Manik: It's that one... Look that's the brightest.

Nandini: No, that's some other. Look over there, that's the Orion and now looking straight from the center three stars, this one over here is Sirius.

Manik followed her finger as she pointed it up to the sky, joining the stars into constellations and looking for the brightest star, as they lay there on the couch, Manik resting his back on the side, while Nandini got comfortable in between his legs resting her back on his chest with his arm secured around her waist.

After their steamy kiss, Nandini decided to tease him further as she moved out of his arms telling him to behave himself. Manik did nothing but pout making Nandini laugh out loud as she disconnected his phone from the music system and decided that it was time for some stargazing.

Manik was reluctant to give in at first but was given no choice as Nandini pulled him to the couch. Though all his reluctance flew out of the window as he got to pull her back into his arms, holding her close to him. While Nandini had all her attention on the stars up in the beautiful night sky, Manik had his eyes fixed on her, watching the stars twinkle by the shine in her eyes. He was mesmerized by the passion visible on her face as she went on and on about different constellations and naming stars here and there.

Manik: I never knew u were so much into stars!

Nandini smiled at his words glancing at him once before looking back up,
Nandini: I used to spend almost every night under the stars. At first, it was because the 6-year-old me believed it when the warden in my school hostel told me that my father became a star and is watching over me always. There was a little part of me who knew that it was a stupid superstition, but just sitting under the dark sky in silence gave me so much peace and it the reason didn't really matter to me anymore. All through my school life, I hung onto this one habit desperately, it was like my personal heaven. When I moved to London, I was so frustrated by the constant lights all over the city, just because it took these stars away from me, but then eventually I got used to it, but I still love just looking at them sometimes.

Manik: Mansi Di was also addicted to stars. She wasn't as knowledgable about them as u are, knowing all the names and all, but she always liked looking at them.
Manik said softly finally looking up at the stars as Nandini kept her hand over his entwining their fingers.

Manik: Dad used to take us camping then we were kids and she always used her daughter card which ended up with me and Dad doing all the work, setting up tents, getting wood, and everything like that. And all that time, she just lay there staring up at the stars. Dad used to scold me if I disturbed here, she literally had him wrapped around her finger.
He told her chuckling at the memories.

Nandini: Well, u have the same with Mom. So I guess it's pity much the same.

Manik scoffed at this shaking his head,
Manik: No it's not the same. Di literally controlled Dad, I don't do that to Mom. Plus Mom is not that gullible.

Nandini gasped in fake horror as she looked at him with her  eyes raised,
Nandini: Did u just call Dad gullible?? Haww.... How could u Manik?

Manik rolled his eyes at her making her get up and hit him on the chest as he laughed out loud. He moved his hand towards her to pull her back to him only for her to move further away making him narrow his eyes at her before he lunged forward and grabbed her back into his chest.
Manik: U are already testing me enough for tonight babe... Don't push it, I might just peel that damn dress off and have my way through u.

Nandini's eyes widened at this as she hit him again.
Nandini: Rude! U don't say things like that on a first date, Mr. Malhotra!

Manik: I m not being rude, I m being honest Ms. Moorthy!

Nandini: Seriously Manik, tell me what else did u have in mind when u proposed this idea of a date to me.

Manik smirked at her question, tightening his hold on her as he whispered,
Manik: Believe me, U don't wanna know what exactly did I have on my mind...

Nandini blushed at his words knowing exactly what he meant. She turned around in his arms, as she sat on his lap, moving her legs to his side letting them hang off the couch and wrapped her arms around his neck.
Nandini: Speaking hypothetically...

She said softly, looking up at him from his long eyelashes, smiling ever so slowly as she moved her finger on the side of his face,
Nandini: What if we somehow change the boundaries of this promise?? I mean what if we allow certain things.

Manik tightened his grip around her, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear,
Manik: Hmn... I m listening. Let's see what all u are ready to allow for tonight, Ms. Moorthy!

Nandini: Just a few stuff here and there, maybe then I would be able to do this.
She whispered softly moving closer as she kissed the corner of his lips.

