Guy! They had made love. And how she’d let down her defenses…she colored in the darkness, as much from embarrassment as annoyance.
What had got into her last night? When she’d left him after prodding his foot, she’d been angry at him. It soon changed because as much as his stubbornness not to admit pain annoyed her, the way he’d overcome it to claim the dance with her also pleased her.
How stupid could she get, she nearly groaned. Impressed just because he pirouetted with her on a throbbing ankle! No wonder they said women are strange creatures.
She moved and immediately the arm around her tightened. She couldn’t stir. Going against her intentions, she let her hand move over his arm and down his back. She should be going…what was she doing? She tried again, even more half-heartedly and his arm came away from her. She lay, stupidly disappointed. Then to her mixed feeling of relief, he shifted to hold her closer, his arm sliding under her, his free hand began to move…down her cheek…her neck, lower…above the swell of her breast… He was awake! His hand cupped the mound possessively and she squirmed, unable to prevent the dart of response quivering through her.
He turned her towards him and he was kissing her…slow, languorous, then deeply and hungrily. She responded eagerly, forgetting all her indignation, lost in the magic of his touch and the closeness of his body.
Desire rose like a tidal wave. Shocked by the intensity of the sensations he evoked, even in the after wake of sleep, she felt herself swept away, sucked into the sensuality of the touch of his hands and mouth. He teased the peaks of her breasts, alternately laving them, arousing her to the verge of breakpoint. She took over, tormenting him as she stroked and pleasured him till he exacted revenge, leaving her groaning and demanding his possession. She arched against him, inviting him, inciting him to a more urgent pace. He wasn’t letting her, slowing, driving her to the edge, then bringing her back. She gasped, unable to believe his masterfulness. She wrapped around and drove against him. She could feel a force gathering, helpless to stem it as she felt control slip away. Only instinct was left…some deep instinct to seek wherever he was leading her. Infuriated out of her mind, she sobbed out a half incoherent plea and it burst through her. Waves after waves rippling through tingling nerve endings. Above her, he went rigid, his chest heaving a little as his body gave up and climaxed. Her body pulsed in a response deeper, more intense than anything she’d felt before, the sure knowledge he was feeling like she did, making each tide of pleasure much more than it would have been. He leaned his forehead against hers and as the last shudder left his body, caught her mouth on a kiss, breaking off to let her breath, then kissing her intermittently but deep and full. Every touch of him was like their souls were connecting. Something more meaningful than mere passion or just sex could ever be.
How could such thoughts pass through her mind? Lost in the haze of aftermath, she had no clue. Not how he could feel so precious that even his slipping off to dispose of the condom, could feel like an intrusion. Not why his body felt so right, she instinctively snuggled into it. Not how she could feel a fierce thudding desire to hold onto him, stamp him all over as hers.
The early blue light of dawn became visible through the drawn curtains. Her thoughts made her heart beat fast. This wasn’t supposed to happen. She couldn’t lay any sort of claim on him. He wasn’t hers.
A little later, she left his room, having dressed quietly and swiftly. When she got up, he made a grab for her. ‘Have to go,’ she said softly.
She didn’t want it to get around with the number of people staying in the palace.
Back in her room she couldn’t sleep.
Lyna knew she’d never felt like this. She’d never feel like this with anyone else.
The knowledge was sure. And it bound her to him. It brought panic.
But at the moment, as she lay in her bed, hugging the night to her, it also brought ease and calm. She was glad she’d experienced it. There could be nothing more beautiful, more unchangeable. She wouldn’t go back to what she had been for anything.
How naively she’d thought life was better when she was safe from emotion. Emotion was life, its heat, its pain, its ardor made her be like this when she was near him. She would have missed it, missed him and she was glad for once she had not withdrawn. Whatever happened, she couldn’t again be the cold woman she had been, treating finer emotion unworthy. Because if you didn’t love, you hadn’t lived.
She didn’t sleep in spite of the little amount she had the previous night. At last, she got up, got ready and went for a walk along her habitual path in the garden. The lingering scent of night blooming jasmine calmed her. She stayed close to the flowers beds, catching a whiff of newly opening buds now and then.
