RECAP
Priya stood moved away and sat in corner of the room far away from him . Ram had kissed her. He’d kissed her, and worse, she’d kissed him back, and since then all she could do was imagine his lips on hers, then imagine them everywhere else.She wouldn’t—No, she couldn’t fantasize about Ram. It was wrong. There was something wrong with her . This can’t be happening She should not be feeling anything for anybody
PART 9
It Happened One Night with a Proposal !!!
Priya didn’t know what do now nor did she know what was happening to her. The feelings the emotions she felt , was getting to much . She was not supposed to be so aroused when Ram kissed her, her hormones were not supposed to go on a overdrive when he was near her.
None of these was supposed to happen. The Drs had told her sex drive would be low. But When Ram came near her why was she feeling this need . The need which was burning her up making her do things that she normally wouldn’t do. Why now ? why with Ram ?
Ram was standing waiting for her to look at him. He didn’t know what he would say if she looked also. He couldn’t justify why that kissed happened . But it happened. It was so perfect . and she was equally involved in it as he was . But it couldn’t continue. It was wrong . There is nothing he could offer Priya. There was nothing his life that he could offer. He was nothing but bag load of his father sins. There was no future for him
Priya he started
She looked at him and said . Listen , I am sorry for what happened. It was momentarily faux pas .. It is just that you were here ….. I don’t know what came over me . It wont happen again. It was nothing .let us not make it a big issue. I don’t do relations… and never marriage So it is best for everyone that we forget it move on … He knew he was lying through his teeth. But he had no choice
What are you saying She asked .
See Priya.. we kissed okay .. both of us Kissed . Let us not read too much into it .. It just a kiss. You know this cant lead anywhere. We are matured enough to know this was circumstantial mistake . I don’t feel anything for you nor you for me…
I understand She interrupted .. She didn’t want him to continue . For fear what he may say and more than that for the fear how she may react to it
This meant nothing to him. It just another kiss… Oh god !!! Should she be happy that he had not realized how much that Kiss meant to her or should she be heartbroken that it meant nothing to him.
Tears were threatening to fall down , but she had to control it . He should never know how much he had actually hurt her.
She stood up , Mr Kapoor. Trying muster as much strength as possible . she said I know it. So don’t worry I am not going to slap a rape case or think you are in love with me so much that you couldn’t control your emotions. I also know you don’t like me for that matter cant stand sight of me.. we are together here is by sheer coincidence Nothing more. So I dont need any explanation from your side . Let us forget it and move on.
It is already too late in the night I think we should go to sleep. I will sleep in that corner . and You can take this corner point to the extreme end of the room.
Ram was stunned at the way she reacted to the whole situation, it was as if they just shook hands and not shared earth shattering kiss. he thought he a saw hint of hurt in her eyes. But now he was sure it was not hurt but ,play of the candlelight . This lady does not like him. And She couldn’t have spelled it out better.
Ram had no choice now ,but to retreat to his delegated corner. He never slept on the floor before. It was too hard for him . He tried hard to find a right position to be comfortable. It was just not happening. After repeated tries, he got up and decided to sleep sitting up .
That too failed to deliver the sleep he wanted. He knew that sleep was last thing the he was going to get.
S, he stopped closed his eyes trying hard not remember her or the way her lips felt beneath his or way her body melted against him or the how her skin felt against his fingers.
Dammit he scolded himself, this way he was making it more difficult for himself . His life with Priya was not even a day dream it just is his wishful thinking . Which he knew for sure will never happen.
Suddenly he felt , a something near him, gracing his leg. He opened his eyes and looked. It was Priya .. She was laying something on the ground next to him.
It was a saree.
She laid the folded saree on the ground , over it another one then another one. Then She looked at him , and said holding out another saree at him.
Sleep on this, and use this as pillow . Before he could say something She handed him her saree and walked away to the corner
But This .. Ram asked is this your saree… you bought for the wedding . it may get dirty.
She answered without looking at me. It is just a saree Mr Kapoor , I will give it to dry cleaning don’t bother. I have few more that I can wear for the marriage so don’t worry . Just go to sleep
She turned over went to sleep. In The candle light he could see her shadows. He tired to sleep on the soft saree. It was more difficult .. because it smelled of her. Instead of offering comfort it made his mind imagine / draw more erotic pictures. Little bit of sleep which might have come due to tiredness , flew away . Jesus what was he going to do, he was more wended then a tightened coil. Shit ! this was worse.
He looked at her , she didn’t move nor turn , but was shaking .she was sleeping in fetal position facing the wall.
Storm was at its peak , wind howling and rains thrashing . It was getting cold. He looked at her she was wearing shear night dress, it must not be offering much protection from the weather .. no wonder she was shivering .. Of course she was shivering she was cold. Her body shaking .. her head was almost touching her knee, she was pulling her night dress more for warmth .
He got up took his Armani coat from his travel bag, softly put it on her. His coat was so big for her, it easily landed upto her knee
Then Waited to see if she was comfortable . She pulled a coat more warmly in her sleep. And slept
Glow of the light made her look beautiful, her lips more soft she had curled it under her teeth annoying it , then tiny little togue came out took whirl around her lips . Yes He wanted to taste that lip touch that tongue . Run his fingers across her face . She murmured something in her sleep . That broke his indecent thoughts made him realize where he was. He walked back to his corner to try to catch some sleep on the bed of thorns… her fragrance. This was going to be a torturous night for him … to see her sleeping just 10 feet away from him knowing he would never know what it is to love her or loved by her.
This was his last chance to see her this close. Tomorrow they will go to Wayanad, where family would demand their attention everybody were already their waiting for them. After the wedding was over… they would part ways. They may never meet . Because he knew he would make sure that he never met her and try avoid all the circumstance which they would meet.
Soon she will marry, have family . But one thing always puzzled him, why she never married. He had accounts of her going out with many male friends especially with that Dr guy. Sekar but why was she not married . his reports stated that she went out with one Dr Sekar, but why did she not marry him. May be they were just friends in the real sense, but photos showed they were pretty close, infact in two or three they were standing pretty close to each other. He had done some digging on Sekar also , it seemed he was renowned surgeon who worked with AIIMs, He was also consulting for a NGO sponsored by Bits Pilanai
Ram couldn’t ask this,. Nor could he ask about Sekar to Priya or Karthik. Because it would reveal his secret obsession of Priya… for the past 10 years. He had to let the sleeping dog lie. He couldn’t do anything about it
His thoughts were never ending, but sleep did overtake him.
When He got up it was morning he looked around Priya dressed , in baby pink Churidhar looking fresh beautiful as morning flower reading a book while sitting on the suitcase.
Her forehead was wrinkled with concentration, eyes engrossed with the book Her pink lips were slightly open. Her beautiful hair neatly plaited hanging from one side of the shoulder. Few wisps had escaped their confinement dancing quietly against the wind. She looked up, her eyes looked at him, in its mystery Ram lost himself for couple minutes, not knowing what talk or what to say to this lady his dream. It was really unbelievable to actually see her sitting in front of him in the morning. This was the best morning , he ever had in his 42 years of living . To see her first thing in morning that to so close.. almost touchable.
Good Morning she said breaking eyelock. We need to leave, rains have stopped. If we go back to the road we may get a bus to nearest town from where we could catch a taxi to wayanad. So if you get ready . we can go.
For minute Ram had nothing to say. He didn’t want look like stupid , so said Yeah sure will be ready.
Okay she said Thank you for your coat. Leaving the coat on the travel bag. She continued I will be waiting for you outside. I just wanted look at forest after rains.. I love to see them fresh from rains. It is as if like God washed way past with rain rewritten the nature , for it to begin anew.
VYTHIRI, WAYANAD.
The idiot Rajath . Definitely the idiot . Ram tilted his head slightly to the side as he analyzed the swain's face.
Would his fist fit best in the right eye socket or the left? Or maybe that was too violent. Maybe a light clip to the chin would be more appropriate. At the very least, it might actually shut the man up.
'This one," the Rajath the poet the drunk announced grandly, "I wrote in your honor last night." He said looking at the table where Priya and Juhi sat next to each other. But Rajath meant Priya, and Juhi had no clue that her idiot was openly flirting with priya right under her nose. That lady was so clueless.
Ram groaned. The last poem he had recognized as a rather grandiose rendition of a Shakespearean sonnet, but an original work was more than he could bear.
Before soon Rajath was moaning again, Priya excused herself walked out of the lawns. Ram eyes followed her, he was sitting at corner of the lawn distancing himself from the Sangeetha celebrations. Natasha and Karthik was so into themselves that they didn’t notice anything but each other. Niharika was there she more bothered about the kitty party Page 3 gang notice the monkey ‘s trick. The Priya’s family had turned up Ayesha had flown down from Paris , Mamaji, Mamiji Juhi and her scoundrel husband Rajath. Rajjo Mamiji was swooning over her Dhamadh eloquence in English , it was only Mamaji who had the grace to look embarrassed
But nobody even noticed that Priya had actually walked out.
