||~Something About You~||#4 *COMPLETED* - Page 58

& each one of my friend in IF knows it, & those who don't, I confess, I have a thing for ASR/Barun (the lines are kind of blurry for me there) in white shirts, the way he drives, his caramel brown eyes, & pretty much everything that spells Sobti. So, before you read, you've been warned! & don't get me wrong, Sanaya is breathtaking too.. I mean, sometimes, she makes me wish I was a guy.. So.. anyways, enjoy!

Part 35

Part 36

Arnav had never known getting time out for a date could be this hard! Especially, when it was Khushi's time in question, & not his crazily busy schedule. What other reason could be there for her not even calling him after last night after he had texted her?

He had gone onto to dates before, obviously. Meeting women for meals in classy restaurants with minimal talking limited on the topic of the virtue of the food. & sometimes he had needed to take a plus-one along to business galas & such, which he knew the other party has counted as a date. & that was it! He had never just met up with someone over a drink or gone to meet someone just because he had wanted to see her. Frankly, he neither had the time nor the inclination. Hence, now that he was supposed to meeting up Khushi for a date, which was incidentally going to be her first date, Arnav felt like he was a bit out of his depth.

& it didn't help that, Khushi hadn't tried to reach him after their brief texting session for the whole of the next day! He waited, & waited, & then waited some more. He thought it was her turn, that the ball was in her court? He had asked her for the date not once, but twice. Now he didn't want to be the one to pester her to set a time for it too. & in all honesty, Arnav didn't like to admit to himself, but he was a bit apprehensive too, he didn't want to scare her away by being too pushy... But who could stop someone from being what they actually were?

So, Arnav called her up the next night just after he was ready to go to bed, as he knew until he settled it, there'd be no sleep. Khushi picked up after the third ring, sounding breathy, & first thing she said made him forget everything he was going to say to scold her for not calling him during the entire day, "Why didn't you call me the whole day today? Are you having second thoughts? You can't just cancel the date on your own, if that's what you're gonna do! You can't just brush Khushi Kumari Gupta off that easily, samjhe aap?"

Arnav just couldn't help the grin that spread though his face at her angry outburst, & he was damn happy that no one was there to see this alien sight. He said in a carefully passive voice, "Ok, understood. When are you free then?" There was a pause, then her answer came, "Jaiye, now that you're apologizing so much, I'll-"

Arnav had never sounded so indignant even to himself as he half-shouted, "Excuse me? I wasn't-" But Khushi cut him impatiently, as she rushed on, "Don't cut me off mid sentence. Listen attentively now, I thought a lot-" Arnav cut in again, now semi-irritated, "Oh! That's why you were gone all day? Thinking must be such a time-consuming process for you with that non-existent brain of yours!" He heard her gasp loudly, & then spluttering into speech, "Did you just call me stupid? What- What- Who do you think you are, dimmaag ka baadshah?!"

Arnav couldn't help but snap at that, "I might be, cause at least I have more brains than you do, don't I? Now don't waste my time & come to the point!" Khushi gasped more dramatically this time & screeched loudly, "Wasting time-? As if I am the one who made this call?" & then she heard Buaji calling her from outside her room, wanting to know who she was shouting at so late in the night.

Khushi closed her eyes shut & tried to calm herself down, before shouting to Buaji she was talking to La. Then she muttered to herself, as she laid down on her bed & pulled the covers over her head so that the sound wouldn't carry outside, 'Laad Governor isn't worth getting into trouble with Buaji!' She had forgotten about Arnav being on the other side of the line until she heard his scream, "What the-? What did you call me? Laad-?" Khushi quickly cut in, mentally chiding herself for the slip, "You talk too much. Now listen, I figured I won't get the permission if I told Babuji I was going out on a date with you. So, I used my amazing brains, & came up with a solution, for which you can thank me later- No! Don't cut in!... My friend Pritika'a birthday is this tomorrow, & La & Preeto & a bunch of them are going off to Goa for that! Yeah, she's pampered! But there's a small party at her house before they take off, which will get wrapped up around 6pm, cause they leave for Goa then. You pick me up at 6 from there' they live on the 5^th lane, our area, a little way from Shantivan actually. & you drop me off by 9, cause after 9.15 Bhaiya will go on looking for me with a crusade on his mind! You got that all?"

