Sameer felt like kicking himself.

After Naina had melted, it was sheer stupidity to mention the salesgirl again. She had gone quiet now. Though she still had her arms around him as they rode on the bike, he could feel the loss of playfulness that she was showing in Mumbai.

And he was missing it. He loved this bold and more expressive version of her.

"Naina, sorry na, usne aisa kuch nahi kaha tha... main toh mazak kar raha tha ... tumhare muh se aur tareef sunne ke liye... woh jab tum 'mera malai ka katora' kehti ho toh mujhe bohot achha lagta hai." He looked at her with a rueful smile.

They were sitting at the seaface now, watching the sun turn into a giant orange ball that no longer flared fire at the world.

He held her hands, turning to face her when she didn't reply, "Achha main tumhe poori baat bata deta hun... gift bhi bata deta hun... usne kya kaha, maine kya poocha, tum sab sun lo... bas aise gussa mat karo na, jaan."

"Maine kahan gussa kar rahi hun, Sameer... mujhe pata hai tum usse sirf gift ke baare mein baat kar rahe the." She said drily, looking ahead as the soothing orange drifted slowly towards the glassy surface of blue sea.

"Naina, yaad hai college mein ek baar kuch ladkiyan mere saath photo lene ke liye bohot paas aake khadi ho rahi thi... tab tumne kaha tha ki tumhe bilkul jalan nahi hui kyonki tumhari pasand ko koi aur pasand kare toh tumhe isse garv hoga apni choice pe... fir aaj itni gussa kyon ho rahi ho?" He was not able to understand her extreme vexation at such a trivial matter.

She continued to look at the sky, that was covered with colours so varied that it was comparable to the emotions churning within her... love, trust, anger, jealousy, frustration, discontent, hurt, irritation... everything was hitting her at the same time.

When she spoke, her voice was low, "College mein tum unn ladkiyon ke choone se pareshan ho rahe the, Sameer... tumhe gussa aa raha tha... bura lag raha tha... lekin aaj jab uss ladki ne tumhe chua toh tum hans rahe the... uska choona tumhe galat nahi laga... iss baat ki takleef hui mujhe."

He narrowed his eyes, looking ahead, trying to recollect when the girl touched him.

She gave him a side glance. A strange satisfaction spread within her at his confusion.

"Usne tumhe aise chua tha." She took her hands away from his grip, tracing her finger right below his collar, just as she had seen the girl do it.

His eyes were clear when he looked back at her, "Chua nahi tha, uski ungli door thi mujhse... tum doosri taraf khadi thi isliye tumhe shayad aisa laga... usne bas yahan ishara kiya tha batane ke liye ki jo... "

"Jo?" She raised her brow.

"Woh abhi nahi bata sakta... surprise kharab ho jayega na." He pouted.

Her eyes went back to the melting sun.

"Aaj raat ko bata dunga... jab tumhe tumhara gift milega." He leaned in front of her face, to see her exact reaction.

"Gift hum yahan nahi, kal apne ghar jaake denge ek doosre ko." She said without sparing him a glance.

"Kyaa? Kal tak kaise rukunga main?" His exasperated voice was louder.

"Shhh... main jo laayi hun woh apne ghar pe hi dungi tumhe." She said with finality in her voice.

"Tum abhi bhi gussa ho na mujhse?" He again took her hand in his.

She shook her head.

"Toh fir aise chup kyon ho, jaan... jabse main aaya hun Mumbai tab se ek nayi Naina dekhne ko mil rahi thi... aisa lag raha tha jaise tum hi Sameer ban gayi ho." He pressed her hand within his palms.

She looked at him.

"Sach keh raha hun... aur mujhe yeh khul ke pyar karne wali Sameer ki Naina bohot achhi lag rahi hai... please aisi hi raho na." He pulled her in the crook of his arm, whispering in a husky voice.

In spite of her mood, her cheeks smeared with the same hue that was slowly spilling from horizon into the still waters.

He raised other hand to her cheek, feeling the heat under his fingers, "Meri yeh aankhen tumse hatna hi nahi chahti, kisi aur ko kya dekhunga... tumhi batao yeh kya hai?"

"Mujhe kya pata yeh kya hai?" She lowered her eyes, melting bit by bit along with the sun that seemed to be losing itself in the calm sea that welcomed it with open arms.

"Achha, tumhe nahi pata? Main bataun?" He rubbed the tip of his nose behind her ear, threading his fingers in her hair.

"Sam... Sameer... hum bahar hain." She shuddered, holding onto his upper arm for support with one hand.

They were sitting on a cemented bench with a high back, facing the sea. There were barely a couple of pedestrians who walked with headphones attached to their ears, oblivious to their surroundings. Other benches were at some distance on both sides... and they too had couples lost in themselves. Mumbai allowed this anonymity to people. Unlike other cities, no one stared at you, or looked down at you, showing their disapproval at your conduct. People didn't step out of their houses to be the moral guardian of everyone on the road, or wherever they went.

"Yahan koi kuch nahi dekhta." He murmured against her ear, his hot breath fanning against her already burning skin.

As the sun completely gave itself to the expanse of prodigious ocean, Naina mollified in his arms, her anger dissipating in no time as his lips sought hers. The kiss was gentle. His lips softly moved against the curve of her mouth. She tilted her head, moulding her lips to his.

It was a kiss of promise, a kiss of assurance, a kiss of certitude... from his side.

It was a kiss of possession, a kiss of acceptance, a kiss of tranquility... from her side.

