Chapter 8

His eyes wandered across the place, scanning among the crowd for the only face he was looking for. His Nadini.

Letting out a frustrated sigh, he moved to the other area. He hated the idea of partying ever since it was brought up by his friends this afternoon. For some reason, he didn't like it; not even the slightest bit of it. But now he was hating it more.

It was held at one of their batch-mates house, from college. They had entered the party almost an hour ago. The girls took off to the dance floor, right then, dragging Nandini along. He chose to stand at a lone corner; glancing her way, every now and then. She adorned a smile that took him miles away. Her hips swaying to the beats, carelessly, making his eyes wander across her frame. 

He tore his eyes apart from her with a heavy breath. This was getting difficult day by day. He looked around to find most of males present in the room ogling her, he saw them giving her a once over appreciatively; which wasn't appreciated by him. The temperature of his body rose to another level, alarming him.

He needed to calm his nerves and ensure he didn't punch someone. The rational part of him knew that every bit of her looked edible, but the irrational one just wanted to snap the heads that turned into her direction. She had slipped a little black dress that wrapped her frame with perfection and accentuated her curves in the best possible way; hardly leaving a room for one's imagination. The reality itself looked stormy and wild that the imagination wasn't needed. 

His throat went dry and he felt the urge to grab a drink or two. He needed that.

That was all, he just had to turn his eyes away from her and he gets the news from Cabir. He wasn't stunned to hear that Cabir had found Mukti and Alya in a tipsy state. Though, the next words had him slam the glass that he held against the bar counter, "Nandini isn't here, though; not even anywhere around."

His thoughts were interrupted by a thud. He guessed it was the from the room next door. Padding towards there, he found himself in the kitchen. Trying to find the source of noise, he raked his eyes through the empty kitchen. About to turn on his heels, his eyes caught the movement behind the refrigerator and cautiously stepped to examine. 

The sight in front of him, had the air sucked out of his lungs. Nandini. She was sprawled over to the kitchen top as she wore a pout, with those confused wide eyes she looked at the glass she held. 

"Nandini," relief washed over him but his eyes firmly held hers. She spared him a quick glance, only to turn back her attentive eyes at the drink that she held. He skeptically looked at her.

No more games, he thought but his eyes settled with realisation. She was drunk, as well. He let out a heavy breath.

"Manik," she tucked onto his sleeves and scrunched her nose, " this drink doesn't taste good," she pulled her lips out in a pout as she complained.

He shook his head at her innocence; she looked cute even when she was annoyingly confused. Taking the glass from her, he sniffed it. The smell was overpowering and strong. Her drink was spiked, he concluded the obvious. He wanted answers. She was probably the only one to provide him with. His eyes swept across her and he knew she wasn't in a state. 

"Nandini," he warned her as she tilted the glass in an attempt to drink more. Instead of giving up, she meshed her eyes softly with his with adorable puppy dog eyed look and spoke imitating him, "Manik," her voice laced with unconsciousness as she added, "please."

Unaware of how to handle the situation, he did what he thought was in best interest; for both of them. His arm snaked around her petite waist and swiftly pulled her flush against himself. Within a moment she was off the kitchen counter and against his tall and rigid frame. Her eyes widened the instant her curves were smashed onto his taut body and her hands rested on the broad planes of his shoulders. 

Her eyes looked into his and he was drowned into the depth of it. He didn't think of imaginations getting any more wild than it already was, though he was proved wrong. Her plush skin flattened against his body as his hands rested around her waist while she breathed unevenly. Every bit of it made his mind racing through the thoughts which he had tagged as inappropriate ones. She made him feel the lust, he had never felt. An attraction that was so irresistible that it pained. The flatness of her palms across his planes of his shoulders as she held onto him, while addiction flashed through her eyes. 

She is drunk, he repeated chanted in his head as his thoughts wandered into the zone of drugged addiction that she had now become for him. Taking a deep breath, he shook the thoughts aside.

"Let's go," he grabbed her hand and turned towards the door. He had hardly take a step when she almost tumbled onto his back in her tipsy state. 

He turned around and looked at her, only to find her struggling to even stand in the pair of high heels. 

Those heels elongated her legs, no doubt. But just a couple of days back she had her ankle sprained. She still had to be cautious and not careless. 

"Why are you wearing them?" He grimaced.

She instantly chirped, "Alya said it makes you look sexy," she flashed him a smile before flaunting her profile and posing in front of him as she asked, "Do I look sexy?"

She didn't realise she was only a step away from unleashing the beast in him. And for some reason, he didn't wish her to witness the beast within; not like this.

He swore under his breath as he was running out of patience. There was only a strand of patience left and she wasn't helping either. Knowing that things might not end up well, if it continued, he grabbed her arms and pointedly glared at her, "You look every bit of it," he honestly stated.

"But, now we need to go home," he tugged her arm and carefully embraced her into his, pulling her towards the exit door.  She looked at him disappointedly, though let him lead to wherever he wanted.

While his thoughts were now painted red forever as his eyes would always feast on her with hunger he had just discovered.