by P. G. Van
Dheeraj’s expression changed, and he stepped away from her in the pool. He turned away from her and got out of the pool without another word.
Anjali’s body trembled from the sensations she felt when he touched her, and it would have been easy to get lost in the whirlpool of bliss, but her sense of reality kicked in. The arrangement was temporary, and she could not risk getting into a nameless relationship with a man who inched closer to her heart by the minute knowing she might have to forget what she felt for him to do what she had to do to fulfill her grandma’s wish.
At that point, Anjali was resigned to the fact that it was yet again another disappointment in her life, just when she thought things were looking up. Tears flowed endlessly as she thought about having to abandon the feelings she had developed for the man who gave her hopes of a normal and beautiful life.
Anjali and Dheeraj had dinner together that night, and she had a tough time appearing calm. His presence affected her, and it was only getting stronger with every moment they spent together. The need to be wrapped in the warmth from his embrace, feel secure in his hold, and to feel like the most beautiful woman in the world when he worshipped her lips with his, was undying. She chastised herself for leaning closer to him so that she could feel the warmth when he bent down to kiss Inara who slept on her shoulder.
*****
The next morning, they left early to attend the event Dheeraj had talked about a week back. She sat in the SUV, one hand on the car seat where Inara slept and raised her eyes to look at him as he sat on the other side. Dheeraj had his eyes shut, his long lashes entwined as he slept resting his head on the backrest of the seat. She slowly leaned forward, her eyes riveted on his face drinking in his chiseled profile. She rested her head on the seat in front of her and kept her eyes on his face studying every detail.
Anjali’s heart sped up when her eyes fell on his lips remembering how they felt on her lips and the delicate skin of her neck and the way they sucked giving her the pleasure she never felt before. She smiled and took her hand to run her fingers over the spot where he had sucked on her skin the previous day. She lowered her eyes to the thick column of his neck and the tanned skin at the opening of his collared t-shirt. Her palm itched to feel the skin wanting to know how it felt to touch him, but she fisted her fingers and closed her eyes.
She took a deep breath and opened her eyes in hopes of giving herself the pleasure of watching him wanting to etch his beautiful face in her mind. She raised her eyes to look at Dheeraj through her lashes and let out a gasp when she found him looking right back at her.
Dheeraj smiled at her making her heart flip and her lips curve up automatically. He leaned forward and instructed the driver to pull over. A few moments later, the convoy of three cars pulled over to the side of the road.
“You go join the others in the other car,” Dheeraj told the man behind the wheel and looked at Anjali. “Inara is sleeping. Come sit with me in the front.”
She nodded and adjusted the blanket around the sleeping child’s chest before getting out of the car to sit in the passenger seat in front. Dheeraj slid into the driver’s seat, and they continued their journey.
“Where are we going, Dheeraj?” Anjali finally broke the silence, turning to look at him.
He smiled, keeping his eyes on the road. “It’s a surprise.”
“For me?”
“Am I not allowed to surprise my wife?” he teased.
“Very funny. We are not in public. Tell me where we are going?”
He let out a chuckle. “We are going to my hometown. There is an event that you and I need to be part of.”
“What event?”
“It’s a celebration.” One end of his mouth twisted up, mischievously.
“And what are we celebrating?” She matched his playful tone.
“We are celebrating life. Inara had a less than ten percent survival rate, and now she is a happy and healthy baby,” he said, his voice gravelly.
“Dheeraj…” Anjali gently placed her hand on his shoulder.
He reached for her hand and held it in his. “I’m celebrating you. I have Inara because of you.”
“Please don’t say that, Dheeraj.”
Dheeraj didn’t respond but took the back of her hand to his lips, his eyes on the road. She squirmed at the feel of his lips on her skin but did not pull her hand back. “It felt like I had lost everything when Janu passed away but… when we brought Inara home, I felt like I finally had a family again.”
A lump formed in her throat, and she tried hard to swallow but could not. She took in a slow, deep breath feeling overwhelmed at what he said. A man who did not believe in marriage and long-term relationships was talking about family and togetherness. She pulled back her hand and patted his shoulder and remained silent.
“Geetanjali, you are the reason I feel like I have a family.”
Anjali reached out to pat him on the shoulder one more time. “I’m happy to hear that. We have a long way to go. My job is done when Inara is no longer tracking against the premature baby milestones, and you get full custody of her.”
“What happens after that?” he asked turning to look at her.
“I have things to do and a promise to keep.” She felt her heart squirm at the thought of leaving him and Inara.
“What can I do to help?”
She was tempted to pour out her sorrows but held back.
“You helped already. The money is what I need to fulfill my grandma’s wish.” Her voice wavered from the memory.
“What is her… hang on.” He reached for his phone when it started to ring.
Dheeraj got a call from the office, and he spent a long time talking on the phone. He looked at her apologetically as he continued to speak, and she smiled and shut her eyes to catch up on some sleep.
Sleep came to her easily, his voice playing in the background, and happiness filled in her heart. She saw the contentedness in his eyes when he talked about family and wanted her to be part of his family—something she had craved for from the time her grandma passed away.