Hearing someone talk as though they were on phone, she paused. A second later, Vinay came into sight, in shorts and a t shirt, his hair rumpled, a dark scowl on his face.
He had obviously finished, because he shut the phone then caught sight of Lyna, his frown abating only a little.
‘Good morning, Lyna.’
‘Good morning. Is everything okay?’
‘I don’t want to pour my troubles into your ears – oh hell, you’re my friend, aren’t you?’ Lyna nodded and he said somewhat fiercely, ‘About the only friend I have in this cursed place!’ He pulled at a twig viciously, it didn’t break, instead the pull grazed his hand. ‘Ouch!’ He shook it to relieve the pain and scowled even more. ‘This is my life. Nothing goes right for me!’
‘Calm down, Vinay. Let’s sit down here.’ She indicated a bench. ‘What’s happened?’
‘It’s Priti. Just because her sister has come home for the weekend, she says she won’t come for the party. Mother doesn’t want me to go out for next two days. I’m to help her out. God knows in what? Everything is already done for the occasion.’ His shoulders hunched, he sat leaning forwards, cracking his knuckles. ‘I have to see her before Mom sends me off to Kota. Hell, I’m not going to Kota.’ In a restless movement, he got up, messing his hair distractedly.
‘Have you talked to her about it?’
‘Who can talk to Mummy? She does what she likes. In this house, no one gives a –’ He added some more colorful words. Then looked repentant. ‘I’m sorry. Your big day is near and I am moaning about things...just when you look so happy too. Don’t worry...I’ll think of something. I could always hang myself, if needed.’ He laughed and walked off down the path, with no idea that he left his listener gazing after him in shock.
Vinay wasn’t the only one to remark on her looks. Kalyani nodded approvingly at breakfast. ‘Just like a bride should. Thank God, I don’t know how we would manage if you looked haggard. I said bride because that’s what we say, isn’t it?’ She sought confirmation from Hina who just directed a disdainful glance at Lyna and refused to comment.
She was too busy to linger to chat anyway. Even Kalyani went away to attend the guests who had stayed over. The dining room had been enhanced with added tables and chairs to accommodate those who wished to eat downstairs. Lyna had seen some trays being sent upstairs. She asked Savika how many guests were there, but she shrugged and said, ‘No idea! It’s always like this in an event in our house. Sunil likes to avoid the crowd. But he’s sure to come for your wedding reception. Have you thought of a date, by the way? Dadu will have the purohit here to fix it according to planetary blessings, unless you can supply him with a readymade excuse!’
She chuckled. Lyna gazed down at her hands. Wedding. Reception. Guy was right. They were being sucked in. Where was he anyway? She hadn’t seen him since morning, except a sight of him going upstairs with Dadu, slowing his steps to match his.
She sat in the morning room with Savika, going over the kids’ dresses with her, the pics of which she had clicked on her phone. Most of the guests had gone on an excursion to nearby perpetual attraction Matheran. The cook, helped by Kalyani, who wouldn’t let Lyna even cut the salad, and had appointed Savika to guard her boys, taking no chances, after the cake disaster,
had packed a large picnic basket and declared she couldn’t cook any more that day. So lunch was left to them to conjure up. Savika declared she couldn’t eat anything till tea and that seemed to be the general feeling. With Hina away, distributing the last-minute invites, the house seemed to be pervaded by a quiet languor. The first inkling that something was wrong came as Kalyani swept in, glanced hurriedly at Savika, then went over to the window, making a show of adjusting the drapes pulled aside. Lyna saw a quick interchange of glances between the two sisters, then Kalyani said, ‘Savika, I think the clasp of my emerald set has come loose. You have to take a look at it. Lyna, do you mind if I take her with me?’
‘No, of course not.’
The next was a screech of tyres as a car was obviously parked in a hurry. A second later, Vinay, now in his usual black t shirt emblazoned with a super hero accessory and torn jeans stormed into the room, halfway in before he saw Lyna.
