Trust me once (Premeer Version)note pg44 - Page 23

Note 1:

Guys I am so sorry I could not update for a long time as I promised to do so because there was a serious mishap in my family. One of our close relative went to india to attend a wedding. He was some 60yrs old.had heart condition and was a diabetic. He was visiting newly built house of one his relatives when he got a stroke and fell from 1^st floor on marble floor on head. He was admitted in hospital with blood clots in head and lots n lots of blood in lungs. After being admitted in hospital for 5 days he took his last breath. So all were busy with tha and this is why I could not update.

Note 2:

I forgot to mention that Simon in my FF is a model whose career is on the verge of ending so that is why she is looking for some billionaire to set her life for good.

Part 11

Throughout the evening Heer was glued to Prem's side but she was well aware of the simmering anger that was just lurking below.

Somehow they got through the evening and when Prem announced that it was time to leave and he is dropping Heer off she didn't dare argue. The journey to her apartment was dangerously silent and when they were inside she couldn't take it anymore. Prem just said one word 'why?'

Heer knew that she couldn't hide anymore and its time to tell Prem the truth. He won't take any other excuse for answer. Heer 'Prem what could I do. You never seem to look into the problem with me and Simon.'

Prem 'wait a minute how does all this involve Simon. Wait a minute did she said a thing to you.'

Heer 'no Prem she didn't say a word to me but somethings are best understood. You are planning to marry and instead of spending time with her you are most of the time here. How is she going to feel. You couldn't see that she needed your attention so I had to distance myself from you. '

Prem 'wait a second who told you that I am marrying Simon? Heer you know me very well I have been burnt once and it won't repeat that mistake again.'

Heer 'but Simon said that she heard you talking about proposing to her. Actually she heard you talking to someone on the phone regarding a ring and assumed that you are going to propose to her.'

Prem 'no Heer I am not proposing anyone. Anyways why do I get a feeling that not only she told you this there is a lot more that you are not telling me. Heer I severe if you are hiding anything just spit it out otherwise .'

Heer 'no Prem there is nothing more to it.'

Prem 'Heer just speak up. Whenever you just lie about anything you don't look into eye. So I am not taking any more of this rubbish or I will drag you to Simon's place and you will see the worst of me. So spit out anything.'

Seeing Prem so much angry Heer decided its high time she has to tell the truth to Prem. God help Simon now. 'Prem actually its not Simon's mistake. You know a girl is always possessive about the man she is in love with. She just told me to be away from you as she would like to spend more time with you. That's it. She never said anything more.'

Prem 'that's it. Heer I know Simon better than you do. And I also happen to know you. I know you are one of those whom I can trust with a blind eye and Simon is the one who changes colour like a chameleon. So I know what Simon has told you. How could you Heer. Don't you know your place in my life. Don't you know I how I feel about you. You are my best friend for god sake's Heer. Atleast you should have trusted me to handle this problem on my own. You just had to give me a slightest hint and I would have set things right for you. You idiot you don't know how much I have missed you these past few days. I couldn't sleep,couldn't concentrate on my work. Even Teddy became a nuisance to me complaining all the time that I am brooding man and I am disturbing his peaceful home environment. Oh god Heer how could you and because of you I had to say sorry to all my employees today.'

Heer 'because of me. What have I done to your employees Prem?'

Prem 'Heer I am known for never losing my patience at the worst times possible times but due to you I have been shouting on each one of them literally. Yesterday I almost fired my secretary because I could not find a damn pin stapler because my desk was a mess and it was underneath a pile of papers. My desk was a mess due to my own doing. When I realized that what am I doing I personally went to each one of them today and said sorry to them and gave out some specially made cookies to all.'

Heer 'but Prem you don't understand. I am just your friend and I cannot be anything else. You have to learn to give priorities to all your other relationships also. If you have a girlfriend then you need to spend more time with her and not with me. And if you are not ready to take any step I myself will move away from here.'

When Prem heard this that was the last pull to his anger. Without thinking of anything he was in front of Heer in a moment nostrils flaring with rage and when Heer was about to say something he silenced her by crushing his mouth on hers. He plundered her mouth with ruthlessness and pent up frustration. At first Heer was immobile and when she relaxed she found herself melting into the kiss and was trying to cling more closer to Prem. Prem pulled her more closer to him and deepened the kiss. It was like time stood still and no one else existed except these two. Heer was wagely aware of a small voice of sanity at back of her mind ringing alarm bells stating caution but that thought also took flight as Prem started showering small kisses on her jaw till a pulse beating at the base of her throat. She angled her neck at such an angle so that Prem could get more access to her throat. In the midst of cloud of haze and desire both of them were jolted back to reality by some ringing of phone. It took sometime to register that the phone ringing was Prem's. both of them realized what they have been upto and jumped away from each other. Prem reached for his phone and Heer was about to leave for her room when she was pulled back against Prem. When she was about to protest Prem silenced her with a glare and she didn't dare speak a single word. It was Simon on other side of the phone and Heer was stunned to hear Prem talking like that.

