Prabhas heaved a sigh of contentment gazing at his lady-love, as the twilight traced her gorgeous facial features. She seemed at peace, without any worries, and laid back unlike the past few days.
"For just the two of us?"
"Why would I voluntarily invite disturbance?" Prabhas swiftly held the flabbergasted actress' waist, lovingly drawing patterns on her cheek and shoulder with his pointy nose.
He had secretly rented a lavish villa adjoining a magnanimous private beach on a secluded Italian coastal town. Following his birthday on the sets of his movie he wished to stay back, of course guarded by his security and personal staff, to celebrate another special day. Anushka was mindblown witnessing the place they would spend their week at, though they arrived in the late hours of midnight wrapping up the shoot.
Pulling her closer to his bare chest, he gently cradled her while cocooning themselves comfortably in soft, silk sheets for some time until it was nearly the break of dawn.
"Pupsu, aren't you asleep?" she mumbled snuggling into the crook of his neck.
"Mhmm. I was watching my Sleeping Beauty." He sensed her smile creeping up against his skin. "Now wake up. There's something we've gotta see."
"Mmmm"
"You wouldn't regret it, Sweetu. Hurry."
She groaned lethargically slipping into a knee-length, cotton night-gown and switched off the lights and air conditioner.
"I'm sure you'll need this," he said wrapping a woolen shawl around her.
"But you're in your shorts and vest."
"You can keep me warm," he winked at her before padding to the villa's sandy porch.
"Oh my goodness!" Sweety exclaimed in awe of the mind-boggling landscape in front of her.
The Horizon was a pale shade of violet, above which the fluffy clouds, as white as pearl, spread across splashes of pink and orange hues reflecting on the vast waters of the tantalizing Mediterranean Sea.
A paradise or a dream, it was beyond all their whole imagination.
Prabhas entwined his fingers with Sweety's walking to the seafront barefoot without averting his sight from the mesmerising beauty, his beloved. The Sun started to rise colouring the sky with tinges of tangerine and yellow turning the water under their feet warmer and soothing. The sound of gushing waves, rustling leaves, and chirping birds engulfed the situation until Anushka felt Prabhas' finger tips against her temple pushing tendrils of her messy hair behind her ear. The couple decided to take a romantic stroll across the shore discussing their love for nature. Sweety stepped on the footprints Darling left behind, like a kid. The child inside her emerged oh-so-quickly in his presence and he was proud of the fact that he could bring out every aspect of her personality.
"I can't express in words how tremendous I feel being like this with you, in our favorite holiday spot, no one to monitor us, no clock to chase, no cameras around," she deeply inhaled the sea-scent as if she was breathing in an entirety of the whole happening.
Prabhas only smiled tugging her into his arms as they settled on the ground. "What do you want for your birthday, bangaram?"
"This is already more than anything I need. I don't remember the last time we spent exclusively together on our birthdays," she pressed her lips on his for a while and drew back staring into his eyes that carried so much affection and care.
His nose rubbed against her supple cheeks as he smothered feathery kisses on her jaw. She smacked his hand which cheekily fondled her feminine assets while trying to shed the garment on her shoulder.
"Enti? Do you think I rented a secluded beach to build sandcastles?"
She giggled allowing him to have it his way. "At this rate, we will have children of our own building sandcastles before we leave."
"Hmm, if only.."
The ocean waves that lapped against their feet soon reached their knees soaking the woolen cloth underneath them. But who paid heed? The lovers were lost in a world of passion, kissing their stress away. She ardently caressed his chiseled, bare back that shielded her eyes from the sun now shining brightly. After what seemed like an eternity Prabhas dropped his head on her bosom, the external heat adding to his fatigue, as she ran her fingers between his sweaty, touseled hair strands.
"It's getting too hot, Pupsu."
"Tell me about it," his voice hinted at sarcasm earning yet another whack on his shoulder. He laughed heartily winding his arms around her. The duo basked in the shore yapping away endlessly. Their conversations were always so.
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Sweety was occupied with instructing the housekeeping personnel after a delicious Italian meal early that evening. Her beau was fortunate enough to catch some rest in the meantime. She shook her head seeing him sprawled over his stomach covering the entire king-size bed while wrapped in a wet towel post-shower, steam still escaping from the powder room.
"Put some clothes on. Lazy bum!" she chided spanking him.
"Come on, I wasn't that bad. Had to carry you inside myself after everything," he naughtily smirked with one eye open.
"You're all ears now? I heard snores just a couple of minutes ago," she scooted beside him drawing the comforter up her legs.
