Indira turned in her bed once more. She could never sleep easily in a new place. The room was dark & cool thanks to the air conditioning. It was nearly 2 AM. Her attention was drawn to the constant murmur of noises which she could hear coming from the hall outside. Curiosity got the better of her & she opened the bedroom door. The TV was on''.the source of the murmurs! Some football match was in progress. However her gaze was immediately diverted to the lone figure of the man standing at the window with one hand braced high against the window frame, staring out across the city. The drapes are drawn across the rest of the glass windows and the only light in the room was coming from the TV. Sanity told her to get back in & go to sleep. However tonight she was feeling things which were foreign to her. Unnoticed even by her, she smoothed her hair & crumpled dress as best as she could & stepped into the hall closing the door behind her. Ricky was lost deep in his thoughts & hence did not notice her entering the hall.
Driven by an instinct as old as time, Indira moved silently towards Ricky. Boldly or foolishly, and at this particular moment she did not care which, she slid her arms around his waist from behind. His body tensed instinctively at her touch, and when she rubbed her cheek against his broad, muscular back, it felt as hard as iron.
R: 'Missing me?' he chuckled
Indira all of a sudden was feeling extremely shy. She didn't understand what had gotten into her that she had made such a bold move. But her tongue & hands seemed to have acquired a mind of their own. Before she could stop to think she heard herself say in a teasing voice
I: Yes! Turn around & I will show you how much!
Indira was horrified at what she had just said. Is this called flirting? She had no clue as she had no past experience with such things. Ricky too was taken by surprise by her words, though he wasn't about to start objecting. Which guy in his right mind would? He turned round in her embrace & looked down into her eyes. The room was dark & her face was lit partially by the light from the TV. Her beauty seemed divine & he was intoxicated. At the same time Indira was lost in his eyes which were clearly highlighted due the light falling on his face. Green'..pools of calm, clear green''..beautiful emerald green! She withdrew her hands slowly, shy & uncertain of what was happening & why she was here at this time of the night. Ricky walked over to the sofa & sat down. "Come over here", he invited her smoothly.
Indira obediently went over to the sofa & stood looking into his handsome, shadowed face. His expression was impassive but his eyes''she wasn't sure of the expression in them. She had never seen him look at her this way. When she started to sit beside him on the sofa, he caught her wrist & pulled her onto his lap. Instinctively Indira stiffened. She did not know what came next. Uncertainly she placed her hand across his shoulders. Her logical brain was screaming at her to stop this immediately before things went too far. But today it seemed she had problem listening to her brains. Ricky smiled at her & once again all logic was lost to her
R: So, tell me, how much did you miss me Indira?
I: Is your ego in need of bolstering today?
R: Yes!
I: Really? Why?
R: Because a few months back I was hit by a 23 year old girl & I can't seem to get her out of my mind.
I: That's too bad! (She felt a bubble of sheer, unadulterated happiness erupt inside her!)
R: Isn't it? (He was laughing his devilish laugh now!) She's like a thorn in my side. She has the eyes of an angel, her hair is all silk, and she has a body that drugs my mind, the attitude of a strict matron and a tongue like a scalpel.
I: (she felt all tongue tied) Thanks, I think! (She muttered shyly)
His hands glided up her arms, then curved around her shoulders, tightening as he drew her to within a few inches of his chest.
R: And, I have been waiting for her forever!
Indira turned beetroot red. Ricky was thoroughly enjoying the various emotions playing across her face. Her shyness, yet her few bold moves were so contradictory to the Indira he knew, that they made her more adorable. He understood being this close to any man was something Indira had never done. And he felt honored that he would be first & last lover. How he had worked that one out, he did not know. But he just knew it for a fact. With these thoughts in mind his mouth descended to her lips slowly. Indira waited helplessly for the physical impact of his lips covering hers. Her mind was screaming at her, but she couldn't have moved even if her life depended on it. However, what he did took her completely by surprise. Bypassing her lips he began to explore the creamy skin of her neck. Pulling off her dupatta he kissed her shoulder. His free hand moved to her hair & opened the clip. Her hair spilled over her shoulders to her waist. His hand entangled in her flowing hair. His warm mouth nuzzled the sensitive area at the base of her neck & then slowly wandered towards her ear.
With Ricky's one hand holding her & she being on his lap, there was nothing Indira could have done except experience these emotions she was feeling now.
Ricky's mouth left a burning trail of kisses up to her temple, and then slowly began to drift towards her lips. A fraction of an inch above hers he stopped & said, "Kiss me Indira."
Indira was shell shocked. The impact of his demand made her make a hasty move so that she could escape. However this resulted in her falling back on the sofa with Ricky on top of her. Ricky smiled mischievously. He began kissing her other cheek, stopping to linger at her ear, his tongue tracing every curve & hollow. He nipped her earlobe which made Indira lurch forward in a startled movement that brought their bodies together. A current leaped between them and they both stiffened with the delicious shock of it.
"GOD!" Ricky muttered under his breath and his lips began to trail down her neck to her shoulders.
"Ricky, please!" Indira whispered weakly. The cool air of the air conditioner against her bare shoulder was restoring some logic back. She could no longer ignore the gravity of the things she was about to do. It would be wrong, immoral! She had to stop this'.and soon! But, God forbid, she was enjoying every moment of being this close to Ricky.
R: Please what? Please put us both out of this misery?
I: NO!
R: No? You don't want me to kiss you & undress you & make love to you?
His lips were tantalizingly close and Indira was faint with the desire to feel them crushing down on hers. Instead he bent his head & lightly brushed his mouth over hers, first in one direction, then the other.
R: Please kiss me! I have been dreaming about it since many months now!
