by P. G. Van
“Let’s go,” I urged as he held me tightly in his arms.
Nick smiled and let go of me and said, “Why don’t you go ahead, I will be out in a minute.”
As I turned away from him, Nick ran his fingers through his damp hair pulling out the bottle of his cologne and sprayed a few puffs. The smell of the cologne mixed with Nick’s masculine odor swept over me waking up my inner desire. I turned around and took a few steps towards Nick with passion in my eyes. Nick smiled at me as I approached him with a deep hunger for him. I walked into his open arms putting my hands around his neck and ran my fingertips through his damp hair. He looked into my eyes without making a move. Unable to bear my urges anymore, I placed my lips on the skin exposed at the neckline of his shirt. Nick’s hand tightened around my waist immediately, and he slowly started running his fingers up and down my bare back that was exposed in the black and red lace dress. I took a deep breath against his neck and as I moved up from the bottom of his neck to one side of his neck, I felt his strong pulse against my lips. I established that spot as my base and started to suck on that area very gently with my tongue making swirls around the spot.
Nick groaned and looked up stretching out his neck and giving me space. Encouraged by that gesture, the vampire in me took over, and I almost dug my teeth into his neck but instead, pressed his neck against my teeth to satisfy my urge.
Nick straightened as he felt the sweet pressure on his neck and I immediately felt his desire for me set hard against my body. He looked down at me with his eyes deep and dark and said, “We can’t stop if we continue, let’s pick this up after dinner, I promise.”
I smiled and said, “Your white shirt is the culprit.”
Nick laughed out loud and planted a kiss on my cheek. He ran his fingers through his hair to tame down the mess I made with his hair and followed me downstairs. Nick and I found Srini and Nate chilling on the sectional in deep conversation.
“Did you guys forget we were here?” Nate asked giggling as we walked towards the living area.
“I went upstairs to give you guys some alone time,” I teased her right back.
Nick walked over to Nate giving her a brotherly hug; then did the usual fist bump with Srini.
“Srini and Nate, what can I get you guys to drink?” Nick asked as he walked back towards the kitchen.
Nate pulled me to the side and asked, “Have you been in this dress since last night?”
I looked down at the red lace layered black sheath dress that I had on and wondered why she asked. I adjusted the dress at the waistline so the matte wrap-around waistband was in place. I looked up at Nate and asked, “Why do you ask?”
“Isn’t this the dress you were planning on wearing for your date last night?” Nate asked.
“Ohh, I had packed another top and jeans along with this dress and ended up wearing those last night,” I clarified.
Nate looked at the guys in the kitchen in deep conversation and asked almost whispering, “So, did you guys do it yet?”
“Nate, stop being ridiculous,” I said annoyed at her curiosity.
Nate laughed and said, “I know how to get it out of you.”
“What do you want to drink, I think the guys forgot about your drink,” I asked Nate ignoring her statement.
“I’ll get a soda,” she said and I responded, “Why don’t you go sit on the sectional, and I will go grab you a drink?”
As I approached the kitchen, the guys seemed to be deep in conversation with their backs to me. I walked closer to where they were standing and heard Nick tell Srini in a very stern voice, “I need all the data offline immediately and the SV search completely decommissioned.”
“You guys discuss work even on a Saturday?” I asked and saw both of them jump as they turned with blank expressions on their faces.
“Oops, sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you guys. I need to grab some soda from the fridge.”
Nick smiled at me while Srini seemed to still be recovering from me startling him as I went back to the living area with the drinks.
“Nate, I talked to Nani (Grandma) today.” I told her with excitement as I sat down next to her.
“Oh, how are they doing? It was too late when I woke up so I could not talk them today,” Nate inquired.
“They are doing well. Oh, and mom had already given all the information about Nick to Nani,” I said smiling and looked at Nick in the kitchen. At that very second, he looked up, and our eyes met and he smiled from that distance and managed to make my heart race.
“Also, she told me about meeting our old neighbor at someone’s wedding and apparently there were people trying to find out details about us,” I said in a firm tone.
“What? About us?” She acted surprised and added, “I wonder who wants to know about us.”
I filled Nate in with all the details about when and how the two inquiries happened, and then it occurred to me. If someone went looking for Nate and me, and especially if the first inquiry was for our school records, Srini and Nick should have gotten some inquiries too.
I looked up over the sectional and called out to the guys, “Nick and Srini, I have a question for you guys, could you please join us?”
“Sure,” Nick responded.
Nick slid into the section next to me but maintained a healthy distance.
“Srini and Nick, did anyone from the high school contact you guys recently?” I asked curiously.
Nick was the first to respond with a question, “Why do you ask?
“Well, I was telling Nate about what my Nani told me earlier today. So based on the timing of when the first inquiry was made, it might be related to your high school reunion.”
At this point, I saw the color drain from Srini’s face and he looked at Nick.
“Srini, what is the matter?” I asked when I saw him look blankly at Nick, but Srini did not respond.
