ILYLTF #5 (Chapter 145 - Page 110) - Page 75

Originally posted by: coderlady

They had such a blast in Paris. And that was not even their destination. More fun awaits.

Mrs Blanc remembered her difficult customer. What extra piece of jewelry did he sneak in?

Hahaha you'll have to wait and see what she snuck in for Armaan!!

Chapter 135

"This is a disaster," Riddhima moaned, throwing herself on the side of the road. "Tum hamesha yeh sab gadbad kaise kar lete ho, Armaan? Koi special talent hai kya?"

"Ab isme meri kya galti hai?!" Armaan cried, scandalized. "Mujhe pata tha kya ki aisa ho jaayega? Maine toh sab precautions liye the na!"

"Pch, kya faayda? Sab gadbad toh ho gayi na! Actually, mujhe yeh anticipate karna chahiye tha. Aaj tak tumhaara aisa kaunsa kaam hai jo perfectly hua hai?" Riddhima questioned rhetorically.

The two of them were stranded on their way to Amalfi. They'd left Naples after a late breakfast and a lazy shower. Armaan had booked them a car that he'd insisted on driving himself to get them to Positano, where they'd be staying for the remainder of their honeymoon. It was a beautiful vehicle and Riddhima had immediately fallen in love. She knew that Armaan had made sure to check that they had enough fuel, the tyres were good, and that the engine was working properly before leaving Naples behind. Yet, somehow, they were now in the middle of nowhere with a car that refused to start and no signal on their mobiles. They'd been trying to ask for a lift for the past half an hour to no avail.

"I'm sorry," Armaan muttered, all remorseful and guilty. He should've done better.

"It's not your fault," Riddhima replied immediately, walking around the car to pull him into a tight hug. "I'm sorry. Mujhe aise nahi bolna chahiye tha. I know tumhaare koi galti nahi hai. Tumne sab achche se check kiya tha. Ab humein kya pata tha ki aisa ho jaayega?"

"But ab kya karein? Kisi ka phone bhi nahi lag raha aur koi gaadi bhi nahi ruk rahi," Armaan replied.

"Paidal chalein?" Riddhima wondered out loud.

"Itna samaan leke?" Armaan cried incredulously. "No way!"

"Toh samaan gaadi mein chod dete hain," Riddhima shrugged.

"Haan, bas… Yeh gaadi aur itna saara samaan sab aise hi chodke chale jaate hain taaki koi sab chori kar le!" Armaan said sarcastically.

"Tum taana kyun maar rahe ho?" Riddhima whined. "At least I'm thinking of solutions!"

"Tumhe kya lagta hai main aise hi khada hoon? I'm trying to think, Basket. Lekin hum kya kar sakte hain? Bina phone ke kisi ko kaise call karein?" Armaan pointed out. "Aur aise beech raaste sab chodke nahi jaa sakte. We have no option. Humein kisi se lift hi leni padegi."

Riddhima sighed. "But koi ruk bhi toh nahi raha!"

"Koi naa koi zaroor rukega. Let's just hope for the best," Armaan replied.

A few minutes later, Armaan heard the rev of another engine and immediately went to stand in the middle of the road, Riddhima quickly following suit. The last 4 cars that had passed by had not stopped for them. Riddhima didn't have a lot of hope for this one either, but Armaan was right. At the moment, there was nothing else they could do.

Once the car came into view, Armaan began waving his arms frantically. "Help! Please! Help! We're stuck!" He shouted, hoping to gain their attention as if two people blocking their way would not be enough. Riddhima admired the effort he was putting in, but she readied herself for another disappointment. And then, a miracle happened. The car actually stopped.

"Can I help you?" A man asked, stepping outside the car from the driver's seat.

"Hey, hi. Yes!" Armaan exhaled. "Our car broke down and we have no signal. We need help in any way that you can provide. Please."

"Desi ho kya?" The main questioned, squinting at them.

"Haan!" Armaan shouted. "Haanji. Hum… Hum India se aaye hain. Amalfi ghoomne."

"Oh. Hi. I'm Ruhan. Ab India se aaye ho, toh waise mere padosi huye. Originally, main Pakistan se hoon lekin kuch saalon se yahaan Italy mein reh raha hoon. Chaliye, main bhi uss taraf jaa raha hoon toh aapko chod dunga," he said.

"Thank you so much! I'm Armaan," Armaan introduced himself. "And this is Riddhima. She's my wife."

Riddhima and Ruhan exchanged greetings too. "Thank you so much, Ruhan. Hum kabse khade hain lekin koi lift hi nahi de raha tha. This is so nice of you."

"Don't even worry," Ruhan assured. "Luggage meri gaadi mein daal do. Main ek mechanic ko jaanta hoon. Woh gaadi tow kar lega."

"Shouldn't we wait for him?" Armaan asked, skeptical.

"Look, don't worry. Woh meri pehchaan ka hai. The car will be absolutely safe," Ruhan assured. "Aur haan, yeh mera tum dono ko lootne ka koi master plan nahi hai. Pakistan se Italy job ke liye aaya hoon and I'm doing pretty well for myself. So, mujhe chori karne ki bilkul zaroorat nahi hai."

"Exactly what a thief would say," Riddhima mumbled under her breath but Ruhan heard her. He laughed. "No, seriously. Wait. Let me introduce you to my girlfriend. She's in the car."

He hurried back to bring a beautiful woman with him. "Hi, I'm Sanskriti. This one's girlfriend," she introduced herself. "We're also on our way to a weekend getaway to Positano. It's so nice to meet you."

"Oh, hi. I'm Riddhima. This is my husband, Armaan. Thank you so much for helping us out. We are so grateful!" Riddhima exclaimed.

"Don't even mention it," Sanskriti assured her. "Shall we get this show on the road?"

"Of course!" Riddhima agreed immediately. Something about the woman had instantly put her at ease, as if she'd known Sanskriti for a while now. She walked to their car, Armaan helplessly following her. While they removed their luggage, Ruhan spoke to a mechanic. "He'll be here in like 20 minutes."

"Oh, that's great. We can follow him to his shop and get down there," Armaan said.

"Don't be silly," Sanskriti protested. "Who knows how long it might take for them to make repairs. Like I said, we are also going to Positano. We can easily drop you off at your hotel. Where are you staying?"

"The Sirenuse," Armaan told her reluctantly, making Sanskriti whistle. "Oh, damn."

"Yeah, well," Armaan couldn't help but feel embarrassed at her reaction. "We're on our honeymoon."

"Oh! Congratulations!!" Sanskriti exclaimed. "I hope you two have a great life together!"

"Thank you," Armaan replied, rubbing the back of his neck in a nervous gesture.

"Is this hotel really expensive?" Riddhima asked then, looking at Sankriti's reaction.

"Oh, you don't know?" Sanskriti asked, surprised.

"Ummm… The entire trip is kind of a surprise for me? Armaan has not shared any details. He knew I wanted to visit Amalfi for a while so he's surprising me with a dream honeymoon and I have no clue about anything," Riddhima explained.