He pivoted around swiftly, his forehead like a thundercloud. ‘If you weren’t sitting here, I would break something, hell, I would smash all of these showpieces here!’ He gestured to the various bronze and metal artefacts placed in various corners. Lyna made a sympathetic noise and didn’t point out the obvious fact that he couldn’t smash metal.
‘Sit down!’ She felt like she was repeating herself and realized she was. ‘What happened?’
‘How can I sit down at a time like this? As for what happened, Mummy went to Priti’s house. Of all the things to do she had to pick a fight with her, I tell you, there was a hell lot of shouting, poor Priti looked so upset. I wished I could hug her and - just take her away from all this. Mummy was shouting and so was she –’
‘Vinay, you have to slow down. Priti was shouting at Mummy?’
‘Priti?’ He looked like she’d committed a sin. ‘Priti doesn’t shout or plunge into arguments. She’s so sensible. It was her mother. And why wouldn’t she shout? When Mummy went and invited Sara of all people! Why she had to –’ He stopped suddenly realizing he wasn’t supposed to talk to Lyna about Sara.
He looked so lost for a second that Lyna said kindly, ‘It’s okay. I know that Sara was on point of getting engaged with Guy once.’
‘It isn’t that. Mrs. Reddy said Mummy was rubbing salt in her wounds inviting her to the engagement. Mummy refused, said Sara was like her daughter. She’d have her in her house in a minute. And that’s a lie! She doesn’t want anyone to be her daughter in law. Oh devil, I shouldn’t have said that.’ He looked miserable again.
Lyna couldn’t blame him. He really had to develop some tact. She prompted after a moment’s silence. ‘So was everything okay by the time you left?’
‘Well, Sara said she’d be pleased to come and that deflated Mrs. Reddy. Priti said she didn’t think her mother would allow her to come and – that’s all we had time for before Mummy came to the door. How could she?’ he spat, glared at the blameless carpet.
Lyna didn’t know what to say to him. It’s okay...don’t worry...it will be all right...platitudes which did come true mostly but at the moment were too inadequate.
‘I’m going for a rally. Care to come?’ He suddenly flung at her.
She looked at his stormy face and impulsively said, ‘Okay!’
He smiled for the first time that morning...only a trace of his usual wide grin, but Lyna was glad.
She changed into a t shirt and jeans from the skirt she’d worn earlier. A babble of voices came to her ears as she descended the stairs and as she came down she could see the cluster of family near the gate. Curious, she went outside, catching sight of Guy. Her smile froze as she found him directing an angry look at her, brows drawn together, mouth compressed. The next instant, she uttered a cry of surprise.
‘Mom!’
CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE
She ran forward to the newcomer. ‘How did you... What are you doing here?’
Her mother, dressed in a stiff silk sari, looked flustered and overcome. ‘Lyna...I had no idea.’ She hugged her and said in a low voice. ‘Tasha kept saying they were rich but look at all this...’ She raised a wondering gaze on the rising edifice of the house before them. ‘Wow!’ She breathed in.
Before Lyna could answer, she caught sight of Hina’s face wearing a smirk and a wave of annoyance heated her blood.
‘I should say you have never seen this kind of opulence, have you?’ Hina said with kindness bordering on condescension. ‘Yes, I invited her, Lyna. How did she get her number, you must be thinking. It was easy once I knew from Guy her name and where she lived.’
‘It would have been easier to ask me,’ Lyna couldn’t help pointing out.
‘Ah, but then it wouldn’t be such a surprise, would it?’
As the party now moved indoors, Lyna couldn’t reply.
Vinita was quite naive where people were concerned. Her blindness in case of her ex-husband was a source of irritation to Lyna and now her obvious look of being overwhelmed made her feel like a protective mother hen.
A vast array of snacks and beverages had been laid out to a smaller but still very large formal lounge.
Before Lyna could recover from her mother’s presence, she was jolted to hear another voice she didn’t expect.
‘Lyna…’ The voice was gruff. He cleared his throat. Lyna whirled to face him.
‘Brijesh!’