Nandini: And then I would keep moving on, doing this.
She said before continuing her line of kisses to his cheek and up to his eyes, kissing both his eyes making him close them and then repeating the same on the other side of this face.

Nandini: And then maybe I would do this...
She said again, her warm breath fanning right over his lips making Manik hold in a breath as he waited for her lips onto his, only to groan as she kissed him at the back of his ear, knowing all too well what it did to him as she moved the trail down to his neck.

Nandini: Maybe I would move my hands like this...
She said to him just as her fingers found their way through the first two buttons of his shirt that were conveniently open. Her cold fingers making contact with his warm skin, making it burn further as Manik breathed into her hair, his eyes still closed as she kissed the crook of his neck. Moving up again, she kissed his cheek again moving closer to his lips but again backed off right before her lips touched his and moved to his other cheek.

Taking into account, his tightening grip on her waist, she knew he wouldn't let her last long as she continued moving her hands on his chest, before letting them wander on his back.

Manik: N-Nandini...

Nandini smiled at his shuttering voice before moving closer to his ear as she spoke up in a soft whisper,
Nandini: And then... Maybe u could get your head out of the gutter!!

And before Manik knew what was happening, she was out of his lap waiting away controlling her laughter.

It took him a few seconds to calm himself down before he glared at her while she simply shrugged it off,
Nandini: Come on... I want to see the entire yacht! A tour?

Manik physically shook the wild thoughts running in his head as he got up and walked towards her, taking her hand in his and entwining their fingers together.

Manik: U r lucky that I like u, or else that little stunt could have cost u a lot!

Nandini chuckled at his empty threat before leaning in as she whispered to him in her same soft tone as earlier,
Nandini: U more than just 'Like' me Manik!

Manik scowled at her making her giggle as she continued following him towards the stairs. Manik turned towards her at the sound of her giggles as a soft smile came upon his face,
Manik: I love that sound!

Nandini: What?

Manik: Nothing...
He replies with a secret smile on his face as they walk down the steps towards the main area of the yacht. Nandini scans it to watch expensive couches lined up at both the sides with a small bar at the end of the area with a wide glass window showing up the front deck. 

Manik led her further downstairs towards a lobby that was lined with two doors at each side and one door at the end of it. She looked ahead to see one small bedroom on both sides of the lobby along with one bathroom each but before she could explore much into the rooms Manik pity much pulled her towards the last door at the end of the lobby and opened it up pulling her inside. 

The master bedroom was massive, to say the least, it took the entire space under the front deck and had everything one could possibly want in a bedroom. RIght in front of the door, towards the far wall was a king-sized circular bed supporting white glass lamps on both sides of it. Towards the right side, there was a flat-screen mounted up the wall, with a big three-seater sofa facing it. On the left-hand side, she saw a massive dressing table with a small comfortable look stool in front of it. She walked towards it slowly and stood in front of it, watching her own reflection staring at her. 

She saw Manik walking into the frame behind her as he placed his arms on her shoulder leading her closer towards the mirror. She gave him a confused look as he pressed onto her shoulders making her sit on the stool and smile at her. She watched in curiosity as he pulled a long black velvet box out of his back pocket, and the next minute he was placing a beautiful pendant on her neck, bend down behind her as he fastened it securely around his neck while Nandini marveled at the beauty of the shining piece of art on her slender neck. 

Nandini: Manik...
She whispered caressing the small ruby stones glittering amongst the diamonds.

Her eyes moved from the pendent towards the man standing right behind her and noticed him catching every move of hers with an unknown emotion on his face.

Nandini: What are u thinking?
She whispered to him very slowly.

Manik: I m thinking about how much I love u! And how much love I wish to shower upon u! And how thankful I m to have gotten so lucky to have you by my side...

Nandini blinked through her tears and looked down at her lap just as a tear dropped onto her hand before she got up with a jerk and turning around threw herself into his arms, holding onto him as tightly as she could as if her life was depending onto him. Well, on thinking back, her life did depend on him. He was the center of her life. He was her life, and that was exactly what she told him.

