Sidharth kept his eyes on the top of the antique wooden bed when he asked the question. He did not look at Shehnaaz.
He waited for Shehnaaz’s reply, but it never came.
He turned to look at her—and discovered she had actually fallen asleep.
Sidharth looked at her for a long moment. He leaned over and kissed her on the forehead.
He could almost feel a spark of electricity shoot through him when his warm lips pressed against her fair skin.
Sidharth let his lips linger for a moment, before slowly moving away. He touched Shehnaaz’s face. When he stood up, there was a pained, conflicted expression on his face.
To a young, innocent girl like Shehnaaz, love was a simple matter: you either liked someone, or not.
But it took much more than that to build a relationship.
Sidharth adjusted his collar. He opened the door and went out of the resting room.
Outside the door, Vidyut and the others had already returned, and were in the middle of a passionate karaoke session.
Sidharth walked to the sofa and sat down. Raghav hurried over to chat with him. “Sid, quick question: are you a close friend of Neha Gill, the billionaire lady from Barbados?”
“No,” Sidharth answered bluntly. “Why do you ask?”
“She’s going to be moving her assets over to our country, isn’t she? She’ll be investing heavily in a few areas. I have this project with Vidyut and Kushal, actually, and Neha’s representatives have already come over to check it out. They like it, and want to invest in it. However, none of us actually know her, so we thought of asking you—we heard you got her out of a jam a while ago,” Raghav said
in a long breath, before adding, “but don’t feel pressured. We’re not trying to get you to pull a few strings for us, or anything like that. Business is business. We just want to know if she’s legit—it would be so embarrassing for all of us if she turns out to be some kind of scammer.”
“Oh.” Sidharth nodded. “She’s not a scammer. The Barbados Gill family is extremely wealthy, rich enough to call the shots in their country. You have to keep in mind that Barbados is a small country, though, so their influence isn’t actually as impressive as it sounds.”
Kushal and Vidyut overheard them talking about business matters, and walked over to join the conversation.
Asim sat nearby, but did not say a word.
When they had finished discussing business, Asim wiped his face and said to Sidharth: “Sid, do you know what happened to my Second Uncle?”
“No. Why, what’s wrong?” Sidharth replied without missing a beat. His act was so convincing it would have fooled even Rohit—had Rohit seen him now, he would have wondered whether he had hallucinated his mission with Sidharth.
Asim said with a pained expression: “It’s just that a few of my family think that his body should be allowed to return to the country. Second Uncle made a huge mistake, don’t get me wrong, but he’s dead now… surely he can be laid to rest in the family burial plot. It pains me to think that his spirit is now drifting aimlessly in foreign lands, never to be reunited with the rest of his family.”
Sidharth’s eyes narrowed and gleamed imperceptibly. He lowered his eyes and shook his head as he rhythmically tapped a finger upon his thigh. “No use telling me about it. You should be asking the main branch of the Reddy family for mercy since they’re the ones calling the shots.”
He was referring to Reva’s family.
They were vehemently opposed to the idea of collecting Abhay’s remains.
Asim knew that was the end of the matter. He shrugged helplessly. “Oh well. Second Uncle went too far. He crossed the line, so I guess it serves him right. Anyway, I’ve done my bit—I can go back to my family with a clear conscience now.”
Sidharth smiled in reply. He turned to Vidyut to ask about their project.
The men were soon engrossed in their discussion, and lost track of time.
Shehnaaz woke up and discovered that it was already past four o’clock in the afternoon. She was still feeling light- headed; her nap had not actually helped with her hangover. She was still lying on the bed when she heard the door open. It was Sidharth.
“Oh, you’re already awake? Go eat your dinner, they’ve prepared it for you outside.” Sidharth stood before the bed and looked down at her.
Shehnaaz blinked blearily. She tried to remember what she had said and done before falling asleep, but her brain was a pile of mush. Nothing seemed to make sense.
“All right, stop shaking your head, I get it. We’ll go home once you’ve had your dinner.” Sidharth reached out and pulled her by the hand.
She tumbled forward, right into Sidharth’s arms.
Sidharth did not know how to react—something seemed off with Shehnaaz.
