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CHAPTER-35 (MY SOULMATE---MY GENIE)
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Our soulmate is the one who makes life come to life.
Quote~Richard Bach
If I had time in a bottle,
If words could make wishes come true,
I'd save everyday for eternity passes,
And then I would spend them with you.
Quote~Jim Croce
Dreams come true when you wake up in them...
Quote~Maurice Spees
Love is the condition in which the happiness of another
person is essential to your own.
Quote~Robert Heinlein
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Sasha was getting ready when a knock sounded on her door. She opened the door to find Adi standing outside it.
"Hi Sasha! How was your flight?"
"Hi Adi--- I called you yesterday after arriving but your cell was switched off. You did know I was coming and yet you switched off your mobile. Why?" Sasha frowned.
"I know Sasha, I am so sorry. Yesterday my cell got stolen. There are so many pickpockets here in this city. See I had to get a new cell because of that." Adi took out a brand new cell phone to show Sasha.
Sasha shrugged and went about finishing her breakfast.
"Sasha I need to tell you something before we start out for this office."
"Ok fine what is it? Come and have some breakfast Adi."
"No thank you I already ate. If you have finished we should start. I will brief you on the way." Sasha finished off quickly, she really wanted to see MK again as she hadn't seen him for months now and she was anticipating that by now he must have mellowed down and she would be able to get close with him after he will see how much she cared for him.
They took a cab and started for the office.
"Sasha when we answered the bid for the co-contract for this venture, we met with the owner Mr.Vedanth Mathur and we finalized our deal with him. The information that we gathered about him and his company was satisfactory and this venture has already garnered all publicity as we had expected. But little did we know what waited for us when we went to set up offices there at their setup. God Maan sir is so pissed. But you know Maan Sir, he never backs down from any challenge. I even advised him to let go of the contract or to let us handle the business here and he should go back, I almost had my head bitten off after the suggestion." Adi gave an involuntary shudder at the imagined scenario.
"What are you saying Adi? What challenge? What has happened in the new offices? You are not making any sense, start from the beginning again."
"Wahi toh!" Adi gave a loud clap and agreed wholeheartedly. "Nothing makes any sense. But then our background information was contained to only the guy's professional field and you know Maan Sir he never wants any personal contact and so we never came to know about his personal life and now it is too late. If we back out now we will lose loads of money and not to say we will gain unwanted bad publicity about leaving a contract high and dry. What to do?" Adi punched his fist in his own palm.
"Chalo at least you are here now, I will have some help. I can't trust anybody else you know." he gave a very hopeful look aimed at Sasha who was looking at him as if he had lost his head.
"Adi overacting-----simmer down."
Adi nodded, "Yes I know."
"what Yes, I know, I haven't yet said anything to you."
"Adi don't react when I say something." Geet said in the Bluetooth attached in Adi's ear.
"No, I know you haven't yet said anything, I but I know by looking at you Sasha that you are still confused----- that's what I was saying 'yes' to. Chalo we have arrived and you can see for yourself why I am so hiper about. God knows I am so glad to see you here. You can better handle the situation and Maan sir also agrees to this that you will be of great help. He is waiting for you."
Sasha felt a thrill at the mention that MK was waiting for her and that he too thought that she could help him for something that Adi couldn't that she wasn't paying much attention to anything else and as they entered the offices, she said to Adi_______
"Where is MK's cabin, lets go there first."
"Yes chalo I will take you there, but first wont you want to see the setup here? After all we are partners here and for the time being."
"No all this can wait first take me to MK." And so saying Sasha turned towards Adi, which made her face the reception area.
"Mam is coming inform Ved sir-----." One of the staff came rushing towards the receptionist and in the next instance Geet stepped out of the lift.
Sasha couldn't believe her own eyes. Her mouth dropped open and her eyes were as round as saucers. She opened and closed her mouth twice before she could utter the one word------ "GEET??!!!"
Adi was besides himself with joy. How Maan sir would have loved to see this expression on Sasha's face. Meanwhile Sasha grabbed hold of Adi and dragged him off to a corner of the reception area.
"What is SHE doing here?"
"That is what I was telling you about. Geet is Vedanta's girlfriend. When we procured all info about Ved Sir we didn't think to get any personal information too, otherwise we could have avoided this sticky situation. Now you can well understand how much difficult it is to work with her around and that too when she is in such an influential position. Maan sir is so filled with anger and determination to come out of this a winner."
Sasha was still staring at Geet when Geet without a glance towards them, as if she hadn't seen them at all walked off towards her cabin. Geet entered her cabin to find Maan's roses waiting for her. with every single day the number of roses were increasing. She caressed the half open buds and picked up the small note attached to them------
"Geet good morning and best of luck for facing Sasha down."
Geet smiled to herself. She picked up the phone and called him.
"Yes?"
"Good morning Maan Sir."
"Good morning."
"Sasha is already here and you should have seen her face when she saw me coming out of the lift. Her expression was priceless."
"Good, now you know what you have to do right?"
"Yes Maan Sir, I have told Ved almost everything, leaving behind just a few details and he is more than happy to help."
"Fine_____ Geet sorry in advance as I will have to be very rude with you in front of Sasha."
"No problem Maan Sir, I too will be lashing out, in fact I am looking forward to it, lets see who scores among us."
"Is that so?"
"Right!"
Just then there was a knock on MSK's door and at his permission, Sasha and Adi entered.
"Ok I will see you later, hope we can have a successful project together, have a nice day."
"You too Maan sir, the ball is in your court. Please keep your temper in control---- please."
"Ok I will try." And MSK kept the phone down.
"Hello Sasha, how are you? I hope your journey was pleasant?"
"Hello MK, yes Thank you everything was fine. How are you doing?"
"I am fine, everything is going ok________ till now." MSk said with a pause.
"MK--- Geet---- being here must be intolerable for you right?"
"It sure is and this is something I don't want to talk about."
Maan didn't even want to hear Geet's name from Sasha, but that he knew couldn't be stopped but he didn't want Sasha to abuse Geet any further in his presence.
"Sasha Adi will provide you with all the files necessary for you to study to see what we have completed and what is left. Even if we don't like certain parties involved here we will have to make do with them as we don't have any other route open for us just now and I believe we are professionals enough to conceal and function perfectly for the job at hand. Can I assume that you too can do so Sasha?"
Sasha had opened her mouth once and then closed it when she realized that MSK was not ready to entertain any talks on Geet or anything to do with her. she understood that he was a thorough professional and expected her to be so too. She was thrilled to hear him refer to Geet as 'certain unwanted parties', little did she know that it was 'SHE' whom MSK had so referred to.
"There is a meeting scheduled in about an hour's time with them Maan Sir, Sasha can attend that with us."
"Humm---- yeah she can do that, and you can then introduce her to our team here."
"Ok Maan Sir."
Sasha frowned after the initial greeting MK hadn't looked at her directly even once.
'He must be really upset seeing Geet here. Oh God! How did she land here? After the lengths I had gone to, to remove her from MK's life, he had to form a partnership with this company where she is an important part of the owner's life. I will have to observe her carefully. She didn't seem to be someone to love someone one day and then someone else the very next day.' Sasha was thinking all these while accompanying Adi towards the smaller of the two conference rooms.
They were the first to arrive. After some time almost simultaneously MSK and Ved entered. This was the first time Ved faced MSK knowing 'HE' was the same man who had hurt Geet so much. Ved couldn't stop himself from feeling a little resentment towards MSK and it was reflected in his eyes when he looked at MSK and he in turn understood what Ved was feeling. Geet had told him how both of them had been duped and manipulated, and how due to certain painful events in MSK's life (which she didn't elaborate after much persuasion) MSK had believed at that moment that Geet had done all those things. But according to Ved when we come to know someone, if we consider them our friends, nothing and no one can ever make us doubt them. Ved was a person who never ignored the feelings and instincts of his heart. He was very different then MSK and so he didn't think any past misfortunes excused the hurt that Geet had suffered due to MSK. He too was looking forward to this make-believe script that he too was participating in.
