The little hairs at the back of her neck prickled, she narrowed her eyes and looked through the window, and all she could see was a man, standing still, staring at her. Shamelessly.
She could not help but notice his amazingly built up physique and huge abs, the gulp in her throat started to get bigger as he started to move towards her, she could see the twinkle in his eyes, and no matter how hard she tried she could not just let that lump loose. It was hard, stubborn and it was stuck in her throat. The man started moving towards her, and suddenly she heard the "Ting" of her doorbell.
She moved out politely, opening the door for him, she looked at him, and suddenly the floor became more interesting, she gulped then said "Who are you here for?"
The yellow frilled summer dress was covered with flour, which surely meant that she was cooking, she didn't even look at him directly, her head bowed down as she spoke, he studied her figure, the sleekest waist he had ever seen, tightly tied with a apron which was, also, stained with flour, he smiled at her, she seemed the kind of girl who no more existed-not outside the television at least, he could see the dim glow of her skin and right away he noticed that he had been holding his breath unknowingly.
"I'm here to meet Susan Greene" he said
"What!?" she shot up her head and suddenly he felt a shiver after seeing the rage in her eyes. "She told you her name was Greene? How could she! You know, she was married to my father and changed her name to Ghai' but now, she's going around with the name Greene! Heights this is"
She took a breath and then realized how much she spoke. She bit her lip and he could not help but smile at her innocent gestures. "Sorry, I speak much at times"
Her hair was braided, sideways. And few strands were peeking outside, making way to her face. "It's okay, I think women should talk. Talkative people are cute"
He saw her flushing. "and you are?" she asked
Her tone was childlike, he felt like laughing at how backward she was, like, she didn't know who he was? Really? But at the same time he felt an urge to know her, he wanted to.
"You don't read the newspapers?" he asked
"Not much, really" she shrugged slim shoulder. "Why, are you some reporter or something?"
"who do you think I am?" he asked
"Heavens! How would I know? You maybe some Cat burglar all this time!" she spoke.
He wanted to frown "Do I look like a cat burglar to you?"he asked
No. he didn't look like any Burglar to her, with her royal blue tie, inside a heavy black tuxedo, and neatly combed hair, she could not let her eyes move away from him, she pouted, not understanding what to say. how could she address someone as Cat Burglar! What was she thinking?
"How would I know? I don't know what a Cat Burglar looks like?" she said
"But you don't have a cat" he retorted.
"How do you know?" came an instant response.
"Because there are no furs around and no Meoowww' and if you know the cat strolls around to see who has arrived at least once, and I see no cats here" he said "as simple as that."
She narrowed her eyes. Smart fella.
"Now, Can I meet miss Greene?" he said
"Miss Ghai" she corrected.
"Miss Susan?" he said
"Well, she isn't at home" she shrugged.
"Christ! Can I wait till she comes?" he asked.
"Sure thing" she smiled and allowed him in. He sat comfortably on the plush leather sofa.
"Would you like a loaf of cake?" she asked
"No thank you" he smiled, reading the magazine kept on the table.
"Think and speak Mr Reyaansh, it tastes best when its fresh made. I just took it out of the oven" she smiled.
He kept the magazine on table, coming to a conclusion that there is no way of his victory with this girl in on the other side.
"Come on" he spoke.
He walked behind her, noticing the way her dress flowed, the way her slim legs moved, and the innocence in her eyes. He didn't remember the last time he noticed a girls dress, legs and even eyes. He sat on the chair, waiting for her to serve him, and then, as she bent to fish out the cake out of her oven, her dress moved above her knees giving him a quick glance of her back slim thighs. He smiled.
"Why are you smiling? You haven't tasted the cake yet." She said
"Yeah Yeah" he spoke
"How come your father is Ghai and mother Greene?" he asked
"She is not my mother" she spoke "Stepmother she is."
And this time he finally planned to ask her. "This is a lovely house! Is this out for sale?" he asked.