With a silent moan of surrender, Indira slid her hands up his muscular chest & kissed him on his cheek. She felt the tremor that ran through his body, the gasp of his breath against her lips in the instant before his arms closed around her, and he kissed her passionately. His mouth covered hers, moving and probing in a kiss that was lazily coaxing, yet breathtakingly insistent. Indira tried desperately to hold on to her fleeing sanity, but the moment his tongue slid against her lips she lost the battle. By the time Ricky finally lifted his head, Indira felt branded by that kiss, permanently marked as his possession. Desire was racing through her like a wild fury by the time he finally dragged his mouth from hers. Trembling with inner turmoil, she leaned her forehead against his shoulder. Indira leaned back against the arm rest of the sofa & looked up into his eyes. The once transparent green eyes had now clouded with smoldering passion. His possessive gaze lingered over her face, her eyes, her lips & he gave her an intimate smile.
R: Come with me.
And he scooped her in his arms. A chill that was part fright, part excitement danced up her spine. She was terrified but curious at the same time. She had no experience, but she had heard women in her office gossip, tease each other about such things, such nights!
Ricky took her to the bedroom in the suite & lowered her to her feet. She shivered once more. Ricky noticed her shiver.
R: You are cold!
He drew her against his chest & put his arms around her & then kissed the top of her head
R: Better? Feeling warm now?
I: Yes, I am fine. There is nothing wrong with me! (She tried to smile)
R: Good! Because it's going to be hours before I let you go to sleep.
***
Indira opened her eyes slowly & saw the early morning sunlight peeping in through the half closed curtains. She glanced to her right at Ricky's sleeping form & smiled. She got up & went in the bathroom to have a shower. For the first time she noticed her surroundings. She noticed the plush blue carpet at her feet. She came out of the bathroom & noticed the French windows which opened onto a big balcony which had flower boxes. The bed sheets were of pure Egyptian cotton. There was a bar in the living room & the bedroom had its own LCD TV. The sofas in the living room were large & comfortable & were surrounded by two deep & comfortable looking chairs. Slowly she went over to the table facing the window. She drew out a black folder which had the hotels logo on it. This was a seven star hotel. She opened the folder which contained a list of various facilities the hotel provided. She read through the list. It seemed as if they had everything under the sun in this place! What was the tariff of this place? With growing apprehension she drew out the tariff card. She was shocked to find that the suite they were staying in cost Rs. 45,000 per day. Her mind was buzzing with questions. Who was Ricky Diwan? How could he afford so much luxury? How could he afford to stay in such a place? How could he arrange for 7 lakh rupees at the drop of a hat? All of a sudden she remembered he had never told her what he did for a living. Yes, he was an MBA, but that was a degree. What was his job? She started remembering small details about Ricky which she had been overlooking so far. His clothes screamed class. Leather jackets, sunglasses, branded labels, expensive Swiss watches! So far she had seen him drive 3 different cars. He also had a bike which was like nothing she had seen on the roads of Mumbai. His home was in South Bombay where only the elite could afford to stay. Whenever they had dined out it had always been at some classy SoBo restaurant. Whenever they had gone shopping it had been in some exclusive designer's studio. God! She had been so blinded by that charming smile & quick wit that she had never put together all these facts.
She was so lost in her own growing set of questions that she did not notice Ricky come out of the bedroom. He had just pulled over a bathrobe. Seeing her lost in her thoughts he wandered up to her & hugged her from behind. Indira stiffened.
R: Hello gorgeous! You look like a woman well loved Ms. Sharma
He kissed her ear & started trailing kisses down to her shoulder. Indira turned in his embrace which made him stop.
I: Who are you Ricky?
Ricky gave her a puzzled look.
R: You remind me of Jai asking Basanti, 'Tumhara naam kya hai basanti'. What's wrong with you? After such a wonderful night, is this all you can think of. Or is it that after last night you can't think straight. Well, then it's OK I guess!
I: I am not joking Ricky. I am dead serious. Who the hell are you? From where did you get the money for Dad's operation Ricky? How do you manage to pay the fare of this 7 star hotel. And don't bother lying because I have checked how much it costs to stay here. How can a working man afford to do charity in lakhs? What is your job Ricky? Who are you? Please tell me. It has become extremely important for me to know these basic details about you.
R: And may I ask why it is so important?
I: Because ' because I love you Ricky. You may sleep around but yesterday when we made love I trusted you in the most intimate way possible. I did that because I love you. And I thought I knew you very well. But today in broad daylight, I feel there are so many areas of your life about which I know nothing about Ricky. Today when I thought about it I feel I know nothing about you Ricky. And it is scaring the hell out of me. Don't do this to me Ricky. Don't hide things from me. I need to know. I feel after last night I have a right to know.
R: Cut the crap Indira. Stop all this emotional melodrama. You sleep with me once, and now all of a sudden you love me! Emotional scenes are something to which I do not respond well to. And never ever talk about rights with me. No woman has any rights over Ricky Diwan. Ricky is his own free man, free to do as he wishes, when he wishes. I feel no need to explain myself to you.
Indira felt as if somebody had slapped her. She felt her insides clench in pain. She hugged herself & ran into the bedroom. Ricky swore. Indira quickly got ready & before Ricky knew it she was out of the suite. She would first go home & later go to the hospital to relieve her mother & brother. She felt dead on the inside. How could she have judged a person so wrongly? She noted with dull pain that even her confession that she loved him had not made him stop her. She concluded with a heavy heart that he probably did not love her & was just glad that she had left without making more of a fool of herself. She cried her heart out when she reached home.
Credit : Judit McNaught novel
Cricket
