Anika had tried showing subtle resistance to the idea of dance. However, Shivaay caught none of it and pressed on his suggestion that of a couple dance for their engagement party. Anika entered the hall on the third floor of the Oberoi Mansion that was used for multiple purposes. This month, it was the room where they stored stuff for the wedding decorations. This evening it was their dance rehearsal hall. Anika was already trying to cope up with the expressive affectionate man. It had been three days since she had come back. Anika really enjoyed being around him. He was adorable, gentle, yet wise. There was so much to know about him. Yet, surprisingly enough, Anika's liking for him had started to bloom more than ever.

"Shivaay, I really can't do salsa. You're trained. I am not." Anika spoke entering the room with reluctant steps.

"Anika, trust me. It's very easy. It's just a matter of flowy movements with twists and a little resistance to the footwork. That's all you need to do." He spoke turning around and holding her hand. "Come on!"

"Deepika, this is Anika, my fiancee. Anika, this is Deepika our choreographer." The lady wore her brown hair in a bun. She was dressed in a black crop top with black tights. Her figure lean yet beautiful.

"Hi, nice to meet the bride, finally!" She smiled. Anika returned the smile shaking her hand.

"I can't do salsa." Anika blurted out quickly while Shivaay's smile faded. "Deepika, please tell her it's not rocket science. I've been trying from an hour with no effect."

The lady gave Shivaay a snide smile. "Well, if you couldn't what makes you think I could?" 

"You never know. Woman to woman talk perhaps?" Shivaay grinned. While Anika rolled her eyes. 

"Then, you must know that a woman would rather listen to a charming man than another woman." Deepika smirked and Shivaay gave a lopsided smile, "really, now?" He turned to Anika who looked at him and then at the lady.

"There are women out there who prefer listening to their brain." Anika's comment rubbed the smile off the two's face. 

However, before their conversation could move forth Omkara appeared. "Hey, Deep!" He greeted the choreographer giving her a hug. Shivaay's eyes noted Omkara's hands caress the lady's arms. "Hey Omkara!" He greeted placing a hand on Omkara's shoulder with force. Omkara turned to him with scrutinizing eyes. One look at Shivaay and he knew what his brother was saying. 'Not her.'

Omkara rolled his eyes, and then smiled at Anika, "hey, Anni!" Anika smiled replying with a "hi". This was the only Oberoi creature Anika hadn't learned anything about. He was a mystery to her. Rudra called her Bhabhi. Omkara didn't. She wondered why. Did he not like her to be his brother's wife? His manner was always distant. He barely spoke to her. While Rudra was the exact opposite. Rudra was the one in the family who Anika had got really close to. If she had a own younger brother, she was sure she would be with him the way she was with Rudra. 

While Omkara was a closed book, Rudra was an open one. That too  with colorful pictures and animated scenes. While Shivaay, he was a book whose only a few pages she had read. The kind of book she didn't want to leave before knowing everything about. She smiled glancing at him.

"So, let's do this." Deepika began, "I will show you a few steps, and we'll see how you do them. With that I shall tell you if you'd be able to do the entire choreography or not. Fair enough?"

Anika nodded in a yes. Deepika smiled, "Shivaay umm, shall we show her the steps?" She turned to Shivaay who nodded and offered his hand. Anika stood aside so as to observe carefully. "We will do it slowly, so that you can try and skin in the sequence, alright," Deepika spoke aloud looking at Anika. Anika nodded observing Omkara through the corner of her eyes. He moved towards her and stood beside her. The music was on and Anika looked at the two appalled. Shivaay was a terrific dancer. Damn, she would never we able to match his steps like Deepika did. She observed carefully. Definitely, not happening. After the entire three minute performance, they repeated the starting few steps slowly. 

"Come on Anika! Let's see how you do it." Deepika exclaimed excitedly. 

" I will be worse than elephant trying to do salsa." Anika deadpanned. Everyone broke into laughter.

