"Arjun, have you seen Zoya? I have been looking everywhere for her for the past 5 minutes."
"Yeah, she said she was going out in the gardens to get some fresh air" Arjun said.
"Thanks brother!" He said and started towards the garden.
Aditya found Zoya by the fountain laying on the fountain ledge and staring up at the sky.
"Hmmm...so this is what you do with the exorbitant fee that you charge for the events. Enjoy the sky? And it's your poor minions who do all the hard work!" he teased her and laid down beside her.
"Shut up Aditya! It's not like you are going to pay me, you cheapo!" Zoya teased back.
He turned towards her. "Just who are you calling cheap? Just imagine how much publicity your company is getting because of this event. You should actually be thanking me!"
"Whatever Aditya" she said softly and then fell silent.
A long minute passed with the two of them silently staring at the sky. Aditya heard Zoya sigh and turned towards her. "What are you looking at Zoya? What's wrong?"
She said nothing and kept staring. After a while she finally said,
"I want a baby"
Aditya was so shocked, he almost fell into the fountain water. "What?"
"I want a baby, Aditya. I am 27 years old" she said with a shrug.
"I know exactly how old you are! Don't you think you are forgetting one important detail though? Shouldn't there be a husband somewhere in this picture?" He asked in a testy voice.
"Of course! That's what I am trying to tell you. I am thinking about getting married again" Zoya finally looked him in the eye.
Adi swallowed. He didn't understand why, but her words were deeply unsettling to him.
"And do you have someone in mind?"
"I am talking to a few potentials." She replied
"Potentials? That doesn't sound very romantic. What happened to the bepannaah love you were hoping to find?" He asked
"I don't know. I loved Yash that way, and look where that got me. The reality is, after what I went through with Yash, I don't think I can fall in love again. I don't think I even want love anymore. What I want is trust and compatibility. Someone who shares the same values as me and someone who is honest and trustworthy. Someone who will be a good father and..." She stopped suddenly. She sounded close to tears.
"Zoya?"
She didn't look at him, just sat there, sniffling and trying to hide her tears from him.
"I have to move on Aditya. Marrying for a baby may not seem like a good idea, but I want one so badly and I..."
And in that moment, the strangest thing happened. In fact, strange was not even the right word. More like life altering, or shocking. A kind of a surprise that steals every breath from your body. She turned toward him and he couldn't believe just how gorgeous she was. She was so close that he could see flecks in her eyes. His gaze dropped to her lips. They were full and soft and moist because she had the tendency to run her tongue over them every so often. He was familiar with all her features and yet, he had never really LOOKED at them, never noticed how sensual her lower lip was, and how...
He quickly stood up. "I have to go. Mom and Dad will be looking for me," he said, his voice sounding hoarse.
She stood up as well, "Yeah sure. Aditya, are you OK? You don't judge me do you?" She asked in a soft worried voice.
"No, ofcourse not. We will continue this conversation after the party OK? I just really have to go!" He said and started to walk away
He didn't understand what had happened. He had always known Zoya was a beautiful woman, but in an abstract sort of way. Kind of like the way he admired good cars. But suddenly, right now...he had looked at her and seen someone entirely new. And that scared the hell out of him.
***********
In the two weeks since Adi's world had shifted, things had only gotten worse. He couldn't stop thinking about Zoya. Everything about her was just so damn gorgeous. The air around her was beautiful, her scent, her hair which was so soft..he felt like he was going crazy.
Tonight, they were at another event that was planned by Zosh. Zoya, as usual was making the most of the party by talking to everyone and networking. What was worse, it seemed like the single men had somehow figured out that she was in the market and available and were chasing her like hungry sharks. And Zoya, Zoya was not doing anything to stop them. In fact, she was flirting right back. He didn't resent her for wanting to get married and wanting to have babies. She deserved all the happiness in the world after what she went through. However, every time she looked at a guy, he wanted to personally go there and break every bone in their body.
As he watched, Zoya walked out into the terrace with some guy. After a few mintues, Adi could not resist going after her.
********
"No! I said No! Please leave me!" Zoya tried to get away from Karan.
"Cmon Zoya, it's just one kiss. Don't be such a prude" said Karan, the latest potential she was talking to. He roughly pushed her against the terrace wall, and was forcibly trying to kiss her. Just then, his weight was suddenly lifted off. Zoya opened her eyes to see Aditya holding him by his neck.
"Just say the word Zoya, and I will break his neck right now", Aditya said fiercely.
"NO, Aditya, please let him go. He is not worth it" Zoya squealed.
Aditya dropped him and said, " If I ever see you near Zoya again, I will break every single bone in your body. Is that understood?". Karan nodded and quickly ran off.
Aditya turned away from Zoya and faced the wall and started taking deep breaths to control himself. "Are you OK?" He asked.
"Yes, yes I am OK. Aditya, thank you so much for saving me today. I don't know what would have happened if you hadn't been here." Zoya said nervously.
Aditya didn't say anything and was still facing the wall.
"Aditya? What's wrong? Are you angry with me? Is it because I have decided to remarry? You don't think I should marry right? You..." Her words were cut short as Aditya lost control of his anger and punched the wall with his fist and turned towards her.
Zoya let out a small scream at his expression and was about to step back when Aditya held her arms and pulled her towards him.
Zoya looked at him with wide eyes. She was shocked by what she saw in Aditya's face. He seemed to have lost complete control. As Zoya looked in shock, she saw his expression suddenly change from anger to something else as his eyes moved towards her lips. And suddenly, the impossible happened and his lips moved closer to hers. Her heart started pounding and her chest felt tight. Aditya's lips were inching towards her at a snail's pace, giving her plenty of time to back out. But for the life of her she couldn't move. And then finally his lips met hers in the softest, lightest caress ever. He brushed his lips against hers, oh so gently. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled herself closer to him, deeping the kiss. She didn't know how much time went by, but she didn't want to stop. Aditya's hand slowly started moving around her back and suddenly she realized what she was doing , and pulled herself away.
"No, I can't do this. I can't. I have to go...please..I I I have to go" Zoya said, completely flustured as she moved out of Adi's arms and ran away, while Adi looked at her in a love drunk state.
Adi's and Zoya's equation had suddenly changed from friends to something more...
