"Maine kaha tha na... andar hi hoga." Sameer touched her ear with his lips, reaching out to cover her hand holding the pendant.
"Sameer, main... mujhe change karna hai." She tried to pull up the fallen part of her saree.
"Kyon... mujhse darr lag raha hai?" He held her other hand as well, making her effort futile.
"Nahi," she did not hesitate, "tumse nahi khud se."
He wound her arms around her waist, wrapping his own over hers.
His voice turned gruff, "Naina, aaj raat ke baad pata nahi kab tumhare saath reh paunga main... please, aaj mujhe mat roko."
He felt her belly go in as she sucked in her breath... he slowly pulled her arms down to her sides, bringing his hands back to her waist, clutching it hard.
"Jab maine tumhe dekha tha uss baarish wale din... toh dil kiya iss kamar ko apne haathon mein le kar dekhun... woh saree bheeg ke tumse chipak gayi thi... aur meri saansein ruk gayi thi... tumhari kamar choone ke liye meri ungliyaan machalne lagi thi... kaise khud ko roka main hi jaanta hun... aur uss din se rok hi raha hun khud ko... itne kareeb aake bhi itni majboori hai, Naina... tumhe apne saamne dekh ke roz mera dil mujhe kehta hai ki sab kuch bhool ke tumhe apna bana lun... biwi ho tum meri... kya karun batao... kaise samjhaun iss dil ko... kaise yakeen dilaun khud ko ki bas kuch din ki hai yeh doori?"
The agony in his voice pierced her heart. She turned abruptly, forgetting about her saree.
"Sameer, sach mein kuch din ki hi doori hai... maine wada kiya hai na tumse ki agar ghar wale nahi maane toh saath din ke baad main tumhare saath chali aaungi... agar sab maan gaye toh jitni jaldi ho sake utni jaldi shaadi ki tareekh nikalwane ke liye bolungi chachaji ko." She placed her hands on his shirtless chest, one hand still clutching the pendent.
"Achha, kya kahogi unse... ki Sameer ek raat bhi mere bina nahi reh sakta isliye jaldi se meri shaadi karwa do fir se." He teased, pulling her even closer... the pain subdued by the sight in front of him.
A new glint made her brown eyes twinkle, "Nahi, kahungi ki main nahi reh sakti Sameer ke bina... na ek din, na ek raat."
Her voice had gone deep, making the blood in his veins heat up... her open declaration of the need for him drove him crazy... she did not just surrender to him... she was equally demanding... showing him her desperation... her raging emotions that were burning for him...
His mind went blank... everything around them went hazy... all he could see was Naina... his wife... in his arms... her plunging neckline without any cover... her bare waist within his hands... the pallu lying behind her... her eyes going dark as they searched his face for the answers of some unspoken questions... her soft hands on his chest searing his skin...
The buzzing in his ears intensified... making everything fade into oblivion...
His hand moved up to her fist, pushing it open till he got hold of the pendant. Taking it away from her, he caught the two ends of chain in his hands, holding it in a V in front of her.
"Main pehna dun?" He asked, though he knew the answer.
She nodded.
He took his hands around her neck, still standing in front. She brought her hair to one side... he tied the clasp, without looking... familiar with the hook by now.
The chain secured in her neck again, he leaned back a bit to glance at it...
His throat went dry... the pendant rested at the edge of her neckline... in the center.
