by P. G. Van
I smiled and teased, “One more hour and you will be begging me to take them off.” He shook his head and walked back into the bathroom. I looked down at my feet as I took normal but slow steps towards the bathroom and with every tantalizing jingle, I felt more and more beautiful walking around in the oversized sleep shirt. Women in ancient India wore anklets and bangles as part of their daily attire to accentuate their beauty and also as an indication that they were married. A chill ran through my spine at that thought, but the warmth the simple sound brought to my heart banished further worries.
I showered and was in my closet picking out clothes wearing only my undergarments. Nick walked in silently and put his arms around me from behind.
“One other advantage of you wearing the anklets is I know exactly where you are at all times,” Nick said burying his face in my hair.
“Is that why you got me the anklets?” I asked smiling without turning around to face him.
“I didn’t get them, my mom did,” he responded his voce muffled through my hair.
“Nick, you bought them from my friend. Remember?” I asked turning around and looking up at him.
“Rhea told you?” Nick asked not looking happy.
I nodded smiling and said, “I am glad you did. I love them.”
Nick’s face brightened, and the smile returned to his face.
“When did you talk to Rhea?” Nick asked curiously.
“I talked to her a few days ago to plan for our reunion,” I said looking through my clothes unable to decide what to wear. Nick stood rooted to his spot looking at me without saying anything. I looked up at him and asked, “What’s the matter Nick?”
“I totally forgot about your reunion. I barely made it through Thursday and Friday without you. I don’t know what I am going to do when you go out.” Nick said sounding dejected.
“Nick, stop being a baby,” I said teasing him.
“I will work on how to convince you to take me,” he said winking at me.
I laughed and said, “All the girl talk will drive you nuts. You will need to put up with multiple drunk women, not just one.”
Nick’s smile faded slightly as he moved closer to me and put his arms around my waist and asked, “About last night, how much of what you said do you remember?”
“Nick, I just had two drinks, and they had more than normal effect because I hadn’t eaten anything. I wasn’t completely out,” I whined.
“Well, do you remember talking about kids?” Nick asked his voice soft but steady.
I smiled and said, “I do.”
He took a deep breath pulling me to his chest and said, “Should we start with the baby boy or one of the girls?”
“Why don’t we start off with the little Ann?” I mocked rolling my eyes, and I could tell he did not like it. He looked at me gritting his teeth while I bit my lip to stop myself from laughing.
“I am sorry Nick, I didn’t mean to make fun of you,” I said touching his cheek and added in a serious tone, “When we are ready, I want a little girl just like Ann.”
The smile on his face returned almost instantly and as expected his next question was, “I am ready now. When will you be ready?”
I laughed and said, “I knew you would ask that question.”
‘And?” he asked eagerly with a smile on his face.
I looked up at him and said, “I promise, I will tell you when I am ready.”
Nick smiled at me with his eyes filled with love and tenderness and said, “I’ll be waiting.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
“Meera, over here,” I heard Nate to my left in the dark patio of the tequila bar where Nick and I met for the first time as adults a few months ago.
“Nick, this way,” I said taking his hand and walked towards Nate and Srini.
“I can’t believe we have not been back after the first time,” I said smiling as I turned to look at Nick.
Nick smiled with his eyes dazzling in the dim lights. I knew he was reminded of the same things I was reminded of being back in the same place we met. Nate and Srini were seated at a mini sectional at one corner of the patio seating. I bent down to give Srini a warm hug and asked, “Hi, Srini. Have you been nice to your fiancée?”
Srini chuckled and said, “I have been pretty nice to her. I don’t know about her.”
“Nate,” I teased her as I sat down next to her on the mini-rounded sectional sofa.
“Hey, dude,” Nick said to Srini as he sat down next to me and stretched out with his arm behind me on the back rest of the cane sectional. I felt Nick’s hand brush against my back as he adjusted his arm to find the perfect position on the backrest. Memories of the strong emotions I experienced when I met Nick for the first time churned inside me and tremors ran through my body. I turned to look at him from the corner of my eye and when he looked up at me smiling, I leaned forward and took my lips to his lips in a quick and swift movement.
“I so badly wanted to do this the first time I saw you here,” I whispered against his lips and Nick put his arm around me pulling closer and said, “Me too.”
“Meera and Nick. We are still here,” I heard Nate giggling in the background.
Nick gently released me and said, “Why didn’t you do this on that day. It would have been perfect.” I laughed and pulled away from him and leaned back against the backrest of the sofa blushing as Nate and Srini smiled looking at the two of us.
“Are you guys back from your lala land?” Srini teased.
“You have news for us Srini?” Nick said guessing Srini was up to something.
“Hang on, Srini,” Nate interrupted Srini and asked looking at me, “Meera, did you talk to mom today?”
I shook my head and saw Nate’s face light up. I smiled at her and leaned forward and asked, “Nate, what is it?”
“Srini and I are getting married in exactly two months in India,” Nate said her voice squeaky.
“Oh my, congrats you guys,” I shrilled hugging Nate and Srini while spilling some drinks along the way.