He was sitting with Vikram and Neha. Neha and Vikram’s constant bickering children gave him the chance of observing Priya the whole evening without anyone noticing. She was wearing gold tussar silk saree, neatly draped around her luscious curves, there was not a single indecent thing about her… but that didn’t stop him from having indecent thought about her.
Priya stopped to talk to Sekar. Yes he was also there, why the hell was he invited. Ram mind screamed with insane anger. Then both of them continued to walk down the wooden bridge towards the Resort gardens… Jealously scored through Ram, see them smiling and walking towards the dark end of the park.. He wanted to follow, without being too obvious about it .
Soon Sekar returned back with Ayesha to join the celebrations. Priya was nowhere to be seen. Rajath also finished his poetic extravaganza, Now the Dj was playing mixes of hindi pop cinema bhagara through loud speaker and people of all shapes sizes and age where dancing or trying to dance.
Ram sought to look out for Priya .. As everybody was otherwise engaged.
He walked through gardens, there was no sign of Priya…. He went ahead towards the gazebo near the stream. The moonlight had highlted the path nicely. He walked absorbing the sounds of natures night life
Suddenly he could hear sounds. Around the bushes far ahead he could make out two shadows one definitely female. Other by the sound of laughter a Man . Ram suppressed a groan. He'd interrupted a lovers' tryst. Bloody hell. How to extricate himself without notice? If his presence was discovered, the ensuing scene was sure to be replete with histrionics, embarrassment, and no end of tedious emotion. Better just to melt into the shadows and let the lovers go on their merry way.
But as Ram started backing quietly up, he heard something that caught his attention.
"No."
No? Had some lady been forced into the deserted hallway against her will? Was it Priya ? Ram He craned his neck slightly, pressing his ear forward so that he might hear better. After all, he might have heard incorrectly. If no one needed saving, he certainly wasn't going to charge forward like some bullish fool.
But It was Priya … what was she doing here who was that with her.
"Rajath," the Priya was saying, "you really shouldn't have followed me out here."
"But I love you!" the rajath cried out in a passionate voice. "All I want is to make you mine."
Ram thought to himself that stupidfool. Anger was raising it is ugly head .
"RAJATH ," she said again, her voice surprisingly kind and patient, " your are married to my cousin sister …. That to for 10 years… I am not interested in anything you are offering . For sake Juhi please stop this foolishness..we may continue on as friends."
"But You don’t understand , Juhi is not I want in a wife … I want you "
"That is not my problem ," she said firmly, " I don’t want you !!
"Dash it all! You what Priya… I am the only man in this whole wide world to even want you … If not for me, who will?"
Priya… Stop it Rajath . Please leave before I say or do something
Priya.. I often wonder, when I look at you, that if you are really women enough…to want any man... you are such frigid little
Before he could complete the sentence. There was loud cracking sound of the palm htiing a jaw.
You b**** how dare you … He said "
"Rajath, stop!"
Ram already reached the place where both of them were standing . Rajath was walking towards Priya menacingly .
Ram was standing behind Rajath . Rajath had not noticed him, but Ram realize that Priya had finally noticed that he had entered,
He nodded regally, his cool look very much at odds with the fat swain standingin front of her "Priya." He said loudly making rajath know he was there
The words, "I believe the lady asked you to stop," rested on the tip of his tongue, but it seemed that he wasn't fated to play the hero tonight, after all, because before he could make a sound, the Priya pulled back her right arm and landed a surprisingly effective punch squarely on Rajath's jaw.
Rajath went down, his arms comically flailing in the air as his legs slid out from under him. Ram just stood there, watching in disbelief as priya dropped to her knees.
"Oh dear," she said, her voice squeaking slightly. "Rajath, are you all right? I didn't mean to hit you so hard."
Ram laughed. He couldn't help it.Priya looked up, startled.
Ram caught his breath. She had been in shadows until now, and all he'd been able to discern of her appearance was a wealth of thick, dark hair. But now, as she lifted her head to face him, he saw that her large, equally dark eyes, and the widest, lushest mouth. Her heart-shaped face wasn't beautiful by society standards, but something about her quite simply sucked the breath from his body.
Don’t stand there help me…. She said
Just leave him, he deserved what he got.
But it is juhi husband, I can’t leave him there.
He is big boy , he will manage to get back to his wife when he finally wakes up.
Ram bent down to look at now moaning Rajath.
I suggest we leave this place before he wakes up makes another scene.
Priya was now in quandary .. she didn’t know what to do.
Come he said .. he will be alright, he is just winded out that is all.. he will be okay … And your Juhi as not lost her suhaag yet..
What ?
No He continued, If I had got chance with him before you got to him, I wouldn’t be so sure if he would have survived tonight.
What are saying ?… He was just drunk?
My your surprisingly valiant in defending a man who attempted to outrage your modesty
It is not that , Rajath was not in his senses. He didn’t know what he was doing.
Drunkenness does not absolve him of his crime.. Drinking is not excuse. He is married Priya , Juhi adores him, so he can’t do this his intentions were wrong . If he wants to drink and have affairs he should have not married and had a family.. You how much drinking affects family.. My father he started... Then suddenly realised what he was talking.. and restrained himself. A drunk as no excuse Priya No excuse !
Priya was surprised at anger that tinted his tone, He was angry not just Rajath but also at his father... but this time she felt there was more to this anger and a pain it was as if it was directed to himself.
Ram then said changing the topic let us walk down the other end there is terrace there overlooking the stream, let’s take some time to relax and clam yourself before you join others. I also need to calm myself, because if I saw that ** again I don’t know what I will do to him
Priya caught his gaze, nodded, and scurried outside. The terrace was lit by only a few wall shades, so the night air was dim, and it was only with the aid of the moon that she saw Ram off in the corner. His stance was wide and angry, and his arms were crossed across his chest. He was facing the endless stream that stretched out past the terrace, but Priya sincerely doubted he saw anything aside from his own raging emotions.
She moved silently toward him, the cool breeze a welcome change from the stagnant air in the overcrowded ballroom. Light murmurs of voices drifted through the night, indicating that they were not alone on the terrace, but Priya saw no one else in the dim light. Clearly the other guests had elected to sequester themselves in dark corners. Or maybe they had descended the steps to the garden and were sitting on the benches below.
As she walked to him, she thought about saying something like, " why are you so angry she decided this was not the time to probe into Ram's feelings, and so when she reached his side, she just leaned against the balustrade, and said, "I wish I could see the stars."
Ram looked at her, first with surprise, then with curiosity.
"You can never see them in Mumbai but pilani yes," she continued, keeping her voice purposefully light. " In Mumbai it is Either the lights are too bright, Or sometimes the air is just too filthy to see through it." She shrugged and glanced back up at the sky, which was overcast. "
There was a very long moment of silence. Then Ram cleared his throat, and asked, "Did you know that the stars are completely different in the southern hemisphere?"
.
Clearly, he was trying to force their evening back into normal patterns, and she was happy to let him. She looked at him quizzically, and said, "You're joking."
"I'm not. Look it up in any astronomy book."
"Hmmm."
"The interesting thing," Ram continued, his voice sounding less strained as he moved further into the conversation, "is that even if you're not a scholar of astronomy—and I'm not—"
"And obviously," Priya interrupted with a self-deprecating smile, "neither am I."
He patted her hand, and smiled, and Priya noticed with relief that his happiness reached his eyes. Then her relief turned into something a little more precious—joy. Because she had been the one to chase the shadows from his eyes. She wanted to banish them forever, she realized.
If only she could let herself...
"You'd notice the difference anyway," he said. "That's what's so strange. I never cared to learn the constellations and yet when I was in Africa, I looked up into the sky—and the night was so clear. You've never seen a night like that."
Priya stared at him, fascinated.
"I looked up into the sky," he said with a bewildered shake of his head, "and it looked wrong."
"How can a sky lookwrong?"
He shrugged, lifting one of his hands in an unknowing gesture. "It just did.All the stars were in the wrong place."
"I suppose I should want to see the southern sky," Priya mused. "If I were exotic and dashing, and the sort of female men write poetry about, I suppose I should want to travel."
"You are the sort of female men write poetry about," Ram reminded her with a slightly sarcastic tilt to his head.
"It was just bad poetry."
She smiled gently. "Perhaps not. But what I was going to say is that, boring lecturer of english that I am, I have no desire to go anywhere else. I'm happy here."
Ram shook his head, a strange, almost electric light appearing in his eyes. "You're not boring. And"—his voice dropped down to an emotional whisper—"I'm glad you're happy. I haven't known many truly happy people."
Priya looked up at him, and it slowly dawned on her that he had moved closer. Somehow she doubted he even realized it, but his body was swaying toward hers, and she was finding it nigh near impossible to pull her eyes from his.
"Ram?" she whispered.
"There are people here," he said, his voice oddly strangled.
Priya turned her head to the corners of the terrace. The murmuring voices she'd heard earlier were gone, but that just might mean that their erstwhile neighbours were eavesdropping.
