by P. G. Van
“This is so weird, and I can’t believe I am asking you this. When was the last time you… baked?”
“Oh… it was three months ago, and he was drunk.”
“So, get him drunk every night.”
“Doesn’t work every time.”
“Are you considering leaving him or working on your marriage.” It was a question all patients in the clinic were asked in various forms, but Mantra had to be direct with her sister.
“No… I love him, Mantra. It just gets frustrating if I have to get myself off every other day in the shower.”
“Oh… easy. What did I tell you about details and sparing them?”
“Sorry, I do so much self-baking, and it is not fun.”
“Sloka… and you have been doing this for years?”
“Yes, you see what my problem is?”
“What do you do every day?” Mantra did not want her sister to go on with her rant.
“Huh?”
“I mean what is your daily schedule when you are both at home?”
“I wake up at four in the morning for my run, I’m back home by six and leave for work around seven thirty.”
“Is Rajeev up when you leave?”
“Yeah, he makes breakfast for us, and we eat together.”
“And?”
“Well, he jumps on his conference call with his team in China, and I go to work.”
“Okay, let’s back up… the morning routine you described makes you sound like a sixty-year-old.”
“What? Why?”
“He is not up when you wake up for your run, but is he up when you get back?”
“Yeah, he is usually having his coffee at six.”
“Do you kiss him before you go for your run?”
“What? Why?”
Mantra took a deep breath. “Your alarm surely wakes him up. Why wouldn’t you kiss him before you get out of bed or before you leave?”
“Umm… I don’t sleep in the master the days I run because I don’t want to wake him up.”
“And how many days out of the week do you run?” Mantra asked knowing the answer.
“Seven, unless I partied too much the previous night.”
“You don’t spend the night in bed with your husband, and you complain about not having enough action?” Mantra scowled and hoped her sister wouldn’t take it the wrong way.
“Mantra… he stays up late and I…”
“Stop it… no more excuses. The first step to you starting your baking is to sleep in the same bed with him. Throw that friggin king bed out and get a twin or queen, so you don’t sleep a mile apart.”
“Okay.” Her sister’s voice was soft like she was thinking.
“If you need to run during your lunch break at work, do that, but you need to move into the master bedroom and start going to bed naked.”
He sister gasped but recovered quickly. “Okay.”
“You are thirty-two, I shouldn’t have to tell you how to seduce your husband.”
“Why should I be the one to do it? Why can’t he do it, too?”
“Sloka, what have you done so far to get him to start? You need to go the extra mile before you can expect him to do something. The next time we talk, you better tell me how you are going to spend time at home with Rajeev.”
“Okay, I… I will sleep with him.” Her sister sounded dejected like she couldn’t believe she didn’t think of what her younger sister who was nine years younger than her saw as a gap.
“Sloka, I am not a professional yet but trained enough to tell you that the overly practical couples have the most boring lives, and the unconventional couples who bend the rules have the most fun.”
“I see it.”
Mantra’s phone beeped at the same time, and her sister got excited. “Maybe it’s Rajeev.”
Mantra pulled out her phone and blushed.
“It’s that guy and one of those messages.” Her sister laughed.
Mantra nodded biting down on her lip and trying hard not to fan herself.
Hot Rod: Can’t wait to trace patterns on the silk and wake up with a memory of every single inch mapped in my mind.
Chapter 17
Mantra was antsy and frustrated, and there was no other way to describe her state. She was on pins and needles waiting for it to be Friday.
She sat lost in thought in her office at the clinic when the intercom buzzed her back to reality.
“Mrs. Barnes is here for her appointment,” the friendly receptionist said in a calm tone.
“I will be there in a second.” Mantra put away her folders and walked out of her office at the clinic. She was glad the practicing psychiatrist allowed her to work with her patients in tandem as a psychologist. All conversations were recorded and available for the doctor to review.
“Michele, I’m so happy to see you.” Mantra held the door open for the woman who she had been treating for the past few months. She could not believe the coincidence when she found out Yash was the man her client was hung up on for years.
“Mantra, you look beautiful.” Michele smiled.
“Thank you! How are you doing today?”
“I am doing wonderfully. I feel so good. I feel like a different person.” Michele settled into the plush couch in the office.
“I am so happy to hear that.” Mantra remembered the day Michele came in to seek a psychologist’s help. Her general physician had recommended her to the therapist at the clinic when Michele kept having recurring health issues. The medical scans and tests came back negative for any physical abnormalities.
Michele’s general physician suspected the reason had to be a mental issue rather than a physical one and was correct to send her to see a psychologist.
“I had two random incidents change my life, and I cannot thank you enough for getting us a reservation at The Red Room.”
“You are very welcome. I am glad it all worked out.”
“Yes, and I see the light at the end of the tunnel now.” Michele sounded excited.
