Her Secret Santa (MG) page 27 - see Mod note pg 29 - Page 14

CHAPTER 8:

     Maan caught hold of Geet's hand and pulled her down beside him on the couch. To his private amusement, she nestled into his embrace as though they really were an engaged couple. Matters were progressing nicely on all fronts, he decided. But then he'd found that careful planning usually guaranteed excellent results.

     " What are you looking so smug about?" she asked suspiciously.

     " I am being thoughtful, not smug," he replied, deciding to avoid the truth at all costs and thus prevent a  temporary setback to his master plan. He doubted ' Miss Spontaneity' would appreciate the effort he'd expended in order to carry off this little dinner engagement. " How do you think the evening is going?"

     She glanced towards the Khannas and their guests all of who were grouped around the painting Maan had 'procured' for Yash last month. " I like them," she replied, carefully side stepping a direct answer. Not that he'd let her get away with it.

     " So do I. But that is not what i meant. What is your impression of Meera?"

     " And..." he prompted.

     Maan lifted an eyebrow. " What gives you that impression?"

     " Haven't you noticed?" She shifted closer and Maan obligingly lowered his head so that she could whisper in his ear. He took full advantage of the opportunity to align her more firmly against him. Soft feminine curves calibrated precisely with hard masculine angles. The fit was sheer perfection. " See how protective he is?" she said.

     " Of course he's protective. She's his woman."

     Her curls quivered in response to her exasperation, brushing the side of his face and branding him with silken fire. He gritted his teeth against the sensuous abrasion. What the hell had happened to his self control??? One touch from a pint sized sprite and it evaporated like desert dew. More than anything, he wanted to palm that stubborn little chin and kiss her senseless. It took every ounce of his inner resolve to resist the temptation. This was neither the time nor the place. Although he'd better find the time and the place- soon.!!!

     " Isn't that what you meant?" he asked with remarkable calm for a man in his condition. " He's not being protective because she is his woman?"

     " Yes. No!!!" She let out an aggrieved sigh. " For your information, I am talking about some thing a little more refined than caveman etiquette."

     His eyebrows winged upwards. " Caveman etiquette?"

     " You know what I mean." Her index finger thumped against his chest. " You, Tarzan.Me, Jane. Jane belongs to Tarzan. Whack Jane on the head with a club and drag her off to a cave. Get it??? Caveman etiquette."

     Her warm breathe exploded against his ear, nearly taking the top of his head off. It was all he could do not to grab his enticing fiance by her curly topknot and make a beeline for the neares cave. Or tree. Or bed.

     " Will you be serious?" she demanded irritably.

     " I am always serious," he said, perfectly serious.

     " Oh, very funny." Before he could give her a personal demonstration of the level of his seriousness, she inclined her head towards the far side of the room. " Now pay attention and look at Yash. See how he is standing??? And did you catch that look?? It is more than a natural protectiveness. It is like she is a delicate piece of crystal that might be shattered if touched."

     Maan frowned, becoming instantly focused. Damned, if she wasn't right. " Was he like this earlier?"

     Geet's brows drew together. " You know..." she said slowly. " I don't think he was. I mean, he was. But not quite to this extent."

     " Maan," she gazed up at him uneasily. " This procurement of yours. You are positive it's nothing that will harm Meera??? I like her."

     " Haven't you?" His eyes narrowed and he felt a renewed surge of caveman etiquette. Only this time, it had little to do with lust. Unless it was blood lust. " I am real sorry to hear that. You will have to tell me about it sometime."

     " Too long and boring a story," she retorted crisply. And far too private, her expressions clearly said. " Let's concentrate on Meera. I'd feel just awful if we did something to hurt her."

      We. Damn, that sounded good. Did she even realize that she'd subconsciously paired them, that she openly refered to them as a team??? " We won't hurt her. That's why we are taking this approach. So we can get a feel for the situation."

     " Well, you'd better be right about that. Because I am not the only one who will kill you ifr you cause her any harm." Her gaze shifted towards their host. " Yash will rend you from limb to limb."

     " Then I'll have to be careful, won't I?" he replied calmly.

     Geet bit down on her lip. " We'll have to be careful."

     At that, Maan allowed himself another brief smile of satisfaction.

     Geet nabbed Maan's coat and stepped through the French doors onto the Khanna's deck. The chilly night air warned of a coming frost and she pulled the heavy wool more tightly about her. The evening was going well, she decided. Since her conversation with maan, she'd learned all sorts of fascinating details about both khannas. With luck, it would help.

     A small noise warned geet that she was not alone. Catching sight of a splash of pale peach at the far end of the deck, she called out, " Meera, is that you?"

     Meera swiveled to face her, offering a smile that seemed a bit too bright and cheery. " It was such a beautiful evening, I thought I'd look at the stars."

     " if it weren't for teh clouds, they'd be beautiful," Geet concurred.

     " Oh," Meera's smile faltered. " I guess you caught me."