"No!" came an instant reply. "It's not. Though Susan wants to sell it off, nothing of that sort would happen"
So this was it, Damn it! Her mother hasn't even told her that this beautiful bungalow was out for sale in the market. He felt like face palming himself, Susan even talked about the payments and papers she had sent him to see what the house was like, and she didn't care to tell her own daughter about it. Horrible.
"Where's your dad?" he asked
He saw her going pale suddenly, she used the knife to cut it through and served it to him. "he died" was all she said.
"Oh, I'm sorry" he spoke
"You shouldn't be" she spoke.
He ate the piece of cake and felt it melting into his mouth, everything was perfectly added. He wanted to compliment but was scared that she would take it as He's Interested'
"How is it?" she asked.
"Not bad" he said with a smile.
"That means you love it" she rolled her eyes.
"yeah fine, you cook well" he said "And why does your mother want to sell off this place?"
"Because, there is no source of income since dad died so she says she can sell of this place and live happily for rest of her life. So that she doesn't need to work" she said rolling her eyes.
"That is stupid" he said
"Exactly" she said
He noticed her empty plate and she instantly said "Would you like some more?" she asked.
"No, you don't cook that well" he smirked.
"That means you so want some more" she said with a smile that said gotcha'
"Very well, but I'd rather leave now. It's late you see" he smiled.
"I hope not to see you again." she said
"Ah, but I will come back for more cake." He said "a stupid girl like you would offer me some more"
"No baby, you are Rich and stupid" she said
"How do you know I'm rich, I just met you" he said "I could be smart and poor"
"No dear, I'm Smart and poor" she said
"and how do you know you are Smart? Smart girls don't tell strangers all about themselves and their families" he chuckled
He could see a smile playing on her lips. "Well" she opened the drawer.
"Now are you going to give me this grange's keys?" he asked.
"Not so soon Senhor Reyaansh" she said and he just wondered how she knew he had Italian background.
To his surprise she fished out a Magazine with him as cover page and the title as The Reyaansh Singhania - Struggled for Money' he could instantly recognize his biography. What was it doing with her but? He looked at her in amazement.
She then took out a pen and said "Signature Mr Reyaansh, I do know who you are" she said and then continued "Infact, I know all about you."
"Why didn't you tell me?" he asked
"I wanted to let you know the details of this grange, now its up to you, buy it or leave it" she spoke
"Smart move" he sighed.
"Why did you think a girl like me, won't read newspaper or watch television? Damn! Do you think I'm some nineteenth century chick?" she asked
He held the pen and signed his biography himself.
"That makes you Smart" he said "and poor"
"That makes you Stupid" she said "and rich"
He smiled at the girl. "Now if you don't mind, will you please leave?"
He walked out of the door but turned back with a smile. "Can I at least know your name?" he asked
"It's Kriya" she said
He turned and walked away, now totally aware that there is no way of his victory with her on the other side.
_________________
Kriya thought that she had made it clear to him that she didn't want me to meet him again. ever. but, to her surprise, things didn't turn out that way. It was Friday 13th-the "unlucky day". Though Kriya did not believe in such crap, she secretly was ashamed to disclose that she was a little scared, all she wanted to do was to get out of here safely and stay in for the night. her horoscope said the same, the day wasn't in her favour.
She was just washing things up, tidying the racks, dusting the counter, after all, it was hardly seventeen minutes, and she would be out of here, Lizzy-her co-worker gave her a playful smile, "You work so much Kriya, and spend nothing, how? Do you own a boyfriend to hold your expenses?" she asked
Kriya laughed and delightedly said "No Lizz, it isn't like that, its just that, I like to save, you never really know when money comes in use"
Lizzy waved off her thoughtful words, she sat on the counter cleaning her nails, "Yeah, afterall, its your cakes that keeps the customers coming back and back and back and.."