Ved sat down and Adi introduced him to Sasha and Ved turned the full force of his charm on her. He was a handsome devil when he wanted to be one and he very expertly with a few comments made Sasha like him instantly -------- all the time hating her for being the cause of such a major pain in Geet's life. He still remembered that first look in Geet's eyes when she had landed in Kolkata airport.
'Oh you are going to pay dear.' He thought to himself.
"Mr. Mathur should we start?" Adi asked straightening his tie.
"No Adi, let Geet come, she should be here by now." Ved said looking at his watch.
"Mr. Mathur, I saw Geet coming in, and I told her the time for this meeting myself. Maan Sir, hates to wait actually----."
Just then Geet swept inside the room without knocking. She took the chair on the right of Ved and directly across Sasha.
" Good morning everyone. Someone mentioned my name?" Geet asked loftily.
"Ahem! Actually you are late---- and Maan Sir hates to wait so----." Adi stammered, going red in the face.
"Ved am I late?" Geet didn't answer Adi directly but turned towards Ved.
Ved took her hand in his, "You are never late Geet, Good Morning."
Geet gave a huge sweet smile and inclined her head towards Ved, "Good Morning Ved."
Maan looked at the two of them smiling at each other and he frowned. He had himself made the plans with some changes by Geet and Adi but he hadn't known that seeing them together, 'acting' thus, he wouldn't like to be a spectator.
"Overacting" he thought to himself.
Geet then turned her head and then as if she had just noticed her, she frowned at Sasha.
"Hello Sasha, how are you? When did you arrive here? Adi you didn't say anything about our dear Sasha coming to Kolkata?"
"Yyeeahh--- yeah Sasha arrived suddenly, without prior intimation."
"Why Geet are you not happy seeing me here? After all MK is a partner in this venture, so any of his employees can come for the project right?"
"Of course iam happy to see you Sasha, you were such a good friend of mine when I was in Delhi."
"Shall we start the meeting? MSK asked looking at Ved and Ved too nodded.
All through the meeting Geet cut Adi in mid-sentences, didn't talk to MSK even once, and rejected whatever Sasha tried to put in. By the time the meeting drew to an end, Sasha was thoroughly pissed.
"What does she think of herself." Sasha fumed to herself.
When the meeting was over Geet tucked her hand through Ved's arm and left the conference room with him and just after them MSK too went off.
"Chalne nahi hai Sasha?" Adi asked.
"How do you tolerate her Adi? She is so irritating."
"Yeah, I was outnumbered before, but now you are here---- we will bring her down a notch or two. You know I have got the impression that this Ved doesn't know why Geet left Delhi. Whenever some reference of Delhi comes to the front, Geet changes the topic. So ----- but, maybe I am wrong."
"Hummm!!"
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This went on for the next few days and after some days. Sasha felt her hatred for Geet increase. She felt spiteful towards her not only because she still felt Geet wasn't a girl to have forgotten her love for Maan Singh Khurana that easily, but also because she was burning up with jealousy to see Geet in such an influential position in 'Visions'. For two days she tried to corner Geet somewhere______ anywhere, but wasn't able to do so, because someone or other would come an she had to keep her conversation on basic topics only.
Meanwhile Geet was getting angry on MSK. She understood that she had to face Sasha alone and that the other woman was seeking an opportunity to talk to her, but Maan was adamant that she shouldn't do so. Whenever Sasha cornered her he would send someone there, today even he came to the archives where she had gone after making sure Sasha heard her tell almost everyone she met where she was going. Predictably Sasha had entered the archives and waited for some other colleague of theirs to finish his work and be gone and then when she had come and stood directly in front of Geet------ MSK entered talking on his cell. He nodded to them absently and then went off to a section there and stood looking at the files, as if waiting to finish his conversation so that he might look for the file he had come to seek.
Geet knew a wasted opportunity and so exited from there with a file, she had no use for, fuming at Maan.
"Oh the man was so arrogant. However much you reason with him, he will do whatever he thinks is right!"
Geet was pacing in her cabin and muttering when Adi entered her cabin under the pretext of some drawings.
"Geet?"
"You---you and your boss are just impossible!"Geet charged at him and Adi shrank back at the door.
"What did I do Geet? U know I have tried to make him understand, but he thinks she will hurt you again with her spiteful words and so----."
"What am I? huh? a kid?"
"You are wasting your breath telling me this you know that right? If possible you should talk to Maan sir directly."
"You just wait till I get to see him face to face."
"Talking of which he has asked you to meet him at the parking lot at exactly 6pm today." Adi said this with a wide grin on his face.
"6 PM? Ok, I will make him understand then. What are you grinning about?"
"Nothing, absolutely nothing." Adi made a zip closing action over his lips and left from there.
Geet frowned then put him out of her mind and went to tell Ved about meeting Maan at 6pm. They had decided to tell each other of every move so that nobody was out of the loop. Ved asked her if she needed his help for something but Geet assured him that she could go without the pretense of going out with him.
Geet was geared up and spoiling for a fight when she took the elevator to the basement. Suddenly Adi called her saying Sasha was right behind her and that she shouldn't meet with Maan sir as Sasha might just see them, he also said that Maan sir wasn't picking up his cell. It had been Adi's task to keep Sasha occupied and he had tried his label best but Sasha had seen Geet walking towards the reception lobby and try as Adi might, he hadn't been able to stop her from following Geet. Geet had by that time exited from the elevator and she was searching for MSK and thinking fast what she could say if Sasha asked her where she was going as it was yet early to be leaving office. She knew she had just minutes left as Sasha had also ridden in the adjacent elevator.
Just as Sasha's elevator door was opening, and Geet was walking towards Ved's car, praying that Maan should also see Sasha and not approach her------- a man ridding a brand new BMW bike----zoomed to a stop next to her. He was wearing a maroon polo T-shirt and black jeans and a black helmet and his face was completely covered. The man stopped beside Geet and revved his bike, and then indicated to her with his head to sit besides him. Geet's mouth fell open_____ and she covered her mouth with her palms, her eyes wide-------
"Maan Sir?" she whispered.
"Sit Geet, make it fast, Sasha is walking towards us."
And without further talk Geet hopped on behind him and MSK zoomed off, leaving behind a surprised Sasha who frowned after them seeing how Geet had been first surprised then happy to see the man on the bike. There was something distinctly familiar about the man, but try as she might she couldn't put her finger on who it was and why she thought she knew the man.
Her mind jumped to other thoughts quite easily as she thought Geet was double-crossing Ved and that she could use this as a leverage against her.
" So I had underestimated the girl, she is much more layered than what I had thought."
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Geet just couldn't get over the image of her Maan sir astride a bike. Why, she wondered was she surprised? This big mean looking machine suited him just fine--- actually better than fine. He seemed molded to ride it. In all her imaginations and girly fantasies she had never imagined a machine like this, or a man like him. Her dreams had started with the soft glow of being in love and of riding on the back of a bike with her love______ that's it. She had never imagined a man like Maan Singh Khurana being the person she would be riding with. A glow came from within her as she remembered and understood that he had bought this bike only because she had mentioned that silly girly dream to him. And to think she had been thinking of all those common bikes that people all around her rode------- even as she looked around she could see, everyone, especially the men, notice the powerful and costly bike that crossed them.
Geet chuckled once thinking, whenever Maan Singh Khurana did something, he did it in style. She sat at first holding on to the back rail. But when MSK revved the engine again after a stop light_____ she knew he did it on purpose and that he was enjoying the experience_____ she put one hand on his shoulder.
Maan was thoroughly enjoying himself, with the powerful engine growling under him, he wanted to open her up to its full capacity and so he fast left the city behind him. As he crossed the city limits, his speed increased and he started to hug the curves. Geet had to put both her hands on his shoulders to maintain her balance. Geet pretty soon revised her opinion of riding a bike. Why, she again wondered, would anyone want to drive something so dangerous, so_________
A small calf left to stray beside her mother suddenly jumped on the path and Maan braked to avoid a hit and Geet was thrown against him and her arms snaked around him to save herself. The calf walked off across the road, but Maan didn't start the bike. Geet had her head tucked behind his back with her arms wrapped tight around him and he could feel each and every curve of her along his back. He would have given anything at that moment to have turned and taken Geet in his arms. His body responded to this touch with a familiarity. He started throbbing and felt his breathing grow fast. Maan gulped bringing his heartrate under control and lifted his visor and turned towards Geet------
"Geet are you ok?"