Nick took a deep breath and said, “It may have been to gather the information for the reunion so I am not really concerned about the first inquiry. I am about the second one.”
“Me too,” I said in a low voice and asked Nate, “How did you know about the reunion Nate?”
“Hmm…let me think.” Nate paused and then added, “I had subscribed for news from the school website a long time ago, and I got an email about the reunion.”
The guys were listening to us talk, and then I asked Nick, “Did you get an email too?”
“Srini did, and he told me about the reunion,” Nick said coolly and added, “I think the two of you should stay away from social media sites for a few days. We will work on setting up a sniffer to see if anyone is trying to get your information online.”
“Oh my, you really think this is some kind of scam?” I asked looking at Nick.
“It’s better to be safe as we don’t not know the gravity of the situation,” Nick declared.
“Who is ready for my special biryani?” Nick asked standing up and switching the topic of discussion.
Nick had prepared an elaborate meal with an appetizer, biryani, salad, and the curries to go with the biryani. A traditional biryani is made with rice and meat or fish and spices to induce flavor to the rice and the meat. It is often paired with flavored yogurt or a creamy Indian curry. Nick’s biryani was very traditional but the pairing items were a fusion version. He served a chili beer to go with the biryani. I usually did not enjoy beer, but the spicy flavors from the biryani and the sizzle from the beer were a perfect match.
Nate and I settled into the sectional unable to move with a food overdose, and the guys went upstairs to the guest bedroom to check on something at work.
“Meera, what is the deal with Nick?” she asked curiously.
I smiled at her and said, “I love him, Nate.”
“Aww…my sweet sis, I am so happy for you,” Nate said with sisterly love.
“Are you moving in with him?” Nate asked again as she could not get a clear-cut response from me earlier that day.
“Nick asked me to
move in with him. I was a bit hesitant initially especially with my awesome experience with my ex, but I think this time it is different,” I said and added, “I am going to take it one week at a time, and we have not really discussed the logistics yet.”
“What do you mean logistics?” Nate asked sounding surprised.
“I mean mostly financial stuff. Splitting the cost and stuff,” I said not really clear as to how I could have that conversation with Nick.
“Meera, I am not sure if that is really a good idea. I know you don’t like people paying for your stuff, but you need to let this slide this one time. There is no way Nick is going to entertain that conversation and you don’t want logistics to ruin what you guys have,” Nate said her voice firm and purposeful.
“I have to agree, but I need to somehow broach this topic with him. I can’t live here for free,” I objected.
“Not worth it, Meera. You should let it go.” Nate suggested and added, “Srini’s and my first ever argument was when I asked him if I could split the costs because I have been spending time at his townhouse.”
“Hmm…Good to know and how come you didn’t tell me this before?” I asked Nate smiling.
“That’s because it was none of your business,” Nate mocked and laughed.
“I will talk to Nick about it for my own clarification but won’t push it if he says no for the logistics piece,” I said as I wondered how I would bring the topic up with Nick.
“When will I see you again?” Nate asked making a sad face.
“I will come home every Friday for the workout class,” I said taking the empty cup from Nate’s hand to take it to the kitchen sink.
“Meera, do you really need to keep up with those classes?” she asked and added, “It’s not like they pay you for the classes.”
“Nate, we talked about it. I do it for myself and for the people who come to the classes to have fun and have a healthy lifestyle,” I said, and added, “and it is so much fun.”
Nate laughed and said, “These are the things that make me wonder if you really are my sister or if you were swapped in the hospital.”
“Nate, why do you say that?” I asked and added, “It’s not like you don’t give back to the community.”
Nate and I both laughed thinking of how Nate gives back to the community. She contributes to the city by paying her parking tickets on time.
“How far is work from here for you?” Nate asked curiously.
“It’s a few miles away. I could walk or take public transportation to work,” I said considering my options.
“It must be exiting to move in together but I am not entirely thrilled about it,” Nate complained.
“You barely spent any time at home the past few months Nate. Are you really going to miss me?” I teased.
“Of course, I am going to. Who is going to do my laundry now?” Nate said giggling.
We both laughed and sat on the sectional, and I started with my round of questions.
“How are you guys doing?” I asked Nate.
“Srini is such a great guy Meera, and I love him so much,” she said hugging herself.
“I am happy for you. I think he is the perfect guy for you,” I said smiling.
Nate looked at me for a second before asking me, “Do you feel that Nick is the perfect guy for you?”
“I do, but I keep questioning that over and over again Nate. I don’t know why,” I said sounding a bit annoyed at myself.
“Is it because things are moving faster than you would like them to move?” Nate said hitting the nail on the head.
I laughed and said, “You are absolutely right Nate, because it took me almost a year to acknowledge that I actually liked my ex, and it barely took me a week to realize that I have very strong feelings for Nick.”
“Sometimes time is not really a factor because I feel like Srini and I are moving way too fast, but again we kind of knew each other and picked up when we left off as friends,” she said smiling.
