Chapter 1

The chopper was about to land. He checked the time in his Rolex watch and saw, still not six yet. He glanced out from the window to see the soft morning dusk is emerging from the other side of the world.

He looked down and saw the that the city of Chicago is under his feet. He murmured with a smile.
"My city..."

His phone buzzed.
He picked up.
"Mr. Malhotra your ride is ready waiting for you..." the voice from the receiving end says.
Manik smiled and also felt bad.
"Cabir, how many time did I told you not to call me Mr Malhotra.. that name suits dad more than me... and you are my business partner, my friend buddy... call me by my name..." Manik said in the phone.
"I'll be landing in five minutes..."and he hangs up the phone.

When he landed, a sleek piece of Range Rover of the latest model was waiting on the runway a distance of few feet away from the chopper.

Manik Malhotra stepped down of the chopper and walked in style.
The man waiting for him gave a very huge smile as Manik closed the distance.

"Welcome back Mr. Malhotra. How was your trip?" He forwards his hand for a shake.

Manik tilted his head on the side and raised his eyebrows.
"Cabir, Until you call me Manik and talk to me like my best friend I'm not gonna reply for that...". Manik stood there without moving.

"Oh common dude... I was practicing being formal, welcome back.." Cabir pulled him in a hug and patted his back.

"Why don't you hire a Chauffeur for us. You are my partner in crime as well as in business and you still want to drive the car..." Manik laughed break the hug and walked to the passenger side of the Range Rover.
"As usual my trip was successful, our fabric for new venture will be here in a week or ten days.." Manik continued sitting inside the SUV.

Cabir take over the drivers seat and tied his seatbelt.
"We have such good cars Manik and you think I'm going to just give away the privilege of driving it. With this clean roads and with the beauty like this, never I will leave this opportunity..." he turn the ignition on by pressing the button.

Due to The craze of cars, Cabir never wanted to hire a driver and he mostly do the driving for himself and for Manik. Since their college days they were buddies. Never ever thought that they will ever be gone separate ways.

They planned everything together. They even decided their majors together in college. That's Business Management. And later on they did their masters in one of the top universities of US. Harvard university.
"So where are we heading..." Cabir asked taking the Range Rover out of the small private airport.

"Granny strictly ordered me that I should have the breakfast with her as soon as I land.., let's head to the mansion..." Manik explained looking out of the window.
"Love these type of mornings.., specially in Chicagoland. No traffic with fresh morning breeze and the view before the sunrise at lakeshore drive...".
Manik loved peaceful and quiet life. Inspite of his family's insist he owns a pent house of his own in one of the high rise buildings in Chicago downtown, where he lives alone there.

His whole family lives in a mansion in the north side suburbs of Chicago.

When they reached the mansion their rover was blocked suddenly by a very beautiful and sexy looking red Porsche in front of the gates of the mansion.

"What's going on.... whose that idiot.. that's blocking the way..." Manik stepped out of his SUV and stopped right in front of the Porsche.

A very handsome and young looking man with a decent height and a brawny skin tone came out of the car.

"Excuse me sir... but you are blocking my way..," he said before Manik can yell on him.

"Are you kidding me, I'm not the one who is blocking you young man... but you purposely stopped in front of me.." Manik said with a serious face.

Cabir too joined them too and watched the whole drama.
"But I'm going to my house to meet my grandmother who happens to live in this mansion..." the young man said making a very innocent face.

"Oh... even my grandmother happens to live in this mansion..." Manik answered in the same way.

"Are you trying to say both of our grandmother lives in this same mansion...." the young man asked.
"Well I guess..l" Manik replied, and they went silent.

After a pause of few seconds they both started laughing including Cabir.
"You guys will never be serious right..." Cabir came forward and gave a high five to that person.

He just hugged Manik.
"Bhai, welcome back... you will never change right.... how was your trip..." he asked.

Manik to hugged him tight.
"I wish Never change with you my baby bro....My trip was successful..." Manik pulled himself away and said
"tell me something Dhruv... are you coming or leaving...." he asked sniffing him.

