“For you? Yes.”
I stopped in front of the couch and looked down at her for a moment. Then I leaned down and kissed her. Vani made a soft sound of surprise against my lips before kissing me back, one hand automatically coming up to rest against my chest. When I pulled away, she blinked up at me.
“That was hello,” I said.
“Mm,” she said thoughtfully. “I approve of this greeting method.”
I smiled faintly before reaching down and pulling her to her feet. “Come on.”
Her brows lifted immediately. “Where are we going?”
“You’ll see.”
Her suspicious look was instant, followed by a quick glance down at her outfit. “Should I change?”
I looked her over.
The oversized sweater.
Leggings.
Bare feet.
“No,” I said.
She frowned slightly. “That didn’t sound convincing.”
“You look fine.”
“That still sounds suspicious.”
I grabbed her hand. “Trust me.”
Vani studied my face for a moment before sighing.
“Fine. But if this turns out to be an event that requires real pants, I’m staging a protest.”
“You’re very dramatic.”
“You love it.”
I didn’t deny it.
The drive through the city was easy. Traffic had thinned, and the streets glowed under the warm haze of evening lights. Vani rested her elbow against the window, watching the skyline as we drove.
“You still haven’t told me where we’re going,” she said.
“That would ruin the surprise.”
“I promise I’ll pretend to be surprised.”
I glanced at her. “You’re terrible at pretending.”
“That’s rude.”
“It’s accurate.”
She crossed her arms. “I could still demand answers.”
