Chaotic Tangles!

15|| Stolen moments - 1

"Two souls are sometimes created together and in love before they’re even born."
— F. Scott Fitzgerald

Nandini had always loved cozy interiors - the pastel walls with feel good quotations, comfortable cushions placed on the chairs as well as the couches, the smell of freshly brewing coffee and the exquisite fragrance of a fresh bread loaf. Maybe that was why she had grown so fond of this cafe. Well that and the lovely woman Samantha, the owner of the cafe was.

She was an Irish woman, now in her early sixties, who had married an Indian man, lived a happy life and refused to go back to her country when eight years ago her husband had died of a heart attack. For her this country of diversities and traditions had become her country now. Hence she had used all her savings to open this cafe - a touch of her maiden country had made her recipes the best out of the lot locally and now helped her live a comfortable life.

"Ahaan Nandini", Samantha exclaimed from behind the counter aa soon as she spotted the petite woman enter, her eyes lighting up at the sight of one of her favorite customers, "I was just thinking about you while opening the cafe a few minutes ago".

Nandini laughed and went ahead to hug her, but before Samantha could speak she noticed the tall man standing by the door, giving both of them amused smile. A surprised look passed Samantha's features as she looked at Nandini with a teasing smile raising an eyebrow, but Nandini immediately flustered and hit her with her elbow, looking on the floor while tucking her hairs behind. Samantha only grinned wider.

"Well well Samantha, I thought I was your favorite", Manik spoke as he walked inside the otherwise empty cafe, "but looks like I already have a strong competition", he winked at the lady who chuckled, slapping his shoulder lightly, and that's how he missed the shadow that crossed Nandini's eyes at his last few words, but she quickly recovered anyway.

"Well her charm might just be better than you, you know!", Samantha teased back, and it made Manik laugh out loud while Nandini's cheek only went a bit more red as she tried to not smile so much.

"The usual, both of you?", Samantha asked and both of them nodded, after which Manik led Nandini to a corner table, just by the glass windows. The sunlight fell directly over her when she sat down, making her glow more. She kept her sling down and put her book on the table, safely putting the bookmark inside, all this while aware of the stare the man in front of her was giving her.

"It is rude to stare like that", she spoke, just raising her eyes to meet his for one split second and then again lowered her gaze.

"Not when you are admiring something, or say some...one", Manik grinned tongue in check. It made Nandini laugh rather than getting more flushed.

"Is that so? I did not know you had this flirty side to you Dr. Malhotra. Aren't you always the grim, to the point one?", Nandini asked, resting one hand under her chin and the other on her book.

Manik swiftly reached out and placed his hand on hers, caressing her knuckles and surprising the life out of her which he felt in the way she stiffened at his touch, but he shrugged and smiled instead, "It's Manik for today, and well, apart from psychiatry, I might just have another degree in flirting too, you never know", he cocked an eyebrow and smirked, making Nandini chuckle.

"Smooth", Nandini said shaking her head.

"I know, like butter", Manik answered back, looking right in her eye while running his fingers over her hand, and Nandini could not help but blush this time at his explicit flirting skills. Manik only grinned wider.

When Samantha came with their order, Manik removed his hand and Nandini breathed heavily, his touch had been making her far too conscious than she had ever thought. Placing his earl grey tea and Nandini's filter coffee on the table, Samantha smiled at duo before keeping the plate with two blue berry muffins on the table.