"What bhai...I'm not drunk...okay... though I have lot of fun with girls and all, you know...but I'm always in control... never get myself boozed off...you know you have to trust your little brother bhai..." it was Manik's younger brother Dhruv.

"You still didn't answer my question.." Manik raised his eyebrows.
"What do you think..." Dhruv hide his embarrassment from his brother but Manik knew that he is just coming from another of his silly night outs.

"So you needed my help again to save you from granny and dad... I think they both are thinking that you are sound asleep in your bed... am I right..." Manik said getting serious.

"As usual..." Dhruv winked at Cabir... "please bhai save me for the last time.." Dhruv begged him. It's his every time drama.

"Cabir why don't you stop him from wasting his life in these useless stuff.." Manik said while walking inside.
Cabir raised his hands up in the air.
"Don't involve me in this brotherly bond... and tiffs..."
Dhruv and Cabir followed Manik.

The aroma of fresh coffee, freshly baked banana bread, cinnamon rolls and scrambled eggs filled their nostrils as soon as they entered.

The mansion is huge with cathedral ceilings and a two opening staircase going up.

There's a passage in the middle that leads to the kitchen.

Dhruv sneaked upstairs hiding from everyone. But no one was around.
Manik can hear the sound of utensils coming from the kitchen and old Indian songs can be heard too.

"Mr. Malhotra and his love for old Indian songs.."when Cabir said Manik sshhed him and walked with his silent feet towards the kitchen.

An old lady dressed in a loose track pants and a simple beige color top with a scarf around her neck was taking out the banana bread from the oven.

Manik crossed the kitchen, wrapped his arms around her and hugged her from the back giving a kiss on her cheek.
"Good morning my darling granny...how are you.." he said and his granny got cheerfully happy.
She turned around and hugged him.

"Ah ha... my favorite grandson is here at last... a very good morning to you too munchkin..." she kissed his forehead in return.

"The smell of your food is all over the house and makes me hungry already...all of a sudden I'm starving now...". Manik held her by her shoulder.

"Than what are we waiting for, Let's go and grab it...". She asked Helen the maid to arrange the crockery on the breakfast table.

Mr Malhotra pour another batch of the mixture of egg in the pan to make more scrambled eggs. He loves cooking a lot. He mostly makes breakfast for him and his mother inspite of having a cook in their house. It gives him the opportunity to spend some time with his mother too.

His wife is busy with her own life. Right now he looks like a professional chef wearing a white chefs hat with a white apron ties around his waist.

"What's up dad... your morning doesn't complete without old Indian songs right...and making breakfast for you and granny.." Manik gave a hug to him and asked.

"These songs keeps me connected to my country and reminds my old days.." Mr. Malhotra takes prideto talk about his country.

An old song of Kishore Kumar was playing on the CD player.

Zindagi Hans ke betaenge
Haal e dil gaa ke sunaaenge
Hum tou saath rang hai
Yeh jahan rangeen banaayenge

"And where's your naughty little brother.. I didn't see him in his room this morning..." granny complained.

"I'm right here granny... I was getting ready when you checked my room..." Dhruv appeared from nowhere changed in different clothes and have a kiss on her cheek.
"Good morning... sexy..." he wishes her in his own style.

"Dhruv behave..." Manik and Mr. Malhotra said in unison.

"Oops..." Dhruv stick his tongue out between his teeth.
"Hello dad..." he said.
"Are you telling the truth Dhruv..." granny asked him.

"Manik... son how was your trip.." Mr. Malhotra asked him.
Somehow Dhruv got saved this time.

"It was pretty good dad...our French clientele is very impressed with our proposal and they are ready to sell us the fabric in half the original price...". Manik explained.

"I knew it... your charming words will definitely impress them, congrats on the deal..." Mr. Malhotra said.
"You are a different person in handling business, but very opposite withbit cones to your personal life...give some time for that too.." Mr Malhotra said.

"People..." granny interrupted them and sat in the head chair of the table. Rest of them joined too gathering around the breakfast table.

