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Part 3
The car stopped and they got out. Geet was engrossed in her thoughts and did not notice the surroundings. She went to Maan.
"Maan! Mujhe aapse kuchh kahna hai. Nahin... kuchh maangna hai."
"Geet! Tumhein mujhse kuchh maangne ki kya zaroorat hai? Agar woh cheez mere paas hai to le lo. Agar nahin hai to bata do - aa jayegi," Maan smiled lovingly.
"Agar koi cheez hoti to aisa hi karti, lekin mujhe koi cheez nahin, aapki zindagi ka ek hissa chahiye."
"Meri to zindagi hi tum ho Geet. Lekin phir bhi... bolo tumehin kya chahiye."
"Aapki jeevan-saathi hone ka haq."
Maan was surprised and worried, "Ye kya bol rahi ho Geet? Ye haq tumhein maangne ki kya zaroorat hai? Ye to tumhara hai hi. Humne shaadi ki hai Geet. Kya tum abhi bhi meri kal ki baaton se..."
"Nahin Maan. Aisa nahin hai. Aur mujhe hamare shaadi aur pyaar ki rishte par bhi poora bharosa hai. Lekin mujhe kabhi kabhi lagta hai ki kahin maine aapki zindagi mein bas ek khoobsoorat si gudiya na ban ke rah jaun. Jise dekh-dekh kar aap khush to ho sakte hain, lekin jiske saath aap apni zindagi baant nahin sakte, sukh-dukh nahin baant sakte."
Maan's face showed immense pain as he asked, "Aisa kyon kah rahi ho Geet?"
"Maan. Mujhe pata hai ki aap mujhse bahut pyaar karte hain. Aap hamesha meri hifaazat karna chahte hain, mujhe khush rakhna chahte hain. Aur isliye aap apni pareshaaniyan mujhe kabhi nahin batate. Akele ladte rahte hain, tadapte rahte hain. Jaisa ki aap shaadi ke baad se kar rahe the. Ye to sahi nahin hai na? Mujhe haq hai aapki pareshaaniyon ke baare mein jaanne ka, unse aapke saath ladne ka. Khud ko pareshaan rakh kar aap mujhe khush nahin rakh sakte Maan. Jaise mere sukh-dukh se aapko farq padta hai, waise hi aapki khushiyon aur pareshaaniyon se bhi mujhe bahut farq padta hai. Aur main itni kamzor nahin hoon Maan. Aap hi ne mujhe majboot banna sikhaya hai aur main aapke saath saari mushkilon se lad sakti hoon."
Maan was looking at her with an expression which was a mix of love, adoration, regret and pain, "I am sorry Geet. Jaane-anjaane mein maine tumhein khush rakhne ki jagah dukh pahunchaye hain. Shayad mujhe akele jeene ki itni aadat ho gai thi ki... Lekin ab nahin Geet. Sirf is baar ke liye mujhe maaf kar do. Aage se aisa nahin hoga."
"Maafi mat maangiye Maan, please. Mujhe pata hai aap jo bhi karte hain meri khushi ke liye hi karte hain. Bas ye batana chah rahi thi ki meri khushi aapke saath rahne mein hai. Chahe sukh ho ya dukh."
They both smiled. She leaned on to him and he took her in his arms.
They separated after a few seconds and Maan asked, "Chalein?"
She nodded and for the first time looked around. What she saw surprised her. A jungle! After all the dress up, she wasn't expecting to land in a jungle for their night together.
'Babaji! Inko thodi akal dijiye. Inhein junglon mein janwaron aur machchharon ke beech rahna achchha lagta hoga. Ye mujhe yahan kyon le aaye hain - woh bhi aaj ki raat?' she thought to herself and complained to her Babaji.
She wasn't speaking aloud, but her face showed some funny expressions without her realizing this.
"Kya hua Geet?"
"Nahin, kuchh nahin." Geet forced a smile.
Maan, though, had been able to guess what she was thinking and he suppressed a chuckle.
After walking for a few meters, they came near a tent. The fire was burning and there was a small pond nearby. But he did not stop outside. Instead he put his arms around her shoulder and led her inside the tent.
Geet literally took a step back in surprise as she entered the tent. Then she moved further to examine the interiors while Maan looked at her with an amused and loving expression, his arms folded across his chest.
The inside of the tent was furnished in a way that was nothing less than a room in a five star hotel. Apart from being well decorated and well-lit, it had a king size comfortable bed and a small coffee table with two chairs, food was waiting for them on the table.
she turned back to see a smiling Maan.
