"Phulla bua aa gayi?" Naina screamed excitedly on phone.

"Haan, aur abhi Rakesh tauji bhi aa jayenge thodi der mein." Preeti informed her.

"Aur Arjun bhaiya?" Naina asked, eager to meet her brother.

"Unke baare mein toh kuch nahi kaha papa ne... pata nahi woh bhi saath aa rahe hain ya baad mein aayenge." Preeti recalled her father talking only about Rakesh.

"Chal aaj aaungi toh Phulla bua se mil lungi." Naina happily exclaimed before disconnecting.

"Aaj bohot khush lag rahi ho? Office se chutti kar lun kya?" Sameer asked mischievously seeing her beaming face when he came out for breakfast.

"Koi zaroorat nahi hai." She twisted her mouth.

He narrowed his eyes, "Kya matlab? Tumhari iss muskaan ka kaaran main nahi hun?"

"Jee nahi... main toh kisi aur ki wajah se khush hun." Naina looked away dreamily.

He was next to her in a flash, holding her by elbows to turn towards him.

"Kya keh rahi ho?" He uttered through pursed lips.

"Buddhu, Phulla bua aayi hain... unse milne ke liye khush hun... aur kiske liye hongi?" She poked his forehead.

"Mujhe laga tumhare uss Salman ki koi nayi film aayi hai... uske liye... " He gave a sheepish smile.

She touched the top button of his shirt, giving an enticing smile, "Jabse tumhe bina shirt ke dekha hai, Salman ko bhool hi gayi hun."

His heart started to thud louder at her throaty voice. Her eyes were at the button level which he thought might give away any moment under her expert fingers.

"Yeh kabhi bataya nahi tumne." His hands went around her waist.

"Umm... aaj bata dungi... wapas aane ke baad... jab shirt utaroge." Her tongue in cheek reply made him go crazy.

"Abhi... abhi bata do na... aaj chutti lene mein koi problem nahi hai... pakka." He urged.

"Aap na zyada hawa mein mat udiye, Mr Maheshwari... abhi office ka time hai... parson se waise bhi aap chutti par hain toh aaj jaana hi padega." She squirmed to get out of his grip.

"Arre apna hi office hai, apni hi factory." He tightened his grip.

"Isliye jaana aur bhi zaroori hai... tumko dekh ke hi baaki sab seekhenge na." She tugged at his hands.

"Pehle khud aise bolti ho aur fir dhakka maarti ho." He left her, crossing his arms as he turned his back to her.

She peeked from behind, "Gussa ho?"

"Nahi, khushi se maraa jaa raha hun... kyonki meri biwi ko saari factory ki, saare sheher ki, saare desh ki, saari duniya ki, duniya se bahar tak ki chinta hai... sab kya kahenge, sab kya sochenge... lekin apne pati ke baare mein kabhi sochna hi nahi... kyon soche... woh toh waise hi peeche peeche ghoomta hai... uski baat kyon manni... auron ka socho... jinhe jaante nahi, jinhe kabhi dekha nahi woh factory ke log zyada zaroori hain... mera kya... main toh wapas yahin aaunga... kyonki mere liye sabse zaroori kaun hai yeh sabko pata hai... issi ka faayda uthati ho tum... mere dil ka koi khyal nahi hai tumhe."

She tried to control her sniggers... his habit of turning into a kid at the drop of a hat never failed to amuse her.

When her arms wrapped around him from behind, he controlled himself from giving in. He had to hold onto his anger.

"Tumhare dil ka hi toh khyal hai... sabse pehle... sabse zyada." She spoke against his back... he could feel her breath through the thin shirt.

Her hand came over his heart, palm resting flat over it, "Yeh dil waise tumhara hai kahan... yeh toh mera hai... aur apni cheez ka khyal kaise nahi rakhungi."

She was again playing with words... but he wouldn't relent now.

Her hand slowly moved over his chest, fingers slipping into the gap between two butons, "Aur aaj ke liye toh maine kuch khaas khyal rakhne ka socha tha... par ab tum gussa ho gaye... toh koi faayda nahi... mujhe apna plan cancel karna padega."