"I didn't call my handsome grandsons to discuss business here for the breakfast...I called them here to discuss a very important topic.. so Arun no business talk..." she said serving them breakfast.
The maid rotate around the table and pour orange juice in their glasses.

"Maa... what's so important that you called Manik straight from Paris to have breakfast with you... I want to know too...". Mr. Arun Malhotra got curious too.

Manik looked at Cabir and than Dhruv with a question wondering what could be so Important.

"Listen both of you..." she turned her gaze to Manik and Dhruv.

"You both disappointed me a lot..." she started talking. But her first sentence took their breath away.
Both of them were startled hearing her.

"What did we do granny..." Manik asked.

"Manik You will turn twenty nine. And Dhruv will turn twenty six... but I'm still waiting desperately to see my great grand children. You can't even fulfill my wishes . Being such a big and successful businessman you can't fulfill my tiny wish..." she pinched her fingers together.

"You both are hopeless.. you can't find a good daughter-in-law for me... I wanted to see my great grand children before I close my eyes. You just don't care about me anymore. You are just worried about expanding the business when it's already reaching sky high limits. When will you fulfill my wish."
After hearing a mile long speech from her Manik and Dhruv got baffled, leaving their mouths left open.

Mr. Malhotra break the silence with his laugh. Cabir also giggled on them. Their faces were worth watching right now.

"What... close your mouths and give me the answer..." granny said again.

Both of them continued to eat.
"Granny if we close our mouths then how will we eat..." Dhruv asked teasingly bending his head down.

" stop joking around Dhruv I'm serious.." she replied.

"Your allegations were absolutely right maa. Even I wanted to know, when will they give us the good news that they selected a girl for us.." Mr Malhotra joined hands with granny.

"Well granny... right now bhai is older so his turn comes first.. till then I will be free off from this burden..." Dhruv freed himself.

"No my dear munchkin... if you like a girl before your older brother then I will not hesitate to fix your alliance first... so no escape..." granny said.

"Your mother has no time for you and your sister... she is busy in her own world...if it's not for your father than I would have..."

"Maa...." Arun cut her off in the middle.
Granny chewed her words with her breakfast controlling her temper.

"Granny... do not worry at all... nothing will happen to you... you will live for hundred years. Right now I have to leave for the office.. I will talk to you later on this topic..." Manik avoids the topic wiped his mouth with his napkin and got up from the chair getting an escape out.

He gave a kiss on her forehead and ask Dhruv if he is coming or not..

He gave an excuse that he has to go somewhere.
Manik knows that somewhere is his own pent house where Dhruv is going to collapse for few hours. Otherwise dad and granny will caught his lie.

"Dad I will see you in the office. You are coming right...". Manik asked him.
"Yes I am, I have to discuss about the new venture you are working on, but I will be late because I have to pick up Nyonika from the airport than we both will come... she wants to be there for this venture." Mr Malhotra said.

Hearing Nyonika's name Manik's happiness faded. She is the reason Manik lives separate from the family. And Dhruv and Mukti is the reason he always keep his mouth shut. Manik loves his brother and sister dearly. They are very near to them but Nyonika, well he always wanted to avoid her company.

He shrugged away the thought and signaled Cabir to leave who is enjoying his fresh breakfast.

"Cabir... I'm giving you the responsibility of reminding him constantly that it's time for him to get married..." granny yelled at them when they were half way to leave.

"Yup granny... I will keep it in mind.." he giggles again and they walk out of the mansion and drive off to their office which is located in the heart of Chicago downtown.

"Yaar Manik I have some work with khurana.. either you drop me off and take the car or I'll drop you off..." Cabir said when they almost reached.

"Actually just drop me off near the curve I will walk. There's construction going on beside the parking lot... I will take a cab if I'm tired..." Manik stepped out of the car and walked ahead.

"DAMMITT!"

Nandini's not so favorite word came out of her mouth when a road block sign popped up in the middle of the road..
"Now where did this come from.." her face dropped as she has to be at the interview in fifteen minutes. She wanted to reverse and take another route but, when she saw in her rear view mirror that she has been blocked with another van and another truck behind it.

