LOVER

Chapter 38

SHUBHISHA POV

The butter chicken had been plated, and the soft candlelight made everything look almost magical. They sat down at the small table, the familiar comfort of each other's presence making the room feel warmer than the gentle glow of the flames.

Shubman scooped a bite of the chicken, testing it with an exaggerated look of concentration. "Okay, okay. This is officially the best butter chicken I've ever had. And I've had a lot of butter chicken."

Manisha rolled her eyes, a smile tugging at her lips. "Is that your way of saying 'I did a great job'?"

He leaned back in his chair, setting his fork down for a moment. "Honestly? It's a team effort. And I think this is the perfect combination of flavors... like us."

She paused mid-bite, looking up at him with wide eyes. "Like us?" she echoed, a playful glint in her gaze.

"Yeah," he said, smiling softly. "We balance each other out. I bring the... spice, and you bring the calm. You keep me grounded, and I keep things interesting."

Manisha's smile softened, her gaze dropping to her plate as a warmth spread through her chest. There was something about the way he said it-genuine, unspoken. She'd never expected their first dinner together to be anything more than a fun evening, but it felt like more than that. It felt... right.

She met his gaze again, her voice quieter. "You're right, you know. You do keep things interesting."

"Interesting good, or interesting complicated?" he teased, leaning forward.

"Definitely complicated." She winked at him before taking another bite of chicken, savoring the warmth of both the food and his company. "But I wouldn't have it any other way."

There was a moment of silence between them-the comfortable kind. The kind where words weren't needed. Shubman reached for his glass of water, his eyes lingering on her face a moment longer than usual.

Manisha caught his gaze, her heart beating a little faster. "What?" she asked, her voice softer now, almost like she didn't want to break the spell.

Shubman's smile softened, and he leaned back in his chair, as if weighing something in his mind. "It's just... I feel like I've known you forever, even though we've only just started. There's this... easy feeling when I'm around you. Like I don't have to try so hard."

Manisha's breath hitched slightly, her chest tight with something she couldn't quite place. She knew what he meant. It was like they'd already skipped all the awkward phases of getting to know someone. With him, everything felt effortless-yet so important.

"I feel the same," she said quietly, her gaze dropping to the candle flame in front of her. "It's like... time slows down when I'm with you. Nothing else matters."

The silence that followed wasn't awkward-it was peaceful. They didn't need to say anything more. The connection between them, in that moment, spoke volumes. They both knew they were starting something real, and neither wanted to rush it.

After a while, Shubman broke the silence with a teasing grin, his voice lighter now. "So... I guess I should start planning our next cooking adventure?"

Manisha laughed, feeling the tension lift. "As long as you don't try to burn the kitchen down next time, sure."

"Deal." He reached across the table and tapped his glass against hers. "To more butter chicken... and to us."

Manisha smiled, meeting his eyes with the quiet certainty that the evening was just the beginning.

The soft flicker of candlelight had faded as they stepped out onto the balcony, the night air wrapping around them like a cool, gentle embrace. The city lights below glittered like scattered stars, but it was the quiet between them that held the magic tonight. Manisha leaned on the railing, looking out at the skyline, her thoughts heavy.