Arnav processed everything in his head. He actually had a business dinner that he needed to attend tomorrow, but clearly Khushi Kumari Gupta's schedule was tighter than his! Arnav didn't push his luck as he asked, "Your family will think you're with your friends?" He heard the guilt in Khushi's voice as she said, "Yes, due to precedence, the party is expected to continue till late night. I didn't actually lie to them though' They kinda assumed it." Arnav said sternly, "That's lying by omission. Anyways, what choice is there anyway? I will see you then!" & then after a brief pause, he added as if as an afterthought, "Wear something Red!" & cut the call on an astounded Khushi.

Khushi looked at her device as if it had crudely offended her! Then she muttered, "Rakshas! Laad Governor! Didn't even ask me where I'd like to go! Or how I was doing today! & what if I don't have a new worthy Red outfit? & I don't!" & before Khushi drifted off to an uneasy sleep, that was the thought on her mind, because of the Rakshas she'd have to go on a shopping hunt tomorrow for 'something Red'!

The Laad Goovernor in question although had no qualms drifting off to his beauty-sleep, after he had secured the time for the very important deal that had been on his mind insistently lately.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Khushi stood waiting for him nervously, & with each passing moment she felt her nerves dipping a few inches lower. Arnav ha called her 10minutes ago to say he was coming to pick her up, & he was early! It was barely 5.45 now. But Khushi had abruptly said bye to her friends, saying she needed to go shopping with Payal for the wedding. She hated lying to her family & friends like this, but she wanted this time with Arnav too. Because it felt like this time that she had stolen by lying to her family & friends to be with him, she had stolen it for herself. She was living it for herself. & so she was also a lot excited as she waited for Arnav at the end of the 5^th lane, Chanakyapuri, a few houses down from Pritika's house, where she had told Arnav she'd be. & then she saw his Red Audi coming in through the opposite end of the lane, & Khushi immediately closed her eyes up & held her hands up to her mouth in a prayer, "Devi Maiyya, raksha karna!"

~~~

Arnav saw her the moment his cars head entered the lane. She was wearing Red! & she looked hauntingly beautiful standing there near the huge gate of the last house on the lane. The dark of the evening had just started to fall, but it seemed like Arnav that some spotlight from above was set upon her, cause as she stood there, she radiated a fiery red glow so strong, that he felt dazzled. As a result of his slightly shocked state, he stopped the car in front her with a hard brake, causing the tires to screech so loudly, that he saw her take a couple of steps back away from the car, & he muttered under his breath, "Damn it. Great start!"

He got down from his Audi, & went over the front to where she stood, & a few steps away from her, he stopped to get the full effect of just how divine she looked. She looked like' Khushi. She looked exactly like the person he had wanted to take on a date tonight & wanted to spend his evening with. He had experienced how completely women had explicitly tried to entice or impress him by dressing provocatively to the point of blatant invitation in the past. & there she stood, in front of him, in a lovely, bright red, simple, knee-length, chiffon dress, where the only accessory was her shiny silver narrow belt & ivory embellished ballroom heels. Just the way she stood, so proper, her hands in nervous claws by the side of her body, almost tempted Arnav to take her by the hand & twirl her around, just so he could see the full skirt of her dress flowing around her beautiful knees & hear her tinkling laugh that he knew would come out of her in glee if he did so. But he restrained himself with the consoling words, 'Not yet. Not so soon.', & holding the passenger side door of his car open, he held out his other hand towards Khushi to take it.

But Khushi just stood rooted to her place. There was just one thing going around in her mind. 'He has got be kidding' me!' She had gone shopping that morning with Payal. & instead of Payal's repeated advice against wasting the money in buying another dress when she'd need to buy plenty of traditional Lehengas & stuffs for the impending weddings, she had continued browsing the shops for the perfect Red dress. & she had brushed aside numerous provocative, hot, sexy Red numbers for the she was wearing, because she thought this one reflected her as she was best. & now, he turned up looking like that! In casual black jeans that undoubtedly came from a designer label & were clearly too expensive to ever be casual; a black dinner jacket with a silk, white lined, black hanky in the breast pocket, that fit him like it was specially designed & tailored for him, which it probably was; he looked sinfully dapper. & the final blow was the crisp white shirt that contrasted so strikingly against his smoky column of throat that, Khushi decided there & then, Arnav Singh Raizada looked his best in a crisp white shirt & Khushi Kumari Gupta was dead meat. There was no lessening the inadequacy that she suddenly began feeling being ambushed by all that sophisticated hotness. She seriously felt like a gauche little school girl out with some hot celebrity, & all of a sudden, the 6-year gap between their ages seemed to double, to make Khushi feel like she was coming up short gasping for breath while swimming in uncharted waters.

