ArHi FF: Diamonds & Pearls NOTE on pg.49[7/1] - Page 17

feel the story... lol ...

sooo basically guys...IM DAMN HAPPIIEEE TODAY...

episode is a prime cause as you all know ofcourse...and then the reassurances i got here for my story...IM HUMBLED...

thanx alot to everyone who took their time to solve my predicament...

this update is for ALL OF YOU...love you guys...

Chapter 4- Black Onyx

Khushi's eyes fluttered close at the mere brush of his surprisingly soft lips on her delicate fingers.

Arnav saw her eyes flapping close like a butterfly. He didn't want her to close those captivating orbs that anchored him to her. He pulled at her hand he held and she came crashing into his chest.

Khushi gasped at the collision of her pure softness against his hard masculinity. She opened her eyes as he smirked down at her. He knew what kinda effect he had on her. But Khushi still failed to grasp the power she held over him.

"Shall we go and meet the guests Ms. Gupta," he asked mocking at her flushed cheeks.

Her previously embarrassed face, now reddened in anger. The nerve of this man!

She kept her palms firm on his chest and pushed him away from her with all her might. Anav stumbled a bit at her sudden push.

"You need to maintain your distance with me, Sir. Don't you dare take me for granted. I am here because you gave me no choice. But I would like my own space rather than being the rag doll you picked up as your date for this event since you were unfortunate to find one of your own class," she bit out through her clenched teeth.

Arnav's smirk widened. Fiesty! He should have known. Tsk!

He put up his hands as if in surrender, "Should have remembered you are my secretary though I chose you as my date. My bad!" he told her while tucking her hand in his bent arms and dragging her with him to the stairs.

'Perhaps Sorry is a word that was lost forever in his dictionary,' Khushi thought to herself but let him drag her anyways wanting that evening to end sooner more than ever.

When they reached the stairs and climbed down a step, Khushi's unconditional fear came back full fledged. She clutched at his arms quite painfully as her feet felt super glued to the first step.

Arnav looked up into her face as he felt her nails digging into his arms. Her minutes before blushed face had paled beyond comprehension. He put his other hand on top of hers he held in his and gazed into her eyes with concern.

But Khushi trying to rein in her fear failed yet again to note the concern glinting in those very eyes that will haunt her nights sleepless.

"Are you OK?" his concerned voice finally brought her out of her petrified trance.

"Media..." she whispered unsurely, not finding it in her to explain anything to him.

"The Media is strictly held away from this event Ms. Gupta. You took care of it, didn't you?" he asked noting her form unfreeze and relax a bit.

"Yeah. Right!" she replied finally after a pregnant pause, gathering up all her courage and took a tentative step forward, down the stairs.

As they climbed down the lavish stairs into the ballroom slowly, everyone present there, looked up to see the most sought after man saunter down with a girl in his arms who was as exquisite as the jewels he made. The men present envied his charms and the women envied the beauty in his arms. Ah! ASR indeed had the irresistible charms when it came to ladies and un-imaginable arms that made his jewels world news, which in turn made the ladies swoon only more and never less.

When they reached the middle of the room, Arnav was engulfed among infinite embraces and handshakes, but Khushi still clinging to his arms made it difficult for him to return any of the pleasantries. And the retching glances the men threw her way, made him realize that she would have been better if he had left her alone in the backstage of the events that she always remained in. But no! He just had to go and bring her into the lime lights of this damned world of the riches.

He dragged her away with him to the table assigned for themselves, along with a few of his V.I.P guests. He greeted them and sat in the far end of the oval table with her beside him, right next to his priced jewels now adorning the display case.

He looked around the ballroom now as the dinner had begun with them settling down and soon the people would rush leisurely to gaze at the most coveted jewels.

The golden drapes over the walls and columns, with the lights placed at the right spots that brought out the best of the jewels, everything was PERFECT!

It should be as Khushi had worked for it almost breaking her back in the process through all his taunts.

"ASR..." a voice drawled next to him as a heiress of sorts occupied the chair besides him.

"Your winter collections are fabulous..." she gushed on drawing her well manicured nails teasingly on his tanned forearms.

He tuned her out as he turned and regarded the object of his interest with a small smirk on his lips. She looked nervous with the way she kept twiddling her fingers and bit her lower lip often.

He took his time to observe her as she seemed to be in her own world far off. Her figure hugging dress did nothing but elicit not so pure thoughts in his mind. His eyes roved from her ever active fingers to her pert chest and her pretty face which twitched in discomfort from time to time.

She was wearing a small stud of black onyx on her, currently pink ears, that played hide-and-seek beneath her charcoal silk cascades.

