Chapter 9
The Party of Passion (Part 1)
The guests would start arriving soon. Khushi hurriedly wrapped herself in her red chiffon saree with black sequin trimmings. She was looking presentable she thought looking at herself in the full length mirror. She brushed her hair with swift strokes and quickly applied kohl to her eyes.
She rummaged in her drawer for her lip gloss and she had just applied a dash of it to her lower lip when suddenly she caught her reflection in the mirror. Her lips trembled. The memory of the Holi kiss was fresh in her mind.
The bhaang had erased much of her memory of celebrating Holi but the liquid desire in Arnav's eyes and the pleasurable assault on her lips was etched deep and forever.
It was her first kiss after all. But there was more... she had wanted him to kiss her. She had wanted it so badly. And when he had touched her breast...she released her breath in a rush and bit her lower lip.
If Jiji hadn't called out to her that she and Buaji were leaving for Laxminagar, she did not know when and how their passion would have ebbed...or would it have ended at all! Her heart started racing on its accord and there was a buzzing noise in her ears. Khushi clamped her hands on her ears and scolded her reflection, " You were not in your senses that is why you kissed him Khushi, samjhi tum!"
She had successfully managed to avoid him since the incident as he had been very busy with all the final preparations for the party. At the party, she hoped to ignore him in a hall full of people. That should not be too difficult, she thought. Raksha karna Devi Maiyya!
Khushi took a deep breath and finished applying her lip gloss. She glanced at her watch. She must hurry up. Dadi had arrived half an hour back and was rather displeased that Anjali and Khushi were not yet ready.
Khushi almost bumped into Anjali on her way to the hall. Anjali laughed holding Khushi at arm's length:
"Hum dono taiyyar! Ab Dadi na karegi vaar !"(Since we are ready, Dadi will not attack us!)
Khushi giggled at the reference to Dadi.
Anjali hugged Khushi and turning to her husband who was escorting her to the hall said, "Khushi is looking so beautiful today! Isn't she Shyamji?"
"Very beautiful," Shyam said in a low voice looking Khushi in the eyes . Khushi felt unnerved and looked away.
"What is taking Arnav so long? He should have left earlier to get the Swedes to the party! After all it has been mainly arranged for them, our new business partners." Dadi complained as she walked over to them.
Arnav! Khushi's heart did a little flip at the mention of his name!
"Dadi, Chhotey will be here soon, don't worry," Anjali tried to pacify her Dadi.
An elderly woman, fashionably dressed, glided up to the group.
Khushi eyes popped out as she recognized Kiran De, the owner of one of the leading interior decorating firms of India.
" Hey Subhadra, everyone is admiring the interiors in the hall! A lovely theme! Who is the interior decorator?" the lady addressed Dadi.
"Here she is! Khushi...Khushi Kumari Gupta!" Dadi introduced Khushi to her friend, Kiran.
"She is Diwanji's daughter and still doing her course in interior decoration but I decided to give her this opportunity to revamp the room!" Dadi added with a flourish.
Kiran gave her friend a watery smile and patted Khushi on the back, "Well done, beautiful girl! I have an interior decoration firm. Come and meet me after you finish your course!"
Khushi gasped. "Yes Ma'am," is all that she could murmur! This offer was beyond her wildest dreams and she was over the top!
Kiran carried on as if muttering to herself, "The theme reminds me of...of..
"...of Arnav!" she exclaimed abruptly looking towards the door.
The hair on Khushi's neck stood up. From the corner of her eye she sawArnav handing over the Swedes to a gushing Dadi who walked them away to introduce to her business fraternity.
Arnav turned suddenly and their eyes locked. Khushi's world stood at stand still as Arnav smirked and sauntered towards them, his hands in his pockets, his eyes all over her...admiring every curve that the saree hid and exposed.
He was looking so handsome in his black-blue silk shirt and a matching waistcoast. His wavy hair was gelled and brushed back neatly, though a lock fell on his forehead.
Kiran shook her index finger at Arnav as he approached them. "Yes that's it! The new interiors seems to reflect your personality Arnav... deep, blue, stormy ...this girl has got it right!"
Khushi felt his gaze burning into her, setting her heart on fire.
"Indeed," his voice was husky, "Khushi got me..." His tone was flirtish. Khushi's cheeks flared. She fidgeted with the corner of her saree pallu. She dared not look up at him. This is ridiculous she thought. I can't let a mere kiss combust me like this! And Arnav...
A female voice cut through her thoughts,
"Isn't my man perfect Aunty Kiran?" said Lavanya Kashyap sexily. She was looking ravishing in a short, hugging black dress which showed off her magnificent figure to its advantage. She draped herself over Arnav and kissed him on the cheek.
"There is no second opinion about that Lavanya! Arnav is the most eligible bachelor in the country! But are you sure he is yours dear La?" Kiran De looked amused.
"He is today! All mine! Aren't you baby?" Lavanya ran a finger on his stubble and pouted at him.
Anjali cleared her throat, " Of course Lavanya, my brother is the best! Now let's go and see if the dinner table has being laid."
Lavanya caught hold of Anjali's hand and laughed, "Oh Di! You bother too much! Aman is looking after all the arrangements, so there's nothing to worry! Right babe?"
