Jai's POV:

The moment was broken by the sound of Mithra's phone ringing. She glanced at the screen before excusing herself, her tone apologetic. "Sorry, one sec."

I nodded, focusing on my food, though my ears were still attuned to her. She answered the call, and her friend's voice came through loud and clear, even from where I sat.

"How's the date going?" her friend practically screamed.

I couldn't help the smirk that tugged at my lips. The word date echoed in my mind, and I flicked my gaze toward her, catching the way she turned slightly, her cheeks coloring as she tried to keep her voice down.

"Keerthi!" she hissed, her tone a mix of embarrassment and irritation.

I returned my attention to my plate, pretending to be absorbed in my food, though I couldn't stop the smirk from spreading further. This was amusing.

"Why'd you call?" she asked, her voice sharp but soft.

I tried not to eavesdrop, but it was impossible not to notice her reaction. Whatever her friend said next made her eyes go wide, her mouth parting slightly in shock. My smirk vanished as I immediately got alert. Something wasn't right.

I raised an eyebrow at her in silent question, but she only shook her head, her expression clearly unhappy. My grip on the fork tightened.

"Why'd she come back all of a sudden?" Mithra asked, her voice tinged with frustration.

Who was she talking about? And why did her mood shift so abruptly?

After a few more moments of vague murmuring and "hmms," she finally ended the call, sighing as she looked up at me.

"My PG's owner is back," she said, her lips curving downward into a pout that was far too cute for its own good.

I fought the urge to laugh at how endearing she looked, but the seriousness of her expression kept me in check. "And?" I asked, urging her to continue.

"She's... well, kinda strict about the timings and... guys and stuff," she admitted, looking sheepish.

Guys? What kind of place was this? My curiosity and irritation both rose.

"She was on a trip until now, but she's back now," Mithra continued, her tone growing softer, almost apologetic. "So, I'll have to be back early."

That hit me like a splash of cold water. I leaned back in my seat, processing her words. She had to leave early? The lunch wasn't even halfway done, and I didn't want this moment with her to end.

But more than that, I hated the idea of her being in a place where someone dictated her every move. Mithra was... well, Mithra-free-spirited, playful, and confident. The thought of her having to rush back because of some unnecessarily strict landlord didn't sit right with me.

"What time do you need to be back?" I asked casually, though my mind was already working on a plan.

"Before 7," she replied with a small, apologetic smile.

I checked my watch. There was still time, but I wanted more.

"Well, it's still 5, so we've got plenty of time," I said, trying to sound casual. Truthfully, I wasn't thrilled about her leaving early, but I wanted to make her feel better.

"Yeah, but-never mind. Forget it," she replied, irritation lacing her voice.

I raised a brow, watching the frustration flash across her face. She wanted to rant-I could see it. So I gave her an encouraging smile and a slight nod, silently telling her, Go on, let it out.

She huffed, but a faint, reluctant smile tugged at her lips. "No, like, which era are we even living in? Who even makes such rules?" she started, her voice rising with indignation.

I leaned forward slightly, resting my elbow on the table, watching her with genuine amusement and curiosity.

"'Be back by 7. And no funny business, huh,'" she mimicked her owner, her face animated with exaggerated expressions. Her imitation made me chuckle softly.

"Who does she even think she is? My mom? Even my mom doesn't ask me to follow such things!" she went on, her hands gesturing wildly as she ranted.

At first, I listened intently, every word of hers catching my attention. But soon, it wasn't her words I was focused on-it was her.

The way her lips moved, so full of energy and passion, captivating in their own right. The way her nose flared slightly when she was annoyed, turning red as her emotions took over. Her eyebrows arched and furrowed with every sentence, her eyes sparkling with life, and those animated expressions... She was absolutely stunning.

I was entranced. Completely and utterly lost in her.

And before I knew it, I leaned forward, closing the gap between us effortlessly. Her voice faltered for a split second, but she didn't stop talking. Not until I pressed a soft kiss on her cheek.

The kiss lasted barely a moment, but it felt like time slowed. I forcefully pulled back, sitting back in my seat as casually as if nothing had happened. But only i knew the havoc inside me. Since when did a mere cheek kiss arouse me soo much?

Her reaction was priceless.

Mithra froze mid-sentence, her mouth slightly open, her eyes wide and blinking in disbelief. She didn't speak-just stared at me like she wasn't sure if this was real or a dream.

I couldn't help the smug grin that crept onto my face. "Did it help?" I asked, completely unfazed.

"Huh?" she muttered, still looking like she was stuck in a trance.