He distracted her while scrolling through the phone until she came across a video that churned her insides. A small byte of Prabhas cutting his birthday cake amidst his film crew and producers which had practically become viral on social media. One reason being the global star's presence in it, but their mutual fans circulated the bit where a woman's giggles were heard from the background labelling it as Anushka Shetty's voice. She glanced through the comments section where the internet was going gaga over the rumour of Sweety spending her holidays with Prabhas in Italy on his birthday.
"Pupsu!" she pushed the device in front of him, visibly alarmed. "Who posted this?"
"This probably must be a new team member," he shot up adjusting his towel. "Don't worry, I'll make sure nothing else reaches the internet."
He immediately rang up Pramod asking him to pass a strict warning to the staff.
"Relax Sweetu. It's only your voice. Pramod will take care of this," he consoled placing the electronic item on the nightstand. "Let's hit the sack for a few hours."
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"I wanna live here forever." Anushka commented adding a few drops of cedar wood-lavender oil to the diffuser in the living area.
It was their last night together in the villa that found a huge space in both their hearts.
"Me too," he smiled adding, "Should I purchase this for you?"
"Are you going to buy residences at every part of the world now after one in Los Angeles?" she plopped onto his lap.
"If you say so," he teasingly pinched her waist making her squirm.
"By the way, did you share the pictures of the house sent by the broker with amma?"
"Not yet. Here, share them with both mine and yours."
They chose to watch the Telugu movie Geetanjali, one of their favorites, before retiring to bed. Her birthday would approach in a few hours. Halfway through the film, the doorbell rang.
"I'll get it," Prabhas volunteered. He sneaked back into the house leaving the door open and settled next to her.
"Who was it?"
"Err..Housekeeping."
"So late in the night?"
"That.. umm.."
Sweety jumped out of her skin hearing something pop loudly right behind her ears. She embraced Prabhas who began to chuckle eventually followed by many more. Lights turned on revealing an enthusiastic gang of men including Pramod, Vamsi, Vikky, Sreenu, Bhaski, Lakshman, and Ravinder. They had gathered to surprise their most special actress in person on her birthday and Prabhas was a part of the prank they'd set up.
He rubbed her arm in an attempt to calm her down, "Happy Birthday Bangaram!"
Letting out a breath of relief, she welcomed everyone and joined the spree of cacophony. A large cake with swords, a bow and arrow, reading Happy Birthday Queen (Vadhinamma) ;) was laid on the table. Prabhas scrunched his nose noticing Anushka with an amused grin on her face. The guys pushed him who had stood by the TV at a distance, next to the birthday gal. They sang and cheered for her as they lit the sparkler and cut the cake. After feeding each other and smearing icing on one another's faces, they demanded Prabhas to wish his beloved with a kiss.
"Hey, don't be ridiculous!" Prabhas nervously pressed his nose shaking his head.
"Come on ra, can't do this much? We're not asking for anything else, just a kiss," his friend teased.
"Ah mari inkemem adgalani vaccharu ippudu?" Prabhas threw a bewildered look folding his hands into a namaste, "Baboi, meeko dandam ayya."
Anushka enjoyed the banter between the boys seated on a couch. They succeeded at convincing their hero to oblige. Prabhas walked over to her and quickly pecked her cheek earning boos from their audience. Sweety giggled at the hullabaloo being created and stood up.
"Oh, come on Pupsu," she smiled cupping his cheeks.
"Wooo, Sweety!"
Prabhas brushed the fringes off her facade and smooched her lips. The claps and whistles made both their faces and ears turn crimson. He side-hugged her and smiled at his friends.
After chatting over some snacks and drinks, the guests dispersed receiving words of gratitude from Anushka for their notorious yet humble gesture.
Pramod wiggled his brows nudging his cousin sighting something on the floor.
"Hero garu seems to be full-on swing. Nee siggu thagaleya, rey!"
It was an empty packet of men's essentials urgently disposed onto the ground once utilized. Prabhas shyly punched the producer's chest maintaining a baby expression. Pramod playfully kicked his back eyeing Anushka.
"Mamulodu kadu eedu."
Oblivious to the reason behind their raillery, she nodded in agreement. Prabhas slapped his forehead as Pramod exited laughing hysterically.
"What happened?" Sweety casually questioned locking the doors.
Prabhas shrugged innocently pointing at the pack lying by the entrance of their room and scurried away sensing her nostrils flare in anger.
"Ammadiyamma, Ranga nuv jump-u ra."
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Movie Promotions, 2019
"If there really is something between us, we can't hide for two years. It's humanly not possible. We would have gone to Italy.. beach.. or somewhere and would have happily roamed."
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