Part 2
The tent was dimly lit, the only source of light being the fire outside the tent. There was a make-shift bed there, a bed sheet over a layer of hay. He made her sit on it with her back supported on one of the polls in the tent. Without realizing it she folded her knees and put her hands around them. Just as she had waited for him on their wedding night.
Maan saw this and his eyes became even more intense with desire. And he could see that she was more than ready for him. But he had something on his mind.
"Geet! Aaj tumahre liye sazaa ka din hai."
Geet looked at him with surprise in her eyes. She was already so affected with anticipation and nervousness that the words hardly came out of her as she asked, "Sazaa?"
Maan tucked a loose strand of her hair behind her ear, "Haan Geet." He opened her ponytail, "Jab se mila hoon tumse, pahli baar se hi, bahut sataya hai tumne." He took off the ear-ring from her left ear, "Apni in aankhon se, jo kabhi ankahe sawaal poochhti hain, to kabhi apni sharaaraton se saansein rok deti hain."
Geet blushed. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. It was a surreal feeling.
Maan continued while taking off her other ear-ring, "Apne is maasoon aur khoobsoorat chehre se, jo pariyon ki kahaniyon par bharosa karne ko majboor kar deta hai."
He took off her white stone bindi and carefully pasted it on the poll she was leaning on, so that it could be retrieved in the morning. He kissed her on the forehead as he spoke, "Apni is saadgi se Geet, jisko dekh kar tum par aankhein band kar ke vishwaas karne ka man karta hai."
He almost crushed her ear-lobes as he continued, "Apne saaf dil se, jiski pyaar ki garmi se patthar bhi pighal sakte hain."
There was an inconsistency. His words were poetic, deep and on a spritual plane. His touch, his voice and his eyes had a animalistic lust in them. She felt the inconsistency, although she would not have been able to describe it in so many words. But somehow even the inconsistency felt all right. As if the two could actually come together and make her life, their life complete.
He was taking off her bangles now, "Aur in sab ke baad, jab main laakh koshishon ke baad bhi apne aap ko haar gaya, tab bhi tumne mujhe bahut sataya. Kabhi apne man ki baat batane ko taiyaar nahin hoti thi. Yaad hai na Geet?"
He didn't really expect her to be able to answer that, did he? Her eyes were either downcast or closed through out. She was not able to look at him.
"Aur Geet. Aaj tumhein in sabki sazaa milegi."
Her mind registered the word "sazaa". What was he talking about? He must be joking. But it did not seem like the right time to crack jokes. Not when he was he was pressing her now bare hands so sensually and making ger dizzy.
Suddenly he left her hands and cupped her face. He lifted her face and almost commanded her to look at him, "Meri tarar dekho Geet." His eyes were still demanding, intense and lustful. she had great difficulty in meeting them, but there was something in his voice that made her obey him.
"Aaj main tumse sawaal poochhoonga. Tumehin har sawaal ka jawaab dena hai. Aur mere sawaalon ke jawaab ke alawa main ek shabd nahin sunna chahta. Samjhi tum?"
She was hearing him, even understanding what he was saying, but all of it made no sense. What "sazaa"? What "sawaal"?
"Par Maan," she barely had started registering her protest in a weak voice, when one of his hands moved behind her on her nape to support her and to bring her close to him and the second one landed on her mouth, shutting her up.
"Sirf mere sawaalon ke jawaab. Ek aur shabd nahin Geet. Maine poochha ki tumhein meri baat samajh mein aayi ya nahin? Aur iska jawaab 'haan' ya 'naa' hota hai Geet. Ab batao."
"Haan," she managed to utter when he removed her hand. She started looking down again.
He removed her dupatta and caressed and kissed her neck and nape as he asked, "Jab tum pahli baar outhouse mein rahne aayi thi, agle din hamara jhagda hua tha. Phir bhi tum mere peechhe dargah tak chali aayi thi, kyon Geet?"
What on earth was he doing. In her situation the only thing she could think of was getting crushed in his arms. Instead he was asking her questions. Why did he need any answers now? Did he not know?
Sazaa! Right - that's what it was. His sazaa for her. He couldn't have chosen a more appropriate time to mete out the punishment.
"Maan please..." she had hardly begun her protest, when she found his hand on her mouth again.
"Sirf jawaab Geet. Ek aur shabd nahin. Warna tumhari sazaa badh jayegi. Kyon aayi thi mere peechhe?" His hands were roaming over her neck, nape, ear-lobes, face and parts of her back and arms. But he would not hug her. He wasn't even kissing her any longer. He knew the hold he had on her. Even his touches were enough to make her his captive; she was at his mercy.
Not that he was not desperate, but he was enjoying his little game. It was reassuring him that she was as mad for him as he was for her.
Geet had to succumb. She replied in broken voice, "Mujhe... aapki... fikr... ho... rahi..." She swallowed hard. Could he stop touching her and not torture her if he wanted his answers?
"Phir uske baad mujhe chhod kar jana kyon chahti thi? Kyon doosri job dhoondh rahi thi?"
Geet did not answer.
"Bolo Geet, warna..."
No, she could not bear any extension of her punishement. She had to speak, "Aapke paas hone se... mujhe... farq padta tha... main ye aapko... batana nahin..."
She stole a glance at him and was surprised to see that he had taken off his shirt. She did not realize when he managed to do that. His hands had never been off her. Or was she imagining his touch even when it wasn't there?
She could not help her hands reaching out to touch him, but he held her hand firmly, "Jab main Pari ke saath Disco mein gaya tha, to tum kyon wahan aayi thi?"
"Jalan... ho rahi thi..."
"Kyon meri mangetar banna nahin chahti thi Geet?"
She was compliant now and did not need multiple urgings to answer. She knew she had no choice.
"Aapke saath rah kar... man ki baat... nahin chhupti..."
She realized that he had slid her kurti over her shoulders and she was almost undressed. He was exploring her body with his touches as well as kisses.
"Mere liye kyon apni jaan khatre mein daal kar hoshiyarpur chali gayi thi?"
"Aapko... kissi museebat... mein nahin dekh..." Her voice drowned as he pushed her on the bed and made her lie down. He kissed the various parts of her face repeatedly, but avoided her lips, making her even more desperate with desire.
"Agle din kyon bina kuchh soche samjhe subah, subah mere peechhe office chali aayi thi?"
She could not beat around the bush any longer, "Pyaar... karne lagi thi... Aapko kuchh ho jaata to... maine bhi zinda nahin"
He did not let her complete that as he furiously attacked her lips with his own. The long kiss left her breathless.
"Tumhari sazaa abhi poori nahin hui hai Geet, lekin hamare beech jo dooriyan rah gayi hain, woh mere liye sazaa hai abhi, jo main nahin chahta. Isliye tumhein chhod raha hoon."
He kissed her lips again, but more gently this time. Both of them were too eager to have each other. They weren't aware of their surroundings, but the moon outside witnessed their sweet union. They belonged to each other in every sense of the word now.
Maan saw Geet sleeping in his arms. Looking sweet and innocent like a child. And yet desirable like a fairy. He almost gave in to the temptation of waking her up, to make love to her once again. But he stopped himself. The baby was out of danger, but she stil needed her rest and sleep. Their life together had just begun. There was a lifetime of happiness waiting for him. What was the hurry?!
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