"I think it would be better if we have the lights connected to the ceiling. Then, we can cut down on the floor space and we will have more seats as well. What say?" she asked engrossingly.
"It's a good idea. But you should understand that we paid quite a sum for these stands. It would be betrayal to the company if we don't use them," said the brooding man, who made no effort in showing that he did not want his ideas to be overthrown by any random lady.
"Tell you what? I can find you a few contacts who will be willingly to buy these stands at exactly the same price, maybe more. But this is a national event we are talking about and the more clutter free the set is, the better," said Khushi, firmly, knowing hell well how to deal with an adamant man; one of the many reasons she was excellent at her job.
It took a few more wordings but Khushi made sure that she got her stands accepted and ordered the electricians to begin the wiring up till the ceiling.
She looked around, apparently satisfied at what she saw. The last of the technical work was running in full swing and the sound of the drillings on the stage board extensions for the ramp was music to her ears. She found a good deal of joy in knowing that majority of these things had her hand behind. It was the growl that came off her petite tummy that brought her out of her reverie. She took a quick glance at her watch and received a minor shock when she saw that it was past 1:30 in the afternoon. She hadn't had any more than a sandwich in the morning and that too after a fighting session with sister and she was darn hungry. She scanned one last time before she turned around to the exit of the building.
It was only when she saw daylight did she realize that she had entered the building with one another person. Well, who cares? She was already mad at him for being a pain in the ass. She still couldn't believe that he managed to bribe every single of those rickshaw drivers only to get her to sit behind him in his bike. But she was careful in not giving in to any of purposefully delivered bumps and highs during the ride. She made sure she made as less contact as possible and she could literally swear she saw him disappointed when they had reached the set. She had merely murmured 'F**k you" before she stepped out. "Your welcome," he had answered. "It wasn't 'thank you' that I said, Arnav," she had stated back. "I know." The cool in his tone and his reply was enough for Khushi to storm in.
Feeling glorious at dumping her archenemy, she stopped a rickshaw and asked the driver to speed off.
"You dumped me," his voice, drawing clear in the pantry. He stuck his pouting face through the glass door.
"Do I look like I care about you enough to feel bad about dumping you?" asked Khushi, sardonically.
He paused before he vigorously nodded for an answer.
"Well then, I have only one thing to tell you," she began, "Quit getting ideas," she finished stressing on every syllable of every letter of every word.
Khushi turned immediately at the signal of her espresso nice and ready in the coffee maker. She made a cut for it and was glad she wasn't facing Arnav for she was sure that he was making faces that were meant for her to puke.
Following her, Arnav went to get his own coffee mug and hit the black coffee button of the coffee maker while Khushi sat by the tiny granite-slabbed counter to the corner of the pantry to savor her homemade waffles.
When she glanced back to see at what he was doing, she was not much surprised to see him checking out her ass as her hip length layered hair hung out looses with only a butterfly shaped clip grasping a few bundles in the middle. However, it caused her to change positions and she faced him, realizing that conversing with him was much better than giving him the means and opportunity to be inviting.
"How come you arrive early? Models too hot for you?"
"Ah the beauty in the sound of jealousy," he said, his eyes twinkling. "Nah, not really. I am too hot for them."
She sweared under her breath and he couldn't have enjoyed a better scenario.
"I really pity you, Arnav. God knows who fills you with mundane ideas," she said.
"Actually its just 'women' in general who rub in the notions in my head," he said air quoting the 'women' part of it.
"And how may I know?"
"Mmm, let's see. Take you for example, my dear," he leaned in closer to her and pushed a lone strand off her head and shoved them behind her earlobe; the whole thing happening too fast for Khushi's senses to confer, "you finished your waffles and you had your last sip of coffee 10 seconds back and yet you are here listening to me talk and snatching glances of my chest as and when you can. Tell me, am I to assume that I am not too hot for you given the circumstance?"
Breathe, Khushi. Breathe, dammit and don't give him another chance to hold upon, Khushi reminded herself hopelessly.
She, however, did recover shortly for Arnav backed and leaned on his high raised bar chair, that very same taunting goofy smile lingering on his lips. Though she couldn't say that she was entirely secure for the damage was done. Arnav had caught her on her vulnerable moment and now God save her.
Escape, her brains cells told her and that's exactly what she did.
She masked back her facial features to dislike towards him and then after giving him a murderous look for evading her system, shot off to the ladies restroom.
Her face washed her kohl in a smudge-free condition and her lip gloss back in place, Khushi felt normal once she returned to her desk.
"Hey," said Arnav, as he sat by the corners of her desk in his usual manner.