"My dad told me when I was a kid," I explained, my tone light and teasing, "if someone's angry, a kiss will fix it."

Her cheeks turned crimson, and she blinked rapidly, trying to regain her composure.

I leaned back further in my chair, arms crossed, thoroughly enjoying her flustered state. "So, did it work?" I asked again, my voice low and teasing, fully expecting her to blush and stammer like before.

But Mithra had regained her composure, and with a slight smile that held a glint of sass, she replied, "Maybe?"

I couldn't help but smirk at her response. "So, do i get a thank you?" i asked trying my best not to smile. mithra immediately raised her eyebrows in a scowl. "I don't do thank you's." she paused as she looked at me as if daring me to do something. "I return favours." now it was my turn to raise brows. Oh, what is this girl. She had this way of keeping me on my toes, and I loved it.

The scene shifted to outside Mithra's PG. It was around 6:30, and the street was quiet except for the faint hum of passing vehicles. My car was parked in front, and I leaned casually against it, my arms crossed, while Mithra stood facing me.

We were mid-conversation when I noticed a group of girls on the balcony above, unabashedly staring at me. Their expressions ranged from curious to outright awestruck. I could hear faint giggles and whispers, which only grew louder the longer they stared.

I'd been in situations like this before, so I was used to the attention, but Mithra clearly wasn't. She turned slightly and caught sight of them. Her eyes narrowed, and a mischievous glint appeared in them.

Without warning, she stepped closer to me and leaned slightly against the car, positioning herself so I had to turn my back to the balcony while facing her.

I raised an eyebrow, amused. "What are you doing?" I asked, though I already had a good idea.

She bit her lip, trying not to laugh. "Nothing," she said, her voice light with feigned innocence.

I glanced over her shoulder to see the disappointment on her friends' faces as they retreated inside. She didn't miss it either and finally let out a soft laugh.

We stood like that for a moment, the air light and filled with unspoken amusement, until I decided to shift gears. "You still didn't tell me what you and Shruti were talking about," I said, my tone teasing as I watched her face closely for any tells.

Mithra's eyes widened slightly, and she immediately tried to brush it off. "Well, it's quite late. I gotta go. Bye, Jai!" she said quickly, turning to walk away at an uncharacteristically fast pace.

I wasn't having it.

I caught her hand before she could take more than a few steps, pulling her back toward me. My free hand slid to her waist, drawing her closer until there was barely any space left between us. As I pulled Mithra closer, my free hand settling naturally around her waist, I couldn't ignore the electric current that buzzed through me. Having her this close, her breath fanning my chest, feeling the warmth of her body against mine, was intoxicating in a way I hadn't expected.

Her breath hitched, and her hands pressed against my chest in a futile attempt to create distance. But instead of letting her go, I held her tighter, savoring the moment. Her proximity felt both thrilling and grounding, as if I'd been missing something all my life and hadn't realized it until now.

Her scent-subtle, sweet, and distinctly her-filled the space between us. I'd been around countless women before, but none of them had ever made me feel this way. My heart was racing, but not in the way it did during a high-stakes deal or a risky operation. This was different. It wasn't adrenaline; it was something deeper, something I wasn't ready to name yet.

The way her eyes widened, her cheeks turning a soft shade of pink as she looked up at me-it was enough to make me forget every calculated move, every smooth line I'd ever rehearsed. All I wanted was to stay in this moment, to keep her close, to understand why she had such an effect on me.

Her lips parted slightly in surprise, and my gaze flickered to them instinctively. For a fleeting second, I considered closing the distance further, letting instinct take over. But I held back, not wanting to rush something that felt so rare, so special.

Her breath hitched, and her hands instinctively pressed against my chest, trying to create some distance. But I only held her tighter, a teasing smile playing on my lips.

"No escaping this time, madam," I said, my voice low and almost a whisper, sending a visible shiver through her. "You either tell me what she said, or I'm going to scream so loud that your owner will come out and find us like this."

Her eyes widened in shock, and I raised my eyebrows, silently daring her to call my bluff.

When she didn't respond but struggled instead, I took a deep breath and yelled, "Mithra! Mithra!" at the top of my lungs.

Her reaction was immediate. Her hand flew to my mouth, silencing me as panic filled her expression. "Wait! Wait! I'll tell you!" she said hurriedly, her voice almost desperate.

Satisfied, I pulled my head back slightly, and my smirk widened as I waited for her to speak.

"She-uh-she asked me how long we've been dating," she finally admitted, her voice so soft it was almost a whisper.

