Room Service
Maan had felt better after having talked with her but it rankled to have been the one that had opened up wounds which were becoming old scars and she was ready for them to heal and purge them. He felt contrite at having hurt her unintentionally and he went there to find her in the pensive mood standing there staring out of the window.
Was she still thinking of the past he wondered and then his eyes fell on the piece of paper. He picked it up and knew the number. He wanted to know from her what was that number related to. He had almost figured it out but he was waiting for what she had to say. Just a name, if she gave a name he would know for sure.
Just then his phone rang and was reminded that they were to reach the airport or miss the flight. He decided to broach the subject again once they were alone in Manali.
They reached the hotel and agreed to meet in the lounge for dinner. Geet went into her room and looked outside the window after settling in as she was fascinated with the snow falling on the pane. She opened the window and played with the flakes and enjoyed them melting on her hands. Wanting more she stepped outside onto the porch and lifted her face to the snow and twirled around in abandonment enjoying the feeling of soft petal like slivers tease her as they tumbled down her face.
She moved out to the garden, completely enthralled with nature. Maan had seen a figure outside the window dancing around and he had gone up to it to find Geet totally carefree and reveling in the moment of being one with nature. She did love the water but she did not realize this was cold. He became angry but could not stop himself from admiring her for an instant. He took in her Pink suit, similar to one she had worn when he had put in the baali. He tapped the pocket of his trousers as a reminder of what he had got for her. But first he had to drill some sense into this crazy girl who seemed to have a death wish and was a fool to top it.
He reached her and was about to catch her arm, when she whirled and stumbled, falling on the wet ground soaking the already wet dress. He lifted her and admonished her for trying stunts like these. She would never learn to take care of herself, especially in her condition she should be either tied to a post so she cannot get into any trouble. She was a walking disaster.
"Geet, Kitni baar bolna padega, ki tum dhyaan rakho apna, yahan kya karne aayee thi, ab iss thand mein sardi lag jaayegi." Maan could not stop himself from giving her a lecture.
He took her to his room and placed her on the bed and went to get a towel and rubbed her hair with it to dry out. Geet started shivering and he glared her with eyes that told her that it served her right. He went and brought a shirt for her to change into. Geet went to the bathroom meekly and changed into the shirt, keeping the pink salwaar on.
She felt shy but went out to the bedroom and stopped. As she saw Maan who had removed his damp shirt and was wearing a vest and was rummaging with the logs to light a fire. She inhaled trying to calm her heartbeats that threatened to run away when she had laid her eyes on him. He stole her breath away. Maan turned around and looked at her and saw her clutching the shirt in embarrassment.
Geet's breathing had turned ragged. The harder she tried to calm her nerves, the worse it got. She shifted on her feet shuffling them in her agitation.
Maan had turned to look at her if she had changed and was left standing spellbound. How does she make even a simple garment like a shirt look so much better? But what he felt at that moment was to peel it off of her. He could not stop himself from thinking and he turned away to gain some semblance and lit the fire just so that he could do something with his hands that itched to touch her.
As if drawn by some unknown force, he got up and walked towards her and stood right behind her. He was holding on to the last threads of his control when he heard her breathing, ragged and uneven and that did it for him.
He touched her arm, with intention to turn her but could not help but run his hand up her arm. He nestled his head against hers, breathing in the scent of her mingled with the air that she had brought in her hair, inhaling deeply to feel her essence run into his lungs and spread like a gust of wind into his very being. He closed his eyes and pulled her against his chest running her hands down her arms and trap her within his. He nuzzled her neck and breathed, "Geet," and heard a soft cry escape her lips.
"Mein…woh…room.." but emotions and sensations had taken over and she could not make a coherent sentence.
Maan turned her then, touching her lips with his finger, looking at her with eyes that told her exactly what she had been trying to say and more. He gathered her into his arms and kissed her throat bending her backwards as he did that. She tilted her neck in acquiescence, giving him room.
Maan held her close as he tasted her, devoured her, licking her skin and whispered, "Geet, hold me around my neck." Geet obeyed immediately and Maan lifted her up and she automatically wound her legs around his waist. Maan took a few steps to support her back against the wall and then kissed her on the mouth with tenderness that defied the passion that was raging inside him. He did not want to rush her, to scare her with his intensity and touched her feathery soft lips with his and felt them part slightly and exhale as if she had been holding her breath. He took her breath in his mouth savoring her spirit as he placed his lips against her parted lips and took her mouth in a deep kiss that burned through them.
Maan slid her down against his body letting her feel his arousal. Once her feet touched the ground, he slowly reached to remove the earring she was wearing. He slid first one off with lightest of touches to the lobe but she seemed to burn and then the other and pocketed them. She felt shy and wanted to move but was unable to. She even wondered how she had let Maan go this far, how she felt no embarrassment at being looked at and touched by him. She felt a sense of euphoria that seemed to hum in her body with a tune that was new and bewildering in its force. She felt revered by his eyes that seemed to worship her. Maan then put his hand in the other pocket and removed the baalis that he had with him for some time now and dangled it in front of her.
"Geet, pata hain ye kaunsi hai?" Maan asked in a whisper and Geet recalled the moment he had shown these to her but he had told her it was for…Pari. Her eyes widened at the memory and she nodded.
Maan smiled his lopsided smile and said, "tumhein pata hai na meine ye uske liye nahi li thi!" Geet smiled back but had to close her eye as he started to put the earring in her lobes one after the other and then trace the finger from her ear down to the base of her throat.
Geet could not stop a jagged breath escape, as her breasts heaved in answering passion to his touch.
Just as she was going to pull him into her arms, they heard a knock on the hotel door and someone say
"Room Service"
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