"Awww, that's so sweet!" Sanskriti cooed. "But, to answer your question. Yes, that hotel is crazy expensive. Staying there for even a night is on my bucket list… Like one of those things you wish to do once you're a billionaire."

"Why don't you stay the night with us?" Riddhima offered immediately, paying no mind to Armaan's absolute disgust at the suggestion. "You're helping us out in such a dire situation. This is the least we can do."

"Ahhh, no thanks!" Sanskriti denied immediately, laughing at the expression Armaan was pulling. "It's your honeymoon. You're here to spend time with each other, not anyone else. Plus, our villa is already booked, and they won't process a refund. It would be a shame to let that go to waste."

"If you're sure," Riddhima acquiesced.

"Yes, totally. Don't even think about it. But, if you really want to thank us, I will not say no to dinner at one of the restaurants," Sanskriti told Riddhima.

"Sannnnn!" Ruhan exclaimed. "You can't just invite yourself out to dinner with them. That's rude."

"It's not!" Sanskriti and Riddhima declared at the same time. They turned to each other and burst into a fit of giggles. "Seriously, it's not," Riddhima repeated. "And we would love to take you to dinner."

"Yes, please!" Armaan added. "Like Riddhima said, you're really helping us out in this fix. Dinner is the least we can do."

"If you're sure," Ruhan still looked reluctant.

"Absolutely," both Armaan & Riddhima chorused.

"Okay, then. Dinner!" Ruhan agreed.

By then, the mechanic had arrived with the tow truck. He took a preliminary look at the engine and announced that it would take at least 4 hours to get the car in working condition.

"Can you drop it at the Sirenuse in Positano?" Armaan asked.

"Sure," the mechanic agreed. "But it will be extra for delivery."

"Okay. Sounds good," Armaan asserted. They exchanged contact information and Armaan paid some advance for the repairs. And then, they were on the road with Sanskriti and Ruhan.

"So, what is it that you do?" Armaan asked the couple, wanting to make small talk to pass the journey.

"I work in public relations," Ruhan explained. "I started out in the hotel industry in Islamabad at one of these posh five star hotels. When the opportunity to work for the same hotelier in Italy arrived, I took it."

"Oh, that sounds nice. Do you have family back in Pakistan?" Riddhima asked.

"Yes," Ruhan replied. "My mother and my younger sister are still there. I've been trying to convince them to move here, but you know how moms are. "Main Pakistan kabhi nahi chodungi," she says."

"I hope you convince her to move," Riddhima said.

"Yes. Ruhi, my sister, she's still in college and doesn't want to change schools. So, once she's done, I'll somehow bring them here," Ruhan revealed.

"That's great!" Armaan cheered.

"What about you, Sanskriti?" Riddhima asked.

"Oh, I'm a chef! Born and raised right here in Italy. My parents moved from Kolkata when my dad got a job opportunity here. Since I've always lived in Italy, my Hindi is weak, which is why I don't really speak it," Sanskriti said.

"Don't feel embarrassed about it. Armaan grew up in India and yet, his Hindi is still weak," Riddhima joked.

"It is not!" Armaan protested, scandalized.

"Baby, you couldn't even pronounce pushtaini correctly," Riddhima reminded him.

"That was an accident! A slip of tongue!" Armaan defended himself.

"It's okay to admit you're not good at something, Armaan. I'll still love you the same," Riddhima promised. Armaan stuck his tongue out to her like the mature adult that he was.

"What about you? What do you do?" Sanskriti asked.

"We're doctors," Riddhima told her. "We work at a hospital in Mumbai, which is where we met. And now, here we are… After three years, finally married."

"Oh, doctors! That has got to be a very taxing profession. I can only imagine how hard you work everyday. Honestly, I'm really impressed," Ruhan stated.

"I'm sure working at a hotel is just as hectic," Armaan said. "There's always so much to do! I briefly did think about getting into hotel management, so I know."

"How do you make a leap from hotel management to medicine?" Sanskriti wondered out loud.

"You do not need to understand what goes on in my brain. Trust me, it's for your own benefit," Armaan answered sagely, as if he was imparting some life changing advice. It made Sanskriti laugh.

"So, what are your plans while you're here? How long are you here for?" Sanskriti asked instead.

"We're here for another 10 days or so. As for our plans… We're gonna be stationed in Positano, but if everything goes according to plan we should be able to visit all the islands along the coast. I was told that travelling from Positano is the easiest, so we're staying here," Armaan explained.

"Oh, definitely!! 10 days is long enough to explore the coastline. You'll have so much fun!" Ruhan said.

"How long are you here for?" Riddhima asked then.

"Oh, we're only here for 3 days. It's a little getaway to celebrate this one's birthday," Ruhan told Riddhima, flicking her head in Sanskriti's direction.

"Oh, that's so sweet!" Riddhima gushed.

"Yeah, he's sweet sometimes," Sanskriti agreed. "Most of the time though, he's a demon."

Armaan cackled. "Oh, I get what you mean," Riddhima asserted, stopping him midlaugh.

"Tumhe bas mauka chahiye na?" Armaan scowled.

"Oh, baby. Of course!" Riddhima agreed. "I thought you knew that."

Armaan huffed and turned away from her, looking out the window. Riddhima smiled to herself, shaking her head at his childishness. She reached up to place a kiss on his cheek in appeasement, which worked like a miracle, as always. Armaan grinned down at her, prompting her to mirror it with a smile of her own.

"You guys are so cuteeeee!!" Sanskriti exclaimed. Riddhima predictably blushed at her statement.

"Hey!" Armaan suddenly shouted. "I just realized. We have no signal, so how did you make the call?"

Ruhan laughed. "You probably got that international roaming thing on an Indian SIM, but I have local Italian network. That makes a difference."

"Does it? Isn't the entire point to have network out of India?" Armaan asked.

"Yes, but it has limitations, obviously. Your network will never be as good as a local provider. I think it's difficult on the road because of the lack of cell towers, but don't worry. You won't face this issue in Positano. Amalfi is a tourist hub so they make sure that such things don't happen," Ruhan told them.

"If it continues, I'll probably just get a new number for a few days," Armaan shrugged.

Conversation mellowed a little after that. At some point, Ruhan turned on the music system in the car to play old Bollywood songs. The three of them belted out the lyrics in horribly off key tones while Sanskriti scowled at them. They took turns playing I Spy.

It was nearing evening when they finally reached Positano. Ruhan insisted on dropping them off to the hotel. "Thank you so much once again," Riddhima expressed. "You've been godsent."

"Seriously, Riddhima. Stop thanking us so much!" Ruhan rebuked good naturedly.

"You're sure we can't entice you into staying for a night?" Riddhima asked.

"Absolutely positive," Sanskriti replied.

"Okay, but dinner tonight?" Armaan questioned. "Or does tomorrow work better for you?"

"You're the one with the loaded itinerary. You tell us," Sanskriti told him.

Armaan laughed. "We're on vacation. The entire point is to relax. So, we can move things around. Don't worry about it."

"Oh, okay. We don't have much planned for today. Frankly, we were just going to order in after the drive. So, let's meet up in a few hours?" Ruhan suggested.