"Erm. Do you have the photographs of that Bannerji's daughter's wedding?" she asked, remembering that she was her work mate and that they had work business to take care of as well.
"I do. I can give you the USB tomorrow or should I mail it tonight?" he said. Khushi couldn't help noticing the various number of times Arnav's eyes darted between the length of her eyes and lips.
"Mail it. I want it ASAP," she said, apparently ignoring at how lost he was below the appropriate eye contact.
The familiar music of the Punjabi song she had adored some time back began playing from somewhere in his pockets. For a moment, that gave her ideas but she shut and kicked the thought and dumped it to the never-to-be retrieved bin of her heart. His cell rang for pretty long before she snapped him out of his reverie.
"Are you or are you not going to pick that call?" asked Khushi, annoyed.
"That would be a not," he answered simply before he stood up and toyed with his camera, clicking past images.
Saray tarey torh le awaan
Terey qadmaan ich rakh diyan main,
Ik waari saday kol tu aja
Hor na mangna terey kolon main
"ANSWER THE DAMN PHONE or disconnect it or GET OUT of my cabin. I have work to do and it's not helping," cried Khushi.
Arnav paid no heed to that and from the sides a flash went off.
Hajuwan wich doob na,
Saanu apni akhiyian ich rakh le way,
Tere dil wich main hunh rehna,
Ya te nai jeena wey,
Main kehiya aaja we mahiya
Angry, she darted towards him, caught him off his shirt, nailed him towards the wall, put her hands into his pockets, grabbed his phone and hit the red disconnect button. She looked up and her ferociously attractive lips now the centre of attraction to Arnav, he winked, obviously enjoying being played by her hands.
She let go of his shirt, went for the camera in his hand. This time, however, she wasn't too lucky.
Arnav caught her elbows and twisted her around her petite circumference. She crashed on his chest and she fought wildly with her body. She stopped only when he brushed down the area of her cheeks with his own. She shuddered as the corners of her lips detected the presence of his pair roaming somewhere in the vicinity.
"Leave me, Arnav," she said with as much force as she could. "This is inappropriate."
"So is seducing a man," he stated matter-of-factedly.
The one moment she took to digest that, he had her pinned to the wall, his muscular arms strapping her like some human cage.
She slapped him hard but she saw that he was barely affected by it. Nevertheless, he walked out without another word.
She sighed and truth be told, she never found her mind to be creative enough to think beyond him in the next few god forsaken hours in the office.
When she had entered the elevator for the last time that day, she was glad that there was Jessy and Karthik in the lift along with him. But Arnav did not even make an attempt to be less obvious in her stares towards her. As soon as the machine halted on the ground floor and it slid, Khushi went out for an escape only for her to stopping by her waist.
"You guys carry on. We have some unfinished business," said Arnav superiorly.
Karthik looked perplexed but knowing that Arnav was not the kind who would pay heed to anyone else by himself nodded and went away. Arnav hit the 18th floor, the highest in the building and then grabbed her like he had previously.
"What the f- " she began.
The rest of her battles were drowned in the wet remnants of his soft lips. He pressed his body along with his lips, forgetting everything about being gentle. He slid his hands inside her tee and her body stiffened, letting go of her suede moon bag. His fingers dug the honey milk skin of her body and it was doing her no good. Her senses caught some dude in the 18th floor staring at them when it opened and invariably Arnav's hands went for the close and ground floor button without withdrawing from her. She could not fight him physically and before she knew it she was submitting to his kiss. She even went to the extent of beginning to open her mouth for him until she realized her actions and pushed back.
"That's what I intend to do, Khushi, if you do not stop maddening me with that damned strawberry thing on your damned lips," he whispered when he was by her earlobe and he didn't leave until he left a peck of a mark there too.
The two were panting hard when they parted.
Khushi, now a crimson red on her cheeks, picked up her bag and straightened her bra strap, pushing it inside her tee.
When the lift finally opened, Khushi made a dash for her life.
Sexual tension much? 😛
Leave me doses on what you feel. I shall appreciate it very much. Constructive criticism is welcome too.
And yeah. I am back for good/bad. That's for you to decide but yeah this FF is officially back on track.
PLS Check Page 1 as I have added in some points. IGNORE the part where I say I have a PM account because I am NOT following that rule anymore. Apart from that do read the previous 3 chapters again for I have made some edits on all of them.
Much love
-Amal
HIT THE LIKE BUTTON IF YOU WISH TO RECEIVE PMS ON UPDATING CHAPTER 5. I DO NOT PM PEOPLE ACCORDING TO MY BUDDY LIST.
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