Socha na tha(meet)-Part18 pg 49 15/5/14 - Page 28

Preet's tone was soft , almost a caress, and Meher suddenly recalled how she felt a short while earlier, the sensual awareness that arose within her.

She desperately wanted to deny ever having felt any such thing, but in spite of the fact she hated this man, she knew that those undercurrents were still there, overpowering the the strong urge to get away from him.

She hated this feeling. It made her feel as if she was the same 18 year old Meher, so lost and lonely that she would run to any man for comfort-even Preet Juneja. She had to get a grip over herself.

"And would that be enough to overcome the way you feel about me?"

"Maine kaha na..you intrigue me, Meher. And i have to be interested in someone, there has to be some spark..some attraction before i can really paint them."

"Aur agar koi aisa jo tumhe interest na karta..ya.." The word seemed to stick in her throat as an echo of the disturbingly sensual tone he had used earlier sounded inside her head." ya..attract na karta voh prize jeet ta toh..

"Ah", he exclaimed.To her surprise , Preet considered the question seriously.

"Now, that's a tricky one!!...Well phir bhi main ye painting banata. After all maine Sid ko promise kiya tha par I know main apna best nahi de pata" ...

"And with me??"

"With you?", The amazing brown eyes shifted to her face.

"What is this Miss. Mann..It seems you're fishing for complimenets"

"No, not at all, main..main toh bas ye soch rahi thi kya tum mujhe paint as an obligation to Sid karne wale ho ya phir genuinely tum interested ho."

"Main tumhe sach mein paint karna chahta hun..aur haan I think It'll indeed be one of my best work", his words made Meher's heart beat faster

"I'm glad about that", she said as stiffly as she could. "Because i was planning to give it to..", A flinching side glance to those captivating eyes made her bite back the word fianc , "To Sameer on his birthday!!", she completed.

Preet hadn't like that. She could tell from the way his jaw hardened..

"Sameer Khandelwal??"

The name was a sharp question with dark aggression, which made Meher forget what she had to say and merely nod in agreement.

"Kyun koi problem hai"

"Problem, isme mujhe koi problem kyun hogi...Once I am done with this...It is all yours...Tum isse kissi ko bhi do, phaad ke phenk do, ya phir jala do, none of my business!!"

"Oh, I could never do that", making him turn his head towards her.

"Because that'll be such a criminal waste, Mr Juneja", she continued.."I am not a fool, that i donot know that to own a genuine Preet Juneja original is better than having money in the bank..After all Sameer", she emphasised carefully, "tells me I couldn't possibly have a better investment..!!"

A golden flame of anger flared in those eyes, which were now so dark, they were almost black.