Her words caught me off guard, and my smirk faltered for a second, replaced by genuine amusement. I raised an eyebrow, urging her to continue.

"And?" I prompted, my tone teasing yet curious.

Mithra shifted uncomfortably, her gaze dropping to the ground. "I told her we weren't dating," she mumbled, clearly embarrassed.

"And then?" I asked again, leaning closer until her eyes darted back to mine.

"She apologized," Mithra said quickly, "and told me she thought we were dating because..." She trailed off, her cheeks flushing a deep shade of pink.

"Because?" I repeated, pulling her even closer, watching as she tried-and failed-to keep her composure.

"Because you'd never brought any other girl to your cabin or something," she said, her words tumbling out in one rushed breath before she looked down, too shy to meet my gaze.

A low chuckle escaped me as I processed her words. I couldn't help the satisfied smile that spread across my face.

"Well," I said, my tone playful yet laced with meaning, "it seems like I have pretty smart workers."

Mithra immediately bent her head down as if wanting to hide from me. i felt her slightly nudge me, more like wanting to push me away but i was way stronger for that. "It's getting late" she said her voice coming out in a very weak but a very cute protest. she was still refusing to look up at me and i chuckled lowly at how cute she looked.

"Okay, I'll let you go"I said hoping she'd look up at me and oh it did work. She looked up with a cute pout that I wanted to kiss soo badly but I had to wait. As easy as it was to just bend a little and close the distance between our lips, I didn't want to scare her. Holding her like this already felt overwhelming but, when it comes to Mithra, the lines always seemed to blur. And the fact that she kept glancing at my lips didn't help me either. But I didn't wanna do something I'd regret.

Half heartedly I let my arms around her loosen. She took a step back as she looked at me with slight confusion. "It's getting late. You should probably go" I said speaking the exact opposite of what I wanted. Wanting her to leave? heck i wanted to pull her and kiss her until she ran out of breath, slowly leave a trail of kisses down her neckline until i found her soft spot. Her moans filling my ears as her fingers ran through my hair. My one arm around her waist pulling her close and the other cupping her breast squeezing them. They'd fit into my palms perfectly.

Fuck! jai! snap out!!

i snapped out as i saw her looking at me. Disappointment flashed through her eyes for a second before she masked it into something unreadable. "Bye!" she chirped out turning away.

As I watched Mithra walk away, her figure retreating into the fading light of the evening, I fought the urge to call her back. My jaw tightened, frustration bubbling just beneath the surface. Letting her go was the right thing to do, I told myself. It had to be. But the ache in my chest told a different story-a story where I didn't want to do the right thing. I wanted her to stay.

With a huff of irritation, I turned to my car, my hands tugging at my already disheveled hair. The tightness in my chest refused to ease, the thought of her walking away gnawing at me. Before I could stop myself, I kicked the front wheel, the dull thud a poor outlet for the storm brewing inside me.

And then I felt it-a light tap on my shoulder.

I spun around, my eyes widening at the sight of Mithra standing there, her gaze intense and unreadable. My breath hitched. Before I could ask her what she was doing, she stepped closer-so close I could feel the warmth radiating from her body.

Her hands shot up, grabbing the collar of my shirt, and in one swift movement, she pulled me down to her level. My heart thundered in my chest as her lips pressed firmly against my cheek.

This wasn't like the fleeting kiss I had given her earlier. This was deliberate. She lingered, her soft lips warm against my skin, sending a shockwave through my entire being. For a moment, the world around me ceased to exist. All I could feel was her-the faint scent of her jasmine shampoo, the delicate pressure of her lips, the soft brush of her fingertips against my collar.

And just as quickly as it happened, she let go, stepping back and leaving me standing there, utterly frozen.

"Just returning the favor," she said, her voice light but her cheeks tinged with pink as she turned and jogged towards the stairs.

I stood rooted to the spot, my heart racing like I'd just run a marathon. My hand instinctively reached up, my fingers grazing the spot where her lips had been moments ago. The warmth still lingered, and I let out a nervous chuckle, completely disarmed.

Mithra glanced back once, a sly smile playing on her lips, and in that moment, I knew-I was completely, hopelessly undone.

She disappeared into her PG, leaving me leaning against my car, running a hand through my hair as if to steady myself. The woman had just kissed me, walked away like it was nothing, and left my world spinning on its axis.

I climbed into the car, a small smile tugging at my lips despite myself. Mithra wasn't just any woman. She was a storm-a captivating, unpredictable storm that I didn't mind getting caught in.

And if this was her way of returning the favor, then I couldn't wait to see what came next.