Shehnaaz smiled. She slid her arms around Sidharth’s waist and hugged him. In the next second, she had already released him, and was making her way towards the door with a hand against the wall. She was unsteady on her feet, but it did not look like she was in danger of tripping and falling on her face.
She exited the resting room, and saw there were now two tables outside.
The men would be dining at one table, the women at another; this separation was necessary because they wouldbe eating traditional herbal dishes tailored to the needs of their respective sex.
Shehnaaz sat at the table and began eating her dinner with Mrs. Tandon, Diksha and Richa. The three older women were drinking red wine.
“Sana, this is a Lafite from ’82. It’s pretty good.” Richa poured a small glass of wine for Shehnaaz. “It’s sweet, I like it.”
Shehnaaz had been drinking wine, a white liquor, earlier in the
afternoon. They were now offering her red wine; she wanted
to refuse the drink, but Mrs. Tandon and Diksha were watching her eagerly. The men, on the other hand, were deep in conversation among themselves; she did not have Sidharth to help her this time. Shehnaaz steeled
herself, and downed the glass.
Shortly after, it became evident that the white liquor was still in her system—now mixed disastrously with the red wine.
Sidharth eventually realized what was happening and came over to stop her from drinking any more wine, but she was already hopelessly drunk by then.
Mrs. Tandon and Diksha were extremely embarrassed. “It’s our fault, we didn’t know Little Gill wasn’t used to drinking.”
Richa, who had been enthusiastically plying Shehnaaz with wine, shrank in her seat, too mortified to say anything.
“It’s not how much she drank, but what she’s been drinking. She’s had white liquor and red wine, and the high-quality stuff at that—not even the best drinker would be able to stay on his feet after drinking those.” Vidyut sighed, and called for a waiter to order a traditional hangover soup for Shehnaaz.
Sidharth checked the time: it was almost six o’clock.
He held Shehnaaz in his arms and said, “Don’t worry about it. I’ll take her home. It’s been a long day, anyway.”
It had been supposed to be a simple shopping trip to buy gifts for his mother, Rita. Before they knew it, it was already dark out.
Sidharth had been drinking, and could not get behind the wheel in his condition. He was forced to call Harsh and have him pick them up from the Scion Square parking lot.
Shehnaaz was completely out of it.
She did not remember getting in the car, or how she got home. The only thing she remembered was how there had been a cozy warmth for her to nestle into whenever there was a cool evening wind making its way into the car.
Her thoughts, previously interrupted and scattered by her
impromptu afternoon nap, suddenly fell into place again.
In her drunken stupor, Shehnaaz remembered her unfinished conversation with Sidharth.
Sidharth put an arm around her shoulder and guided her into their suite on the first floor.
Shehnaaz clung to his arm and said drunkenly, “Sidharth, you want to know who I like, don’t you? You were asking about it, I remember…”
Sidharth did not reply. He hurriedly led her into his room.
Shehnaaz’s restless fingers reached for his cheek, before sliding towards his lips. She traced his lips with her fingers as she whispered dreamily, “It’s you, you’re the one I love. Uncle Sid… Sidharth… Bebu…”
As soon as she finished saying his name, Sidharth kicked the door shut and pinned her arms above her with one hand. His other hand slid into her hair. He pushed her
into the wall and kissed her passionately on her pouty lips,
over and over again.
Shehnaaz’s attempt at seduction had been laughably juvenile; for him, however, it had been the most difficult test in his life. The moment she called him by his first name, she had become the most powerful weapon in the world. She had shattered all of his defenses.
Sidharth had lost control and was now hungrily devouring Shehnaaz’s lips. He pressed his mouth forcefully against hers, licking and kissing her lips. The tip of his tongue pried open her fragrant mouth and slipped boldy inside it, stealing her breath away.
His lips and tongue attacked her. He kissed her thoroughly, inside and out, but it was still not enough for him. He began to suck and nibble on her lips, the tip of her tongue—he latched onto them and did not let go.
Shehnaaz had been completely awake and alert the moment Sidharth leaned in to kiss her. She had been pushed up against the wall, her hands above her in a strained position, and was now passively receiving his kisses.
She trembled from head to toe. She was no longer in control of her body or mind.
She could not believe this was really happening. Was she dreaming? Everything was possible in a dream—it would
explain why Sidharth was now kissing her so furiously, the way she had secretly fantasized every night. But this was even better. It exceeded her wildest dreams.
