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Time stilled as Manik stood infront of me, his eyes only looking at me and nothing else. Nothing mattered in that  moment except to prolong these minutes more. Is it possible to hold a memory as we wished? No, every thing comes to an end.

Our trance is broken by Alya's cheerful voice. "You look so pretty!"

I took a few steps back trying to create as much distance as possible between Manik and I. "You must be joking, I didn't even fix the dress completely."

"That doesn't make it any less on you, Nandini. I think this style suits you more than your frocks."

The designers assistant joined the conversation, "Oh my sweet chilli pepper! You look so hot in this dress!" He gasped holding his cheeks with both of his hands. "I thought you were cute honey, and didn't know you could pull off this sexy dress."

I was feeling so awkward being described as hot and attractive infront of Manik.

"You don't believe me do you?" The assistant asked me. "Boss, you tell me, doesn't she look sexy!"

My eyes instantly went to look at Manik and I immediately looked down to my feet. Why is Manik staring so intensely? I feel like he is going to eat my flesh and make soup out of my bones.

"Pretty!" Manik's voice was so low that only I was able to hear him. Getting a compliment from a Mafia Boss, am I dreaming?

"Who am I even asking?" The designers said to themselves as they did not hear Manik's words but I did and it's not setting good within me. I need help!

"Alright, Honey! This style suits you and we shall the same for the new year party. Now, please remove it and it over to me." He spoke clicking his fingers.

I nodded and about to remove my hand behind my neck where the strings of the dress were holding together but stopped remembering Manik's presence in the same room. He was still looking at me and I felt my privacy vanish into a thin air.

His soul piercing eyes are making me feel like I am getting undressed even if I had a dress underneath. I was covered from my neck to knees but I am having a feel that if I let this strings fall I might be standing butt naked in this huge hallway.

"Honey! Dress!" He reminded me once again.

Having no choice I slightly turned away from Manik, facing the opposite side so that Manik could see only my backside. I could still feel his looks piercing my back but I continued to remove the dress nevertheless, as I didn't want to gain attention from others.

My heart beat rose as I let the strings loose making the front part of the dress covering my chest fall till my waist. I pulled the dress down and stepped out of it and held it in my hands.

No. I am not going to face Manik now. The few steps I took to give this dress back to the designers felt like I am walking naked. I can't die of embarrassment in this situation!

I sat back on the sofa and immediately pulled a cushion and kept it on my lap trying to make it my shield. I only wish sofa pillows were human sized so that I can zip myself inside them instead of the fur.

"Boss, the coffee is getting cold. Should I serve you another cup?" A maid asked looking at the floor.

Manik cleared his throat and took a step backwards towards the dining hall but was stopped by the designers. "Oh where are you going, Boss? We need you here to design a suit for you for the New year's party!"

"Later!" Manik said.

"No, it's not possible. The party is just a week away and we need to design everyone's clothes as per their choice. It's so difficult and I am stressing." He fanned himself dramatically. "Please, have mercy on me, my lord!"

Manik rolled his eyes at their antics and I had a slight smile playing on my lips.

He came forward with his measuring tape to get measurements for Manik's suit. The blind man instantly hit him with a long scale preventing him from taking another step. "Ouch! What was that for, dearie."

"Are you trying to touch another man infront of me? Do you think I don't understand what's happening here?" He said with a frown.

"Awe my little heart!" The other one spoke and pecked his lips. "How can I flirt with someone when I have my little heart in my life?"

"But still I can't let you touch our sexy Boss be cool with it!" The blind man shrieked.

"Ow! Then how can we get his measurements?" The other man scratched his chin and slimed looking at Alya. "Dear, help me out with my problem. I will guide you and please take get our Boss measurements."

Alya and Manik both disagreed but with the designers pleadings they were able to come to an agreement. This time Manik had his face to the opposite side and did not face me. Everytime there was need to face me turning around, he would ask Alya and the designers work according to his position.

It was a torture show for me!

Alya's hands were all over Manik's body. She first started with his broad shoulders, then his arms, then his chest, then his waist, then his legs and finally his hips.

I had mixed emotions running within me. First, I felt anger slowly bubbling as Alya had her fingers on his shoulders. Slowly, it turned to jealousy as why I couldn't stand in her place, and why couldn't the designers chose me instead of Alya? And finally, as Alya hugged Manik while taking the measurements around his waist I felt my eyes getting moist. They were so comfortable together and I do not see myself belonging to this situation.

Afterall I am a princess and he is Boss of the Mafia Empire. We belong to two different world.

As everyone was busy with impressing their Boss, I walked out of the place to feel belonged and in peace. The garden!