He had turned even before her sentence ended, gripping her waist hard, "Kya socha hai?"

She let out a sigh, without looking at him, "Jaane do... ab kya farq padta hai... tum mujhse naraaz ho toh thodi mere kisi plan mein shaamil hona chahoge."

"Naina, main naraaz kahan hun...main toh bas aise hi... jhutmut ka gussa dikha raha tha... bolo na, kya socha hai?" He gave a big, anticipating smile.

"Maine socha tha aaj tum office jaoge aur main chachaji ke ghar... " She paused.

"Woh toh roz hi hota hai... uske baad?" He asked in a hopeful voice.

"Uske baad shaam ko tum bhi wahi aa jaana Phulla bua aur papa se milne... " She stopped again.

"Phulla bua aur papaji se milne aaunga... lekin tumhara plan batao." His eyes were lit up both at the information and what was coming.

"Fir hum wahin khana khyenge... sabke saath... fir... " She seemed to hesitate.

"Fir?" His voice was low.

"Fir hum ice cream khane chalenge." She said brightly.

"Ice cream hum ghar le aayenge... yahin kha lenge... uske baad bolo." He was impatient now.

"Uske baad kya, Sameer... bata diya na din bhar ka plan... poora din itna sab karke thak jayenge na, aake aaram se so jayenge." She shrugged nonchalantly.

He was taken aback, "Kya? So jayenge? Yeh khaas plan hai tumhara? Ismein khaas kya tha?"

"Ice cream." She grinned, and ran out of his grip as he was still trying to decipher what she said.

"Nainaaa." He ran behind her.

She herself stopped near the sofa, letting him grasp her.

"Plan baad mein bataungi." She whispered as he crushed her in his arms.

"Trailor abhi dekhna hai mujhe." His leaned towards her lips.

The sound of main gate from outside made her alert.

"Sameer chodo, Ramdhari aa gaya shayad." She looked back at the open door of living room.

"Kya? Ramdhari abhi tak ghar pe nahi tha?" He left her more in shock than her insistence.

"Woh market gaya tha, kuch samaan laane." She stepped away from him.

"Aur yeh tum ab bata rahi ho... Naina, ab main sach mein gussa hun." He stomped in annoyance.

"Sameer bhaiya, aaj hum aapki pasand ki gobhi laaye hain... bade din se masala gobhi nahi banayi thi... aaj bana denge." Ramdhari entered the room holding two bags of groceries and vegetables.

"Aaj toh rehne dijiye, Ramdhari bhaiya... aaj hum chachiji ke ghar khana khayenge." Naina smiled gently at him.

"Theek hai, bhabhi... kal bana denge." He went inside the kitchen with the bags.

"Waise bhi, aaj aur masale ki zaroorat nahi hai... pehle hi mirchi zyada ho gayi." She muttered under her breath, loud enough for Sameer to hear.

He glared at her.

Not able to keep the facade any longer, she went to him, "Achha ab bohot mazaak masti ho gayi, chalo, breakfast kar lo."

"Mera gussa mazaak nahi hai." He looked away.

His clean shaven cheeks were more rounded in anger... and she couldn't help pulling them.

"Tum gusse mein itne pyare lag rahe ho ki mann kar raha hai tumhe roz gussa karte hue dekhun." She scrunched her nose as he was forced to look at her while she pinched his cheeks.

"Gussa hi rahunga ab main... jee bhar ke dekh lena." Her antics did not melt him.

She turned towards the kitchen and called out, "Ramdhari bhaiya, Sameer ka breakfast de dijiye... woh aaj kamre mein khayenge."

Within a few seconds, Ramdhari brought out the plate that she had already set for him.

Holding the plate, she looked back at him, "Aao Sameer, tum breakfast kar lo main dhundti hun tumhari file."

He pursed his lips, but followed her.

Once inside, she placed the plate on side table, went back to the door and put the latch.

"Ab batao tumhara gussa kaise khatam hoga?" She locked her hands behind her, walking slowly to him.

He did not say anything.

"Umm... ek kiss?" She asked sweetly.

He kept quiet.