"Awesome!" Armaan agreed enthusiastically. "I'll take care of everything, so you just need to show up."

"As you wish," Sanskriti announced. "Awesome. Thank you!"

"Don't even mention it," Riddhima said.

"See you in a few hours then," Ruhan said, once Armaan and him and removed all the bags from the trunk.

"Yes!" Armaan pulled him into a hug. Riddhima gave Sanskriti a hug too. Then, they were driving away and Armaan & Riddhima checked into the hotel.

Armaan had booked them a suite once again. It was gorgeous. The suite opened to a sitting area with a sofa and a home theatre set up, along with a writing desk. There was a spacious balcony overlooking the ocean, which was larger than the living room. It had a dining table for two on one side and lounge chairs on the other. The bedroom was huge with a king size bed in the middle. There was a bathroom on one end and another balcony on the other. The balcony had a private pool, overlooking the gardens of the hotel.

"This is so amazing, baby!" Riddhima cried, throwing herself in Armaan's arms. The force had them tumbling onto the bed.

"Oooof!" Armaan muttered around laughter. "Glad you like it. So, what plans now?"

"M'comfy," Riddhima mumbled into his chest. "Mujhe kuch nahi karna."

"Samesies," Armaan replied. "Let's nap."

"Mmmm," Riddhima hummed. Laughing, Armaan shifted them so they were fully on the bed, and rearranged them into comfortable positions - him flat on his back with Riddhima pressed into his side, her head on his chest. Riddhima fell asleep almost immediately, tired from the long journey. He looked at her for a while, looking so serene in sleep, making her look even more beautiful. He didn't even realize when he fell asleep either.

Riddhima woke up a few hours later. The sun had set, masking the room in darkness. She could feel more than see Armaan beside her. When she tried to get out of bed, Armaan's arms around her tightened. "Mmm, don't go," he mumbled in his sleep. Riddhima stopped struggling and wrapped her arms around him, running her fingers down his back, lulling him back to sleep. Once she was sure he was back to sleep, she quietly slipped away.

The first thing she did was take a shower, washing the trip off her. Then, she ordered some food for the two of them. The last they'd eaten had been the heavy breakfast before leaving Naples and she was hungry. She was sure Armaan would be too, once he woke up. She also asked the hotel staff for an appropriate present and asked for help to buy it for her. They were most eager to do so, and less than half an hour later, she had a gorgeous handbag from one of the many couture brands that had outlets within the hotel.

Armaan padded into the living room a few moments after. "Kahaan thi tum?" He asked, almost accusatorily, as he wrapped his arms around her.

"Main toh yahin thi. Bas thodi bhook lagi thi toh khana order kar liya," Riddhima told him. "Tumhaara hi wait kar rahi thi. Chalo, thoda kha lete hain."

"Hmmm," Armaan mumbled into her neck.

"Armaan!! I'm hungry!" Riddhima exclaimed, when he didn't move.

"Fine," Armaan sighed, pulling away. The two of them sat on the sofa to eat whatever Riddhima had called for. It was then that Armaan noticed the bag sitting on the writing desk. "Very good, Basket," he commented. "Tumhaari shopping abhi se shuru ho gayi?"

Riddhima rolled her eyes. "Woh Sanskriti ke liye hai. A birthday present."

"Ohhhh," Armaan hummed thoughtfully. "That's nice. Abhi zyada mat kha lena. Humaari reservation hai ek ghante mein."

"Haan," Riddhima said. "Tum bhi kha ke naha lo aur phir hum tayyaar honge tab tak time ho jaayega."

Armaan did as she suggested. He opted for a little casual look with jeans, a smart shirt, and a blazer. Riddhima had chosen a casual dress. By the time they reached the lobby, Ruhan and Sanskriti were already there.

"You made it!" Riddhima said by way of greeting, hugging Sanskriti. "Happy birthday!" She said, presenting her new friend with the bag.

"Riddhima, there was no need," Sanskriti protested.

"You have to keep it and I won't budge. Don't try to get into an argument with me. I'll win," Riddhima told her. Snorting, Sanskriti agreed.

They went to Sponda, the hotel's in-house restaurant for dinner. Time passed quickly between great food and even better company. Armaan realized that it was very easy to get along with the two of them, which made sense given that they worked in the hotel industry. They were bound to be outgoing people who would be comfortable in any situation and always knew how to make conversation.

After dinner, they went out for drinks at the hotel bar and took to the dance floor. Armaan twirled Riddhima around as Ruhan ans Sanskriti hooted, encouraging them. With Riddhima's laughter echoing in his ears, Armaan felt this was the happiest he'd ever been.

It was so good they ran into such lovely people. Being stranded on the road is no fun. It worked out well and they had a nice evening.

Chapter 136

The next morning, Armaan woke Riddhima up with breakfast in bed. They lounged in bed for greater part of the morning, equal parts eating and making out, which gradually led to another round of lovemaking. Riddhima had realized that they were both insatiable when it came to the other. Maybe down the line, the novelty would wear off and she wouldn't feel as if she was on fire every time Armaan as much as looked at her in a certain way, but for now, she thoroughly enjoyed the reaction Armaan incited in her, and she in him.

They ventured out of the hotel later in the day, exploring the town and eating all the dessert they could find. Positano was a very pretty town, and they meandered through the crowds on foot, taking in every location. Again, Riddhima insisted on clicking a lot of photos. Armaan was only too happy to oblige.

They decided to go on a trek after some sightseeing. Riddhima could not believe she let Armaan talk her into a trek instead of going to the beach, but she humoured him nonetheless, after he promised that they could go to the beach later. Anyway, the sand would be too hot for them to go to the beach in the middle of the afternoon, or so Armaan said. After some research, which included calling the hotel for recommendations, Armaan had narrowed on a trail for them. Thankfully, they'd both dressed in comfy clothes and sneakers, as well as carried basic supplies like water and sunscreen for their little expedition, so they didn't need to go to the hotel.

"Here," Armaan pointed to a narrow path on a gentle slope along the coast. "This is it."

The first few miles were easy. Armaan helped Riddhima, guiding her to make sure she didn't step on any sharp rocks or branches. But then, Riddhima got tired. "That's it," she declared, sitting on a big rock. "Ab main aur nahi chal sakti."

"Basketttt! Bas thoda aur!" Armaan encouraged. "Hum almost pohonch gaye!"

"Armaan, main Amalfi aayi thi beach pe jaane. Pahaad chadhne nahi. Tum jao. Main yahin theek hoon," Riddhima huffed.

Sighing, Armaan turned around and bent. "What?" Riddhima asked. "Get on," Armaan commanded. "Main tumhe leke chalta hoon."

Riddhima giggled. "Muscles achche se bana liye?" She asked, remembering that time after she'd confessed to him, the second time, and he'd carried her all the way down the hill, jokingly complaining about her weight the entire time.

"Anything for my lovely wife," Armaan promised, turning to look at her, a beautiful smile on his face. Riddhima mirrored his smile, throwing herself around him in a hug, sending them both tumbling on the ground. Armaan burst into laughter at her actions. "Kya hua?" He asked between giggles.