Priya felt something wild and wicked take hold. "Let's walk in the garden," she said softly.
"We can't."
"We must."
"We can't."
The desperation in Ram's voice told her everything she needed to know. He wanted her. He desired her. He was mad for her.
Priya felt as if her heart was singing
And she thought—what if she kissed him? What if she pulled him into the garden and tilted her head up and felt his lips touch hers? Would he realize how much she loved him? .She wanted to test her powers on him, Rajath had words hurt her... She wanted to feel disered. She wanted to feel like women. Only ram made her feel that way
And maybe—just maybe he'd realize how happy he made her.. when she felt the desire coursing in herbody .. She never knew she could feel that way ... she didn’t feel it with anybody else. Just with Ram... She wanted feel again
"I'm going for a walk in the garden," she announced. "You may come if you wish."
As she walked away—slowly, so that he might catch up with her—she heard him mutter a heartfelt curse, then she heard his footsteps shortening the distance between them.
"Priya, this is insanity," Ram said, but the hoarseness in his voice told her he was trying harder to convince himself of that than he was her. She said nothing, just slipped farther into the depths of the garden.
"For the love of God, woman, will you listen to me?" His hand closed hard around her wrist, whirling her around. "I promised myself ," he said wildly. " That would not get involved with a women definetly not with you and I would never marry anybody "
She smiled the smile of a woman who knows she is wanted. "Then leave."
"You know I can't. I can't leave you out in the garden unprotected. Someone could try to take advantage of you."
Priya gave her shoulders a dainty little shrug and tried to wiggle her hand free of his grasp.
But his fingers only tightened.
And so, although she knew it was not his intention, she let herself be drawn to him, slowly moving closer until they were but a foot apart.
Ram's breathing grew shallow. "Don't do this, Priya."
She tried to say something witty; she tried to say something seductive. But her bravado failed her at the last moment. that she had all but invited him to be the kiss but she didn't know what to do.
His fingers loosened slightly around her wrist, but then they tugged, pulling her along with him as he stepped behind a tall, elaborately carved hedge.
He whispered her name, touched her cheek.
Her eyes widened, lips parted.
And in the end, it was inevitable.
Ram wasn't sure at what moment he knew he was going to kiss her. It was probably something he never knew, just something he felt.
Up until that very last minute he'd been able to convince himself that he was only pulling her behind the hedge to scold her, upbraid her for careless behaviour that would only land both of them in serious trouble.
But then something had happened—or maybe it had been happening all along, and he'd just been trying too hard not to notice it. Her eyes changed; they almost glowed. And she opened her mouth—just the tiniest bit, barely enough for a breath, but it was enough that he couldn't take his eyes off of her.
His hand snaked up her arm, over the pale satin fabric of her glove, across bare skin, and then finally past the wispy silk of her sleeve. It stole around to her back, pulling her closer, squeezing out the distance between them. He wanted her closer.
He wanted her around him, atop him, beneath him. He wanted her so much it terrified him.
He moulded her to him, his arms wrapping around her like a vise. He could feel the length of her now, every last inch. She was considerably shorter than he was, so her breasts flattened against the bottom of his ribs, and his thigh—
He shuddered with desire.
His thigh wedged between her legs, his firm muscles feeling the heat that was pouring from her skin.Ram groaned, a primitive sound that mixed need with frustration. He wasn't going to be able to have her this night—he wasn't able to have her ever, and he needed to make this touch last him a lifetime.
The silk of her saree was soft and flimsy beneath his fingers, and as his hands roved along her back, he could feel every elegant line of her.
And then somehow—to his dying day he would never know how—he stepped away from her. Just an inch, but it was enough for the cool night air to slide between their bodies.
His hands cupped her cheeks, holding her steady so that he might drink in the sight of her. It was too dark to see the exact colours that made her unforgettable face, but Ram knew that her lips were soft and pink, with just a tinge of peach at the corners. He knew that her eyes were made up of dozens of shades of black. But the rest—how she would feel, how she would taste—he could only imagine.
And Lord, how he'd been imagining it. Despite his composed demeanour, despite all of his promises to himself, he burned for her. When he saw her across a crowded room, his skin grew hot, and when he saw her in his dreams, he went up in flames.
Now—now that he had her in his arms, her breath fast and uneven with desire, her eyes glazed with need she couldn't possibly comprehend—now he thought he might explode.
And so kissing her became a matter of self-preservation. It was simple. If he did not kiss her now, if he did not consume her, he would die. It sounded melodramatic, but at the moment he would have sworn it to be true. The hand of desiretwisting around his gut would burst into flame and take him along with it.
He needed her that much.
When his lips finally covered hers, he was not gentle. He was not cruel, but the pulse of his blood was too ragged, toourgent, and his kiss was that of a starving lover, not that of a gentle suitor.
He would have forced her mouth open, but she, too, was caught up in the passion of the moment, and when his tonguesought entry, he found no resistance.
"Oh, my God, Priya," he moaned, his hands biting into the soft curve of her buttocks, pulling her closer, needing her to feel the pulse of desire that had pooled in his groin
But that was a lie. He had dreamed. He'd dreamed in vivid detail. But it was nothing next to the real thing.
Every touch, every movement made him want her even more, and as each second passed, he felt his body wresting control from his mind. It no longer mattered what was right, what was proper. All that mattered was that she was here, in his arms, and he wanted her.
And, his body realized, she wanted him, too.
His hands clutched at her, his mouth devoured her. He couldn't get enough.
He felt her gloved hand slide hesitantly over his upperback, lightly resting at the nape of his neck. His skin prickled where she touched him, then burned.
And it wasn't enough. His lips left her mouth, trailing down her neck to the soft hollow above her collarbone. She moaned at each touch, the soft mewling sounds firing his passion even more.
With shaking hands, he reached for the delicately scalloped neckline of her gown. It was a gentle fit, and he knew it would take no more than the lightest push to ease the delicate silk down over the swell of her breast.
It was a sight he had no right to see, a kiss he did not deserve to make, but he couldn't help himself.
He gave her the opportunity to stop him. He moved with agonizing slowness, stopping before he bared her to give her one last chance to say no. But instead of maidenly dismay, she arched her back and let out the softest, most arousing rush of breath.
Ram was undone.
He let the fabric of her dress fall away, and in a staggering, shuddering moment of desire, just gazed at her. And then, as his mouth descended to claim her as his prize, he heard—
"You bastard!"
Priya, recognizing the voice before he did, shrieked and jerked away. "Oh, my God," she gasped. "Karthik!"
Her brother was only ten feet away, and closing the distance fast. His brows were knit together into a mask of utter fury, and as he launched himself at Ram, he let out a primeval warrior cry unlike anything Priya had ever heard in her life. It barely sounded human.
She just had time to cover herself before Karthik's body crashed into Ram's with such force that she, too, was knocked to the ground by someone's flailing arm.
"I'll kill you, you bloody—" The rest of Karthik's rather violent curse was lost as Ram flipped him over, knocking the breath from him.
"Karthik, no! Stop!" Priya cried, still clutching at the bodice of her blouse, even though she'd already yanked it up and it was in no danger of falling down.
But Karthik was a man possessed. He pummelled Ram, his rage showing on his face, in his fists, in the primitive grunts of fury that emanated from his mouth.
And as for Ram—he was defending himself, but he wasn't really fighting back.
Priya, who had been standing aside, feeling like a helpless idiot, suddenly realized that she had to intervene. Otherwise, Karthik was going to kill Ram, right there in vythris garden. She reached down to try to wrest her brother away from the man she loved, but at that moment they suddenly rolled over in a quick flipping motion, clipping Priya in the knees and sending her sprawling into the hedge.
"Yaaaaaaaahhhhhhh!" she howled, pain stabbing her in more parts of her body than she would have thought possible.
Her cry must have contained a sharper note of agony than she'd thought she'd let slip, because both men immediately stilled.
"Oh, my God!" Ram, who had been at the top of the altercation when Priya fell over, rushed to her aid. "Priya! Are you all right?"
She just whimpered, trying not to move. The brambles were cutting into her skin, and every movement just elongated the scratches.
"I think she's hurt," Ram said to Karthik, his voice sharp with worry. "We need to lift her straight out. If we twist, she'd likely to become even more entangled."
Karthik gave a curt, businesslike nod, his fury at Ram temporarily put aside. Priya was in pain, and she had to come first.
"Just hold still, Priya," Ram crooned, his voice soft and soothing. "I'm going to put my arms around you. Then I'm going to lift you forward and pull you out. Do you understand?"
She shook her head. "You'll scratch yourself."
"Let me do it," Karthik said.
But Ram ignored him. While Karthik stood by helplessly, Ram reached into the tangled bramble of the hedge, and
slowly pushed his gloved hands through the mess, trying to wedge his coat-covered arms between the prickly branches
and Priya's bare, tortured skin. When he reached her sleeves, however, he had to stop to disentangle the razor-sharp
points from the silk of her dress. Several branches had poked straight through the fabric and were biting her skin.
