part 6
this was crazy. he was just a man. nothing supernatural at all. just a man. a man who had no right to hold her like this. she had to assert herself, had to let him know what he is dealing with. but before she could even say a word. she found herself melting into his warmth.
with a cynical twist of his wide mouth, he turned and led her into the hall. their footsteps echoed down the empty hallways.some one coughed. he looked up. there stood his man,raju, in his nightclothes. he looked sleepy and ridiculous, but definitely alarmed at the same time.
armaan paused for a moment. he very well knew he could easily hand over this piece of womanly baggage to his servant-boy. hand her over and turn his back and walk away and never give her another thought. he very well knew that raju would take care of everything. doing that would just fit the pattern of his life, the way things were done around here.he made a move as though to do it.
and then he glanced at shilpa. she was still turning to him for refuge. she'd reach for him, given herself into the comfort of his arm, pressed her beautiful young body against his as though she was trusting that he would keep her safe. something moved inside him- and that was dangerous. just looking down into her gorgeous thick, tangled hair, he could feel his emotions stirring in a way he dint need.
later he told himself it was nothing more than a typical impulse of a male role of guardian, the same he might have had for a puppy or a kitten tat needed his attention.
despite his background, despite his guilty past, the urge to safeguard those smaller and more vulnerable rode in him and he followed his instincts.
but for once he was convinced. no, there was something about shilpa- something threatening. he knew he should walk away and leave her to raju to deal with.
but he dint do that.
looking up he shook his head at raju." i'll handle this" he said, shedding his jacket and keeping it on the chair.he was going to see to her himself.
raju looked alarmed."but sir-" he began.
armaan cut him off." get my first aid kit"
"come this way" armaan told shilpa brusquely, turning to stride down the hall. she almost ran to keep up to him, holding onto his hand as though she would get lost if she let go.
"sit down" he said gesturing to a couch.
"i cant" she said, shaking her head and looking down at herself. everything about her seemed to be dripping.
"i'm filthy and muddy and wet , il ruin the couch"
"that doest matter" he said shortly.
"of course it matters" she responded, beginning to feel some of her fire returning." i may not look like much right now, but i'v got manners. i know how to act in POLITELY in POLITE company" she stretched on her word.
"polite company?" he gave a little grunt, not even sure himself if it were partly a laugh or not.
"is that what you're expecting?we'll have to see if we can muster something up for you"
she watched his as he paced around awaiting raju. she liked the way he moved. there was a controlled animal strength to him, and every action, every turn, presented with a certain masculine grace. and yet there was the sense of something more to him, something hidden. something leashed and waiting.
shilpa: listen, why dont i just go and-?
armaan: no..**Firmly** you stay right where you are....
that put her back up a bit and sparked a sense of rebellion in her soul
shilpa: much as i appreciate your warm and welcoming hospitality. i think its time--
armaan: no
he took a step closer and circled her wrist
armaan: u r staying right here until i permit you to go
shilpa: oh. i am, am i?
she tried pulling her hand, but his hold was firm enough not allowing her to do so....
shilpa: your rules are on the medieval side, you know. these days one doesn't take orders from another person unless they are being paid money
he pulled her closer to him....
armaan: is that wat u r after?money?is that wat u want huh?
shilpa: what?
she stared up at him, in shock by the very concept
shilpa:no no, of course not
armaan: then wat do you want here?
shilpa swallowed hard
shilpa:n...nothing...
she couldnt allow yuvi and naina to fall in trouble as well....
armaan: liar
she gasped . shilpa knew he was right but dint like hearing it.
shilpa: for a person like you... you wouldn't understand... but i din mean any harm to you....
armaan gave a sharp tug to her wrist, pulling her up close.
armaan: harm...all the harms been done years ago..
she winced at the bitterness in his voice. it was quite clear to her that somethin in his life wasn't going well.