‘Hi.’ He gave her a sheepish grin and mopped his forehead with the large hanky he was holding. ‘Had to walk back a long way after parking the car. Guy said I should go myself. Quite a place he has here.’ He looked around and his face fell a little.
‘How did you get here?’ Lyna remembered their last meeting, a note of animosity entering her voice. ‘I can’t think Hin- Mummy invited you too.’
‘Hmm? Oh no, nobody invited me. I offered a ride to your mother because I was coming to see you. I have to apologize to you. I really behaved very badly the last time we met, you know that. I also apologize for bursting in here. Not my party, as they say.’ He mopped his forehead again.
‘Ok. I accept it,’ Lyna said grudgingly. ‘But only for kidnapping me that night. After what you did with the video of Guy and me –’
‘No, no…that was not my doing. Just made the threat. Apologize for that too. That video wasn’t my doing. Some troublemaker…someone who wanted something – like our engagement breaking off…’ He gawked a little and Lyna realized he was looking over her shoulder. She turned and found the reason for his gawking. He was the focus of an angry scowl from Guy who stood some distance away. She turned back, trying to resist the urge to go over and ask him what was the matter. ‘I see, I shouldn’t have come,’ said Brijesh. ‘But when I saw your mom at the office –’
‘At the office?’
‘Your office,’ Brijesh clarified, taking a glass from the tray a helper proffered and sipping gratefully.
‘What were you – and my mother – doing at my office?’ She tried to ignore Guy’s scowl and concentrated at Brijesh.
‘I was absolutely at my wit’s end. I have to ask you, Lyna, to come and meet my father and tell him it wasn’t my fault that you broke the engagement. If you don’t...oh, he’s been after me this whole week, telling me I made a mess...what with your serial taking off like hot cakes... He’s threatened to sack me from the company.’ He paused to sip again and was distracted from his lamenting enough to comment, ‘This is good, what’s in it?’
‘Thandai mixture, a family recipe. But that’s beside the point. Why didn’t you tell me –?’
A cool voice sounded behind her. ‘Aren’t you being a little remiss at being a loving daughter? She’s come all the way here to see you hobnobbing with your ex...on the day of your engagement!’
Lyna turned to find herself the recipient of censure in Guy’s gaze. After the night before, this was all he had to say? She’d accepted that he was busy with his grandfather. She hadn’t even expected a loving morning greeting. But this? Her mouth twisted. So much for thinking something could develop between them. All he wanted was
what he’d got last night. And now well met, so long, was all she was worth to him!
Blue sparks shot on him. ‘Have I asked you what you have been doing all morning?’
‘I’m not tied to your apron strings,’ he snapped.
Her gaze turned to ice. ‘There is no apron, in case you haven’t noticed and no strings either. Please don’t disturb my conversation.’
Brijesh looked from one to the other, jaw slack.
‘If you think you can carry on with any guest you’ve been presumptive enough to invite –’
‘No no….not invited...’ Brijesh disclaimed, his hand lifted in protest.
Lyna overrode him. ‘What if I did? If your family can invite my mother without telling me, why shouldn’t I invite anyone I like?’
‘Invite to what? The way you’re carrying on, it’s doubtful...’ He cut himself off, threw a last glower at Brijesh and turned on his heel to stalk off in the direction of the stairs.
‘Oh dear!’ Brijesh found a sofa and sat down. ‘You shouldn’t have made him so angry. I didn’t realize...all I wanted...I would have called you except your phone was off. Then I met your mother at the office. She was also trying to call you...’
‘Oh God, my phone!’ She’d forgotten to charge it and her creative director for their top show was waiting to hear her take on the next episode to be aired!
‘I have to go,’ she muttered distractedly to Brijesh.
‘Wait! Lyna, I don’t know how things are...but hey, if you’re breaking off with Guy, we can be back in our deal. Same terms, nothing changed, I promise you.’
She couldn’t believe Brijesh. Was he for real? Before she could react, something made her attention diverge.
She turned to find Guy standing right behind her. He had come back and heard every word. A wave of threatening anger seemed to rise from him. She moved towards him instinctively.
‘He’s just –’
Last Man She'd Love Page 18