Sameer looked into her eyes, "Fir kabhi mat kehna ki tumhe door se dekhu... tumhe toh main aur kareeb laana chahta hun aur tum aisi baatein kar rahi ho... Naina, tumse door hoke main mar... "

She kept her fingers on his mouth, blinking hard to see clearly through the tears that suddenly welled up, "Agar dobara kabhi aisa kaha na toh... toh... toh main tumhara gala daba dungi."

He stared at her for a few moments, wondering if she knew what she had said...

When the tears could not remain contained in her eyes, the drops fell on his neck... searing his insides.

Raising his head to kiss her eyes, he said in a constricted voice, "Tum jo chaho kar lo par yeh aansu mat bahao."

She sniffed, "Toh aisi baat kyon karte ho? Mera kya haal hoga tumhare baare mein aisa sun ke socha hai kabhi... aur tum chale khud apne muh se bure shabd nikalne."

He pulled her to himself this time, kissing the cheeks, saltiness of tears touching his lips, "Sorry, jaan... aage se kabhi nahi kahunga."

She lowered her face in the crook of his neck, "Mujhe bhi maaf kardo... main bhi aisa kabhi nahi kahungi."

He kept his palm on her hand that laid on his heart.

"Chalo yeh toh humne ek dusre ko bata diya ki kya nahi bolna hai... ab yeh bhi bata dete hain ki kya bolna hai... aur kya karna hai." He played with her hair.

"Hmm... batao." She could see what was coming.

He held her waist, "Humein ek dusre ko roz I Love You bolna chahiye."

She turned her face to look up at him, "I Love You."

"Arre waah, tum toh badi jaldi seekhti ho." He flicked his brows.

"Aur humein roz ek dusre ki tareef karni chahiye... usmein toh tumhe jhooth bhi nahi bolna padega." He pulled up imaginary collars.

"Tum iske saath duniya mein sabse zyada handsome lagte ho." She grazed his jawline, admiring the stubble.

He wrinkled his nose for a moment, then laughed.

"Very good... ab aati hai karne ki baat... Umm... roz kam se kam pachaas kiss toh karne chahiye." He looked at her from the corner of his eyes.

She lifted herself on the elbow, widening her eyes, "Pachaas? Sameer, aur koi kaam nahi hai kya poore din?"

"Arre baba, unn kamon pe bhi aa raha hun... zara sabr rakho." He winked.

She coloured in a second.

"Din mein kam se kam pachaas baar gale lagana chahiye." He turned towards her.

She narrowed her eyes, not saying anything.

"Kamaal hai, yeh nahi seekhna kya?" He looked at her hopefully.

Her mouth pressed in a thin line.

"Aage bhi hai." He was undeterred.

"Jaise tumne mujhe yeh diya," he pointed at the mark on his heart, "aise mujhe bhi toh dena chahiye."

She sat up, "Tum de chuke ho pehle hi."

He sat up in front of her, "Kab? Maine aisa kab kiya... Naina, tum mujhe budhu mat banao."

She pulled the neck of her kurta to one side, "Yahan diya tha na chaar din pehle... dhyaan se dekho, halka sa ab tak hai."

"Kahan hai... mujhe toh kuch nahi dikh raha... tum aise hi keh rahi ho."  He made a sad face.

"Yaad karo... uss din jab meri tabiyat kharab thi... tab dawa lene ke baad tumne... tumne... tab... " She didn't know how to remind him.

"Achha... waise mujhe na toh yaad aa raha hai na hi dikh raha hai." He shrugged.

She surged closer, "Dikh toh raha hai, Sameer... mujhe aaine mein dikh jaata hai toh tumhe saamne se kyon nahi pata chal raha?"

He peered, narrowing his eyes, "Theek se dekhta hun."

He covered her hand holding the kurta aside with his own, pulling it more, "Shayad kareeb se nazar aa jaye."

She jerked her head to look at him, understanding the mischievous glint of his eyes...

"Sameer, tum... tum... " She tried to adjust her neckline, blushing to the roots.

His hand did not let her move, "Haan, main... tumhara pati... ek pyar ka nishan hi toh dena chahta hai tumhe... jaise tumne diya."

She swallowed... sucking in her lower lip... not trying to push up the kurta neck anymore.

"Oh Naina." He groaned.

Before she could realise her folly, he pulled her towards him, going in for the kiss that was inevitable after her gesture.

She shuddered... her heart leaped at the sudden pull... and then she melted, giving in to his demand... 

He lifted his head, only to breathe, going down on her throat the next moment. The raspy sound of his bristly growth on her skin made him look up to see if she was uncomfortable. Her closed eyes and  faint smile assured him of the bliss she was in, and he carried on with his trail... peppering small kisses along the column of her throat. She shivered in anticipation, knowing he would go for what he wanted to do.

And he did.

Pulling aside her neckline, he went lower than the collarbone, giving her the feel of his teeth on the soft skin that started to swell up just below the mark.

"Sameer." Her hand shot up, but he had already moved away.

"Ab tum bhi mujhe apne dil ke kareeb mehsoos kar sakti ho." He mumbled against her hair.

She collapsed against him, heart thundering... nerves coiling... head buzzing with the feel of his lips against her skin that was always hidden from everyone.

"Kya hua? Tumne bhi toh yehi kiya tha." He stroked her back.

"Naina, tumhe... tumhe bura laga kya?" He asked when she did not speak up.

"Naina, please bolo... maine kuch galat kiya kya?" He was worried.