The lump that had formed in Khushi's throat seemed to be growing. How did I forget Lavanya was the woman Arnav was kissing in his cabin, she kicked herself! Not that I care, she dismissed the idea! Kissing a woman is nothing new to Arnav! I have just been added to the numbers!
That hurt! Her breathing became labored.Too many people here... she gulped for air. I need to breathe, she winced.
Khushi murmured an excuse and literally ran out of the room, avoiding his boring eyes.
As she approached the portico she noticed Anjalidi's husband having an intense conversation with a lady, in a low voice. They did not notice her and Khushi hesitated as she did not want to barge in on them. Suddenly the two turned as if to leave. They came face to face with Khushi.
Shyam was startled to see her, but he recovered quickly, "Hello Khushi. I was just telling Miss Sheela here not to pile so much work on poor Arnav here. You know her don't you, Arnav's receptionist?
Khushi was not sure why Shyam was giving her an explanation. But she smiled at Miss Sheela in recognition. She remembered her from her visit to Arnav's office. But Sheela looked at her furtively and scurried away.
"What is a beautiful girl like you looking so distressed in a grand party of the great ASR?" Shyam seemed to have recovered fully was gazing at her intently again.
"I...I just...I mean... I needed some fresh air," Khushi stammered.
"Excuse me," she murmured and ran to her room in tears.
In the washroom, she splashed water on her hot flushed face. I must stop letting Arnav affect me and go back to the party she chided at her pale reflection in the mirror.
She reapplied kohl to her large doe shaped eyes and had just touched the lip gloss to her lips when his harsh voice cut into her dim lit room, "Tum theek ho? You were looking so pale, Khushi!"
The gloss fell down with a clutter as she turned in her seat, her heart racing at the sound of his voice. Her newly formed resolve faltered as she felt his concern, his clouded chocolate eyes surging into hers as he walked towards her. No, no, no her eyes screamed, don't come near me.
But he was besides her in a few long strides. "Answer me dammit, Khushi! Why did you disappear suddenly? Are you feeling unwell?"
"What is it to you, where I go what I do? You should worry about Lavanya and your other female following, not me!" Khushi's eyes were misty.
"What has Lavanya or anyone else got to do with us Khushi?" Arnav asked in a matter of fact voice.
Khushi laughed in disdain, "There is no us, Arnav!"
"Why the hell are you behaving so funnily, Khushi? Is this about the kiss on Holi..."
"What kiss?" Khushi feigned ignorance..
Arnav's eyes glinted.
"I know that stupid friend of yours got you high on bhaang. But I think you remember, the way you responded to me..."
"If I did respond it was because I was not in my senses," Khushi was ready with the answer. She hoped he would go away and her heart would stop beating erratically.
But Arnav only closed in on her and whispered huskily, "So you shouldn't be responding to me right now, should you?!"
And he dragged her body to his and brushed his lips against hers. Khushi pursed her lips and tried to break his grip on her, pummeling him on his chest. But he just laughed throatily and held both her hands tightly and slammed his mouth on hers!
This time his lips were gentle on hers, tasting them, pleasuring them, coaxing her to open up to him. Khushi was transported to another world as his tongue explored her mouth. A wave of pleasure washed over her. She shuddered within. He must have felt it too for he groaned her name and deepened the kiss. His hands on her exposed back created havoc with her senses. She gasped.
And suddenly she did not want to deny herself anymore. Oh! How she wanted him! The idea of him and Lavanya together made her sick! She kissed him back with passion, letting herself go...
Arnav felt her easing into the kiss and murmured against her lips,
"So you want me alright, even when you are in your senses?" he smirked, his eyes taunting her.
Khushi pulled back and looked at him disbelievingly, "You jerk! Is this idea of fun Arnav Singh Raizada? " she shouted at him, humiliated and enraged.
"No Khushi, I just don't want you to deny the idea of us!" Arnav looked deep into her eyes and said in a sober voice.
"Go to hell!" Khushi screamed at him again, hating him. And bringing up her knee hit him in the groin!
"What the!" Arnav exclaimed before he let her go and fell down on his knees in pain.
"Hayye Devi Maiyya!" Khushi clamped her hand to her mouth. "Arnav, I didn't mean to..." she slumped down besides him, crying.
"Unbelievable!" Arnav gritted his teeth, closing his eyes in pain.
"Wait, wait don't move..." Khushi exclaimed and ran out of the room.
"As if I can..." Arnav muttered under his breath.
The next moment Khushi dashed into the room with an ointment in her hand.
"Arnav, this medicine is very good, I will apply this and you will get relief," Khushi said squeezing the cream in the tube to her hands and sitting next to him.
"What did you say?You will what?" Arnav stared at her in disbelief.
"I will apply..." Khushi began.
Arnav started rolling on the carpet with laughter.
Khushi was wondering if the knock had affected his brain when it came to her in a rush why he was rolling with mirth. She went red with embarrassment and leapt up to her feet. "Humara woh matlab nahin tha...(I did not mean that!)," she stammered, backing away. And then spinning like a top ran out of her room, while his laughter richocheted off the walls.
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