"Achha, toh ek hug aur kiss?" She quirked up her brow.

He rolled his eyes.

She reached him, whispering, "Ek nighty hai jo tumne abhi tak dekhi nahi hai."

The glint in his eyes could not be hidden this time.

"Main soch rahi thi aaj dikha dun tumhe." She circled her arms around his neck, going up on her toes to reach closer to his face.

He saw her gaze on his lips.

"Kab? Abhi?" His voice had turned heavy.

"Nighty toh raat ko pehenne ki hoti hai na." She batted her eyes innocently.

He gritted his teeth, but felt her hand under his collar the next moment, making him weak.

Her lips covered his and her soft body pressed against him, bringing his head down.

When her tongue teased him, all his anger, his resolve to stay unmoved washed away in a second. He wrapped his arms around her slender waist, pulling her even more, revelling in the way her soft curves fitted against hard angles of his firm body. Holding her head in the right position, he took control of the kiss, taking revenge for the way she had been teasing him since morning.

He didn't come to know when her hands came to his shirt, when her fingers set to work... only when her hands explored his skin did he realise that few of his buttons were open.

The moment their lips parted, she skimmed down his throat, placing kisses on the bare chest. He closed his eyes, her lips leaving a trail of fire on his already heated skin.

And then, he felt her fingers securing the buttons again deftly.

"Yeh kya?" He looked down as she straightened his collar after closing the buttons.

"Trailor maanga tha tumne... woh de diya... baaki ka baad mein." She winked.

Her flushed face and heaving chest was a clear indication that she was as much ready for the entire film as he was. But the time and circumstances were not conducive.

"Ab bhi gussa ho... itni teekhi mirch ban gaye ho aaj?" She raised her brow.

He smiled softly, "Nahi jaan, tumse kaise gussa ho sakta hun... aur trailor dikha ke tumne jo promise kiya hai uske baad toh gussa tik hi nahi sakta... aur teekha toh tumhe pasand hai na... zyada khush hoti ho zyada mirchi se."

Colour deepened on her face, "Ab breakfast kha loge na?"

He nodded.

She picked up the plate, handing it to him before going to the dresser to straighten her clothes and hair.

By the time Sameer finished his breakfast, she was ready to leave with him.

Giving instructions to Ramdhari for going back home after he was done with cleaning, they left the house.

Rakesh was coming out of the door when they climbed up the stairs of chachaji's house.

Sameer bent down to touch his feet.

"Kaise ho beta?" He blessed his son in law with a smile.

"Jee, main theek hun." Sameer smiled back.

"Papa." Naina stepped ahead, embracing him with a choked throat.

Rakesh stroked her head, soaking in the feeling that he had not recognised for so many years.

"Tujh se nahi puchunga kaisi hai... tere chehre ki chamak aur aankhon ki khushi bata rahi hai ki tu apni duniya mein kitni sukhi hai." His voice was heavy with emotions that surged through him.

Once again, he mentally cursed himself for being oblivious to the pure, unconditional love that his daughter poured through her eyes. If only he had cared to look at her earlier, he wouldn't have missed out on so many years.

"Arjun bhaiya nahi aaye?" Her question brought him out of his guilty thoughts.

"Woh, uske selection match hain iss hafte... uska aana mushkil hai." He blinked hard, trying to keep the dampness of his eyes hidden from his children.

"Koi baat nahi, papa... iss waqt unka wahan rehna zyada zaroori hai... aakhir aap dono ka sapna hai unka selection." Naina patted his hand, taking his somber expression to be a concern for Arjun.

"Tum aao andar... yahin kyon ruk gaye?" Rakesh turned to wipe his eyes stealthily.

"Main bas aap se aur Phulla bua dadi se milne aaya tha... abhi office jaana hai... shaam ko aunga." Sameer stood near the door.

"Buaji toh mandir gayi hain Bela ke saath." Rakesh stated.

"Chaliye unse shaam ko hi mil lunga." Sameer smiled.

Looking at Naina, he said, "Main nikalta hun... shaam ko aunga."

She dipped her head to the side, smiling back at him.

Next update tomorrow morning