“You were right, Srini. The sisters are very unpredictable,” Nick said looking at Nate and me hugging and crying our eyes out with happiness.
“Easy, girls. We are getting dirty looks from the crowd,” Srini said laughing at Nate and me.
“When did you guys find out?” I asked eagerly.
“This morning, and I couldn’t tell you this over the phone. Srini had to tell Nick,” Nate said looking at Srini fuming.
“Nick, you knew and you didn’t tell me?” I asked looking at Nick in surprise.
“Sorry babe, I promised Srini that I wouldn’t tell you, and also I would never take away such a precious moment from you girls,” Nick said in a calm voice smiling.
“Congrats again man. You are one lucky guy,” Nick said to Srini smiling and clinked their drinks.
Srini’s parents and our parents have been talking for almost a week to pick the most auspicious day for Nate and Srini’s wedding. I made a mental note to talk to my mom first thing tomorrow morning, as I was sure she was freaking out just thinking about everything that needed to be done to get everything ready for Nate’s wedding.
“Meera, do you remember what you are doing at the wedding?” Nate asked her eyes sparkling.
“The only thing I am going to be doing is not leaving your side,” I smiled at Nate.
“Nick. Do you remember?” Nate asked looking at me.
“Yes, Nethra,” Nick said laughing looking at me. “Sameera will perform a classical dance at your wedding.”
“What?” I said shocked. “I never agreed to dance in front of a thousand people.”
“Nick, you are responsible for making it happen,” Nate said giving Nick an ultimatum.
“Your command, my information goddess.” Nick said laughing.
“Nate, this is so exciting,” I said and kept saying it all night unable to contain the excitement.
“We should go check out some bridal outfits for you next weekend,” I said
looking at Nate as I smiled.
“Meera, that would be awesome but aren’t you supposed to be in Napa for your reunion?” Nate asked surprised.
“I decided to skip it this time. I will meet the girls for dinner before they catch the flight,” I said quietly and I could tell Nick was looking at me intensely.
“Okay. Should we take the guys with us?” Nate asked looking at Srini.
I looked at Nick and said smiling, “I am sure they will want to go with us. Besides we need someone to carry the bags for us.”
“Srini, this is your opportunity to tell the girls that we were planning to work that weekend,” Nick said teasing him.
“Too late Nick. I guess we are joining the ladies for their retail therapy.”
Srini said without fighting it.
Nate and I giggled looking at the guys’ expression. We ended up staying at the tequila bar for dinner and drove back to San Francisco. Nick and I had a passionate night before I drifted off to sleep lying next to him wrapped in his arms.
*****
I rolled slowly to Nick’s side in my sleep in search of his warm body in the darkness. I reached out with my hand to feel him, but he was not in bed. I opened my eyes to look to his side and did not see him.
“Nick,” I called out in my sleepy voice. I waited for a few seconds for his response and got out of bed to see if he was in the bathroom. The bathroom and the closet were dark. I put on my robe walking slowly into the landing area at the top of the staircase and looked down at the living area.
Nick was asleep on the sectional with his feet on the floor and his body in an odd position. We got into bed together and remembered falling asleep with him right next to me. I wondered when he went downstairs and why he was on the sectional. I walked gingerly into the living area to go around the sectional and noticed that he had the blinds pulled up all the way. Nick must have fallen asleep enjoying the view. What was weird was that the bedroom had the same exact view.
I stood next to the sectional looking at him for a few minutes. He was in a deep sleep with his breathing steady and his beautiful face calm. His hair looked so unruly that it was borderline sexy. Smiling to myself, I knelt down next to the sectional to bring my face to the same level as Nick’s sleeping face. I put my palm on his jawline very gently and waited. Nothing. As I got impatient with every passing second, Nick seemed to go deeper and deeper into his sleep.
Turning up the sleep seduction up one notch, I gently took the tip of my nose to the tip of his nose and tried the famous “eskimo kiss” by gently rubbing the tips of our noses together and when that did not work, I lowered just enough to take my lips to the edge of his mouth. I felt his warm breath on my cheeks and stuck my tongue out to start tracing his lips. The moment my tongue touched his lips, I felt this breathing hiss and his arms automatically reached for me. In one heave, he pulled me off the floor and over him. Nick kissed me hungrily as his hands found my soft breasts though the robe.
“Nick, why did you leave me alone upstairs?” I asked against his lips.
He gently released my lips and said, “I am sorry, Sameera. I couldn’t sleep and didn’t want to wake you up with my tossing.”
“When did you come here?” I asked as he looked for his phone to check the time. It was almost two in the morning.
“I have been here less than an hour as I remember coming down around one o’clock,” Nick said looking at me.
“I missed you in bed,” I said putting my arms tightly around him and added, “Let’s go upstairs, and I will stay up with you if you can’t sleep again.”
Nick smiled at me and said, “Let’s go.” I got off the sectional and adjusted my robe as Nick pulled the blinds down. He held my hand as we walked up the stairs in silence.