"and inside" for a moment Lizzy glanced up,
"Inside?" then she followed Kriya's gaze and saw the black Mercedes rolling in. Kriya felt a sense of unease cover her inside, rich people take time to decide, and she had just seventeen minutes more to catch the bus downtown. "Lizz can you serve this fellow? I'm running late" she spoke but got nothing in answer, she turned back where Lizzy sat and she could see her already gone.
No wonder, it was Friday 13th.
Quickly, she dusted the counter, rearranged some stands of cake and looked up directly into the eyes of Reyaansh Singhania.
Her lips froze, and a shiver began to skate over her skin, it didn't seem to matter that she was still angry with him-he had this capability to get this reaction just by being in the same room as her, and when he looked her like that, she could feel the prickling of her skin automatically, as though it had been set by default.
"We close in eleven minutes" she spoke
"I can wait" he said
She looked at him idiotically "wait for what?"
"For you to finish up" he shrugged a shoulder.
"Sorry, I think you have mistaken me for some other chick" she said turning her head, in order not to meet his gaze which seemed to bore into her eyes.
"I'm not sure that you're easy to mistake dolcezza" he said never trying to hide the luscious gaze which travelled on her curves, setting his lustful desires on fire. "I've never quite met someone like you before"
There it was-another of his meaningless compliments which flowed out of his mouth like honey. "And didn't I imply that I didn't want to see you again?" she snitched.
"Things sometime get said in the heat of moment" he spoke
"Yeah, things do-but I'm afraid when it comes to me, I meant every word of it" she said
"Well, right now I'm here and you're here, and I find no one here to intrude the two of us, plus the sign on the door says you're open" he spoke
"We're closing in eight, you might place you order soon" she spoke the rage still in her voice.
"What do you recommend?" he asked as she threw the menu at him.
"Since I bake each and every cake here, I recommend all of them" she said
"Well, I might as well take some lemon cake, which I tasted last Saturday" he said with a devilish smile on his face. How she hated it. The mention of that day somehow brought those memories back, clear and bright.
"I'm afraid we're out of lemon cake right now so all we can provide here is chocolate and coffee. Make your choice" she said
She glanced at the door, how she wanted Lizzy to return, yet she was dreading it somewhere inside, though she wanted him to get out at the same moment she wanted to feast her eyes on him.
"I want you to leave" she said breathlessy.
"No you don't" he spoke "I'm afraid you'll have to serve me"
"well, since I work here, I can't physically eject you" she spoke
"Ofcourse you can't" he smirked again, the smirk which irritated her to another great extent.
She shot daggers through her eyes, only if she missed this bus, she will swear that he pays for it. Somehow, Rey didn't want to disturb and it didn't look like a very proposeful situation right there.
"Well, Scrub it" he spoke getting up.
"Scrub what?" she asked
"My order"
And suddenly she felt a clinch of her heart something infuriatingly like disappointment. "You've changed your mind?" she asked
"Yep" he replied, popping the p'
And suddenly she could see him walking closer, though she still thought it was just her mind playing tricks, but here, she could actually see him close enough and she could figure out the new growth of beard on his chin, she wanted to touch it, she wanted to see whether it felt as good as it seemed.
"I'm agreeing with you, I don't want to sit here with you spoiling your pretty face with that tight and angry look" he said
"Seems like finally you've taken the hint to leave me alone" she said looking elsewhere.
"But I haven't" he smiled. "I'm not leaving until you say you'll come out with me for a dinner"
Kriya looked at him wide eyed, he sounded so sure, so positive towards it that it almost scared her. She felt her cheeks growing hotter "are you out of your mind?" she said
"I think I am a little" he said.
"I am not going anywhere" she said
"Come on Kriya, its just about an evening, cant you spend that with me?" he spoke restlessy, here he was trying his best to take her out, though he didn't know why, girls came running to him, they were all so obsessed. And here it seemed as though her innocent charms had captured him.