Riddhima shrugged. "Felt like it."

Armaan readily accepted her answer without enquiring further. A few minutes later, he sat up, and helped Riddhima do too. He bent in front of her and this time, Riddhima climbed on to his back. She wrapped her arms around his neck and tightly wound her legs around his waist. "Chalein?" She asked. She was so close Armaan felt her breath on his neck, making him shudder. So, maybe this wasn't the best idea, he realized, feeling Riddhima's body flush against his. Well, too late to back out now. If he did, Riddhima would tease him about it forever. And, it wasn't like being this close to her was ever a hardship. He'd just have to have better control of his body and its reaction to her. He could do it. He'd done it for years already.

Steeling himself, Armaan nodded his assent and started walking up the hill. Riddhima picked up conversation a couple of minutes in, pleasantly droning about something or the other. It was not long before they reached the top to a spectacular view that made the climb worth it. Armaan let Riddhima down, absolutely awestruck. The sky was a pretty pinkish orange, the sun beginning to set on the horizon, casting the last of its rays on the deep blue sea. It looked more like a scene out of a painting than anything in real life. "Wow," Armaan breathed. Riddhima echoed his sentiment.

"Thank God tum humein yahaan le aaye. Warna yeh view miss ho jaata," Riddhima murmured softly, not wanting to break the sanctity of the moment. Armaan wrapped an arm around Riddhima's waist, pulling her into his side. He removed his jacket and spread it out on the grass for Riddhima to sit on, which she did after giving him a smacking kiss. He sat beside her, gulping down the water they'd carried.

After a while, Riddhima had laid down on the grass and pulled Armaan along with her. She rested her head on his chest, pointing at the clouds. "That one is a dog," she said, gesturing to one of them.

"No, Basket. That's a snowman," Armaan insisted. "Woh kahaan se tumhe dog lag raha hai?"

"Armaan, tum dhyaan se dekho. Woh snowman nahi, dog hi hai," Riddhima fired back.

"Maine kaha na, woh snowman hai," Armaan insisted.

"Don't be stupid, baby! Woh dog hi hai and that's final," Riddhima retorted.

"Snowman!!" Armaan exclaimed.

"Dog!" Riddhima cried.

"Snowman!"

"Dog!"

"Bakwaas mat karo, Basket!"

"Tum idiot ki tarah behave mat karo, Armaan!"

"Huh!"

"Huh!"

And somehow, as it always did, the petty argument resulted in them huffing at each other and turning their face away. Riddhima even pushed herself up so that she wasn't glued to Armaan's side, putting some distance between them. Extremely offended at the attempt, Armaan immediately pulled her back, making her fall on top of him and holding her tight.

"Armaan!" Riddhima cried. "Chodo mujhe!"

"Kli," Armaan clicked his tongue. "Nahi chodunga!"

"Pch. Armaan!" Riddhima whined.

"Riddhima," Armaan muttered back, looking at her expectantly, waiting for her to finish her sentence. Defeated, Riddhima sagged, letting her body rest against his. Sometime after that, she suggested they start the trek back down so that they don't get lost in the dark, making Armaan grin. "But that's how we started!" Armaan winked. "It'll be like old times. You and me, falling in love."

Riddhima blushed even as she teased him. "So cheesy, Dr. Mallik."

"Made you smile, Dr. Mallik," was Armaan's pat reply.

"But seriously. Chalo chalte hain," she insisted. Armaan reluctantly agreed. He lifted her up in a princess carry this time, wading through the shrubs and stones to safely get them back down.

When they were back at sea level, Armaan bustled them into a nearby cafe for food. They ended up gorging on a lot of food, hungry from their activities. Not wanting to go back to the hotel just yet, Armaan ordered some alcohol. "Mmmm," he appreciatively hummed at the first sip. "Basket, you should try this! This is good."

He shoved the glass in front of Riddhima and she obliged, immediately making a face as the taste registered. "Yuck! Kitna kadwa hai. Tumhe achcha kaise lag raha hai?"

Armaan laughed. "Fine. Tumhaare liye kuch aur order karta hoon. Ruko!"

He opened the menu and studied every item listed on it in careful detail before settling on one and ordering it for her. When Riddhima took the first sip this time, he paid attention to every detail, smiling smugly when he registered the uptick of her mouth. "This is okay," Riddhima reluctantly agreed. Armaan laughed. It was clear she loved it but wouldn't admit it. But, he'd let it go. For now.

He watched in morbid fascination as she drained the glass at a speed he couldn't fathom having. "Should we order a refill?" He asked her, gesturing at her empty glass.

Riddhima wrinkled her nose. "Kuch aur try karein?" She asked.

"Absolutely," Armaan agreed enthusiastically. He ordered another drink this time, and a refill for himself. He was happy to note that Riddhima loved the new drink just as much as the old drink. It became an unspoken game after that. Armaan would make Riddhima try new drinks till they found one that Riddhima didn't like. Armaan took his responsibility extremely seriously and studied the menu as if he would be quizzed on it later before ordering for Riddhima. He really wanted to win.

When Riddhima licked off the corner of the third glass too, Armaan made the executive decision to stop drinking, for he would have a very drunk Riddhima to take care of and it would not help matters if he wasn't sober either. They reached six drinks before Riddhima took a sip of the seventh, and promptly ended up puking on the side of the cafe. Armaan wasn't sure if it was because she hated the drink or if she'd had too much alcohol. Nevertheless, he decided it was enough for the night.

"I am extremely sorry!" He apologized to the server, handing him extra money for the nuisance they'd inevitably caused.

"It's okay," the server replied, though Armaan didn't believe him. The man was probably required to say that to keep his job. Feeling guilty, he pressed a few more notes into his palm before escorting Riddhima away.

Not wanting a repeat of the last time she'd gotten drunk and insisted on finding her lost sandal, Armaan wisely removed her shoes and stuffed them in his bag before picking her up once more. The entire time, Riddhima had been humming to herself, but when she felt herself being lifted, her attention turned to Armaan. "Oyye, Junior Hulk!" She cried. "Kya kar rahe ho tum?"

Armaan could not help the smile that graced his face. He was always only Junior Hulk when she was drunk. It was cute. The first time she'd gotten drunk, she'd been heartbroken over losing him, but now here they were, married and on their honeymoon. They'd come such a long way, individually and as a couple, and every single day, he was thankful that this amazing woman had thought it worth it to stick by his side.

"Tumhe hotel pe leke jaa raha hoon, Teacher," he finally replied when he felt Riddhima lightly slapping his cheek to get his attention. He'd been staring at her too intently to respond, but of course, drunk Riddhima had problems if he didn't pay her attention because he was distracted by… Well, her.

"Hotel? Hotel pe kyun jaayenge? Hum ghar jaayenge na?" Riddhima asked. "Itna achcha ghar toh hai mera! Phir main hotel mein kyu ruku?"

Armaan laughed. "Baby, woh toh Mumbai mein haina. Aur abhi toh hum Italy mein hai. Yahaan kahaan hai humaare paas ghar?"

