Naira tried to move her arms to stretch them but she couldn’t. She frowned in her sleep. She was surrounded by a delicious warmth, and her body was reluctant to let it go. She tried to roll away and the warmth too followed in her stirring. She sagged completely but her body froze again.

She was held in an embrace. She felt two bands of strong arms around her middle. Her back was pressed and plastered to a front. She turned stone when she felt a warm breath hit the left side of her neck.

She nudged hard with her elbow clumsily into the hard surface and heard to her relief a familiar sounding gravelly grunt. It was him. Her Husband !!

“If this is how you are planning to wake me up every morning, then I hardly want to share a bed with you from now on.” Karthik hissed in her ear.

She burned heavily where his hot breath hit the side of her neck. She turned her head and was countered to look into his sleep deprived face. He smiled lightly and adjusted her head on his shoulder a little to look down into her face completely.

He stared at her for quite a while thinking about something deeply. Naira kept quite to avoid disturbing his thinking process. She just looked into his eyes while he stared at her.

After some time, he let go off her and got off the bed and walked towards the bathroom. That made Naira to straighten suddenly in sharp alertness.

“Where are you going ?!!” She asked.

“To shower.” He replied in a flat voice.

She stared back sharply.

“You have your own bathroom, don’t you ?!!” Naira asked annoyed.

His shoulders bunched and he kept staring at her for a while like that. Naira looked back flatly. Suddenly the look of anger vanished and his gaze became lazy and heated. Naira stirred uncomfortably again.

“What ?!!” She asked cautiously.

He walked slowly in a saunter.

“Why not save us both the trouble and time.” Karthik said in a low drawl.

Naira turned her head while he came around her side of the bed.

“How ?!!” She asked frowning.

He drew closer and Naira stared up into his dancing eyes. What was he so amused at now.

“Let’s take a shower together.” Karthik said, leaning over Naira.

Naira’s eyes widened and she blushed a darker red. She drew back on the bed to escape.

“You can use my bathroom.” She retreated hastily, giving up and done fighting with him.

He chuckled darkly. Before she could even try to force herself out of the room, she was jerked back by her body in shock when he came around her so fast. She gulped hard looking up into his eyes.

“Where do you think you’re going ?!!” Karthik asked her softly .

“Out of the room.” She said.

She should beat herself again for sounding affected.

His eyes flashed and glinted. He walked her back slowly. His eyes looked at the distance between their bodies that she seem to try hard to maintain at least an air of gap. His lips quirked up in the corners wryly.

“Why, Is it only in the night that you have your arms wound so tightly around my body ?!! Is it one of your schemes, to draw me closer and me push me back. Teasing me ?!!” He asked her languidly.

He shook his head glancing down into her rounded hazel eyes. Both of his hands grabbed her waist as lightly as a feather. It made her take a sharp intake of breath though.

“Oh god, you’re such a shameless brute.” She groaned heavily, and pushed away from his body.

She turned around with heated cheeks. She was about to leave the room in a huff but not before she heard a deep burring of laughter again.

“I’ am shameless , but only when it comes to you.” He shouted good naturedly at her retreating back, teasing her again.

Naira muttered several more curses under her breath.

Two hours later, Karthik prowled around his room looking for his things.

He let out an irritated loud growl. Before he could shout anymore, he found Naira holding his watch and mobile phone in her hand. He stared back into her flat eyes surprised a little.

She seem to have showered too. Her long black hair was still a little damp. The locks fell around her shoulders in smooth silky strands. He frowned suddenly. He closed his eyes shaking his head thinking that he hadn’t informed her yet that they were leaving in the afternoon. Out of Udaipur. To Delhi !!

He moved to get his coat out of the wardrobe.

“Your coat.” Called her voice from his back calmly.

He turned to see her pointing her forefinger at the bed.

His jaw locked looking at his grey coat neatly spread and ironed without a crease on the bed. He shouldn’t be surprised though. From the past few days, he found his clothes ironed and hung neatly in the closet. Ties matched. Buttons stitched back. Shoes kept in order. His bed made always. His files in the study were suddenly well lined alphabetically.

The various missing accounts in his confidential office binders corrected and kept in order. She was very much attuned to his needs. It disturbed him that she worked studiously and very much enthusiastically like a work hungry employee of his office. She was a wife and his secretary all in one. He was accustomed to her bringing in tea at random times of the day. She constantly fussed over the things around his work in the study. Always chattering about the drawn curtains or the lunch she bought in, when he missed it while being busy with work.