"I can't get you completely loose," he said. "Your dress will tear."
She nodded, the movement jerky. "I don't care," she gasped. "It's already ruined."
"But—" Even though Ram had just been in the process of pulling that very same blouse down to her waist, he still felt uncomfortable pointing out that the fabric was likely to fall right off her body once the branches were done tearing through the silk. Instead, he turned to Karthik, and said, "She'll need your coat."
Karthik was already shrugging out of it.
Ram turned back to Priya and locked his eyes on hers. "Are you ready?" he asked softly.
She nodded, and maybe it was his imagination, but he thought she seemed a little calmer now that her eyes were focused on his face.
After making sure that no branches were still stuckto her skin, he pushed his arms farther back into the bramble, and then around her body until his hands met and locked together behind her back.
"On the count of three," he murmured.
She nodded again. "One ... Two ..."
He yanked her up and out, the force sending them both sprawling.
"You said three!" Priya yelled.
"I lied. I didn't want you to tense up."
Priya might have wanted to pursue the argument, but it was at that moment that she realized that her dress was in tatters, and she squealed as her arms flew up to cover herself.
'Take this," Karthik said, thrusting his coat at her. Priya gratefully accepted and wrapped herself in Karthik's superfine coat. It fit him to perfection, but on her it hung so loose that she could easily wrap herself up.
"Are you all right?" he asked gruffly.
She nodded.
"Good." Karthik turned to Ram. "Thank you for pulling her out."
Ram said nothing, but his chin dipped in acknowledgment of Karthik's remark.
Karthik's eyes darted back to Priya. "Are you certain you're all right?"
"It stings a little," she admitted, "but I will be okay it's nothing I can't bear."
"Good," Karthik said again. Then he drew back his fist and slammed it into Ram's face, easily knocking his unsuspecting friend to the ground.
"That," Karthik spat out, "is for defiling my sister in front of the whole family ." She then realised that the whole family was standing at end of the terrace except for Natasha and Ayesha who standing on the terrace.. How did they come here.. she then looked Rajath . he was smirking .... dammit that swine
You when I fell in love with your sister, I didn’t touch her till i had your permission to marry her.. but you .. how could you that to publicly
"This is ridiculous! Can we not all discuss this like adults?" She looked from Ram to her brother, then whipped her head back to Ram. "oh god! Ram! Look at your eye!"
By then vikram was standing next to Ram .. stop Karthik from raining anymore blows at Ram
Ram remained impassive, not moving even a muscle under her concerned touch. Her fingers skimmed lightly over his swollen skin, oddly soothing. He ached for her still, although this time not with desire. She felt so good next to him, good and honourable and pure.
She hurried to him, reaching up to his eye, which was already swelling shut.
And he was about to do the most dishonourable thing he'd ever done in his life.
"leave the place, Priya," he said, his voice strange in his own ears.
"No, I—"
"Move!"he roared.
She fled, pressing her back up against the very hedge in which she'd been caught, staring in horror at the two men.
Ram nodded grimly at Karthik. "Hit me."
Karthik looked stunned by the request.
"Do it," Ram said. "Get it over with."
Mamiji shouted stop it both of you .... behave like adults...
Karthik's fist fell slack. He didn't move his head, but his eyes flitted to Priya. "I can't," he blurted out. "Not when he's just standing there asking for it."
Ram took a step forward, bringing his face mockingly close. "Do it now. Make me pay."
"You'll pay at by marrying my sister," Karthik replied.
Priya gasped, the sound drawing Ram's attention. Why was she surprised? Surely she understood the consequences of, if not their actions, their stupidity in gettingcaught?
" Karthik that is stupid ... he doesn’t want to marry me .. we both are adults whatever happened it was between us two consenting adults I won't force him," Priya said.
"I will," Karthik bit out.
Ram shook his head. "By tomorrow I'll be flying of to US"
"You're leaving?" Priya asked. The stricken sound of her voice sliced a guilty knife through Ram's heart.
"If I stay, you'll forever be tainted by my presence. It's best if I'm gone."
Her lower lip was trembling. It killed him that it was trembling. A single word fell from her lips. It was his name, and it was filled with a longing that squeezed his heart in two.
It took Ram a moment to summon the words: "I can't marry you, Priya."
"Can't or won't?" Karthik demanded.
"Both."
"I'm sorry,Priya," he said, forcing himself to look at her. He felt odd and off-balance, and he could see out of only one eye, but she'd come to his aid, even after he'd rejected her, and he owed her that much. "I'm so sorry."
," Karthik spat. " Then this marriage between me and Natasha will also not happen
"No!" Priya cried out.
Ram looked up at Karthik stunned and said, Karthik please understand don’t twin these issues why are you punishing Natasha for what I did . Hit me I deserve your anger not Natasha
No Mr Kapoor this is my sister dignity at stake... if you can want her and if she can want you why can’t you both marry ....
Karthik ,,,, what is this stupidity... Priya Scolded.. Karthik enough ..this my life . I will decide. I am not marrying him. Nor he is marrying me..
No di... the whole family is here... everybody has seen you like this.. Tomorrow people may talk about you ... No I can’t allow that .. You like MR Kapoor.. otherwise you would have not allowed him to take liberties with you. Why can’t you marry him.. there is nothing wrong with you di... nothing ... why cant you marry him but I can’t marry this man’s sister, the man who couldn’t own up to his mistake . The man running away and making you face the music
Ram didn’t say anything . But Karthik.... I cant marry her.. I have nothing to offer her.. Priya please understand "If it c-could be anybody, it would be you. I p-promise you that."
"What are you talking about?" she asked, bewilderment turning her dark eyes to frantic orbs. "What do you mean?"
Ram just closed his eye and sighed. Iam not the right man Just trust me when I say that You deserve somebody better ...
He wished Karthik had killed him
And yet—in a bizarre, pathetic sort of way, he would be getting what he'd always wanted out of life. He'd have his final revenge against his father.
Strange, but even so, this wasn't how he'd thought it would end. He'd thought—Well, he didn't know what he'd thought—most men avoided trying to predict their own deaths—but it wasn't this. Not with dishonor.
Priya's hands, which had been stroking him so gently, wrapped around his shoulders and shook. The motion jolted his watery eye open, and he saw that her face was very close to his—close and furious.
"What is the matter with you?" she demanded. Her face was like he'd never seen it before, eyes flashing with anger, and anguish, and even a little desperation. " He wont do anything .. please Mr Kapoor your sister will be married tomorrow as planned
No Karthik answered .
He is not wrong you know ," Ram said, too exhausted in mind and body to even care that he'd stammered. "B-but I can't
marry you."
Her hands fell off his shoulders, and she lurched away. The look of pain and rejection in her eyes was almost impossible to bear. She looked so forlorn, wrapped up in her brother's too-big coat, pieces of twigs and brambles still caught in her dark hair. When she opened her mouth to speak, it looked as if her words were ripped from her very soul. "I-I've always known that I wasn't the sort of woman men dream of, but I never thought anyone would prefer running away than marriage with me." But I understand
"No!" Ram cried out, scrambling to his feet despite the dull aches and stinging pains that jolted his body. "Priya, it's not like that."
"You've said enough," Karthik said in a curt voice, stepping between them. He placed his hands on his sister's shoulders, steering her away from the man who had broken her heart and possibly damaged her reputation for eternity.
"Just one more thing," Ram said, hating the pleading, pathetic look he knew must be in his eyes. But he had to talk to
Priya. He had to make sure she understood.
But Karthik just shook his head.
"Wait." Ram laid a hand on the sleeve of the man who had once been his closest friend. "I can't fix this. I've made—" He let out a ragged breath, trying to collect his thoughts. "I've made vows, Karthik. I can't marry her. I can't fix this. But I can tell her—"
'Tell her what?" Karthik asked with a complete lack of emotion.
Ram lifted his hand from Karthik's sleeve and raked it through his hair. He couldn't tell Priya. She wouldn't understand. Or worse, she would, and then all he'd have was her pity. Finally, aware that Karthik was looking at him with an impatient expression, he said, "Maybe I can make it just a little bit better."
"I don't know what to think. I know you never want to marry her .. she was just outlet for your lust . Nor you respect her." Karthik shrugged. "Frankly, that's enough for me to keep you two on opposite sides of the globe" and Mr Kapoor .. I don’t think I want to marry this man ‘s sister a man who treat women as a toy for his amusement
Ram let out a long breath. While Karthik's attitude was irritating as hell, he supposed it was understandable, and in fact even laudable. After all, the man was only acting in the best interests of his sister. He looked at mamji for help.. he just shook his head with disappointment.
Then he looked up and saw Natasha... her eyes streaming with tears... Then He knew he had no choice.... He Slowly said I will marry Priya !!!
WHEN WILL IT HAPPEN..