Prem 'ah! Simon we were just talking about you. Me and Heer. We were discussing yours and mine breakup party. Yes I am breaking up with you. No you don't love me if you would have you would have known that Heer is an important part of me. How could you treat Heer like that. She is my best friend and very dear to me and whoever tries to harm her will have to face me first. Yes I actually started thinking about you that maybe I have met right kind of girl with whom I can think of settling down but thanks to you that fake image has been shattered. Now you listen to me very carefully whatever was between us is no more. You finished everything with your own hands. Simon don't you dare go calling bad names for Heer in front of me otherwise you will never be able to know what hit you and where all I know is you won't be Simon anymore and you be able to recall your own name. I don't want to see or hear about you at least nearby or around Heer.'

When he was finished speaking with Simon he turned to Heer 'now Heer you listen you are not going anywhere near that Nitin or any other guy. Get that clear otherwise don't say later on that I didn't inform you first hand. You know my past and you also know what I am capable of doing so do what I say.'

Then he sobered down a little and said 'Heer I am sorry for what happened just now and I promise it won't happened again. But I can't guarantee what will happen next time when you won't listen to me maybe I will lock you up forever. Heer I promised Meher to look after you and I could clearly see today while dancing with Nitin today you were not comfortable today. Heer you yourself have seen what kind of animals are out there just to pounce on prey like you. And whereas that ring Simon was talking about it was one of my mother's belongings which I was getting repaired by a jeweler. I always thought of passing on my mother's precious belongings to my wife but with Sanjana I could not do that. It never felt right. She knew about those jewels but I she couldn't convince me enough to give it to her. Now I understood because those were never meant for her.'

Heer 'Prem I am really sorry. But what could have I done. When Simon told me about that ring I believed that indeed you found someone worth marrying. You have done so much for me and I thought if you have a chance at happiness and if that's is being jeopardized by me so will take a step back so that you may have a happy life.'

Prem saw that Heer has clearly dismissed the talk about kiss so he let it go. Even he was uncomfortable not talking about it. Prem 'Heer you and Meher are my family. If I happen to get married you both will be 1^st ones to know it. Please Heer I need my family with me to function normally in my daily life. Please please as Meher is away you at least don't distance yourself away from me.'

With everything back to normal except the matter of kiss which both of them with unspoken mutual understanding pushed out of their mind they were inseparable again. But that one kiss somehow changed something between them from day onwards. Both could not shun the image of kiss out of their mind. Prem with his contacts and his name chucked out Simon from all the modeling assignments she had and now she was paying her price for messing with Heer.

Without being aware of what he was doing Prem found himself sometimes wishing he could get one chance of plundering Heer's soft pliant lips once again. But he knew that it cannot happen again because that will certainly cost him his dear friend.

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Part 12

One day Prem asked Heer to accompany him to one official party hoisted by a company with which Prem had bragged a deal. Because the celebration was unplanned and on the spot he didn't have any date who would accompany him. So Heer agreed with him and it was decided that he will pick her up at seven that evening. What Heer gained from the way Prem was talking about the dinner that it was really important for her present herself nicely. So she went to for the one and only outfit which Tanya has purchased for her which according to Heer was skinny and did little to hide what was beneath and revealed more than necessary. But that was the one good outfit she owned right at this moment because never in her past had the need arise for to wear anything of that sort.

At seven that evening when Prem arrived at Heer's apartment she let him in and asked him to wait as she needed some time. When Prem heard a flutter of noises he turned and looked towards the door that led to the bedroom. There was Heer walking towards him. He watched her with extreme interest. She was absolutely breathtaking. Tall and elegant, she was wearing a shimmering halter-neck dress that showed off her incredible figure to perfection. Her dark hair fell in a gleaming silken ripple of waves to one side of her lovely face. Her wide eyes were framed with sweeping dark lashes, and she had a perfect mouth…a mouth that was made for kissing.