"Hum— hum Italy kab aaye?" She hiccuped. "Kyu— kyu aaye?"

"Hum honeymoon pe aaye haina, Jaan," Armaan patiently replied.

"Oh! Main toh bhool hi gayi!" Riddhima cried, delighted. She reached up to place a slobbery kiss on Armaan's cheek and hugged him tight. "Humaari shaadi ho gayi hai! Yay!"

"Yes, yay, baby!" Armaan laughed. "Tum khush ho?"

"Bohot, bohot, bohot!" Riddhima told him. "Yeh toh mera dream come true haina! Isliye main duniya mein sabse zyada happy hoon!"

Armaan dropped a lingering kiss to the top of her head at those words. "Nah," he said into her hair. "Duniya mein sabse zyada happy toh main hoon na! Tum kaise ho sakti ho?"

"Main hoon!" Riddhima argued.

"No, Basket. Main sabse zyada happy hoon, kyunki tumne mujhse shaadi ki," Armaan told her.

"Tum har baar mujhse ladte kyun ho? Maine kaha na. Main sabse happy hoon toh bas. Tum meri baat maan lo!" Riddhima ordered. "Warna main tumse gussa ho jaungi! Phir tumhaara kya hoga?"

"Maine tumhe kaha toh hai. Tum mujhse gussa ho jaogi toh main tumhaare peeche tumhe manane aaunga. Mujhe tumhe manana bohot achcha lagta hai," Armaan told her.

Riddhima seemed to be deep in thought, mulling over her words. "Good boy," she finally declared. "Lekin tum thoda tight pakdo na! Agar main girke doob gayi toh?"

"Yahaan paani nahi hai, Riddhima," Armaan explained.

"Arreee, lekin wahaan toh hai," Riddhima pointed at the sea. "Dikh raha hai mujhe. Main usme doob jaungi. Mujhe toh swimming bhi nahi aati!"

"Tumhe aati toh hai," Armaan protested. "Maine dekha hai tumhe swimming karte hue."

"Lekin… Mujhe… Mujhe abhi yaad nahi na," Riddhima complained. "Toh main kaise karungi swimming? Waise bhi, inn kapdo mein swimming thodi karte hain," she gestured to her clothes. "Swimming karne toh swimming costume pehente haina. Woh mere paas nahi hai abhi. Toh main kaise karungi swimming?"

Armaan guffawed at her words, stumbling a little. Riddhima's hold on her neck tightened, making it a little difficult for him to breathe. "Maina kaha na tumse! Dhyaan se pakdo!" Riddhima cried. "Main gir jaati toh?"

Armaan steadied himself and shook Riddhima's arm loose, resulting in a coughing fit. "Thoda dheere se pakdo, Basket, warna hum dono gir jaayenge."

"Dono?" Riddhima pressed, feeling a little worried.

"Haan, dono," Armaan confirmed.

"Okay. Main pakadti hi nahi," saying so, Riddhima let go of the arms she'd wrapped around Armaan. The abrupt change caused her to flail a little, which made Armaan lose his balance, and this time, he did stumble into the ground. Riddhima made a sound of protest when he landed on top of her and he hastily threw himself on the road, giving Riddhima space to breathe. By the time he'd managed to steady himself, Riddhima had made herself comfortable on the ground and was staring at the sky. Armaan rolled his eyes. This was the second time this had happened to them in a day. The math on that seemed a little too far fetched, but here they were.

He started to get up, but Riddhima caught hold of his hand and made him lie down again. "Kahaan jaa rahe ho?" She asked. "Mujhe chodke jaa rahe the kya?"

"Nahi, Basket!" Armaan cried. "Bas hum gir gaye na… Toh uth raha tha. Phir tumhe bhi toh uthata."

"Lekin aise kitna achcha lag raha hai!" Riddhima exlcaimed. "Dekho woh taare kitne pretty hain."

"Tumse zyada toh nahi," Armaan answered. Riddhima giggled. Not replying to his remark, she started pointing vaguely in the air, convinced that she was showing Armaan a constellation, when really, she was pointing at the sign on a shop nearby. Still, Armaan indulged her for a few minutes, happy to let her talk, letting the sound of her voice wash over him and bring him peace.

"Basket, jaana… Bohot late ho gaya hai. Tumhe neend nahi aa rahi?" Armaan asked a little while later. His question prompted a yawn out of Riddhima. She looked so cute at that moment that Armaan wanted to die. Oblivious to his deranged thought process, his wife replied, "Haan aa toh rahi hai. Toh ab? Kya karein?"

"Chalo. Hotel chalte hain," Armaan tried again. This time, exhausted, Riddhima agreed. Armaan stood up and hoisted her in his arms again. Riddhima was fast asleep, snoring softly into his neck before he'd taken two steps. He ended up hiring a taxi to get back, not in the mood to walk the streets with no one to keep him company.

Once inside their room, he placed Riddhima on the bed. Gently, he removed her clothes and wiped the dirt and grime off her body before slipping one of his tee-shirts on her. He fluffed her pillows and covered her with the comforter. Then, he took a quick shower before getting in bed. Riddhima immediately turned to him, seeking him out even in her sleep. She burrowed into him, his arms wrapping her up in his embrace. As he fell asleep, he belatedly realized they'd forgotten to call home. Anjali was gonna be so pissed, was his last thought before he conked out for the day. Oh, well… That was a problem for tomorrow anyway. For now, it was just Armaan, Riddhima, and the cocoon of their togetherness.

Originally posted by: coderlady

It was so good they ran into such lovely people. Being stranded on the road is no fun. It worked out well and they had a nice evening.

It is absolutely not fun but ofc this is Armaan & Riddhima toh yeh toh hona hi tha!!

Junior hulk and teacher are back..I love drunk Ridhima.

M loving this 😍 please don't stop writing

Just continue it

Originally posted by: Batul22

Junior hulk and teacher are back..I love drunk Ridhima.

Drunk Riddhima is the best <3

Originally posted by: Sanaksgian

M loving this 😍 please don't stop writing

Just continue it

So glad you're enjoying :)

Chapter 137

"Finally!" Riddhima shrieked in joy as she ran down the beach, a stark contrast from just a few hours ago. Armaan trailed behind her, laughing at her enthusiasm. It had taken them a whole day, but they were finally by the sea, ready to enjoy Amalfi coast to the fullest.

That morning, Riddhima had woken with a giant hangover. Armaan had helped her with something to eat and drink after laughing himself silly over her predicament. After a shower and a power nap, Riddhima had felt better. She had insisted they go to the beach, and as always, Armaan was helpless against her, unable to ever deny her a thing. So, here they were.

"Let's sit here," Riddhima pointed at one of the less crowded spots. She spread the blanket on the sand and sat down on it. "Sunscreen first," she instructed Armaan. Pumping a generous amount onto her palm, she applied it to her arms and legs. She twisted her body, trying to apply it to her shoulders and back, but failed. Pouting, she turned to Armaan. "A little help?"

