"Badhai ho bhai... duniya mein tu iklauta insaan hoga jiski sagai shaadi ke baad hui hai." Munna hugged Sameer, congratulating him.

Sameer grinned, unable to constrain the exhilaration... he couldn't stop looking at Naina repeatedly... the feeling of his ring on her finger giving him a sense of belonging, a right on her... that he could show off in front of everyone. They need not hide their relationship from anyone anymore.

"Sameer, congratulations yaar, sach kahun toh aaj itni khushi ho rahi hai jitni shayad mujhe apni khud ki sagai pe bhi nahi hui thi." Rahul was genuinely happy for him.

"Achha... aur apni sagai pe kam khushi ki wajah jaan sakti hun." Sonali's sharp tone made him turn with a jerk.

"Arre jaan, main toh bas kehne ke liye keh raha tha... tumse sagai ki khushi se badi toh mere liye sirf ek hi khushi thi." He quickly held her hand, talking in a honeyed voice.

"Woh kya?" She asked dryily.

"Tumse shaadi." He nudged her shoulder.

Sonali blushed at his flirting... all their friends who could hear the conversation laughed as Naina raised her brows in appreciation at Sonali, making her blush deeper.

"Mujhe achhi training mil rahi hai... pehle sirf Sameer hi tha ab Rahul se bhi seekh raha hun biwi ko kaise manana hai." Munna gave a crooked smile to Swati.

"Seekh hi lo toh achha hai, warna abhi tak sirf gussa dilana hi aata hai tumko." She twisted her mouth at him... and turned her face.

Munna stared at her open mouthed, "Ab maine kya kiya?"

"Kuch nahi... aur tum kuch karoge bhi nahi." Swati gave him an angry look and walked away.

Munna ran after her as others laughed again.

"Yahan sabki jodiyan pehle se hi bani hui hain kya?" A voice fell in Preeti's ears.

She smiled, "Munna aur Swati toh Naina aur jijaji se bhi pehle se saath hain."

"Aur aap... aap kiske saath ho?" The voice asked.

Preeti turned sharply to see Rahul's brother standing behind her.

"Aap bhi kisike saath ho kya?" He asked as she gaped at him.

"Main... main... nahi... main toh..." She was at loss of words... no one had ever spoken to her like this.

"Oh thank god... main toh darr raha tha ki shayad Ahmedabad ki saari ladkiyan pehle se hi booked hain." Rishi smiled at her.

Rahul noticed this exchange... and decided to talk to Sameer later.

Flushed, Preeti walked away from there... wondering why he was saying all these things.

"Preeti, sun zara." Sonali called out to her.

"Huh... kya hua?" She was still a little confused.

"Ek kaam tha." Sonali looked around.

She took her aside and whispered  something. Preeti just nodded.

Outside, Rahul's mom gave the gifts that were to be given from boy's side, in the capacity of Sameer's mother.

Chachaji presented the things they had bought for Sameer.

Once this was done, Phulla bua made taiji and tauji present the envelopes with shagun to all the guests, along with box of sweets.

All the guests and relatives were then asked to proceed to the ground floor where the arrangement for lunch was done.

"Mummy, Naina ko yahin rehne dete hain... main aur Swati uske paas ruk jayenge." Preeti told her mother.

"Pagal hai kya... sab neeche honge toh woh yahan kyon rahegi... aur abhi toh usse Sameer ke saath khana chahiye... nahi, usse bhi lao aur tum dono bhi chalo." Bela outrightly rejected her proposal.

"Offo mummy, uski saree fisal rahi hai... sambhal nahi rahi... aise mein seedhiyan kaise utregi, chadegi... aur neeche kahin nikal gayi toh kya hoga... achha theek hai... aap itna keh rahi ho toh bol deti hun usse ki mummy ne kaha hai saree ko jaise taise sambhal aur neeche chal... aap chalo main lekar aati hun usse." Preeti made a sad face as she turned to go.

Bela trembled at the thought of any disaster... of course Naina was not used to wearing sarees... and climbing up and down the stairs would be difficult.

"Rehne de Preeti, abhi saree ki aadat nahi hai na... tum log ruko, main khana bhijwa dungi." She stopped Preeti from calling Naina who was in her room.

Sameer waited for everyone to start eating, holding the plate given to him by Arjun.

"Sameer, tum khao na... kuch aur chahiye toh batao... main laa deta hun." He offered, thinking that Sameer was not happy with the food in his plate.

