You have to kiss a lot of frogs before you find your prince

—E.L. James, Fifty Shades of Grey
_______________________________

(Taara's Pov)

Turning on my heel, I headed towards the door.

"See you later, Mr. Rajvansh," I called back over my shoulder, my voice a whisper in the charged atmosphere.

A gust of air whooshed past me as I burst through the department doors, cheeks flushed a rosy pink that rivaled the afternoon sunlight streaming through the windows.

Pooja and Sakshi, looked up from their monitors, their gazes locking on my flushed face with the predatory gleam of vultures spotting fresh prey.

"Woah,woah,woah," Pooja drawled, a teasing lilt in her voice.

"What's got you looking like you just sprinted a marathon in a furnace?"

"Nothing," I stammered, my voice barely above a whisper.

My mind was still reeling from the brief, yet electrifying encounter with Kabir.

DIL YE WAQIF EK RAAZ SE HUA HAIYE HASAD-E-DIL UNHE BHI HUA HAI...
JO PAGALPAN MERE LIYE EK TARFA THA
WO NASHA AAJ HUM DONO KO HUA HAI...

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(The next day)

The lavender-scented perfume, with a delicate hint of vanilla, wafted around me as I straightened my attire and stepped into the living room.

In the living room, I found Arjun bhaiya looking unusually eager, his demeanor charged with a sense of urgency.

"Arjun bhaiya," I called out, trying to grab his attention before he rushed out. He turned towards me, his expression hurried yet attentive.

"You're dropping me off today, right? Where are you off to?" I asked, slightly puzzled by his abrupt departure.

As the daughter of the prestigious Raichand family, I chose not to draw attention by using my limo, instead I chose Arjun Bhaiya to drop me near the office.

He came closer with a warm smile and affectionately ruffled my hair, a gesture that I met with an instinctive glare and a playful slap on his hand.

My mother chuckled at our sibling banter, enjoying the morning spectacle.

"Baccha,I've got an urgent meeting," Arjun explained quickly, his tone reflecting his urgency. He never rejected me , maybe the meeting is too important.

"I need to get to the office as soon as possible. But don't worry about your ride; I've already arranged everything."

His words left me momentarily confused, but I nodded understandingly as he swiftly made his way out the door.

After Arjun hurried off to his urgent meeting, I chuckled to myself, shaking off the momentary confusion his abrupt departure had caused.

Turning to my mother, who was still smiling at our playful exchange, I couldn't help but comment fondly,

"He never changes, does he?"

"He's always been like that," Mom replied with a warm grin, her eyes twinkling with affection.

With a sigh, I finished my breakfast and soon heard a familiar honk outside. "My ride is here,I think" I said, gathering my things and bidding my mom goodbye with a quick hug.

I hurried to the entrance, spotting the familiar SUV waiting for me. Through the car window, I saw Kabir in the driver's seat, with another car behind him—undoubtedly his bodyguards.

Approaching the car, I couldn't help but blurt out, "What are you doing here?" My surprise was evident.

Kabir turned towards me, his expression calm and collected. "Arjun asked me to give you a lift," he explained casually.

"Oh," I murmured, the realization sinking in. So, Arjun Bhaiya was referring to Kabir. Why did bhaiya asked him to give me lift.

I settled in, expecting the car to start moving, but it remained still. I glanced over at Kabir and found him already looking at me.

The intensity in his gaze made my cheeks flush. Aise kyu dekh rha hai.

His voice, usually raspy and reassuring, broke the silence, "Good morning, Miss Raichand," accompanied by a gentle smile that melted my defenses.

"Morning, Mr. Rajvansh," I replied softly, our eyes locking in a moment that stretched between us, filled with unspoken words and unexplored feelings. Bas good morning.

Then, with a deliberate slowness that sent a shiver down my spine, Kabir leaned closer. OMG, ye kya kar rha hai.

The proximity of his face to mine, the scent of his cologne mingling with the lingering fragrance of lavender and vanilla from my perfume, created an electric tension in the air.

"Ah, is he going to k-kiss me?" The thought raced through my mind, and in a moment of instinctive reaction, I covered my lips with both of my hands.

Kabir seemed surprised by my sudden movement, his expression briefly flickering with amusement.

Instead of leaning in for a kiss, Kabir surprised me by gently reaching over and smoothly fastening my seatbelt.

His touch was gentle yet firm, sending a subtle thrill through me.

As he leaned back, our eyes met again, and I couldn't help but notice the amusement twinkling in his deep, warm gaze.

My heart quickened it's pace as I realized how close we had been, and a lingering feeling of attraction stirred within me.

The intimacy of the moment, though brief, left an electrifying tension in the air.

With a light tap on my forehead, Kabir broke the silence with a playful tease, "You think too much, Miss Raichand."

I was feeling embarassed, even second hand embarassed for myself.

I blushed furiously, feeling my cheeks heat up like a tomato.

Stammering slightly, I replied, "I d-didn't think anything."

Kabir chuckled softly, his voice warm and reassuring. "Whatever makes you sleep at night, Miss Raichand," he replied teasingly, settling back into his seat and fastening his own seatbelt.

As the car finally began to move, I stole glances at Kabir, unable to resist the magnetic pull of his presence beside me. (Dilkashi).

The scent of his cologne, mixed with the delicate fragrance of lavender and vanilla that still lingered from my perfume, enveloped us in a cocoon of shared moments and budding intimacy.

The drive was punctuated by a comfortable silence, broken only by the soft hum of the engine and the occasional glance exchanged between us.

Each moment seemed charged with anticipation, as if the next words spoken could unravel the tension or deepen the connection between us.

As we approached the office building, Kabir smoothly pulled up to the curb, his understanding of my preference to maintain a low profile evident in his calm demeanor.

I appreciated his sensitivity to this aspect of my life, which was crucial given my background. As the car came to a stop, I gathered my belongings, preparing to step out onto the pavement.

Before I could thank him, Kabir reached out, his hand lightly touching mine as he handed me my bag."Here you go, Tara," he said softly, his eyes holding mine for a moment longer than necessary.

There was a warmth in his voice that stirred something deep within me, a mixture of comfort and anticipation.

"Thank you, Kabir," I murmured, feeling a rush of emotions I struggled to articulate. "For dropping me off."

"That's no big deal, Taara," he replied casually, but my heart skipped a beat hearing him say my name. I should see a doctor, my heart is not behaving normally.

I just smiled in response. With a nod and a fleeting smile, Kabir watched as I walked away, leaving me with a lingering sense of connection and possibility that hung in the air long after he drove off.

I walked towards the office building, the morning air crisp and invigorating. The faint scent of lavender and vanilla lingered from earlier, a reminder of the pleasant drive.

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