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3. Pragya

The "Welcome Back" party thrown by Abhi's producers lasted until almost two in the morning. Pragya had tried to leave at 11 with Taiji and Swarni Daasi, but Daadi had insisted that she needed to stay until Abhi was ready to leave. Ultimately it turned out that the rest of the family stayed until the end of the party, and Daadi invited Pragya's family to come home with them for the night.

As they walked into the mansion, Pragya was thinking ahead to how she would instruct Robin to set up the guest rooms. She realized with a pang that she would have to go back to Abhi's bedroom for the night, since all the other rooms would be taken. Unless maybe she could convince Bulbul that they should stay up all night chatting in her room? But no, Bulbul would ask annoying questions - she'd managed to evade the inquisition at the party, but if Bulbul got her alone there would be no escaping.

Then Pragya thought that maybe she could say she wanted to sleep beside her Maa, for emotional comfort after her kidnapping ordeal. Even Daadi wouldn't object to that.

But before she could speak up about this plan, Indu Daasi started herding her towards Abhi.

"Beta, I know you're going to say you are tired, but I also know that the night is young! So why don't you and Abhi go and get started on what we talked about earlier, hmm?" Indu Daasi teased as she pulled Pragya to stand beside Abhi.

Pragya felt her face burning with a blush of embarrassment, and she stared at the floor so that she wouldn't have to look at Abhi. Pragya loved Indu Daasi but when she made comments like this...

"Indu!" Daadi scolded, but she was laughing so it was obvious the reprimand wasn't serious. "Don't bother my children. I know they'll give us good news when it's time."

"But sometimes they need a hint. And maybe a drop of cough syrup, what do you say Abhi beta?" Pragya's Daadi lifted her purse and winked at Abhi.

Pragya was too busy wanting to melt into the floor to notice if or how Abhi responded.

"Beeji!" Sarla gasped.

But in the next moment, everyone was laughing again.

Everyone except Pragya and Abhi.

"Arre, are you two still standing here!" Indu Daasi said, clucking her tongue. "Go now, and don't forget to close your door."

The family fell into another round of laughter, and Pragya decided that she couldn't take anymore. She started to head up the stairs. When Abhi followed immediately after her, she didn't even try to avoid him.

They walked to their room in silence. Pragya entered first, and made her way to the closet in distracted agitation. Then she realized that Abhi would need much less time to change, so he should get the closet first. She turned to head for the vanity - and bumped into Abhi.

"Easy, Fuggi," Abhi said, catching her by the shoulders to steady her.

Pragya's head snapped up in amazement. The surprise of him calling her Fuggi kept her silent, but she couldn't help staring at him, wondering what was going through his mind.

But he did not meet her gaze. Instead, he frowned and slowly slid his hands from her shoulders to her elbows, his eyes locked on...her chest?

Pragya felt her pulse jump at the idea that he might be...might be...But no, the idea was absurd. Abhi and ogling her? Not in this lifetime.

"Where did you get this stupid sari?" he demanded gruffly.

Instantly irritated by his tone, Pragya snapped back, "Excuse me? How can a sari be stupid? What's wrong with it?"

"It's completely see through, that's what's wrong with it." He turned her around suddenly, his hand firm on her waist.

He lifted her hair over one shoulder and started to trace along the edge of her blouse. "And this blouse is missing the back entirely. It's a good thing you didn't have your hair up, or I'd have had to follow you around all night like that other time."

His fingertip was barely making contact with her back, and yet Pragya still found that his touch made her shiver. What on Earth was he doing? He'd avoided her all day, ignored her all night, and now -

She almost jumped as she felt his lips on her skin, softly pressing a kiss on the back of her neck. His hand on her waist slid forward, his warm palm branding her bare stomach.

For one exquisite moment, he held her in what was undeniably a lover's embrace.

"Go take this off before I start something we can't finish," he whispered, his mouth just brushing against her ear. Then he let her go and stepped away.

She stood frozen in shock. He'd made chaos of her mind and a riot of her hormones. For a moment she felt like she couldn't see anything but blinding lights in front of her. When her thoughts settled enough that her vision cleared, she turned to face him.