Chapter 26

Chapter 26

Sasha did not have a chance to speak to Maan about Geet’s behaviour. She had reconsidered putting in the complaint concerned that Geet may be friends with Naintara which could mean that he knew Geet. She wasn’t sure whether to trust Adi completely that he had not known Geet. Sasha wasn’t going to take any chances just yet. She also had to keep an eye on Geet now. The young trainee isn't as naïve and docile as she came across.

Maan was tied up with work and hadn’t seen Geet for the rest of the day at the office. He returned home earlier than the other nights as it had been a long day for him as he’d left earlier than usual needing some space from Geet and thinking about last night. He’d entered and smiled seeing everyone gathering for dinner at the table, dadima called him to join. He agreed and headed upstairs first to freshen up and change out of his clothes.

Geet’s eyes remained averted when Maan returned joining them at the table. She was feeling embarrassed about last night given Maan’s reaction. He had felt like he had pressured her and then this morning he had not even told her before leaving. He didn’t wait nor give her any text to let her know. As the day had passed, she had grown irritated and embarrassed given Maan’s response to last night’s act. She couldn’t openly blurt out to him that she liked it. But the ullu should have some common sense na? She’d battled with embarrassment and irritation throughout the day.

She decided she was just going to avoid last night and go on about as if nothing happened. No sense in embarrassing herself when her husband is stupid and lacks common sense when it comes to intimacy with her.

Saru is old enough to have some experience, right? She had pondered and cast a glance where he had sat eating and making conversation with dadima. When Maan looked at her curiously, she looked down at her plate and stuffed her mouth with the rajma chawal in case he said something to her so she would have an excuse not to reply.

Unless Saru has no experience either but he was kissing me and touching me confidently enough she reasoned mentally. Can he be a virgin like me? She peeked another glance his way and her eyes widened seeing Maan raising his brows in silent curiousity.

She cleared her throat looking away again and put another spoonful of rajma chawal in her mouth chewing enthusiastically.

Dadima watched the silent interaction in amusement and a chuckle escaped.

“Dadima, what joke are you sharing now? Tell us as well” Dev quipped.

“Bete, I was looking at your brother and Geet silently interacting” she laughed.

Geet’s cheeks warmed whereas Maan narrowed his eyes in confusion.

“We didn’t say anything” Maan pointed out.

“Bete, your eyes are doing enough talking” she said with a laugh. “Geet is obviously thinking something about you and each time you look at her, you’re asking questions silently with your eyes”.

“Uh… aisa nahi hai” Geet muttered when Dev and Naintara laughed in amusement. “I’m eating, dadima”.

“Just eating, bhabhi? Not thinking about eating…”

“Dev” Maan said his name firmly.

“Bhai, I was going to say dessert” he laughed and winked at Naintara.

“Veerji, Geet, ignore him” Naintara nudged seeing Geet’s cheeks reddening and her eyes dipping low and averting everyone’s eyes.

“I’m finished…” Geet abruptly stood grabbing her plate and escaped into the kitchen. After she’d washed her plate, she rushed upstairs avoiding looking at the others on the table and buried herself under the covers cursing Maan.

Saru, it’s all your fault I was thinking about last night she thought. Is he embarrassed and avoiding because he’s a virgin? He couldn’t be, right? I mean he looks like that! Hatta khatta admi hai… she reasoned and shook her head. He couldn’t be? She snapped out of her thoughts and shoved them to the back of her mind and sat up. She wasn’t going to be sleeping any time soon as it was only a little after 8pm so she pulled up her phone dialling her parents. She informed them of the annual party that was going to be held and informed them as well that no one knew she was Mrs Khurana and she wanted to keep it that way. After she’d caught up with her parents, she replied to her friends’ messages and promised to meet them for dinner later in the week.

Geet stiffened for a brief second as the door opened, she kept her eyes locked on her phone screen and didn’t turn to acknowledge his presence.