Anjali let sleep consume her with the hopes of fulfilling her grandma’s wish to build a hospital for children that had started to become a reality. It was her grandmother’s wish to build it in her hometown, and her father had not kept his promise. Anjali took it upon herself to fulfill her grandma’s last wish. Her grandma had lost four premature babies due to a lack of hospital facilities and wanted to ensure no mother in the region would lose their child due to a premature birth.
What Anjali had done in the past involving Surya to fulfill her grandma’s wish backfired and continued to haunt her, and she hoped that the arrangement with Dheeraj worked out as planned.
Chapter 15
Anjali felt like she was floating among the clouds. Her surroundings were soft and warm making her feel safe and secure—a feeling she had not felt in a long time. She took in a slow and long breath with her eyes still shut and enjoyed the beautiful masculinity that filled her nostrils.
Dheeraj! He had to be close by, but where?
She came out of her state of bliss, and the first thing she felt was his touch, the way he held her to him making her feel feather-light. Her eyes fluttered open, and she realized he was carrying her from the car into a house she didn’t recognize.
“Dheeraj… Inara,” she murmured, tightening her hold on him.
“She is inside, in her crib, playing with Seema.” Dheeraj looked down at her.
“I can walk… put me down” she whispered, her voice weak.
“Almost there.” He smiled.
Dheeraj carried Anjali into the bedroom and placed her on the bed. She saw the crib placed to one side of the bedroom, and Seema stood looking down at Inara who was kicking her legs and waving her hands at the toy that dangled over her.
“Did we bring her crib?” Anjali asked in surprise.
“Nope… I had the same crib set up for her, so it is not too much of a change for Inara.” Dheeraj smiled.
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Anjali laughed. “I can’t imagine how you will be when Inara is a teenager. Will you be the overprotective dad?”
“What’s wrong with being overprotective?” Dheeraj smiled walking over to the crib and Anjali walking a step behind him.
“Seema, you did a good job of taking care of Inara. You can go now, get some rest.”
“Thank you, sir.” Seema beamed as she left the room.
“We have a couple of hours before we have to leave to attend the event. Do you want to bring Inara with us?”
Anjali looked shocked. “Yes, why would we not take her with us? I will stay back if she can’t go.”
“Inara may get cranky with the number of people at the event.”
“Is this some kind of a morning concert?” She laughed, and Dheeraj shook his head.
“If she gets cranky, I can take her back to the car.” Anjali shrugged.
“You can’t leave the event… you need to be there with me.”
“What is this event, and why are you being so secretive about it?” She frowned.
He smiled—the smile that made her breath trap in her throat. “You’ll find out soon.”
Almost two hours later, Anjali glared at Dheeraj for the hundredth time because he wouldn’t tell her where they were headed, and it only made him smile.
“You’ll find out soon.”
“Am I getting fired?” she asked unable to contain herself.
“Fired? Don’t be silly, Geetanjali.”
“Fine, don’t tell…” her voice trailed off when the car turned, and she saw a crowd gathered with reporters and media vehicles lining the street they were on. She looked around and noticed signs to a hospital and nothing else.
“Geetanjali, thank you for being the mother Inara does not have and for being there for me during my most trying times. This is my way of showing you how much it meant to me.” He pointed at something high in the air as he slowly drove through the crowd.
“Dheeraj, why are you saying that… I only—” Whatever she was about to say was lost in a gasp, and she covered her mouth with her hand when she saw the large sign for the hospital.
Geetanjali Children’s Super Specialty Hospital
“Oh my God… Oh my…” She started to sob.
Dheeraj patted her shoulder as she sobbed into her hands. “Sweetheart, you are the guest of honor. You can’t be in tears.” He pulled the car into a parking spot and waited for the private security to clear the path for them to enter the building.
“Geetanjali… please don’t cry.” Dheeraj leaned to his side and pulled her to him.
The moment was surreal. Her life ambition and dream to start a children’s hospital with the name ‘Geetanjali,’ which was also her grandmother’s name, was a reality, and she was overwhelmed beyond belief. Dheeraj had given her a gift no one could ever give her, and she didn’t even ask. It was not what she had expected when Dheeraj had referred to a surprise event.
“Dheeraj… you have…” It was at that moment she realized something she had been fighting for months. The man who held and comforted her, had been ruling her heart for months, and at that moment, she knew he was there to stay. There was no denying that she had fallen in love with him no matter how much she ignored it by labeling it as a mere attraction.
Anjali pulled back to look at him through teary eyes. “Dheeraj… I… I love you.”
He smiled, his eyes dancing at her as he lowered his lips to hers in a gentle sweep before kissing away the moisture on her cheeks. “I love you, too, sweetheart.”
Anjali laughed, tears of joy rolling down her cheeks. “This has been my dream, a hospital for children and the reason I agreed to the contract… did you know?”
Dheeraj shook his head, smiling. “I didn’t…”
“Dheeraj, how can I ever…” He swallowed her words into a kiss.
“Be mine,” he demanded against her lips, and she moaned into his mouth.