If she wasn’t around much often and he does find her, he became restless and irritated the whole day. She was smothering him with too much attention to his every need and the compelling thing was, he very much did not mind it all. In fact, he welcomed it wholeheartedly.

He gave her a narrowed look. She didn’t seem to be affected by his cool indifference. She walked towards his bed and started to remove the wet towel that he threw on it. She stared at it scowling.

“Why do you want to set everything right ?!!” He asked her softly.

He liked to spar with her. It made every moment spent with her delightful and refreshing. He liked her companionship. She was his much needed solace. Only with her that he could be himself and relaxed.

“I don’t want you to growl like a bear each time you don’t find your things. It’s just so irritating. God knows how your how your employees bear you at such times of your testy temper.” She muttered, still arranging the sheets in order.

Naira really was annoyed when she found his room in a mess again.

He fell silent suddenly. She looked up from settling the bed sheet and to his face. He seem to have communicated the look at his eyes became suddenly serene.

“What is it ?!!” She asked.

“We are leaving for Delhi today.” He said in a quiet voice.

Naira blinked twice.

“Delhi ?!!” She asked in a blank note of a voice.

He sighed and moved towards the bed opposite to hers.

“Yes.” Karthik replied shortly.

“But why are we leaving for Delhi ?!!” Naira asked.

“Because that is where home is.” Karthik answered.

“Aren’t we already home ?!!” She asked again.

“This. Was only a month long stay which I had extended for a time more than necessary. My main office is there and I’m finding it rather difficult to put out the orders every day from here. Surely you must understand.”He explained to her.

Naira felt a sudden thrill at his need to explain her, the situation he was stuck in. She was surprised he was even sharing with her, his problems.

But how can she suddenly leave the place where she was born and bought up and follow him to an unknown place. Which wasn’t exactly her home and which would only be a place for her to stay for till the time the land was in his possession. Wouldn’t she come to love it eventually if she stayed and embraced the new place and would it not break her heart to leave it forever finally. All these thoughts suddenly made her nauseous. What about mumma ?!!!

“I do understand, But…” She trailed off.

He looked down at her nervous hands and then into her worried filled eyes.

“But ?!!” He insisted softly for her to go on.

“But, what if I say, I wouldn’t come along with you and stay back here.” She said finally in a firm tone.

His amusement filled eyes turned cold suddenly. He stepped back from her as if burned. His expression became more somber and serious. His stare all over her face as if trying to understand why was she letting go off him.

“Have you forgotten about our arrangement ?!!” He asked her.

Her mood turned bitter thinking about the contract they had got into together. The pact was forever there. She could do nothing about it. Except it made her feel immensely cold from inside suddenly. Her eyes stung with the effort to cover the hurt she just felt, at his harsh reminder. He had affectively put her in place with that.

“How can I forget that.” She replied in a low tone, letting her hands fall to the sides and moving back too.

His eyes narrowed at her resigned gesture.

“Good. I hope you never will.” He muttered back in a hard voice, and walked past her.

Naira stared at the empty space.

Naira still nervously roamed around her room. She kept thinking and thinking. She groaned heavily and walked up to the window. Her body locked tight when she looked out. His car was parked outside.

Suddenly her heart started palpitating. Would he really leave her here ?!! He could, her mind answered in quick reply.

He had given her a free way to leave. He wasn’t really pushing into a corner and leaving her no choice. No. He never restrained. Didn’t he make it clear from the first that it would only be a pretense of a relationship.

But she couldn’t help but wonder. To be closer to a man so deeply thoughtful as he was. He was all practical and rough. So thoroughly focused in life. Working hard and earning big. He was very fierce in everything. Going after what he wanted with such sharpness. He would even chase hell to get it. What would it be like to have the love of such an enigmatic man.

And she wondered how intense his love would be if he focused all his attention to it. Her pulse quickened remembering his eyes on her. Only on her. So hawk like and intent. She drew back the curtains hastily when he froze and abruptly turned around to peer into her window. Her face heated up. Where in the world were her thoughts straying. She never realized till now she had been breathing a little heavily. Such dangerous thoughts. She hardly could handle him teasing her.

If such a thing happens of him falling for her, which was impossible though. But if it happens, then she probably would run to the hills at the first indication of a change.

She shook her head and went to her wardrobe deciding finally something. She took out a red dress. It was cinched at the waist and hung down to the knees in a billowy skirt. It was a half shoulder sleeved one.

