"Riya, mere room ke key dho...."
[The manager had told him the room number and pointed to the stairs to him....So he didn't talk to the manager...so he didn't know anything about the whole husband—wife arrangement!!!]
Riya looked at him not knowing what to say or how to explain, fear gripping all over her body and she trembled.....
She gulped in quick successions and just looked at him with fear evident in her eyes....
He stressed her name and repeated again "Riyaaa....aise dekh kya rahe ho?? Maine kaha keys dho.... "
Riya: [gathering up all her strength and hesitantly] sirrr...woh actually, ek hi room tha....
Arjun: [snapping her short] so u took it??? Ab mujhe baahar lobby mein rehna padega?? Teek hai.....[as he tries to leave, Riya calls him back "Arjun sir....aap chaahe toh" he didn't let her complete....]nahi its ok....tum yahi rehlo....
[As he opens the door to leave, the manager is standing outside with a set of bed sheets and a jug of water]
Manager: aap isi keliye aa rahe teh na??? yeh lijiye, main khud hi aagaya...[he enters in].....yahaan ka rules bohat strict hai........iss bhaarish waaali raat mein aap pati patni kahaan jaayenge? [Arjun stops in his track and turns back hearing that] Sirf isiliye room diya tha.....madam ji ne itna request kiya toh dena padaa warna kabhi room nahi milthi............. Aur yeh sab bhi isi wajeh se...[pointing at the services he is doing]....varna itne raat gaye yahaan room service nahi hota......[he places the jug on the table and spreads the sheets and tucks in properly]
[Arjun stares at Riya as if asking for an explanation....her eyes keep pleading that it wasn't intentional and it was all a majhboori........though he understands the entire situation, his glare or rage doesn't lessen a bit........The manager notices the tension.....He is quick to understand that something is brewing]
Manager: waise aap pati patni hi hai na???? haan lagtha toh hai ke nayi nayi shaadi hui hai!!! Honeymoon couple???[he alternates his look but gets back silence from both sides....he assumes it to be their embarrassment or shyness and smiles to himself] Humaare honeymoon suites bhi hai par iss waqt saaare booked hai.....[he starts a free advertising of his hotel...Arjun snaps him short]
Arjun: [getting fed up of his bak bak and in a sarcastic tone] manager sir, aap zara jaldi karenge aur humme akele chodenge plzz???....woh kya hai na? mujhe apni wife se kuch important baat karni hai....so....[gestures him to leave the room.....Riya was shivering now at the thought of being alone with a fuming Arjun....]
Manager: [a little disappointed but still grins at Arjun's desire to get privacy] haan haan....aap hi ka room hai....aur aap hi ka patni bhi.......jitne baat karni hai karlo....main chaltha hoom......
[Arjun doesn't bother to tip him....He closes the door shut soon after and turns back to face Riya....."WHAT THE HELL!" look.....the banging sound of the door was enough to startle her out of her dizzy state....She wasn't sure what was going to happen....Arjun would definitely blast her......]
The banging sound made the manager look back and smirk "bohat jaldi mein hai janaab!! Aur kyu na ho? woh gudi yeh hi itni mast!!! " he added his own two cents to the story and went back to the reception!!
Riya wished that the floor beneath her just opened up and she just plunged inside'.she even thought of jumping from the window'."damn the window had grill doors'" she thought to herself'..
"Ab innke ghusse se, sirf ganapati bappa bajaa sakthe hai!!" she quickly closed her eyes and let out a silent prayer'.
"lagtha hai tumhe meri wife banne ki shauq lagi hai??'pehle uss case ke time pe'.aur ab yeh'"
His voice startled her out of her prayer and she opened her eyes'..She sighed and stood silent for a moment before trying to explain herself stammering for the right words "no sir'..actually, uss manager ne'"
Arjun scowled and snapped her short "tumaare har aise harqat ke peeche zaroor koyi explanation hoti hai Riya jo mujhe bilkul bhi manzoor nahi!! [adding in sarcastic anger not giving her a chance to talk] bohat shauq hai na mere wife banne ki'.lo aaj main dikhaa hi dehtha hoom Arjun Rawte ki wife banna kaisa hota hai'."
By now, he was pacing up and walked towards her'..it looked as if he would swallow her completely'..his fuming self was giving her a real sense of burning''he was furious to the core'.she could feel the heat waves from his glaring eyes''
she wasn't sure what he intended to do''.
Closing her eyes she pleaded "sir, pls, iss room milne keliye jo bhi mujhe soojha maine kahaa'..i am sorry'..iss raat mein car mein rehne se accha hai ke'.."
She subconsciously started stepping back and soon she hit the wall behind'..the hit gave her a startle and she opened her eyes'.he was standing a step away from her and was still glaring''
He steps closer with his eyes intently fiercely scrutinized at her'.she was damn scared''
At that instant, the light goes off''its totally dark and pitch black everywhere around''.. Riya is shaken and frightened to the roots''She feels a eerrie effect as if she was somewhere amidst a horror movie'..She could feel Arjun's presence near her even in the darkness'..his breathing being the only sound heard around''it was dead silence otherwise'..
A lightening flash across the room and a roaring thunder follows''.everything happening in a few seconds time'..in a quick impulsive reflex, she crashed into his arms screaming "ARJUN SIR!!"
She locks her hands around him and holds him tightly'..her face buried in his chest''and her eyes tightly closed'..
As if the darkness, the entire cozy atmosphere, her wet attire and above all her irresistible feminine fragrance and intimate closeness was taking a toll on his controlled self'..
He responded to her hug in the most unexpected way which would shock him as well later'.
Oblivious to himself, his hands went hesitantly around her and he tightened his hold locking her to himself closely'..his head tilted and rested comfortably on her shoulder and his face nuzzled her neck''his warm breath on her ear lobes gave her a shiver which shocked her head to toe'.her heart skipped a beat or two and she could now hear their heart beats blend with each other in a romantic rhythm'..but was it really true?? Or was she hallucinating??? And what about him??? Why did he respond like this??
The realization of what she felt now confused her totally'..What was running in his mind?? Was it just the night and their closeness making him lose his grip of himself?
Or was he in love with her and did this intimacy bring his love out?? She didn't know for sure though she wished to believe that it was the second one'..
They stood like that for a few moments forgetting everything''like a real husband and wife head over heels in love with each other'.
At that instant, the lights came on and both came out of the romantic love filled trance''.He opened his eyes'..he was shocked with what he saw himself doing''.He withdrew the very next second pushing her back to the wall''His glare and anger back in its place'..his face was nothing less than a volcano ready to erupt'..it literally looked as if she would burn down to ash any moment'..
"kitni baar keh chukhaa hoom DHOOR RAHO MUJHSE''phir bhi zabardasti meri life mein kyun ghussne ki khosish karthi ho??"
His deliberate push and his blasting voice shattered her completely''''.
But before they could continue, they heard a loud scream''.They looked to the door and without wasting a second, he rushed out''and Riya forgot all that happened and her professional self, the ETF officer in her took control'''She quickly followed her boss'..
[To be continued]