“I will be yours… I am yours for real.” Her words were a whisper.
*****
Dheeraj looked at Anjali in the rearview mirror on their way back from his hometown. The hospital where he and his sister were born was an old dilapidated nursing home when he decided to buy it and convert it into a hospital—a hospital that would be equipped to save more lives like Inara’s—premature babies with a low chance of survival. He never expected it to be a way to win the heart of the woman who had shown him the beauty of life again. Before even he realized it, he had fallen for her, and it was magical to hear her express herself amidst happy tears.
The woman who was to be in contract for two years was now going to be his forever—his wife and the mother of his child. She had the heart to love a child as her own, and he could not imagine another woman in his life. His chest filled with warmth with the way she looked at him at the opening ceremony of the hospital—her eyes spoke volumes.
Dheeraj pulled into the driveway of their home unable to wait to take Anjali into his arms. They left right after the opening ceremony, and except for a stolen kiss after the event, they did not have any alone time after confessing their love for each other.
He stepped out of the car and opened the back door of the SUV. He smiled at the baby who was awake but was quietly looking at the woman sleeping with her head on the headrest. He smiled as he picked up the baby into his arms and ran his palm along Anjali’s cheek. “Baby, we are here.”
Anjali’s brow crinkled before her eyes flew open. A moment of surprise passed in her eyes, and then they smiled at him. “Are we home already?”
“Yes, we are.” He smiled as she stepped out of the car to put her arms around him and kiss the baby.
Dheeraj put his free arm around Anjali and whispered. “Hey… we are in public. Do I not get a kiss?”
“No more kisses for you… in public,” she said coyly making him want to suck the air out of her lungs with his lips pressed against hers.
Seema helped Anjali give Inara a bath as Dheeraj spent time in the study wrapping up work. Inara was bathed, fed, and tucked in for the night, and Anjali made it downstairs for dinner. The chef had set up their dinner on the table just like every night, but that night was special. She let the food warm up in the oven and stood looking out of the French doors unable to believe what happened that day.
Dheeraj had made her wish come true, but she still had a nagging feeling in her head about wanting to do the same in her hometown, where her father was born, in the beautiful palace where she played as a child.
Anjali turned when she felt him behind her and instantly felt his lips on hers. She smiled at the hunger in the kiss and matched it with her eagerness. His hands roamed her body exploring her curves like never before. She moaned with sweet pain when his fingers dug into the soft flesh at her waist melding her body to his.
“I can’t wait…” he growled, and she pulled back to look up at him.
“I want to eat dinner with you. Tonight, feels special.” She smiled.
“Everything about today is special.” He laughed leading her to the dining table. He sat her down and walked over to the oven to bring their food to the table.
Anjali was too excited to eat, but she sat enjoying every moment with him. She toyed with her food as she rehearsed how she was going to ask him to help her with her goals.
“What are you thinking about?” Dheeraj interrupted her thoughts like he read her mind.
She smiled. “I still cannot believe there is a hospital in my name… my grandma’s name.”
He winked at her. “I had no idea that was your grandma’s name. We can always change it to Anjali if that’s what you want.”
“Dheeraj, you have no idea how happy you made me. I have wanted that for so long…”
Anjali felt a new sense of relief encompass her. She no longer had to deal with Surya, beg him to give her her money so she could build the hospital. She looked at the ceiling, a million thoughts swarming in her mind. Her goal to build the hospital was achieved even if she
didn’t do it herself. She felt very acidic about the fact that she was going to let Surya and his family get away with everything they put her through during the past six years.
Anjali looked at the man who made that moment possible for her, making her feel like a free bird, and the pressure to keep the promise she made to herself when her grandmother passed away and the worry about dealing with Surya melted away. Her heart was filled with so much love for Dheeraj that she decided to embrace his gift to her and not be attached to the idea that she had to place every brick to build the hospital.
“Why did you even think of naming a hospital with that name to a children’s hospital?”
“You are a pediatric nurse, right?” he winked.
“You have no idea how much pressure you lifted off my shoulders. The best part being not having to deal with… I don’t even want to talk about the sad part when I am so happy,” she said smiling.
Dheeraj chewed on his food looking at her in silence. She stood up to walk over to where he sat and looked down at him. “I was going to use the money from the contract and the money I would get from selling some of the real estate my parents left me to build it in my hometown, Devarakonda, but… I am so happy today, Dheeraj.”
Dheeraj took her into his arms when she started to sob. “Baby, please.”
“Thank you!” She buried her face into his chest.
“You will never thank me for anything… ever.” He ran the rough pad of his thumbs over her cheekbones wiping off the moisture.
Anjali smiled, nodding her head.
“Let’s finish dinner, and we can eat dessert upstairs. I snuck something into the fridge there.” He winked.
She laughed sitting back at the dining table to finish her meal. “I didn’t realize you were so big on surprises.”
“I wasn’t, but I am addicted to the look in your eyes every time you are surprised. The way you looked at me the night I proposed… I can never forget that look.” His words made her heart flip in her chest.