Geet who had hugged him out of pure reflex now breathed in with her nose pressed to the small of his back. The smell was distinctively Maan, something that she had tried to forget but had been unsuccessful to remove from her memory. Her arms which had instinctively held him felt so right, surrounding him thus. Memories swamped her. She could feel the strength of his corded muscles, his body honed to perfection and with her eyes closed she could see them quite clearly without the barrier of all these clothes.
"Oh how she wished that she could feel these arms encircle her again. She wanted to feel the same sense of security and peace that she used to feel when Maan used to just hold her to his chest, his strong arms branding her as his own."
Geet gave herself a mental shake. She didn't have the courage to do what she desperately wanted to do at that moment_________ hold Maan in her arms and be held by him. She knew why he had reacted as he had done in Delhi, she knew that he loved her. But what she still didn't know or was unsure about was where Maan wanted this relationship to go from here and because of this insecurity she wanted Maan to make the first move.
"Yes, I am ok, where are we going?"
"To see a movie, where else?"
And so saying he kicked off once again. Then they were flying down the road again. Maan realised that whenever he speedup Geet held him more tightly and a naughty smile hovered on his lips, unseen by Geet. Geet felt alive, with her arms tight around Maan's waist. She could always say that she had been scared. The wind felt gorgeous. The thrill of the machine and the man together was something she would always remember. Her heart skipped a beat as he leaned into a turn.
They arrived at a beautiful sea resort some 70 kms away from the city. [*see below]
The place was just wonderful, with the resort spread over a vast expanse of land bordering the sea. It had 10 buildings, 25 cottages, spa facilities, restaurants, one small helipad and three movie theaters. It was a mini town in itself.
The place was spectacular.
"Wow"----Geet said as she looked around. "I had heard about this place but I never came here in any of my visits to Kolkata."
"ah Geet we need to get down."
"Yeah."
"You will have to let me go for that."
"Oh Sorry." Geet blushed as she realised that she still had her arms around him. Maan held out his hand for her to get down and Geet took it and then had a good look at the bike.
"Maan Sir, when did you buy this?"
"Ah--- one week ago, it was delivered yesterday."
"Oh!" right after she had mentioned her silly wish.
Just then Adi called and Maan spoke into his cell for a few minutes.
"Thank God, Sasha didn't suspect anything and she didn't recognize me too, otherwise we would have been in trouble."Maan said replacing his cell in his jeans pocket.
The mention of Sasha brought back to Geet why she had been angry with him and she flashed up looking at him. Maan knew he was in for a good Geet Handa temper because Adi had forewarned him that Geet was very angry with him.
Geet put her hands on her hips and faced him down----------
"Speaking of Sasha, what do you think you were doing down at the archives today?"
"I needed a file and so I went there."
"Since when did Maan Singh Khurana, go to the archives himself for a file?"
"Why cant I go? You yourself always tell me to ________ what was your fav. Word, 'come down from my high horse', so that is what I was doing."
"Nono'no'no, I know what you were doing there, you were there to stop Sasha from talking to me alone, out of some misguided sense of I don't know what. Deny this if you can."
'God she is so beautiful', Maan thought to himself. The ride had put some colour on her cheeks and the anger put some more. Her eyes were flashing fire and she was almost toe to toe with him. His Geet looked like a 'Jhasi ki Rani' right now and the thought brought on a smile on Maan's face. Geet's mouth formed a indignant 'O' on seeing him smile. She punched him on his arm,
"why are you smiling? Answer me."
"Why are we fighting Geet?" Maan asked tucking a wayward curl behind her ear.
They were meeting after almost 5 days as Sasha was almost always with him and Adi and so Maan hadn't been able to meet with her.
"Because the whole plan depends on Sasha thinking that she can blackmail me and you are not letting her talk to me alone, and until and unless she can talk to me, she will never be convinced that she has a upper hand over me."
"I know, but you know Sasha, she won't stop at just talk. She will hurl words at you, which might hurt you."
"SO? I am ready for that. I was ready for that since the day we had thought of this plan. I can handle myself and moreover her words could have hurt be earlier, but not now when I know, you know the truth and believe in me."
Maan was touched. He cupped her face in his hands.
"I will never ever hurt you again Geet, I promise."
Geet held his wrists and nodded, "I know. you don't have to tell me this, I know this for a fact now."
"Geet______" Maan desperately wanted to tell her he wanted them to form a permanent bond, that he wanted to marry her, but somewhere, he was plagued with a hesitation, how she would react. That Geet loved him was something he didn't doubt, but he had never bared himself like this to anyone before and like every man, Maan Singh Khurana, also hesitated letting those words slip out from him.
"Yes Maan Sir?" Geet looked at him.
"Your movie will start, lets go."
Geet looked at him for a second more and then she nodded and turned from him. Maan realised that she too had felt that he had been able to say something else.
Geet walked with him towards the movie theatre frowning. She felt Maan was about to say something to her when he restrained himself. What could it be?
The movie was wonderful, more so as both hadn't paid any attention to the screen but had talked and talked so much that few of the resort guests who had gone there to actually watch the Friday night release had looked back at the two of them and had shushed--- them. When one couple actually advised to them to go to the coffee shop , even advertising how good the coffee tasted there, Geet had started giggling and Maan too hadn't been able to stop himself from smiling much to the chagrin of the couple. The ride back was equally wonderful. Geet was reluctant to let go and Maan had wanted it to go on, just to feel her arms around him.
Geet got down from the bike and Maan accompanied her to the lift. Geet could feel her heart start its drum beat with anticipation. She wanted her MSK, the man who would just take what he wanted. Maan was clenching his fists. 'God let there be people in the lift.' But the lift was completely empty. Both got in. Self-conscious, dry mouthed they stared at each other across the expense of the lift. Geet licked her dry lips as she searched around for something to say and said the first thing that came to her mind____
"Why did you stop riding in elevators?" and realised that it hadn't been the best thing to ask right then.
Maan walked towards her, unable to take his eyes off her.
"because whenever I rode in one I remembered how you
tasted",_________ he came to stand before her________ "because everytime I
stepped inside one, I remembered your smell,"_____________ Maan put his hands
on both sides of the wall caging Geet______
"because everytime I entered a lift, I wanted you there with me, my hands on you, my mouth on yours. You, only you Geet, everytime."
Geet was dazed, her mouth already dry was now open and she was breathing through her lips, her eyes glazed. Her chest felt tight and heavy. She lifted her face to his, still separated by inches, they breathed, taking in each other's smell. Devouring each other with their eyes. Past caring whatever their brains were telling them.
"Did you miss me Geet?"
"Yes."
"Did you ache for me, like I did for you everytime I was in all those places where we had been together?"
"All the time."
"Did you realize that a simple elevator ride could bring back a kaleidoscope of urges to smell, touch, taste that I wanted to ignore whatever the world was saying about you and just take you away with me, away from everyone, in our own sphere?"
"you thought so?then?"
"My heart had always known what my brain refused to accept Geet, you were made only for me, and you could never be as they were telling me then."
Geet lifted her hand and held Maan's face in her palm. Just that one touch was enough to fray out whatever control Maan had held on to.
"How did it end Geet?"
"What?"
"Your dream. Your wish of going for the movies, riding behind your boyfriend's bike. How did your dream date end?"
"I don't know, I had never ever gone till the end of the day."
"Would he kiss you?"
Geet realised what Maan was asking and she nodded, "Maybe."
"Then we should fulfill your dream, right."
Maan carefull leaned forward and kissed her. a soft brushing of the lips. It just took that one contact and they went up in flames. Maan held her hands in both of his and they went under. Warmth spread from their lips. The world faded. There was just the reality of her. she was more sweeter, more alluring then he remembered. Geet wanted her hands on him and his on hrs, but Maan kept holding on to her hands, intertwining their fingers, coz he didn't trust to let go. He wont stop at this then.
