When Pallavi went down to the kitchen to start on breakfast, Keerthi immediately jumped on her good mood.
"Pallavi Di, kya hua? Aap kal se zyaada aaj khush lag rahe hain?" Keerthi asked her, following her into the kitchen.
Pallavi blushed, "Keerthi, you're too much like your brother, you know. Always poking your nose into things where they don't belong. Nothing has happened, I'm perfectly fine."
Keerthi smiled, "Oh I can tell you're fine, I'm wondering why you're looking so fine today? Almost like you're glowing..."
Pallavi smiled but didn't say anything.
"Should I ask Anna, why his Saree ka Dukaan is so happy today?" Keerthi raised an eyebrow, she saw from the door that Raghav was coming downstairs and heading to the dining room.
"No!" Pallavi almost dropped the pot she was using to make coffee, "I mean...no, Keerthi, why bother your brother, I told you it's nothing. I'm just very happy with some designs I was working on last night."
Raghav walked in, grinning, "Keerthi, you should have seen Pallavi last night, working so hard like these sarees were going to be the only sarees sold in Hyderabad." He glanced at Pallavi, who told him with her eyes to stop, but he wasn't about to listen, "In fact, I don't think she slept that well last night, she woke up very sore. She was also making so much noise, I could barely sleep."
"Keerthi, aisa kuch nahief hai, tera bhai na, usko jhoot bolne main maza ataca hai." Pallavi glared at Raghav, but then blushed when he winked.
Keerthi smiled, knowing she definitely was missing the joke, "Bhai, aap bhi bahut kush lag rahe hai, for someone who didn't sleep well because Pallavi's work kept him up, what's up?"
Raghav stopped grinning at Pallavi, and then looked at Keerthi, clearing his throat, "Nothing, nothing, work just went well yesterday, that's all."
Keerthi laughed, "It sounds like you two are getting a lot of work done these days..." she left the kitchen laughing.
As soon as Keerthi was out of earshot, Raghav walked behind Pallavi and put his arms around her, and kissed her cheek.
"Raghav, chodo mujhe, Keerthi phir se aajaegi." Pallavi pushed Raghav back, but only half-heartedly, smiling all the while as she finished making coffee.
"Toh kya hua, she already knows something is up, because you can't stop smiling so much." Raghav grinned and poked the dimple in Pallavi's cheek.
"Me?" Pallavi turned around, pushing Raghav a little further this time, "I'm smiling too much, you're the one who looks like a little boy excited to play with firecrackers on Diwali."
Raghav grinned, "I mean I already had fun with a firecracker last night, so what's wrong with that." He stepped forward and put one arm around Pallavi's waist, his other hand caressed her face and started playing with her hair.
Pallavi laughed, "Itni bhuri lines toh filmon mein bhi nahin aathi!" She took his hand off her waist and turned back to the stove to finish cooking.
"Tum, Raghav Rao, ko flirting sikaogi? Really, Saree ka Dukaan?" Raghav whispered in her ear.
Pallavi smiled, she did love a challenge, "Shaayad mujhe accha sa flirting nahin aathi, par main tumhari bolt band kar sakthi hun, sirf panch second mein." She turned and raised an eyebrow to her husband.
"Challenge accepted, and if you aren't able to seduce me in five seconds, mujhe kya millega?" Raghav asked, torn between wanting to win and lose.
"Kuch bhi." Pallavi said
"Itni confidence? Such lo Mrs. Rao, losing to me isn't fun for anyone." Raghav said.
Pallavi laughed, and then she walked closer to Raghav, putting down the pot in her hand. Raghav met her eyes, and already he could tell that he was a lost man. She smiled, and then with one swift move she let her hair down from the bun she had it in after her shower, and placed a hand on Raghav's chest. She stood on her toes, slowly to meet Raghav's face, and moved to kiss him, her lips millimeters away from Raghav's. Raghav could smell the jasmine in her perfume, he could see every little goosebump on her neck and collarbone, and even without kissing her he could feel the softness of her lips. He closed his eyes, waiting for her kiss."
"And, done. In under five seconds, I think." Pallavi stepped back and laughed as Raghav stood there transfixed, taking a second to realize what had happened.
Raghav stammered, "This is not done, yeh toh cheating hai."
Pallavi laughed, "I don't think so, so I won, mujhe kya doge?"
Raghav came closer to her, "Anything. Everything. But for now, yeh khana chhod do, aur mere saath pure din bithao."
Pallavi sighed, "Mr. Raghav Rao, that seems like I'm giving you something, not the other way around."
"I promise I'll make it worth your while Mrs. Pallavi Raghav Rao."