Author
Priya Ramkumar
Priya stood moved away and sat in corner of the room far away from him . Ram had kissed her. He’d kissed her, and worse, she’d kissed him back, and since then all she could do was imagine his lips on hers, then imagine them everywhere else.She wouldn’t—No, she couldn’t fantasize about Ram. It was wrong. There was something wrong with her . This can’t be happening She should not be feeling anything for anybody
PART 9
It Happened One Night with a Proposal !!!
Priya didn’t know what do now nor did she know what was happening to her. The feelings the emotions she felt , was getting to much . She was not supposed to be so aroused when Ram kissed her, her hormones were not supposed to go on a overdrive when he was near her.
None of these was supposed to happen. The Drs had told her sex drive would be low. But When Ram came near her why was she feeling this need . The need which was burning her up making her do things that she normally wouldn’t do. Why now ? why with Ram ?
Ram was standing waiting for her to look at him. He didn’t know what he would say if she looked also. He couldn’t justify why that kissed happened . But it happened. It was so perfect . and she was equally involved in it as he was . But it couldn’t continue. It was wrong . There is nothing he could offer Priya. There was nothing his life that he could offer. He was nothing but bag load of his father sins. There was no future for him
Priya he started
She looked at him and said . Listen , I am sorry for what happened. It was momentarily faux pas .. It is just that you were here ….. I don’t know what came over me . It wont happen again. It was nothing .let us not make it a big issue. I don’t do relations… and never marriage So it is best for everyone that we forget it move on … He knew he was lying through his teeth. But he had no choice
What are you saying She asked .
See Priya.. we kissed okay .. both of us Kissed . Let us not read too much into it .. It just a kiss. You know this cant lead anywhere. We are matured enough to know this was circumstantial mistake . I don’t feel anything for you nor you for me…
I understand She interrupted .. She didn’t want him to continue . For fear what he may say and more than that for the fear how she may react to it
This meant nothing to him. It just another kiss… Oh god !!! Should she be happy that he had not realized how much that Kiss meant to her or should she be heartbroken that it meant nothing to him.
Tears were threatening to fall down , but she had to control it . He should never know how much he had actually hurt her.
She stood up , Mr Kapoor. Trying muster as much strength as possible . she said I know it. So don’t worry I am not going to slap a rape case or think you are in love with me so much that you couldn’t control your emotions. I also know you don’t like me for that matter cant stand sight of me.. we are together here is by sheer coincidence Nothing more. So I dont need any explanation from your side . Let us forget it and move on.
It is already too late in the night I think we should go to sleep. I will sleep in that corner . and You can take this corner point to the extreme end of the room.
Ram was stunned at the way she reacted to the whole situation, it was as if they just shook hands and not shared earth shattering kiss. he thought he a saw hint of hurt in her eyes. But now he was sure it was not hurt but ,play of the candlelight . This lady does not like him. And She couldn’t have spelled it out better.
Ram had no choice now ,but to retreat to his delegated corner. He never slept on the floor before. It was too hard for him . He tried hard to find a right position to be comfortable. It was just not happening. After repeated tries, he got up and decided to sleep sitting up .
That too failed to deliver the sleep he wanted. He knew that sleep was last thing the he was going to get.
S, he stopped closed his eyes trying hard not remember her or the way her lips felt beneath his or way her body melted against him or the how her skin felt against his fingers.
Dammit he scolded himself, this way he was making it more difficult for himself . His life with Priya was not even a day dream it just is his wishful thinking . Which he knew for sure will never happen.
Suddenly he felt , a something near him, gracing his leg. He opened his eyes and looked. It was Priya .. She was laying something on the ground next to him.
It was a saree.
She laid the folded saree on the ground , over it another one then another one. Then She looked at him , and said holding out another saree at him.
Sleep on this, and use this as pillow . Before he could say something She handed him her saree and walked away to the corner
But This .. Ram asked is this your saree… you bought for the wedding . it may get dirty.
She answered without looking at me. It is just a saree Mr Kapoor , I will give it to dry cleaning don’t bother. I have few more that I can wear for the marriage so don’t worry . Just go to sleep
She turned over went to sleep. In The candle light he could see her shadows. He tired to sleep on the soft saree. It was more difficult .. because it smelled of her. Instead of offering comfort it made his mind imagine / draw more erotic pictures. Little bit of sleep which might have come due to tiredness , flew away . Jesus what was he going to do, he was more wended then a tightened coil. Shit ! this was worse.
He looked at her , she didn’t move nor turn , but was shaking .she was sleeping in fetal position facing the wall.
Storm was at its peak , wind howling and rains thrashing . It was getting cold. He looked at her she was wearing shear night dress, it must not be offering much protection from the weather .. no wonder she was shivering .. Of course she was shivering she was cold. Her body shaking .. her head was almost touching her knee, she was pulling her night dress more for warmth .
He got up took his Armani coat from his travel bag, softly put it on her. His coat was so big for her, it easily landed upto her knee
Then Waited to see if she was comfortable . She pulled a coat more warmly in her sleep. And slept
Glow of the light made her look beautiful, her lips more soft she had curled it under her teeth annoying it , then tiny little togue came out took whirl around her lips . Yes He wanted to taste that lip touch that tongue . Run his fingers across her face . She murmured something in her sleep . That broke his indecent thoughts made him realize where he was. He walked back to his corner to try to catch some sleep on the bed of thorns… her fragrance. This was going to be a torturous night for him … to see her sleeping just 10 feet away from him knowing he would never know what it is to love her or loved by her.
This was his last chance to see her this close. Tomorrow they will go to Wayanad, where family would demand their attention everybody were already their waiting for them. After the wedding was over… they would part ways. They may never meet . Because he knew he would make sure that he never met her and try avoid all the circumstance which they would meet.
Soon she will marry, have family . But one thing always puzzled him, why she never married. He had accounts of her going out with many male friends especially with that Dr guy. Sekar but why was she not married . his reports stated that she went out with one Dr Sekar, but why did she not marry him. May be they were just friends in the real sense, but photos showed they were pretty close, infact in two or three they were standing pretty close to each other. He had done some digging on Sekar also , it seemed he was renowned surgeon who worked with AIIMs, He was also consulting for a NGO sponsored by Bits Pilanai
Ram couldn’t ask this,. Nor could he ask about Sekar to Priya or Karthik. Because it would reveal his secret obsession of Priya… for the past 10 years. He had to let the sleeping dog lie. He couldn’t do anything about it
His thoughts were never ending, but sleep did overtake him.
When He got up it was morning he looked around Priya dressed , in baby pink Churidhar looking fresh beautiful as morning flower reading a book while sitting on the suitcase.
Her forehead was wrinkled with concentration, eyes engrossed with the book Her pink lips were slightly open. Her beautiful hair neatly plaited hanging from one side of the shoulder. Few wisps had escaped their confinement dancing quietly against the wind. She looked up, her eyes looked at him, in its mystery Ram lost himself for couple minutes, not knowing what talk or what to say to this lady his dream. It was really unbelievable to actually see her sitting in front of him in the morning. This was the best morning , he ever had in his 42 years of living . To see her first thing in morning that to so close.. almost touchable.
Good Morning she said breaking eyelock. We need to leave, rains have stopped. If we go back to the road we may get a bus to nearest town from where we could catch a taxi to wayanad. So if you get ready . we can go.
For minute Ram had nothing to say. He didn’t want look like stupid , so said Yeah sure will be ready.
Okay she said Thank you for your coat. Leaving the coat on the travel bag. She continued I will be waiting for you outside. I just wanted look at forest after rains.. I love to see them fresh from rains. It is as if like God washed way past with rain rewritten the nature , for it to begin anew.
VYTHIRI, WAYANAD.
The idiot Rajath . Definitely the idiot . Ram tilted his head slightly to the side as he analyzed the swain's face.
Would his fist fit best in the right eye socket or the left? Or maybe that was too violent. Maybe a light clip to the chin would be more appropriate. At the very least, it might actually shut the man up.
'This one," the Rajath the poet the drunk announced grandly, "I wrote in your honor last night." He said looking at the table where Priya and Juhi sat next to each other. But Rajath meant Priya, and Juhi had no clue that her idiot was openly flirting with priya right under her nose. That lady was so clueless.
Ram groaned. The last poem he had recognized as a rather grandiose rendition of a Shakespearean sonnet, but an original work was more than he could bear.
Before soon Rajath was moaning again, Priya excused herself walked out of the lawns. Ram eyes followed her, he was sitting at corner of the lawn distancing himself from the Sangeetha celebrations. Natasha and Karthik was so into themselves that they didn’t notice anything but each other. Niharika was there she more bothered about the kitty party Page 3 gang notice the monkey ‘s trick. The Priya’s family had turned up Ayesha had flown down from Paris , Mamaji, Mamiji Juhi and her scoundrel husband Rajath. Rajjo Mamiji was swooning over her Dhamadh eloquence in English , it was only Mamaji who had the grace to look embarrassed
But nobody even noticed that Priya had actually walked out.