It had been ages since she wore this. She pulled back a suitcase from the closet and threw it open on the bed. Very much hurriedly she shoved all her clothes in it. The car honked thrice. Each time he did that, she jumped in anxiety. Oh, the impossible beast. She kept muttering under her breath all the while she changed.

Naira looked at herself in the mirror.

The car honked the fourth time and Naira sighed exasperated and rolled her eyes.

She looked at herself in the mirror again. A careless shrug covered her left shoulder. She straightened the nasty locks of her hair into even tresses.

She groaned heavily and hefted up the filled suitcase off the bed and rolled it down on the floor.

Women, Karthik thought exasperated. God knows what things are needed to be packed. He had been waiting for her to come out for more than an hour. He was growing impatient by the minute looking at his watch.

Had she decided not to come after all ?!! A trickle of fear curved up his spine. But those thoughts were put to rest when he heard a movement near the front porch. He didn’t turn around.

A slow smile tugged at his lips as a deep rush of triumph pumped fast into his veins. Finally.

He turned around still smiling but his eyes widened a little looking at the ample display of pearly white skin everywhere. His head jerked back. He wasn’t used to seeing her like this, bare arms, shoulders and legs. It came as a punch of shock to his gut and also to his senses.

He glanced up into her face. She was scowling, with hair shiny smooth flowing everywhere in the breeze and the dress. He gulped hard. It showed everything that was hidden before. Now, the red dress hung low. Hung tight around the delicate tiny waist, it pushed up her chest.

The dress flowed down around her knees and left everything else bare. His eyes went down to the red ballet slippers she wore. The soles were perfectly molded into her delicate feet. He was mesmerized by the view. He couldn’t get his eyes off her. She had minimal make up around her eyes and lips, and her face shined and sparkled in blushing pink. He was so much immersed to drink in greedily her appearance that he failed to observe the withering look she gave him.

“You’re such an impatient man. Why were you honking the car ?!!” She ranted breathlessly dawning the suitcase from behind her.

Naira breathed hard while she trolleyed the suitcase out of the mansion. He had been incessantly getting on her nerves by honking the car continuously.

She ignored his frozen form on the ground and went on hefting up the luggage and putting it in the back of the car. Ungentlemen idiot. He did not even come to take the heavy luggage from her. As she turned around, she saw him still staring at her like an idiot.

“Is it not good ?!!” She asked a little hesitantly.

If he said anything bad about the dress, she was going to change it immediately. She didn’t want anymore of humiliating comments from his mouth.

He blinked at her question blankly.

“It’s just too expossive.” He replied still in that dazed voice.

“So ?!!” Naira asked raising an eyebrow.

His face changed suddenly and he grinned mischievously with twinkling light eyes.

“No. I was only appreciating your delicate structure. Haven’t you had any compliments and whistles whenever you wore this thing.” His eyes again slowly went down to her chest, and he gulped hard looking up at her. He looked like he was having difficulty in gathering up his thoughts.

“I should go change the dress.” Naira turned around hearing the a note of sarcasm and a mock in his voice.

He caught her upper arm and pulled her body up into his chest. She stared surprised into his smiling face.

“Did you dress up for me ?!!” He asked her in a low husky whisper.

Naira tried to push away but he only tightened his wrist more around her arms.

“No.” She denied.

Though her face reddened in mortification at his heated stare.

“Really ?!!” He asked her again, drawing her even more closer and leaning his head down to her eye level.

“Stop it.” She mumbled irritated, of how she sounded not firm but breathless and weak.

“Tell me. Did you think of me while wearing this dress ?!!” He prodded again, trying to make her feel more embarrassed than before.

Naira pursed her lips and retorted back in a firm angry tone.

“I dressed up for myself. It’s not for anyone’s benefit or yours. Now let go, you’re hurting me.” She bit out flailing her arms and struggling more.

He loosened his hold on her upper arm and Naira breathed a relief.

“There. It wasn’t so hard, was it ?!!” He said softly again.

She glanced up into his clear brown eyes frowning.

“What ?!!” she asked.

He smiled and moved back a little to observe her face.

” To accept your choice to wear whatever you wish to. You don’t have to ask me if you look good. Learn to be confident in your decisions. You don’t have to get influenced by anyone’s censor or mock.” He muttered calmly.

Why did she feel that, he was talking about something else too. Like how she was hesitant in general. In her work at the workshop and dance. How she so strongly wanted to pursue her dream of being a professional dancer but yet wasn’t sure about it !!

She searched into his eyes trying to see, but he only stared back dead serious into her wide eyes.