"Maan! Aap intni taiyaariyon ke saath camping karte hain aur uske liye itni deengein haankte hain?" she was genuine in her question.
"Kya?" Maan's smile vanished and he looked stupid for a moment. The he recovered, "Geet tum pagal to nahin ho gai ho. Of course, main aise camping nahin karta hoon. Ye sab maine tumhare liye arrange karwaya hai."
"Oh!" It was Geet's turn to look stupid and they just stood at their places for a few second without knowing how to proceed.
Finally Maan broke into a slight laughter and came towards her.
Geet spoke first, "I am sorry. Main chaunk gayi thi. Aapne itna achchha arrangement kiya aur main aapka mazaak uda rahi thi."
"Geet. Bahut bholi ho tum. Aur isi bholepan ne to mujhe pagal bana diya hai."
Geet blushed as he cupped her face and planted a kiss on her forehead, "Apni maasoomiyat mat khona Geet, chahe zindagi mein kaisi bhi pareshaaniyan kyon na aaye."
Geet did not say anything, just hugged him.
"Khana kha lein Geet."
"Haan mujhe to bahut bhookh lagi hai."
As they sat down to eat, Maan could not concentrate on eating at all. He looked at Geet and if he hadn't controlled himself hard, reminding himself that she must eat in time, he would have pounced on her immediately. For how long had he desired her! Since the night at the dhaba? When looking at her drenched in the rain, happy in a moment and sad the next, he could not resist hugging her tight and had willed the time to stop right then. Or probably since much before that. since the first time he saw her? When she tried to heal his wounds in their first meeting, on the pretext of which he had left her stranded! What if something bad happened to her then. No - he shuddered to think of those possibilities now. He had desired her when he had seen her in the white dress, looking so serene and innocently beautiful, to accompany him to Amritsar, when he had saved her from the speeding vehicle in Amritsar - she was distraught. He had pretended to not care, but she affected him. Affected him so much that he tried to find peace in the Golden Temple. Even though he was not a believer. He even found an alibi to go to her house to enquire after her and his heart had skipped a beat on being told that she had not come back. He was not at peace until he had seen for himself that she was in her house - safe. He had been desiring her all the time, without consciously knowing it. His thoughts kept going back to her - practically a stranger then - but probably bound to him by a bond much stronger than that of acquaintance or social relations. He had desired her when he had saved her from being killed by Brij and his goons, when she had clung to him fearing for her life, when she had walked away from him instead of going to the police station as he had suggested. He had pretended to be disgusted with her weakness, but he was only trying to find a cover for his desires. And all those days she was in his office as strictly his secretary, goofing things up and then innocently asking for forgiveness, daring to give it back to him - the Maan Singh Khurana - if he made a mistake, taking his sorry to be a part of dictation, tripping and falling, fumbling with her dupatta, falling asleep on her chair, muttering angry-nothings at him under her breath, driving him crazy with her innocent charm, with her simplicity, with her extra-ordinary ordinariness, with her ability to laugh even in trouble, with her liveliness, with herself. When he had seen her in a saree for the first time, when he had saved her from the mishap in the party, when he had seen her in her red lehnga getting ready for a party she had so painstakingly organized and which he had trashed and in his confused state of mind - not knowing whether to go close to her or to go away from her - had fired her and she had indeed left! Left him. When he had felt like his soul was being taken away from him. When, if he had not let his ego take an upper hand, he would have gone after her receding figure, held her hand, pulled her close to him and would have told her that she couldn't go away from him!
What was he thinking? Geet was saying something, urging him to eat. She was praising the food. Maan was hardly able to register anything. He was seeing her lips - full and inviting! Let her eat, he told himself. He smiled and nodded at whatever she was saying without registering much. In trying to control himself in present, his mind again took solace in past. What had caused this uncotrllable urge he was feeling today. It was the wait of months! Control he had exercised all those days and the last few days - since their wedding! What had happened after the party? The party which had successful thanks to her, despite his misgivings. He had seen her blood in her cabin, he had rushed to her home but she had not trusted his intentions. She thought he wanted to hurt her. It had torn his heart. But why was he remembering all this now? She trusted him endlessly now. Geet had finished eating. She had washed her hands. She was happy about something. She was talking endlessly. How different it was from all those days when she wanted to run away from him, when she would not admit her feelings to him, when he had to force her to be his fake-fiancee just to keep her near him and had felt the brunt everytime she reminded him of the fakeness of their relationship. Through all of that - he had desired her and finally the day was here, when he would make her his own - in one final sense of the word - physically.
