& Then They Wed (Ampersand Love #2)

28. Triumph

28

Triumph

Rian

“ B ugs?”

Rian looked up from the blue waters of the swimming pool that had kept him distracted, only to find the object of his turmoil strolling towards him, looking resplendent. The saree she’d worn hugged her body lovingly, showcasing every curve to perfection.

He had no doubt that she’d left a trail of victims in her wake tonight. He was one of them.

“What are you doing out here alone?”

Aditi had been searching for Rian for some time. The pool area where he stood was tucked away on the side of the house. The massive outdoor garden where the Diwali party was in full swing was behind her, far enough away that the music and games did not seem intrusive in this otherwise silent space.

He had been absent from the party for far too long for her not to notice .

With his breakdown fresh in her memory, the possibility that he might be silently suffering had worried her to no end.

“Are you okay?” she asked, coming to a halt beside him.

He tipped his chin once, the answer allowing her to breathe easily once more.

She reached for his hand. “Come with me."

“Where?”

“Back to the party. Everyone has been missing you.”

“And you?” Maybe he was being needy, but he was beyond caring. “Did my absence make a difference to you?”

Her forehead creased in confusion. “I came out here to look for you, didn’t I?”

She had. For now, that was enough hope for Rian to hold on to. When she tugged at his arm, trying to lead him back to the house, he held her still.

“Are you set on your plan?”

“What plan?” she questioned, feeling exasperated. She let go and turned to him, arms crossed. “Speak clearly, Rian. What is it that you’re talking about?”

A look of frustration crossed his features and he groaned, rubbing his eyes with one hand as he turned to the side. Aditi tilted her head, leaning to see his face, which caused him to turn farther away. Her sharp ears picked up his agitated mumbling. Wait. Hanuman Chalisa? Was he praying?

With a sound of determination, he spun towards her, surprising her with his speed.

“You said you wanted to find someone to marry. Are you still—”

“Looking?” She lifted one shoulder in a shrug.

“Do you really think marriage is a good idea?”

She released a contemplative sound, distracted by the gentle murmur of the water near her, its fluid surface dancing in a hypnotic rhythm .

“I don’t know, Rian,” she finally replied. “I still want a family. I want children. In the society we live in, neither of those is possible without a husband.”

“So, a husband is just an unfortunate requirement?”

“No.” She laughed softly, shaking her head. “What I truly want is someone who is willing to work at navigating life with me. Marriage will be only as good an idea as the quality of partner I find. If he turns out to be a mismatch, then I’ll have to deal with the fallout, too. But I can’t give up the possibility of getting everything I want because I am scared of failure.”

Hearing her talk, Rian was reminded of a poem Kaya had quoted to him once, a line from which he had never forgotten. It'd suggested that the existence of a mature mind and a romantic heart in the same body was a tragedy. Perhaps the poet had met a woman like Aditi to have written those words and maybe it was the reflection of this emotion that had drawn him to her and kept him invested. Because he saw the dichotomy in the person she was and though it might frustrate others, it fascinated him. Someone else might need her to fit into a mould that was easier to understand. He wouldn’t.

He wanted her exactly as she was. Unequivocally.

As for what she wanted, he could give her that. Romance, and a life of responsibility—both.

He could wait until she fell in love with him also, seeing more to their relationship than a temporary fling. He wouldn’t allow any experience in her life to fall under the category of a tragedy. As long as he was alive, Aditi would only know triumph.

“Doc?” he called, a sudden peace falling upon him when his path forward became clear.

“Hmm?”

“Do you remember the question you asked me earlier this evening?”

Brows furrowed, she turned to face him, the slight shake of her head indicating her confusion .

“You asked if I was sure I didn’t want to marry you.”

She straightened, goosebumps breaking out across her skin as he stepped closer.

“The answer is yes. I do.” He clasped the tips of her fingers in his hand. “I want to marry you.”

“Ha. Ha. Very funny.”

“I’m not joking.”

She tried to step back, needing space to stop herself from falling for his words, only for his grip to tighten.

