Her heart fell to the bottom of her stomach. She glared at the clothes she had taken off... washed and rinsed, lying in the bucket to be put outside on the stand.

"Pagal ladki, itna hosh nahi rehta ki dhone se pehle dekh toh le pehnne wale kapde laayi bhi hai ya nahi," she slapped her forehead.

"Aaj tak kabhi nahi hua aisa... main toh kabhi towel tak nahi bhuli... aur aaj sab kuch... he bhagwan... bahar Sameer hai aur ghar pe Sonali bhi nahi hai... kya karun ab... bhugat Naina... inhi kapdon ko sukha aur jab sukh jaayein tab hi bahar nikalna inhe pehen ke... matlab kal subah." She was teary eyed now.

Sameer heard some rants from inside the washroom. He walked to the door... but there was no sound. Naina usually didn't take this long. He wondered if all was okay.

"Naina, tum theek ho na?" He knocked, before asking.

His voice hit her like he had come inside.

"Hn... haan... th... theek hun." She managed in a shaky voice.

She was not fine... he knew.

"Naina, bolo kya baat hai? Kuch problem hai kya? Mujhe pata hai kuch toh hai." He leaned closer to the door.

"Nahi... woh... woh... kuch nahi." She stuttered.

"Tum bata rahi ho ya nahi... kuch toh hua hai... bolo nahi toh main darwaza tod ke andar aa jaunga." He was greatly worried.

"Nahi... andar nahi aana." Her shriek was desperate.

"Theek hai nahi aa raha... par issi waqt batao kya hua." He tried a softer approach.

"Tum... tum mera towel la doge." She closed her eyes, speaking with difficulty.

He let out a relieved breath... she had not taken the towel. A simple thing like that and she was hesitating so much.

He brought her towel from the balcony and knocked again, "Ye lo."

"Tum isse... isse handle pe rakh do... aur bahar chale jao." She directed, swallowing.

He furrowed his brows. Why was she being so strange?

And his mind suddenly cleared up. His eyes went wide as he realised Naina had gone in without taking anything... and as per her habit she would have washed her clothes.

"Naina, tumhe kapde bhi chahiye?" He said in a quiet voice.

She was mortified... shutting her eyes as the hand flew to her forehead.

He knew.

Getting no answer, he asked again, louder, "Naina, kya tumhare paas kapde hain... ya woh bhi chahiye?"

"Sameer, tum... tum bas towel yahan rakh do... aur... aur tum jao... darwaza band kar dena." She sounded irritated.

"Dekho Naina, jo hai saaf saaf bolo... main kahi nahi jaa raha... agar tumhe sirf towel chahiye toh main khada hun... darwaza kholo aur haath badha ke le lo... aur kuch chahiye toh bhi mujhe hi batana padega." He said with clarity.

She had to learn to share any type of problem with him. He didn't want to make her feel embarrassed but wanted her to know that there was no need to hide from him if she wanted anything. She could ask him. Locking him out was not an option.

They stood on either side of the door in silence.

"Naina, main ruka hun... tumhare jawab ke liye." He knocked again.

She let out a long exhale. He would not leave her alone. She had to take his help.

The door opened a crack, slowly.

A slim, wet hand extended from it.

Sameer stood a few steps away from the door.

She waved her hand frantically in the air... checked the handle of the door to see if the towel was there... the hand encountered nothing.

Hiding herself properly behind the door, she bent a little to peek out, to see where he was.

He was waiting for her to show her face. When she did, he stood transfixed. Wet tendrils on her forehead and cheeks had water drops clinging to them... her half face was damp... so was the shoulder... the small part that was visible when she leaned.

Seeing him standing right there, she straightened... the view was gone.

"Sameer, do na, please." She said in a low voice, hand still out in the air.

He stepped forward... and held her hand.

Naina drew in a breath... forgetting to let it out.

Rubbing his thumb over her knuckles, he brought it to his lips. She closed her eyes as his lips touched the back of her hand, placing a soft kiss.

"Tum bohot sundar ho." He whispered.