Of course, he was right. She mustn’t get frightened. If at all she gave freedom to such negativity from around her, it will never let her do as her heart says. She shouldn’t get influenced by him or any other person Of her choices or decisions.

Ten minutes later Naira came out wearing a peach colored tank top and jeans along with sneakers. Her typical sassy look.

He drew closer to her sighing. Naira dared him with her eyes to comment about it, but he shook his head and smiled.

“Good ?!!” She asked sweetly.

Now he would have no more teasing words about her body. She had dressed up head to toe completely. Thank god, his gaze wouldn’t become heated now. She couldn’t handle him being all intimate.

He smiled at her jeeringly. Knowing well that she did it on purpose.

“Gorgeous.” He muttered.

She forced down a giggle and got around the car. They settled in silence in the car but it didn’t last long before an argument started again. The usual topic being the air condition. He glared at her sideways and she stared back flatly.

“It’s freezing in here.” He growled low.

Naira’s lips pursed and her nose wrinkled.

“It’s not freezing. Like I said, I don’t want to be dried up in the heat.” She replied dryly and switched on the air condition.

He smiled a little at the corner of the lips.

“I better throw you out in the cold then. It’s a good place for you.” He mumbled under his breath so low that she could barely hear him.

“What ?!! I can’t hear you speak if you mumble like that.” She asked frowning and exasperated straining to hear god knows what he was muttering under his breath.

“By the way who is there at home ?!!” She asked him in a low tone.

His eyes snapped sideways to hers. His expression somber and a wry smile lifted up his lips and he turned back to driving.

“No one.” Karthik answered her in a monosyllable.

He didn’t look sad nor he looked angry. He only was coldly detached. As if it did not matter at all, but Naira knew the deep loneliness she could see in his dark brown eyes.

She felt him communicate his thoughts to her as her palm went to his hand on the gear clutch. Her eyes stung and burned. He tensed up beside her. Full body of his locked in a strain. After a second of her fingers lightly put on his hand, he relaxed completely.

Just when she was about to ask him further, a loud thud and a vibration so hard jerked her body harshly to the other side of the car. Her ears started to ring with the heavy impact. Her eyes wide and slid across to his. He was too pulled away to the other side.

“Shit.” Came a heavy curse from Karthik’s mouth.

He started the car again. It made a weak burring of a sound several times when he tried to twist the key to start into the lock. Her breath started shortening when the car gave it’s last cry and lay dead to the ground.

He grunted and his expression was furious. Immense cold started permeating inside the car. It was becoming colder than she could handle. White puffs of precipitated air circulated the car as she strained hard to take in deep breaths.

“The front right tire is punctured and the car wont start.” Karthik declared.

“How did this happen ?!!” She asked suddenly in despair.

“ How am I supposed to know ?!!” Karthik growled in anger.

“What the hell did I do ?!! Why are you angry at me ?!!” She almost shouted.

“Just shut up for a second and let me think.” He muttered back irritated as hell.

He rubbed his eyes with the heels of his left hand fingers. A sigh escaped his lips as he remained silent for a second.

Naira ignored his presence and tried to pull down the glass window by her side. The locks were jammed. She glanced across and saw him trying too. In fact he hit the glass, hard and repeatedly but nothing happened. The doors didn’t budge nor did the glass broke.

“It’s not working.” She mumbled .

Naira shivered as the cold started numbing her toes, face and body.

They both tried hard to beat at the glass windows. Naira fell back on the seat exhausted after several attempts to pull at the doors.Realization dawned on her. Nothing could be done now.

“Oh, god, We are going to die.” She whispered, in a fear filled voice.

His jaw locked looking across at her. Her heart palpitated anxiously. He ignored her panicked look and pushed his body to the backseat of the car. She pressed on the heater button and slowly the car starting warming up.

The heat wasn’t enough. The cold outside dissolved the warmth. Naira turned to face him helplessly. She saw his form recline as he lifted up his phone to catch a signal. She didn’t think twice and propelled her body to the far end side of the seat.

“Did you get something ?!!” She asked, while rubbing her hands to warm herself.

“No.” He replied calmly.

Naira completely panicked now.

“We are going to die !! We are going to die and nobody is coming to look for us. Oh, my god !! Oh, my god !!” She put her hands over her head, and started rocking to and fro looking at the leather floor of the car.

It was getting hard to breath. The feeling of being oppressed and being enclosed to death completely was making black dots to appear in her vision.