He was sitting with Vikram and Neha. Neha and Vikram’s constant bickering children gave him the chance of observing Priya the whole evening without anyone noticing. She was wearing gold tussar silk saree, neatly draped around her luscious curves, there was not a single indecent thing about her… but that didn’t stop him from having indecent thought about her.
Priya stopped to talk to Sekar. Yes he was also there, why the hell was he invited. Ram mind screamed with insane anger. Then both of them continued to walk down the wooden bridge towards the Resort gardens… Jealously scored through Ram, see them smiling and walking towards the dark end of the park.. He wanted to follow, without being too obvious about it .
Soon Sekar returned back with Ayesha to join the celebrations. Priya was nowhere to be seen. Rajath also finished his poetic extravaganza, Now the Dj was playing mixes of hindi pop cinema bhagara through loud speaker and people of all shapes sizes and age where dancing or trying to dance.
Ram sought to look out for Priya .. As everybody was otherwise engaged.
He walked through gardens, there was no sign of Priya…. He went ahead towards the gazebo near the stream. The moonlight had highlted the path nicely. He walked absorbing the sounds of natures night life
Suddenly he could hear sounds. Around the bushes far ahead he could make out two shadows one definitely female. Other by the sound of laughter a Man . Ram suppressed a groan. He'd interrupted a lovers' tryst. Bloody hell. How to extricate himself without notice? If his presence was discovered, the ensuing scene was sure to be replete with histrionics, embarrassment, and no end of tedious emotion. Better just to melt into the shadows and let the lovers go on their merry way.
But as Ram started backing quietly up, he heard something that caught his attention.
"No."
No? Had some lady been forced into the deserted hallway against her will? Was it Priya ? Ram He craned his neck slightly, pressing his ear forward so that he might hear better. After all, he might have heard incorrectly. If no one needed saving, he certainly wasn't going to charge forward like some bullish fool.
But It was Priya … what was she doing here who was that with her.
"Rajath," the Priya was saying, "you really shouldn't have followed me out here."
"But I love you!" the rajath cried out in a passionate voice. "All I want is to make you mine."
Ram thought to himself that stupidfool. Anger was raising it is ugly head .
"RAJATH ," she said again, her voice surprisingly kind and patient, " your are married to my cousin sister …. That to for 10 years… I am not interested in anything you are offering . For sake Juhi please stop this foolishness..we may continue on as friends."
"But You don’t understand , Juhi is not I want in a wife … I want you "
"That is not my problem ," she said firmly, " I don’t want you !!
"Dash it all! You what Priya… I am the only man in this whole wide world to even want you … If not for me, who will?"
Priya… Stop it Rajath . Please leave before I say or do something
Priya.. I often wonder, when I look at you, that if you are really women enough…to want any man... you are such frigid little
Before he could complete the sentence. There was loud cracking sound of the palm htiing a jaw.
You b**** how dare you … He said "
"Rajath, stop!"
Ram already reached the place where both of them were standing . Rajath was walking towards Priya menacingly .
Ram was standing behind Rajath . Rajath had not noticed him, but Ram realize that Priya had finally noticed that he had entered,
He nodded regally, his cool look very much at odds with the fat swain standingin front of her "Priya." He said loudly making rajath know he was there
The words, "I believe the lady asked you to stop," rested on the tip of his tongue, but it seemed that he wasn't fated to play the hero tonight, after all, because before he could make a sound, the Priya pulled back her right arm and landed a surprisingly effective punch squarely on Rajath's jaw.
Rajath went down, his arms comically flailing in the air as his legs slid out from under him. Ram just stood there, watching in disbelief as priya dropped to her knees.
"Oh dear," she said, her voice squeaking slightly. "Rajath, are you all right? I didn't mean to hit you so hard."
Ram laughed. He couldn't help it.Priya looked up, startled.
Ram caught his breath. She had been in shadows until now, and all he'd been able to discern of her appearance was a wealth of thick, dark hair. But now, as she lifted her head to face him, he saw that her large, equally dark eyes, and the widest, lushest mouth. Her heart-shaped face wasn't beautiful by society standards, but something about her quite simply sucked the breath from his body.
Don’t stand there help me…. She said
Just leave him, he deserved what he got.
But it is juhi husband, I can’t leave him there.
He is big boy , he will manage to get back to his wife when he finally wakes up.
Ram bent down to look at now moaning Rajath.
I suggest we leave this place before he wakes up makes another scene.
Priya was now in quandary .. she didn’t know what to do.
Come he said .. he will be alright, he is just winded out that is all.. he will be okay … And your Juhi as not lost her suhaag yet..
What ?
No He continued, If I had got chance with him before you got to him, I wouldn’t be so sure if he would have survived tonight.
What are saying ?… He was just drunk?
My your surprisingly valiant in defending a man who attempted to outrage your modesty
It is not that , Rajath was not in his senses. He didn’t know what he was doing.
Drunkenness does not absolve him of his crime.. Drinking is not excuse. He is married Priya , Juhi adores him, so he can’t do this his intentions were wrong . If he wants to drink and have affairs he should have not married and had a family.. You how much drinking affects family.. My father he started... Then suddenly realised what he was talking.. and restrained himself. A drunk as no excuse Priya No excuse !
Priya was surprised at anger that tinted his tone, He was angry not just Rajath but also at his father... but this time she felt there was more to this anger and a pain it was as if it was directed to himself.
Ram then said changing the topic let us walk down the other end there is terrace there overlooking the stream, let’s take some time to relax and clam yourself before you join others. I also need to calm myself, because if I saw that ** again I don’t know what I will do to him
Priya caught his gaze, nodded, and scurried outside. The terrace was lit by only a few wall shades, so the night air was dim, and it was only with the aid of the moon that she saw Ram off in the corner. His stance was wide and angry, and his arms were crossed across his chest. He was facing the endless stream that stretched out past the terrace, but Priya sincerely doubted he saw anything aside from his own raging emotions.
She moved silently toward him, the cool breeze a welcome change from the stagnant air in the overcrowded ballroom. Light murmurs of voices drifted through the night, indicating that they were not alone on the terrace, but Priya saw no one else in the dim light. Clearly the other guests had elected to sequester themselves in dark corners. Or maybe they had descended the steps to the garden and were sitting on the benches below.
As she walked to him, she thought about saying something like, " why are you so angry she decided this was not the time to probe into Ram's feelings, and so when she reached his side, she just leaned against the balustrade, and said, "I wish I could see the stars."
Ram looked at her, first with surprise, then with curiosity.
"You can never see them in Mumbai but pilani yes," she continued, keeping her voice purposefully light. " In Mumbai it is Either the lights are too bright, Or sometimes the air is just too filthy to see through it." She shrugged and glanced back up at the sky, which was overcast. "
There was a very long moment of silence. Then Ram cleared his throat, and asked, "Did you know that the stars are completely different in the southern hemisphere?"
.
Clearly, he was trying to force their evening back into normal patterns, and she was happy to let him. She looked at him quizzically, and said, "You're joking."
"I'm not. Look it up in any astronomy book."
"Hmmm."
"The interesting thing," Ram continued, his voice sounding less strained as he moved further into the conversation, "is that even if you're not a scholar of astronomy—and I'm not—"
"And obviously," Priya interrupted with a self-deprecating smile, "neither am I."
He patted her hand, and smiled, and Priya noticed with relief that his happiness reached his eyes. Then her relief turned into something a little more precious—joy. Because she had been the one to chase the shadows from his eyes. She wanted to banish them forever, she realized.
If only she could let herself...
"You'd notice the difference anyway," he said. "That's what's so strange. I never cared to learn the constellations and yet when I was in Africa, I looked up into the sky—and the night was so clear. You've never seen a night like that."
Priya stared at him, fascinated.
"I looked up into the sky," he said with a bewildered shake of his head, "and it looked wrong."
"How can a sky lookwrong?"
He shrugged, lifting one of his hands in an unknowing gesture. "It just did.All the stars were in the wrong place."
"I suppose I should want to see the southern sky," Priya mused. "If I were exotic and dashing, and the sort of female men write poetry about, I suppose I should want to travel."
"You are the sort of female men write poetry about," Ram reminded her with a slightly sarcastic tilt to his head.
"It was just bad poetry."
She smiled gently. "Perhaps not. But what I was going to say is that, boring lecturer of english that I am, I have no desire to go anywhere else. I'm happy here."
Ram shook his head, a strange, almost electric light appearing in his eyes. "You're not boring. And"—his voice dropped down to an emotional whisper—"I'm glad you're happy. I haven't known many truly happy people."
Priya looked up at him, and it slowly dawned on her that he had moved closer. Somehow she doubted he even realized it, but his body was swaying toward hers, and she was finding it nigh near impossible to pull her eyes from his.
"Ram?" she whispered.
"There are people here," he said, his voice oddly strangled.
Priya turned her head to the corners of the terrace. The murmuring voices she'd heard earlier were gone, but that just might mean that their erstwhile neighbours were eavesdropping.
Priya felt something wild and wicked take hold. "Let's walk in the garden," she said softly.