As the ballroom she had painstakingly decorated, she looked Perfect...not as his eyes made its way back down from her face to her hands passing over her long and slender ivory of neck.

He pulled out his Blackberry and dialed one of his speed-dials.

----

After being seated comfortably, away from all the inquisitive stares, Khushi still couldn't feel at comfort as the gaze she avoided, sought her and stared at her as if there was no other tomorrow. She wiped her sweaty palms with the napkins and started twisting her fingers as she heard a slender and beautiful woman start talking to him as he listened, but still intent on staring her down with his intense eyes.

She visibly shivered as she felt his molten orbs sweep her entire form. She felt exposed under his gaze, something she had never experienced before.

She had been scrutinized before by many known as well as strange eyes. They had made her shrink down wanting to hide in some pit never to come out. NO! Stop it Khushi.

This man, her boss, was definitely a bad news to her as he had already made her traipse down her past that she had bolted as unapproachable inside the confines of her mind.

She slowly glanced up to see his eyes leave her and turn to the woman who was groping his arms. She felt sick seeing him comfortable with some woman when she was his date.

'What were you thinking Khushi? That he will stick by you through the dinner and spend the entire night in your arms,' a voice mocked in her head.

No. He is my boss. Nothing more. Nothing less.

With that thought she suddenly stood up and excused herself as he was immersed in his Blackberry.

Probably calling a better woman to spend his night with. Or maybe even his mistress.

She chided herself at her petty thoughts and walked out to the balcony above the hotel's garden and gazed at the city before her.

Out of all the men in the world, why did she have to feel attracted to her boss.

Now she was sure, that her mother would have dropped her on the hard floor when she was a baby, since her brain wires felt always mis-connected.

Khushi sighed. She wanted now more than ever to run into her mother's arms and bury her head in her lap. Her mother always protected her from anything and everything. Even from her ownself. She missed her mother.

----

He saw her getting up the table with an excuse though no one minded. He put down his phone as he saw her leaving through the balcony doors into the cold night.

He might seem like a heartless bas***d to the world. But he still had a conscience. He was a human too afterall unlike the world perceived him to be. It was just a mask he had created for himself. A faade behind which he had buried his undeniable past making sure that no one ever chose to dig it up again.

Without a second thought, he had decided, or more like ordered her to be his date for the night. Hadn't cared about her views or her own problems. Though she looked feisty like a wild cat, he saw her coil like a kitty at the prospect of flashes and media. All the women here, would have given anything to be in her place at that instant.

But this girl puzzled him.

As he was pondering, the chair besides him was swiftly pulled out and, "Gosh! So much for being a gentleman Arnie," a musical voice followed.

Arnav's face broke out into a smile that rivaled all the jewels.

She was here.

And as suddenly as the smile appeared, he rearranged his face to a neutral expression and turned towards the voice.

The girl put her bag down and turned around in her seat to look at him, only to see him holding out his hand towards her.

She gave out sarcastic laugh.

"Even I am happy to see you, my poor bloke," she patted his outstretched hand.

Arnav smacked her hands off and held his hand towards her, still demanding what he wanted.

"Phew! That's it? This is why you wanted me here. You made me drive all the way from my home on a lovely weekend night to just demand THIS!" she pulled out a small rectangular velvet box from her bag and threw it at him.

He caught it and looked back up to see her fuming.

"So who is the new candy doll this time?" she asked with a controlled rage.

"No one of importance," came his curt reply as his eyes moved towards the balcony door.

"Oh! Really! I know you very well enough to know that you know I never believe your BS's! So cut the crap and spit out who you wanted to give my brand new DESIGN to?" her voice was almost a low growl, at his reluctance on greeting her.

Arnav knew he pissed her off by her low and silky voice. He turned back towards her.

"Maggie..."

"Don't you dare call me that. I am just Saie to you when you welcome me so unceremoniously and taking me for granted you selfish bas***d!" she spat out and got up from her chair only to be held back by him.

"Who else would I go and ask for help?" he posed his trademark question, raising his eyebrow.

"Anyone. Just not me anymore. I have had enough of you and your Mr. World attitude," was all the answer he got.

"Ok. She's not my beneficial date of tonight. She is actually my secretary and I kind of forced her to come in as my date since I didn't have anyone to ask out at the crucial moment. And if you are wondering where she is, she just stepped out to the balcony and hates me with passion as far as I know," he said one breath not wanting to let go of the one person he always had no matter what he did to her.

Her irritated face broke out into a wide grin, " I think she and I are going to be best of friends!"