“Hey !!” He intervened.

Naira did not listen. She was feeling giddy and nauseous suddenly.

“Hey !! look at me.” He barked an order sharply.

Her head went up immediately at his imperious tone. His eyes calm and serene caught her glazed ones.

“Take deep breaths.” He ordered softly.

She was sitting opposite to him. He didn’t come closer to her, because he seem to understand her panic. There was an arms length of distance between them.

Naira closed her eyes a second to shake off the black dots. Her eyes flew open after her heart started to beat slower again.

He was staring at her now never breaking eye contact even for a second.

“We are not going to die, alright ?!!” He said slowly in a soothing voice.

She stared into his eyes and took even calm breaths.

“Alright.” She agreed, her body was shivering too much now because of the cold.

“Good. I have sent a message. We’re going to get help in an hour. So, calm down.” He continued to in that low tone.

His voice had the quality to even soothe a wild animal.

“What if we die in an hour ?!!” She asked through strained breaths.

She heard him take a haggard breath.

“Don’t be ridiculous. We are not going to die.” He muttered in a gravely snappy tone.

Naira swallowed back tears.

“I have only my mumma to come looking for me.” She mumbled in an almost a broken tone.

He muttered a curse under his breath. Closed his eyes and tried to bring the anger and irritation under his control.

While Naira glared at him through the tears.

“Headache” He mumbled again, looking away from her.

“Oh, yes, you must have a lot of intelligent women in your circle always. Isn’t it ?!! Why don’t you go to them with a contract of marriage. Saves us both the trouble to get rid of each others suffocating company.” She hissed angrily.

He blinked at her twice and kept staring like that for more than three seconds.

He leaned back and put both of his hands over the back of his head and stretched leisurely.

“You are talking as if there is a harem of women waiting for my return outside in the world.” He drawled, smiling at her meaningfully.

Naira snorted.

“Every man’s dream, isn’t it ?!! Don’t tell me you didn’t think ever of having one.” She accused him dryly, looking flatly into his brown eyes.

He threw his back and laughed heartily at her bristled reply. Naira’s face burned. She narrowed her eyes and remained silent. He had a great laugh too. It made her want to smile but she tamed it as anger still coursed her body.

“Even if I did have such a lascivious thought according to you, I’m sure, none of them would please me as much as you do. I would be rather bored without your company.” He murmured softly.

Naira stared at him and a low heat curled around her cheeks with it came an immense pleasure at his words.

“Really ?!!” She asked.

“No, I’m just kidding.” He replied arrogantly.

The smile spreading her lips pulled away and he chuckled at her expression.

“G..G..God, you’re so mean.” She scowled shivering furiously.

His eyes narrowed at her quivering form. He leaned back deep into the seat and settled his thighs separated.

“Come here.” He said in a quiet voice extending his hand towards her.

She stared at his hand in complete distrust. She hesitated but put her hand in his anyway.

His fingers very warm closed around her cold hand tightly. She bit her lower lip as a slow tingling sensations curled around her skin of her wrist where his thumb slid caressingly.

Naira drew closer but he seemed to have another plan as he made her sit with both of her legs across his thighs and he drew his right hand around her shoulders. Her body was slid closer to his chest and he leaned back on the seat.

She could already feel his heat seep into her body and it started warming her blood. She sighed in relief.

Naira drew her head up and locked her eyes with his. Her hands were around his chest in a circle. In an embrace.

“If we die tonight, then I have a confession to make now.” She said anxiously.

“Yes. Go on.” Karthik encouraged her by squeezing her shoulder.

His other hand went around her hips and slid her more into his lap. He was unconsciously doing all the little movements. As if touching her was always a thing he did. He didn’t know each time his hand went around her body she blushed furiously.

She stared into his smiling eyes for quite a while. His eyes moved down to her lips. His hand from around her hip travelled up slowly. He cupped her cold cheek with his large warm hand.

“I would have come along with you even if you didn’t ask me to.” She confessed in a whisper.

His brows drew together but his gaze still was locked on her lips.

“Where ?!!” He asked her in a light whisper.

Her right hand slid across his chest and she pressed her palm over his serene beating heart.

“Home.” She said earnestly.

He stiffened immediately. A sharp hiss escaped his lips and fanned on her face warmly. His other hand tightened around her shoulder.At his silence she continued on.

“I know that deep down here you’re not really a bad sort of a guy and I do trust that you wouldn’t let anything happen to me.” She said pressing her palm more onto his heart.

Naira gave him a watery smile.