"Geet your face belongs to a painting----." Maan pressed small kisses all over her face.
"And hair," he said almost whispering,
"hair, that reminds me of night----- a hot summer night that keeps you awake, and thinking, and wanting." Maan let go of her hands and plunged both hands into her hair, scattering the small combs that she had attached to keep them in place.
"and skin," Maan murmured, "that makes me think of satin sheets and tastes like something deliciously forbidden."
Geet was drunk on the picture that Maan had painted in her senses, was it her he was talking about?
"Do you know how you have tormented me."
"No, tell me."
"Too much, too damn much." And he took her waiting mouth.
Their passion was immediate, frenetic. Geet had thought she had imagined the
attraction, now she knew she had been wrong , so wrong. It was much more.
Everything inside her seemed to speed up_____ her blood, her heart, her brain.
With a moan she tilted her head back, inviting him to plunge deeper. But he
wanted more. Surrendering to the desperate hunger, he ran open mouthed kisses
on her neck, taking in her essence. Returning, always returning to her lips.
Maan hadn't expected to be desperate. A kiss was always a prelude, not an all-consuming force. It should be pleasure, not this trembling pain. He knew only that all of him, much more than his body, was crying out for her. and she was the only answer.
"Maan." Geet's breathless whisper reached him through his passion clouded mind.
"Maan the lift has stopped."
Maan hit the button to close the doors and put it on hold.
"God what was he doing? He had promised himself this time he would restrain himself and take their new relationship to the next stage only after she agreed to marry him. Last time he ahd told her that he desired her and nothing else mattered. This time he wanted to win her over with his love, not just on physical attraction.'
Maan looked at Geet, her eyes lidded, her lips swollen form his and felt himself weakening. Even as he was thinking so, Geet raised herself on her tips and gave a small kiss on his lips------ "God, how am I supposed to resist her."
"Geet I promised myself----." He forgot what he had been thinking and succumbed to his heart's desire of one last kiss.
"Promised what?"
"hum? That this time I will wait till you agree---- God don't look at me like that, you make me forget everything."
Maan pressed the button and opened the lift doors and gave a very confused Geet a gentle shove to make her get out of the lift.
Geet was burning up. It took her some seconds to come out of MSK's effect and realize that he had made her get out of the lift. Geet blinked owlishly at Maan.
"I don't understand--------what just happened--."
Maan gulped , she looked so sweet and innocent, standing there with her hair so mussed, her lips swollen and pink, a seductress, a temptress, totally oblivious to the power she wielded. Resisting her was something which had been hard, but now when he had broken his promise it would become almost impossible. He had to do something fast and in such a manner that she would have to agree to a quick marriage very soon and an extended honeymoon.
"Bye Geet, Good night." And the lift doors closed throwing back her own reflection at Geet.
"Huh!" Geet looked at her self, thus disarrayed, with her mouth open, blinking like a -----------
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* The place described is imaginary, only the name is taken from a real resort.
Here's chapter no-35 guys... read and comment and give me as many likes as possible...the more likes the faster i will be updating the next part which is already ready and waiting to be uploaded.
Don't forget to mention which part you liked the most.
take care
love
Khushi.
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Scroll down for the Next CHAPTER-36 Edited by khushi_4ever - 12 years agoCHAPTER-36 [REVENGE COMES IN ALL FORMS]
"In revenge and in love woman is more barbaric than man is."
Quote~FRIEDRICH NIETZSCHE, Beyond Good and Evil
"Point out to her that she is acting like a jerk and she will go out of her way to prove it to you some more."
Quote~Kare Anderson
In melody
divine,
My heart it beats to rapturous love,
I long to call you mine.
~Author Unknown
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And the lift doors closed throwing back her own reflection at Geet.
"Huh!" Geet looked at her self, thus disarrayed, with her mouth open, blinking like a... --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Her confused state of mind didn't stay for long and then came the legendary Handa anger. What did he think of himself? He first seduced me with his words, his touch then he pulled back due to something he promised ------ promised what to himself? And then he made me get out of the lift. How dare he! She marched off to main door and the moment Ved opened it she stalked past him straight to her room.
"aaree Geet------."
"How dare he? What does he think of himself?"
"What happened Geet?" Ved had followed her into her room.
"That Mr. Maan Singh Khurana---- I will show him."
"What did he do this time?"
"First he bought a bike just because I had once told him, I had dreamt of riding behind a bike with my BF to go to the movies, then he took me to Vedic Resort to fulfill my next wish that we see a movie with him dressed properly, he didn't let me talk to Sasha so that she couldn't hurt me, then he told me he couldn't stand to ride in an elevator because they reminded him of me and then he ---- he----." Geet then realised that she couldn't very well tell Ved what had happened and why she was so angry, that she had wanted to go after he exercised his common sense and stopped where, she should have stopped herself, if she would have thought with her brains.ooohhh!
" I hate the man!"
"OK, let me understand, u hate the man coz he had done all this for you? You r right, no sane man will do all these stuff for you. You definitely should hate him." Ved said with a straight face.
Geet grabbed the first thing that came to her hand and hurled it at Ved and they started fighting. Ved's mother came and broke them up.
Ved took refuge behind his mother and asked her, "by the way Geet, did you notice which model, company, or make the bike had been of?"
Geet who was just about to return back to her room, turned and gave a sickly sweet smile at him and said, "actually I did notice, he is after all Mr. Maan Singh Khurana, he never does things in half measures, it was a BMW motorbike------."
Ved whistled. He had to agree that the man had style.
Geet was still fuming when she closed her door. Ok fine she was being ridiculous, she knew that, the guy did everything for her. he even pulled back out of some misguided sense of duty towards her, she was sure, but, still, is this the way? After such a long time, she had plucked up her courage to approach him and then what does he do, he shoves her out of the lift. And pray what promise has he made to himself? It must be something along the lines of safeguarding her interest again. She punched the pillow that she had taken in her hands. Fine he has promised himself, what? Not to touch me right? Two can play the game.
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The next day Geet came out of her room, dressed in a simple jeans but wearing a halter neck gathered top. Ved eyed her and winked.
"So, you are up to something, what is the plan?"
"Nothing Ved, no plan, I just wanted to wear something different today, I am bored with all my kurtis and everything, so I took this out. I am not upto anything. Sometimes one should dress for one's own sake, you too can try." Geet gave a very nonchalant h shrug and went to sit in the car.
"Aaj kisi ki shamat aane wali hai, and iam going to enjoy watching that." Ved murmured to himself, not for a moment buying whatever crap Geet had just told him.
Adi was talking to MSK who had his back towards the reception area when Geet entered. Adi stopped at mid sentence and just stared.
"And then What Adi?"
"Sssir--- yes Maan sir, and then Geet aa gaye---."
Maan turned and his eyes popped out.
Geet very cheerfully greeted everyone she met on her way to her cabin and as she crossed both of them, gave a huge smile and a 'Good morning' and sailed through.
'What is she wearing?'
Maan lifted his eyes and saw that almost half the office population, who were males were either string after her, or had a huge grin on their faces. And he stalked off to his cabin to call her on the intercom.
Geet ignored her ringing phone as she well knew who was calling her.
She picked up the small bunch of roses from her desk and inhaled their sweet smell. The note read.
"Love you Geet, sorry about yesterday, I have my own reasons for that. I need to say something to you, very soon. Till then. You will have to be a little patient."
"A little patient----, so iam the one who is impatient, ok Mr. Khurana, we will see. And anyways this time, no stopping at just this, this time you will have to go all out and give me the whole deal." Geet remembered her parents and the love they shared and how when she had gone home, she had realised that she too wanted that for herself and Maan.
"Maan Sir, I want my dream fulfilled with you in it, besides me. So this time no just friends. We will see who caves in. Impatient my foot."
She gleefully walked out of her cabin to the cafeteria to make her first cup of coffee. Maan slammed down the phone. Now where is she?