“Ohh yes, like you blocked everyone out as soon as you saw Srini at the reunion?” I teased.
“Oh c’mon Meera, it was not like that. I definitely spent most of my time there with Srini but I did interact with other guys and gals from my class,” she said and added, “For whatever reason, I just don’t remember talking to Nick. I remember seeing him from a distance, and then he disappeared.”
“Hmm…that’s weird,” I said looking at Nate.
“Or he was there for the welcome dinner on Friday night and left right after or he had other plans in Vegas,” Nate said in a teasing tone.
I laughed and said, “Maybe, but he told me that he wasn’t seeing anyone; in fact, he had not seen anyone in over a year.”
Nate laughed and said, “It’s Vegas baby, c’mon,” and she totally enjoyed the envious look on my face.
“I talked to mom the other day and she told me that you had a serious crush on Nick back home,” Nate said with excitement.
“That’s what she claimed when I talked to her last, but I don’t remember feeling that way. I definitely liked him more than my other friends. I liked him more than I liked you as you were pretty annoying for a few years,” I said laughing as Nate gave me a dirty look for saying that she was annoying.
“I think Nick had a crush on you too,” Nate declared and I almost chocked and let out a small cough.
“What?” I asked and added, “How do you know?”
“Is that true?” Nate asked excited that her theory could be validated.
“You tell me why you thought he had a crush on me?” I asked without giving her any cues.
“Well, he had girls literally throw themselves at him, but he just was not interested in them. The only girl he would actually talk to or hang out with was you, and he would talk to me because I lived in the same house with you,” she said rolling her eyes.
I laughed and said, “Well, I didn’t see that because I wasn’t in the same class as you guys,” I said smiling.
“Nick also picked you as his teammate for most of the competitions because you guys made a great team for debate and other geeky stuff,” Nate said mocking me.
“Based on what I heard from you and Nick, I think it is confirmed that he did have a crush on me, and I was blind to see it,” I said sheepishly.
“Nick told you?” she asked with surprise.
I nodded and blushed.
“I knew it,” Nate said and added, “and this explains why he fell head over heels for you from the time he met you the other night at the tequila bar.”
“What?” I asked in surprise and continued, “How is it that you knew and I didn’t,” annoyed at myself that I did not catch the deeper vibe.
“That’s because you always have your guard up but you no longer do, so you will see everything now,” Nate said smiling.
“Okay, enough about us. What are you are Srini up to these days?” I asked.
“Well, all the good stuff, and I am wondering if Srini is thinking about the next steps already?” Nate said with a lot of suspicion in her voice.
“Oh my, you mean you guys are thinking about getting married already?” I asked with excitement.
“Well, I would say yes if he asked, but I don’t know if we should rush into things so I am on the fence about that,” she said almost whispering.
I whispered back smiling, “I would have said it’s too soon if I had not met Nick and experienced what I experienced in our relationship, but now I feel like there is no perfect time for people to come together and be together.”
“Hmmm…” Nate said thinking.
“Has Srini given you any hints about a possible proposal?” I asked curiously.
“Well, he started talking more and more about the future since last night and the kind of messages he sent me while he was away on the business trip. Also, like now Nick and Srini are both upstairs claiming that they are working, but I know they are very serious about not discussing work at home,” she said grinning.
“I
nteresting, because I heard them talk about what seemed like work stuff earlier tonight so maybe they are really working, Nate,” I said to which Nate shook her head indicating that they were doing something that was not work related.
“Don’t think too much about it and enjoy it when he does ask you,” I advised.
“What are you guys doing the rest of the weekend?” Nate asked almost to distract herself from her thoughts.
“I am not really sure. We may finally go out on a date,” I said blushing.
“Did you guys not go out last night?” she asked surprised at my comment.
I laughed and said, “No, he brought me here instead and had the food delivered.”
“That is so much more romantic than going out,” Nate said beaming.
“I agree,” I said as I looked at my watch and realized that the guys were gone for a while now.
“What are your plans for next weekend?” Nate asked, and it was at that point I remembered that I had promised my very good friend that I would model her jewelry for a campaign.
“I promised Rhea that I would do a photo shoot for her,” I said to Nate.
“One more of your free services,” Nate teased.
“C’mon Nate, she is a good friend,” I whined.
Rhea and I went to undergrad school together and even though we were majoring in completely different areas, we ended up becoming good friends. After college, she decided to work for their family jewelry business and took care of the marketing for their Indian traditional and fusion jewelry in the Bay Area. Rhea worked mostly with professional models but wanted me to do the more traditional jewelry. I got a copy of the professional pictures to send to my parents and grandparents. I did it mostly because it was so much fun to dress up in the traditional Indian clothes. The next photo shoot was near and dear to my heart as I was modeling in the classical Indian dance outfit that I had not worn in years. I made a mental note to talk to Nick about the photo shoot the following Saturday so we could plan the weekend better.
“She offered to pay you more than once but you don’t want to make the extra cash,” she mocked and added, “You should take it and donate it to my parking tickets fund!”