"Nahi Arjun, mujhe kuch nahi chahiye... bas Rahul aur Sonali ki wait kar raha hun... woh bhi aa jaayein toh hum sab saath khayenge." He smiled at the concern shown by Naina's brother.

Arjun went to check other guests once Sameer was joined by his friend and they all started to eat.

Sonali showed him a thumbs up sign.

Satisfied, Sameer kept the plate and went to look for chachaji.

"Arre Sameer beta, kuch chahiye... khana khaya tumne... aao main daal ke deta hun." Anand quickly started to usher  him to the food tables.

"Khana kha liya, chachaji... main aapko batane aaya tha ki main zara driver ko bata ke aata hun... Sonali ki bhabhi train se Mumbai se aa rahi hain... unhe lene jaana hai... main driver ko samjha deta hun... seedhe yahin le ayega unhe." He informed Aanand.

"Main Arjun ko bol deta hun saath jaane ko." Anand offered.

Sameer stopped him, "Arjun yaha ka kaam dekh raha hai... main bata dunga... aap pareshan mat hoiye."

Anand nodded, watching Sameer leave... and got busy with taking care of the things around.

Sameer walked to his car, quickly removed his coat and shoes, wore a loose kurta over the shirt and tied an old mufler around his head. Putting on an old pair of slippers, he stepped out again... looked around... and walked back towards the society. Picking up a big sack, he turned to climb the stairs when someone stopped him.

"Arre suno, yeh samaan upar kahan le jaa rahe ho?" Tauji asked the worker going towards the house.

"Arre tauji, woh maine kaha hai... yeh puch raha tha bachi hui shakkar kahan rakhu toh maine socha sab samaan ke paise toh aap logon ne de hi rakhe hain wapas kyon leke jaani isliye aapke ghar rakhne ko bol diya." Munna came running.

Tauji's attention diverted and Sameer rushed up. Preeti giggled as she saw him dressed like that.

"Hayee jijaji, aaj toh aapne Salman ko bhi maat de di... usne apni Suman ke liye pathar tode the, aap toh mazdoor hi ban gaye." She chirped.

"Kya karein saaliji... hum aise hi hain... aapki behen se milne ke liye jo banna pade woh ban sakte hain." He grinned, looking at Naina's room.

"Jaiye, jaiye... isse pehle ki koi aa jaye, mil lijiye apni Laila se." Swati laughed, making Preeti move away from the passage.

Naina heard the sound of the door and turned, expecting to see Preeti. She was shocked to see one of the workers in her room.

"Tum yahan kya kar rahe ho... bahar niklo yahan se." Her angry voice was harsh.

Sameer bolted the door... and turned swiftly to show his face, before she could start screaming.

"Sameer... tum... tum yahan... woh bhi aise?" She looked at him from head to toe.

"Tumhe batana jo tha tum kaisi lag rahi ho... apni dulhan ko apni baahon mein lena hai." He dipped his head, giving a mischievous smile  as he took away the muffler, setting his hair with his fingers.

Naina was still in a shock at his appearance when he started to take off the kurta.

"Pagal ho kya tum? Yahan yeh sab... koi bhi aa sakta hai." She hissed, holding onto his arm to stop him.

He gently removed her hand... and pulled the kurta over his head.

Naina took in the smart round neck shirt that was not visible under his coat till now. He still looked delectable.

Without wasting another second, he slipped one arm around her waist and pulled her to himself.

"Aaj hosh udda diye tumne... har din tumhari khoobsurati badhti jaa rahi hai... aise toh mujhe pagal hi kar dogi." He mumbled looking into her kohl lined eyes.

"Waise aaj tum bhi bohot handsome lag rahe ho." She placed one hand on his chest.

"Main hamesha hi handsome lagta hun." He shrugged.

She stifled a smile that always appeared at his blatant self praise, "Jee nahi, uss kurte mein nahi lag rahe the."

He threw his head back and laughed. She quickly covered his mouth with her hand.

"Shh, dheere... koi sun lega toh shamat aa jayegi." She panicked, looking at the closed door.

He held her wrist, and brought the hand down... seeing the ring on her finger. He brought the fingers to his lips and placed a kiss over the ring.

With a smile, Naina turned her hand to make his fingers come in front of her... and kissed his ring finger.

"Oh, toh meri nakal karogi?" He raised one brow.

"Tumse aage hi rahungi." She said confidently.

The glint in his eyes became sharper as he wrapped both arms around her waist, pulling her closer.

She circled her arms around his neck, reducing the distance between their faces.

For a few moments, he was lost in her beautiful eyes... then traced a finger on the side of her face, circling one lock around it before leaving it to fall on her cheek.

