Poles Apart

Chapter Twenty-One

"Tell me what?" Arjun asks, visibly perplexed.

"Who told you to take me out on a date?" I elaborate. He just randomly pops up in my house on the same day that I had this conversation with my brother and his wife, who is Arjun's sister?

He frowns. "Why would anyone tell me to take you out on a date, Arvi?"

Did Arjun come here of his own volition? Why does it feel hard to believe? "Because--" I was complaining about how I didn't know you at all? Or I was complaining about how you never took me on a date? I shake my head, not wanting to say either.

I regard him with doubt, narrowing my eyes at him. "Why are you asking me now?" I ask him, folding my hands on my stomach.

He chuckles nervously. "Because I want to take you out tomorrow?" he offers.

"No. I'm asking why now," I stress, trying to make him understand. "You could've asked me a week ago, or two weeks ago, or even a month ago-- why now?"

He looks at me like I'm not making sense. "Two weeks ago, when you were in London or one week ago when I was in Dubai?" he quizzes mockingly. "Let's not talk about one month ago. You would never go out with me a month ago."

"You don't have to be sarcastic," I mumble, picking up the cloth that I had dropped on seeing His Majesty's face. Stupid Arjun.

I link my hands behind my back, playing with the dirty piece of cloth. Arjun looks at me, his eyes twinkling with nervousness. "So...?" he stretches, shoving his hands into his pockets. "Will you go out with me tomorrow evening?"

Arjun Kona is nervous. Arjun Kona wants to go out with me; he wants to go out with me by his own volition.

I look up at his nervous face. Isn't he a specimen? Maybe not all good things take time. He gives me a timid smile, scratching the back of his neck.

Oh, my God! Arjun is nervous! I look at him in awe, taking in his features. When might another time like this come along? Arjun's shy face is a once in a lifetime opportunity.

He raises his eyebrows at me when he notices I've been looking at him for too long. He's shy! Oh, my God!

"I'll go with you," I say before he can open his mouth and make a comment.

Surprise takes over Arjun's face before he breaks into a beautiful grin. "You weren't expecting me to say yes?"

Arjun passes me a sheepish smile. "I wasn't expecting you to say yes as easily."

I raise my eyebrows at him, trying to hide my amusement. "You know telling a girl she's easy is not a very nice thing to do after she accepts to go on a date with you?"

"For what it's worth," Arjun starts, shoving his hands in his pockets. "I've never felt as nervous to ask anyone else out, before."

I need to summon every ounce of self-control in me to restrain myself from reaching out to him and kissing him senselessly. Unfortunately, I do have sense, and it prohibits me from doing such a thing.

Arjun takes both of my hands within his and steps closer to me. I look up at him, frozen. With a soft smile, he places my hands on his defined shoulders. His hands go around my waist and stay there. His gentle actions make my breath hitch, sending my senses on overdrive. I don't think it's healthy for my heart to be thudding so fast.

I wonder if he's going to kiss me, if he did, it would be a kiss I had dreamed of; in the middle of my dusty library, in messy clothes with a man of my future.

Arjun's touch is soft, and there's nothing passionate and rough about it, but the way he looks at me; like I'm precious, it makes me weak in the knees.