Except that it wasn't. Kriya sucked in a breathe, a part of her wanted to cling to him while the other just wanted to push him away, she didn't know what to say or not to say, all she knew was that more of male company would set her desires back again, which she definitely didn't want, her last break away with her fianc had caused major trouble in her life, she remember how it was shattered. The self pity, cries and depressing feels, and finally when she thought she was getting over it, he entered her life.
"I.. don't know" she said and when she couldn't control she blurted out "And why are you so crazy? When you have women clinging on your arms you'd better spend your days and nights with them, why do you have to choose me?"
"because I can't get you out of my mind, the moment I first saw you, with your flour covered hands and apron, I haven't been able to stop thinking about you, you looked so innocent, so pure, just like some domestic goddess. I didn't really know, but atleast what I think is I can atleast repay that loaf of cake you offered with a little dinner, can't I?" he said
And for a moment she found herself moved by his words, he sounded too confident, just so sure that he would make it, even if it was the last thing he'd do. But then pushing such thoughts away, she planned to change the subject. She looked down ashamedly for a minute but then she sucked in a grasp of breath and found herself fine enough.
"And I don't understand why a cosmopolitan and successful person is so excited to get himself a grange in middle of an Englishtown." She said
"Oh don't you know?" he asked
"No, since I'm the last one to know about things here, I don't think Susan might have told me about this" she sighed, but replaced it with a lazy smile,
It felt good to see her thin lips curved into a smile. "Well, I'm here to build a hotel. It'll be tasteful and amazing, just like all my hotels are" he said
Only that it wasn't about the taste, it was about how horrible would the bedrooms look when turned into rich plastered room, she could not help but imagine the scenario.
"you're going to turn the grange into a hotel?" she asked disbelievingly.
"Thats how all my hotels are. Ask around if you don't believe me" he spoke.
"And that's suppose to reassure me?" she asked
"If you're reassured, then yes, but it's just one evening Kriya, just an evening, what are you so frightened of?" he asked
She found herself gulp hard, she grabbed a fistful of apron and clutched it, unable to understand what she should be saying. Sparing her thoughts and saving them for another time she nodded.
"Did I see a yes?" he asked
"Now don't make it all tough for me" she shot a glare.
He smiled anticipating. "Can I have your number?" he asked
"Yeah" she tore out a paper from the entry book by side, scribbled the digits and handed it over to him.
"Perfect" he muttered.
"Should I drop you home?" he asked "since you must've missed your bus by now"
And then she realized it was eight thirty. She wanted to scream out the F-word at him, but then, she was taught not to forget her manners.
She nodded. No doubt it was Friday the thirteenth, all bad luck by her side.
He smiled at her and helped her shut out the shop, for a moment he was scared, that she might decline, that she might not go out on the most supposedly date, but then it was Reyaansh Singhania not to forget. He knew how to deal with things, his way.
For the first time in life he understood how men actually "Worked" to get their women on bed, since it came as a sweet dish for him whenever he wished for.
Not to be unfair, but it was all a farce for him, he was now gonna play the same as her, and no matter how, Kriya would soon be in his bed.
She was, after all, just a girl.
________________________________________
A brown dress hugged her curves tightly. She held her handbag hanging on her right shoulder. She didn't knew what to carry and what not, Lizzy had suggested to keep some Anti-pregnancy pills as they never knew where a date could end, but she was sure that nothing of such sort would happen, she carried them anyways, then she had her mobile and hairpins, which kept her hair right at place.
She was quite delighted by the anticipation but also a part of her was disappointed that she wont ever see him again, that's what she'd ask for, she had the lines practiced thoroughly "See, you wanted to repay, and here it is, I'm right around with you, but this moment we need to do the right thing, and believe me staying away from me is. Lets not meet again Rey" she practiced them again in her head.
