By your side

Coorg 2

It was a short and gentle kiss, but it was enough to shake her to the core.

She slowly opened her eyes, finding herself gazing into his hazel ones. His lips curled into that characteristic half-smile, unsure of how she would react.

"I am sorry," he whispered, his voice filled with a mix of regret and anticipation. "I didn't mean to catch you off guard, but I couldn't resist."

She looked at him, her heart pounding in her chest. The intensity of the moment left her speechless, unsure of how to respond. But deep down, she couldn't deny the surge of excitement that coursed through her veins.

"Aadya?" he whispered.

"Happy Birthday, Ishaan," she greeted him warmly.

His eyes lit up, a mixture of happiness and surprise dancing within them. "You remembered?"

"Of course," she replied with a grin.

He lowered his gaze and chuckled. "You never cannot amaze me, Aadya."

"That's my speciality," she replied, returning his grin.

Anticipating a backlash for their earlier kiss, he was pleasantly surprised by her positive demeanour.

"So, what are we going to do today?" she asked.

He scratched his chin as if pondering. "I am hungry."

"What?" Aadya responded with amusement. "I can't think when I'm hungry," he explained.

She laughed and agreed, "Let's have breakfast then. The dining hall must have opened by now."

"We'll have breakfast here, in the garden. I'll call room service," he suggested.

"I would like that very much," she replied with a grin.

Soon, they were enjoying a private breakfast spread amidst the garden's golden sunlight, which had transformed the sky from orange to a clear, brilliant blue.

"You know, this place looks like it's been plucked from a picture book," Aadya commented.

"Yes, I wish I could stay here forever," Ishaan confessed, while nibbling on a piece of toast.

"How is New York?" Aadya inquired.

"Busy of people," he replied.

"They have a club here at the resort. There's a party this evening. Would you like to go?" he asked.

"I haven't been to a club in years," she replied.

"Me neither," he admitted.

"Wait, I almost forgot your gift," she exclaimed, jumping out of her seat and hurrying back into her room.

Returning with a basket filled with several small packages, she presented it to him with a flourish.

"Happy Birthday, Ishaan Shekhawat. I hope you have a happy and fulfilling life."

He grinned, accepting the basket. "Thanks. So many gifts! It's like Diwali came early! Can I open these?"

"Of course," she encouraged.

He eagerly opened the first box, revealing a wooden-carved car. His eyes lit up with joy. "Wow! I've always wanted a toy car."

She chuckled. "It's a souvenir. I couldn't decide what to gift you, so I bought these here yesterday. This is a handcrafted Coorgi speciality."

"Wow! Thanks," he replied, genuinely touched.

The next package contained a spice blend made from locally grown spices. "Coorg is famous for its spices," Aadya pointed out.