Yes the cafeteria. She is bound to be there to make him his coffee. He noticed Adi had already gone to the cafeteria to bring him his cup, which earlier Geet herself used to bring for him, but after Sasha's arrival, this was decided that Adi will be bringing his cup for him.
Maan almost rushed there but on reaching there as he opened his mouth to say something to Geet, he noticed Sasha looking at Geet with her eyebrow raised pouring herself a cup of tea.
"Wow Geet, you have changed a lot since Delhi. Nice outfit. But you know what, you lack the attitude it needs to make it look attractive on one's person."
Maan who was on the brink to turn about and walk back to his cabin felt so angry hearing Sasha's spiteful words. Geet was looking gorgeous, and it was because of this fact that Sasha had said so. If Geet would have been looking bad she would have enjoy the view and not said anything.
"This is the reason, I didn't want Geet to face her alone. Now Geet will be hurt." He said to himself and wanted to go inside and interfere, when he saw felt a hand clasp down on his wrist. Maan turned and saw Ved too taking in the scene in front of them.
"No, Mr. Khurana, if you want to punish this woman, let this happen, Geet can handle herself and anyway, Sasha has chosen a very bad day to trifle with Geet. She is in one of her famous moods. Let her thrash Sasha."
It took a huge effort of will but MSK restrained himself and like Ved stood just outside the door, hidden from view.
"Yeah? Thank God, I look normal then----- I would hate to know that I look like you in any way." Geet shrugged. She poured herself a cup of coffee and lifted it to her lips. She prayed that Maan sir shouldn't come there by any chance and ruin this perfect opportunity.
.
Sasha bristled on hearing Geet.
"Apne hadh mei raho Geet!"
"Hadh? Now who are you to tell me so? And moreover it seems you have forgotten whom you are talking to. You should be a little more careful Sasha."
"Listen, Geet you might have landed yourself in an influential position here. But it doesn't affect me. I know you for what you are. Remember that."
"You are way out of your depth here Sasha. Beware, this is not a place where everything and everyone will do what you tell them to and it will be better if you remember who I am here. Good Day."
Geet lifted her cup in a mock salute and walked off from there. Sasha was left seething with pent up rage and frustration which increased when she realized that she hadn't even ruffled Geet. Geet had been so cool and calm all through their conversation.
Geet walked towards the door, sipping her coffee, looking for all the world as confident as she wanted to picture herself in front of Sasha, but all the time her legs were shaking very badly. She came out and saw both Ved and Maan standing just at the turn, both of them looking at her with identical expressions of concern and joy. She made a slight gesture with her eyes to make them understand where she was going and after getting completely out of sight from Sasha, she turned and walked towards the basement where the archives were situated.
The moment she entered, Geet placed her cup on the nearest possible tabletop and then doubled over with her hand on her stomach, taking deep lungfuls of air. Adi, Ved and MSK all came almost together as they knew they had very little time to confer before Sasha will recover and notice their absence. Maan rushed to Geet, bending along with her trying to look at her face.
"Geet? Are you all right?"
"Geet take breaths through your nose not your mouth, your throat will get dry and you will feel worse." Ved told her, rubbing her back.
"I am ok, just give me some time."
Maan didn't like Ved rubbing Geet's bare back and looked very pointedly at his hand.
Ved who had done so out of concern for Geet, was now immensely enjoying being the Devil for a change.
"What has happened to you Geet?" Adi asked with concern.
"Nothing, whenever she gets hiper nervous or very angry on someone she does this, she says her stomach starts jumping and she can't get enough air. These are all delayed response which she always faces after a crisis blows away." Ved told both of them. He handed Geet a bottle of water which he had grabbed from someone's table before rushing here, as he had known that Geet would need it.
Maan noted how Ved seemed to know so many things about Geet, that he still didn't know. Ved also noticed the expression on MSK's face and decided to put the guy out of his misery and gave a small smile directed towards him saying,
"She has been like this since childhood so I know. Whenever she thrashed someone for some wrongdoing she becomes a sherni but the moment everything is fine and she comes out of the situation, this happens."
Geet was normal by then and she gave Ved a quelling stare designed to make him shut up. "Will you stop telling all about me and my habits and concentrate on the matter at hand?"
"First let me tell you Geet you were fantastic. You were such a cool and calm customer in front of Sasha, that I just loved it." Adi appreciated her. "I heard everything from the kitchen. I had just gone in to bring Maan Sir's coffee when Sasha walked in and I couldn't let you know that I was inside, Thank God that she didn't go inside the kitchen area."
"Yes Geet you faced her down so well." Ved also smiled at her.
Geet gave a very big smile at both of them and turned towards Maan, expecting him to say something of the sort. He just nodded. Geet crunched up her nose at him.
"Now Sasha is very angry at me and will try to have a upper hand and to do so she will either try to humiliate me publicly or tell me that she still has all the proof from Delhi, whatever the case we will have to wait and see which path she takes and then improvise our plans as she goes along. Right?"
"yes," Maan said. "We will always be connected with one another and tell each other whatever moves we take so that there are no surprises. Geet and Adi will always be connected with each other via your Bluetooth. Adi remember Sasha shouldn't see you earlier cell, you told her it got stolen remember?"
"Yes," Ved said, "And Geet remember we have to make her confess in her own words. As she seems to hate you so much, you are her target, so whatever she says will be to you or directed towards you. You will have to be always ready. She was so angry that she won't wait for long to strike back to you verbally to satisfy her own ego."
"Right Geet, whatever help you need, just tell me I will do my best. But now Sir, I think we should go, it won't help if Sasha notices all of us absent together." Adi looked towards Maan and Ved together. Both nodded, but then Maan stepped back and said,
"Geet I need to speak with you."
'ohho!' Geet thought---- 'here it comes.' She looked at Ved and Adi and both of them went out to give them some privacy. Adi looked back from the door and said,
"I will notify you if Sasha comes this way."
Maan nodded and stood looking at her.
Geet fidgeted. "So, what is it Mr.Khurana? what do you want to say?"
"I hated seeing you there with Sasha, this is the reason I never wanted you to face her alone."
"Come on Maan Sir, I did fine, actually better than fine, you have to agree, Sasha got really pissed at me. At least say I held my own."
"You did great there, better than what I expected, the way you kept your calm and had her all riled up, but that is not what I was talking about. She has done enough harm to you to last me a lifetime, I don't want her to hurt you again ever. I never knew what sort of a woman she is and today I realized, how much venom she carries in her heart for you to have started a verbal fight with no provocation from you."
Geet smiled. She had know that he cared for her, but that he should worry for her so much touched her.
"I am fine Maan sir, actually I feel exuberant. Today I got the satisfaction of knowing that I can face Sasha down if required. You don't worry, I can take care of myself with her around. Now we should leave before someone notices." Geet turned towards the door and Maan was presented with a view of her beautiful back, alluringly bare almost to her waist. Her curls were bouncing at her shoulders as she had left them loose. He gulped and cleared his throat. Geet turned towards him.
"You are looking different today." He gestured vaguely towards her.
Geet gave a small inward smile. "Yes I got bored wearing the same things everyday and took these out of my wardrobe. Hope I am looking ok. What do you think?" she turned a small circle and looked expectantly at him.
Maan tucked his hands inside his pockets to stop himself from reaching for her and looked at everywhere else other than her and nodded and strode away from there.
Geet giggled after he had gone.
"Mr. Maan Singh Khurana, I am Geet Handa and I will make you realize that you shouldn't have made any promises involving me without my knowledge. I am impatient? Ha!Lets see who's resolve is stronger." She all but danced out of the room drunk with her victory over Sasha and happy after seeing how Maan was affected on seeing her thus.
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Their project was almost complete. So the client had asked them to give a final presentation after which they were invited for an informal dinner at their client's offices itself. MSK was informed by Adi that Geet and Ved and their team were already ready and that they should also go to the larger of the conference room for the presentation. Sasha who refused to leave MSK's side whenever she could manage, accompanied them outside and the moment MSK turned the corner he was presented with Geet's unadorned back__________
'Was it possible that in a couple of hours she or rather the expense of her shoulders and back had become more enticing?' Maan thought to himself and then he realized that Geet who never pinned her hair had today swept her hair in some sort of a ruffled style which suited her just fine, just that it left her back totally bare enhancing the length of her neck, the smoothness of her shoulders and beauty of her slender back.