Everything was perfect.
He’s kissing me!
He’s kissing me!
He’s actually kissing me!
Shehnaaz’s entire body shivered violently, from head to toe.
She tried to respond. She wanted to feel him; she wanted to know whether this was real, or just a dream.
But Sidharth held her captive. She could not move. He had complete control over her. Her breath, her lips, and her tongue belonged to him now. The tip of his tongue slipped in and out of her mouth, stirring waves of aching numbness.
But she did not feel smothered, nor that she was she in pain. She wanted only to submit to his unbreakable shackles, to be imprisoned by his love. She was willing to be his prisoner, now and forever.
Sidharth’s lips tasted like sweet wine. There was also the scent of cigarettes from his fingers, as they held her face up to his.
Oddly enough, these scents were not at all unpleasant when mixed together. They came together to form a cocktail of indescribable masculinity, one that Shehnaaz found to be extremely appealing. It made her think of smoke over a vast desert, of river sunsets; she imagined him to be a general
on horseback, dressed in ceremonial attire: a bow in his
hand, a wine pouch hanging from his waist, and his quarry slung across his horse.
Shehnaaz’s legs were turning to jelly; she could no longer support herself on them. She wrapped her legs around him, like vines clinging to a sturdy tree. She would have collapsed onto the floor by now, had Sidharth not pinned her wrists up high on the wall with his powerful hand.
After a while, Shehnaaz’s arms began to ache.
She mewled plaintively and began to struggle.
Sidharth finally ceased his violent flurry of kisses. He released her lips and arms. He lowered his head, buried it into her neck, and gradually recovered from his labored
breathing.
Shehnaaz couldn’t help getting excited when she felt Sidharth’s hot breath lingering around her neck. Shakily reaching out with her arm, she gently reached under his arms to encircle his broad back. This position enabled her to nestle her entire body into his his warm embrace.
Sidharth didn’t make a sound as his heavy panting gradually ceased. He remained motionless as he leaned forward to rest his head on Shehnaaz’s shoulder. One centimeter closer and he would be able to touch her soft
and slender neck, but he stopped himself.
Shehnaaz hugged Sidharth with satisfaction. He was so tall and muscular that he could cover her entire body with his, but she still couldn’t help stretching out her arms to feel and touch the only man in her heart, to the fullest
extent. Sidharth braced his hands against the wall in attempt to keep his distance from Shehnaaz’s body.
However, Shehnaaz was completely immersed in the ecstasy of lust for her loved one and didn’t even notice Sidharth silently moving away from her. She acted on instinct and gently brushed her soft lips against his
earlobes. Her petal like lips felt luscious against one of the most sensitive places on the human body. Sidharth was caught off guard as an overwhelming numbness began spreading from his earlobes, nearly destroying his newly erected defences.
“Sana…” Sidharth called her, his voice raspy and strained. Shehnaaz’s heart throbbed and she didn’t hesitate to part her red lips to suck on Sidharth’s earlobe. A low growl sounded deep inside his throat and his member felt so swollen it could explode in an instant. The hands braced against the wall curled into fists as he used all his self-control and restraint that had been cultivated from years of military training to prevent himself from taking a step he wouldn’t be able to take back.
Shehnaaz didn’t seem to understand the devastating effect
of her action on Sidharth—or perhaps she knew and didn’t care. At a time like this, she only wanted to do what she wanted to do, with the person she loved. She wanted him to be happy and make herself happy too. She wanted to experience this joy and light the fire he had set on her body —she wanted to ignite the same passion in him too. She had to let him know that she was all grown up.
Shehnaaz began sucking on Sidharth’s earlobe with more intensity and Sidharth had to take several deep breaths before he could take her jaw and force her to let go of his ear. Shehnaaz impatiently turned her head away to avoid his fingers. Sidharth took the chance to stand
up straight and rescue his ears from her. However, he hadn’t expected her to latch on again. She stood on the tips of her toes and inclined her head, eyes shut and red lips puckered as she leaned towards Sidharth’s face. But Sidharth was too tall and she could only reach his chin on her tiptoes.
“Lower you head, Bebu,” Shehnaaz begged tenderly, so Sidharth sighed and bent over to deliver his lips to her.
