Hello, sweethearts! I just loved reading all the comments on chapter three and the other chapters, thank you so much! Very much appreciate the "like"s too! It's really encouraging, so thank you again! Next chapter is below. :)
previous chapters: ch 1 - ch 2 -
ch 3
Chapter FourAs sunlight swept through her bedroom, Geet squinted. Immediately, she felt a dull headache knocking at her skull. She slowly sat up in her bed and, drawing her knees to her chest, tried to gather her senses.
It was Saturday morning, which meant yesterday had been Friday. Geet vaguely recalled attending a party after work -- oh, yes, for Pinky and Adi's engagement. She couldn't seem to remember much of the event itself, however. She knew Maan had been on a conference call at the office, but she was fairly confident that he had arrived at the venue at some point. Geet did remember having a few drinks -- maybe more than a few, actually, which would explain her current state. Hmm. Geet almost never had alcohol. What exactly had happened the night before?
Swinging herself out of bed, Geet padded down the hall and into the bathroom, where she squeezed toothpaste onto her toothbrush. Taped to the edge of the mirror hanging above the sink was a picture of her and Maan at a carnival a few months earlier. Despite her headache, Geet grinned. Maan had actually won a teddy bear for her, which she kept with her in her bed. And the evening they shared after the carnival had been magical as well.
Geet closed her eyes, holding her toothbrush in mid-air, and transported herself back to that night. She remembered that rain had begun to fall in sheets, causing carnival patrons to hurriedly flee. Maan had led Geet into an empty gazebo in the back of the carnival square. Geet could still recall rain drumming against the glass as Maan pulled off his soaked shirt, leaving him bare-chested and Geet trembling with longing. She had turned around, shying away from him. Smirking, Maan had pulled Geet's back against his chest and slowly peeled off her cardigan. "Are you hiding from me, Geet?" Maan had whispered dangerously into her ear. "N -- no, Maan Sir," Geet remembered stammering. She could still feel Maan's strong hands against her thin dress as he spun her around to face him. "You're mine, Geet," he whispered into her mouth, threading his fingers through her hair. "Do you understand?" Geet only had time to nod before Maan's deep kiss consumed her.
Opening her eyes, Geet came back to reality. She was overcome with the desire to see Maan, to feel him against her, to hear his voice vibrating against her ear. Quickly, she washed up and downed pain relief medication to alleviate her headache. Just the thought of Maan was improving her disposition.
Practically skipping to her closet, Geet surveyed her wardrobe. Maan always commented that she looked beautiful in any color, but she was especially taken to red. The color reminded her of love, just as Maan himself represented love to her.
Geet momentarily considered calling Maan to give him a heads-up about her arrival, but then decided that she would drive to the Khurana mansion herself and show up at his door unannounced. Geet didn't drive all that often; Maan preferred driving her or having one of his drivers chauffer her. This morning, though, she was going to get herself to Maan to surprise him -- and fast.
As Geet was slipping on her shoes, her cell phone alerted her. "Pinky," read the screen.
"Hi, Pinky," Geet answered, grabbing her purse from the couch and exiting her apartment.
"Hi, Geet . . . ." Pinky sounded hesitant on the phone, which was unlike her fast-talking and spirited self. "How are you?"
"Fine," said Geet, making her way to the elevators. "Just getting over a headache and I'm about to head over to Maan's. How are you, Pinks? Everything okay? You don't sound like yourself."
"You're going over to Maan's?" Pinky asked, her voice rising in surprise.
Geet furrowed her brow and halted her steps. "Yes . . . why are you asking like that?"
"You're going over to Maan's after everything that happened last night?"
---
"Please, baby, just one spoon," pleaded Maan, as his six-year-old niece Anjana sat in his lap. He was attempting to feed her rice, but she was being a tad bit stubborn.
Indeed, Anjana shook her head, dark curls fluttering around her heart-shaped face. "No rice. Want candy."
Maan sighed. "Whose sweetheart are you?"
At that, Anjana beamed. "Youuurs!" she sang, then flung her tiny arms around his neck.
Maan smiled and squeezed her. "Then have some rice, okay? Please?" He had to admit, having his niece over was a wonderful distraction. After the disastrous party last night, Maan was looking for any diversion he could find. Whenever he thought of Geet, his heart sank and he felt as if he were about to retch. So, when the opportunity to baby-sit Anjana this morning arose, he grabbed it. Few people brightened his day as much as little Anjana did.
Geet, of course, had been one of those people . . . .
As Maan lifted the spoon again in an attempt to feed Anjana, the doorbell rang. "Stay right here, baby," said Maan, dropping a kiss on the top of his niece's head before leaving the kitchen.
Upon opening the door, Maan felt his heart skip a beat. There stood Geet, who had apparently driven herself over and who was looking stunning in her crimson outfit. The only thing that marred the sight were the tears streaming down her face.
Maan exhaled slowly. Obviously, Geet would be heartbroken after last night's events. Deep down, his instinct was to embrace her, soothe her. But how could he do that after what *she* had done? After what she had said last night? After all the time he had wasted being so devoted to her, when he obviously meant nothing to her?
"Listen, Geet," began Maan, attempting to keep his voice level. "I --"
Maan gasped as he felt a hard slap across his cheek. It took a moment for him to realize that Geet had just raised her hand to him. He grabbed his face and stared at her in disbelief. It was only now that Maan noticed that Geet's tears were not of sadness, but of fury.
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Many thanks for reading! <3
Edited by kumari3 - 10 years ago
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