She ran her fingers through his silky hair falling on the forehead, pushing them away from his eyes.

He leaned and kissed her cheek. She narrowed her eyes, aware of her lipstick... then kissed on her finger lightly, checked it for any mark... and placed it on his lips after finding none.

He raised his brows, impressed... then gave a lopsided smile. She looked at his hand as it came between them... and started to open the buttons of his shirt.

Pushing him away, she turned her back to him.

"Kya hua?" Haar gayi? Tumne toh kaha tha mujhse aage rahogi... ab raho na aage." He whispered in her ear, standing behind.

"Tum... tum bohot besharam ho." She mumbled, with lowered eyes.

He turned her to face him, looking at her red cheeks, "Naina, tum itni sundar lagogi toh main aur kar bhi kya sakta hun."

His rough voice made her look up at him. His gaze fell to her plump, red lips... he pressed his lower one under his teeth.

"Abhi kiss bhi nahi kar sakta... warna yeh saari lipstick mere chehre pe hogi... aur neeche sabko pata chal jayega." He mumbled sadly.

She wound her arms around him and placed her head on his chest.

He crushed her to himself, resting his chin on her head.

A soft knock on the door made them part. With a heavy heart, he pulled back the kurta and tied the muffler.

"Waise sach kahun toh abhi bhi bohot cute lag rahe ho." She wrinkled her nose at him.

"Mazak udda rahi ho... iski sazaa deni padegi." He pulled her again in his arms, palm flat on her bare belly.

"Sameer, nahi..." She squirmed as he circled her navel, making her nerve ends explode as his thumb pressed the belly button.

"Mujhe saree bohot pasand hai... kitne mauke deti hai... shaadi ke baad roz pehenna." He whispered huskily as he turned her... pushing her pallu aside to kiss the back exposed through the deep neck of her blouse.

"Man toh nahi kar raha par jaana padega." He sighed, leaving her and moving towards the door.

She held onto the chair, balancing herself after the havoc he had created in her system.

"Sameer..."

He stopped at the open door, looking back at her in question.

"I Love You." She let out the exact feelings of her heart.

He gave a contented smile... and blew a kiss before going out, closing the door behind him.

Walking back was not difficult... his friends made sure he was not noticed. He changed quickly in the car, and joined everyone.

"Ho gayi shanti?" Rahul teased.

"Itne se milne se kahan shanti hogi." Sameer sighed.

"Chal koi nahi, parson fir se milega na sangeet mein." Rahul patted his shoulder.

"Parson? Kyon? Shaam ko... kal... kya koi rasm nahi hai?" Sameer was shocked.

Rahul laughed, "Hai bhai... shaam ko ganesh pooja hai aur kal haldi, mehendi hogi... par woh sab log saath mein nahi karte... yeh log yahan karenge aur tu apne ghar."

Sameer was not happy... it was their marriage... they should do everything together.

"Arre Sameer, woh tumhari rishtedaar aane wali thi woh aa gayi kya?" Chachaji came towards them.

"Nahi chachaji, shayad train late hai... maine keh diya tha driver ko ki agar late hua toh bhabhi ko ghar hi le jayega." Sameer lied.

Bhabhi was to come next morning.

"Sameer, sab log yahan nahi khaate kya... mera matlab Naina kyon nahi aayi neeche?" Rishi joined them, his eyes searching the area.

Rahul narrowed his eyes, knowing fully well what he wanted to ask.

"Woh Naina upar hi hai... wahin uska khana bhijwa diya tha." Sameer could not tell Rishi that his plan had forced Naina to stay up at home.

"Oh, akeli baithi hai bechari... main jaun kya thodi der?" He offered.

Sameer was surprised, "Preeti aur Swati hain uske saath... aur tu kyon jayega?"

Rahul gave a knowing smile, Rishi pursed his lips.

"Beta, ab chalein... khaana wagerah ho gaya hai sabka." Rahul's mom came towards them.

"Jee aunty, main chachaji ko bol deta hun." Sameer walked to where Anand was talking to some people.

The girls family gave a proper send off to groom's family... baskets of fruits and sweets were loaded in their car. Sameer had outrightly refused for even a single gift item, accepting nothing except the wedding outfit that chachaji and Phulla bua had insisted him to buy from their side. He was reluctant to take the envelopes too but Phulla bua convinced him, saying it was just a one time thing and they'll not give anything again.

Sameer looked up at the balcony... and Naina stood there, smiling at him. He winked, waving at her as the car exited her lane.

They had crossed the first mark... and were ready for the next.