Samaira's POV

I worked and worked in the last few days; the fruits of all the labour is in front of me. I sigh contentedly looking at the all beautiful front garden with winding pathways made with coloured stones, flower shrubs of fifty-something kinds. The path from the house to the swing was built in the archway made with flower climbers and LEDs. The LED lights twinkle around the central square where a swing and a sitting area has been erected. The swing has an epic view of the surrounding valley.

"I think you should come to LA and decorate the hell out of my condo," Josh murmurs in my ear. His arms are draped over my shoulder as I sit on the balcony. The last dark orange sunlight lies atop the hills before us.

"Only if you offer me one million dollars to do it," I smirk and look up at his clean-shaven face.

"Oh baby," he swoops down and kisses me on my cheek. "I will have to sell the condo for that!"

And we both break out laughing. Just like that, I savour the time I was spending in Josh's company. Since my parents' visit, we both worked hard on our own goals and had only a time in the night, when we slept in each other's arms. It felt so natural to hold him that I forgot how I spent the nights alone. It has become familiar as if I had known him for long. The comfort I felt with him has become my new regular, perhaps the need.

"Here we go, Samaira and her taciturnity," he lets out a dramatic sigh and takes a seat beside me.

I smile at him secretively. "I am just happy."

"Please share this happiness with a word; that is all I ask. You know how much I like to hear your voice after listening to myself sing for straight twelve hours," Josh chuckles, his blue iris dancing.

I smile at his stale humour and say, "since we are on that topic, when will I have the honour of listening to your recording?"

"I am scared of you will stealing it," he barely keeps his mouth straight and again laughs heartily.

"Keep making fun of me, and I will do it, you know," I say, making a face.

"Mey honey, it is just rough around its edges. I need to perfect it for you," he replies on a serious note.

"Stop doubting it. I know it's going to be wonderful. Who wants perfect? I want to listen to you," I tell him and holding his hand in mine.

"Okay, give me a day, I will play you three different versions, and I will let you choose the best," he mumbles and kisses me this time on the lips shutting me up for good.

I swim in the intimacy of the moment; it is as if he is taking my soul in him and giving me a bit of him. His hand kneads my nape in a need that has me going lightheaded. His lips demand from me, and I completely surrender to my needs. I don't know what he wants from this relationship neither do I. Even in this beautiful moment, the thought of losing him claws my heart down. What happens when my assignment is over? I know I am pushing it for days. I know after spending extra days on perfecting the décor on the false premise of doing it for my firm, I will have to leave one day and when I think about it, I don't want to leave.

In that second, I reluctantly break the kiss and look him in the eyes, trying to decipher the puzzle named Josh. "Why don't we head inside and have dinner early?" I smile and take in his features.

"Yeah," he nods after a moment of deliberation. I can know he was keeping his feelings and memories locked inside him, just like I am doing. We did not have any conversation regarding my family or my ex-husband or his ex, for whom he wrote the song. Maybe we kept that in our fort, locked inside for ourselves. What good will it do? Sharing our past miseries, instead of enjoying the present with each other was not the way. That is what we had discussed the night we first kissed.

We both head inside — the space filled with changes made in the last week. The décor invited us into a majestic setting. The difference is unmissable, from furniture to the background and the tone of the room has changed drastically. Light sea green colour emanated from the walls, the paintings on the wall spoke to us. Nikhil was happy with the change, and he managed to persuade Devika to do the east wing of the house as well. It surely bought me some time with Josh.

"Your work is incredible," he murmurs as we walk hand in hand towards the kitchen. "Jokes aside, what do you think about coming to LA with me?"

I look at him with disbelieve.

"What's with the look?" he says.

"You know it's not possible," I reply, biting my lip. Did Josh mean it? Is he thinking of us, together?

"It would be my absolute honour if you could decorate my home," he murmurs, his hand presses mine.

My heart sinks at the words. "I am sure LA has many talented architects who would do justice to your condo," I say, looking down at our hands, sighing.

"Maybe," he sighs and leads me to the kitchen counter.

"I got a call yesterday from my head," I mention, speculatively. "She wants me back for another project." Yesterday, when Devika called, I could sense that she wanted me back as soon as possible for yet another project of one of the beach houses of a business tycoon, Sanjeev Bhattacharya. It surprised me that I was not keen on jumping there soon. Josh is the reason. I don't want to leave his side just yet.

He looks at me with unreadable expressions. I can't decipher it and it is making me nervous.

"Somi, why don't you come to LA for a month or so? Take a break. I want you to see my life there," he says earnestly.

I leave the hold of his hand abruptly. "Let's just think about the present, Josh."

"And how much time is left in this present, Mey?" his voice was cold.

"I told Devika that I will be back by next week. So I am here for the next five days or so," I say looking away, feeling a chill run through me. All the happiness felt a few minutes ago, fading like a fog lifting from the valley.

"That's the way, it will be then," he murmurs to himself.

"Come on, Josh. Let's spend the rest of the time happily!" I tell him in a high pitched awkward voice.

With that we spent the rest of the time, awkward, contemplating and gloomy, till our dinner was over. As soon as, I stood up from the table to take away the plates to the sink, he jumped up and took away the plates from my hand. I looked at his form from behind. The aura he carried was sparkly. He belonged in that world. Glamourous, fashionable and elite. He liking me as a woman is an otherworldly reality, just because we belonged in completely different worlds. In his grey sweatshirt and blue Nike shorts, he emitted major celebrity vibes.

When he came to my side, he smiles and kisses me without any warning. It's savage, needy and urgent. It rocks me inside with burning intensity. His hand runs through my hair and places firmly at my waist holding me at my place, in his arms and glued to his body. The heat building inside is now unbearable. He understands this and scoops me in his arms. The plea is reflected in his eyes, urgent and unruly. He must have seen it in my eyes too, he inhales and starts walking towards the bedroom.

He carries me effortlessly over the stairs and takes me to my room. As he places me on the bed slowly and takes in everything with his eyes. "Mey, yes or no?" he asks gulping down.

I only look at him unable to think. I can only hear my heart thumping madly in my chest and my body humming with need. And without thinking ahead, I surrender to the need, for both of us. The pain of soon separating and never seeing Josh again goes a little backseat. When he peels one layer after the other, the whole world seems to slow down. The enticing touch of his hand makes me hot and lightheaded. Perhaps this is the way, I am going to be undone. This is the moment when I live truly. Without an ounce of worry, I am in this moment. And I am loved. Tomorrow is another day.