     " Is there something wrong?" Geet questioned gently. " Perhaps it would help to talk."

     " It wouldn't be a burden," Geet perched on the edge of the railing. " What's up??"

     Meera gazed out at the night, a sad smile playing about her mouth. " I guess it was all the talk about family and children at dinner. It can be... painful. Especially around Christmas Time."

     Geet schooled her tone to reflect only a hint of the compassion that gripped her. " You don't have any children??"

     " No. We wanted them. Desperately. But Yash..." She gave a helpless shrug. " It wasn't possible. Most of the time we don't mind. We're so happy together. It is just every once in a while it catches up with me."

     " I am sorry i added up to it," Geet said sincerely.

     Meera's head jerked up. " Please!!! Don't be sorry. You weren't to know."

     "Would you mind talking to me for a few minutes? Just until i get myself under control. These crying jags don't happen often. But when they do, I prefer to hide them from Yash."

     " He tries." Meera wrapped her arms around her waist. " It distresses him terribly when i get upset."

     Geet thought of Maan and nodded. " men have this uncontrollable urge to protect their women," she said in total understanding. " I imagine yash feels helpless when it comes to something like this. He wants to make it right and he cant. For a powerful man, that can be a frustrating position."

     " My husband was right. You are astute," Meera forced a brave smile to her lips. " Thank you for talking to me. You have helped immensely.  Could I ask you for one more favor?"

     " Would you mind keeping this conversation between the two of us??? It's so personal..." she trailed off awkwardly.

     Geet hopped off the railing. " My lips are sealed. Is there another way inside??? We'll need to freshen up if we don't want to look like windblown disasters."

     " Smart and tactful. Two rare qualities these days. I am glad Maan brought you along this evening so we could meet," Meera said impulsively.

     " So am I."

     This time, meera's smile appeared more genuine. " He's a lucky man to have you."

     Geet sent a startled look towards the far side of the porch. Maan stepped from beneath the shadowed overhang of the house and approached. She planted her hands on her hips. " All this tiem we have been going together and I never realised how sneaky you were," she scolded.

     " it's not my fault," he responded mildly. " it's the shoes. Have I interrupted something?"

     " Not at all." geet crossed the deck to join him. " Miss me?"

     He wrapped an arm around her. " More than you know. So what were you supposed to tell me?"

     " How lucky you are to have me. Atleast according to our hostess." She caught the asserting glance he shot Meera and hastened to distract him. " I was just on my way to find you."

     " So you did." She slipped from his grasp and tugged him back the way he'd come. " We'll catch up with you later, Meera, okay?"

     " I will meet you indoors," their hostess agreed.

     As soon as she'd moved out of earshot, Maan asked, "What was all that about?"

     Geet gazed at him, wide-eyed. " What was all what about?"

     " Oh, really?" He threw a glance over his shoulder, watching as the topic of their conversation disappeared inside. " If that's all, then why did you hustle me away from her like I am sort of a plague carrier??? Tell me what you talked about?"

    " Actually I can't," she informed him regretfully.

     His gaze shifted to clash with hers and his eyes narrowed. " Can't??? Or Won't?"

     " Can't. Won't." She shrugged. " Same difference. the point is, I promised Meera. She asked that I keep our conversation confidential and I told her that I would. You don't really expect me to break her trust, now do you?"

     " I haven't forgotten a thing. And just to set the record straight, obtaining information is the reason you're here tonight," she corrected carefully. " I came because you invited me out to dinner."

     For some reason, her comment  annoyed him. His jaw tensed and it took a minute before he responded. " Geet, this is important."

     " i know it's important." She turned, her expression serious. " But what you don't realize is that what Meera said to me is something she'd never have said to you. If you'd come alone to do your procuring, you wouldn't have gotten this information, anyway. So my not giving it to you is not going to change a thing."

     " This has to be the most convoluted piece of logic I have ever heard!!!" he snapped.

     " give me time!!" she snapped right back. " i can get much more convoluted than that."

     They glared at each other for an endless minute. then Geet sighed. " You are not going to budge on this, are you?"

     " Me, neither." A tiny frown puckered her brow. " it's been such a fun evening. I'd rather not spoil it with a fight. Do you suppose we could table this discussion another time?"

     He stilled and she wondered what she had said to cause such an interesting reaction. And then she realized. ' Another time' meant another time. It suggested that they see each other again.

     Before she could back track, he reached out and snagged her around the waist, tucking her securely against him. " An excellent suggestion. Now why don't we go wish everyone a pleasant evening. I am sure they will understand if we cut out early. After all we are newly-weds."

     " Newly engaged,"she corrected, then sighed." What am I saying?"

     She stared at him intruiged. " How?"

     A hot glow lit his eyes, the green growing positively incandescent. " Like this..."

PRECAP: Kiss??? or no kiss??? Let's leave it to them...😉

Hope you guys like it... next update will only be after 5 pages of comments... hope to get my quota of comments soon...😊