“I have a confession to make too.” He said in a low tone.

“Yeah ?!!” Naira asked breathlessly.

He looked down and caught her hand with his and locked their fingers together down around his waist.

“You are the most beautiful sight to wake up to every morning. You look like a freshly cut rose. Gorgeous. Lovely. Untainted. Mine.” He whispered.

Her pulse quickened and she reeled as if drunk too much on his words. She pushed her body into his chest deeply as he embraced her even tightly. Tears prickled her eyes at his sweet words. Nobody ever said that to her. So warmly heartening.

His head leaned back to stare into her strained face enquiringly.

“That’s not an insult.” She said through a broken whisper and a frown.

He smiled catching her guarded expression. He knew that she hid well how his words affected her.

“Why do you look for an insult from me always ?!!” He asked her curiously instead.

“Because it’s easier that way.” She sighed sadly. He rested his chin on her head.

“Easier for what ?!!” Karthik asked.

Naira closed her eyes and sagged back into his chest.

“Easier not to fall for you.” She mumbled in a low tone.

A sigh left his lips and he tightened his arms around her. It was getting even colder and his body too started to cool. She worried anew. Nobody was coming for them. It had been a while now that they were stuck in the car. Where was the help that he was talking about ?!!

Her eyes widened as a thought struck her mind suddenly. She pulled up tight and straightened in his arms.

“Oh, my god.” She whispered anxiously.

“What ?!! What is it ?!!” He frowned catching her frantic eyes with his.

“We don’t have a photograph together. If they find us dead here, there will be nothing of us as a memory.” She said desperately.

He sagged back irritatedly finally at her incessant death talk.

“What do you want me to do ?!!” He growled low, as incredulity filled his annoyed eyes.

“Where is your phone ?!!” Naira asked.

“Why ?!!” Karthik counter asked her.

“Give it to me.” She demanded, extending her right hand in his face.

He gave a suspicious glare but got out his phone from his denim’s back pocket. Naira took it. She pulled closer to his face and drew the phone in a distance. The screen covered both of their faces in the front camera. He stiffened and he looked surprised blinking beside her. His arm was around her shoulders and they both looked strained and serious.

“Oh god, smile a little Mr. Husband.” She muttered through closed teeth, poking her elbow into his ribs.

He smiled softly, and she drew the phone up catching their image on the phone screen.

Naira looked up smiling a little and just when she slid her face to his chin, he turned his head and planted a deep kiss on her cheek warmly. The camera clicked right then.

She gasped and move away putting her hand over her cheek, the place where it burned too much.

“Why did you do that ?!!” She asked pleasantly shocked.

“I couldn’t resist.” Karthik replied.

She opened her mouth to argue but he silenced her with a kiss on her forehead. She could hardly react when he sighed and pulled her head firm on his chest.

“Now, shut up and go to sleep. I had enough of you today.” He said in a soft haggard whisper.

She tried to push away from his chest.

“I don’t want to sleep.” She protested heavily.

“Should we make out instead ?!!” He asked dryly.

Naira gasped.

“No.” She protested even more vehemently.

“Then close your eyes.” He ordered imperiously.

Naira shut her eyes tight immediately.

“But we aren’t going to die, are we ?!!” She hesitated after a second of silence.

“Naira !!” He muttered, his tone sharpened in a warning as his hands tightened around her.

“Alright. Alright. I’m already asleep.” She muttered hastily and closed her eyes.

The tense knots loosened all over her stiff back when he slid his hand over her spine repeatedly in a caress up and down. She sighed finally falling into a delicious darkness willingly.

“You’re impossible, Babe. I don’t know why but, I wouldn’t trade you for anything in this world.” He whispered fiercely, over her head in a gruff slumber filled voice.

A sleepy smile stretched her lips wide and her breath evened out the next second.

Naira stirred in her sleep and burrowed herself deeper in the pillow. It vibrated back and moved up and down. She frowned in her sleep. Why is her pillow making noises and moving ?!!

She grabbed onto its cover and and pulled at it only to hear it groan in response.

Well, she could do with a moving pillow but she couldn’t do with it making noises and disturbing her sleep.

“Shut up, I’m trying to sleep here.” She mumbled irritated and burrowed in deeper.

“I think you have had enough sleep and I say you should get off my lap now.” A voice deep, travelled into her ears warmly.

Naira blinked off the few winks of sleep. Her eyelashes drew up bleary eyed and lazy.

She observed three things.

