"Have you tried the toys? There are some new ones here as well."

"From the new app, right?"

"Right."

"Fantasizing about him with fingers isn't enough."

The girls giggled.

"But, Shanaya, won't it—you know, stretch you?"

Manal mentally rolled her eyes, tugging on her three layered pearl choker, and sipped her drink. She hated these high society parties with women and men talking fancy stuff. At times, nonsense like this. Manal walked to the counter and placed her empty glass, and checked her bracelet watch. Then she texted Sohail.

Dad, I am leaving. There is some urgent work. I am not taking the car.

Lifting her ivory lehenga, she glided out of the seven-star hotel. Swiftly, she wrapped a pashmina shawl around her bare shoulders. An auto stopped with her hand waving at it. The guy poked his head out and observed her head to toe.

"Ji?"

Manal named the wedding venue in the open garden area and got into the auto. Upon arrival, she instantly found Raza. In a pastel pink mirror embellished ethnic jacket, a short kurta, and pants. He glanced at his wristwatch, then looked around the gate from which the cars drove in.

Manal passed cash to the driver, and lifting her lehenga, she got down. Initially, she waved at him, but he didn't look in her direction. She sighed, then whistled loudly. Raza's head shot towards her and she grinned at him. He gawked at her in bewilderment as she hurried to him.

"Oh My God, Boss, auto?"

She smirked. Then, unwrapped her shawl and shoved at him. Raza fumbled, staring at her ivory, intricate hand embroidered corset top accentuating her hour-glass figure and matching lehenga.

"How do I look?" She asked, adjusting the heavy dupatta behind her back and on her elbows.

Raza's mouth slightly opened as he admired her, - "Subhan Allah! Boss. I am speechless. Stunning."

Manal raised her shoulders and smiled, wrapping her hands around his robust arm.

"Let's go." She motioned with her head. Raza tilted his head and blinked softly at her. Manal glanced at him; his moist eyes surprised her. She looked away.

The melodious sound of shehnai rang closer as they walked into the hall. They passed the paan-wala offering various flavours of paan, then chaat, desert and chowmein stalls. Manal gripped Raza's biceps tighter, walking closer with him. Thankfully, the main function was not under the colourful canopy but inside the hall.

"Boss, May I?" Raza asked politely. Manal nodded and let him slip his strong arm around her waist. His fingers gripping her lightly brought a tingling sensation through her. She turned her head and met his smiling face. She clenched her fingers in front and walked into the hall. Some unknown people greeted them, asking about whose side they were from. Raza showed their cards. He was reluctant to take his boss to where the other employees were. Manal sat on one of the red plastic chairs and encouraged him to go. Raza kept refusing. But one glare from her; he left her.

Manal scrolled through her phone. This was still better than those posh parties. Servers with various starters and cold drinks approached her. And she enjoyed every starter, especially the mint lemonade. When her gaze fell on Raza, almost always she caught him glancing her way. Through his gesture, he kept asking if she was comfortable. Without getting annoyed, she would nod.

Manal smiled to herself, stealing glances at him. Sharing a smile, he kept looking away.

Ting

Boss, you want chowmein? It's delicious. But it's veg. Chalega?

Manal looked up in his direction. He tipped his chin, raising his left eyebrow. She nodded subtly and typed.

Okay, whatever.

Ten minutes later, Raza sat beside her and forwarded her a small paper bowl.

"Boss." He huffed, tugging on his ethnic jacket.

Manal gracefully took it from him. Her fingers brushed against his, she flinched her hand.

"Anything wrong, Boss? Is it too hot?"

She shook her head and pricked the noodles with a plastic fork. Tilting her head, she observed him happily munching on the chowmein.

"Aren't you going to hang out with your friends?"

Raza slurped on the noodle and sighed; "Not friends. Colleagues. They talk rubbish. I can't gel with them."

"Hmm." Manal took a bite and relished the taste. Just the right amount of spice.

"Do you have any relatives from Kashmir, Afghanistan, and those Pathans, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Turkistan? Europe, Americas?"

Raza frowned, tilting his head and chuckled, - "No. why?"

"You. Your skin tone is really different, a type of fair--like some angrez."

He paused for a second. Manal placed her hand next to his. Her olive skin in contrast to his fair tone, except for brown hairs on his forearm.

Raza chuckled nervously, - "You like it."

Manal kept a deadpan face, - "I hate it." She said simply. Raza choked on his noodles. "I hate fair complexion. Not on girls, but on men. Reminds me of someone." She gritted her teeth.

Raza gulped. "Boss, now is a happy time. Enjoy this." He nudged her bare arm. She glared at him, and he mumbled an apology.

Before the Kerala trip, he annoyed her to the core. Mostly from the limited interactions she had with him. Now, getting to know him more, Manal was realizing Sohail's point of view about him. Strangely, his charm was rubbing off on her.

Later, after jaimala, they watched the seven pehras. Manal frowned, with Raza getting emotional during Bidaai.

"I always think, how I will give my daughter to someone else." He wiped his nose with a tissue paper. Manal shrugged her shoulder when his head accidentally leaned on hers.

"Sorry." He sniffed. She shivered in the cold, and here he was getting emotional for his hypothetical daughter.

Raza gasped knowing, his boss had left her car. He insisted, he will drop her home in an auto. To not create a scene here, Manal agreed. She wrapped her pashmina shawl around her bare shoulders and got in the auto first. At home, Sohail waited for them in the living room. He leaped from the rose-wood sofa and hurried to his daughter. Raza got more emotional seeing their bond.