Suddenly she came out of her trance as she felt her cold, clammy right hand being taken into the embrace of a warm, reassuring one. & as Khushi looked up at his eyes, she saw it. Every fear, insecurity, & doubt that was hounding her since the moment she had decided to plunge into this strong, magnetic, unknown thing they had between themselves, all of them were mirrored in his dark, caramel eyes. & her conviction came when she heard him ask uncertainly, "We're... still on for the date?" & when Khushi saw that it was a genuine question & not one of his sarcastic one-liners, a little of her insecurities instantly vanished. She dazzled him with her brightest toothy smile & while hopping onto seat through the door he has kept ajar for her, she said in a gleeful tone, "You bet, we are!"

Arnav closed the door shut as she settled in & closed his eyes as relief washed through him. She wanted to be here, he could see it in her eyes. She might have been on an emotional high when she had agreed to go on a date with him, but she wasn't regretting it now. & that was good for now! As Arnav settled in behind the driving wheel, he heard Khushi ask hesitantly, "Um... Arnavji? Where are we going? I mean, I hadn't known exactly what to dress for... & you're dressed so... um... impeccably. &... am I... will I be OK?" & as soon as she finished, she felt his hot gaze on her. Scanning her from head to toe with such a heating caress on his look that Khushi felt herself bristling wherever his gaze fell. Then she felt she could breathe again as he looked away & started the car, & she almost missed his low voice under the car purr as he said dryly, "You'll do beautifully... perfectly. & you'll see where we are going in some time. Have patience. I have heard it's fruit is sweet."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Khushi loved the way he drove the powerful car, there was just something so unique about the way he changed the gear so forcefully each time. There was just something about him. Khushi had been so engrossed in him that she hadn't even noticed where they were going. Suddenly a light from a nearby gate flashed her eyes & as she checked the address bar, she saw they were in The Garden of 5 Senses, Saket. & then all of a sudden Arnav parked the car in front of a building with the name 'Magique' written on it in deep red & boldly large sign. Khushi had barely had chance to unclip her seatbelt when Arnav opened her door for her & offered her his hand.

Khushi regarded his outstretched hand for a moment, then adjusting the skirt of her dress, she took his hand, got out of the car & let him escort her into the restaurant. Khushi liked the atmosphere as soon as she entered the restaurant. The ambience was warm, the lighting was done by strategically placed candles which gave the room a yellow, warm light over the cobble stoned walls. & Khushi couldn't resist a yelp of happiness when she saw a plush, cushioned loveseat hanging by the side of a dining table, making it a swing in effect. There were other seats around the table too, & Khushi almost jumped up in joy thinking how great it'd be to dine sitting in that loveseat. She'd be able to swing while eating, eat while swinging! It was like a dream come true for her. & she started walking towards the table forgetting everything, when she felt a tug on her elbow. She turned to see a ghost of a smile hovering around Arnav's lips as he dragged her by the elbow towards an archway saying mutely, "This way, Bachchi!"

Khushi grinded her teeth, annoyed at herself for slipping. She so wanted to be a sophisticated woman for him tonight, not the Bachchi he had known & ignored before! & now, he had called her just that for the first time in their lives, & all was her fault! She started mumbling defensively, "I didn't think... I wasn't gonna sit on it. Just wanted to check that out, that's all-" But she halted in her speech as she saw where they had come out.

It was the outdoor dining area of the restaurant. Under the starlit sky, illuminated just by numerous candles in candlesticks here & there, there were several small, round tables covered by crisp white tablecloths with wrought iron chairs surrounding them, but Khushi observed with a little surprise that all of them had 'Reserved' written placards set on the centre of them, except the one in the middle. Then Arnav was steering her towards the same table in the middle with his hand on the small of her back. As they reached the table, Khushi didn't know why, but she was actually a little amazed to have him pulling the chair out for her, but to her defense, she had never had this charming side of Arnav Singh Raizada directed at her. So she sat down murmuring her thanks to him as he followed suit.