"Okay, let's try it." Saying that Deepika came forward and held her hand. "I am going to narrate the movements just follow that and my moves." Saying that she held Anika's both hands. "Rapid feet work, back and front, back and front. Okay? Let's go!" The music began and Anika tried following as much. However, she stepped on Deepika's foot twice.

Shivaay watched on seriously. "Bet- she won't do it with you," Omkara muttered leaning sideways towards Shivaay.

Shivaay folded his hands anxiously, "she will." Omkara only chuckled Shivaay's doubt was very evident in his body language.

"I can't!" Anika spoke walking towards Shivaay.

"Come on Anika. It comes with practice you can!" Shivaay spoke reaching out to hold her hand. 

"Why can't we just do the Bollywood freestyle? A little Bhangra, a little garba and a few signature steps from popular songs? That would be so easy and fun!" Anika yet again suggested her same old idea.

"Please, Anika. It's our day. Any other day that would be the best dance for a wedding. But on our day let's make it special?" Anika blinked as a frown formed on her face. 

"I have an idea. Why don't you do a slow ballroom kinda dance? Her footwork is slightly clumsy so a slow form would be perfect. Given the few days left, it would definitely be a perfect choice." Deepika offered her suggestion.

"That seems a good idea to me!" Omkara gave his input smiling at the choreographer. Shivaay forced a smile giving Omkara a concealed tap on the back. Clearly warning him to back off from charming his choreographer. He was getting too flirty with his looks. Little was Shivaay aware that Omkara was amusing himself by purposeful flirting with the dark-eyed woman.

"Yes please." Anika hurriedly agreed lest this opportunity went stale.

"But that's too mainstream," Shivaay argued looking at the others.

"Who cares? For us it's not mainstream." Anika pointed out. 

"Good point!" Omkara agreed, looking at Shivaay. Huffing, Shivaay finally agreed.

"Then let's get started. Shivaay- umm, let me show you a few moves and then you do it with Anika!" Deepika suggested holding his hand. He bobbed his head in agreement. Omkara looked on. Today, for some odd reason he was in a very fun mood. He stood beside Anika noticing her. She was looking at the moves so seriously. Omkara concealed his mirth and looked at the two dancing people. "Are you jealous?" He asked Anika out of the blue. 

Anika swiped her gaze to make it land on Omkara. "Why? No!" Her answer was honest and quick.

"Just asking..I mean women get possessive too fast for people they love, so jealousy always finds a way in." He muttered admiring the two good dancers before him.

"Bullshit! There are women who know how to love maturely. Insecurities don't catch those women. As a matter of fact, I think it's men who get more possessive and envious these days."

"Crap!" Omkara muttered disagreeing with her. "Trust me, ninety percent of the time, the woman screws the relationship by either being clingy, possessive, stubborn or outrageously stupid."

"And you choose to ignore the other ten!" Anika mumbled looking at him. He turned to look at her. Their eyes met. Omkara looked away quickly. She had a point. But who gives a damn? Women were good until you had a short sexy relationship with them. Go beyond that and you fall into a trap. Anika was pondering over the exchange of words she had just had with Omkara. Her phone interrupted her thought process. "I will be back!" She informed Omkara as she walked out to take her call. Omkara looked at her retreating figure and then turned to Shivaay who was learning the steps from Deepika. Was Anika even remotely interested in Shivaay? Was it only Shivaay who was hyped about the entire marriage thing? 

Minutes later Shivaay walked up to him. "Where is she?"

Omkara looked at him, "an important call I presume." Shivaay nodded and walked back to Deepika. He wasn't the Shivaay he knew. Shivaay would be pissed if someone walked out when he was doing something for them. However, ever since Anika had come, she was an exception. Shivaay was altogether different for her. Was that good or bad? Omkara couldn't take a call.