The force of his passion made him worry for a moment. Would he end up hurting her? But he let go. Now, nothing could go wrong between them. They were over all the obstacles, all the misgivings. It was their time to do what they wanted to.
Geet was still blabbering on and on about something. He loved that, but right now there was no space for words between them. He went up to her, facing her back and put his hands on her lips, startling her and shutting her up. He hands slipped down from her lips and caressed her chin and neck.
His caresses were rough and intense. It was new to Geet, who was used to his soft, caring touches. She was still getting used to it, when he turned her around - once again with a force that she had not felt before. She looked into his eyes and what she saw there scared her for the moment. It was not her loving, caring husband. Those eyes were oozing wild passion and desire - almost animalistic. They threatened to engulf her. But she wasn't scared for long. She understood his desire and felt happy about it. To be desired so furiously by the man she almost worshipped was the best complement the woman in her could get. He wanted to possess her, devour her and she felt happy, content and proud. She gave in to his passion. She turned into his wax doll, whom he could mould as he wanted. She felt him bending her head backwards, grabbing her hair. He was still rough, but he was not hurting her. He never could. Protecting her was his basic instinct. It didn't matter how lost he was, he would not hurt her. She complied to his push and felt his urgent kissed on her neck. He tried to access her shoulder and her jacket came in between. He pushed it off her shoulders but did not bother to take it off completely. Her hands were stuck in the jacket and she could not move them forward. As he kissed and nibbled at her shoulders, she went weak in her knees - literally - and was about to lose her balance. Due to the jacket she could not even hold him, but he immediately supported her at the waist without interrupting himself. He was driving her crazy and she really wanted to touch and hold him. But her hands were helpless. Did he do it on purpose? She wondered. Someday she would get back at him and drive him as crazy. But today he wanted his way. And she will give in to his ways. She felt him lifting her up. He made her sit on the bed and relieved her of her jacket. His movements were still jerky and urgent and they would remain so until he had had her for himself. She could not resist her temptation to hug him. He let her do that and hugged her back. Even his hug was different today. It was not a caring love that he would usually give her. It was the hug of her wild lover. She still melted in his hug. She loved him in all his avatars. The khadoos boss, the caring guardian, the impatient teacher, the loving husband and now the wild lover. She loved this too. She let herself drown in the current he was bringing. He pushed her down on the bed and pinned her as he slipped beside her and pulled the cover over them. She felt like she was floating in a sea of pleasure and contentment as he claimed each inch of her body. Even in that state should could not help but notice that he was taking care to not press her abdomen to save the baby from any harm, irrepective of how wild he was being otherwise. Basic instinct, she thought to herself again and the tears of happiness flowed from her eyes.
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After they were both spent, he felt like coming out of trance; as if he was in some other world - just him and his Geet and everything else around them had disappeared. Now he noticed everything and saw Geet lying beside him in his arms, looking at him, smiling through her tears. He pulled her close to him and wiped her tears.
"Geet," he said in softest possible, loving voice, "Ye aansoo?"
"Khushi ke hain," Geet quickly replied to reassure him.
Maan smiled and pulled her even closer. But now he was slowly realizing how wild he had been. The concern he had pushed under the carpet came back in full force. He wanted to ask her if she was fine, but he hesitated. Would it sound odd?
Geet noticed the change in his expression. He looked worried.
"Kya hua Maan?"
"Nahin, kuchh nahin Geet. Woh bas..." He paused.
"Maan - aapne thodi der pahle mujhse waada kiya tha ki sab kuchh share karenge mere saath. Aur ab phir?" Geet reminded him gently.
"Haan Geet. Ye poochhna tha... ki... tum theek ho na... Main... Kuchh zyada to nahin ho gaya? Tumhein koi problem to nahin hui?" he managed to ask, looking very uncomfortable.
"Maan! Main bilkul theek hoon. Aapko pata na ho to main bata doon ki aap galti se bhi mujhe chot nahin pahuncha sakte."
He was visibly relieved.
Happy and content, they chatted away for a while. Rather Geet talked and Maan fondly listened to her, until they had drifted away to sleep in each other's arms, in the middle of a jungle, away from the noises of the world.
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