Mission Impossible:(AK) Part 13, PG- 49 - Page 14

Chapter Six

It was below one degrees Celsius by the time they reached their hotel, around an hour or so later. The second Kripa stepped out of the car, first it was rain that fell on her like cold ice chips, then the rain turned into soft snow, turning her nose and cheeks red instantly. Her legs just might have to amputated, she thought as Angad took her hand and ran towards the entrance, if she stayed out here for another second. It would be cold she knew very well, this was Italy you were taking about. This cold, however, she hadn't realized. She was already sneezing when they entered the warm lobby of the room.

Her sneezing stopped, midway, the moment she looked at what she was standing in. The floor beneath her very expensive boots was marble, and the ceiling above her head covered with snow was wood and water-blue glass and chandeliers. There were little plants everywhere, and small tables, center pieced with real roses, all around.

"Welcome to Florence, Sir. Here are you keys." The receptionist handed her the keys with a smile.

"Thank you," he took the keys and looked back at Kripa. "Shall we go?" He asked her.

"Hmm? Oh." She snapped out quickly. "Sorry. It's just, its so beautiful."

"I know. But we have to go now." He dragged her with him, while the butlers brought their luggage.

"Grazie." Kripa said to the man when he brought their luggage to the door, and handing her a fax.

"You speak Italian?"

"A little, I took it in college. I'll be using it for the first time." She turned around from locking the door and looked at the stunning room. The walls were painted a dull rose color, with matching flooring and furniture. There was a small glass table in the center of the room, in front of a normal sized sofa, and between two arm chairs. Across the table were a few stairs and the first bedroom, with curtains as its doors. She searched for the second room and didn't find one, and frowned.

"What's wrong?" he asked after fussing with his phone.

"Where's the second room?"

"Well." He looked at the first room, looked for the other one and didn't find it himself. "There's been a mistake. I'll go find out."

"Call them from here, stupid."

He grinned picking up the phone. "Hi, we requested for a two room hotel, I think we have the wrong room." A pause. "Oh alright then. No, no. Thank you."

"What happened?"

"Someone messed up, and the hotel had no more vacancies right now for four days."

Frowning, she dropped in the middle of the sofa, arm stretched over the top of it, one leg crossing the other. "This thing is comfortable enough…" she said bouncing on it to prove it.

"Kripa you're not going to sleep on the sofa."

"Correct you are." She walked to him, smiled charmingly. "You are." And, then kissed his cheek.

"Ah-" he said dumbfounded at her modesty.

"Let me finish," she spoke quickly, "for tonight, we'll switch tomorrow. And, we'll flip a coin on the third night. Now, according to the fax, we're shooting tomorrow in front of Giardino di Boboli. Don't ask what it means."

"Gottcha. So today?"

"Nothing at all, the day is ours." She said excited.

"Excellent. Dinner?"

"Anywhere you want." Still very excited.

"A date with me?"

"Of-." She looked at him and lifted an eye brow; he mirrored her.

"Will you have dinner with me? Formally." He asked.

She thought looking at him. He was single, as was she. She hadn't had a dinner with a man, as her date, in some time now, this would be nice, relaxing as someone served her in some disgustingly pricy, fancy, restaurant. And, then she really wouldn't mind lip-locking him either. The man had such a handsome mouth.

"Fine." She said and smiled. "One condition."

"Anything."

"We'll divvy-up the bill."

"We will." He leaned over and kissed her cheek, then the other, "next time. Tonight's on me."

He looked… she couldn't think of a word as she looked at him across the lobby. Just so charming and handsome and manly, rough in such a charming way, she decided finally, and smiled at him as he extended his hand. The hand that she noticed for the first time, was so firm and strong. His body was lean yet muscular. Tall and sharp. He'd chose the right profession, she mused looking at him as he drove to wherever it was they were going. He looked different, more elegant and graceful, dressed in a formal black suit, instead on jeans and a shirt.

"What are you thinking, Kripa?" he asked when he got tired of her just looking at him. "Rather, why are you staring at me like this? Do I look bad?"

"No." She shook her head, laughed. "No." She didn't have to give him an explanation, she never needed, would ever need, to give anyone any explanation. She would never change for anyone.

But she had change, a little, she realized, and looked back at Angad. And, it was because of the man sitting beside her.

"I would love it," he said after another few minutes, "if you could at least talk to me, princess."

She liked how he addressed her then, and smiled absently. He turned his head and watched her lips curl into that gracious smile, that made his heart flutter and swell. Oh, she was going to drive him mad very soon.

"Well, to start it off then," she finally spoke, "why are we going on this little date?"