Her eyes flew open. Can he see her...

She gulped... and pulled her hand in... shutting the door again.

"Naina, yeh towel..." He knocked.

"Nahi chahiye." She retorted.

"Nahi logi toh kab tak andar baithi rahogi? Dekho, yeh lene ke liye tumhe darwaza kholna hi padega... please Naina... woh log aa jayenge toh kya kahogi Sonali se?" He tried a different trick.

It hit right on the spot.

The door opened again, a smaller crack than last time. Her hand snaked out. He placed the towel on her extended palm. Quickly the hand was pulled in again, opening the door a little more to let the thick towel pass through.

He smiled. His shy wife...

And suddenly the initial thought was back... what about her clothes... she couldn't come out in a towel like him... he wouldn't mind though...

It was his turn to blush... Naina in a towel was one of the fantasies which he had kept for some time long after marriage... having no hopes in the first year of married life... but here he was... within a week of getting married... waiting outside the bathroom... knowing that all she had inside was a towel.

He gave a shake to his head to stop himself from losing track of actual problem.

Going closer to the door, he knocked again"Naina, tum kaho toh main tumhare kapde de dun?"

She squeezed shut her eyes... Sameer will open her bag for her clothes... and what will she tell him to get... only the dress is not sufficient... how would she tell him to get her inner wear... even if she didn't, he would see them in the bag...

She hid her face in her palms... she had committed the worst possible mistake...

"Naina, bolo... kaunse kapde laane hain tumhare?" He asked again.

She jumped at his words, "Nahi... tum nahi... matlab tum haath mat lagana mere bag ko."

Knowing Sameer, if she told him to pick up the dress kept right on the top, he wouldn't do just that... he would look down at everything...

"Dekho Naina, tum saara din toh bathroom mein nahi baith sakti... ya toh khud bahar aao ya bata do main kaunse kapde dun tumhe... nahi toh main khud dekh ke de deta hun."

She heard his voice drifting away from the door.

And panicked.

"Ruko Sameer... main sochke batati hun... tum bag mat kholna." She said urgently, opening the door a crack.

He stopped.

Naina contemplated, looked down at her towel wrapped self...

She quickly moved to the mirror and opened her hair, spreading them on her shoulders...

The large towel tied around her chest went up to the knees, her bare shoulders were now covered with hair... if she asked him to go out for just a few minutes, she could leave the bathroom and get her clothes from the bag.

"Sameer, tum ek kaam karo... bahar dekh aao ki newspaper aa gaya ya nahi." She called out from inside.

"Newspaper? Tumhe abhi newspaper padhna hai?" He found her request strange.

"Nahi, nahi... woh Rahul aur Sonali aayenge toh achha nahi lagega ki newspaper abhi tak bahar pada hai... isliye." She explained.

Sameer wrinkled his nose in confusion, wondering why Naina was worried about all this at the moment.

"Achha theek hai... main aata hun tab tak tum soch lo kya karna hai." He opened the main door, calling back loudly to her.

Naina heard the sound of door closing... slowly she opened the bathroom door and peeped out... he was gone.

She stepped out quickly, adjusting her hair around the shoulders. Opening the bag, she pulled out the blue dress, along with other clothes and turned to go back before he came.

Colour drained from her face as she inhaled sharply, clothes falling from her hand.

Sameer stood with arms crossed against his chest, leaning onto the door of the washroom.

She tried to speak but no words came out. Her hands clutched at the towel in the center of her chest.

His eyes took in the unexpected sight. Wrapped in a long, white towel, she stood like a statue in front of him, her toes curling in... the hair were spread all over her shoulders, still he could see glimpses of smooth, creamy skin... her knuckles had turned white as she held onto the towel in a tight grip.

He straightened and started taking slow steps towards her.

Naina could feel her heart jump out of her mouth... her breathing had altogether stopped... hands started to shake...

"Tum... gaye... ky... kyon nahi?" She mustered courage to utter a few words.

"Maine pehle hi kaha tha main kahin nahi jaunga." His gaze drifted to her shoulder where the hair had parted to reveal more skin.