1. The car window came into her vision. She definitely wasn’t in her bed.

2. Everything came back to her like a swift blow of a breeze on her face in a memory. Of how they travelled out and how stupidly they were stuck in the car and how she thought that they were clogged forever in here and that they probably were dead. But then she was very much safe and not dead and was warmly surrounded by heat instead of cold.

3. They weren’t stuck in the car. The doors were unlocked.

Then she remembered the things that she blurted out thinking that they will be dead . Embarrassment coursed inside her veins and burst color into her cheeks and flushed her neck and ears.

She finally moved her head away from his chest and looked up rubbing her eyes.

“What ?!!” She asked scowling.

“Get off my lap.” He ordered.

She drew back.

“Yes, boss.” She mumbled the word under her breath sarcastically and rolled her eyes, while moving out of his lap.

She sat facing him on the opposite seat of the car while she stretched her arms and legs. She saw his hair was disheveled and his face lined with tired slumber. He seemed to be very much haggard. He glared across at her while stretching his legs and groaning in visible pain. Naira stared across at his movements bemused.

“You sure have gained a lot of weight.” He muttered accusingly.

Instantly she stiffened at his words and her eyes narrowed in an equally pissed off glare.

“And, you sure do complain like a kid.” She shot back in equally insulting tone.

She moved out of the car in an abrupt panicked move. He came out of the car as well.

She felt his body stiffen beside her and her body did the same looking around.

“Just great.” He mumbled while sighing exasperated.

It was an abandoned road with an only open way which cleared into a thick green jungle. There wasn’t another diversion. They were nowhere near around anything looking town place. There wasn’t even a sort of life growing here.

“Let’s go this way. I think it would lead to the main road.” She said pointing to the left side.

“Are you sure ?!!” He asked her while looking around skeptically at the closed off area.

He looked down at his mobile and raised it up trying to get a bar of network.

“No signal.” He muttered in a disappointed voice.

There is only one way to find the civilization and that is to move toward the way she pointed right now.

“Oh, shush now and follow my lead. The GPS system is embedded in my mind. Trust me, it’s pointing right now that way.” She said proudly while moving in the direction.

“Alright.” He agreed carelessly and followed her lead.

She smiled happily and walked. They stepped towards inside the jungle. The sun now was covered by the trees and branches and mostly sheltered them against its blistering heat. Great. An overnight winter and an overnight summer. It was like the environment was having fun playing them around like this.

The whole morning drew away with them trying to find a way into the forest and them trying to find a way out of it. They both were sweating, panting and were out of breath while they reached to a dead end. It was the same place that they had come back to. Crap. They were walking around in circles since morning and now till the evening.

Naira dreaded to look across at him. She smiled sideways panting heavily.

“Happens all the time.” She mumbled trying to cover up her mess up.

He glared back at her while his hair stuck to his forehead and sweat trickled down from the side of his face to down to his jaw. It travelled down and stuck to his t-shirt.

“GPS system embedded in your mind, huh ?!!” He asked her in a gruff angry voice.

Naira flinched visibly at his tone. Her face scrunched up in a regret mask.

“I may have a tiny bit exaggerated a little.” She said in a low embarrassed tone.

He looked thunderous. Furious and about to burst out in flames. Naira gulped hard.

“Exaggerated a tiny bit ?!!” He asked her in a low threatening incredulous voice, as if he couldn’t believe her.

“Alright, chill. What’s wrong if we couldn’t find the way. We should try again and that will happen only if you stop fuming, Mr. Angry pants.” She said scowling at his attitude.

He took a threatening step towards her.

“What did you just call me ?!!” He asked her.

She turned her eyes to the left side of the forest.

“Let’s go there. The grass looks trampled. Seems like many had walked this way.” She said hurriedly.

“You must be out of your mind if you think that I would trust you again.” He said in a growly voice.

Naira pursed her lips and her face scrunched up in heavy disapproval. She put her hands over her hips too in defense. Before she could open her mouth he already was walking away into a different direction of the forest.

“Hey, that’s the wrong way you’re going and you’ll regret it later for not following my advice !!” She shouted after his disappearing back

“Are you done screaming like a little girl?” He asked her dryly.

Naira opened her eyes and she peered into the darkness. The moonlight was full beaming. He stood there with arms folded over his chest looking down at her. She moved forward to follow his trail.

With much huffing and puffing they reached a closed off space again. She stared flatly across at his bent panting figure.

“Oh, wow, you found the way out of jungle and also located the main road. You’ve got such awesome super human powers. Oh, my hero.” She cheered mockingly across at him.