"I should've known it... the roads of Chicago city is not trust worthy...I should've taken a cab..." she muttered a swear under her breath.

"Who in the rightful mind of their own will start the construction this early at 7 in the morning. Oh God... how should I reach on time!" She cursed her stars and turned the steering wheel on her right to slide the car from the narrow path on the shoulder. She succeeded. But it took her almost six to seven minutes.

She still has to go and park her car on the rented parking lot as it's very difficult, close to impossible to find a parking on the streets of Chicago downtown.

"First of all why do they have to have one way in each lane, they could've kept two lane in each road. But no they have to make it difficult for us common drivers to go places.." for some reason she is off mood since she woke up.

Her mother landed at the doorstep of her three bedroom condo unannounced and gave the ultimatum that she has to find a job in a day or two otherwise she has to go back to her hometown Rockford, where her whole family resides.

Secondly she brought Navya's car today on her first interview and she is feeling nervous like anything. Navya told her that it's not worth it taking the car to downtown but she didn't listen to her.

Navya being her first cousin who lives with her in the same condo with her widowed mother who happens to be her aunt too, is a very independent girl. She did her masters in computer science and found a very nice job in some brand name IT company. Navya cared for Nandini a lot.

If she can't find a job today or tomorrow than her grandmother's decision is to get her married.
She can't just go back and get married.

They have resided in America since last thirty to thirty five years. She is born and brought up in Illinois, but her family still believes in the Indian traditions and Indian values.
Though her mom and dad had given her the liberty to go in the city to study and get her degree in fashion designing.

But her grandmother is a bit old fashioned. She is against girls going out and working.
"In today's modern world who do the arranged marriage.... and who believes in this old fashioned traditions.... but no.... my family.... my typical family has to be like this....if they have to follow the typical Indian values and traditions then why did they even come here and settled... they were better off in India..." she murmured to herself and taking a parking ticket from the machine she parked her car in the lot.

Coming out of the lot she looked for a cab. She still have two more blocks to go and she can't afford to lose time by walking there. Her phone buzzed. She searched in her purse and took out her phone to answer.

"Yello..." she held the phone in between her left ear and shoulders.
"Nandu did you find the place.." the person on the other end asked.
"Yup... but Navya I'm not sure I will get this job.. I'm already late and I didn't reach yet..." she said.

"Don't worry you will get it.."
"I don't know Navya...my bad luck is also running bad today.."
"Nandu stop talking like that..."
"Ok I gotta go Navya I'll call you later.." she hang up the call and stopped a cab.

As soon as she put the phone inside and ran to get it a man came in the middle and was about to open the cab door to hop in it when she tripped on a small rock laying on her path and was about to fall on him. He turned and reached her holding her waist with her weight completely on him. Her whole body smashed him to the car.

His back was pressed to the passengers door and he was sandwiched between the door and her. His face was covering with her hair and her eyes closed tight.

But the thing is her face was hidden in his neck and she was holding his shoulders for her dear life.

Manik got shocked on this sudden encounter. He didn't know what he should do. Only way was to ask her if she is ok.

After waiting for a while.
"Umm.. are you ok..." he asked softly. Nandini loosened her grip and pulled her face a little that there noses were just mere inches away from each other.

'Beautiful..' his mind says.

What an innocent face her honey gold eyes and her long curly lashes. ... her creamy skin.
'Oh Gawd who is she..' he thought.

'This chocolate eyes.. and those lashes... so deep anyone can be drowned in it...". she gasped.

His lips parted slightly as if wanted to taste those luscious lips. He leaned in towards her unintentionally to place his lips on hers.
Their bodies pressed with each other sending shivers down to both of their bodies. Manik couldn't control himself.
And she was not helping him either. She was staring at him constantly.

She could have gotten lost in those dreamy eyes and they could've kissed each other... if they were not distracted by the honk of another car passing by.

'What was I doing..' he thought.

'What was I thinking.. he is a complete stranger..' she yelled at herself in her unconscious mind.

She moved back with a jerk and before losing herself in the hotness of this handsome man she yelled.