"Uh huh... woh... pehle kabhi... matlab ek naya ahsaas tha... isliye..." She finally said in a low voice.

"Tumne bhi aaj ek naya ahsaas diya tha mujhe... toh maine socha..." He trailed off.

"Woh toh tumne khud maanga tha subah." She straightened, looking at him.

He pondered over what she had said, then asked hesitantly, "Kuch aur maangu?"

Her eyes hid beneath the curtain of lashes, knowingly.

"Nahi, aisa kuch nahi." He cupped her face.

She raised her eyes.

He bit the corner of his lip, wondering if it was beyond his permissible limit... what if she found his demand offensive...

He gulped... maybe it was not the right time yet.

She saw the confusion cloud his eyes... the play of varied emotions on his face confirmed to her that whatever he wanted was not easy for him to say...

"Sameer, tumne hi toh kaha tha ki main tumse kuch bhi keh sakti hun... aise hi tum bhi bata sakte ho." She placed a hand on his heart.

His hopes soared... courage lagged though.

"Agar... agar tum chaho toh mana kar dena... mujhe bilkul bura nahi lagega." He was still not sure.

Naina was perplexed, wondering what was it that had made Sameer tongue tied.

"Pehle batao toh... fir dekhungi ki mana karna hai ya nahi." She urged.

He got up from the bed, going towards the cupboard. Soon, he returned with something in his hand. He kept it in front of her, indicating with his eyes to open the wrapping.

Naina looked at the packet, and raised her brows in question at him.

"Dekho toh." He said.

She slowly removed the adhesive tape and opened the package... to reveal a... she gulped... a nighty... pink in colour... soft, satiny, with lots of lace on it.

He saw her widened eyes... her shocked expression... her open mouth... her sucked in breath... her frozen state...

This was definitely a mistake...

He picked up the mighty, along with the packet, "Rehne do... bhool jao maine yeh dikhaya tumhe... main wapas rakh deta hun."

She held his wrist, stopping him from taking it.

"Yeh tum kab laaye?" She asked, partially out of the shock now.

"Woh main... main uss din jab chocolate lene gaya tha toh..." He mumbled, putting back the packet on bed.

It was the day they had arrived here. He had gone out to get chocolate for her in the evening, knowing that she liked to have it during her periods. When he came out of the grocery store, his eyes fell on a mannequin in a well lit shop close by. The beautiful, pink nighty on the dummy was something he could almost imagine on Naina instantly. He had no idea if she would ever wear it... but his hopes soared thinking that if he presented it to her after their wedding, she might wear it... at least once.

With such dreams, he entered the shop... and asked for the same piece... in small size.

He had no plans of showing it to her yet... but somehow, their increasing proximity had given him courage to do so.

"Pehle bataya kyon nahi?" She was surprised that he had been keeping it hidden for one week.

He lowered his eyes, "Mujhe laga tum... tum shayad gussa ho jao."

"Toh fir aaj kyon dikhaya?" She raised her brows.

"Kyonki mujhe laga ab humein ek dusre se kuch bhi chupa ke rakhne ki zaroorat nahi hai... main yeh tumhare liye laaya hun toh tumhe de dena chahiye... agar tum... tum chaho toh pehen ke dekh sakti ho... aur... aur mujhe bhi dikha sakti ho." His eyes sparkled with expectation.

She turned the same shade as the nighty, "Sameer, maine kabhi pehni nahi hai... aise kaise... "

"Pehle kabhi apne pati ke saath bhi toh nahi rahi... toh fir yeh bhi pehli baar pehen lo." His hopes soared, seeing the absence of anger.

She furrowed her brows, contemplating what to do.

"Agar tum nahi chahti toh bhi chalega... baad mein toh pehnogi na?" He said in a low whisper.

She gave a shy smile, thinking that she herself was planning to buy something like this before leaving for Ahmedabad.

But it was not a good idea to try it now. She recalled how different Sonali looked in such nighty... if she also looked the same... she swallowed the gasp.

"Main... main baad mein hi pehen lungi, Sameer... abhi shayad... shayad theek nahi hoga." She stuttered.

He could understand.

"Koi baat nahi... lekin isko main apne paas hi rakhunga... tumhe toh wapas apni family ke paas jaana hai... main nahi chahta koi wahan dekhe... yeh sirf tumhare liye hai." He gathered the soft garment, and added with a mischievous smile, "Aur mere liye."

Naina could not help the onslaught of images that plundered her mind...

Sameer was back in a minute, circling his arm around her waist to draw her closer as he sat with his back against the bed.

"Naina, agar hum yahan nahi aate toh yeh kitne saare haseen pal hamari yaadon ka hissa nahi ban paate na... iss tarah ka din raat ka saath... iss tarah ki nazdeekiyan... fir bhi yeh doori... aur iske baad bhi yeh khushi, yeh ek sukoon ka ahsaas, yeh sab hamesha khaas rahega mere liye." He reminisced.

She realised whatever he said was so true... had they been in the hostel, in spite of their daily meetings under the tree, in spite of his occasional visits to her room, this level of comfort with each other would have taken a long, long time. This one week had reduced so much of distance between them.

Her hand roamed freely on his chest, over the waist, feeling the taut abdomen...

She used to shut her eyes when he came without shirt in front of her a few times... and today she had herself removed his t-shirt.

A streak of crimson crept up her face as she thought about what all she had done in the past few days...

"Yeh kya kar diya hai tumne mujhe, Sameer Maheshwari... main khud ko hi nahi pehchaan paa rahi hun." She wondered to herself.