Episode 5

A phone rang. Once and then again, demanding attention. They jumped apart staring at one other, shocked. Aaryan looked at the phone ringing in Neha’s hand. “Guess you should answer that,” he said, before walking away. “Hello,” Nehaanswered in an unsteady voice. “Neha, we’re outside,” Raashi chirped. “Ya, um, yes, um,” Nehamumbled. God! Her mind had blanked out. “Neha, are you alright?” Raashi asked, sounding worried. “I’m fine. I’m coming in a minute. Just have to say my good byes.” “OK we’re waiting,” Raashi hung up. What had just happened? Nehawas too stunned. She had not only let Aaryan kiss her, but she had kissed him back with a passion completely unlike her. She had very little experience with men, staying away from any sort of physical or emotional entanglement with them, using her mother as an example of a broken heart. But today she hadn’t thought twice when she had reacted to Aaryan. This was a big mistake. One she was surely going to regret. She returned to the party and excused herself on the pretext of being jet lagged and needing more sleep. She went to Janak, who was standing with Aaryan. “Where were you Neha?” Janak asked. “I had to send Aaryan to look for you.” “Well he found me,” Nehasaid, stealing a glance at Aaryan, who gave her a murderous look. Well he could be as angry as he wanted. She was equally angry with him. “You OK? You look exhausted,” Janak told her, looking at her flushed face. “Tired, need to sleep, that’s all,” she replied. Ignoring Aaryan staring at her, she spoke to Janak. “Uh, Janak, could I have a word with you?” Before he could reply she took his arm and steered him towards the exit where Sheena and Raashi were waiting for her. “What’s up Neha?” Janak asked. “Sheena and Raashi are waiting out for me and we’re going out to celebrate tonight.” “So, Sheena announced her news to you two,” Janak commented, smiling at her. “I’m so thrilled. Can you believe, Janak, one of us is actually going to get married?” “Yes dear, I want to see Raashi and you also as happy as Sheena and soon. I’m getting old now and I want to see you happily married before…” “Stop it Janak,” Nehainterrupted, “you have years to live and as for me, I doubt I’ll ever be as lucky as Sheena.” Janak halted and faced her. He raised her chin with his hand and met her eyes. “Neha, you cannot forever live in fear that what happened to your mother will be repeated with you some day. You have to give love a chance and learn to trust again. And besides I’m sure there is a guy out there just waiting to sweep you off your feet,” he told her in a warm voice. Nehagave him a smile. Janak put his arm around her and squeezed her shoulders. Aaryan clenched his jaw. He was furious to see Nehaand his grandfather together. It irked him to see them so comfortable with one another. But more than that Aaryan was angry with himself. He couldn’t believe that he had acted so impulsively with Neha. Bloody hell! She was involved with his grandfather. Besides, how could he possibly be attracted to her? He just wasn’t! But his body reminded him otherwise. He was still trying to control his body’s intense and immediate reaction to her, when she had pressed herself against him and wildly kissed him back. He normally dated stunningly beautiful and sophisticated women looking for a good time and that’s only ever what he promised them. Nehawas nothing like them. She was good looking, but not in the drop dead way that he preferred his women. So what in the world was he thinking when he had kissed her? She was dangerous. He had to be more careful where she was concerned. In just two encounters he was reacting to her like a schoolboy on his first crush. He couldn’t and wouldn’t fall into the same web she had woven around his grandfather. His mind made up, Aaryan headed in the same direction Nehahad taken his grandfather.

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