Shehnaaz giggled and caressed her fingers on his lips for a long time before gently pressing her lips to his and speaking right to them. Her voice was muffled. “You’re such a hard person, but your lips are pretty soft.”
Sidharth didn’t want to acknowledge her mindless
whispering and stealthily moved his, indeed, hard body part away by taking another step back.
Shehnaaz carefully kissed him twice before gently pressing her lips tightly against Sidharth’s. Taking cue from him, she extended her pink, soft tongue to circle around his lips. Sidharth
kept his eyes closed, arms weak as he hugged Shehnaaz.
Helpless against her playful kisses, he took control and gently pecked her lips, then up to her delicate nose and finally feathered his lips against her forehead. It was a restrained action and seemed like a goodnight kiss.
Shehnaaz’s hammering heart slowed down with his soft kisses. She looked up to watch Sidharth’s impassive face, her eyes full of hope.
Sidharth released her from his arms and managed in a raspy voice, “Go shower; don’t sleep too late.”
“Huh?” Shehnaaz hadn’t expected him to make her go to bed early after such a passionate makeout session.
Sidharth ignored her and turned and left the main bedroom to go shower in the other bathroom. In the Indian capital, the cold water was icy during the winter even with central air conditioning.
However, Sidharth had no choice but to take a cold shower to calm his scorching body. After he finished, he wore his black T-shirt and pajama pants to sit on the window sill of the bay window in the bedroom. Opening the window a crack, he lit a cigarette and silently smoked. Just now, he had actually lost control to his urges and now felt more vigilant than ever. Perhaps he had underestimated Shehnaaz’s influence on him. His thick eyelashes were like fans over his eyes, as he looked down, a cigarette between his fingers as he gently blew out a white ring of smoke. Casting his eyes up at the dark night sky and falling snow, his heart had already hardened once again.
…
Shehnaaz had showered and changed into the black T-shirt
from Sidharth. The long sleep shirt covered half her thigh and her exposed skin appeared even more fair against the dark fabric. She sat in front of the dressing table with a head of wet hair for a while, before taking out the hairdryer to dry it halfway and then going to bed. She glanced at the clock to see it was only eight in the evening—she wasn’t sleepy at all and couldn’t even think of sleeping. Stroking her almost swollen lips, Shehnaaz reminisced about the earlier kiss. Her heart was nervous and couldn’t calm down.
Sometimes she felt unbelievably lucky and unbelievably happy, while other times she thought the happiness came too suddenly. It made her dizzy and afraid to believe it to be true. But no matter whether or not she believed it, Sidharth had truly kissed her. It hadn’t been a dream.
Thinking about the passionate kiss, Shehnaaz’s heart grew hot. She moved aside the blankets to get off the beside and walked around the room in circles before deciding to look for Sidharth. When Shehnaaz arrived at the his bedroom door, she knocked gently. No light was shining from the crack under the door, so she wasn’t sure if he was even inside. No one answered from inside the room. She knocked for a long time, but got no response. She made up her mind and pushed it gently—surprisingly it wasn’t locked.
The room was very dark, but not enough that she was blinded. She pushed opened the door to find Sidharth sitting on the window sill of the bay window across from
where she stood. He held a cigarette, his long legs resting
on the window sill. One leg was bent and the other lay straight as he lazily leaned against a large pillow.
Shehnaaz opened her mouth and wanted to call him “Bebu,” but suddenly felt abashed when the words were at the tip of her tongue. It was a normal name, but Shehnaaz saw it as a little secret between lovers because of
their earlier actions. She didn’t want to share this with anyone else, nor did she want to say this name in front of others. She collected her wits and slowly walked over. “Sidharth, you couldn’t sleep either?”
Sidharth was like a statue as he held his cigarette and watched Shehnaaz approach slowly. Turning his head, he stubbed the cigarette in the ashtray and closed the window. He dryly remarked, “You’re finished showering?”
“Yeah.” Shehnaaz walked to the window sill of the bay window and sat diagonally on the other side to face him. Too afraid to look up, she dragged a large pillow to her chest and mustered the courage to ask, “Sidharth, I…I had spoken the words from my heart earlier. Do you have anything you want to say to me?”
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I hope you enjoy reading it.
Love you all ❤️.