Armaan was only too happy to oblige. He sat behind Riddhima on the blanket. Taking some lotion on his hands, he massaged her shoulders, slowly trailing over her back. Riddhima sucked in a sharp breath as his fingers ghosted along her spine before finding the exposed crevices of her swimsuit, his fingers digging into her skin as he lathered them with the sunscreen. "Armaan," she breathed.

"Riddhima," Armaan whispered, nosing along her jaw and ear, stopping to bite her earlobe. Riddhima moaned at the contact. She turned to look at him and Armaan took advantage of the fact, quickly bringing their mouths together in a passionate kiss. His fingers snaked along her neck, pulling her in closer. Riddhima's hand ran up Armaan's back, finally settling in his hair, as always. She pulled his hair, making Armaan groan, his lips becoming more insistent against hers.

They only broke apart for need of air, their breaths leaving in pants. Riddhima rested her head on his chest, inhaling his scent. And promptly wrinkled her nose. "Tumne apna perfume change kiya?" She asked her husband.

Armaan looked confused for a second. "What?"

"Tumne aaj doosra perfume use kiya haina?" Riddhima pressed.

"Ummmm, haan," Armaan replied. "Tumhe kaise pata?"

"You smell different," Riddhima said. "Armaaaaaan. Kyun doosra perfume use kiya? Tumhe pata haina mujhe tunhaara regular wala hi pasand hai?"

"I know, baby. But woh hotel ke grooming kit mein tha and it smelled nice, toh maine try kar liya," Armaan defended himself. He took an exaggerated inhale, raising his armpits. "This also smells good. Is me bura kya hai?"

"Nahi, bas… Bura hai. It doesn't smell like you. Tum next time koi aur perfume use mat karna. Okay?" Riddhima demanded.

"Yes, ma'am," Armaan agreed. "As you wish."

Riddhima smiled, kissing his cheek as a reward. "Chalo, ab tum bhi jaldi se sunscreen laga lo phir hum paani mein chalte hain," Riddhima instructed him.

"Tum hi laga do," Armaan shrugged. "I feel lazy."

Chuckling, Riddhima agreed. Armaan promptly lost his shirt, making Riddhima stop for a moment. Her husband was extremely hot with his sculpted chest and chiseled abs. It seemed juvenile to describe him like he was the protagonist of a young adult romance novel, but that's just how it was. He was extremely sexy, and sometimes Riddhima wondered how she ever managed to snag someone like him. But then, she remembered the mouth attached to that body and realized there was no one else in the world who would put up with his bullshit. Shaking her head, she got to work.

She did the back first, generously massaging Armaan's shoulders and back. Then, she sat in between his legs and painstakingly slowly, rubbed the lotion on his chest and stomach. The entire time, Armaan sat there, not even breathing because he was afraid he'd keel and make a fool of himself. At some point, he closed his eyes, losing himself in the ministrations of Riddhima's very talented fingers. Belatedly, he realized he'd never known she was so good at massages. Something to talk about then. It was amazing how even after being together for years and spending practically every waking moment together, there were still things that they didn't know about each other.

"There. All done," Riddhima's voice brought him out of his thoughts. Armaan looked down at her and grinned. "Thank you, Basket!"

Once they were sufficiently prepared, Armaan stashed all their belongings in the bag before rushing to the water. They'd made sure not to carry anything valuable with them, even leaving their phones back at the hotel. When Riddhima had moaned about the lack of a camera, Armaan had assured her that they could buy one of those cheap one time use cameras wherever they wanted. Armaan had even made all their bookings for the day using the hotel's front desk so that he didn't have to carry a lot of money with him.

"Let's gooooooo!!" Riddhima shrieked, impatiently tugging Armaan towards the water. They ran into the sea, the clear blue water amazing them at its beauty.

"That feels so good," Armaan sighed as his feet touched the water.

"It does!" Riddhima agreed, stepping in the water as well. She slowly waded her way a little deeper, loving the feel of the water on her legs. She was enjoying herself, connecting with the sea, when she felt water being splashed at her. She turned and sure enough, Armaan was grinning down at her like a Cheshire cat.

"Armaaaaaaan!!" Riddhima screamed. "Bohot ho gaya tumhaara!" Saying so, she also splashed him with water. Armaan trudged towards her and hauled her up in his arms, dunking her into the water full force.

"I hate you!" Riddhima spluttered when she managed to surface above the water again, completely drenched. Armaan let out a belly laugh at her appearance. Riddhima's arms worked overtime to hit Armaan anywhere they could reach, which only made him laugh harder. "You're the worst!"

Armaan used the leverage of Riddhima's arms to pull her close to him, hugging her tight. "I'm sorry," he laughed. "But main kya karu? Tumhe pata haina main tumhe irritate karne ka koi mauka nahi chod sakta!"

After mucking around in the water for a bit, Armaan took Riddhima a little away from the beach, over to the rocks, which were relatively empty. "Armaan, hum yahaan kyu aaye hain?" Riddhima asked.

"Let's jump!" Armaan cried excitedly.

"What?!" Riddhima shrieked.

"Let's jump into the water from here," Armaan gestured to the low cliff. As he said this, a girl did exactly that, as if illustrating Armaan's point.

"No way!" Riddhima declared.

"Come on, Basket!" Armaan tried to persuade her. "Kitna mazaa aayega."

"Armaan, mujhe itni jaldi marne ka shauk nahi hai," Riddhima told him. "Waise toh tumhe bhi nahi karna chahiye, lekin mujhe pata hai ki tum maanoge nahi… Toh tum hi karo yeh sab. Main nahi kar rahi."

"Pch, don't be a spoiltsport!" Armaan whined. "It's safe, Basket. Dekho, aur log bhi toh kar rahe hai. Plus, yahaan heigh bhi zyada nahi hai. It'll be like using a diving board. Aur kuch nahi."

"Tumhe pata hai ki neeche paani deep hai ya nahi?" Riddhima questioned. "Agar nahi hua aur humein lag gayi toh?"

"Baby, kuch nahi hota. Tum bekaar itni tension leti ho. Agar aisa hota toh itne log thodi karte," Armaan pleaded. Riddhima did not want to admit it, but he had a point. At least 3 people had dived in the time they had been talking.

"Armaan…" Riddhima sighed reluctantly.

"Fine," Armaan mumbled. "Main force nahi karunga. But… Just think. Tum watersports karne se pehle bhi toh kitna darr rahi thi, but phir tumhe kitna mazaa aaya tha. Yeh bhi try toh karo!"

Armaan's words gave Riddhima a pause. He was right. She had been so reluctant to try any watersports when they'd gone to Goa, but then had ended up loving it so much that she'd done them repeatedly while they were on vacation. Maybe this would be the same. Maybe she'd end up loving this too. And even if she didn't, she'd never know if she didn't try. Armaan could always talk her into this kind of stuff, she realized. Maybe it was because she trusted him so much and always felt safe when he was around. She didn't know exactly, but the fact was that, in his company, she did things she'd never dreamed of otherwise.

"Fine," she agreed. "You're right. Let's try."

"That's my girl!" Armaan cheered, pulling her into a hard kiss. "You'll have fun," he promised. "Let's do it!"