"Let's see. A challenging, question this is, Kripa. Maybe because, I like you." He took her hand in his. "Because I enjoy your company." And, brushed his lips over his knuckles. Then, linked his fingers and brought their joined hands to his heart. "You make my heartbeat go faster." He was flirting, she knew very well, and allowed him to keep her hand in his, then allowed him to continue. "Everything becomes blurry around me, except your lovely face. Your voice is like music to my ears, and…"

"That's enough." She said laughing now, slightly disappointed, when he left her hand to turn into the parking lot of the restaurant.

"I thought you might want to hear more." He teased as he turned the ignition off. He rounded the hood and opened the door for her. For him it was snowing rose petals, for her, it was just snowing.

"Is this Italian cuisine?"

"No, they have more than just Italian. They have menus you know."

She rolled her eyes, and said blandly, "really?" She wrapped her hand around his arm just because she was so used to doing that whenever she went out with Ethan. Her mouth seemed to bitter thinking about him.

The inside of the restaurant was settled in a very romantic theme. The entire place was lit only with candles. If she heard anything it was the violinists and pianists playing, and hushed whispering of so many couples. They were lead to their table, which Angad had purposely booked in the back corner.

He helped her out of her heavy coat and gave it to the waiter with his own coat. Under that coat she was dressed in a metallic, light purpled color dress that fell right below her knees. She'd left her shoulder bare with skin, as she did her neck. In her ears she was wear little pearls; that he saw once she pushed her lazily curled hair back.

Her eyes gazed around the room and then met his, locked for two seconds. A waiter came to them and gave them each a menu. "Would you like to order a drink to begin with?"

"Yes, Viognier, for both of us."

"Alright."

Once the waitress left, Angad moved his chair closer to Kripa's, relaxed when she didn't mind or comment about it.

"What type of wine is that?" She asked just for the sake of talking.

"White. It comes from a French winery, originally, a very rare wine that this place has."

She closed her menu, set it aside, plopped her chin in her hand, elbow on the table, and looked at him. "Wine expert as well, are you?"
"I worked for a winery in France for a year when I was studying abroad." He shrugged and relaxed his shoulders. "I was inquisitive."
"That's good. Tell me more."

"The wine is better when had before or after a meal, not with the meal."

She tilted her head slightly, "why?"

He grinned and leaned forward, towards her. "I'm not sure, but it's true. Has to do something with the type of grape its made from." He took her hand away from her chin and held it. "You have beautiful eyes, Kripa."

She blushed, looking away from him, for the first time in years. So many people had told her the same thing, when she was wearing contacts, because they never knew what her eyes really looked like. Now that Angad told her, she blushed like a silly eighteen year old.

"You're not the same person I knew earlier today, Angad. Thank you, anyways."

"Anytime."

When their wine arrived, Angad tapped his glass light with hers and said, "to you."

"And, to you." She said and sipped. She let the wine roll around her mouth for a moment and then let it down her throat. It was rich and creamy. Tastes of apricots and oranges mixed, with a hint of grape. Sweet.

"Do you like it?" He asked when she set her glass down.

"Yes. It's very light."

He nodded in agreement. "Tell me more about you Kripa. I barely know you."

"I've nothing much to tell. I'm the first child of my parents four children. Always been the rebellion in the house. I was born in Punjab, hated the lifestyle. We moved to California when I was around twelve. I adapted well. Wanted to study further after high school, my father wanted me to marry and go back. Being the rebel, I refused and studied journalism, advertising, and business management at New York University, went to graduate school there as well. Got my degree in journalism and advertising there. Worked. Lived. Fed. And, I've been following that lifestyle since." She looked down at her bare hands, she no longer wore any rings, and linked them together.

"And, your family?"

"My family." Her tone was gentler now, softer. Sadder. "Mom used to call me often, hasn't in almost three months now. I haven't met them since my freshmen year of college. Forget about me." She said brushing the matter aside. "How about you?"
"My life. I was born in Boston, grew up there, went to college. The normal."

"Where?" Because it felt good to, she unlinked her hands and found his, held it in hers. He simply smiled when she did.

"Cornell."

"Ooh. Nice, Dr. Khanna. Why modeling then?"

"Things just didn't work out for me. I was in the last term of medical school when I was approached by a very small company, it sounded cool, I did it. I liked how it worked. It allowed me to be so many different people in one life, so I chose that profession, along with a medical degree as a pediatrician."

"I was thinking something more complex, like a brain surgeon."

"Nah. I like kids. I was going to become a newborn specialist, up to the time they are like three or four."

She wrinkled her nose. "Cute. So, who gave you the big break?"

"Three years ago, I was doing a advertisement for Macys. Marc Jacobs called me and asked me if I was interested in modeling for him for a year, a full calendar shoot, photo shoot, ramp walks, and what not. And, that was it."

"I want to see those pictures."