She smiled at him and he couldn't help but smile back then he looked away. It was only as he looked away that he realized that there was something memorable about that smile…and the way she held herself. He looked back towards her with a feeling of male hunger he never felt before. It took all of her courage for Heer to maintain her poise. When Prem had first turned and looked at her, the boldness of his gaze had taken her breath. A man had never looked at her like that before, let alone a man who was so attractive. She could see the stunned recognition in his eyes now, and she could feel the shy burning feeling of pleasure inside of her intensifying a millionfold.

As she reached him, his gaze moving with open unwavering approval down over the curves of her body.

'Heer, you look amazing,' he murmured.

As her eyes locked with his she could see desire…and it scared her, but it also excited her.

The knowledge gave her a swirling heady feeling of satisfaction and confidence, mixed with a deeply disturbing thrust of something else, some long-forgotten answering need that was invading her senses with increasing intensity. With difficulty she tried to dismiss the feeling and smile with cool dignity. 'I'm glad you approve.'

Her answer and the way she looked at him just seemed to feed the flame of interest inside of him all the more. He wanted her—wanted to unwrap her very, very slowly and kiss every last piece of her before he possessed her totally.

The sudden thought shocked him! That was out of the question, he reminded himself angrily. They had a beautiful relation of trust and friendship and feelings like that were just going to complicate things far too much!

'We should go,' he said impatiently. 'The hotel is only a few minutes away. So I thought we'd walk if that's OK?'

'Yes, that's fine. I'd like some fresh air.'

He held out his arm for her and as they walked from her apartment together Prem noticed the admiring glances thrown in their direction. In particular he noticed the way men looked at Heer, their eyes hot with approval. She seemed totally oblivious of the fact and for some reason that made him want to hold her closer and more protectively to him…. Instinctively he put a hand around her waist to steady her as they walked over some cobbles.

'You'll have to be careful around here in such high heeled shoes.'

'Thanks!' She tried to sound nonchalant but his hand on her waist was having the strangest effect on her.

The delicate silk of her dress was so thin that it was almost as if he was touching her bare skin.

She was forbidden fruit, Prem reminded himself…but he couldn't help remembering how good it had felt to kiss her.

Had he imagined that?

His gaze lingered on the softness of her lips.

'We should go, otherwise we'll be late.' Her voice was husky and uncertain.

She was wondering about it, too—he just knew it.

'Heer, about that kiss the other night—'

'I don't think we should talk about that.' Instantly she sounded embarrassed.'

'Heer it's high time we have a talk to about it. For some reason we both have been avoiding that particular topic but its getting between us and I will not let anything get between us not even a kiss which I so believe that was the most pleasurable moment of my life.'

Heer was appalled by the audacity of Prem to talk so freely and openly about the kiss that she refused to look at him. But Prem was stubborn in his own ways and with gentle yet firm pressure by his two fingers on her chin he forced her to look him at eyes. She was shocked to see that though Prem might have sounded serious but there was a devilish and mischievous glint in his eyes that were openly saying that he was openly bickering with her. 'Watch it,' she murmured back. 'I'm in a dangerous mood.'

'Wonderful! A woman is never so interesting as when she's dangerous.'

Heer knew a brief flare of alarm. For a moment—just for the tiniest possible moment—she'd actually wanted him to find her interesting. Time to bring him down a peg.

'That's a very good line,' she said admiringly. 'You must be proud of it.'

'One of my best,' he assured her.

'Of course you need to practise your delivery.'

'I thought I delivered it just right,' he said, hurt.

'Little cat,' he whispered. Heer 'what did you just say to me – cat.'

Heer was about to about to thump him when he started laughing loudly and he said 'ok ok I surrender. I really like that feisty cat ready to pounce on whomever you feel threatened from and to be honest I love teasing you. It shows the real Heer of whom I knew so well before I met you thanks to Meher for that.'

All Heer's anger melted and they both burst out laughing but both knew deep within that this topic of kiss won't be buried deep down as they thought it will. They knew that gradually they will to talk about it.

Prem moved away hastily because they were close enough for that kiss to happen again and he wanted to put an end to today's evening safely without any awkwardness between them. When he turned to walk again Heer murmured 'Cheeky devil. 'So certain that he's got everything sassed. And I bet all the girls fall for it. Well, not me.'

As they turned the corner Heer saw the Grand Hotel Carnival; it was an impressive building on three levels with floodlit terraces that looked down over the canal.

Inside the doorway there was a vast stone-floored reception area filled with the buzz and laughter of hundreds of people.

Prem's arrival was greeted with an excited commotion and as they made their way through the crowds everyone seemed to want to claim his attention and speak to him.