They walked to the edge of the cliff and Armaan took Riddhima's hand in his own. "On three?" He asked. Riddhima nodded.

"One, two, three!" And the two of them jumped. For a moment, Riddhima felt that she had died. In the next, she was deep in the water, struggling to breathe. When she managed to swim back up, she shuddered. "Armaan?" She called out, when she didn't see him anywhere. She looked around to make sure she hadn't missed him, but he wasn't there. "Armaan? Kahaan ho?" She tried again. "Armaan! This is not funny! Kahaan ho?"

In the next moment, a pair of arms wrapped around her, making her shriek in fear. "AAAHHHH!"

"Basket! It's me!! Main hoon. BASKETTTTT!" Armaan cried out, trying to calm her down. She finally stopped screaming. "It's okay, Baby. Relax. Main hoon."

"Idiot!" Riddhima declared, whacking his chest, once she'd caught her breath. "Koi aisa karta hai kya hai? Dimaag hi nahi hai. Thoda toh sochna chahiye na? Bas aisi stupid harkatein karte rehte ho har waqt. Kuch aur soojhta hi nahi hai tumhe. This wasn't funny, Armaan. Pata hai main kitna darr gayi thi. Agar kuch ho —"

Her rant was cut off mid-sentence when Armaan pressed his lips to hers in a kiss. He tugged her closer, wrapping his arms around her waist. Riddhima resisted for a moment, but then gave in, wrapping her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist.

"Kitna baat karti ho tum!" Armaan mumbled breathlessly once he'd pulled away. "Koi itna baat kaise kar sakta hai?"

Riddhima rolled her eyes at him. "Tumse toh kam hi baat karti hoon main!"

Armaan scoffed. "Don't be silly, Basket. Main tumse zyada baat nahi karta."

"Tum karte ho. Aur at least, main sensible baatein toh karti hoon. Tum toh poora time bakwaas hi karte rehte ho," Riddhima told him.

"Bakwaas? Main bakwaas karta hoon?" Armaan asked her.

"Haan, aur kya!" Riddhima replied. "Kitni zyada bakwaas karte ho tum, tumhe koi idea bhi hai?"

"Apparently not," Armaan said. "Batao zara, main kya bakwaas karta hoon."

"Ab list itni lambi hai ki maine start kiya toh hum raat bhar yahin reh jaayenge," Riddhima teased. "Toh kisi aur din karenge yeh discussion."

Armaan snorted. "Whatever. Koi bakwaas hai hi nahi toh tum bataogi kya?"

Riddhima laughed. "Okay, baby. If you say so."

They lounged in the water for a while, playing and having fun. It might've been hours after which they finally decided to step out, prompted by their grumbling stomachs. Riddhima insisted on sitting in the first beach cafe they found after drying themselves, and so, that's where they went to eat. The food was great, though neither of them were surprised. Riddhima was beginning to suspect there was no such thing as a bad restaurant on the Amalfi Coast. Every place they'd visited in the past couple of days had had delicious food, be it a post restaurant or a beach shack.

After eating their fill, they went back to the hotel. "Yeh bed itna comfortable kaise hai?" Riddhima wondered, pressing herself into the mattress of their bed. "Should we get this for home?" Armaan asked, slipping in beside her.

Riddhima laughed, shaking her head. "Tum poora Amalfi leke chalo humaare saath ghar," she joked, getting comfortable in his arms.

"If you wish," Armaan replied, completely serious.

"Stop being so cheesy all the time!" Riddhima exclaimed.

"Neverrrrr," Armaan told her, laughing.

They ended up falling asleep, putting a wrench in their plans of going exploring in the afternoon, not that either of them would have an issue. Even before arriving in Italy, they had both decided that this would be a true vacation. They would not have a strict schedule and neither would they fill their days with endless activities. They would eat and sleep when they wanted to. They'd stay in bed for as long as they liked, despite whatever plans they made. If that meant having to let go of some things, that was okay.

The last few months had been extremely hectic for both of them. Between the renovation of their house, studying for exams, pulling in long shifts at the hotel, they had also somehow managed to pull off getting married. Sure, they hadn't done as much work as their friends in putting the whole thing together, but it had definitely taken more of an emotional toll on both of them. Plus, they'd always been there for the more important decision making aspects of the wedding and had gone on a billion shopping trips to make sure everything was perfect for the big day. After all this, they wanted to relax more than they wanted to see Europe.

"Mmmm," Riddhima hummed, slowly waking up to fingers running across her face.

"Hi," Armaan whispered softly, peppering kisses across her eyes, cheeks, and ears. "Wake up, Basket."

"Hi," Riddhima mumbled, snuggling close to Armaan.

"There's my beautiful girl," Armaan smiled when Riddhima finally opened her eyes. Riddhima grinned, pulling him into a kiss.

"Time for dinner," Armaan muttered across her lips.

"We just ate," Riddhima protested.

"We ate hours ago," Armaan informed. Riddhima looked around to see that it was dark. They'd been sleeping for hours, she realized.

"Hum kitne time tak so rahe the?" She asked.

"3-4 ghante toh ho gaye," Armaan replied. "We definitely needed it."

"Uh, yeah," Riddhima agreed. "I feel much better now."

"Good," Armaan stated. "Abhi thoda waqt hai, so I thought we could do a bubble bath. Aur phir dinner pe chalte hain."

Riddhima laughed. "Armaan, tumne mujhe isliye uthaya kyunki tumhe bathtub mein company chahiye?"

"Haan toh?" Armaan challenged. "Isme kya problem hai?"

"No problem," Riddhima replied. "You're just too cute, baby."

"I'll show you cute!" Armaan cried, pulling her into his arms and throwing her over his shoulder. Riddhima only laughed harder at being thrown around like that.

Armaan had already gotten the bath ready with bubbles. He'd put on some music and two glasses of wine were placed on the side of the tub. Riddhima shimmied out of her clothes and went inside first, Armaan sliding in behind her so that she was sat between his legs. They stayed in the bath for a while, exchanging soft kisses and getting a little tipsy with the wine. This trip was definitely helping Riddhima build her alcohol tolerance.

Later, Armaan advised Riddhima to dress for a proper night out in town. She decided to wear a red dress that she'd bought on one of her many shopping trips with Anjali. It wasn't something she'd usually wear, a little more risque than she was strictly comfortable with, but she'd fallen in love the moment she'd seen it on display. Anjali had encouraged her to buy it and she'd given in. Armaan didn't know about the dress yet, and she was sure he'd lose his mind when he saw her wearing it.

Excited, she decked up. She applied lotion on every part of her body and then slipped the dress on. She went for a heavier makeup look for the night, generously applying some blush before doing a winged eyeliner and even adding some eyeshadow for fun. She went for a dark red shade of lipstick. Finally, she completed her look with the pendant Armaan had gotten her and paired it with dangling, silver earrings that she loved. She opted for heels for the first time since getting on the plane to Naples.