shilpa was moving in a haze of reality, as though she really had stepped into a fairytale. she saw his face clearly now that they were so close to each other. she was lost in his blue eyes. she was pain. it made her heart ache in compassion, but here was so much beside that. there was power and presence in the man, and even more, there was overwhelming beauty in him. his shirt was open. exposing the tanned skin of a hard sculptured chest, and his wonderful male heat filled her with a strange sense of longing that scared her more than anything else had and at the same time it tugged at her with an impossible attraction.
he reached out as though to steady her, his hands gentle yet firm on her shoulders, and she felt herself melt into his touch, he wanted to lean closer yet. she had a sudden, wild desire to press her lips to the pulse she could see beating hard at the base of his throat. she stared at it, irresistibly drawn.
but shilpa recoiled in time, shocked at her own impulse. what next- was she going to offer herself to the man outright? she gasped softly, then began to think she ought to pull away. ought to-but couldn't quite summon up the will.
armaan couldn't have been more amazed if she had kissed him. the moment crystallized in time, her body arched towards his, her fingertips on his faces, his heart pounding, his gaze locked on hers. something twisted in his chest and he realized he was holding his breath. he was feeling something new and strange and he dint like it at all. but she touched him. no woman had wanted to. he dint want anyone to touch him himself. he he wanted shilpa to touch him... that lit a fire inside him he hadn't known he was capable of feeling. whatever shilpa was, she was unique in a way he'd never seen before. she dint make him feel unwanted. he savored the moment.
and in the same moment he became aware that raju had come into the room at last and was now lurching forward as though he was prepared to push shilpa back away from his master. it all seemed to be happening in slow motion. and it all seemed to be very beside the point, but it had to be dealt with, and so he did.
turning to block raju's ridiculous protective lunge with the position of his body, he pulled shilpa up against him and out of raju's reach. looking down, he sank into the clouds in her ever so green eyes, searching for the mysteries they might contain. she seemed to hold worlds he'd never visited deep inside her. he suddenly found it difficult to pull away from her gaze. or maybe the truth was he dint want to.
raju still hung at his shoulder
raju:sir?
it took armaan a moment to respond. he was still looking deep in shilpa's eyes.
armaan: go call muskaan (when i said frnd and his fiance..i meant his friend rahul and his as in rahul's fiance..muskaan)
he said without turning.
raju was upset about this sudden change
raju: but sir...
armaan: go....
raju sighed...
raju: very well sir...
muskaan enters in a moment
she took in the scene and her eyebrow arched even higher than usual
muskaan: well, armaan.. who is this?
the sound of her voice snapped them both to attention as though the spell was broken. they turned to look at her. she came closer , circling and gazing with wonder at the two of them
muskaan: where on earth did you find her?
armaan took a shrap breath and moved away...
armaan: il give you the details about it later.. what is important right now is that you go take her along with you and give her a change of clothes.
muskaan: right-o!!!
shilpa: my name is shilpa malhotra.. im an intern at sanjivnee hospital...
muskaan gave a careless shrug.
shilpa thought.. obviously i disturbed her sleep.. what do i expect??!!!
shilpa: why dont i just go?
armaan: you have no choice in the matter. for the good of all you need to be clean and dry..
shilpa: but....
armaan: go with muskaan..you fell on my land, my lake so to say. i am responsible for your condition. its only right that i make you whole again
that it make sense at all to her, she'd been trespassing, not visiting.she gave in!!!
shilpa looked around as she emerged from the steamy shower. she dried quickly and then stepped before a full- length mirror to check herself for the damage.
what she saw made her gasp, then laugh softly. the area around her right eye was looking as if she smudged it with soot..a black eye!!!! how was she going to explain it to her patients??? she groaned, then began to check out the rest of her body. there was a large painful bruise on her hip, she had scraped both her hands and her knees and a rather deep cut on her right leg, just below the knee.and blood was still seeping out! other than that a few places seemed to be a bit achy, that seemed to be it.
she wore the clothes offered by muskaan.
muskaan: **yawning** im going back to bed. goodnight dear... armaan must be awaiting you in the hall.
shilpa: wait....
muskan frowned: wat???
shilpa: i noe its not an appropriate question but..ummm..ur armaans?