* * *

"I am so sorry, I had to take the call. I just-" Anika spoke after hurriedly entering into the hall. Shivaay smiled placing a hand on her shoulder. "It's okay. Come on now let me show you the steps." Shivaay cut her off and held her hand taking her to the center. 

"Place your hand on my shoulder." He instructed softly. Anika suddenly grew aware of the proximity as his hand reached her waist. Hesitant although, Anika gently placed her palm over his shoulder. He interwoven their fingers, on the other hands. His eyes met hers, "now we sway on two counts to left and back. The entire drill twice." Anika nodded. She just couldn't look away from his eyes. She swayed as he did. "Perfect!" He whispered. "now I will roll you out and then back in. Don't let go off my hand. When you roll back in, I will hold your other hand as well. One, two and go." 

Could the process of learning a slow dance be hypnotizing? For Anika, it was sure. Her eyes focused only on him. It was as though everything around was blurred. She rolled out and then went back close to him and his other hand, held her free one. "Good, now stretch out your elbows. We will turn. Halfway clockwise, the other half anticlockwise." His hand's grip grew firm as he stretched out his arms. So she did. Looking at each other they spun. 

"Now, move your hands over my elbow all the way to my shoulders, and lock it around my neck. Then we sway left and then right. Twice." He narrated the sequence. He loved how her entire attention was hooked to him.  He let his hands drop to her waist. Although, he would have loved to feel her curves and then reach her waist. He didn't want to make her uncomfortable at the first go. So, he simply placed his hands directly over her waist. 

Anika's moves were reluctant. She did touch his elbows and moved her palms over his coat, her motion akin to the touch of a feather. Almost quickly, she locked her hand around his neck making sure to not touch his skin. This was getting all weird for her. The move had now got her closer to him. She was relieved that there were a few inches between their bodies  His hand on her waist was creating havoc. She was too freaking close to him. Her eyelashes fluttered and she looked into his eyes. Darn, such a gorgeous pair of eyes. 

Shivaay lowered his gaze to her lips. Darn! What a pity to be so close to them and not feel them. His eyes traveled back up to here eyes. Did she not feel the thick sexual tension between them? Shivaay was certain that if he stayed like that for a few more minutes his body would start reacting in most sinful ways. He was glad that the sequence of steps was done. Although, not wanting to, he pulled away from her and passed her a smile. "Wasn't that easy now?" He asked grinning. In his head, a voice came loud. "No way, it wasn't easy to be so close and do nothing!" 

Anika simply nodded. She could still not settle with his touch. His perfume still lingered in the air around her. She felt as though she could still feel his breath as he instructed her. 

"Anika you did pretty well. Only a little bit of polishing and you'd match Shivaay perfectly." Deepika spoke. "When you roll out,  let your hand outstretch like this," Deepika spoke demonstrating the step. "And when you go from holding hands to around his neck. That looks a little clumsy. So, you could caress his arms, then his shoulder and eventually lock your hands behind. Just a slight touch, instead of the hand moving in the air." Anika grew rigid listening to that. Her sudden change of expression was, precase, taken to be confusion by Deepika. "Let me show you..umm, Shivaay, let's show her from the roll out part."

"I have a better idea!" Omkara interjected the scene. "How about I be your dancing partner for now. Anika can look and do it simultaneously with Shivaay." Omkara smiled.

"That's great!" Deepika smiled. Shivaay stared at Omkara who gave him a quick secretive wink.

"Hopefully, I will find a dancing partner on the day of the ring ceremony!" Omkara joked as he placed his hand on Deepika's waist.

She smiled placing her hand on his shoulder. "Ready?" She asked looking at the bride. Anika nodded and turned, almost immediately her fiance's firm hand was back on her waist. Oh God! Anika could feel her cheeks more than warm. Why was the room getting hot?

Hope you enjoyed their first slow dancing session! Thoughts to share anybody?

I am going to be busy from tomorrow on until next Wednesday so thought of uploading the chapter now. See you all next Friday! Miss me! ;)

-Anami!♡