"Sameer, aise mat dekho." She turned her face to the side, closing her eyes, unable to bear the burning look.

"Tum biwi ho meri... tumhe dekhne se mujhe koi nahi rok sakta, " his voice had gone raspy as he added, "Tum bhi nahi."

She swallowed hard... wanting to run away... but he stood in the way... and her clothes were...

She remembered... and looked down with a jerk.

All her clothes lay scattered on the floor... in full view. She almost ducked to pick them... but stopped in the nick of time... how could she bend when she was dressed like this.

Sameer saw the entire confusion. He bent down and picked up all her clothes... placing his fingers on her lips as she opened her mouth to say something.

"Maine kaha tha na ki mujhe tumhari cheezon ko haath lagane ka haq hai." He looked into her eyes, challenging her to stop him.

Putting the clothes on the dresser,without looking in that direction, he let his fingers move from her lips to the cheeks... fresh from her bath, they appeared to be made of porcelain. His fingers drifted down to her neck, tracing the smooth column.

Naina could hear the deafening sound of her heartbeat...

Dhakdhak... Dhakdhak...

She was sure he could hear it too.

The speed accelerated to an uncontrollable level when his fingers started to move towards her shoulder, under the cover of hair. She held onto the towel with a death grip, eyes lowered to a point on the floor.

His fingers carried on the torture, drawing slow patterns as they moved towards the edge... 

A loud gasp escaped her as his fingers cupped the shoulder... turning her around in a quick swirl.

She closed her eyes again... standing with her back to his chest, his arm around her neck, still holding onto the curve of her shoulder, his face leaning towards her neck... hot breath burning the skin... she wondered how long it will be before she fainted...

"Naina, tum sach mein ho na? Main sapna toh nahi dekh raha na... mujhe yakeen nahi ho raha ki tum asli ho ya mera khayal..." He mumbled against the base of her neck, making goosebumps erupt all over her.

"Sameer, ja... jaane do mujhe... aise nahi... nahi reh sakti." She was desperate to go... not sure if she could resist for long if he continued like this.

He slowly pushed her hair over one shoulder, getting unhindered view of the back and shoulder.

She shuddered... he tightened his arm...

She was not prepared for the kisses that he suddenly started to plant on the exposed skin... the legs gave way beneath her... and she stumbled.

His other arm came around her waist instantly, holding her stable as he moved his lips over the creamy smoothness.

She didn't come to know when he started to go back, taking slow steps, moving her along with him. Only when his arms left her did she open her eyes to find herself standing at the door of the washroom. Sameer picked up the clothes and held out to her.

"Jao... warna aaj main..." His eyes slipped to her completely bare shoulders... devoid of the hair curtain which now rested back on her waist.

Naina took her clothes with shivering hands... holding them against the knot of the towel... wide eyes staring at him.

His itching fingers again came up to feel the silk of her shoulder blades, "Kaise koi itna khoobsurat ho sakta hai, Naina... ab tumhara intezar aur bhi mushkil hoga."

The hoarse voice touched her deep inside the stomach.

Dipping her head to the side, she rested her cheek on his hand... the uneasiness melting away. It didn't feel awkward anymore... standing like that in front of him...

Sameer saw the eyes changing... softness replacing discomfort... she wasn't self conscious now.

He took one step and crushed her in his arms, "Oh Naina, I Love You... jaan jo tum meri... kaise rahunga kal se tumhare bina."

Clothes falling again, one hand still clutching the towel, she wound one arm around him, "Aasan nahi hoga mere liye bhi... tumhari aadat ho gayi hai."

He knew she would miss their closeness as much as he would... their few days together had created a new feeling of comfort with each other's physical presence. And today, seeing her shedding her inhibitions even while being in this state of undress, he knew they had taken one more step towards each other.

He was still standing against the door when she came out of the washroom few minutes later, all dressed.

Without wasting another moment, he pulled her in his arms, capturing her mouth for a much awaited kiss.

The magical petals had amazing speed when it came to granting wishes.