As Arnav sat down, he looked around to take in the whole place, & he was impressed. He had picked out the place out of all the detailed snaps Aman had shown him during lunch that day, & as he noticed the 'Reserved' signs, he knew Aman had been attentively following his instructions when he had said he didn't want to be crowded. 'Good job, Aman!' he said in his & made a mental note of giving Aman a nice Cartier just for this quiet setting. Of course, he would have to give it through Akaash, & in the guise of giving employees gifts due to the upcoming weddings, of which Aman would be the sole recipient as far as Arnav was concerned. He came out of his grateful thoughts for his deputy when he saw a waiter in ethnic wear with a red pointy hat come out from the inside of the restaurant towards them with a big platter covered by a matching huge cloche in his hand.

Khushi had noticed the waiter too, & she looked over at Arnav incredulously & then asked in a voice filled with a world of surprise, "Arnavji! Now they have even stopped taking orders in these exclusive restaurants?! We'll have to eat whatever they cooked?!! Kabse aisa huwa?!!" & her eyes rounded, getting as huge as saucers, when Arnav gave her the hugest grin she had ever seen on his face. Not that he ever grinned that much. But the one he was giving her now had to be some kind of a personal record for him. Then he said in a voice filled with smile, "Getting out what you liked to eat doesn't need much research, Khushi! You're pretty vocal about it yourself, & everyone in my family keeps pointing out which food is liked by which member of your family pretty much around every meal time now-a-days with the weddings looming close. A guy just has to pay a bit of attention, that's all!" he finished with a casual shrug.

& before Khushi could respond to that overwhelming admission that the ASR had paid attention when someone was talking about her likes-&-dislikes, the waiter put the platter down, muttered the words, "Starters, Ma'am." & removed the cloche with a flourish, before leaving as swiftly as he had come. & Khushi couldn't help but let out the shriek as she saw what was revealed under the cloche.

Gol Gappes! A huge pile of crispy, golden puris with massala chat, chhole, aloo chaat & an assortment of sweet, sour & hot-chilly sauces. Khushi looked at them with pure, unadulterated glee on her face for some time & then, pulling the small bowls of sweet & hot sauces close, she got down to work. As she put the puri with sweet & hot sauce in her mouth, the crispy burst of the puri & then the sweet & hot heavenly taste of the sauces made her close her eyes & moan loudly, & as she opened her eye, she found a pair of mesmerized eyes on her face.

Khushi self-consciously wiped the sauces that had spilled from her mouth, & then as Arnav continued looking at her in that enthralled manner, she suddenly started feeling a mushy feeling spreading inside her. This gorgeous looking man seriously found her so captivating that he watched her with such rapt attention? Khushi smiled widely & snapped the fingers of her right hand directly in front of his eyes, & as she did so, he looked at her questioningly with a start. Khushi kept her dazzling smile intact, & as she took another puri in her hand & stabbed it with her finger, she told him matter-of-factly, "Just in case I forget when you drop me off, this is the best date ever! Thank you! Round one goes to you!" Her hand stilled in mid-air to her mouth as she heard him speaking & as she looked up, she saw his smirk back in its place, as he said with his chin resting on his right knuckles, "Well, the night is still quite young, Khushi! I am sure you'll find a way to even out the scores."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

& yes, the date ain't over yet!😉 & the 2nd snap is of the outdoor dining area of the actual Magique Restaurant, Saket, Delhi.

Precap:

As she put the puri in her mouth, she heard him speak in a light tone, "So, how do we this?" Khushi looked up at him with the puri bursting in her mouth & for a moment she was completely clueless about what he was of. She looked at him for a few seconds & then scanned the table spanning between them, her expression puzzled. Then she said tentatively, as she took up a puri in her hand again, "You stab it in the middle with your thumb like this, then you take-" But she was effectively silenced by Arnav leaning over the table towards her as his left hand caught hold of her right wrist, & as the puri fell away from her hand in his clasp, she heard him speak, his eyes twinkling with amusement, "Khushi! I was talking about us! & the date! Not your Gol Gappes!"

Khushi couldn't help the tremor that shook her hand at his searing touch, but she didn't snatch it back as her immediate reaction had been. He still kinda intimidated her with his other-worldly gorgeous looks & entirely unpredictable mood swings. Then she felt his thumb slowly ribbing the side of her wrist, as he held her gaze, not permitting her to look away & Khushi realized if this went on for a little longer, she'd burst in flame herself. She tried to wriggle her wrist free of his hold, as she suddenly felt extremely shy as he looked on at her with eyes that spelled sin. She spluttered to say something, anything, "Um... You seem to know how to do this! That's one way of doing this!... Arnavji, hath choddiyena!" she almost pleaded for her sanity.

Part 37

Press 'like' if you liked, & comment if you Rabba Vey-d!😃