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Tears welled in her eyes, and she crashed her lips against his in a sudden, overwhelming kiss. There were no words needed. Just her heart answering his in the only way it knew… with every ounce of love she’d kept buried inside her.

Shaurya cupped her face in both hands, deepening their kiss, like a promise being made in silence. As her fingers slipped down to clutch his shirt, he gently took her hand and, without breaking the kiss, slid the ring onto her finger—their love sealed with a quiet promise.

“I love you, Nandini,” he whispered when they finally pulled apart, breathless, their foreheads touching.

“I love you too,” she said softly, her eyes shimmering with love.

Then she glanced down at her hand to admire the ring glittering on her finger. Her eyes widened as the diamond sparkled in the light. She turned back to him, suddenly more serious.

“Oh god,” she muttered. “What am I going to tell Grandpa?”

Shaurya exhaled slowly. “We’re done hiding. I’ll speak to him about us tomorrow. He deserves to know the truth. From us directly. And after that, we’ll ask for his blessing and take this forward.”

Nandini nodded slowly, the emotion still catching in her throat. She wrapped her arms around him, holding on like she never wanted to let go.

He held her just as tightly, then leaned back slightly to look into her eyes. “What about your parents?”

She sighed, her smile turning a bit sad. “They won’t take it well. But Grandpa’s decision carries weight. If anyone can help them see reason… it’s him.”

Shaurya kissed her forehead gently. “Then we start with him.”

She nodded again, this time with more certainty. “Yes. We start with him.”

A beat passed. Then his expression shifted. His eyes darkened slightly, his smile turning more playful, more wicked.

“And now,” he murmured, brushing his thumb along her knuckles, “about your earlier question…”

She raised an eyebrow in confusion. “What question?”

He leaned closer, his lips brushing the shell of her ear. “The one about how romantic I can be... in a room full of roses, music, and no one to interrupt us.”

Nandini’s gaze flicked around the club, but Shaurya had chosen their spot thoughtfully. Their booth was tucked away in a secluded corner, dimly lit, and mostly hidden from view by velvety drapes. The perfect haven of privacy in a very public place.

She smirked. “Hmm. Prove it then.”

He didn’t need to be told twice.

He moved in and closed the distance between them. Her body instinctively responded to the nearness. He brushed his arm against her waist, his eyes never leaving hers. Then, slowly, he reached down and lifted her leg, settling it across his lap beneath the table. The slit of her gown parted with the movement, revealing the smooth curve of her leg.

His palm caressed her skin, his fingertips slowly tracing the path from her knee upward. She sucked in a sharp breath as his finger reached her inner thigh.

She gripped his shirt lightly. Her body tensed, overwhelmed by the sensation he was igniting in her. Her eyes fluttered shut for a second before opening to meet his dark, smouldering gaze.

“I can’t seem to keep my hands or my lips off you,” he whispered, his voice thick with longing. “And it’s going to be like this for the rest of our lives.”

And then he kissed her.

The kiss was urgent, passionate… a release of the pent-up desire he’d kept bottled up tonight during their stolen glances and their restrained touches. His lips moved over hers with hungrily, like he’d been waiting all night just to do this, and she responded with equal fire, her hand sliding to the back of his neck to pull him even closer.

They were still tucked in the shadows of the booth, safe from prying eyes, lost in each other. His hand still rested on her leg, holding her close to him as their kiss deepened.

Shaurya’s thumb traced the curve of her jaw, dipping briefly to skim the sensitive spot beneath her ear. Her breath caught in her throat, and he felt it against his neck, warm and shaky.

“You’re trembling,” he murmured, his nose grazing her cheek.

“I’m not used to… all of this,” she whispered, her fingers tightening around his forearm. “You’re kind of… overwhelming.”

He chuckled against her skin. “Good.”