BEYOND THE CLOUDS (Completed)

Chapter 3

"Reached home safely, u have fun" she sent her customary text to Kartik, who she knew will worry himself sick until he received a word from her. 

She was also scared he will call her and ask several questions and she wont be able to lie to him about the stranger and that will mean derailing his plans again. 

But when he sent back just a winking smiley she let out her pent up breath audibly and looked to her side. 

The guy was still fast asleep and even snoring softly. 

His hand rested on his lap and she observed them obviously. They were large, she thought looking at her own baby ones. 

He had long and lean fingers, that ended into neat, evenly cut, probably manicured nails. 

Even his hands were beautiful, thought Shehnaaz, grinning at her sneaky check out session, clutching her lower lip between her teeth. 

A soft rap on the window woke her up from the trance she seemed to be constantly slipping into since the time the stranger had hijacked her car.

It was Madhav bhaiyya, the building security on night duty. 

She got out of the car, flashing an awkward smile to him while he looked suspiciously at the stranger. 

"Bhaiyya, help kar do, inko ghar le jana hai" Shehnaaz opened the passenger door, signaling Madhav to help her lift hoist him to his feet. 

Together they struggled to get the giant out of the car while he still stayed passed out. Madhav made him stand with difficulty and ducked under his right arm to support him. 

Shehnaaz followed suit on his left side and instantly felt dizzy as a whiff of the same scent hit her nostrils. 

She swore she was never ever going to get over this magnificent perfume. 

Together they walked till the elevator "Lagta hai sahab ne kuch zyada hi tika li hai aaj. Waise kaun hai yeh? Pehle kabhi dekha nahi inhe." He butted his nose making Shehnaaz roll her eyes in exasperation.

"Bhaiyya, aap pehle hame ghar chhod denge pls? bohot bhaari hai yeh, meri jaan nikal rahi hai yaha pe" her sharp tone had quieted the security atleast till they reached home. 

When they reached the door, Shehnaaz tried to balance his arm and pull out the keys from her clutch, but he was so drunk that soon as she let go, his arm just slipped from her shoulder and his palm brushed all the way on the bare back, eventually resting and grasping weakly on her waist. 

Shehnaaz choked on her breath when she felt his rugged hand on her skin. Fireworks... that's what exploded in front of her eyes until she heard Madhav groan, "Didi chaabi mili kya?" he asked shifting from one leg to the other. 

"Ha Mil gayi" Shehnaaz hurried and opened the door, letting them in.

Soon as they had deposited the stranger on the couch, they both took a moment to catch up on their breath and Madhav started again. 

"Didi Kaun hai yeh? Pehle kabhi dekha nahi inhe. Aapke dost hai? ya Kartik Bhaiyya ke?" he fired inquisitively, his eyes still raking the stranger. 

"Mere dost hai Madhav bhaiyya. Aaj thodi zyada ho gayi inko aur mujhe inka address pata nahi tha toh main yaha pe le aayi" She filled him in and hoped he would shut up now. 

Just while he was walking out of the main door, Shehnaaz called out for him "Suniye bhaiyya, Kartik ko aap kuch nahi bolna. Woh kal aayega toh main khud hi bata dungi" her tone had shifted to sharp from pleading now.