“You don’t want marriage,” she reminded herself as much as him.

“But you do,” he replied, tugging her into him, his arm encircling her waist so that she couldn’t distance herself anymore. “And I,” he emphasised, his voice dropping an octave, “want you.”

Aditi opened her mouth, closing it ineffectually when her mind refused to cooperate. She felt like she’d been thrust into a vacuum where only Rian existed with her.

He was all she could see and hear. Him, his silver eyes stripping away her defences, his words building a world she’d been too afraid to imagine. She felt trapped with longing for what he could give her. Warm fingers slid under her chin, keeping her arrested.

“I don't know if I’ll make a good husband but your standards seem so low, I might have a chance at making you happy. You want a partner who isn’t perfect but willing to learn? I can be him. Whatever you need, ask me. So no more of those stupid matrimonial dates, okay?”

At her incredulous huff, he continued, determined to make her understand how serious he was.

“If I have to see another person sit across from you, looking at you like he has a shot at taking you home, I’ll end up going insane from curbing my jealousy. For their sake and mine, stop going on dates with other men.”

Aditi was certain she looked as dumbstruck as she felt. “You were jealous? ”

“Unhinged, to be precise.”

He brought her hand up and placed a soft kiss on her open palm, one that she felt in her bones.

“Say yes,” he prompted, his eyes boring into her like he would see into her soul and mesmerise even those parts that weren't already under his spell.

“Yes,” she heard herself breathlessly whisper.

The absolute feeling of victory that shook his being was unexplainable. Rian wanted to hide away from the world with just Aditi, rejoicing in her acceptance. He stepped back, knowing that if he kept touching her, he’d end up kissing her in public and giving the partygoers a live show.

“Let’s go, Doc.”

She pointed to the Diwali party behind them and he shook his head.

Ten minutes later, he was driving them home.

“What if someone saw us leave?” she asked, watching people crowding the side streets, the noise of fireworks interrupting the soft music from the stereo.

“Then they’ll speculate that we’re together.”

Rian didn’t seem bothered, but Aditi didn’t want people to gossip unnecessarily.

“Maybe they won’t notice.”

“Then I’ll make sure to tell them.”

His declaration silenced her. He may as well have tattooed ‘mine’ in large, bold letters across her forehead.

“Keep talking to me,” he added after a moment.

“Why?” she asked, scrunching her nose at the odd request.

“Because if you don’t distract me, I might park this car on a random road and fuck you in the back seat.”

Her eyes widened comically at his very honest response. Far from being scandalised however, his admittance only caused a familiar tug of desire in her gut. “Maybe not for our first time,” she suggested, unable to think about anything other than Rian doing very naughty things to her now. “But I don’t mind trying the back seat in the future.”

The vein in his head bulged.

“Okay!” she panicked, racking her brain for another reason. “Umm. . .at least we're in a car and not on your bike. Imagine having to balance on a bike while we. . .”

“Not. Helping,” Rian bit out, his jaw clenching so tightly that she thought it would splinter.

“Sorry,” she mumbled, folding her hands one on top of the other in a prim pose.

“Show me your feet.”

Confused but unwilling to torment him like she usually would, she pulled up her saree, exposing a little above her ankles.

Rian glanced over at her once, then twice, before his forehead crunched.

“You’re not wearing anklets,” he finally said, eyes on the road. “But I could have sworn I heard the sounds. Why?”

“Oh. I’m wearing something that has the same chimes as anklets do.”

“What is it?”

“Well, you see,” she started in that tone that told Rian he was in for story time. “When I started losing too much weight, my paati got an arana kayiru made for me to wear.”

“A what?”

“An arana kayiru. It’s usually a black thread to ward off bad energy, but the one I have is in gold with a protection charm from the temple. Paati also added the chimes on it to make it pretty. Hence, the sound.”

“Doc, any chance this gold chain is around your waist? I think I felt it before.”

“Of course it’s around my waist. Where did you think it was?”

He didn’t think. He drove faster.