Page 40 of Right Where I Belong

“On time. Nice. I like punctual men.”

“Stop promoting him,” Sabrina scolded. “It’s just one date, Shauna.”

“We’ll see,” Shauna said with a teasing smile. “You look beautiful. Go knock him out.”

Sabrina left with a quick wave. She stepped into the elevator, and her pulse picked up speed with each descending floor. When the doors opened to the lobby, she took a deep breath and stepped out.

And then, she saw him.

Leaning against a bright yellow Lamborghini, Aditya looked like he’d stepped straight out of a fashion campaign. His black jacket molded fabulously over his shoulders. Worn over a slate-gray shirt and well-tailored black trousers, hair slightly mussed, and his jaw clean, he looked fabulous. His eyes locked with hers, darkening with heat as he drank her in. Her steps faltered under the raw intensity of that look. But then, a quiet rush of confidence settled inside her. He looked like that because ofher, forher.She was the reason his gaze had turned molten. She walked boldly toward him, her heart racing.

He leaned in and kissed her cheek, the soft brush of his lips sending tremors skittering down her spine.

“You look beautiful,” he murmured. “All this effort—just for me?”

“You wish,” she said playfully. “Maybe I just like dressing up…”

He placed a dramatic hand over his chest. “You slay me. How will my poor heart ever survive you?”

She patted his cheek. “You’ll live. You don’t seem the fragile type.”

“Merciless and stunning. I like it.”

He gave her a crooked grin. Oh, that smile always made her lose her breath. God, it was unfair how easily he got under her skin—how this light banter made her feel far too much.

Her smile lingered, but a war waged inside her. This was just dinner. A single date. But with him… it didn’t feel that simple. Because beneath the teasing, the charm, and the ease, she could feel the undercurrent of something far more dangerous. Something that could take her under if she let it. She wasn’t sure if she was ready to face that again. Or worse—feel more.

He opened the door for her, and she slid into the car. He climbed in beside her and started the engine, shifting the car into gear. She looked outside the window at the passing view, the silence thick between them.

He tapped the wheel lightly, turning to look at her. “This is awkward.”

She smoothed her dress and exhaled. “Yes, it is.”

“Alright, let’s break the awkwardness. Tell me three things about you, one truth and two lies.”

She frowned. “Meaning?”

“Have you never played this game before?”

“Umm… no.”

“Okay, it’s simple,” he explained, looking at the road ahead. “You tell me three things about yourself. Two of them are lies, and one is the truth. I have to guess which one’s which. Then it’s my turn.”

She arched a brow. “So, a sneaky way to get to know me?”

He grinned. “Exactly. But fun sneaky.”

She gave him a sidelong glance, then shrugged. “Fine. Here goes. I hate chocolate. I’m allergic to seafood. And I once had a pet snake.”

He blinked. “Hmm. I remember that rich,decadentsmell of chocolatein the house when I visited earlier. So, definitely not buying the ‘I hate chocolate’ act. But allergic to seafood? That sounds like something you’d say to throw me off. As a chef, I’m pretty sure, you have to taste what you cook.”

He tapped his chin dramatically. “I’m going with… the pet snake thing. That’s the truth.”

She smirked. “Wrong.”

“What? No way.”

“Iamallergic to seafood,” she said, suppressing a laugh at his shocked expression. “And snakes, please… I saw Anaconda on TV once. Scarred me for life.”