“Let’s get the standard questions out of the way, shall we?” Mantra opened her notepad to log the responses.
“I don’t need the questionnaire. I feel wonderful. I haven’t had a migraine in a week, and I can eat anything I want to and not worry about an adverse effect.”
“That is wonderful.”
“Yes, it all started at the restaurant that night. The man who I had once fallen in love with happened to come by our table and at first, I could only think about hiding under the table but… long story short, I’m over him. You were right on about me being hung up on him. I was in way too deep and forgot he wasn’t looking for a long-term relationship. He was twenty-one, and all his accomplishments made him seem mature, but he was still a kid. When he invited me for lunch, I saw how I had misread every single moment.”
Mantra had a plastered smile on her face, but she was dancing on the inside. She could not believe the coincidence, but she was glad she was able to convince Yash to stop by their table that night.
“How are you and your husband doing?”
“I told him everything, Mantra, and boy, it felt good. My husband and I are planning our second honeymoon, and we are going to make a baby in Venice,” she declared cheerfully.
“Very happy for you, Michele. I will let the doctor know that we no longer need a weekly check-in, and we will schedule one follow-up before we close your file.
“I am out of the country for a month after next week so it would have to be after I am back from vacation.”
“Not a problem. If you have no further questions for me, I can give you back twenty minutes of your time to spend planning your vacation.”
Michele laughed and wiped the bead of moisture that gathered at the edge of her eye. “I know I was here to see Dr. Craig, but you were the one who helped me. I would not have found my happiness if it weren’t for you.”
“It’s been a pleasure, Michele.” Mantra stood up and stretched out her arm.
Michele pushe
d aside her hand laughing. “You deserve a hug, a big thank you hug.”
Mantra smiled wrapping her arms around her. “You are welcome.”
Michele left the office a happy woman, and Mantra was the happiest wanna-be psychologist that day.
She made notes for her thesis before the excitement wiped out her observations regarding Michele’s case.
Yash had not only affected her personally but also in her professional life, all in a good way.
*****
Friday morning finally arrived, and she could not sleep the previous night. She lay awake waiting for his text at five in the morning. The beep from her phone made her jump out of bed.
Yash: Two sleepless nights straight… can you handle it?
Yash: No more tease, you’ll be mine tonight.
She blushed looking at the messages and debated if she should respond. Her previous experience with men told her to hold off on a reply that would make her look desperate, but a voice inside reminded her he knew what she felt for him.
Mantra: I can’t wait.
Yash: I will pick you up at six. Bring a weekend bag.
Mantra: A weekend date?
Yash: Call it what you want… you’re not going anywhere all weekend.
Her breath hissed, and her fingers trembled. No man affected her as he did.
Mantra: I’ll be ready.
Mantra was in a daze all day. She could not wait for the day to end as she waited in her professor’s office to discuss the updates on her thesis, especially after she documented her findings in Michele’s case.
“I like the direction you’ve taken with your thesis, Mantra.”
Mantra smiled back at the professor who would not stop appreciating her work.
“I will put in a recommendation for additional sponsorship for your doctorate program.”
Mantra blinked unable to believe what she heard but recovered quickly. “Thank you!”
“I would recommend wrapping up the graduate program and starting with your doctorate as early as next semester.”
Mantra could not hold back any longer. She jumped out of her chair squealing with joy and hugged the elderly, stone-faced professor. “Thank you… thank you.”
“You are welcome, Mantra.” The professor patted her on the back.
Mantra left the professor’s office a few minutes before four and could not figure out how to burn the next couple of hours waiting for Yash to pick her up from her apartment.
She needed thirty minutes to shower and get dressed, and all she could think of was a power nap before a promising date with Yash.
She parked her car in her assigned spot and almost had her foot on the first step up the stairs to her apartment when she stopped. Something made her turn, and when her eyes met the dark eyes of the man who had rocked her dreams the last few nights stood smiling at her on the other side of the parking lot.
She let out a surprised squeal before running to him. He opened up his arms and pulled her to him sweeping her off her feet.
Mantra laughed into his ear and planted a kiss on his cheek like she had no control over her actions. She was just happy to see him. She felt happy, and it came from deep within.
“You missed me?” he groaned nuzzling her neck.
“Yes and I…” Her words dove back into her throat as his eyes darkened, and he lowered his lips to hers.
“I couldn’t wait to see you. I’ll come back in two hours if you don’t want me here before six.”
She pulled back to look at him. He looked at her differently. “Don’t be silly. I’m glad you came.”
Yash slowly set her feet on the ground and held her to him. “Do you want to go with me now? I’ll wait if you need to pack your bag.”
She smiled, coyly. “I am all packed. I just need to run upstairs and grab my bag.”
One end of his mouth twitched up as he followed her across the parking lot and up the stairs to her apartment. He couldn’t rationalize his behavior when he kept driving past the exit to his house from the airport to go to her apartment. He had never felt such a strong pull toward anyone, ever.