"We can't."
"We must."
"We can't."
The desperation in Ram's voice told her everything she needed to know. He wanted her. He desired her. He was mad for her.
Priya felt as if her heart was singing
And she thought—what if she kissed him? What if she pulled him into the garden and tilted her head up and felt his lips touch hers? Would he realize how much she loved him? .She wanted to test her powers on him, Rajath had words hurt her... She wanted to feel disered. She wanted to feel like women. Only ram made her feel that way
And maybe—just maybe he'd realize how happy he made her.. when she felt the desire coursing in herbody .. She never knew she could feel that way ... she didn’t feel it with anybody else. Just with Ram... She wanted feel again
"I'm going for a walk in the garden," she announced. "You may come if you wish."
As she walked away—slowly, so that he might catch up with her—she heard him mutter a heartfelt curse, then she heard his footsteps shortening the distance between them.
"Priya, this is insanity," Ram said, but the hoarseness in his voice told her he was trying harder to convince himself of that than he was her. She said nothing, just slipped farther into the depths of the garden.
"For the love of God, woman, will you listen to me?" His hand closed hard around her wrist, whirling her around. "I promised myself ," he said wildly. " That would not get involved with a women definetly not with you and I would never marry anybody "
She smiled the smile of a woman who knows she is wanted. "Then leave."
"You know I can't. I can't leave you out in the garden unprotected. Someone could try to take advantage of you."
Priya gave her shoulders a dainty little shrug and tried to wiggle her hand free of his grasp.
But his fingers only tightened.
And so, although she knew it was not his intention, she let herself be drawn to him, slowly moving closer until they were but a foot apart.
Ram's breathing grew shallow. "Don't do this, Priya."
She tried to say something witty; she tried to say something seductive. But her bravado failed her at the last moment. that she had all but invited him to be the kiss but she didn't know what to do.
His fingers loosened slightly around her wrist, but then they tugged, pulling her along with him as he stepped behind a tall, elaborately carved hedge.
He whispered her name, touched her cheek.
Her eyes widened, lips parted.
And in the end, it was inevitable.
Ram wasn't sure at what moment he knew he was going to kiss her. It was probably something he never knew, just something he felt.
Up until that very last minute he'd been able to convince himself that he was only pulling her behind the hedge to scold her, upbraid her for careless behaviour that would only land both of them in serious trouble.
But then something had happened—or maybe it had been happening all along, and he'd just been trying too hard not to notice it. Her eyes changed; they almost glowed. And she opened her mouth—just the tiniest bit, barely enough for a breath, but it was enough that he couldn't take his eyes off of her.
His hand snaked up her arm, over the pale satin fabric of her glove, across bare skin, and then finally past the wispy silk of her sleeve. It stole around to her back, pulling her closer, squeezing out the distance between them. He wanted her closer.
He wanted her around him, atop him, beneath him. He wanted her so much it terrified him.
He moulded her to him, his arms wrapping around her like a vise. He could feel the length of her now, every last inch. She was considerably shorter than he was, so her breasts flattened against the bottom of his ribs, and his thigh—
He shuddered with desire.
His thigh wedged between her legs, his firm muscles feeling the heat that was pouring from her skin.Ram groaned, a primitive sound that mixed need with frustration. He wasn't going to be able to have her this night—he wasn't able to have her ever, and he needed to make this touch last him a lifetime.
The silk of her saree was soft and flimsy beneath his fingers, and as his hands roved along her back, he could feel every elegant line of her.
And then somehow—to his dying day he would never know how—he stepped away from her. Just an inch, but it was enough for the cool night air to slide between their bodies.
His hands cupped her cheeks, holding her steady so that he might drink in the sight of her. It was too dark to see the exact colours that made her unforgettable face, but Ram knew that her lips were soft and pink, with just a tinge of peach at the corners. He knew that her eyes were made up of dozens of shades of black. But the rest—how she would feel, how she would taste—he could only imagine.
And Lord, how he'd been imagining it. Despite his composed demeanour, despite all of his promises to himself, he burned for her. When he saw her across a crowded room, his skin grew hot, and when he saw her in his dreams, he went up in flames.
Now—now that he had her in his arms, her breath fast and uneven with desire, her eyes glazed with need she couldn't possibly comprehend—now he thought he might explode.
And so kissing her became a matter of self-preservation. It was simple. If he did not kiss her now, if he did not consume her, he would die. It sounded melodramatic, but at the moment he would have sworn it to be true. The hand of desiretwisting around his gut would burst into flame and take him along with it.
He needed her that much.
When his lips finally covered hers, he was not gentle. He was not cruel, but the pulse of his blood was too ragged, toourgent, and his kiss was that of a starving lover, not that of a gentle suitor.
He would have forced her mouth open, but she, too, was caught up in the passion of the moment, and when his tonguesought entry, he found no resistance.
"Oh, my God, Priya," he moaned, his hands biting into the soft curve of her buttocks, pulling her closer, needing her to feel the pulse of desire that had pooled in his groin
But that was a lie. He had dreamed. He'd dreamed in vivid detail. But it was nothing next to the real thing.
Every touch, every movement made him want her even more, and as each second passed, he felt his body wresting control from his mind. It no longer mattered what was right, what was proper. All that mattered was that she was here, in his arms, and he wanted her.
And, his body realized, she wanted him, too.
His hands clutched at her, his mouth devoured her. He couldn't get enough.
He felt her gloved hand slide hesitantly over his upperback, lightly resting at the nape of his neck. His skin prickled where she touched him, then burned.
And it wasn't enough. His lips left her mouth, trailing down her neck to the soft hollow above her collarbone. She moaned at each touch, the soft mewling sounds firing his passion even more.
With shaking hands, he reached for the delicately scalloped neckline of her gown. It was a gentle fit, and he knew it would take no more than the lightest push to ease the delicate silk down over the swell of her breast.
It was a sight he had no right to see, a kiss he did not deserve to make, but he couldn't help himself.
He gave her the opportunity to stop him. He moved with agonizing slowness, stopping before he bared her to give her one last chance to say no. But instead of maidenly dismay, she arched her back and let out the softest, most arousing rush of breath.
Ram was undone.
He let the fabric of her dress fall away, and in a staggering, shuddering moment of desire, just gazed at her. And then, as his mouth descended to claim her as his prize, he heard—
"You bastard!"
Priya, recognizing the voice before he did, shrieked and jerked away. "Oh, my God," she gasped. "Karthik!"
Her brother was only ten feet away, and closing the distance fast. His brows were knit together into a mask of utter fury, and as he launched himself at Ram, he let out a primeval warrior cry unlike anything Priya had ever heard in her life. It barely sounded human.
She just had time to cover herself before Karthik's body crashed into Ram's with such force that she, too, was knocked to the ground by someone's flailing arm.
"I'll kill you, you bloody—" The rest of Karthik's rather violent curse was lost as Ram flipped him over, knocking the breath from him.
"Karthik, no! Stop!" Priya cried, still clutching at the bodice of her blouse, even though she'd already yanked it up and it was in no danger of falling down.
But Karthik was a man possessed. He pummelled Ram, his rage showing on his face, in his fists, in the primitive grunts of fury that emanated from his mouth.
And as for Ram—he was defending himself, but he wasn't really fighting back.
Priya, who had been standing aside, feeling like a helpless idiot, suddenly realized that she had to intervene. Otherwise, Karthik was going to kill Ram, right there in vythris garden. She reached down to try to wrest her brother away from the man she loved, but at that moment they suddenly rolled over in a quick flipping motion, clipping Priya in the knees and sending her sprawling into the hedge.
"Yaaaaaaaahhhhhhh!" she howled, pain stabbing her in more parts of her body than she would have thought possible.
Her cry must have contained a sharper note of agony than she'd thought she'd let slip, because both men immediately stilled.
"Oh, my God!" Ram, who had been at the top of the altercation when Priya fell over, rushed to her aid. "Priya! Are you all right?"
She just whimpered, trying not to move. The brambles were cutting into her skin, and every movement just elongated the scratches.
"I think she's hurt," Ram said to Karthik, his voice sharp with worry. "We need to lift her straight out. If we twist, she'd likely to become even more entangled."
Karthik gave a curt, businesslike nod, his fury at Ram temporarily put aside. Priya was in pain, and she had to come first.
"Just hold still, Priya," Ram crooned, his voice soft and soothing. "I'm going to put my arms around you. Then I'm going to lift you forward and pull you out. Do you understand?"
She shook her head. "You'll scratch yourself."
"Let me do it," Karthik said.
But Ram ignored him. While Karthik stood by helplessly, Ram reached into the tangled bramble of the hedge, and
slowly pushed his gloved hands through the mess, trying to wedge his coat-covered arms between the prickly branches
and Priya's bare, tortured skin. When he reached her sleeves, however, he had to stop to disentangle the razor-sharp
points from the silk of her dress. Several branches had poked straight through the fabric and were biting her skin.
"I can't get you completely loose," he said. "Your dress will tear."