It started more as a peck, but the tension that had preceded it made him hungry for her. And when her hand moved up from his arm, towards the neck, and further up to stroke his jaw, his body trembled with the thick wave of desire that jolted his senses. Pressing his mouth harder, he nipped her lower lip, making her gasp. The chance was enough for him to delve deeper. As his tongue felt the warmth of her mouth, she found herself more than willing to embrace the melting heat of his touch, both on her skin and inside her mouth. With the blanket of darkness spread around them, their minds numb with the roar of pulsating blood in their veins, the intensity of kiss went up even more. When the need for air made her push him away, his lips refused to leave the contact with her skin, moving over her cheek, going behind her ear, trailing down her neck.

Loud honking of a bus behind them on the road made them jerk back to their senses. Sameer looked around in  daze, wondering how he had gone so far ahead in an open place. Naina leaned back on the bench, with her eyes closed, breathing heavily.

A few minutes of silence later, he held her hand, bringing it to his lips, and placed a soft kiss at the back of it.

"I Love You, Naina... tum zindagi ho meri, jaan ho... tumhare alava mujhe na kuch kabhi chahiye tha na kabhi chahiye hoga... mera dil iss samundar ke jaisa hai... agar tumhare pyar ki dhoop rahegi ispe toh yeh chamak uthega, sheehse ki tarah... lekin tumhare pyar ki roshni ke bina iska koi rang nahi hai, sirf kaala andhera hai."

She looked at him with eyes brimming with love, "Mere pyar ki dhoop kahin nahi jayegi, Sameer... doobte sooraj ki tarah pighal ke bhi tumhare dil ke samundar mein hi rahegi... apne saare rang leke."

When they reached back home, taiji was coming out of the kitchen. She quickly moved aside, seeing Sameer walk in, fear evident in her eyes.

His eyes filled with fury at her sight. All he could think was the way she had treated Naina all her life.

"Bua dadi, yeh aapke liye." Naina handed the saree they had bought for their grandmother.

"Arre waah, itni sundar saree... sundar toh honi hi thi... aakhir pasand jo tum dono ki hai... aur tumhari pasand toh ek doosre ko dekh ke hi pata chal jaati hai." Phulla bua exclaimed as she accepted the gift delightfully.

"Taiji, yeh aapke liye." Naina gave the expensive silk saree to taiji, who held onto it greedily, much to Sameer's chagrin.

He didn't want to buy anything for taiji and tauji but Naina had insisted.

When they gave the craft kit to Pralay, he was too excited to put it away, immediately settling down to play with it.

Sameer went inside to freshen up. Bua dadi took Naina to her room to show something, directing taiji to finish the kitchen work quickly as it would soon be dinner time. She placed the saree carefully on the dining chair, away from everyone's eyes, and went back to the kitchen, cursing her fate.

Sameer came out to find Pralay playing alone.

"Aap kheloge mere saath?" He asked as he looked up at Sameer.

He smiled, nodding. They removed the items from the box, putting them on the table. The instruction sheet was quite big for the small center table.

"Chalo hum neeche rakh lete hain sab kuch... fir aaram se yeh sab banayenge." Sameer suggested.

"Neeche ganda ho jayega." Pralay whined, not ready to spoil his new playthings.

"Kuch bicha lete hain... main puchta hun bua dadi se." Sameer stood up.

"Nahi aap mat jao, yeh raha kapda." Pralay went on all fours, pulling the saree that his mother had kept on the dining chair.

Sameer opened his mouth to stop him, closing it the next moment... a smug smile settling on his lips.

In no time, they had spread out everything on the saree that now lay on the floor.

Sameer explained to Pralay how he had to cut different shapes of colourful paper, how to stick them on the given images, how to make origami using cellotape and adhesive.

"O bai, Pralay babu, yeh kya kar diya?" The loud shriek of taiji made Pralay drop the bottle of adhesive.

Sameer watched the thick, sticky content spread out on the fine, silk saree... making no effort to pick it up.

Taiji had to hold onto the chair to save herself from falling again, as dizziness engulfed her at the sight of her new saree in this condition.

"Kya hua, Bina... har waqt chillati kyon rehti hai?" Bua dadi retorted, coming out of her room, along with Naina.

Naina was bewildered at the sight, but restrained herself from speaking anything when she saw the determination in Sameer's eyes.

Phulla bua, surprisingly, did not react to the situation at all, going to occupy a place on the sofa.

"Chal Bina, ab yeh khel ka samaan hata jaldi se... aur khana laga de... bachhon ko bhook lagi hogi." She directed taiji as if there was nothing odd about the scenario.

"Chalo, main tumhare haath dhulwa deta hun." Sameer took Pralay towards the basin, nudging Naina to come along.

Once his hands were clean, Pralay considered it better to run away to his house, away from his mother's firing range.

"Yeh kya kiya, Sameer?" She whispered, aware that whatever happened was not Pralay's ignorance.

"Naye kapde kharab hone ka dard kya hota hai unhe bhi pata hona chahiye na." He said with hatred spilling out of his words.

"Lekin yeh toh humne hi khareedi thi... hamare hi paise... " Naina wrinkled her nose.

"Tumhare dard ka hisaab poora karwane ke liye toh main apna sab kuch de sakta hun... yeh ek saree kya hai." He looked into her eyes intently.

Taiji's scream could be heard outside the house when she picked up the saree. Besides the sticky cellotape, coloured papers and  gooey adhesive, the expensive silk saree had several cuts, made by the not so sharp scissors... threads hanging down all the slits.

Sameer took a deep breath, a complacent smile spreading on his face. Unable to stop herself, Naina threw her arms around him, thankful tears spilling out of her eyes.

"Nahi, jaan, ab tumhe aansu bahane ki zaroorat nahi hai... ab unke din hain apne kiya ka phal chakhne ke."

Next update tomorrow evening.