The pile of clothes in front of Sameer was getting bigger but he was not satisfied.

"Aise toh ho chuki shaadi chaar din mein... sun hero, agar tere kapdon mein hi saara din lag jayega toh baaki sabke kab lenge? Naina ke liye bhi lena hai... Anand, aisa kar koi aur aage ki tareekh dekh le... Sameer se chaar din mein shaadi nahi ho sakti." Phulla bua let out an exhausted rant, relaxing her back against the chair.

"Nahi, nahi, bua dadi... maine toh yeh kapde pasand kar bhi liye... bas abhi try karta hun... shaadi aage karne ki zaroorat nahi hai." He quickly picked up two outfits and rushed towards the trial room.

Anand and Bela smiled fondly at him while Phulla bua laughed triumphantly. Preeti chuckled, nudging Naina... and Naina blushed to the roots.

"Yeh ladka bhi na." Bela looked at Naina's red face.

Sameer tried a few suits... and they all agreed upon the midnight blue one, with a white shirt under it.

Next was a sherwani, that he had to wear at the time of phere. After trying a black and a gold one, he liked the one in white, with a thin gold band on the neck.

"Hayee, jijaji... isme toh aap bilkul hi Salman Khan lag rahe ho." Preeti dipped her head dreamily.

"Chup kar, nazar lagayegi kya?" Bela chided her.

"Bohot achhi lag rahi hai tumpe... haina buaji?" Anand  praised his choice.

"Ekdum hero lag raha hai... chal ab jaldi se badal le fir Naina ka joda bhi dekh lete hain." Bua dadi instructed.

Sameer went back to the trial room to change... annoyed that Naina did not say a word... though her eyes had conveyed that she loved the sherwani.

"Chachaji... zara kisiko bhej denge... yeh sherwani phans gayi hai... mujhse nikal nahi rahi." His scream reached their ears in a few seconds.

"Anand, zara dekh usse kis cheez ke liye madad chahiye." Phulla bua told him.

"Arre nahi buaji, Naina ko bhejiye na... aakhir patni hai uski." Bela whispered in buaji's ears.

"Naina bitiya, jaa dekh toh Sameer ko kya chahiye." Phulla bua immediately complied.

Naina was baffled, "Main?"

"Haan aur nahi toh kya? Ab uske liye tu nahi jayegi toh bahar se kisi ko bulaun?" Bua dadi glared at her.

Naina quietly got up and went towards the trial room, hesitantly standing away from the closed door.

"Naina, tu khadi khadi dekh kya rahi hai... jaake madad kyon nahi karti Sameer ki?" Bela got up and quickly came to her.

Naina furrowed her brows, not sure what to tell chachiji.

"Ab jaa bhi." Bela almost pushed her towards the door.

"Sameer beta, Naina tumhari madad kar degi." She knocked on the door... asking Naina to go with an angry jerk of her head.

"Aaiye madam, aapka hi intezar tha." He winked the moment she stepped in.

"Tum yeh sab drama jo kar rahe ho na... sab samajh aa raha hai mujhe... lekin main bhi challenge nahi haarane wali... chahe jo ho jaaye." She narrowed her eyes at him.

"Main chahta bhi nahi ki tum haaro... main bas apna kaam kar raha hun." He started to open the buttons of his shirt.

Naina turned to go.

"Naina, theek se dekho... shayad yeh button kahi atak gaya hai... ahh... mujhe dard ho raha hai." He said loudly, for the benefit of chachiji.

"Dhyaan se beta, chot na lag jaaye." Bela's worried voice reached them.

He gave a crooked smile, and opened all buttons of his shirt... but did not take it off.

In one step, he was right in front of her in the tiny room. He placed his hands on the wall on the either side of her head... and leaned to kiss her cheek, trailing down to the column of her throat.

Naina shivered, fisting her hands on the side of her kurti... his kisses setting her on fire, his bare chest pressing against her, making her heart thud madly against her ribcage.

"Tumne bataya nahi yeh kapde mujhpe kaise lag rahe the." He whispered, kissing over her collarbone.

"Sameer, please... chachiji... bahar..." She managed to utter.

"Toh batao main kaisa lag raha tha." He continued his assault.

"Umm... bohot achhe... dulhe jaise." She was barely coherent, nails digging into her palm as she controlled herself from placing her hands on his chest.

"Nahi hua kya, Naina?" Bela asked again.

"Bas ho gaya, chachiji." Sameer lifted his head to answer and again dipped to nuzzle in her hair.

She could not even push him... that would be counted as a touch.

When he felt that she was not giving in... and they could not stay in any longer, he stepped back, taking off the shirt and putting on his own... all the while staring at her while she kept her eyes closed. He swiftly ripped off two buttons of the sherwani and opened the door.

Bela noticed Naina standing with closed eyes.

"Woh chachiji... iske button atak gaye the... khul nahi paaye toh todne pade." He explained the reason for delay.

Naina opened her eyes and was embarrassed to see chachiji at the door.

"Dekha Naina, agar theek se aankhen khol ke dekhti toh inko todna nahi padta... chachiji, main zara dukan wale ko bata deta hun ki inko fir se lagwa de." He left, taking the sherwani with him.

"Yeh kya hai, Naina? Woh tera pati hai... aise aankhen band karke kyon khadi thi? Bekar mein teri wajah se button toot gaye." Bela frowned at her behaviour.

Naina lowered her eyes, not knowing what to say.

Later, when they went to a saree shop to select a bridal lehenga, Sameer was most excited.

