"Sameer..." Naina called out hesitantly.
She had wrapped the saree around her, not tying properly but not wanting to step out without it.
He looked up from the chair, finding her standing at the door of washroom, twisting her fingers.
He knew something was wrong.
"Kya hua, Naina? Tumhari tabiyat toh theek hai?" He was in front of her next instant.
"Sameer, ek... ek help chahiye." She said with lowered eyes.
"Bolo kya hua... kya karna hai?" He looked behind her, thinking there was some problem inside the washroom.
She looked up at him, "Woh dori... tab atak gayi thi... usmein... shayad gaanth lag gayi hai... khol doge?"
His heart jumped to his mouth... another prayer answered... he had wished to tie it in the morning and now she was asking him to open it... he wondered how strong were the petals he had offered at the temple...
She turned slowly... her hair were already tied up in a knot on top of her head.
One corner of his lips extended into a triumphant smile as he neared her, feasting his eyes on the view.
The dori was tied into a tight knot at the base of her nape... he tried to pull at one end to loosen it... then twisted the coiled up string with his fingers... nothing seemed to work.
He had no qualms about trying the whole day, standing behind her, enveloped in her fragrance... but she would soon get impatient.
"Naina, yahan light kam hai... ya toh bathroom mein chalo ya bahar aao, idhar theek se dikh nahi raha." He blamed the shadow of the door.
Holding onto her saree carefully, she walked out... it was better than calling him inside the washroom.
She stood with her back against the glass door... he tried again... the coils were wound against each other too tight. He needed something sharp to pull at one... if he could loosen one, it would be easy to open the whole thing. Absence of long nails like girls left him with only one option.
Naina felt his breath even before the lips touched her skin.
She stiffened, "Kya... kya kar rahe ho?"
He lifted his head to speak over her ear, "Daanton se khol raha hun... aur koi tareeka nahi hai... tum hilo nahi."
He bent down again, holding the string between his teeth and pulling up.
Naina shivered as his teeth touched the sensitive skin behind her neck, nose and lips pressing into her. The knot gave away within seconds.
He moved his face, seeing the goosebumps clearly on her back... the natural light from the door falling on her from behind.
As he opened the other layer of coil easily with his fingers, the fine hair on her neck stood up...
His breath quickened... the dori was not providing any cover, still, when it fell on either sides, it somehow gave a wider dimension to the view he had earlier.
Her saree lay lower on the waist at the back, unlike how it was during the day. He could see the gap between her blouse and waistband where she had tied the saree. Her entire back covered in goosebumps made his own hands shake with the tremulous hold over himself. As his eyes got stuck on a mole low on her back, on the left side... almost hidden under the neckline of the blouse, his fingers ached to touch it. He had never seen it before... but then, he could not have... she didn't wear anything with such back... except, of course, the first day in the rain...
