"This is not funny!" I hissed, mortified. "I can feel the entire night breeze greeting me personally!"
That only made it worse. He turned slightly away, pressing his lips together, but the laughter kept slipping out.
"Stop it!" I stomped my foot, instantly regretting it when I felt the fabric threaten to give up even more.
"Oh, relax," he said finally, exhaling as he tried to compose himself, though his eyes still danced with amusement. "At least now I know why you were walking like a robot."
I glared. "I was walking like a lady."
"You were walking like your dress was holding your life hostage."
I opened my mouth to argue, then closed it again because... unfortunately, he wasn’t entirely wrong.
"Just... don’t turn around," I muttered, clutching the front of my dress and pressing myself against a nearby table for coverage.
"Trust me," he said dryly, folding his arms, "I’ve already seen enough."
My face burned hotter. "God, I hate you."
"Seriously?" he smirked. "You came all the way here dressed like this for someone you hate?"
I glared again but couldn’t respond. He sighed then, the amusement in his eyes softening just a little. Without another word, he shrugged off his jacket again and this time not offering it. He simply walked forward and wrapped it around my waist, tying it securely.
"There," he said. “Problem solved.”
I blinked, caught off guard.
"Now," he added, stepping back, his expression returning to that usual mix of irritation and something I couldn’t quite place, “try not to destroy any more clothes tonight.”
"How about destroying your clothes?" I teased.
For a brief moment, his lips twitched. And I saw the old Saurav again.
________
Chapter 18
KAVYA
It had been ninety-five minutes since I arrived, and for the first time in what felt like forever, I couldn’t stop smiling. My cheeks ached, my chest felt lighter, and every laugh seemed to peel away the heaviness I’d been carrying.
I counted each second, not because I wanted to leave, but because I didn’t want this moment to end. I didn’t want him to slip back into that other version of himself. I wanted us to stay like this forever.
If it meant spending time with a drunk Saurav Chauhan to see this side of him, maybe it was worth it. Because the man sitting across from me wasn’t cold or distant. He was alive, charming, and infuriatingly funny.
I glanced at the empty wine bottle on the table, then at him. His sleeves were rolled up, his posture loose, and for once, the weight of authority wasn’t pressing down on his shoulders.
He was talking nonstop.
And I was listening like it was the most fascinating thing in the world.
“…and then he slipped,” he continued, laughter bubbling up despite his attempt to hold it back. “Right in front of the instructor. Full confidence, perfect march and then boom.”
I burst out laughing. “You’re lying.”
“I swear I’m not,” he said, raising his hand dramatically. “Saurav Chauhan does not lie.”
“Oh really?” I leaned forward. “And you? You never slipped?”