"Bhaiya, laal rang mein dikhaiye." Bela told the salesman.

"Nahi, pink." Sameer blurted before he could stop himself.

"Haan bhai, pink hi dikhao... isse apni heroine pe pink sabse zyada pasand hai." Phulla bua teased Naina.

The salesman started to show different shades of pink. Before anyone could say anything, Sameer rejected one after the other.

Finally, he picked up one in dark pink... glittering with silver work all over it...

"Kya pasand hai aapki... yeh hamara sabse khoobsurat lehenga hai... iska dupatta toh dekhiye... taaron ke jaisa jhilmil hai... didi, aaiye... aapko laga ke dikhata hun." The salesman showed his skills.

Naina gave a broad smile, "Haan, bhaiya, ek baar laga ke dikhaiye... fir dekhte hain kaisa lagta hai."

She bent on the pretext of taking off her sandals and whispered to him, "Bohot zor se lagega."

Sameer looked up confused as she stepped aside in front of the full mirror.

And his eyes widened as the salesman put the lehenga around Naina's waist, tying a belt over it. His hands fisted as the man placed dupatta on her shoulder and went behind her to place it on her head.

"Yehi lena hai humein... pack kar do." He held the man's hand, removing dupatta from her shoulder.

Naina could feel the restrained voice... could see his clenched jaw... and she smiled at him.

"Pehen ke dekhne se hi pata chalta hai... tumhe bhi achha laga na?" She said innocently, taking off the belt to remove the skirt.

He gave her a threatening look... she gave him a winning smile.

"Bhaiya, masterji ko bolo, blouse humein kal hi chahiye... agar fitting sahi nahi hui toh theek karane ka time bhi hona chahiye na." Bela stood up.

"Chal beta, masterji ko naap de de." She directed Naina to the tailor.

Sameer narrowed his eyes. He wanted to ask if they had readymade blouses when Naina glared at him, knowing fully well what he was about to do. She shook her head slightly, before going with chachiji.

She was out of his line of view but each second was a torture for him, as his mind conjured up images of what the tailor must be doing.

She was back in less than five minutes but it was still an ultimate test of his patience.

"Beta, yeh lehenga tum le jao... kal blouse sil jayega toh main woh bhi bhijwa dungi. Shaadi se ek din pehle tumhare yahan se jo samaan aayega usme bhej dena isse." Bela explained to him.

"Aap bilkul chinta mat kijiye, chachiji... saari rasmein waise hi hongi jaise baaki sabke ghar mein hoti hain." He assured her.

Sameer kept the packet in the car, then turned to look back at Anand.

"Chachaji, main Naina ke liye kuch khaas banwana chahta hun... agar aapko aitraaz na ho toh main aadhe ghante ke liye isse le jaun? Tab tak aap log apne kapde lijiye... main jaldi hi wapas le aaunga." He requested.

"Haan beta, le jao... ismein itna poochne wali kya baat hai... hum log yahan saamne wali dukaan mein milenge tumhe." Anand patted his shoulder.

Sameer looked at Naina, and opened the door for her.

Waving back at Preeti, Naina sat in the car. He secured her door... thanked chachaji and went to the driver's side.

"Kya khaas banwana hai tumhe?" She turned to look at him when they were out on the road.

He kept driving, his mouth set in a grim line.

"Sameer, market toh peeche reh gaya." She exclaimed as they crossed the market area.

"Jahan jaana hai woh jagah aage hai." He said without looking at her.

She knew where they were headed before they reached. Stepping out of the car, she looked at the deserted temple... and started to walk towards the pond.

She was already there when Sameer reached after parking the car.

He held her arm and turned her towards him, "Kya kar rahi thi tum dukaan mein? Pehen ke dekhne ka zyada shouk chadha tha?"

"Haan toh meri shaadi hai... aise kaise bina dekhe le leti... aakhir tumhari uss sherwani ko takkar deni hai... jiske button atak gaye the." She smiled coyly.

He slid his arms around her waist, "Lehenge se itna pyar... aur jisse shaadi ho rahi hai uske paas bhi nahi aa rahi."

"Ussi ne challenge diya hai... aur main challenge kaise haar sakti hun?" She raised one brow.

He pressed his lips on her, pulling her hard into himself. She locked her hands behind her... holding onto last shred of her self control. When he could not take it anymore, he lifted his head, unclasped her hands and took them around his neck.

"Challenge khatam... tum jeet gayi... ab inaam milna chahiye na." He said gruffly before claiming her lips again.

With a big sigh of relief, she threaded her fingers through his hair, pulling him closer, matching his intense kiss with the same ardour.

When he parted, she rested her head on his chest, letting her hands explore his back, "Fir kabhi aisa challenge mat dena... main pagal ho gayi thi... aur do chaar second mein haar jaati."

His taut muscles rippled under her fingers as he relaxed, "Nahi dunga... main bhi pagal ho gaya tha jo tumhe challenge deke khud ko sazaa de di... jahan pyar hai wahan kaisi haar jeet."

They stood in each other's arms when he recalled something and cupped her face to look at her.

"Naina, woh... aaj... woh blouse." He was frowning.

"Main likh ke deke aayi hun... jaise Mumbai mein diya tha." She smiled.

He eased considerably, "Pehle kyon nahi bataya?"

"Kyon, fir se dekhne jaoge ki kya likha hai kagaz mein?" She teased him.

His eyes shone with a mischievous glint, "Nahi, ab uski zaroorat nahi hai... pata hai mujhe."

The colour spread faster on her face than the smile that appeared on his lips.