Ruhi went still. Her legs had become two strands of jelly when she heard her name in his deep masculine voice.

Vicky's hot gaze bored into hers and it stirred the most intense longing in her. She flushed and the colour of her cheeks attained a deep shade of pink. She could feel heat radiating from her face and was scared he would sense it.

The corner of his mouth twitched and she noticed a muscle flicker in his jaw.What was he thinking? Why did he look annoyed?

She couldn't hide her reaction to him, so she hurriedly tore her eyes away from him. Her fingers trembled slightly as she tucked a few stray hair strands behind her ear.

Why was he looking at her as though she had done him a gross injustice? Was it a flash of hatred in his eyes? Would she be able to bear it if he started hating her or became indifferent to her?

She had very strong ideas about what she expected in a life partner and Vicky certainly didn't fit the bill or so she believed. She had told him the same five months back, had hoped she would be able to forget him and put their history behind. Truth was that she was nowhere near accomplishing that. And now that he was back in her life, she was clueless how she would resist his brooding charm.

Ruhi's eyes once again sought his face. She found it a challenge to hold his gaze, so her eyes dropped further down and rested on his lips which she thought, were carved to perfection. She needed to know what was running in his mind, but right now all she could think of was how his lips had felt on hers, warm and persuasive..

"Don't look at me like that," Vicky warned her. His voice sounded gruff.

Ruhi was jolted out of her thoughts. Had she really looked at him like that? She was supposed to be resisting his charm but here she was, dwelling on some really hot memories.

"L-Like what?" She asked him though she had a good idea about what he was thinking. She had to get a grip on her feelings, but now that he was here with her twenty four- seven, she didn't know if she had the will power to push him away.

"Like you want me to kiss you," Vicky replied throatily.

Ruhi absolutely detested the fact that he could read her mind so well.

"I was thinking of no such thing. And please don't call me Ruh. I find it uncomfortable."She rolled her eyes at him.

Vicky's eyes became thin slits.

"Old habits die hard", he told her in a scathing tone and Ruhi flinched.

Had he called her by her nickname merely out of habit? Why was she feeling bad about it? Why did she feel like retaliating?

"Like your drinking habit, Vicky?" Ruhi retorted, her caustic response being an attempt to grab reigns on her own feelings by diverting her thoughts on his drinking.

Anger shot through Vicky wave after wave. He felt like punching something hard. Anything. How was he supposed to make her understand that he was not addicted to alcohol? That she was blowing things out of proportion and ruining a happy future they could have had.

"Not everyone is like your dad. Pity you don't realize that Ruhi."

Ruhi glared at him.

"You know nothing. It started slowly with dad too. He too was a social drinker initially. But soon it became a habit and then an addiction. He spent all his money in the club, drinking with his so called friends and finally fell a victim to it, leaving behind his wife and fourteen year old daughter to fend for themselves." Ruhi was breathless by the time she finished talking.

Vicky studied her flustered face briefly before giving a sigh of resignation. This was not the time to fight. He strode out into the balcony to silently vent out his frustration. He slightly leaned forward, his sinewy forearms resting on the railing of the balcony and looked down at the road below, that now wore a deserted look. He could see a few people on the balconies of some of the high rise buildings in the vicinity. Fighting their own battles probably.

Nothing seemed to be going right. How was he supposed to stay here if they were going to be at each others' throats constantly? He had been in difficult situations before and had dealt them in mature, cool-headed manner. He had always been in control of his senses. He liked being in control. But the present situation he was in had got better of him. He felt helpless and edgy. And he knew it had nothing to do with his current job situation.

He rubbed the nape of his neck and gave a quick side-long glance. He couldn't see her from where he was standing. Maybe she was in the kitchenette, he thought. His body seemed to be reacting to her at a more primitive level and with a renewed vigor. Did she feel the white hot desire thrumming between them like a live-wire?

After the failed relationships in his past, he had been a bit reluctant to take his relationship with Ruhi to a physical level. Not that he hadn't wanted to. In fact, it had taken him immense self-control not to fall a prey to his body's cravings. He had consciously decided to spend more time with her, understand her before escalating things any further. He had been sure she was the one he would spend the rest of his life with.