Nandini: U may be lucky if u think so. But U are what I revolve around. U r what I live for. U are the one for whom I wake up each day. U r the one in whose arms I want to go to sleep every night. U r the one who I want to please every second of the day. I wish to achieve success so that I can watch u being proud of me. I wish to look beautiful to hear that simple praise from u. I may not have as much as a romantic bone as u do, I may not go to heights like this to show it to u, but U r my life Manik Malhotra and there is nothing that can ever change that.

Manik wiped off the tears from her face as he placed a kiss on her forehead. Nandini held the pendant in her hand, caressing it softly as they broke out of each other's arms and she told him,
Nandini: It's beautiful! I love it... Thank u!

Manik: Ur most welcome, my love... Now, what do u think about us spending the night here so that u can watch the amazing sunrise over the ocean a few hours later?

Nandini: We can do that?

Manik: We can do anything u want babe! How do u feel about my plan?

Nandini: I think I would love to watch the sunrise from here...
Nandini replied to him smiling broadly making Manik kiss her temple.

Manik: I thought so! There is a change waiting for u in the washroom, go freshen up. I just need to make a call to Abhay.
Manik said pointing towards the door on the side of the TV, which she hadn't even noticed earlier. She nodded at him, before walking ahead towards it. She walked inside, to see a pair of her casual cotton shorts and a cute matching top waiting for her on the counter and smiled at his thoughtfulness, and noticed a spare change waiting for Manik as well. 

She freshened up real soon but instead of wearing her own clothes she picked up his T-shirt and pulled it over her head. It fell right to her thighs, engulfing her completely, just as she liked. Walking out of the washroom, she decided to go back up to the deck to get her clutch and her phone. Right as she was about to cross the main area she heard manik's voice from downstairs. She guessed that he was finishing up his call in one of the spare bedrooms.

Manik: Nandini???

Nandini: Up here... I m just gonna go and get my stuff, will be back in a minute!
She replied loudly getting a simple okay from him. She took her stuff from the deck and walked back downstairs to find the room empty but heard the sound of running water and understood that he was in the washroom. She settled down on the bed and took out her phone, sending a message to Rishab,

Rishu, hope u and Ashita had a nice time. Just wanted to let you know, Manik and I are not returning back to the hotel tonight, decided to stay back. We'll be back first thing in the morning, contact us on manik's phone if there is something important.

After him, she decided to send another quick text to Cabir,

Hey, just wanted to let u know that we won't be returning tonight. Don't worry about us, we'll be back by the morning. Good night.

Knowing Cabir, she wasn't surprised to receive a reply the very next minute.

Oh Ho... Not coming back? Things getting spicy?

Cabirrrrrrr... Shut up!

Wrong name baby girl... I m sure u were meant to moan out Maaaannnnniiiiiiiikkkkkkkkk. RIght?

I m not even gonna reply to u after this. Night jerk!

She replied with a groan at his last message and turned her phone off throwing it aside.

Manik: Why so frustrated?
Manik said walking out of the washroom wearing just a pair of sweatpants as Nandini had conveniently stolen his T-shirt as he saw her throw the phone away.

Nandini: Cabir...

Manik shook his head knowing Cabir's antics. He kept his clothes on the chair before taking a seat on the bed.
Nandini: Hey... I need that box for the pendant!

Manik: Why?

Nandini: I don't want to sleep wearing that! I want to keep it carefully.
Nandini said shrugging as Manik rolled his eyes but still pointed towards his jacket which was lying on the couch.

Manik: In the inner pocket!

Nandini smiled at him and got up walking to the couch. Securing the pendant inside the box, she kept it back inside Manik's pocket and got back to the bed getting into his awaiting arms.
Manik: Were the clothes not comfortable?

Nandini: Not as comfortable as something which smells like u!
Nandini replied planting a kiss on his cheek as she settled down further. Manik took it a clue as he turned off the switch on his side table and turned off the lights before lying down wrapping his arms securely around her.

Nandini: Thank u for today!

Manik: U don't need to thank me for anything my love...
Manik replied breathing the familiar scent of her shampoo in her hair as he kissed her head.

Manik: Sleep... I'll wake u up for sunrise!

Nandini: Good night Manik...

Manik: Good night!