knowing we'd pick up right where we left off.

"Goodnight, Aditi."

"Goodnight, Kabir. Sweet dreams."

As I put my phone down, I felt a sense of satisfaction wash over me. Tonight had been perfect in more ways than one. And even though we were miles apart, I knew she was thinking about me just as much as I was thinking about her.