Vicky was certain she still had feelings for him no matter how much ever she denied the blatant chemistry they shared. He wanted to hold her by her shoulders and shake her till her teeth rattled or at least confront her and make her admit that she more than cared for him.

But Vicky was a man of few words. Getting his feelings across was not easy for him, especially to Ruhi now that things have become different between them. He generally opened up only when he was in the company of his close friends. Even then, his friends would do the most of the talking while he listened patiently. Sometimes, he wondered what made him tick in the advertising field, where communication was everything.

He heard the sound of some utensils being tossed around. He ran his fingers through his hair. He was supposed to go and help her.

***

Ruhi was in the kitchenette. She had to do something to keep herself occupied, so she took out some of the crockeries from the cabinet above and started washing them. Silly of her, she knew but she had argued with him and felt terrible now.

Why did he ask her if she had wanted him to kiss her? He wasn't far from the truth, she thought. Had he been trying to mock her or had he too wanted to do that? He had given her one of his smoldering gazes and while she was reveling in it, he read her mind. Just like that, phew.

Ruhi had her damage control mode on now.

She needed to be careful. She was not a teenager anymore, she was a twenty-four-year-old young woman who knew what was right for her. She steeled her mind and decided to play it cool. She could try to be friendly towards him and be a proper hostess. He had a lot on his mind now.

Vicky was here because he didn't have an option. True, he had tried talking her into giving their relationship one more chance, but that was probably because he wanted a proper closure and not because he was dying to be with her, she conceded to herself. They weren't an item anymore and she needn't dwell on what he had said earlier.

But thoughts kept pervading her mind and kept going back to their happy days.

She had liked him instantly.

Despite her colleagues telling her that Vicky did not match her vivacious personality because he was a loner and usually liked being aloof, she had found him extremely attractive, especially his dry sense of humor. Theirs had been the perfect story of 'opposites attract. His silent, contemplative personality, which enhanced his masculinity versus her natural buoyant chirpiness.

Where was he by the way?

She heard something move behind her and just like that, she dropped the ceramic cup she was holding.Crash.The handle of the mug broke.

"Vicky! Why were you sneaking up on me?," Ruhi yelled at him.

"Sorry,I didn't mean to," he said and picked up the broken cup from the soap filled sink..

"It was my favourite cup," she paused when Vicky looked at the broken piece of crockery and smirked derisively.

"Okay, it's not my favourite cup." It was probably her least favourite one which was why she had dumped it inside the cabinet.

"Drama queen," he muttered and shook his head sideways.

"Did you just call me a drama queen?"

"Aren't you one?" He asked and precisely raised his right eyebrow, unaccompanied by its counterpart. It looked cute.

She had always wondered how he did that. When she realized that her mind had again been darting off to dangerous territories instead of answering his question, she knew she was in trouble. Deep trouble.

"Look Vicky, I don't want to argue or fight with you. Let's be friends."

"We have always been friends," Vicky drawled.

He was right. Both of them had always got along well and there was no way she could deny him. She sighed deeply.

Vicky expected her to come up with some cheeky retort but her silence unsettled him. He took in her.There was strain in her eyes. Without another word, he walked over to her working desk next to the bed and took out a tube of adhesive from the pen holder. He then carefully glued the handle back to the mug.

"Wabi-Sabi," he said and walked over to her.

Did he mean Wabi –Sabi about their relationship or the mug? Talk about reading between the lines, duh. There was no relationship between them, she made a mental note.

"Friends?" he asked her, holding out the mug to her as a conciliatory gesture.

The mug had never sparked any joy in her. She had even contemplated discarding it after watching a few videos by Marie condo. But suddenly it seemed to be the most precious thing in her studio. Apart from the man standing in front of her of course.

Her tense shoulders relaxed.She gingerly took the mug from him and smiled.

 "Friends," she replied.

                                                                  ***

Hi !!

How r u all?Hope you are safe and doing well.Stay safe all of you!

Updated the story after a long time.