"Don't you watch where you were going...can't you see a big girl right in front of you... or you were daydream with your eyes open...." she talked non stop getting irritated not letting him say anything clearing her crease from her silky white top.

"Messed up my top... first of all I'm
late and now the first impression is ruined because of him..." she muttered under her breath.
But Manik heard her.

"It wasn't my mistake ms... I came first to take this cab and you just appeared from nowhere..." Manik was smiling at her cuteness.

There's something different about her. Though he couldn't see her properly as her face is half covered with her silky hair. But he inhaled her and she smelt like fruit and that too strawberry. He was gone. It's his favorite fruit.

She was busy with herself holding her Coach bag with one hand and straightening herself with another.
When she looked at him then she realized that he is almost a foot taller than her.

"It's totally your fault.. I stopped this cab... and you took the opportunity to just take it... it's all your fault... " she yelled again.

Manik didn't want to create a scene on the streets of downtown that too close to his office. He backed off and let her sit in it. People know him here.

She sat in the cab and drove off. After about five to ten minutes the cab driver halted in front of the famous building. Because he has to drive around as it's one way.

She paid him and got off of the cab. As she was entering the building she saw the same man entering too.

'What's he doing here...is he following me..but he don't looks like the type....he looks a gentleman man... but Nandini you shouldn't go on his looks... it can be deceiving...' she thought.
In his black Armani suit with a white shirt and a matching tie he looks like a model coming out of a vogue magazine.

Manik lift his eyes while entering and screamed.

"You..."
"You..."
Both of them screamed together.

The receptionist bend her head down to wish him and Manik gave a smile in return. Nandini didn't notice.

She marched ahead and pressed the upper arrow of the elevator.
He came close and stood beside her waiting for the elevator.

As the elevator doors opens with a ding sound the two men walked out of it and both Manik and Nandini went inside.

He pressed 10 and she pressed 15. He got curious seeing her the number of the floor she was going to, but kept quiet. He turned to her with a questioning look in his eyes.

Suddenly she popped up the question herself.
"Are you following me..." she looked at him with eyes squinted and nose squirming.

"Why would I follow you..." he kept quiet and looked straight.

"There's something very secretive in your eyes. You are following me accept it...." she moved her head back and forth and insisted him to accept it.

"No I'm not following you...I work here..." at last he said the truth. She relaxed.

But her calmness faded away when the elevator went dark and came to an abrupt halt. The lights flickered on and off, But it came to a still.

"What's goin' on..." Nandini's panicky voice grabbed his attention.

He couldn only see her twinkling sweatbeads on her forehead that can be seen from the dim light of the ceiling.
She tried to grabbed the walls of the elevator and stumbled.
Within seconds she was pale and her whole self is losing balance.

"Can you... can you.... pl..please open the...light..." her voice is beginning to struck in her throat.
She was hyperventilating and trying to breath but couldn't.

Manik initially didn't understand what's happening to her. He thought maybe she was acting to grab his attention, and she succeeded in a way,
But then he gathered that she is breathing hard.

"Ms... are you ok..." he hold her by her arm stopping her from falling.
She held her throat with her palm and rubbed it.

"I can't.. bree... breath... I... am..." with a lot of difficulty she said. It seems like the walls are closing down on her and someone is choking her to death.
"Clau...stro...."
"Claustrophobic..." he completed for her.

She nodded her head.
"Please...do....something... I will... die... of...suffo..." she couldn't complete.

Because she was in his warm embrace before she completes what she has to say. He pulled her in a sweet hug to give her support and comfort her.

"Ssshhh...sshh... it's ok...you'll be fine..."
He wrapped her hands around her and keeping a hand on her head pulling her closer to his chest and he rubbed her back with other. She grabbed his coat collar for her dear life so tight that her knuckles went white.

His soothing words has started to work the magic.
"It's going to be fine... calm down..." he whispered softly in her ear.
"You will be ok...don't worry..."
But his senses got alert by her sweet smell. That strawberry smell is doing something to him.

He nuzzles his face in her neck, but didn't forget to rubbed her relaxed.

