He hadn't misjudged her body either. Yes, she did continue holding onto him long after she was alright. And yes, her heart had been speeding faster than a wild storm - it still was, merely thinking about what just happened between them.
Her mind had been screaming 'No' throughout. Her heart had been warning 'Not yet'. But, her body had ignored everything to stay put in his arms, her limbs a willing captive in his clasp, while time froze for an impassioned beat or two - simply because a part of her relished the sensations in ways that she could not describe.
After the first kiss at the hilltop and before the 'Please Don't force me.'
2) She gazed at her fingers. Somehow, they felt different too. - after having touched a man today...And now, there was something else she was tempted to try. Something more brazen.
'No!' logic lashed back at once, strictly warning against doing so 'Behave like a respectable Rajput woman... like an heiress... think of your circumstances!'
Compelled to rein in those temptations, she stalled.
But now that the idea had been planted in her head, it didn't want to go away 'Just once?' it stubbornly seemed to say
And thus, the internal war between temptation and logic brewed on for a long spell. Till temptation won its first battle against logic, in her young life.
Closing her eyes, Heera allowed herself to be sucked into an imagination... 'What if...'
Heera's Internal conflict in front of the mirror looking lovely in her yellows.
3) 'Khan Sa...' Her eyes shut. Her startled fingers frantically clung at his back, creasing his overcoat with permanent folds. While she knew to expect the unexpected with him, the aura around them had indeed changed shades quite drastically. Fortunately for her, being housed in the arms she was meant to be in, also worked as a miraculous remedy for those nerves. Her nervousness soon ebbed into relief. And relief into bliss. Only for that blissful ebb to return with a wave of soft tremors that grew and grew, keeping pace with his growing thirst. Till her insides were swept by its thrills, thrown into a vortex of unfamiliar sensations.
It wasn't the first time. Yet and still it was more potent. Infinitely more so.
The kiss in AMK's chamber after her confession that she loved him and trusted him and just before Rosejaan's Sahib called him to duty.
4) 'Oh alright...' Heera drew in a sharp breath, astonished by the forcefulness in his tone, as she replaced her palm on her lap.
Naturally then, the liberated veil withdrew from her face, slid down her hair, and gently dropped backwards, below her shoulders, leaving her face and features exposed, while she helplessly watched on like a marble statue. But what could she do? Fidgeting about would only make her look silly - especially after such an assertive warning from him!
It was the first time in her life that someone other than jiji had told her what NOT to do. After all, as an heiress, she was only used to giving orders, not receiving them.
However, strangely enough, once the momentary shock had worn-off, the young lady recognised she wasn't too offended by the outburst. The circumstances had understandably called for it. If anything, to have another person take charge of a situation - a man, who knew what he was doing - felt like a welcome change!
As for the troubling issue of their growing physical proximity - well...
Khan Sahib was being his usual business self. - The temple scene before scorpion bite.
5) No sooner than she stood on steady ground, the heiress straightened her veil and then turned around to gauge the heights that she had scaled. Her lungs were still panting for air, but her heart was filling up with a strange sense of achievement. After all, she'd just accomplished a feat that she'd never done before.
Hoping to thank him for his support, her glances trailed towards his outline. But she could make out that the man was busy. - In one swift jump, he'd caught onto the ladder using his left fist, while his right fist dislodged the knives consecutively. Slipping both blades into holders that hung beside his cummerbund, he landed back in the canal to complete the temporary repairs.
The 16 year old thought better of it and decided to reserve her gratitude for another day, for another time - if it ever came. Thus, picking up a branch, she commenced her journey.
Barely few strides on, and Heera stopped in her tracks - she recalled how she'd done something else that she hadn't done lately.
Sometime earlier, she had almost smiled.
The first canal scene.
6) As soon as Heera realised what it was that the Sahib was doing, a soft gasp replaced the half smile that'd been adorning her lips. Her stoic features that'd never known of any such emotions, felt their first rush of heat - leaving her fair cheeks a few shades closer to the colour of her glossy lips.
She sensed that the official 'Thank you' must have been quite a brazen move for him - and not brazen in a negative way. So, the 'woman' in her admired it.
And just as she was coming to terms with the unexpected adab, she believed she spotted something else quite astonishing - something that'd stopped her thoughts in their tracks.
The smallest hint of smile on his face...just after the Adab
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