The fresh air always calms me everytime and it did now as well. Why am I getting all sinful thoughts? I was so simple with only innocent thoughts in my head, but now after Manik's entry in my life all I have are devilish thoughts.

How could I even think of Manik when I am arranged to get married with Harshad? Why is all this happening to me?

After an hour of battle with my mind and heart I found peace. Since this place is Manik's private garden nobody walks around here giving me much needed peace. I can have this place all to myself as long as I want and nobody would miss me inside as well.

But I was wrong. The two designers walked towards me animatedly making take huge breath to prepare myself from their over chirpy behaviour. They are the only people who are not scared of Manik!

"We are looking for you all around the house and long live the Boss he told us to find you here." He wiped an imaginary sweat of his forehead.

How did Manik know that I will be here?

"Now come here we need your measurements for the dress." He said pulling out the tape.

I felt uncomfortable having two men around me, touching me and looking at my body for measurements. "No, it's okay. I will just wear anything it doesn't need to be perfect."

"What? That's insulting for a designer. The more perfect we can make you look the more rewarding it's for the designers." He said making his mouth o shape. "After looking at you in my recent design I am not going to leave you. You are a designer's perfect dream and we are going to make you the sexiest woman alive at the new year party."

Though their words are convincing I am still not comfortable with them touching me. I still took a step back preventing him to take my measurements.

"Wait a second, honey. Are you by any chance feeling uncomfortable because we are men and you are woman?" He spoke my words out. "For your information, we are gay and married happily. We have no interest in women or breaking our marriage."

I smiled at them but still denied and tried to convince them otherwise. "Hey, how about I take my own measurements and tell you? You can guide me."

He rolled his eyes. "Stop being so dramatic, girl! My touch wouldn't break you, and it will be finished in a few minutes." He said and threw the measuring tape around my waist. "You are not the sexy Boss to have a sweet time."

"But ..." I tried to remove the measuring tape around me and create a distance but he did not let me go. My dress measurements were always taken by my mother or Navya's mother and now I am feeling uncomfortable.

I felt the tape getting tugged from behind and I turned back to see Manik standing a foot away from me looking at the designers. "Didn't you notice the lady being uncomfortable?"

"Boss, I was just doing my work." He tried to defend himself but Manik cut him off by taking the entire tape into his hands.

Manik looked at me for permission and I nodded my head granting it to him. No matter how much Manik  makes me uncomfortable I still don't feel a different type of uneasiness I felt with Harshad, these designers or any other men.

"Start." He ordered them and they hurriedly opened the journal to note down the measurements.

"Boss, we need the shoulder measurements first." He asked and Manik turned me back letting my shoulder in his view. He kept the tape on my shoulder and let the designer see the number.

"Next the waist."

Manik put the tape around my waist and pinned the number behind me so the designer would see the number at the backbone.

"Next the chest."

I started feeling awkward with this word but Manik handled the situation carefully. He kept the tape around my chest and pulled to the back so the designer would not be staring at my breast while noting down the number.

Now comes the highlight scene with the final measurement. "We need her breast measurements."

"We just did it!" I said.

"No. You did around the chest measurements. We need around the breast, under the breast and the length of your breast till your nipples." He explained everything by pointing it on his chest and hands.

Manik and I became uncomfortable and prevented looking at each other after the designers elaborate lecture on a single body part.

Manik pushed a garden mirror infront of me so that I could see my reflection in it. Manik turned on his feet and faced the opposite side of this scene. He handed me the tape without looking back and I took it from him trying not to brush our fingers which I accidentally did anyways.

I held the tape around my bust and saw the number in the mirror. "36" I whispered softly.

"Great. You will fill most of the dresses. Now we need your measurements under the bust to calculate the cup size." He said excitedly.

Please talk softly!

I did as instructed and got the number. "30"

"Perfect. She will need "C" cup. Now honey, put the tape from the start of your breast till your nipple."

He is loud as hell making me embarrassed. Manik instantly pulled out his phone and kept it next to his ear as soon as he started yelling my measurements. I know there's nobody on the phone and he is just pretending to reduce this awkwardness but it's not helping me.

We completed all the measurements required for the dress and the designers stretched their arms. "Boss we are done."

"Now pack up and get out fast." Manik ordered them and ran away inside not meeting my eyes.

It was the same situation with me as I made the run into the house after this scenario. I never knew the hardships behind the dress making and now I am completely educated on it. I will make my own dresses from now on to prevent myself from getting embarrassed like this day.

...

Precap

How is the update?

That's one hell of a tailors day!

What will happen next?

Manan are going to kiss in next update, so get ready!!!!!

Do you have any ideas for Manan scenes you wish to read?