Finally they got to the entrance of the ballroom. Ornate crystal chandeliers dazzled the senses. On a stage to one side, an orchestra was playing a Viennese waltz, whilst on the dance floor people were spinning around to the swell of the music.

They were directed towards a red-carpeted stairway that led to an upper gallery and a private table.

'This is a fantastic place,' Heer remarked as Prem pulled out a chair for her.

He leaned closer and she could smell the scent of his cologne. It reminded her of the heat of his kiss, and sent her emotions racing. But she needed to forget all about that, she told herself crossly.

He nodded. 'Yes, the building goes back to about the fifteenth century, I believe.'

Some waiters arrived with a magnum of champagne and placed two long-stemmed glasses down by the table.

They were going to pour the drink but Prem dismissed them and reached to do it himself.

He raised his glass to hers. 'To a successful evening,' he said with a smile.

'Do you want to dance?' he asked abruptly.

She looked down towards the floor. The orchestra were playing a slow number and couples were wrapped in each other's arms. She would have loved to dance like that with Prem, but as she looked back and met the darkness of his gaze she didn't dare. He held out his hand. 'Come on, come and dance. I dare you.'

She hesitated for a few seconds and then put her hand in his.

But it was a mistake. She knew as soon as they reached the dance floor and he gently pulled her closer that she should never have allowed him to provoke her into this.

Being held in his arms was too delicious. He made her feel cherished and protected…. He made her want him with a longing so deep that it hurt.

'You see…nothing terrible has happened—no lightning strikes, or thunder rolls,' he murmured, the teasing words soft against her ear.

Maybe not for him, she thought shakily. But it was taking all of her self-control not to turn her head and seek out his lips.

'Not a storm in sight,' she answered, closing her eyes. And for just a few precious moments she allowed herself to dream that maybe there could be a relationship between them and they would more than friendship. That it was safe to feel like this. Safe to lower her defenses…safe to be involved with him…but all too soon her dream was shattered as she saw Rishab's leering face in front of her.

That made her pull away from him in shock. She didn't want to start imagining things like that! 'Prem, I think I've had enough dancing,' she said hurriedly.

He frowned. But before he could say anything else she had turned away from him and left the floor.

He caught up with her just before she could head back to their table and put a hand on her shoulder to turn her towards him. 'What's the matter?'

'Nothing! I…I just can't dance in these heels.'

He didn't believe her. There was a note in her voice, a look in her eyes, that said much more than that, but there wasn't a chance of pursuing the question as some friends who had organized the evening came over to say hello. And before he knew what was happening she was talking to one group and he was talking to another.

She seemed to be having a good time. Maybe she hadn't been upset earlier, because all her conversations now were lively and full of fun. Everyone liked her, he noticed. Especially some of his bachelor friends who were hanging on her every word with open admiration in their eyes.

Where was the shy young woman he had met just over a few months ago? he wondered sardonically. She seemed to have morphed into a sophisticated, confident and beautiful young woman right before his very eyes.

As soon as he could he excused himself and sought her out. 'Having a good time?'

She smiled up at him. 'I'm really enjoying myself. Your friends are all very nice.'

'Yes, although I have to warn you there are a couple of my single friends over there that you can't trust.' He nodded towards the two men who had been asking her if she wanted to dance.

'Womanisers like you, are they?' She couldn't resist the teasing question.

'No, nothing like me,' he said with a smile. 'Come on, I think it's time we called it a night. I don't know about you, but I've had enough.'

She nodded.

It was a relief to follow him out of the packed room into the coolness of the night. And when she looked at her watch she found with a surprise that it was after midnight.

They strolled back along the quiet streets without saying much. Heer found herself and Prem walking about the shore near to a man made beach and she wanted to spend some time there. She asked Prem if it was ok and he said that even he would like to spend some time. Soon Heer was cold due to chilly wind along the beach and Prem gave her his jacket. A car was passing by when Heer was blinded by a flash of golden light. When the light faded she saw a pen gold in colour stuck in upper pocket of Prem's shirt. Again a car passed by and Prem noticed the flash was causing inconvenience to Heer. He was about to slot the pen away, but it flashed in a pier light and, on impulse, Heer reached for it. He seemed reluctant to give it up.

She weighed the pen in her palm. "Hmm, heavy. It's not pure gold, is it?" His expression was noncommittal and she looked closer. "It is pure gold."

"That's not so unusual."

"Maybe not for you. What's this?" She rotated the pen and squinted in the hazy light. "An inscription? No. A symbol of some kind." She passed over it with her fingertip. "A vertical line with an arc at one end. It's a tree. Or an anchor."

