Karan pov
Why wasn't he picking up my calls? I kept trying until I was beginning to get annoyed with him. I had checked with the hotel and he wasn't back yet.
His last email had said that he would be back in his hotel room at 7 pm German time. I couldn't help feeling jealous. I know he had said it was a work trip but who knew who he would meet in Germany.
Germany had many sophisticated men and even the women were exquisite. I would know. I had met Lauren in the same hotel and 3 years later we were still together. Lauren. Lauren.
I tried hard to suppress my feelings about her. To make this work I had to compartmentalise my life. Jai was another part and Lauren another.
Its not as if I was cheating on her with him, nothing had happened between me and him. We weren't exclusive as such. We met whenever she was in town and if I was in a city near her I would fly out to her.
It worked well for us. In all the time we had been together I had been with other women in her absence but none had meant anything to me. I knew she sometimes saw other people.
None had affected me like Jai. Jai had me questioning my identity. Did it mean I was bisexual after all? Or was he just a friend I really liked. I mean if I had been gay I would have known by now wouldn't I? It was useless to keep thinking about all this. All I wanted to do was to talk to him. Where the hell was he?
I angrily sipped my Sauvignon Blanc. This was my favourite brand from South Africa. Its sweetness coated my tongue. Another time this is what I enjoyed about it this time I couldn't even enjoy its brilliance.
"You took your sweet time." I heard him laugh softly. It wasn't funny. I was seriously mad and he was laughing.
"Sorry, I was in the car with my colleagues and I couldn't exactly answer your call."
"Well you could have told me to call later instead of ignoring me."
"I'm sorry, I panicked a bit. You know what, I will make it up to you when I see you." He laughed out loud.
"Really?"
"Yes. Anything you want Karan."
"I will hold you to that promise you know." He laughed again.
"Yes, yes. I promise."
"Have you had dinner yet?"
"No. I'm exhausted, I think I still have jet-lag. I will order room service, shower, maybe watch some trashy TV and sleep." I burst out laughing.
"That's no good. You shouldn't be alone. What's the point of travelling if you going to be in your room all the time? Go down to the restaurant have a great meal. I was on their website and those meals look amazing. I would kill to taste that Cider-Braised Chicken-and-Fennel Panzanella"
"I'm sure it would be good but I'm not going down to dine alone. It would be even more lonely."
"Does it matter? I actually like to dine alone. I can pig out and not worry about impressing my date. You have no idea how liberating it is. Try it." I enjoyed hearing his laugh.
"Fine, I will try it tomorrow Karan. I just don't have the energy today." This guy was obstinate.
"Jai please, just go downstairs and have a nice meal."
"I'm tired Karan. Please don't insist."
"Where are you now?"
"I'm almost at my room."
"Please turn back." I could just imagine him jumping on his feet.
"Damn you Karan. For a moment I thought you were behind me." I burst out laughing.
"Would you have liked that?"
"Yeah. More than anything."
"I wish the same. Anyway, if you won't have dinner, then at least have dessert. Just go down, order dessert for me. Take a picture send it to me and leave. That won't take 20 minutes at most. You can do that for me at least."
"Ugh, Karan. Can't it wait till tomorrow.I barely have a sweet tooth as it is."
"It can't. It won't kill you to experience new things you know."
"I don't know why you keep insisting. You not going to let it go aren't you?"
"No. Send me a picture when you are in the restaurant. Fine, if you won't eat there just go down. You might be surprised how you might end up liking the meal."
"Fine. Twenty minutes tops. I will just leave my laptop in my room and I will go down."
"Fine, I won't get off the phone." He kept chatting mindlessly as I listened to him. I didn't care what he was saying, I just wanted to hear his voice.
I watched him as he crossed the threshold of the restaurant. He was still on the phone with me. I lifted the menu card to cover my face as he passed by me. He was still oblivious that I was less than 10 feet away from him.
"I'm now in the restaurant."
"Really? Describe it to me."
"Its actually amazing, the lights, the atmosphere. I dare say romantic." I laughed out loud.
"Don't get any ideas. I don't want you falling in love over there Jai."
"Would you get jealous if I did?"
"Don't you dare." He laughed out loud.
"Neither should you before I come back."
"That's going to be hard to do. I don't think I can promise that."
"What? Why? Karan don't you dare." I laughed at how indignant he was.
"Can I be honest you."
"Yes please."
"There's someone I think I'm kinda smitten with, and I can't keep my eyes off that person. I can't promise anything at this moment."
The line was silent. I was going to punish him for making me suffer for refusing to come down and making me wait for over an hour.
"Jai. Jai. Are you still there?"
"Why are even you talking to me now? Go over to that person and talk to them. You seem to want their attention."
"OK. Later." I wont lie I enjoyed seeing him annoyed like that.
JAI POV
I was annoyed like hell. I couldn't believe he would say such a thing to me. Why did I even bother with him? He was smitten with someone else. I would order the damn dessert and send him the picture.
I hated him right now but still I would send him the god damn picture. I raised my hand to call the waiter. I felt a hand slowly run across my back and caress my nape. Who would dare touch me in such a way?
"Is this seat taken?"
I knew it was him even before I turned. His scent filled my nose, I would know that scent anywhere in the world and then I heard him speak.