'damn it, what is she doing?' Maan couldn't very well say something to her with Sasha at his side and all the clients walking just in front of Geet and Ved. Then he noticed that Geet had her hand tucked in the crook of Ved's arm and was laughing at something that Ved was whispering in her ears, his lips tightened.
'I'll wrung her neck, the little witch. Who asked her to put her hands through his? There was no need for any of this Sasha is completely convinced as it is.' Maan went on. He couldn't take his eyes off her.
Everyone took their seats and Ved noticed Maan glancing again and again at Geet and him. He gave a small smile. Ved was enjoying himself immensely. He knew from the looks of MSK's eyes that if given a chance Maan Singh Khurana would have twisted his arm and broken his wrist, but at the moment he was helpless as they had to play out their part and Ved intended to make very good use of this helpless situation of Msk to teach him a lesson. That morning when they had all gone after Geet to the achieves, he had seen for himself the anguish in Maan's eyes after the way Sasha had spoken to Geet and concern for the way Geet had reacted in there------ he had also noticed his restraint when MK had wanted to sooth and support Geet, but had held himself back because he and Adi were present there.
'no Mr. Khurana,' Ved thought to himself, 'when you can insult her publicly, hurt her in front of others, you will have to acknowledge and say it in front of others how much you love her, THAT will be a fitting repayment to Geet. You don't know what I have planned for the evening.'
The meeting went off very well. The clients were very satisfied and specially the men were going out of their way to agree with Geet which brought on all sorts of reactions in many people. Sasha was burning up with jealousy thinking I too have worn a beautiful, body hugging dress, then why am I not being complimented? Little did she know that Geet's unadorned inner self was reflected in whatever she wore and so she always looked good. Ved was very happy and he went on making Geet laugh and stole glances at MSK. Maan didn't like any of the men sitting in the room. This feeling going through him was very new and he still hadn't adjusted to it well, he hated it and resolved to have a word with Geet at the first opportunity.
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CHAPTER-37 [BOOMARENG]
"If malice or envy were tangible and had a
shape, it would be the shape of a boomerang."
Charley Reese
"Love is like a boomerang - you get it back right away."
Quote~ unknown
"I came here tonight because when
you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the
rest of your life to start as soon as possible." - When Harry Met Sally(movie)
"You make me angry, you make me livid, you sooth me, you alone have the power to calm me, I look into your eyes and find my heart there'..it is like a boomerang of feelings inside me which come full circle again and again."
Quote~Unknown
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Sasha entered the ballroom with Adi and immediately her eyes
started to search for Geet. She had a score to settle. How dare she talk to her
like that! And that too after Geet had been so humiliated and made to run away
from Delhi in the dead of the night to save face! Sasha needed to first
ascertain what Adi had told her that first day, something that she too had felt
everytime she had seen Geet with Ved, that Geet hadn't told Ved why she had
left her earlier job with KC. She looked around and noticed Ved talking to some
people from their client's company. She pasted a smile on her face and approached
Ved. The client hadn't specified any dress code, rather he had specified that
the party be totally informal and so everyone had worn whatever they had felt
like wearing. Sasha was confident that she was looking damn beautiful and she
wanted to exploit this to her advantage to see whether she could loosen Ved's
tongue.
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Maan entered the small ballroom booked by the client and looked around. Sasha and Adi had already started from their hotel almost an hour in advance so they had reached before him. He had a complete speech ready to say to Geet. He had a iron clad plan that he had thought of for some days now. He decided he would just put in front of her all the pros and cons and benefits of them getting married as soon as possible. If she didn't want to get married so soon, 'she was after all still a college girl', the thought gave him some pause, Maan had thought of all the protests and reasons that Geet might cite and he had all the answers ready to make her understand that it was going to be mutually beneficial to have a marriage as soon as possible.
Maan first saw Adi and then he saw Geet with him surrounded by a group of men who were all looking as if they were fawning all over themselves to get her attention. Maan frowned and tried to get a clear view of Geet, the man standing directly in front of Geet disengaged from the group and headed towards the refreshment counter and Maan saw Geet wearing a green sari, her hair swept up and away from her shoulders________ she was looking so sweet and beautiful, with that saree on. She hadn't put on any jewellery, and her throat and wrists were unadorned with anything and therefore looked very delicate and pale in comparison. She had such an air of beauty and sweetness that he too forgot all else and simply stared at Geet.
Maan took in a deep breath and smiled to himself.
"Was it any wonder that he was so crazy for this girl-woman, who could at the drop of a hat surprise him at every turn. Life with Geet would never be boring. Now all it was required was to make her understand that the relationship of theirs must be taken to a deeper and permanent level. He wanted, no needed to hear her be addressed as Mrs. Geet Maan Singh Khurana." Maan frowned again, he had never given any thought to such a thing, but now the more he thought about this the more he felt it that he wanted the world to know she was his. He knew very well that "his Handa sherni will take offence if she came to know about the direction of his thoughts, she might not like the possessiveness he felt for her," Maan thought to himself, then in a typical Msk gesture he threw up his chin in an unconscious gesture of confidence and thought, "well she will just have to adjust to it, coz she really is mine and mine alone."
Feeling very smug, MSK lifted a glass of wine from a passing waiter and ___________ the drink almost slid out of his hand when Geet turned to go towards Ved and Sasha talking together and he saw her backside for the first time.
"What the hell---------." He felt his mouth go slack and dry
and then he realized why no man in the room had been able to take off their
eyes away from her. Maan took back every nice thought that he had had about
Geet for the past fifteen minutes and mentally throttled her, " I will just
wring her throat and be done with it----- what the hell is she wearing!"
"Maan Sir, aap kab aaye?" Adi asked coming to stand beside him.
Maan turned to look at Adi with such anger that Adi's eyes widened and he almost ran away.
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Meanwhile Sasha was walking towards Ved, she gave a casual look to see what Geet was doing and then unable to spot her she focused again on Ved.
"What is it about Geet that such handsome men fall for her." Sasha thought to herself as she walked towards Ved. "All because they don't know what sort of a money grabbing weasel she actually is, if I won't have loved MK and invested so much of my life after him, he would have been a ideal catch for me." She unashamedly sized up Ved, then shrugged and came to stand in front of Ved, joining in the conversation that the three men had been immersed in.
Ved understood that she had purposely joined this particular conversation, but he didn't know what Sasha wanted with him as they had all thought that she would go after Geet and so Ved and Adi had both asked Geet to dress in something very nice to make Sasha go green with jealousy. He decided to go along with whatever she would put forth. Sasha was knowledgeable about whatever they had been discussing and so it wasn't very much difficult for her to join in. After some time the other two men drifted away noticing some other person with whom they needed to talk and Sasha got the chance that she had been waiting for. They started talking about nothing important and then very subtly Sasha asked for how long Ved had known Geet? Did he know that she had worked with Geet before too; stressing the point that Geet and she had been great friends. Ved curled his fingers in his fist, swallowing his anger at this lie of hers and showed great interest in this information asking her what Geet liked and so on and so forth. Sasha told him how sad she had become after Geet had left Delhi and at this point she abruptly stopped at mid sentence, as if guilty, giving Ved a look from under her eye lashes.
Ved looked at her with confusion.
"What were you saying, did something happen there in Delhi?"
"no'nno'no, nothing, Oh my God! I shouldn't have said anything to you!" Sasha berated herself, looking for all the world as if she was very upset with herself.
"What is it? Is there something that I don't know about Geet? You were about to say something when you stopped, tell me what is it?" Ved asked very earnestly.
Just then Geet came there, almost running and put her arm through Ved's and looked very pointedly at Sasha.
"What is it Jaan? Why are you frowning down at poor Sasha? What happened Sasha what were you two talking about?"
Sasha understood all. She gave a very apologetic smile at Geet and said, "nothing of much importance Geet, I was just telling Ved how close we two had been in Delhi and that I was so sad after you had left from there."