"It's a plane. Why would I buy a pen with an anchor etched on it?"

She rolled her eyes theatrically. "Oh, that's right. You don't like water. But you do like jets." And your Maserati. Leading examples of speed and power.

He reached for the pen. Unprepared, she fumbled and it fell then bounced on the rough decking. Prem swooped and caught it a second before it might have rolled off into the harbour, lost forever.

Horrified, Heer's hands flew to her mouth. "Prem, I'm so sorry."

He rose from his haunches. "No harm done. I would've hated to see you jump in there to get it though."

When he grinned, so did she.

But her smile faded. "It means a lot to you, doesn't it?"

He slipped the pen into his trouser pocket. "I bought it on a whim after a stock market gain, and signed my first big contract with it. I used it constantly until it started to wear. Now I generally keep it for important documents."

Yet he carried it around with him even when there were no contracts in sight? "Sounds like that pen is your good luck charm." And quite possibly more than that…a connection.

He shrugged. "Either way, I don't want to lose it."

"The pen with the plane, not the anchor or tree."

He winked. "Now you're catching on."

"Am I?"

As their gazes held, the atmosphere changed from relaxed to suddenly steamy. The heavy weight of lost years shrank and crystallized into a single, bright, hypercharged moment.

Was she reading too much into how adamantly he defended what that pen represented? Wealth, travel, independence, freedom. All the things he'd let her know were important to him some time ago.

Ice cream was one thing, life choices another. And, no matter how much she secretly wished it were otherwise, Prem seemed set on his choices. Beyond that? He was quite simply a magnificent enigma. No matter how many times she second-guessed herself, she would never know Prem Juneja. The reality was—to try might mean her downfall.

A cold, wet drop fell on Heer's nose. At the same moment lightning flashed and a roll of distant thunder rumbled. Distracted, she looked up, and as if on cue, the rain came down.

When she shrieked, Prem swept the jacket over her head. A second later, he cursed and also ducked under cover.

While his arms made an awkward umbrella of the jacket, her palm landed against the hard wall of his chest. His heartbeat resonated through her fingers then spread like an electric current through her body. Crazy, and yet, for the first time in too long, she felt…safe.

His big shoulders were hunched. "We're soaked through."

She grinned. "I noticed."

"You said you wouldn't make me swim."

She grinned more, then couldn't help but think, Would it really be so scary to swim, Prem? Couldn't you get used to it?

This seemed the ideal as well as the most inappropriate moment to ask. "Why do you have such an aversion to water?"

"Ever wonder about the scar on my lip? I knocked three of my baby teeth out when I was washed down a storm pipe at age five. On top of swallowing a whole lot of mud, I almost drowned."

Heer gasped. She couldn't imagine how terrified he must have been. "Did you ever think of seeing a professional to help you get over your fear?"

He smiled in grim amusement. "Avoidance has worked very well up till now."

Yet they continued to stand in the downpour, beneath the jacket. They should have run for shelter, but neither one moved while the rain pounded at their feet and his heart thudded near her palm.

"Heer?"

In the dark, she imagined his mouth was incredibly close. "Yes, Prem?"

He seemed to move nearer.

She did the same….

Standing in the pouring rain, both huddled beneath his tuxedo jacket, the reality was unavoidable. Prem was going to kiss her.

How would she react? Heer couldn't think past the frantic beating of her heart, or the way her every fiber cried out for him to do it now.

She held her breath, waiting…

Then Prem groaned deeply and took her hand. "We've had enough fresh air."

The jacket came down and they ran off together, splashing through the puddles.

Ten minutes later, they entered her apartment, shaking their wet hands and slipping off sodden shoes.

"Can I get you a towel? Something warm to drink?" Heer crossed to thumbed a switch on a wall panel—the internal heating and switched it on. A convulsive shudder rippled up Heer's spine. She was freezing, but a hot chocolate would suit her and asked Prem if he would like some too. Heer noticed his shirt was plastered against the musculature of his deeply tanned chest and arms. Every knockout ridge and bulge was on display, presented in glorious prime-time relief. As he moved forward, more than the line between his brows told her he was uncomfortable. At being caught in the rain, ending up sopping wet? Or something, perhaps, not quite as obvious.

When they'd taken shelter beneath his jacket, he'd almost kissed her. Worse, she'd almost let him.

And he knew it.

Closer now, he lifted his chin to unravel his bow tie and flick open a button.

"It's getting late." He stopped before her. "Guess you're tired. I will leave and will call you tomorrow." With that he was gone and they both knew so well that unfinished kiss will not let either of them sleep tonight no matter what.

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