Taara couldn't wipe away that smile from her face. She didn't even want to. She was amazed. He had brought ice creams, a chocolate one for her and black current for himself. Right now he was walking her to 'their spot'. 

"Wow. Smart thinking!" Taara complimented while sitting down and he sat beside her. He flashed her a smile handing her the icecream. "Eat before it melts. I am here to answer all questions you have for me." Taraa smiled nodding her eyes lingering longer on his cheek. 

"Aayush Vikrant Rathore." Aayush spelled his name as he saw her finish her cone icecream. 

"Okay. Where do you work?"

He looked at her amused, "I work at the Rathore Heritage Hotels," he gave a pause as she nodded slightly baffled. "As the CEO." He added, carefully analyzing her face. It changed from confusion to realization. "Wait, Rathore? You mean...the Rathore Heritage Hotels?"

"Yep." He answered concealing his mirth.

"You mean you are The Rathore ...what do they call him...Omg...you are AVR?"

"Me and my dad share that acronym." He chuckled. She quickly pocketed out her phone and hurried typed something. Amused he watched her scroll through the various images of him on google. 

"Damn. You are the Rathore ...Aayush Vikrant Rathore!" she looked at him dumbfounded. Now he began to feel a little uncomfortable. No one had ever made him so uncomfortable by spelling his name ever before.  "Yeah, don't shriek like that."

"Wow. Are you kidding me?"

He chuckled, "no."

"Damn. Why did you not tell me before!"

"How does that make a difference?"

"Well, I don't know. But why did .." she still had shock written all over her face.

"Okay. It's just that I was tired of being AVR, I wanted to..you know...be like a normal person. One day I stopped by here. I liked it. So I came the next day. On the third day I met you and well it became a habit then."

Taara smiled fondly. "Why do you not look like that when you meet me?" She teased pointing to an image of him where he was dressed in a three-piece-suit.

He chuckled, "Why? Don't I look good like this."

"No no... you do." Taara blinked awkwardly. "I mean - You-ahh" she stuttered in hesitation.

He laughed heartily at her nervousness. "It's okay to let your boyfriend know that you find him good looking."

"So full of yourself." She taunted looking away. A cool breeze blew against her face making her immediately turn back to him. Their eyes met. Taara let out a breath through her parted lips. She was falling for him, especially when he looked at her like that. 

"I think I should head home. It's late." She spoke softly, he nodded quickly getting on his feet. He offered her a helping hand. Although she didn't need it, she took it. And she was glad she did, the touch warmed her heart.

Back in the car, she couldn't contain her curiosity. "How come you don't have a high end model of a Mercedes or BMW?"

He chuckled. "I do.. this isn't my car. It's my PA's."

"What!" She turned to him astounded.

"Well, I didn't want my car to give away my identity."

Taara grinned. "Why? I mean..."

"I wanted to be a common man, dating a girl he likes. Not AVR."

She smiled looking at him. 

"By the way what's with this ...why don't you give me your exact address?"

Taara replied, "Cause I told my mom I am going for a girl's night out."

"You're kidding, right?" He deadpanned.

She shook her head in a negative. "I couldn't tell her I am going out on a dinner with guy who I have no details about, not even the full name."

Aayush grinned. "Well, that's  accurate. You are something else!" 

"I know, I know." She smirked.

He pulled the car where she asked him to."You sure you'll walk from here?" He asked looking at the dark street ahead.

"Yes I will.  Don't worry. Remember I am ..."

"Black belt of course. Although honestly, are you?" He asked doubtfully.

Taara glanced at him wondering how he knew she lied. "White belt." She replied sheepishly and he grinned. 

"I knew it."

"Thank you." Taara spoke leaning over the window of the passenger seat after getting out. He smiled at her.

"See yaa." She muttered walking away with a smile on her face.

"Taara," she heard the shutting of the car door. She turned to find him standing near the bonnet. She quickly walked upto him. "Shh...what?" She asked perplexed, looking around hoping no one familiar heard or saw them. There was nobody around.

He leaned and kissed her cheek. Taara parted her lips as she felt the heart momentarily stop.

"I think we are even now?" He whispered pulling slightly away from her. A few strands of her hair still stuck to his cheek. His eyes meeting hers. Taara could feel the heat on her cheeks. He kissed her— on the cheek! She smiled awkwardly nodding and in hurried steps walked into the darkness. Aayush grinned walking back to the car. 

* * *

Taara entered her house to find her mother seated comfortably on th couch watching the movie -Yours Mines & Ours. "Hey mom!"

"How was your dinner outing?" Her mother asked turning to look at her. 

"Oh, it was nice." Taara smiled her mind running those few moments when he leaned to kiss her in loop. She quickly decided to make the escape lest her mother should figure out anything from her expression. "I am so tired. Good night." She faked a yawn moving to the stairs. She heard her phone beep. Immediately her thoughts sparked, was it him?

"Taara, " she heard her mom's voice. Perfect timing, as always. Ugh! "Where did you girls go? Who dropped you?"

Taara gave the name of the restaurant followed by her friend's name Priya. 

"Priya?" Her mom looked at her perplexed, as she began up from the couch.

"Yeah, SIYA!" Taara corrected her blunder, on the go. 

Her mom gave her a look walking towards her. "Are you hiding something?" Her mom enquired folding her arms.

"Me? Why? I mean nothing." Taara pushed her phone into the back pocket of her jeans, casually.

"Taara?" Her mother narrowed her eyes at her.

"What?" Taara shrugged.

"You went out that too with Ruhi and Siya? As far as I remember weren't you cross with them for not inviting you to the trip they went for?"

"Mom, that was long ago."

"Some four months?"

"Yeah, that's long ago." Taara answered.

"Taara, I am not convinced.  Why do I feel you're lying? What are you up to?"

As though to answer that her phone beeped again. She hoped it wasn't Aayush. Her mother's gaze was still fixated at her. "Mom, I am–" her ringing phone cut her off. Perfect.

"It's your phone." Her mother reminded her eyeing her with watchfulness.

"Oh yeah," Taara hurriedly pulled out her phone from her back pocket. She gulped seeing Aayush's name as the caller id.

"Who is it?" 

"Siya." Taara answered. 

"Pick it up then." 

Taara nodded swiping the green button.  "Hello.." she answered timidly looking at her mother. 

"Did you reach home? I texted you also..."

"Yeah yeah. I reached home. Was just filling mom with the details." Taara smiled at her mother whose hawk eyes were fixed at her. He laughed at the other end. Taara smiled forcefully. Wait for her to escape this. Stupid man laughing at the other end, after putting her in a fix.

"Continue sweetheart! Talk to you later." He spoke between his laughter. Taara ended the call smiling at her mom. 

"Yeah, later  bye!"

"So, good night. Sweet dreams." She said to her mother quickly and strode away to her room.