Maan noticed Geet’s stiffening posture and sighed heavily. It seemed he had made her skittish following their intimacy last night. He didn’t want her skittish or worried that he was going to pounce on her for more like a hot blood teenager. He was not that.

He approached Geet with slow steps and sat down on her side close to the edge and waited until she’d relented and spared him a brief glance.

“I’m sorry, Geet” he apologised after he cleared his throat.

She squinted and looked surprised.

“I shouldn’t have… That’s why you’ve been avoiding me, right?” he asked but didn’t even wait for a reply from her. “We’re still getting to know each other and I…” he exhaled deeply trying to find the words. “I… It won’t happen again, not without your permission. I seem to lose my control when it comes to you” he admitted softly. “I’m sorry. Don’t avoid me please”.

Geet’s eyes widened even more. One would say it was as big as saucers in this moment. “What? I’ve been avoiding you?”

Maan nodded though he looked confused why she was asking this.

“I have not been avoiding you” she climbed off the bed and started pacing across the room. “You’ve been avoiding me! Not the other way around. You left me alone this morning in bed. Then you were being odd at dinner. Not me!”

“I wasn’t avoiding you” Maan replied standing up and stopping in front of her causing her to halt abruptly before she slammed into him.

“You apologised for last night and now you’re apologising again. Do you regret it?” she asked. “I… I have never been with anyone, Maan. You’re my first so I’m… nervous. Not undecided. You look undecided though. I don’t regret what happened either”.

“Geet, I don’t regret it” Maan clasped her upper arms gently. His thumbs stroking her soft skin soothingly. “I… I was concerned about you regretting it and scaring you”.

Geet tilted her chin up and looked at him. “So, we don’t regret last night?” she asked softly.

Maan shook his head. “I don’t. I thought I was moving fast” he admitted.

“If that’s what you call fast, then I don’t want to know what you call fast” she chuckled biting down on her bottom lip sheepishly.

He blinked in surprise at her response then laughed gathering her in his arms and embraced her. He pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “I was worried for a second that I scared you”.

“Well, you acted more nervous than me” she chuckled burrowing her face in his chest.

He chuckled and smiled when she lifted her head and looked up at him. He cradled her cheeks in his palms and pressed a gentle kiss to her lips. The first brushes of their lips tentative and slowly before he pressed a little firmly coaxing her to part her lips.

Geet sighed breathily as she parted her lips and clasped his forearms as he deepened the kiss. She leaned into him moaning her pleasure and found herself tiptoeing for more. Maan obliged deepening their kiss for a moment then slowly withdrew reluctantly to catch his breath. Geet smiled shyly as he looked at her trying to read her expressions and smiled embracing as she burrowed her face in his chest once again.

When they finally withdrew from each other’s embrace, they’d respectively finished off their nightly routine before climbing into bed. Geet shuffled and snuggled to Maan’s side, and he wrapped his arm around her waist holding her close to him.

“Sasha wants to become Mrs Khurana” Geet muttered.

“We’re in bed and you’re bringing in a third person to our bed” he pointed out.

“I’m just letting you know. She’s adamant on making things difficult for me”.

Maan frowned and looked at her. “What do you mean?”

“She thinks I want to steal her saru candy so she picks arguments and tries belittling me every time” she informed.

“Are you sure you’re not misunderstanding her?” he inquired slowly. “I’ve worked with her for a number of years now. She’s good at her job and is handling the design department quite well. She’s managing a number of people under her, Geet so she could be stressed or…” he trailed off.

“Believe me that is not stress” she murmured wistfully as she thought of Sasha’s behaviour and saltiness towards her.

“She’s a good colleague and is really good at her job” he tucked a piece of hair behind her ear giving her a small smile only earning an eyeroll in response from Geet.

He chuckled.

“Fine, don’t take her seriously” she nudged him and closed her eyes.

He only laughed and curled his arm tighter around her and pressed a kiss to her forehead.