Geet gave a very startled look at Sasha and then looked at Ved with a worried look first then she smiled very sweetly at him, rubbing his arm, "Jaan you know na, how much I hate to talk about that painful experience of uprooting myself from my friends and job, all because I had to come here to take care of Uncle and family, so lets not talk about it now."
Ved ignored the scorching feeling at his back and looked at Geet and cupped her face in his hands, "as you wish Geet, I don't want you to be upset, we will not talk about it."
Sasha felt a white hot poker in her heart seeing Geet being thus cherished and loved, something that she couldn't tolerate. She didn't know why but she didn't like seeing Geet happy in any way. Then she calmed herself thinking that her doubts have been proved correct and that Geet indeed hadn't told Ved anything about what had happened in Delhi and she decided to use this to get Geet out of here. She was supremely confident that if she could do it once then she could do it again.
"Geet chalo na, lets catch up, we haven't had a good girl talk for such a long time."
"Yes Sasha chalo, lets go."
Ved nodded at her smiling. He could feel his back being drilled into holes and knew very well what he would find after he turned to see who it was that was raising the hairs at his nape thus and as expected the moment he turned he looked straight into the eyes of MSK who was standing with a drink in his hand, across the breadth of the room, looking at him as if he could just kill him with his eyes alone.
Adi came to Ved and congratulated him on his acting skills, "Wwwah! Ved Sir, kya acting kya aapne, aapko toh award milna chahiyea."
"Award to badh mei milega Adi, first let me live."
"Ww-wwhat Ved Sir I didn't understand what you meant?"
"For the first time in my life I now understand the meaning of the expression____ 'If looks could kill I am dead', just look at your boss, he seems capable of murdering me at this moment."
Adi gave his famous laughter, "he hehe he he----- I know Ved sir, it was becoming decidedly hot standing by his side, he did a double take after he saw Geet and then you two topped the chart by being so lovey-dovey. Koy nahi, don't be scared he won't do anything, Geet will calm him down. Uske baye haath ka khel hai."
"Hope you are right in your accessement Adi ortherwise iam toast."
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Geet accompanied Sasha knowing fully well that Sasha had hated to see Ved thus being so cooperative with her and becoz of the Bluetooth attached to her ear, concealed with her hair, she had heard everything that Ved and Sasha had spoken with each other.
Sasha walked towards the terrace and slid open the doors there and stepped outside. Geet too went out and stood beside her.
"What is your problem Sasha? Why can't you stop yourself from putting your nose in my affairs?"
"YOU are my problem Geet, I don't like the sight of you." Sasha told her rounding to face her.
"Then why don't you go back to Delhi, that way you won't have to see me and I too can be happy in my world."
"Tsk'tsk---tsk---Geet! No way. Do you take me to be a fool?" Sasha came to stand directly in front of Geet almost toe to toe.
"What do you think, I don't know you for what you are? And after seeing you here with MK, do you think I can rest easy if I go back to Delhi. No way! Even though the men are stupid enough not to notice, I can see you looking at Mk. You haven't yet given up hopes of winning him back. This 'notinki' that you are doing showing everyone that you are in love with Ved is just a lie, you want the bigger fish Geet and I know you very well."
Geet felt her lips curl back as she got angry on hearing Sasha talk about her love and best friend in such terms and fought to control herself. She rushed towards the sliding doors as if to close them, giving herself time to bring her anger to simmer down, she left a small space, not completely closing the door.
"What nonsense are you spouting Sasha, have you gone mad! I love Ved and I am no more interested in MSK. You can have him for all I care!"
"Is that so? Then pray tell me why haven't you yet told Ved why you left Delhi in such a hurry? You haven't told Vedanth Mathur anything about what had happened in Delhi have you?"
Geet gave a very startled look at Sasha. "That is none of your business."
"It is Geet, Whatever you do is my business. I know for a fact what a money grabbing bitch you are. And for my own peace of mind I can't tolerate you anywhere near MK. So if you don't listen to me I will go and tell Ved what had happened in Delhi and also about your interest in MK, then we will see if he is interested in keeping a relationship with you or not."
"You will do nothing of this sort Sasha. You and I both know I had nothing to do with what had happened in Delhi!"
Sasha shrugged, "Maybe, maybe not, but the fact still remains that everyone knows you were the reason that MK lost the contract and that you had sold the information about the amount of our quotation to the business rival of MK and for that you were sacked."
"but I DIDN't DO IT and YOU KNOW THAT SASHA!" Geet screamed at Sasha's face, trying to goad her to confess the truth. For a second it seemed that Sasha was about to say something but then she seemed to control herself and smiled--------
"Where is the tape Geet?"
"What tape?" Geet was genuinely puzzled.
"What perfect acting Dear, the tape that you bribed the clerk to give you. I never leave lose ends Geet, Tasha told me that the tape was taken from the clerk and I knew that you have taken it"
"Geet just pretend that you have it. I will explain later." Adi spoke in Geet's ear, through the Bluetooth.
Geet pretended to look down, thinking.
"I won't give you the tape Sasha."
"You don't have a choice Sweetheart. The tape doesn't show anybody other than Tasha, so it is of no use to you, but if you don't give it to me I will tell Ved everything and then we will see what will happen, ok?"
Geet took a deep, open-mouthed breath. She paced the balcony and Sasha stood watching her.
"What guarantee do I have that after giving you the tape you will not tell Ved anything?"
"After giving me the tape, go for an extended vacation and come back only after MK has returned to Delhi and I will not open my mouth to Ved."
"But what is the guarantee of that?"
"You will have to believe me. I don't think you are in a position to bargain Geet."
Geet sighed looking like a person defeated and Sasha's heart felt so glad.
"OK, when? Coz I don't have the tape here. I have asked a friend to keep it with her so it will take a couple of days for it to arrive."
"OK, lets see. Three days from today, (I can later change the number of days guys please comply), we have the official party of the completed project with the media and clients. You will give me the tape before the party starts ok?"
"ok."
Sasha walked out without a backward glance at Geet and Geet sagged against the wall taking in gulps of air. A little while later Adi slipped in with a glass of water for and her.
"I had thought she would confess tonight itself, but she is a tough nut to crack!"
"Yeah I know, but I now know how to make her confess to the fact that she had been the mastermind behind all that careful planning. Just wait and see what I do on the night of the party and do as I say."
Geet felt very happy with all that she had achieved tonight and she desperately wanted to share her success with Maan. She knew that all three of them______ MSK, Ved and Adi had heard it all, as Adi had put his phone in loudspeaker mode, but still she wanted to share with them her exuberant feeling.
She walked up to Ved and told him that she wanted to talk with all of them and Ved assured her that he will think of something. Meanwhile her eyes searched for Maan, but she couldn't see him anywhere as the dance floor was already crowded and the lights had been somewhat dimmed. She accepted Ved's offer to dance as they both knew Sasha would expect them to do so.
After the dance Adi called her and asked them to follow him and he slipped onto another of the various balcony that was situated all around the ballroom. MSK was already there and Adi slipped out again to look out for Sasha. Geet looked very expectantly at Maan. She had thought he would be happy and proud of her, but looking at him, it didn't seem like he was feeling any of those emotions now. He rather looked angry.
But even in his anger, Maan was looking so handsome. This was the first time she had seen him properly this evening and she realized how much her eyes had hungered to have a look at his face till now. His proximity was weaving the magic that it always did on her.
"Why are you angry?" she asked Maan unconsciously taking a step towards him.
"I am not angry." Maan told her stepping away from her.
Geet stared at Maan, "was he still sticking at whatever he had promised himself?"
"Geet you did an excellent job today, but on the night of the party you have to somehow make her confess otherwise she can't be implicated, there is no proof against her." Ved told Geet.
Geet was puzzled with Maan's behavior. He seemed to be displeased with something.
"You were saying something to Adi about how you know of a way to make her confess?" Ved asked again.
"Yes, you all have to trust me on this. Sasha will confess on the night of the party, only you all be ready for that."