“I’ll be right back, Nick,” I said and went into the bathroom. When I returned, Nick was in bed staring outside at the Bay Bridge. He had pulled the blinds up in the bedroom, which he rarely did, especially at night.
“Nick, what is the matter?” I asked getting into bed next to him and resting my back on his chest partially as he put his arm around my waist.
“It’s nothing,” Nick said sounding very mysterious.
“I am not going to ask you again,” I said in a firm tone.
He smiled and tightened his arms around me and as he planted a kiss on my cheek he said, “I am worried that you are changing your lifestyle and your preferences for my sake.”
I gently pulled away from his embrace so I could turn and look at him. “I don’t understand Nick,” I said looking into his eyes.
“The smallest of the smallest things you do now for me, the Sameera I knew would never do,” he said his voice gentle.
“I am pretty sure you are speaking English, but I really don’t understand,” I said shaking my head.
Nick chuckled softly and said, “I know it was a huge move for you to move in with me and…”
“Nick,” I said trying to interrupt him but he shook his head and put his index finger on my lips and asked, ‘Why are you skipping the reunion?”
“I..I don’t know. I just didn’t feel like going,” I said my voice shaky.
“I know why. It is because every time you talked about the reunion, I expressed my unhappiness and managed to influence you,” he said sounding guilty.
I took his palms placing them on my waist on either side and moved closer to face him. I took my lips to his lips pressing them against his with immense pressure and held them there until I was ready to speak.
When I spoke, my lips felt sore from the pressure and lack of blood flow. I looked at Nick and said, “I decided not to go because I could not bear the thought of being away from you for three nights.”
Nick looked at me smiling without saying anything and I continued, “The Sameera you knew was a person who had not found true love. The happiness I get in doing the things that keep me close to you is endless.”
I put my arms around him resting my chin on his chest and whispered, “I have not failed to notice that you have not been on a business trip in weeks which I know is not how it was before.”
Nick took a deep breath tightening his arms around my waist and said, “You have no idea how painful it is not to be with you Sameera.”
“I know, Nick,” I said rubbing his back gently and added, “It is painful.”
“I don’t want you to ever change for me,” Nick said his voice soft yet firm.
I laughed and pulled back to bring our foreheads together and said, “I won’t but you better be ready to change.”
“Anything for you, baby,” Nick said taking his lips to my neck.
I moaned as his chin dug into my collarbone as he pressed his lips into my neck.
“Let’s sleep, Nick,” I said lowering myself on the bed as he continued to worship my neck with his lips.
“I can never get enough of you,” he groaned against my neck.
I giggled as his tongue’s movements on my neck were ticklish and I said amidst the giggling, “Nick, I need to ask you something.”
He mumbled something against my neck that I could not understand.
“Nick. I need you to pay attention,” I said peeling his lips off my neck and felt the heat on the skin almost immediately.
“Did you paint my neck pink again?” I asked teasing him.
“I did,” he said smiling at me, and his voice filled with pride as he lay on the bed with his head propped up on his elbow.
I hesitated before speaking looking down at my hands, “Nick, I want you to pick a sari for me to wear for Nate’s wedding.”
“What? Seriously?” Nick chuckled.
“Yes, I want you to buy me the wedding sari,” I said and then realized what I said and looked up at Nick’s glowing face and clarified, “The sari I am going to wear for Nate’s wedding.”
“I know what you meant, but it sounded so beautiful,” he said taunting me.
“Nick, please,” I said and continued, “and I want to get you an Indian outf
it for the wedding.”
Nick started to object, and I shook my head and said, “The deal is off if you don’t let me buy you something to wear for the wedding.”
“I can’t believe we will all be going to India for the wedding,” I said smiling.
“I need to take care of some paper work before I can do that,” Nick said scrunching his nose referring to the travel visa process.
“You should start now so we can all go together,” I urged.
“I know. I am not entirely thrilled that the wedding is in India. I tried real hard to convince Srini for a California or Hawaii wedding but he did not budge,” Nick said lying flat on his back across the bed.
“Why would you do that?” I asked puzzled.
“Well, I am a bit worried about you girls going to India in light of this Rajput family looking for you both for unknown reasons,” he said softly.
“You are being paranoid now Nick, which is not like you at all,” I teased and added, “and we may be able to get some information as to why they are interested in getting in touch with us.”
“My dad and I talked to his cousin in Mumbai, and he really couldn’t get much information about the Rajput family,” Nick said, running his fingers through my hair.
“When did you talk to your dad’s cousin?” I asked surprised that he had not mentioned the conversation.
“Remember the time when you pushed me into the pool and you were at the family residence plotting with Ann against me?” Nick asked taunting me.
I laughed looking at the displeasure in his face at the memory of the events that happened a few weeks ago.
“Okay. I am done laughing,” I said biting my lip when Nick did not change his expression even after he saw me laughing.
“What did your dad’s cousin say?” I asked in a calm voice.
“Well, he was going to get more details and see if we can talk to that family and find out what the link is with your family,” Nick said pulling me next to him.