"Sorry tumhe nahi mujhe bolna chahiye." Sameer pressed her closer.

"Tumhe kyon? Tum toh aaye the na shaam ko... main hi nahi aayi." Naina listened to his racing heart.

"Mere kal ke jhooth ki wajah se aaj warden ne yeh sab kiya... toh galti meri hi hui na." He was finally breathing now.

"Par uss jhooth ki wajah se hi toh mera dard khatam hua... chalo chodo... hum dono hi sorry nahi bolte." She tilted her head to look up at him.

"Achha... theek hai... par tum chaho toh thank you bol sakti ho." He looked back at her, with a crooked smile.

Her breath hitched at being reminded about the morning. The entire fiasco of last few hours had taken the awkwardness completely out of her mind... now she was nervous again.

"Uhh... Sameer... andar chalo... yahan koi dekh lega." She tried to wriggled out...

"Chalo."

He picked her up before she could realise... or object...

He closed the balcony door behind him with a kick of his heel.

"Ab utaro." Naina had been holding her breath... stunned at his sudden gesture.

He gently placed her down, feet first.

She took a step back to create some distance... to think clearly. He took a step ahead.

She continued to go back... he matched each step of hers... not letting the distance increase.

Her next step landed against a block... jerking her head back, she realised she had hit the wall. She looked back at Sameer... he had a knowing smile on his face.

Sameer placed both hands around her on the wall, besides her head.

She knew she was trapped... there was no way out now.

He flicked his brows, "Ab kahan jaogi?"

She lowered her eyes... seeing the darkening of his eyes...feeling his laboured breath...

"Sameer... warden ne..."

Her words turned silent as he sealed their lips... in a slow, soft kiss... relishing the warm, pleasant taste of her. She closed her eyes... hands clutching the sides of her red dress.

As the kiss deepened, he moved inch by inch, closing whatever distance was left between them, pinning her against the wall.

His hands slipped from wall to her shoulders, sliding down the arms to her fisted hands. Long fingers closed over them... his thumb slowly pushing them to loosen. As her hands opened up, he linked his fingers with hers, not breaking the kiss throughout.

She was no more held between his arms... but she was captive in his love... not able to move even when her lungs constricted... her mind screamed for air... but her body surrendered to him... giving up the need to breathe...

He gasped for breath, lifting his head... her eyes were still closed. He held her flushed face in his palms, peppering small kisses all over, starved of the feel of her skin under his lips.

"Kitna sataya tumne mujhe aaj subah aur shaam ko aayi bhi nahi... Naina, main hi jaanta hun kaise raha tumse door." He mumbled in a gruff voice against her throat.

She could not hold herself any longer, pressing her flat palms on his back, moving her head to the side, giving more access to his lips.

Sameer let out a shuddered breath, feeling her response. His lips moved along the column of her throat, dropping small kisses on every inch of her skin. Her hands clenched on his shirt, nails digging into his back as he moved up behind her ear... and brushed his lips on her earlobe... biting it lightly. She let out a gasp, her skin tingling with a different sensation.

She jerked to look at him. His eyes were dark pools, reflecting her face. She felt her belly clench with the same passion. Her arms went around his neck, pulling him down again. The kiss this time was anything but soft, smouldering them with their own fire.

"Sameer, tumhe yahan nahi aana chahiye tha." She said as they sat together on the bed later.

He sat leaning against the backrest, legs straight in front, crossed at ankles. She rested her head on his chest, legs folded under her, hand on his heart.

"Kaise rukta, Naina... tumne aaj subah jo kiya, uske baad main itna bechain tha tumse milne ke liye... ek toh tum subah baat kiye bina chali gayi thi... jab tak main hosh mein aaya tum jaa chuki thi... sach Naina, uss waqt tumhe gale se laga ke main bhi thank you bolna chahta tha." His eyes glittered again.

She suppressed a smile, "Par tum kis baat ka thank you bolte, maine toh aisa kuch kiya hi nahi."

"Kiya tha na... aaj subah... woh sab... uske liye bolta... waise aaj laga yeh badi achhi aadat hai... humein roz ek do baar toh thank you bol hi dena chahiye." He pressed her closer.

Her fingers played with the button of his shirt, "Haan, kyon nahi... jisse roz saara din hum aise hi pareshan se ghumte rahein... padhai karne ki toh zaroorat hai nahi na... kaunsa hamare exams hain."

The sarcasm was lost on him... all he could hear was that she was equally perturbed after the morning.

Sitting up straight, he held her in front of him, looking into her eyes, "Achha, tum bhi pareshan ghum rahi thi? Aur woh kyon?"

Her eyes lowered for a few seconds... when she looked up again, he was lost in the deep brown pools of longing.

"Tumhe kya lagta hai... mujhe koi fark nahi padta? Mera dil bhi bechain tha, Sameer... mere liye bhi ek ek din mushkil hai... main bhi har raat tumhe miss karti hun... tumhare seene se lag ke hi neend aati hai... tumhari khushbu se hi raahat milti hai... tumhare hi kareeb rehne ko dil karta hai." Her voice had all the love she felt for him.

He was not amazed as he knew how she felt but was pleasantly surprised to see her expressing herself so openly.

He laid back, crushing her to his chest again, "Oh Naina, tumhare saath aane wala har din kitna khaas hoga yeh soch ke meri betaabi aur bhi badh jaati hai... tum meri har choti si baat ko itne pyar se apna leti ho... warna kal maine kuch aisa bhi nahi kiya jo bohot special ho... sabhi apni girlfriend ya biwi ke liye gift bhejte hain... usmein kya hai?"