muskaan sighed: well i am his best frndz fiancee.. just down here for some work!!!!
shilpa sighed with relief
shilpa: ohh..oh...good 9t....slp tite..:D
that sense of rebellion rose again in her again, but shilpa thanked muskaan as she left the room, then finished up making her self presentable. all the while she was wondering how to get out of here. she was fine. she dint need a doctor. and she specially dint need to run into armaan again.
grabbing the bag with her clothes, she made her way into the passage way. she knew which way to turn for the hall, so she took the other path.. while the memories of the way armaan and she were lost in each others eyes flash-backed. although the bath.. she could still feel his warmth lingering on her skin.
another sharp turn down a darker hallway and she found herself in the huge kitchen. she found a door at the end.
assuming it to be the back door of the house she pulled it open quickly, stepped through and suddenly she was falling again- right into the arms of armaan.
shilpa screamed. screaming was getting to be a habit it seemed. she dint think she'd scream this much at any time in her life before. but she couldn't help it. running into strong and scary armaan in the dark just sent her over the top every time.
he held her barely for a second before she jumped back away from him. still, at the same time she was recoiling and cursing her own continuing bad luck a traitorous part of her was entertaining the temptation to let herself relax in his arms again, to press her cheek against his chest and listen for his heartbeat. the moon was out again sending beams in through a window just over their heads. what could be more romantic than to wrap herself in his arms and...?
fanciful nonsense, of course. none of that could happen or would happen.
shilpa spoke accusingly a bit annoyed at her later thought: thats the second time tonight you scared me out of my wits!
armaan: and thats the second time tonight i found you sneaking around where you shouldn't be.
shilpa tossed her hair, hooking the mop of it behind her ear with one quick swipe of her hand.
shilpa: thats only true if you are the one who gets to set the rules of where i may or may not go..
armaan moved closer. even in the dark, she could see his strong jawline.
armaan: and why wont i set the rules?its my house, remember?
shilpa: but u forgot...i m only passing through!!!
armaan: TRESpassing through , you mean...
well she had to give him that one. she was really very tires.
shilpa: you know..i just want to go home...
taking her hand in his armaan: we all want things we cant have..!!!
the hint of desolation in his voice hit her hard and stopped her from taking offense. an unexpected wave of sadness swept over her. she wanted to reach for him, help him somehow, comfort him.
armaan: come back to the hall.. let me take a look.. then il have some one drive you home...
shilpa shighed. she hated to admit how tempting it seemed to just follow wherever he led. she was going to have to work on that.
shilpa: my car..is outside the main entrance..
he turned to look at her....
he stopped just outside the hall and stared down at her. for the first time the light was good enough for him to see what had happened to her face.
armaan: crap!! shilpa????** concerned**...
his hands cupped her face tilting it up so that he could see it fully.
armaan: you seemed a little less bruised before, but this..."
shilpa gazed up at him in wonder: its okayyy...
he was sooo close. the sense of his male presence overwhelmed her. for a few seconds she felt a wave of emotion sweeping away her common sense, and suddenly she wanted his kiss more than she'd ever wanted anything else in her life.
and that it self was like a splash of cold water on her face. what was she thinking? she wanted to turn away so that he wouldn't read her guilty secret in her eyes, but he was staring so hard, from so close
shilpa: i..im...okay,,,
armaan: its hard to see something so fresh and lovely marred this way...
he said as though it really did pain him to see her like this.. he voice was cool.. his gaze ranged over her face as though he were memorizing evey line.
armaan: your... you're just so..so....
his voice faded without saying the word, whatever it was meant to be..
and then he kissed her. like a moth to the flame, he couldn't stay away. it was a light kiss, barely touching of his lips to her forehead, right above her blackened eye. she gasped as she felt him, but at the same time she knew he'd done it in a strange way as though to erase the damage, make it go away.
but still--he kissed her.
armaan realized what he'd just done and pulled away....
"i think we better get started with ur wounds"... he said coldly
shilpa nodded turning the other way.. trying to hide away her beetroot red cheeks....
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