He picked up his glass and sipped. "My Mom sends me a scrapbook at the end of every year, and it has every picture that's been taken of me, I have a bunch in my house in Milan, we can see them."

"Thank you."

"Why didn't you get married?" She wanted to sigh at the way he rubbed his thumb over the back of her hand. So erotic. And, with that she almost kicked herself for thinking like that about him. He was great and all, but she'd just broken up, barely three weeks ago. She had yet to recover from that tragic relationship.

But then again, there was no harm in admiring a mans good looks. He was a hell of an eye candy.

"Didn't find my princess. You?" Now it seems like I have.

"Haven't found my Mr. Right." I never will. "What else? You're life's more interesting than mine. What about your family?"

"I'm the oldest, I have two other siblings, a brother and sister. Parents in Boston."

"How often do you see them?"

"Too many times to count in a year. New Years, Christmas. Thanksgiving is coming up. Easter. Spring. They need a reason to call me and I need a reason to cancel everything to go home and eat what Mom's cooked for a change. Dad's a business man, has a chain for small cafes around the states. Over all, I'm a pretty happy guy."

"Good for you." She almost felt jealousy stir in her, listening to him. She hadn't seen her family since freshman year of college, ten full years soon. She shook her head, there was no point on going back now. She had learned to live for the moment. To make herself believe, she picked up her wine and sipped.

He noticed the sudden loneliness in her eyes, but didn't say anything. He'd find a day and make her spit it all out. They had a lovely conversation, over a lovely dinner, and at least three more glasses of wine. Without noticing or minding, they ate out of each others plates, tried things they hadn't ordered for themselves, switching wine glasses as well. And the dinner ended too early, according to Kripa. Since her break-up with Ethan, she hadn't had such a great time.

He paid the bill, even when she began to speak against it. In fact, it bothered her that he didn't even let her see the bill. Very unlike Ethan as well.

Why, she asked herself as they walked back to the car, was she comparing him with Ethan? Angad Khanna was far better in every aspect.

Kripa was sitting on the sofa watching a movie when Angad got out of the bathroom, after his nightly shower. She had a mug of coffee in her hands and was wearing black framed glasses. She'd braided her hair, loosely, and was wearing a pink night suit, with a white sweater on top. In the simple attire, she looked better than she did earlier that night.

"I didn't order you a cup." She said when the commercials came on. "I wasn't sure if you wanted one."

"It's okay. I'm not that fond of coffee at night." He sat down beside her. "You don't look very tired."

"Bored of me already?" She turned to him and smiled. "You've to spend nearly three weeks with me, boss. It's only the first day." She rested the cup on the table.
"I don't mind spending a lifetime with someone like you, Kripa."

Shocked, she looked back at him. His face was so serious, and handsome even then. "Why?"

"There are just so many reasons." He tucked the falling hair behind her ear and kept his hand at her cheek. "May I?" he asked looking at her lips and then into her eyes.

She merely nodded and closed her eyes after that.

It was just a brush of lips over hers, but it made her shiver the way Ethan's kisses never did. She hated herself, she was still thinking about him. He didn't deserve it at all.

"Again." The word came from her mouth against her will, and stunned them both.

This time it was more than just him brushing his lips over hers. He slipped his arms around her this time, pushed her gently back into the sofa, and deepened the kiss.

It took her a moment to accept the gentleness. The firmness. She framed his face with her hands and kissed him with the same compassion and passion he was kissing her with.

She was shivering, she realized for the second time in her life while kissing someone. The first time was during her first kiss and now.

She knew she had to pull away now, but no part of her wanted to. Instead, her arms just slipped around him. He broke the kiss then, shocking her just a little.

"Angad." She whispered his name, her eyes still closed. That's all she could think of then. Angad…

He framed her face again so she opened her eyes and looked into his.

All he did was press a kiss to her forehead, kept his lips there for a few seconds and then rest his cheek against it, holding her closer, and she wanted to hold him, tighter, and weep.

Hey guys,

Hope you enjoyed this part. This FF had maybe, oh, 4-5 parts. I'm streaching it a little more than i had planned to. In fact, I ended up changing the entire story, sad how it always happens. Anyways, I'll post the next part as soon as i can. FYI: School resumes on Monday, jan 8, (I hate it, in case anyone was wondering) and I will cont this FF once to twice a week then. I will put up another poll, with options to choose from for my next fan-fiction about a week or two after i've finished this one, keep your eyes open for that. I'll post this link of it here as well. I know for a fact i won't continue Tuesday, i dont get back from L.A. until seven that night.

Hmmmm.... lastly, keep your eyes open, also, for me being angry and upset over stupid silly things, with finals coming around. I dont hate you, i just hate the fact i have to maintain my grades 😡

Love ya alll

Neha😉