"Yeah. Right! As though I would let you anywhere near her," he muttered and was rewarded with a painful grip on his arms.

"What did you just say?" Saie's eyes narrowed.

"Alright for heaven's sake! I'll bring her to you, if you stop digging your nails into me. I have had enough nails drawing blood from my poor arms for this night," he almost howled.

"Whoops! Sorrieee..." she said without any hint of remorse.

"Yes. I know you are," he looked at her disapprovingly, soothing his arms.

"If you introduce this wicked witch from west to your Cinderella, I might think on the lines of your forgiveness Prince Not-so-Charming!" she stuck out her tongue at him.

He smiled his small yet genuine smile again. He had missed her. His only best friend and almost baby sister whom he liked to call Maggie, as for Margarita since she had an un-healthy craze for pearls. No wonder she's one of his inner circle's major designer, and the best when it came to pearls.

He stood up pecking her on her cheek, "Now let me find that Cinderella, so I could introduce my fairy godmother to her."

"So much for meeting almost after a year Arnie! I FEEL SOOO LOVED...Hmpf!" he heard her shout from the back.

He shook his head slightly at her and went out to the balcony.

There she was. Cinderella. Yes. Maybe.

She looked like a lost yet beautiful sonnet under the crescent moonlight.

She felt him behind her as a pleasant chill ran down her spine. But didn't want to acknowledge his presence. She rather wanted him to leave her on her own as her mind bounced back from past memories and her present situations in a constant and restless way.

Now, he stood too close to her back. Still she didn't turn around. Fearing if she did, she will start drowning in his molten deoths trying to escape the realities of the world. No. She can never do that.

She was about to side step and walk away from him, when she felt something cold sliding up her neck.

She looked down to see a single black onyx stone glinting in the dull moonlight, encrusted on the beautiful crossed lines of pure platinum. They matched her ear-rings she noted out of fascination.

Ever so slowly, Khushi turned around and gathered up her courage to glance at him.

No. Bad move. He was staring at her with something akin to admire, which she knew, was and will always be surreal. A figment of her imagination, perhaps. But all those thoughts washed away as she looked down into his molten depths.

"You ran out of the event?" it was more of a question than a statement.

"I... I needed some air," she managed to reply.

"You are tired," he noted the dark shadows beneath her eyes which were not effectively covered by the bare make-up she wore.

"My boss noting that I am tired. Is hell freezing over or something?" she shrugged off wanting nothing to escape and run away from him, who was the sole cause of wanton thoughts filling her muddled brain.

"Ok. Let me re-phrase. I am concerned about your well being, hypothetically as your friend maybe?" he suggested.

"You are not my friend and you will never fill that category."

She was determined not to let him coerce her. Maybe the woman he called dumped him for his superior attitude and now he was trying to get her do the final act. She wouldn't let him do that to her. She would never get in bed with him. No matter how good it sounded. Its unprofessional.

"True," he replied solemnly gazing at her contemplating face that mirrored his own needs, "Is this what its gonna be? You and me in a professional relationship. How long are you going to deny there nothing more Ms. Gupta?"

"I don't have the need to deny something that doesn't exist Mr. Raizada!"

He moved closer to her.

"Just a short expedition maybe?"

"Like the one with the woman you were talking to," she seethed suddenly and turned around to leave as Arnav's control snapped.

"What the-?" and with that he pulled her flush against him.

"No one ever dares to walk out on me Ms. Gupta, not without paying a price" he growled at her.

She opened her mouth to protest. But the parted lips of Khushi were engulfed in a strong embrace of Arnav's soft lips as every single rational thoughts were wiped out of their heads mutually.

-----

there you go guys... a new update...

now i expect all the love my baby can get...

and this is the ear-ring Khushi was wearing, picked out along with the dress by Aman... and the necklace designed by Saie, which Arnav gave Khushi...

thank u thank u sooo much :D is saie his sister??? i dunno if i understood well? gosh i thought she was his mistress n she was at the arty thank God lol ehehhehehe very nice epi

ohhh arnav kissed her.i thought maggie was his girlfriend hehehe,continue soon

Amazing😊...The chapter was worthy the wait...

awwsum!! fiesty khushi.. they kissed😳

Thank you for the beautiful update! Mmm...I think Khushi is feeling jealous!! Looks like Khushi is trying hard not to fall for our hottie but it won't be too hard for him to woo her!!! Let's hope he won't hurt her too much!! Wow..ended with a kiss!! I can't wait to see the fireworks go off!! Please, please update soon!

GREAT UPDATE DII!!
i am not ine of good mood to type long coment:(

awesome update...