One Day At A Time

Chapter 45 -Pie In the Sky

As he stepped out of the shower, his blood was humming with mad exhilaration thinking of meeting the woman he had waited for and dreamt about for what seemed like ages. Khush. Like a miracle he hadn't even hoped for, she was back in his life after all the confusion and misunderstanding that had been driving both of them crazy in the last few days. And when she had told him she still loved him, he had been left stunned, unable to react at all.

Snippets of the conversation with her in the early hours of the morning kept running in his mind in a loop, and a tantalising image of dense black lashes, freshly scrubbed skin without a hint of makeup, wet, tangled hair and a quivering mouth screened his gaze. And just like that, a flood of undisciplined hormones in his blood started smashing his self-control to pieces. Closing his eyes, he begged his body to stay in control. Wait...wait some more... he said to himself and smiled. Setting his entire being on fire and leaving him burning for her like a flame, the woman who had driven him over the edge of sanity was right now sleeping like a princess in her bed, unaware of the power she had always wielded over him. She had no clue what she could do to him. Absolutely no clue.

The thought of spending an entire day with her away from home began to sizzle in his veins. Wrapped in a black towel about his waist, he gripped the basin and stared at his reflection in the mirror. Stay calm, he said, but his reflection frowned. He covered his face with shaving foam and picked up a razor. Then he put it down. He'd shave later when his hand was steadier, he told himself with a smile.

He stepped out of the bathroom and changed into a pair of light blue denim and a navy blue knitted polo shirt. Opening his cupboard drawer, he pulled out a small Tiffany blue velvet pouch with a drawstring and placed it in his pocket. Finally... his heart sighed and did a flip inside his chest.

How on earth were they going to spend time together in Pune in the middle of the wedding and family chaos, he wondered. An impending short trip with his family and another one with Naaz because he had promised to be with her when she met her family loomed over his head. A frown bunched his forehead. There was only one way now. He would have to ask Khushi to accompany him everywhere. Which meant he would have to inform Naaz right now about the change in plan.

*****

He strode down the garden towards the swimming pool room, and his lips broke into a warm smile the moment he spotted the woman who had travelled a long distance to end the gap between her families. She was seated at the only table by the pool, stirring her coffee, seemingly too preoccupied to notice his arrival. The mobile phone next to her cup buzzed to life, and she took the call immediately.

"Arnav will be with you in the first week of January, Martin. For fuck sake, keep it sane until then." Her smoothly accented voice drawled lazily. "Give the man a break and sleep. It's past midnight for you!"

He stood in front of her waiting for her to finish the call, and shook his head when she started furiously texting something on the phone. Naaz Wadia. The workaholic. No other adjective crossed his mind when he thought about her. And that again was another common thread between them on which they bonded and understood each other too well.

"I had asked you to rest in Kabir's bedroom. He is out with his girlfriend for an early morning spin and won't be back for long. Why are you sitting here of all places?" He frowned as he pulled a chair in front of her.

"The phone has been buzzing all the time. I didn't want to wake anybody up."

"Everything okay?"

"It's Papa's family and some friends from America."

He nodded and smiled. "Good to know the Chaebol is still buoyant and hasn't filed for bankruptcy yet, Naaz! Were you speaking to Martin? Damn, I was supposed to call him yesterday night."