by Mahi Jay
Nina blinked back tears. She wanted to say yes and ride away with her prince happily into the sunset. But he was still talking about now, not about for ever. Was there no for ever in his dictionary?
‘For how long? Until you grow bored of me or until the next pretty young thing catches your attention? After I cease to be a challenge you’ll probably discard me without a second thought and where would I be then? I know you won’t cheat on me but if you left, I might not be strong enough to take it. No, Aadith, just pretty words don’t cut it for me any more.’
Aadith knew she’d misunderstood what he’d been trying to say, or most likely he hadn’t spelled out correctly what he wanted. But the words, the crucial words, stuck in his throat—probably because he hadn’t used them in a very long while. At least not in his real life. To say the words would be the ultimate surrender and to him it felt like a free-fall dive without a harness.
‘Nina, every other woman ceased to exist for me the day you came into my life again. Since then there’s only been you. When you are all I want, why would I even look at another? You brought warmth into my cold, shuttered life. You brought truth and faith into my life. And above all you brought happiness. You are my perfection.’
‘You say that now, but what if some years down the road you realise this is all a mistake?’
‘A mistake? If I let you go that will be the biggest mistake of my life. You are my only chance at happiness. Don’t ever leave me again.’
Nina looked at him in stunned disbelief. The vulnerability in his eyes vouched for the sincerity of his words. To hear the words from Aadith felt as if she’d been handed the world on a platter. She saw him holding himself stiffly as if awaiting a verdict and realised how difficult it must have been for him to say what he’d done in the face of her resistance.
‘I promise I won’t,’ she choked out.
She couldn’t hold herself back any longer and made a mad dash towards him. What he said just now gave her more than enough strength to believe in his love.
When Aadith saw Nina come towards him he opened his arms for her. She fitted inside them as if she’d been made for him. He never, ever wanted to let her go. He lifted her face and rained what felt like a hundred kisses down upon it. Nina stopped it by pressing her lips against his. Tenderness gave way to urgent passion in seconds. He slanted his mouth over hers and took all he could. Groans and moans mingled until they came up for breath.
‘Before we go further I need to know, Nina. Do you think it could be more?’ If she hadn’t known him as she did, she’d have missed the slight tremor in his voice.
‘What could be more?’
‘Do you think you can grow to feel what I feel for you?
I’m willing to take all that you can give for now, but I want the hope that we can be more than friends and lovers,’ he confessed reluctantly.
That he wanted more emotion from her gave her the courage to be honest. It gave her the freedom to bare her very soul.
‘Aadhi, how can you not know what I feel? I’ve been in love with you since I was fifteen and I still am. There’s only ever been you. Consciously or unconsciously every move I’ve ever made has been towards you. However much I tried to forget you, I couldn’t. You were always there in the back of my mind. And when I met you again, it was like I was fifteen all over again. Only this time I couldn’t lie to myself that it was a mere crush. What I feel for you is love, the for-ever kind of love.’
Aadith’s breath came out in a whoosh; he hadn’t realised he’d been holding his breath. His eyes blazed with warring emotions of pride and happiness. The only woman for him and she was his at last. He had to seal the deal right then.
Aadith fumbled in his pocket for the ring and dropped down to his knees.
‘The first time I gave you a ring I just knew I wanted you in my life. But now I know I want you in my life for ever. Nina, will you marry me?’ His fingers trembled slightly as he held out the ring.
Nina gasped as she looked down at the ring. It wasn’t the showy piece of bling he’d bought her the first time. This was a simple row of diamonds winking sweetly at her. This was the eternity band she’d coveted that day at the jeweller’s. Not that she wanted any more reassurance that he cared, but here it was anyway. He’d understood what she really wanted. He knew she was the eternity kind of girl and he wanted it with her. She knew he still hadn’t said the precise words of love but he was showing her that he did feel them. And she knew it was true.
A single tear rolled down her cheek as she screamed, ‘Yes.’ Aadith picked her off her feet and twirled her around the room in ecstasy.
She was his now for all eternity.
EPILOGUE
IT WAS TOUTED to be the wedding of the season. Tabloids filled pages after pages with information about the dress, invitations, guests, food and every other minute detail about it weeks before the event. News leaked from sources supposedly close to them was fabricated and splashed as headlines. Though Nina and Aadith had initially wanted a private ceremony they’d later decided to go big. There were just too many people he’d had to invite.
Her brother along with his family had flown down to share her happy day with her. After some gentle prodding Aadith had half-heartedly agreed to let Nina invite his mother for the ceremony. Though he hadn’t thawed enough, despite his father’s conciliatory words about his ex-wife, to actually speak to his mother, Nina still held out hope that it might happen one day.
The three-day affair kick-started with a combined sangeet and mehendi ceremony. The venue was a rich profusion of colour with the who’s who of Mumbai bedecked in designer clothes and dripping with jewellery. Champagne and music flowed through the evening leaving everyone in high spirits. Dances choreographed to popular Hindi numbers were performed for an appreciative audience. Nina watched as Aadith made his way towards her. He pulled her onstage for an impromptu performance.
‘No! I’ll probably trip over my own feet and fall flat on my face,’ she shouted in his ear to make herself heard over the loud music.
His arms snaked around her waist and he pulled her close to him to whisper intimately in her ear. ‘I won’t let you go for a moment so there’s no way you’re going to fall.’ He added a peck on her cheek for good measure.