Her breathing came back to normal. Her heart rate slowing down she felt comfortable in his arms. She didn't imagine that she could survive this. But he helped her through it.

Her senses got back slowly.
She gathered herself and recollected where she is. Suddenly all her the air left her lungs when she see that she is in that mans arms who is hot like anything.

He drew back very slowly and glanced at her face she opens her eyes to see him. Their faces were so close that they can feel each other's breath.

His lips came down and touched hers. A fiery clash of heat flashes from their bodies. She parted her lips and let him in. Tongues met for a mating dance and both of them was lost in the passionate kiss. She responded to him equally.

The sudden jerk of the elevator shook them off. The brightness of the light startled them and they separate themselves and was shocked.
"We are extremely sorry for the inconvenience due to technical fault" the voice says in the microphone in the elevator.

It brings both of them to reality. They both were baffled by the intimacy they just shared.

What just happened.

She bend her head down and didn't make any eye contact with him. Her hands went cold and she picked up her bag from the floor of the elevator.

He looked here and there avoids looking at her. He was trying hard to control his inner desires.

She fidgeted with her fingers. This was very unexpected.

The elevator dinged and the door opened. Manik dashed out of the elevator like a wind leaving her behind without saying any word. Not even asking how's she feeling. She just got a panic attack.

She came out and sat on a chair on the side.
"Oh Aiyyappa what just happened... how can I let it happen. I kissed a stranger just now... how... like how..Nandini you are dumb... you are stupid... you are a big fat idiot.." she was cursing herself.

"No one will be this dumb... no one in their rightful mind will let a complete stranger kiss you.." she mumbled again

" how can you be so immature.. so so... " she couldn't find more words to curse herself more.

'But he was a breathtakingly hot and handsome stranger...anyone will give a fortune to get a kiss from that tall and lean and well toned stranger...' comes a voice from her heart.

"Shut up... shut up.. just shut up..." she mumbled on herself again.
The people passing by was watching her as if a mental person is talking to her own.

"Nandini Murthy you can't think about what just happened... you need to concentrate on your interview, if it's still on call... otherwise you have to go back to your town and get married to a man of Gramms choice, and settled down. So forget about everything and focus..." she got up took out the water bottle from her bag gulped down some sips.
And she walked down to the entrance of the number one fashion house in the nation. "Malhotra & son's Fashion House".

Manik entered his floor with a speed. Without giving a heed to anyone who is wishing good morning to him he took big strides towards his office.

His personal assistant Kathy wished him.
"Good morning Mr. Malhotra.." he just gave a nod and entered his office.

"I guess he just woke up wrong side of the bed today.." she said to herself.

Manik banged the door behind him and started pacing his room.
"What the heck just happened... how did I lose my sanity. How can I just kiss her... how can I kiss a total stranger who I just met..." he talked to himself.

Her honey gold eyes, her soft silky hair was flashing in front of his eyes.
Her strawberry smell is still in his senses.
Her big curly lashes couldn't leave his mind.
The feel of her soft body is still attached in his fingers and his body.
And most importantly the feel of her baby soft and luscious lips is still dancing on his lips.

"What happened to me..." he tried an unnecessary attempt to jerk her thoughts away but it's not happening.

"Manik Malhotra... you acted so unprofessional today... this is so unlikely of you... it's not that you didn't came in contact with a beautiful girl before... you work with models... you never lose your control... then how come you did this. You kissed a girl .." he was also blabbing to himself fighting with his own thoughts.

Done with part 1

Hello friends.
First of all thank you all so much for a warm welcome.
It's my pleasure to have such a good response for the prologue of my first story here.

I really appreciate your love and support.

Coming to the update.
Tell me how is it.
I hope you all like it.
I'm expecting a very good response.
And yea first part and they already kissed.
Yup.
It's a very interesting story you all will like it.
Lots of twists and turns.
So give me your honest opinions

Drop your comments and please vote on it.
To continue the story it's very important.
And lemme know if the pictures are working.

Thanks
Take care and stay blessed
And always keep smiling.

Crystal.....