He straightened and glared across at her still breathing hard. He had on a bag that he got from the car. There were water bottles in it that were almost on the verge of becoming empty. He had a chocolate bar that she ate long back and since then they were on nothing but water. Her stomach growled angrily in hunger.

He ignored her,and went on to collecting twigs from off the ground. Naira frowned in confusion.

“What are you doing ?!!” She whispered at him.

He stared at her from his bent form.

“It’s dark. We can’t find a way out unless we get found out by the wild animals and become their dinner. Better idea is to spend the night here.” He said in a matter of fact voice.

He carried the long twigs and made a nice collection of it in the centre. He took out something from the bag. It was a golden colored lighter. He sat across at the small bonfire kind he created while he flicked a small flame over the twig end. Few minutes later the twig started burning up at the end and he threw that at the remaining twigs.

Naira sighed and moved around clearing an area on the dry hard layer of the mud and sat down. They were facing each other and the fire was in the middle. After a second more of staring into the fire, Naira suddenly heard a crawling under her feet. Her blood ran cold and she screamed jumping three feet up into the air.

The scream died in her throat when she saw the size of the thing. Her forehead cleared and she bent down and observed the thing. She felt relief course through her mind and a smile covered her lips.

“Oh, how cute. Its a furry rabbit.” Naira cooed sitting on her hunches while taking the white adorable looking rabbit into her lap.

Karthik sat down next to her too and smiled wryly across at her. His hand caressed the thick fur of the rabbit.

“Yes, it’s cute.” He smiled and it spread her lips wide too.

”Very cute for a very tasty dinner.” He concluded still grinning.

Naira’s smile wiped off her lips and she jerked away from him. Oh, my god, he was going to kill the rabbit.

“You can’t eat the rabbit !! I just nicknamed it.” She cried out incredulously.

He looked back at her flatly.

“And what’s the nickname ?!!” He asked her dryly.

“Bunny.” She replied stiffly.

He stared across at her for a second long before he threw his head back and laughed hard for quiet a while and she stared across at him with flat eyes and waited patiently for him calm down. He looked down at the rabbit in her hand and then at her face and he started with another of his roaring laughter . Finally his laughter toned down into light chuckles.

“You named a bunny a bunny.” He said through a gruff voice.

Naira gave him a pointed look. She defended herself by drawing the rabbit closer to her middle. He stared back at her unaffected.

“Give it to me.” He said a little sternly.

Naira’s eyes widened. She stared at him in disbelief.

“You are serious ?!!” She asked in a gasp.

“Deadly.” He replied immediately.

Naira immediately got up and moved far away from him. She drew the rabbit closer to her tightly.

“You have gone crazy. I’m not going to give the rabbit to you.” She said fiercely.

He got up slowly and stretched himself straight to his height. She gulped hard.

“Stop being a kid. We need to survive the night. For that we need food.” He drawled lazily and moved a step towards her.

Naira screeched.

“Don’t you dare come any closer !!” She ran around the fire.

He walked after her and her heart thudded.

“Come on now. It’s only a rabbit.” He said in an uncaring voice.

She looked back scowling at him while creating a large distance them.

“So ?!! You are going to make a meal of it ?!! How heartless and a big jerk can you be !!” She retorted in a high pitched voice.

“Give it to me.” He said again while running fast towards her.

Naira screamed but she had least time to run when his hands reached for the rabbit. She struggled against him.

“No !!! No !!! No !!! What the hell are you doing ?!!” She shouted and at the same time he grunted and moved roughly sideways.

With horrified widened eyes she saw the rabbit flew up in the air. It moved fast down and into the fire. The fire sparkled up and hissed more.

“Oh, my god !!” She screamed.

“Oh, shit !!” He cursed.

They both ran to the fire.

“You killed the bunny !!” She cried out.

“I did not. You threw it into the fire.” He accused her instead.

With tear filled eyes she got down on her hunches and so did he, while looking down into the fire.

Naira blinked back the tears. She frowned. There was nothing in the twigs. What ?!! Where did the rabbit go ?!! Something was moving closer to the fire. Naira’s eyes widened recognizing the small animal. She felt Karthik stiffen completely too as he recognized the thing.

The rabit got anxious hearing their loud words and it immediately sprayed its nastiest liquid on their faces and front. It actually peed on both of them !!

Precap : Lake Romance !! jealous Naira!!Delhi!!! Life in Delhi!!Naira in Kartik's office!!!