As Aadith swung her around in time to the music she looked at his perfect face in wonder. Clad in a rich black bandgala suit he looked as handsome as sin. She still couldn’t believe she was getting married to the man of her dreams. The man who found a hundred different ways to show her he loved her. She couldn’t have wished for a more loving man, thought Nina with a happy sigh.
At the end of the number Aadith lifted her into his arms and headed to the exit of the room. Raucous laughter and blatant teasing greeted them at that gesture.
‘What are you doing?’ asked Nina, her face red with embarrassment. She wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face into his wide shoulder to hide her shyness.
‘Spiriting you away for a moment of quiet.’
He entered the deserted balcony and closed the door behind him to shut the noise off. He sensuously let her slide down his body as he put her onto her feet. Nina’s heart raced as she felt desire pound through her veins. As Aadith saw her eyes glaze with desire he felt a responding desire slam into him. He let his eyes travel over her slim form clad in a delicately worked cream and gold lehenga. The moonlight lent her an ethereal air.
‘Did I tell you that you look divine tonight?’ he asked in a husky rasp that was heavily tinged with desire.
‘Yes, only about a dozen times.’ She laughed. She held her arms out for him to admire her intricately hennaed hands.
‘Look how dark it’s turned,’ she exclaimed joyously.
At his quizzical look she explained. ‘It’s an old wives’ tale—the more the husband-to-be loves the girl, the darker the colour of her henna.’
Aadith felt a wealth of emotion steal through him as he gazed into her sweet vulnerable face. Since the day she’d
agreed to become his wife there had only been happiness in his life. He felt an unexpected contentment he hadn’t ever experienced. He felt at peace with himself. That was what love brought.
‘Then yours will probably be the darkest ever seen because what I feel for you is beyond anything I’ve ever felt before. I love you so much it hurts,’ he said rawly, placing a hand over his heart.
Nina felt tears sting her eyes. After all these months she finally had the words. But they paled into insignificance compared to the love shining from his eyes. Of all the women in the world, to know that he loved her seemed like a miracle. She stepped closer and kissed the hand over his heart.
‘There, I’ve kissed it better. There’s no room for hurt between us. I want all our todays and tomorrows to be filled only with friendship, love and joy.’
He crushed her to him tightly and said in a heartfelt murmur, ‘It can’t be anything but that between us, sweetheart.’
Loud cheering from their friends, who were peering at them from behind the glass doors, broke them apart.
‘Tomorrow is the beginning of the rest of our lives together and I can’t wait to start it without this circus behind us,’ sighed Nina, looking meaningfully at the crowd beyond the doors.
Aadith broke into a grin and teased, ‘Shameless hussy. You can’t wait to get me alone to have your way with me, can you?’
‘I’ve waited far too many years to want to wait a minute longer to have you all to myself.’
‘That is a sentiment I wholeheartedly approve of,’ he said tenderly as he took her hand to lead her back into the roomful of eager guests.
Everyone watching them could see their love enveloping them as one. A few turned their noses up in cynical amusement. But most wished they had it themselves. The forever kind of love.
The passions experience…
My first introduction to a romance novel was an accident. It was a regency romance that I’d picked up by mistake. From there it was short step to Mills and Boon® novels and then there was no looking back. In high school I remember swapping romance novels with friends much more than exchanging study notes. I’ve lost count of the number of times my mother caught me with a novel wedged between the covers of a text book. And my affair with romance novels continues to date … My fail safe recipe to chill is always an M&B on one hand and a cool refreshing drink on the other.
When I turn the last page to the happy-ever-after, it never fails to buoy my spirits so it was really a no-brainer when I saw a newspaper ad calling for aspiring writers. After years of dabbling around in the fields of retail and finance, just when I had figured out I wanted to write, the Passions contest happened. It couldn’t have come at a more opportune moment.
Knowing I would get to create my own super-sexy hero and a heroine who tugs his heart like no other, was thrilling and I couldn’t wait to get started. My attempt at the short story was a breeze and at the risk of sounding immodest I knew I had a fairly decent chance of winning. And I did.
But I certainly wasn’t prepared for the aftermath. When I got the go ahead to start writing the novel, I felt stumped. It felt like a monumental task and I started doubting myself but luckily for me, help was at hand. An editorial mentorship was part of the prize and I have absolutely no reservations in stating that this entire journey, from story to novel, has been a fantastic learning experience. I learnt in a year what would have taken me ages to learn on my own. So entering this contest was definitely one of my best ideas ever.
I wanted to show that women are strong, independent and just as smart as their male counterparts. So my heroine, Nina, despite being ignored all through her childhood grew up to be very successful albeit with a few scars. My hero who came with his own set of wounds was somehow perfect for her. They just had to realize that they were made for each other and it’s been a wonderful journey guiding them to their happily ever after.
I just want to sign off saying that love is the biggest healer of all. For those who have found their one true love hang on to it tightly and for those who haven’t yet … Keep looking … It might be just around the corner, you never know.
Cheers,
Mahi
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IMPRINT: Mills & Boon
ISBN: 9781488741197
TITLE: FALLING FOR A BOLLYWOOD LEGEND
First Australian Publication 2014
Copyright © 2014 Mahi Jay
All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilisation of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, is forbidden without the permission of the publisher, Harlequin Mills & Boon®, Locked Bag 7002, Chatswood D.C. N.S.W., Australia 2067.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
This edition published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.
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