"OK no problem," Ved shrugged and both of them looked at MSK.
Maan was finding it very distracting to keep on to their conversation with Geet looking so beautiful in front of him. His thoughts were alternatively jumping from admiring her, to being angry on Ved whenever Ved touched her to say something and wishing to shake Geet for putting him through such heart-ache. He was also gearing up to tell Geet that they should take their relationship to the next level. Nothing else mattered to him other than her.
"Yeah no problem." He agreed knowing not what he was agreeing to.
Adi then slipped in, " Ved Sir, everything is arranged and I have told the waiter what to do, now you go and talk to Sasha."
"What are you doing Ved?"
"Nothing, just having some fun. You two stay here, if you come out now, she might see you."
Maan hadn't wanted to be left alone with Geet right now, he had thought he would ask her to change in something less distracting and then they would talk. He looked at everything except her.
"What is bothering you Maan Sir?" Geet asked him with her head tilted on one side. He was behaving so strangely.
"Nothing." Maan denied. 'God! What was this scent that she loved to dash on herself, it was so alluring, mouthwatering.'
He needed a drink of some water, anything. He tried to remember whatever he had planned to say to her so that she would never have a chance to say no, but with her looking so beautiful---- no, no so sexy, Maan had never associated this term to any woman before this, but this word seemed to perfectly suit Geet at the moment.
Geet was getting more and more confused with Maan's behavior. He was at times looking all around and muttering and then he was giving her such intense looks which was alternatively making her heart pound and searing her with his gaze.
"No," Geet thought to herself, "something was definitely wrong with him tonight. Maybe he is still bothered with my welfare and how I will fare against Sasha or maybe he is still trying to think for what is best for me, which is why he had taken some sort of pledge. No I have to make him understand that I can handle myself."
"Maan Sir, I know what is going through your mind and I can very definitely tell you that you don't need to think along those lines as I am a self-sufficient person and can think for myself and so, you don't have to make any decisions on my part." Geet wondered if she sounded as much of a fool as she did to herself. "damn it how do I tell him, he need not ________ damn it how do I straight out tell him, not to think of my welfare so much otherwise we could have had a longer time in the lif------ oh God I cant say this to him." Geet started to pace.
"Geet knows what I have in my mind? She can read me this well----- She has already understood that I was going to ask her to marry me!" Maan couldn't decide whether it was a good thing or bad thing.
"Maan Sir?"
"Yes?"
"Don't you have anything to say?"
"About what?"
"Have you understood what I just said?"
A low sound of frustration rumbled in her throat. Geet stepped closer to Maan, "The least that you can do is to at least pay attention when I am saying something, which is obviously of some importance to me. You take decisions on my behalf and then when I complain about it you don't even listen."
"Complain!" Maan thought. The first inkling of fear touched Maan's heart. "She doesn't like the idea". He couldn't keep a straight thought in his head, not with her looking into his eyes. Her attire, her smell___________ Maan was barely capable of breathing, much less listening. In self-defence he took refuse in anger. "If you had some clothes______ I mean some brains," Maan corrected gashing his teeth, " then you would have understood that whatever I do I do it thinking of your welfare in my mind."
Anger flared in Geet's eyes, making her all the more appealing.
"So you just took it on yourself to make the decision for me."
Panic gripped Maan, ' She doesn't want to marry me!'
"Yes, because that is best for both of us." He tried to the voice of reason.
"ha_______ for the gall of the man!" Geet thought, "first he kisses me and then he tells me he missed me so much and then he breaks it off shoving me out of the lift and says that it was for our own good!" Geet was still thinking about the promise and what had happened in the lift.
"We will never know what I would have done," she countered "because you never give me an opportunity to make a choice."
"I am trying my damnest to give you the opportunity now." Maan muttered.
"About what?"
Maan was holding on to himself, his will power sorely tested as he kept his distance from Geet, he knew he could make her agree to whatever he said if he kissed her now, if he could just take her in his arms, they would lose themselves in each other's arms, but he wanted her to make this decision with a clear head without passion clouding her eyes. He wanted her to agree to marry him with a clear head, because she wanted to. Maan wanted to shake her.
On an oath, Maan turned and with his hands braced on the wall, he began, none too gently, to pound his forehead against it.
Geet's mouth dropped open as she watched him, confusion warred with anger.
"What are you doing Maan sir?"
"I am beating my head against the wall. What does it look like I'm doing?" he stopped, letting his forehead rest on the wall.
Apparently Maan sir was under some sort of strain, Geet mused. She cleared her throat.
She asked in a very calm soothing way, spacing her words--------"Maan sir, why are you beating your head against the wall?"
Maan laughed and rubbing his hands over his face, he turned.
"Ive no idea. It is just something I have taken to doing since I met you."
Geet blinked, uncertain. Why was Maan Sir being so difficult, it wasn't as if she was taking advantage of him. Geet blushed at the thought. She turned and started to pace again,
"I don't understand you any more I would have thought you will be happy with my decision."
Maan stared at her back. He opened his mouth but couldn't even manage a groan as he stared at the long length of her back, bare but for the sheerest and minute of straps holding her blouse up. The shape of her hips were enhanced by the low riding curve of her saree and also with the agitated swing because of her pacing. She was talking again, rapid-fire and irritated, but it was all just a buzzing in his head.
"For God's sake stop pacing." Maan rubbed the heel of his hand over his heart. In another moment, he was certain that it would explode out of its place.
"Are you trying to kill me?" he wondered aloud.
"I always pace when I am mad or confused, which I am at this moment thanks to you." Geet tossed back. "How do you expect me to be calm and quiet when you have got me so worked up?"
"Got you worked up?" Maan repeated. Something snapped_____ he could swear he heard a boomerang in his head as he reached to stand in front of her stopping her in her pacing to and fro.
"I've got you all worked up? That's rich, Geet. Tell me did you wear this thing here tonight to make me suffer?"
"Adi and Ved told me to wear something nice to make Sasha jealous, so I wore this."
Maan gave a ghost of a laugh, "Something nice_____ this is something nice in your definition?"
"Why what is wrong with this saree? It is a traditional Indian dress for God's sake."
"Is that right? I don't think the grandmothers and officials who declared a saree to be a traditional Indian dress had exactly THIS in their minds," Maan gestured to her back
"I----- ahm", Geet looked at herself, then shifted uncomfortably, "I didn't have something else in mind and so I cut the back a little bit."
"A little bit!" Maan scoffed. "You're driving me crazy."
Geet blinked at him. "Why are you being difficult then? Why can't everything be like it was before again?" Geet couldn't believe what she had just said.
Maan looked at her and felt a lance go through his heart , "Why Geet, why do you want us to be like before? Why can't we go forward from here?"
"Forward? What forward------ I want us to be just like before."
"No Geet you will say yes."
"I will say yes only if you agree that everything will be like what we had before all this started."
Both of them were saying almost the same thing. Both were insisting that they be together. Maan thought that Geet had guessed he wanted to marry her and she wanted them to be just friends and lovers, and so he was insisting on his point and Geet who thought Maan was saying that whatever promise that he had made to himself was for their good, was insisting on them going back to what they had together. Two things happened together then______________
Geet was saying, " First say that you will break whatever you promised or whatever stopped you in that lift_________"
Maan was saying "I will not hear anything till you agree to marry me Geet------."
They said these at the same time and but at that very moment Ved and Adi burst through the door almost falling over themselves with laughter. The last words spoken by Geet and Maan lost in the sound that they were making. Both Maan and Geet stared at each other trying to recall exactly what had they heard. Both scared that they had heard wrong. Fearful to be exuberant over something that might just be their imagination.
_____________________________________________________________________
So here's Chapter number 37. Get to work everyone, you all know what i need. Iam not Pming anyone right now, so whoever sees this now and is on my buddy list, plz dont think i have forgotten to PM u. I will Pm everyone together at night or tomorrow.
Till the next chapter...
Khush raho...
safe raho...
haste raho as laughter doesn't cost a dime but gives a lot back...
Take care of yourself all of you out there and for those who drive themselves around...
drive safe
Love
Khushi.
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