"Beta, what happened to you?"

"Leave him, Dad." Manal removed her shawl and hung it on her forearm. Lifting her lehenga a little, she climbed up. She heard Raza telling her father that he would be staying in his new home. She halted halfway, listening to their conversation.

"But it isn't fully renovated and your belongings are just lying around."

"It is okay, sir. I am a single man. I will manage."

Manal pressed her lips tightly, scratching the railing with her index-finger nail. Why does she care? Maybe no more late nights snacks and massage. So, what? She shook her head, continuing to climb the remaining stairs.

"May I paint you?"

"Like you paint, Asim sir?"

She nodded, - "Only if consent."

Raza took a step closer, and Manal inhaled sharply.

"I do."

She smiled. Walking backwards, staring at him, she got behind the easel. Raza maintained the eye contact, pulled his Tee over his head. Manal's pupils dilated, eyeing his flexing muscles. He grinned, pulling on drawstrings of his lounge pants.

"Stop." She breathed. Raza nodded, pulling up the waistline of his pants. Manal dropped her paintbrush, then proceeded to remove her sweater, and confidently stood in her black bra and pants. She winked at him; he tipped his head to the side, continuing to smile. Manal added paints into her colour palette and began her painting. Ignoring the bitter cold on her skin, she focused on her work. Looking at his muscled naked torso ignited carnal desire in her. She walked to him.

"I need to take measurements." She placed her hand on his chest, smearing a print of her fingers over his heart.

He smirked.

"Anything, Boss. I am yours."

She caressed her hand over his stone hard chest and pressed on his toned abs. Raza inhaled deeply when her cold hands trailed the V-line of his abdomen. Manal smirked, eyeing the result of her sensual touch.

"Boss, your touch is driving me crazy." Raza's voice has a deeper tone. She blinked softly at him, tiptoeing, Manal leaned her face to the crook of his neck. Her hand resting over his abdomen. She smelt his strong, woody fragrance and shivered with growing lasciviousness. Manal felt the heat rise between her legs from the proximity. Her palm felt goosebumps on his skin.

"Same," she whispered against his ear and tugged on his ear-lobe with her teeth.

"Oh, boss." Raza grabbed her waist, turning her. A soft gasp escaped her lips, a breathy sound of surprise and pleasure, as her back collided against his muscled chest.

"Let there be no boundaries." He lightly held her throat, tilting her head up, - "Boss."

Manal opened her eyes. Instead of those kind brown eyes, she froze upon staring into hauntingly beautiful green eyes.

"Oh, my, God." Manal woke up, sweaty and breathing heavily. She glanced around, being alone in her bedroom. Instantly, she checked herself. Her clothes were fully on. Dim moonlight illuminated the room. Her eyes took time to adjust to the darkness. Gentle breeze passed by the glass windows and doors, muffled howls of dogs from outside created the eerie winter night. Manal switched on her night lamp. Her dry throat pinched, making it difficult to swallow her saliva.

"Argh!" Manal held her head and gently rocked on the spot. What was happening to her? She thought she had left memories of Zayan long ago. She was over this. All this began—Manal regretted going to Dehradun for the stupid reunion. It opened the floodgate of bitter memories, and now Zayan was haunting her again.

Sohail sat at his desk, keeping a sad face, he toyed with a paperweight. A music played from his mobile.

❝damaad ji angna hai padhaare
damaad ji sab tuk tuk nihaare
damaad ji laage sabko pyaare ho ho ho❞

There was a knock, and in a dull voice, he called the person inside.

❝tum par damaad ji sasure ko naaj ji 

saas bole dulhon ke tum ho sartaaj ji

damaad ji angna mein padhaaredamaad ji laage sabko pyaare ho ho ho❞

Raza walked in, confused.

"Big Boss? Where is Boss?"

Sohail fell against the chair, adjusting his grey hair, and exhaled through his mouth.

"She is a little disturbed. Today she took a break. Her stupid fiancé has come. Surprisingly, quick. She must have told him."

"Pardon me, Big Boss; there is something I need to confess."

Sohail smiled, his eyes lit with happiness, - "Bolo, Beta. For you, saat khoon maaf."

Raza gulped and placed a cup of coffee next to the computer's keyboard.

"Since you are Boss's Wali, so I am asking you." He stood with his hands clasped together. Sohail eyed him, listening intently.

"Big Boss--I want to marry your daughter. I really love her. I will protect, care, and love her all my life."

The paper-weight slipped from Sohail's hands; he gaped; flabbergasted.

Shaadi hogi....Yaay!

But who will marry Manal?

𝙿𝚛𝚎𝚌𝚊𝚙

"Big Boss, is everything alright?" Raza grew concerned, noticing his boss's sweaty, flushed face and quivering body language.

"Raza, Raza—" He hushed, glancing around if someone was seeing them, - "Asim was with you last night, right?"

Raza nodded thoughtfully.

"Why?"

"He was feeling nervous. So boss, and I decided he can be with me and share things man to man. Kyun? Big boss, why are you asking?"

Sohail puffed, massaging his forehead and holding his wide hips; "He ran away."

"What?" Raza gasped loudly.

.

.

Asim bhaag gaya....?

or did he?

What are your thoughts on the Chapter, my lovelies? Please drop your comments lots, lots, and lots. And, don't forget to vote and share *Hearts*

Stay Tuned for next Chapters *muaaah*