She nodded, the movement jerky. "I don't care," she gasped. "It's already ruined."
"But—" Even though Ram had just been in the process of pulling that very same blouse down to her waist, he still felt uncomfortable pointing out that the fabric was likely to fall right off her body once the branches were done tearing through the silk. Instead, he turned to Karthik, and said, "She'll need your coat."
Karthik was already shrugging out of it.
Ram turned back to Priya and locked his eyes on hers. "Are you ready?" he asked softly.
She nodded, and maybe it was his imagination, but he thought she seemed a little calmer now that her eyes were focused on his face.
After making sure that no branches were still stuckto her skin, he pushed his arms farther back into the bramble, and then around her body until his hands met and locked together behind her back.
"On the count of three," he murmured.
She nodded again. "One ... Two ..."
He yanked her up and out, the force sending them both sprawling.
"You said three!" Priya yelled.
"I lied. I didn't want you to tense up."
Priya might have wanted to pursue the argument, but it was at that moment that she realized that her dress was in tatters, and she squealed as her arms flew up to cover herself.
'Take this," Karthik said, thrusting his coat at her. Priya gratefully accepted and wrapped herself in Karthik's superfine coat. It fit him to perfection, but on her it hung so loose that she could easily wrap herself up.
"Are you all right?" he asked gruffly.
She nodded.
"Good." Karthik turned to Ram. "Thank you for pulling her out."
Ram said nothing, but his chin dipped in acknowledgment of Karthik's remark.
Karthik's eyes darted back to Priya. "Are you certain you're all right?"
"It stings a little," she admitted, "but I will be okay it's nothing I can't bear."
"Good," Karthik said again. Then he drew back his fist and slammed it into Ram's face, easily knocking his unsuspecting friend to the ground.
"That," Karthik spat out, "is for defiling my sister in front of the whole family ." She then realised that the whole family was standing at end of the terrace except for Natasha and Ayesha who standing on the terrace.. How did they come here.. she then looked Rajath . he was smirking .... dammit that swine
You when I fell in love with your sister, I didn’t touch her till i had your permission to marry her.. but you .. how could you that to publicly
"This is ridiculous! Can we not all discuss this like adults?" She looked from Ram to her brother, then whipped her head back to Ram. "oh god! Ram! Look at your eye!"
By then vikram was standing next to Ram .. stop Karthik from raining anymore blows at Ram
Ram remained impassive, not moving even a muscle under her concerned touch. Her fingers skimmed lightly over his swollen skin, oddly soothing. He ached for her still, although this time not with desire. She felt so good next to him, good and honourable and pure.
She hurried to him, reaching up to his eye, which was already swelling shut.
And he was about to do the most dishonourable thing he'd ever done in his life.
"leave the place, Priya," he said, his voice strange in his own ears.
"No, I—"
"Move!"he roared.
She fled, pressing her back up against the very hedge in which she'd been caught, staring in horror at the two men.
Ram nodded grimly at Karthik. "Hit me."
Karthik looked stunned by the request.
"Do it," Ram said. "Get it over with."
Mamiji shouted stop it both of you .... behave like adults...
Karthik's fist fell slack. He didn't move his head, but his eyes flitted to Priya. "I can't," he blurted out. "Not when he's just standing there asking for it."
Ram took a step forward, bringing his face mockingly close. "Do it now. Make me pay."
"You'll pay at by marrying my sister," Karthik replied.
Priya gasped, the sound drawing Ram's attention. Why was she surprised? Surely she understood the consequences of, if not their actions, their stupidity in gettingcaught?
" Karthik that is stupid ... he doesn’t want to marry me .. we both are adults whatever happened it was between us two consenting adults I won't force him," Priya said.
"I will," Karthik bit out.
Ram shook his head. "By tomorrow I'll be flying of to US"
"You're leaving?" Priya asked. The stricken sound of her voice sliced a guilty knife through Ram's heart.
"If I stay, you'll forever be tainted by my presence. It's best if I'm gone."
Her lower lip was trembling. It killed him that it was trembling. A single word fell from her lips. It was his name, and it was filled with a longing that squeezed his heart in two.
It took Ram a moment to summon the words: "I can't marry you, Priya."
"Can't or won't?" Karthik demanded.
"Both."
"I'm sorry,Priya," he said, forcing himself to look at her. He felt odd and off-balance, and he could see out of only one eye, but she'd come to his aid, even after he'd rejected her, and he owed her that much. "I'm so sorry."
," Karthik spat. " Then this marriage between me and Natasha will also not happen
"No!" Priya cried out.
Ram looked up at Karthik stunned and said, Karthik please understand don’t twin these issues why are you punishing Natasha for what I did . Hit me I deserve your anger not Natasha
No Mr Kapoor this is my sister dignity at stake... if you can want her and if she can want you why can’t you both marry ....
Karthik ,,,, what is this stupidity... Priya Scolded.. Karthik enough ..this my life . I will decide. I am not marrying him. Nor he is marrying me..
No di... the whole family is here... everybody has seen you like this.. Tomorrow people may talk about you ... No I can’t allow that .. You like MR Kapoor.. otherwise you would have not allowed him to take liberties with you. Why can’t you marry him.. there is nothing wrong with you di... nothing ... why cant you marry him but I can’t marry this man’s sister, the man who couldn’t own up to his mistake . The man running away and making you face the music
Ram didn’t say anything . But Karthik.... I cant marry her.. I have nothing to offer her.. Priya please understand "If it c-could be anybody, it would be you. I p-promise you that."
"What are you talking about?" she asked, bewilderment turning her dark eyes to frantic orbs. "What do you mean?"
Ram just closed his eye and sighed. Iam not the right man Just trust me when I say that You deserve somebody better ...
He wished Karthik had killed him
And yet—in a bizarre, pathetic sort of way, he would be getting what he'd always wanted out of life. He'd have his final revenge against his father.
Strange, but even so, this wasn't how he'd thought it would end. He'd thought—Well, he didn't know what he'd thought—most men avoided trying to predict their own deaths—but it wasn't this. Not with dishonor.
Priya's hands, which had been stroking him so gently, wrapped around his shoulders and shook. The motion jolted his watery eye open, and he saw that her face was very close to his—close and furious.
"What is the matter with you?" she demanded. Her face was like he'd never seen it before, eyes flashing with anger, and anguish, and even a little desperation. " He wont do anything .. please Mr Kapoor your sister will be married tomorrow as planned
No Karthik answered .
He is not wrong you know ," Ram said, too exhausted in mind and body to even care that he'd stammered. "B-but I can't
marry you."
Her hands fell off his shoulders, and she lurched away. The look of pain and rejection in her eyes was almost impossible to bear. She looked so forlorn, wrapped up in her brother's too-big coat, pieces of twigs and brambles still caught in her dark hair. When she opened her mouth to speak, it looked as if her words were ripped from her very soul. "I-I've always known that I wasn't the sort of woman men dream of, but I never thought anyone would prefer running away than marriage with me." But I understand
"No!" Ram cried out, scrambling to his feet despite the dull aches and stinging pains that jolted his body. "Priya, it's not like that."
"You've said enough," Karthik said in a curt voice, stepping between them. He placed his hands on his sister's shoulders, steering her away from the man who had broken her heart and possibly damaged her reputation for eternity.
"Just one more thing," Ram said, hating the pleading, pathetic look he knew must be in his eyes. But he had to talk to
Priya. He had to make sure she understood.
But Karthik just shook his head.
"Wait." Ram laid a hand on the sleeve of the man who had once been his closest friend. "I can't fix this. I've made—" He let out a ragged breath, trying to collect his thoughts. "I've made vows, Karthik. I can't marry her. I can't fix this. But I can tell her—"
'Tell her what?" Karthik asked with a complete lack of emotion.
Ram lifted his hand from Karthik's sleeve and raked it through his hair. He couldn't tell Priya. She wouldn't understand. Or worse, she would, and then all he'd have was her pity. Finally, aware that Karthik was looking at him with an impatient expression, he said, "Maybe I can make it just a little bit better."
"I don't know what to think. I know you never want to marry her .. she was just outlet for your lust . Nor you respect her." Karthik shrugged. "Frankly, that's enough for me to keep you two on opposite sides of the globe" and Mr Kapoor .. I don’t think I want to marry this man ‘s sister a man who treat women as a toy for his amusement
Ram let out a long breath. While Karthik's attitude was irritating as hell, he supposed it was understandable, and in fact even laudable. After all, the man was only acting in the best interests of his sister. He looked at mamji for help.. he just shook his head with disappointment.
Then he looked up and saw Natasha... her eyes streaming with tears... Then He knew he had no choice.... He Slowly said I will marry Priya !!!
WHEN WILL IT HAPPEN..
Author
Priya Ramkumar
5 comments:
Hats off... what an amazing update.. all emotions are fantastic..
Nice part
very nice
pls continue soon
Nice update waiting for raya marriage
Pls Yar update soon...waaiting eagerly pls pls update :)
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