“Yes, just you and me. I am so tired of being in the noise that I just want to marry you quietly and retire for at least a year with nothing to do.”
He grinned — “You’ve just made my life a whole lot easier. But I regret to inform you that we cannot marry among the two of us without at least one officer and two witnesses.”
“Mom and Dad will obviously be there.”
“Wait, you are serious?” He straightened. “You don’t want anyone?”
She shook her head.
“Not even Atharva and Iram? Adil, Fahad, your media friends from KDP, your Logistics friends, old roommates, Begumjaan, Zorji, Qureshi, Sarah, Dani, Maha…”
“We can have a reception party for them later… but not for at least a month after the wedding. I want to go to a place, shut inside a house with you and not come out until I am utterly and completely frustrated with you.”
“Careful, you are again raising my hopes.”
“It will keep you on your toes for the next six months.”
“But if we don’t invite any of these people then how will we tell them that we are getting married?”
“We won’t. How weird will it look if we tell them, ‘Hey guys, we are getting married but don’t show up there.’”
“Hmm…”
“What?” She checked his forehead with the back of her hand. “You want people there?”
He let out an amused scoff — “Just you and me works fine for me.”
“Then it’s a date.” She held out her hand. “Our first official one.”
He shook it. “The first of many to come.” His arm tugged hers until her mouth was captured by his. Amaal moaned, letting his tongue in. Before she could respond to his tongue, he had pulled out and pressed his mouth to her forehead. “I can’t wait to marry you.”
“Remember that after we are married and in our old couple phase. We have lived it once already.”
His face softened. “This time it will be different, I promise.”
Amaal blinked. “Don’t let anything go wrong in these six months.” She voiced her greatest fear aloud.
“Like what?”
“Like anything.” She pushed, gripping his knee. “Just don’t.”
“I promise.”
Her head fell on his knee. “You are making too many promises.”
“You know I will keep them.” He palmed the top of her head. The gentle tugging of his caressing fingers did things to her. Amaal inhaled.
“Don’t do that.” His warning voice made her sit up.
“What?” She swallowed.
“Don’t need me tonight.” His gaze darkened. “There was so much I wanted to do tonight but now can’t.”
“Your surprises?”
His eyes began to shine — “That’s different.”
“Give me a hint!!”