Anjali had been absolutely right. She felt so sexy just wearing the dress. She felt confident in her skin. More than anything, she felt worthy of being on Armaan's arm. Logically, she knew that beauty standards for women were next to unattainable, that they needed to be thin and tall and exotic and cute and sexy and pretty, somehow all at the same time to be considered beautiful. She also knew that in Armaan's eyes, she was gorgeous. He never missed an opportunity to tell her that, even when she knew she looked ghastly in her bedhead and ratty pajamas.

Despite knowing all this, there were many times when she felt that people pictured someone insanely sexy as Armaan's partner, handsome as he was. Whenever they went out, people would whisper about it, thinking she didn't hear, but she did. Everytime. She never let such things affect her because she knew Armaan loved her and he wouldn't dump her over something like this. But, there was always that niggling in her mind that when people saw the two of them together, they didn't think they were a couple. It was childish and petty to think so much about strangers and what they thought, but she did, for some bizarre reason. So, it made her feel especially smug that she looked so darned good.

She opened the door to the bedroom, stepping into the small living room that they had in the suite, ready to wow Armaan, but had her breath knocked out of her when she saw Armaan standing there in a suit. He was dressed in a blue blazer with jeans and a tee-shirt that he had tried to make more formal with his waistcoat and funky tie. He looked extremely good. She was so mesmerized by him, she didn't even register how he let out a whistle when he saw her.

"Wow, Basket!" He exclaimed, gathering her in his arms, finally pulling her out of her musings. "Dinner ka plan cancel karde kya? Waise bhi, kya hi zaroorat hai humein kahin jaane ki? Room service sounds best!"

Riddhima giggled. "Noooo. Main itna tayyaar room mein baithne nahi huyi hoon!! You promised me a night in town. So, we have to go!"

Armaan pouted at that. "Tum apne eklaute husband ke liye itna bhi nahi kar sakti?"

"Armaan, husband eklauta hi hota hai," Riddhima chided.

"That's not necessary," Armaan protested. "Agar tumhaara divorce hua hota toh? Phir main tumhaara eklauta husband nahi hota na!"

"Tum phir bhi mere eklaute husband hi hote," Riddhima explained. "Kyunki divorce ke baad mera ex-husband mera husband nahi hota na. Ek time pe sirf ek hi husband ho sakta hai toh woh eklauta hi hoga na!"

"What?????" Armaan asked, absolutely confused.

"What what?" Riddhima parroted.

"Tum kya bol rahi ho mere kuch samajh nahi aaya. Kitni bakwaas karti ho, Basket. Phir mujhse kehti ho ki main bakwaas karta hoon!" Armaan complained.

"Start toh tumne kiya na!" Riddhima pointed out.

"Maine kya start kiya? I didn't do anything. Tum bin matlab har cheez mein mujhe blame kar deti ho!" Armaan accused. "Ab woh chodo… Humaari bak-bak toh chalti rahegi. Let's go eat! Mujhe bhook lag rahi hai."

Riddhima agreed and off they went. Armaan had made reservations at a posh, upscale restaurant for the night. It was supposedly listed as one of the most happening places in Positano, and Armaan insisted they absolutely had to try it out. It was a good thing that they had reservations, because Riddhima could see that the waiting area was completely full when they got there. Thanks to the efficient staff, they were promptly shown their table. Armaan pulled a chair for Riddhima and helped her sit. Then, in a move that was becoming familiar, shifted his chair to sit next to her instead of across from her. Riddhima smiled. She loved that Armaan felt that he needed to be within touching distance from her at all times.

For an authentic experience, they'd decided to go with the chef's special surprise menu for the night, where they wouldn't be choosing their food, but would eat what the chef served. Neither of them had ever done something like that, and it was equal parts thrilling and worrisome, which made the experience even better.

"What do you think? Should we have gone with the traditional menu?" It was surprisingly Armaan who voiced this question out loud.

Riddhima looked at him, absolutely dumbstruck. It was no secret that of the two of them, it was Armaan who had the adventurous streak. He was always up for trying something new. His attitude towards learning and educating himself, of always being ready to step out of his comfort zone to gain a new experience was what inspired Riddhima to do the same. It inspired her to dress in clothes other than a salwar kameez, to try water sports, to finally get that tattoo that she'd wanted for years but had always been afraid to. She'd thought that he'd be extremely excited about this. "Where's your sense of adventure?" She mocked him, using the same words that he'd used on her countless times before.

"Line chor," Armaan accused. "Meri line mujhi pe maari?"

Riddhima shrugged. "But seriously. Kya hua? Mujhe laga tum excited hoge yeh karne."

"Haan… Maybe. But what if we don't like the food?" Armaan wondered.

"Toh hum kuch aur order kar lenge… Ya kisi aur restaurant mein khaane chale jaayenge. Itna mat socho, baby," Riddhima advised. "This is supposed to be the funnest trip ever! With no rules! Aur tum itni si baat ko leke tension mein aa gaye?"

"You're right," Armaan conceded. "We have options. Aise faltu baat pe tension nahi lena chahiye."

Truth was, he was worried more for Riddhima. She was an even pickier eater than him, which he honestly had thought was not possible, but it somehow was. She would eat all kinds of food, but when it came to how the food was cooked, she could be very choosy. Like how she loved paneer, but would not touch it if it was fried, or how she could eat chicken for every meal, but had to leave the room if it was smoked.

He'd been noticing though, that she was also making an extra effort to try new things this time round. She had let Armaan order food for her more than once on this trip, and she had eaten everything with minimal complaint, which was a feat in itself. Even after so many years, Riddhima didn't trust Armaan with her order, unless it was a regular or repetitive order that she knew Armaan knew. If they ever went to a new restaurant, she would take a while to study the menu before deciding on a dish. Staking her dinner to the chef's whimsy, who knew nothing about her would be high up on Riddhima's list of things-to-never-do, and yet, she had been the one to suggest they try it out. His Basket never ceased to amaze him.

And anyway, turns out he was worried for nothing because the food was absolutely delicious. Right from the appetizer to the dessert, every single dish was a work of art. Both him and Riddhima ate the meal with gusto, humming appreciatively at every bite. "This is so good," Riddhima mumbled around a mouthful of gelato. "I want to eat this forever."

Armaan agreed. They should have access to such amazing dessert every single day for the rest of their lives. "So, so, so good!"

They ended up having multiple servings of the dessert, stopping only when they were physically unable to eat more, lest they get sick. "Should we go for a walk?" Armaan asked. "Aaj thoda zyada hi dessert ho gaya. We should burn those calories."

Riddhima wound her arm around his in reply. Armaan smiled, pulling her along the pavement. The island was so different at night than it was during the day. It was quieter, but not eerily so. People definitely had an early start to their night, for most of the shops were closed. It was only the restaurants and nightclubs which seemed to be open. With the roads abandoned, the city gleamed in the moonlight. Armaan stopped at a crossroads. Riddhima looked at him questioningly. He reached into his pocket to retrieve his phone and put some music on. "Let's dance," he told Riddhima, one of his arms winding around her waist while the other held her hand in his. He started swaying softly in time with the beats of the song, Riddhima following suit. There, on the streets of Italy, bathed in moonlight, the two of them danced the night away, lost in their own world, where no one else mattered to them except each other.