Just when the black Mercedes rolled in, he got out and for a minute he was in trance, he could not get over what she was wearing, he had always seen the domestic and innocent side of her, but rightaway he could see a modern, twenty-first century woman in front of him.
And the way he had looked her, she just knew it had been stupid to agree, she should've picked up the phone and declined simply. She still could do, she could say that she didn't feel like going, but what would she possibly say?
Sorry Reyaansh- but just your hungry gaze ignites all those emotions that I've packed up and digged away much before, you make me feel all longing and desiring again, desiring to be a woman rather than a nun, and I've vowed long back not to feel these things again, I don't do this Reyaansh. No, not anymore.
Yeah, and then she'd come home and cry, thinking of ending her life right away. Was she Meena Kumari or something? And did she really want to call it off? She didn't know, all she knew was what she felt shouldn't be the feelings deciphered from her side. She didn't know his side of story, but what she knew was that he was a pure player, girls were like the clothes he changed and threw everyday, and it was just right to stay away from him at the moment.
"Reyaansh.." she started but found him interrupting.
"Its Rey, that's what they call me" he smiled "by the way, you look.."
It was her turn to interrupt. "Ravishing? Awesome? Beautiful? Killer? Sexy? Hot?"
"I was going to say just fine." He made a straight face.
"That means I'm looking ravishing. Thanks" she winked
He opened the door for her and she climbed in a very ladylike lady manners.
"Dio quanto sei incantevole" he spoke once into the car.
"Do you realize that speaking Italian means I'm at the disadvantage and that I don't have a clue of that means?" she spoke flatly.
He looked at her and said "It just means that you look very ... nice" he said
But the way he had pronounced the word she found it hard to digest that she came in the category Nice' plus such words like nice and cute didn't come in Reyaansh's vocabulary. By the look he was slanting at her she knew she looked dangerously sexy and appealing to him, so, with demureness she pulled the dress down her knees, "Thank you"
"I closed the roof, I thought you might fuss over hair" he said
"I've got so many pins that they won't even move" she chuckled.
"You never let the poor strands rest?" he asked
"No, well, they are thick so they come in the way" she shrugged.
"Well, have you decided where you would live?" he made it sound like she had much options right in her fingertips. The thing was that she didn't, and just the thought of moving away from the place where she once lived with her father gave her goosebumps.
"Not yet" she said
"U better do. I'm buying the house in three days" he said
She could feel a sense of insecurity. And when he'd accompanied her to the table she was astonished, he had arranged it on the rooftop, with twinkling stars surrounding them, wine bottles, her favourite dishes which she barely ate were all there. She smiled seeing the beautiful sight.
He pulled the chair for her and he could see the glow on her face, since she had agreed, it had become something more than the game, it amazed him that he actually wanted to please her, he wanted to make her feel special, and the smile on her face satisfied him, he poured her a glass of wine and then asked her.
"Kriya.." he asked.
She looked up and he could just look into those brown eyes, so much emotions crawled into him that he could not decide what he felt anymore, she looked at him with questions about what he was going to say, but he was lost, lost in that pair of orbs. How could someone be so honest yet so sinful at the same time?
"Reyaansh you were saying something, weren't you?" she asked.
"Yeah, is there any precious possession in that grange?" he asked
She went pale, thinking of the pearl necklace, the necklace her mother had preserved for her, the only memory she had of her mother, yet, she couldn't say that to him, no matter how much her heart wanted to spill out everything, she couldn't let out her woes to him, could she? And then he just did it, he kept his hand on hers, and said "U can tell me."
She didn't know why she felt a sense of relief, as though there was atleast someone she could confront to, someone she could open up to. She gulped and told him about the pearl necklace. The memory she had of her dead mother.
"So what will happen once Susan moves out?" he asked
"She's gonna take the pearls with her, what else can one expect from her after all?" she shrugged slowly eating her food. She didn't know why but she felt a bit light after telling him, she let out a sigh of relief and said "Thanks for listening"
"You don't need to thank me" he said
"Oh I do need to thank you, how will I repay all this Reyaansh?" she asked looking at everything he had done for her and cherishing it truly.
