~*~AN Romantic Scene Thread~*~ - Page 12

She prowled the room, stalking like a cat, looking for batteries. Why, oh why, in the world did she have to own a battery-charged blow-dryer rather than an electric one? Anjali and Riddhima would freak out if she didn't get to the marriage venue in exactly an hour. The preparations for Rahul and Muskaan's wedding had been extensive and elaborate, spreading out for over more than a month now. Still, she had been running around, tying up last-minute arrangements until about forty-five minutes ago, and now this. Nikki sat down on the bed, opening the drawer to Abhi's night table, hoping against hopes that there'd be stray batteries in it. What she found though, stopped her dead in her tracks.

A solitaire rectangular diamond set in platinum lay delicately inside. It was needled through a chain so dainty that she thought it would break at just a touch, with a small tag attached to it. Smoothing it down with a finger, she read:

"With Love, A."

A smile played on her lips. So, he was trying to surprise her, huh?

She heard Abhi opening the washroom door, and closed the drawer. When she turned around, it was to find him clad only in a towel, while drying his hair with another one. They had been married three months now, and long gone were the times when Abhi felt conscious about his state of dress around her. Meanwhile, every time she saw him as such, heat rose around her neck, making her even more aware of herself and him, while he remained oblivious, well at ease.

His phone rang, and picking it off of the chaise he received the call, while trying to dry his hair off at the same time. "Yes, this is Abhi. Oh, Dr. Sharma. That patient was resuscitated two days ago, yes. She's been on tenecteplase since then, so I don't think you need to'" Nikki dazed out, hearing but not paying attention to what he was saying. Her eyes latched onto him, as he tried to juggle the phone and towel, rubbing his head and talking at the same time. At the sight of him, it was as if her heart swelled, threatening to rip out of her chest. If someone had told her anything remotely close to that a year ago, she would've thumped their head and prescribed the vilest tasting syrup. She wondered if ten years down the line, she would still be so enamored with him; in her heart, she knew that even a hundred years, and she would still feel jittery in his presence, still feel the butterflies at his touch. She tried to fill her eyes with him, taking in every detail, drinking in his silhouette'

"Nikki, jaldi karo. We're going to be late," Abhi's voice shook her out of the alluring reverie she'd been in.

"Last time I checked I was the one wearing more clothes, you know," she replied.

"Ha ha. Funny." Smirking ironically and making a face at her, he went into the closet.

Left alone though, she decided to take his advice. Going to the mirror, she began fixing her hair, that blow-dryer be damned. As she dressed, the clamor outside grew. Some of Muskaan's relatives had needed a place to stay, and a pair of her aunts and uncles were currently staying at theirs. A fun-loving, loud bunch, that one, she smiled to herself. Any minute now, she expected one of them to barge in, asking her if she owned a paranda, laal surkhi, or some such thing. Arranging the deep-pink chiffon saree she had on herself turned out to be quite a handful though, enough to send her calling out for a hand.

"Abhi' Abhi'!"

"Hmmm?"

"I need help."

He came into view behind her in the mirror, wearing a collared black shirt that hung unbuttoned down the front, his hair still wet, sticking up in all directions, looking as if he'd been half-way through dressing.

"Help me with this," she said, giving him the pallu to hold in place while she fixed the pleats down the front.

"I thought you knew how to wear a saree," he said above her ear, bemused.

"Anjie always helps me put it on," she replied absently. While she struggled to pin and fasten the creases into place, he pestered her, pressing up against her back. "Abhi, no seriously."

"What, I'm serious too."

"No, no, hold it tight, yeah, pull it back." He continued needling her until the last pin conclusively clasped and held.

When she looked up finally, it was to see his arms coming around her, that pendant hanging delicately on its chain in his hands. With shining eyes, she saw him put it around her neck in the mirror. He concentrated on gently hooking the small clasp at the nape of her neck, and then smiled at her as if he'd seen a thousand moons in a starry night sky. "Abhi'it's..." she struggled for words, rendered speechless by his thoughtfulness. "It's'"

"'nothing in front of the most beautiful woman in this world."

She turned around to face him, and grinned. "Lies. There's a ton of divine beauties out there."

His head came down nimbly, throwing her off, and he looked into her eyes with an intensity that would knock any woman off of her feet. She struggled to stand her ground against those smoldering baby browns. "I've got eyes only for you."

Pulling her in with his arm around her waist, his fingers tantalized her as they brushed the small of her back. Pressed against him, she could feel the hard muscle of his bare stomach against her own, his cologne going to her head, intoxicating her. "Abhi'" she said, breathlessly. A knock on the door broke her off, and she let out the breath she'd been holding since what seemed like an eternity.

"Perfect timing," he murmured sarcastically, and she felt him laugh against her cheek. Punching Abhi playfully in the shoulder, she left him shaking his head, off to see who it was.

~The End~