He had to see her. He wanted his lungs filled with her sweetness and his heart to beat against her cheek.
“What do you want to drink?” she asked trying to be a good hostess as he stepped into her apartment behind her.
“I’m fine.”
“You fix me such awesome drinks that I feel like I should offer you something.” She was suddenly shy and couldn’t make eye contact with him.
“Sure, what do you think I should drink?” He followed her to the kitchen.
“How about some instant Chai?”
“There’s nothing good in anything that is instant.”
“You are such a snob.” She laughed.
“Nazi… food Nazi.”
“That you are… obsessed with food.”
“Cooking is an art, and it takes a lot of passion and creativity to be a good cook.”
“Do you consider yourself a good cook?” she teased knowing how creative and passionate he is with what he does at his restaurants.
“I don’t consider myself a cook… I’m trained to do something in the kitchen, but real cooks are the ones out there changing the food we eat every day giving people a new experience with their creations.”
“Hmm… never realized you had a humble bone in you.”
“I have a lot more that you can see tonight.” He winked, and that fired up her inner walls.
“You get to try the instant Chai because it is not bad, especially considering how fast it is to make.”
“I’ll give it a try.”
“I have my own touch on the instant Chai.”
“I didn’t realize you experimented.” His tone was cool, but it sent shudders as his words rolled off his lips.
“You are the king of experimenting… with food,” she managed to say.
“Yeah? It’s interesting you think that.” He took a slow step toward her. As if in response to him moving toward her, she moved back flattening her back into the pantry door. He came to a stop inches from her.
“I want to experiment with you right here, but I’m willing to wait for our date to occur first.”
She swallowed hard intimidated by the intensity in his eyes. She could not help but wonder how it would be if he were to take her in the middle of her tiny kitchen. Something told her she wouldn’t object and would even enjoy the roughness.
She placed her palms on his chest and gently pushed him away. “You need to be part of my experiment first.”
Yash stepped away from her like he didn’t want anything to do with her when she had expected him to rip her clothes off, or did she want him to do that? His messages during the week had set her being on fire, but when she saw him, it was more an emotional response than a physical one.
Mantra knew he was watching her every move and scanning every part of her body, but she continued with her short and sweet steps of making instant Chai from the syrup and added a blend of her spices.
She was putting away the small container of spices when he reached out to wrap his fingers around her wrist. “What’s in the powder?”
Suddenly wanting to be playful, she smiled. “Can you guess? There is one specific spice that people do not put in Chai.”
“I’m intrigued.”
She watched as he took a pinch of the powder and took it to his nose. He took a long whiff, and she didn’t see the spark of recognition in his eyes.
“Do you give up?” she questioned after a few seconds.
“I need something to act as a medium.”
“Huh?”
She watched as he sprinkled some of the powder on the back of her hand and took it to his nose. He took a long whiff, his eyes locked on hers.
He shook his head. “Not neutral enough.”
He stepped closer before dropping to his knees in front of her.
“Yash.” Her voice was a whisper as he slowly raised the hem of her t-shirt to rub
the remaining powder over her belly.
She gasped as he ran the tip of his nose around the area where he rubbed the dust of spices.
“What are you doing?” She held onto the counter with one hand and let the other drop to hold his head to her.
“The usual suspects and Chinese star anise and… something else…”
She wasn’t listening to him. She was throbbing deep inside, and if he didn’t stop right there, she knew her roommate would catch him and her butt naked in the kitchen.
“Cayenne pepper… a very small amount,” she blurted out.
“That’s the heat. I couldn’t tell if it was you or…”
“Yash, let’s get out of here.”
He stood up and brushed her lips against his. “Do you have a travel mug? Can I get my Chai to go?”
Five minutes later, she followed Yash down the stairs as he walked ahead holding her bag. “You don’t need to carry my bag.”
He didn’t turn to look at her. “I don’t need to… I want to.”
She slid into the passenger seat of the beast of a car that she had scratched weeks ago. Yash ended up not filing a claim on her insurance making her wonder if he ever intended to submit one.
“You could have claimed the repairs from my insurance you know… I would not have objected.”
He turned to look at her before turning on the engine. “Just don’t object to anything I want to do tonight.”
Her lips parted as her breath trapped in her throat. Yash had a way with his words whether he said them to her directly or in a text.
She bit down on her lower lip and smirked unable to speak. She never expected to be such a nervous wreck.
Chapter 18
Mantra was in a daze as she sat next to him in the car on their way to his place. The air was filled with the smokiness of the spices she added to the Chai.
“Why are you so quiet?” His tone was playful.
“Do you like the Chai?”
“I do… do you mind if we eat at my place instead of going out?” His voice was soft yet steady.
“Are you cooking for me?” She turned to look at him as he kept his eyes on the road.