The Perfect Bride (Completed)

CHAPTER: 4

Manik was constantly underfoot. On the pretext of training Nandani, he was there at her side all the time, and by the end of Friday she was ready to hit him. She was off duty at five pm, much to her great relief, and she went into the staffroom to hang up her coat. As she came out so he came in, and their chests collided just as before. 

This time, though, he didn't release her but stared down into her eyes and kept her there, hard against his body, while his eyes smoldered, and her pulse rate rocketed.

She met his hungry gaze frankly, and after a few moments his eyes dropped to her mouth. She thought he was going to kiss her. Most men would have done, but Manik clearly had more control. 

Nandani wished to God he didn't, but it was probably just as well because there were people passing them in the corridor and they were attracting some very strange and interesting looks.

"Did you want something?" she asked softly, and under her hands his chest jerked a fraction. A sharp intake of breath?

His eyes flicked up to hers again, and the heat in them made her own breath jerk in response. "Hmm, yeah, actually, I was wondering if you were doing anything tomorrow night? he hesitantly asked Nandani.

Somebody barged past them and his body was nudged against hers. It felt good, too good to miss.

Nandani smiled slowly. "What did you have in mind?" She could have sworn his skin-colored, just slightly. Guilt? she thought. She suppressed a chuckle.

"Dinner? Or perhaps the cinema? There is a new film on, I have been wanting to see, but the choice is entirely yours, Nandani."

"Sounds fine," she said with a smile. "What time?"

He looked perplexed for a moment. "Time? Yeah seven? I will pick you up. Where do you live?"

"Here at the hospital. I have got one of those poky little rooms, but as I am only in it for ten minutes at a time it doesn't matter, Manik. I will meet you at the main entrance, though."

"Fine seven o'clock tomorrow, then." As if he finally realized that he was standing pressed up against her he backed off a step then, with a slow grin, he released her and turned away. As he walked down the corridor, Nandani heard him whistling softly under his breath, as if he was pleased with himself.

Smiling, Nandani too made her way back to her little room, flung the window open to let in some fresh air, and examine the sparse content of her wardrobe.

She had nothing. She needed a shopping trip. Excellent!

...............................................................................................................................................................

Manik thought he must have lost his mind. First of all, he had grabbed her like a sex-starved adolescent, then he had hung on and forgotten to let go of her because the feel of her soft breasts against his chest, had frozen fragments of his mind. And, as if that was not bad enough, he had gone and done what he had spent all week trying to stop himself from doing, and had invited her out tonight.

Manik yanked the tie off. It was too hot to wear a tie. It was too hot to wear anything. He then yanked off the rest of his clothes, took a deep breath and got back into the cold shower. That would settle him down, he thought. He was not going to offer sex to her on the first date. He was not! or the second. Maybe not even on the third.

He had a change of mind, and then said, well okay on the third. Damn. His body then cheered up again, despite the cold water. 

Manik swore as he drew the curtain back again and grabbed a towel, just as Ruhi wandered into the bathroom. "I thought you were in bed, sweetheart?" Manik said to her, rapidly covering himself with a towel.

"I was feeling too hot, Daddy."

"I am feeling hot too, honey," Manik said. He then bent down and took her hands in his. "Want me to read you a story?" he asked Ruhi.

She nodded. "Aryan is asleep already."

"I thought he would be. He was tired after our walk. What shall we read?"

"Cinderella," she replied without hesitation.

"Ok, Cinderella," he agreed. They then settled down on her bed and he started to read.

Ten minutes later, as Ruhi was about to fall asleep, the doorbell rang.

"That will be the babysitter. You look at the pictures and I will get her to read to you some more, Ruhi."

"Why couldn't Granny come?" Ruhi asked as he headed for the door, still clad in just a towel.

"Ah...I just thought we would give her the night off," Manik said.

"Are you going out with a lady?" Ruhi asked him.

"Yeah. I work with her, we are going to talk about work," he said.

Manik then ran downstairs, feeling guilty for lying to his five-year-old daughter.

The neighbor's, seventeen-year-old daughter eyed his naked chest with interest. She asked Manik frankly, "Am I early, or are you just late?"

He colored a little. "I am just late. I was reading to Ruhi. Come in, Samantha. Would you go up and finish reading the chapter to her while I get ready? Thanks."

Manik then led her upstairs, into Ruhi's room. He then went into his room, and grabbed his clothes. There was no time to be selective now. A cream cotton shirt without tie, blazer, tie in the pocket just in case. Wallet, comb. Shoes- no not work shoes, he thought, desert boots. It was too hot for anything else. Right.

He kissed Ruhi, checked Aryan, told Samantha he would be back about eleven, gave her his mobile number and ran.

................................................................................................................................................................

Manik was late. Nandani checked her watch, glanced once more down the drive towards the main entrance, and went and sat down on a low wall by the door.

Her skirt was luckily multicolored and would not show the marks, but after shopping all day in severe heat the last thing she wanted was to stand.

Nandani plucked at the soft, pleated, cotton of the skirt and wondered if it was as transparent as she suspected with the light behind it. Not that there would be any light behind, if he was much late.

Well, the skirt was delicate and feminine and made her feel good. It had a snug vest top on under a blouse that matched the skirt, the details tied at her waist. Though it exaggerated her bust a little too much, but so what? That was her best asset. She might as well use it.

Her fingers plucked at the skirt again. She hoped it looked as good as it felt, and would be formal enough for whatever he had in mind.

Whatever it was, she hoped that it included food early in the program, because she hadn't eaten since breakfast and that had been a rather scratch affair.