"You don't need to." He blinked twice.
"I would have regretted not coming here, thankyou for all this Reyaansh!" she smiled in glee, "Thankyou for making me feel so special"
"If you don't mind and since you enjoyed, would you please come with me to the upcoming concert on 30th?" he asked.
"10 days 30 Minutes and 59 seconds" she smiled
"You calculated that fast.?" He asked
"Yeah, can't wait" she smiled.
Once they were done, Rey showed her all the beautiful stars up there, through the telescope, he could make out that she loved stars and their glow "they make the night bright Rey!" he had heard her say, and after that once he parked outside her house, and she said,
"Good Night Reyaansh" she spoke with utter demureness and calmness.
"Good Night Star" he winked.
"Will you call me?" she asked.
"Yes, I will" he had smiled.
_______________________
And then it had started, the late night calls, all those talks they shared, Kriya finally felt as though there was someone she could lean to, someone she could share her thoughts with and someone she could trust to be hers.
Once in a while he would say something that would make her feel nervous more than ever, and once, he had even asked her out.
"I am a simple man Kriya, it wont take you much to please me." He had said
And then he had asked whether she would consider marrying him, and she had said that she might. She didn't know what else to say, being a Singhania wife was surely not her thing to do. She could not, not just marry him. he used to date supermodels, and actresses, and she didn't find herself anywhere near the same. She would spend hours talking to him, waiting for the concert, when it finally came.
The crowd was screaming and dancing, it was a mob dance, no doubt, all sweat and the disgusting smell of sweat filled the air, she was disturbed and he could see it. He noticed how she smiled when he asked how she felt and then she would turn away and at times close her ears to escape from the raising sound.
He took her hand, and pulled her out, they were on the streets when he could see her twinkling eyes, and the moonlight reflected her gently carved features more brightly than ever, she stood right there, with his hand intertwined in hers, he took out a specially packed box from his tuxedo coat and he could see the questions in her eyes, the little innocence lingered in her voice as she asked with uttermost cuteness.
"What is this?" she asked.
He moved around and she could feel something cold touch her neck, she touched it and she could understand what the round shape was, how could she not? She had seen this many a times, in the early stages of her life, but how had she found it? Susan kept them and said that they were lost, and she just knew what he did. He kissed the curve of her neck gently and hushed "Marry me Star"
He made her turn towards him, and looked her straight into the eye. "Kriya, honestly when I asked u on date I just wanted revenge and some fun, but then, I don't know what happened that night, whether it was your beauty that has done this or the simplicity that lies within you, I don't know what they say in here and I always found these words unnecessary, but right now, they seem to be the most important words in this life. I think I'm in love with you, and I know I'm repeating, but please Kriya, marry me?" he asked as though he was begging her to do this for him, he dint know how else to get her. He just knew that he wanted her, no matter what, he needed her. Now. The moment itself.
"I don't know. Maybe, I want to marry you too. but its such a huge decision Reyaansh, isn't it?" she asked.
"I don't know but right now the thing on the top of my charts is kissing you" he smirked.
"That Is, maybe on my top of the charts too" she giggled.
"Then you would have to marry me" he laughed.
"Only if you marry me" she replied smiling.
And the next moment he kissed her, he kissed her until she pushed him away and giggled, saying that he was impossible.
"What do you want on our marriage?" he asked
"Nothing" she replied.
"Anything. Anything you wish for, just name it. You do want the grange don't u?" he asked.
"I dnt want anything from you. I just want you, you know, I think I loved you but I always had this fear.." before she could complete he interrupted.
"Ahan? U loved me? Past Tense?" he raised his brows.
She giggled "I love you-Present Tense!"
And as the two lovers stood in middle kissing, for enternity and after.
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