She kissed his neck, "Sameer, kal tumne jo kiya mere liye woh bohot anmol tha... mere dard se koi iss hadd tak pareshan ho sakta hai maine socha bhi nahi tha... haan, tumne periods ke time bhi meri bohot dekhbhaal ki thi par tab hum saath the... kal itni majbooriyaan thi... fir bhi tumne raaste nikal liye, bina koi promise tode... aur na sirf dawa balki itna kuch diya ki main ek baar fir se tumhare pyar mein pagal ho gayi... woh saari choti choti cheezein jinhe tumne apne pyar se jod ke hum dono ko alag hote hue bhi jod diya, woh har koi nahi kar sakta... mujhe yakeen hi nahi aata ki tum mere liye itna sab sochte ho, itna kuch karte ho... yakeen hi nahi aata ki mere apne ho tum... mere pati ho... hamesha ke liye mere saath ho... Sameer, darr lagta hai ki kahin meri kismat ko meri hi nazar na lag jaye." Her eyes turned misty.

He leaned to plant a kiss on her forehead, "Kisi ki nazar nahi lagegi humein... aise hi saath rahenge... yaad hai tumne ek baar kaha tha main lucky hun tumhare liye... ab bhi maanti ho na?"

She let out a small laugh, "Sabse zyada lucky ho tum mere liye... tabhi toh iss waqt, aise mere hostel ke kamre mein ho."

"Toh utho, aur kajal laga ke aao." He pushed her off him.

"Huh... kaajal? Abhi kajal kyon lagana hai?" She was perplexed.

"Jao bhi... mere liye laga lo," he scrunched his nose, "please."

Naina got up from the bed, wondering what he wanted. She brought out the pencil shaped stick... held her lower lid down gently and applied a soft stroke. She repeated the process in the other eye, blinked a few times to settle the water that tear ducts released, and turned to look at him.

"Theek hai?"

"Uh huh... thoda aur lagao... ekdum gehra wala." He watched her through the mirror, arms crossed, leaning back.

She turned to apply another thick layer, blinked again, and placed the stick back in the stand.

"Ab theek hai?" She walked back to stand in front of him.

He pulled her with a jerk, making her fall on his chest.

"Ab toh maarne ka iraada lag raha hai." He was lost in the magic created in front of him.

She furrowed her brows, "Sameer, batao na."

He touched the corner of her eye with his finger and tapped it once behind her ear, "Ab nazar nahi lagegi... maine filmon mein dekha hai aise karte hue."

She pursed her lips trying to stifle a laugh... but gave up... burying her face in his chest, "Sach mein bohot filmy ho tum."

"Arre, tumne mujhe toh lagaya nahi... mujhe bhi toh nazar lag sakti hai... dekho kitna handsome hun." He tickled her waist.

"Ahh... yeh kya kar rahe ho." She twisted.

"Oh toh tumhe aise gudgudi hoti hai... yeh toh mujhe pata hi nahi tha." The glint of mischief shone in his eyes.

Next moment it changed to frown as he realised she wasn't wearing a kurta or a top where he could slip his hand in... the dress gave him no access.

"Tumhari dress ke chakkar mein tumhe choo bhi nahi sakta." He grumbled.

She covered his hand on her waist with her palm, "Abhi ke liye itna kaafi hai... chalo ab utho... wapas jaana chahiye... din bhar toh kuch padha nahi hoga... ab jaake pehle thodi der padh lo fir so jaana."

"Yahin ruk jaun? Subah hone se pehle chala jaunga." He almost pleaded.

There was nothing more she wanted... but the chances of someone coming over to her room couldn't be ignored.

"Aaj nahi, Sameer... koi aa jayega... aur hum dono ko padhna bhi toh hai... abhi jao tum... subah library mein milte hain." She sat up, trying to create some distance.

He instantly pinned her down on the bed, hands on her shoulders, "Raat bhar jo tumhari yaad aayegi uska kya?"

Her heartbeat accelerated...

His heavy eyes rested on her... soft hair spilled like silk on white cotton bedsheet... hazel eyes lined with dark mystery... plump, porcelain cheeks with a hint of colour...parted  pink lips luring him... chin up in the air, giving an aristocratic look... pulsating nerve at the base of her neck...  smooth skin of the throat going down till the V neck of the dress... heaving chest pushing into him...

A soft groan escaped his lips, and he ducked his head in the dip of her V neck, inhaling the fragrance that had become oxygen to him.

Naina arched her back... his nose touched the skin that was usually covered by her dresses... her fingers tightened on his arm, eyes became unfocussed, a strong wave of sensations rocked her from head to toe at the searing heat of his breath on her delicate skin.

He came up slowly, kissing the throat, nipping at her throbbing nerve, rubbing his nose on her jaw, skimming over her cheeks, dropping small kisses at the corner of her lips... then stopped to look into her partially closed eyes. They were indeed an enigma...

The absence of the feel of his lips on her skin made her look up... his eyes were full of intrigue... she licked her lips... the flick of the tip of her tongue didn't go unnoticed by him, making him go down to take what he needed badly.

Her lips moulded to accommodate him, parting in response. He pressed himself more on her as his tongue teased the warm and pleasant mouth, making her thread her hands in his hair, fists tightening with the effects of his kiss.

She was still breathing hard when he got up from the bed, holding out a hand to her. Taking it, she got up to stand next to him. His breathing was ragged too.

"Good night, Naina... apna dhyaan rakhna." He touched his forehead to hers and turned, walking towards the balcony door.

"Sameer." She called out.

He stopped.

She went up to him, touched the corner of her kajal lined eye and rubbed it behind his ear.

"Mere malai ke katore ko bhi toh nazar nahi lagni chahiye na."