I'll Love You Longer Than Forever

Chapter Forty Three

The next few days passed in a blissful blur for Armaan and Riddhima. They spent their days at the conference, amassing knowledge and meeting new people and their evenings lost in each other. Armaan had been true to his word and Armaan and Riddhima went out on a date almost everyday.

After their date at the Sienne, which Riddhima absolutely loved (she was repaying Armaan in kisses, as demanded by him), they had roamed around quite a bit of Paris. They went ice skating, for walks in promenades and gardens, for live performances, pubs and restaurants and even to wine tastings.

They'd visited the Centre Georges Pompidou to watch the love performances. The structure of the exhibit in itself was enthralling. Seeing it in person, they understood the reason as to why it was such a celebrated piece of architecture. And the performances were just as amazing. From the juggler to the live band and the painter, all the artists were pros and knew what they were doing. It was exhilarating to watch. They went wild, clicking pictures of every little thing they could see.

They visited the Arc de Triomphe to see the magnificent view of the Chemps Elysees. From there, they visited the Notre Dame Cathedral.

"This is so beautiful," Riddhima whispered as she looked around.

"Very beautiful," Armaan agreed, only he was looking at her when saying that. Riddhima turned to look at him and blushed when she saw him gazing at her intently.

"Armaan," she whispered.

"Riddhima," Armaan replied, catching hold of a stray strand of hair on her forehead and pushing it behind her ear.

"Why are you looking at me?" She asked, curiously.

"Because you're beautiful," he replied.

(A/N - TfiOS moment right here. Oh Gus! <3)

"Not nearly as this," she gestured to the view they had.

"Depends on who you ask."

Riddhima scoffed.

"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, Basket. Or didn't you listen to Shakespeare?"

All Riddhima could do was blush.

They lit a candle at the cathedral, praying for a happy life together.

"I love you," Armaan whispered, kissing Riddhima's temple softly.

"I love you, too," she replied, kissing his cheek as they made their way out of the cathedral.

They locked a locket at the bridge across from the cathedral. After that, they explored around Shakespeare and Co, the iconic bookstore, also near the cathedral. Both of them ended up buying a ton of books and Armaan got to kiss Riddhima in the romance aisle of the store, so he loved it even more.

They even went for a show at the Moulin Rouge. Though, Armaan was really scpetical about that, mainly because he was sure that it would make Riddhima really uncomfortable, he agreed to go on her insistence. And, sure enough, Riddhima looked like a deer caught in headlights the minute she walked in. Armaan assured her that it was okay to leave if she didn't like it, but Riddhima had been adamant.

After her initial discomfort faded away, she did enjoy the show. It was really unchartered territory for her, for both of them, but they enjoyed it immensely. The fact that it turned them on greatly was just another bonus in Armaan's eyes. The gorgeous dress that Riddhima had been wearing that day - a dark red, off shoulder gown with a deep slit (worn on his repeated insistence, obviously) - didn't really help matters. He looked no less dashing in his black tux, which Riddhima found really sexy on him. That night, after the show, they did something they didn't really expect. They made out in an alley beside the club. Which continued in the taxi back to the hotel and then later in their hotel room till the wee hours of morning. Though, they were both turned on, and as they discovered later in the night, ready to go all the way, they didn't. Armaan knew that though Riddhima trusted him with all her heart, it was important to her that they be married before crossing any boundaries. So, he would wait. Though, the sounds that Riddhima made when he touched and kissed those exact spots on her body, specifically on her neck and near her ear didn't help matters, at all.