Inconvenient Relations (23 page)

He kissed her again, but this time with a vehemence. He was driven by a vengeful madness.
Did she consider him a fool? Someone in front of whom she could dangle the carrot of temptation over and over then withdraw at the last moment?

She thinks she can get away with it all! Does she not feel anything? Does she not have any cravings or desires? How can she be so cruel and cold?

His teeth came down on her lip hard, enough so she let out a short cry, and he felt her recoil and struggle under him; her hands pushing against his chest frantic to get away, but he subdued her easily with his weight and superior strength.

Gradually, her movements ceased. She countered kissing him back with a new passion that fed into his hunger. Letting go of her hands which he had imprisoned behind her back, he let his own roam deliriously over her nubile body, something he had been wanting to do for as long as he could recall.

Feeling remorse, he gently licked her bruised and broken lips wanting to allay the pain. Then encouraged by her moans, he let his mouth travel down to her chin, her throat, and to the hollow at the bottom of her long neck. Urgently stroking the smooth lines of her thighs, his hands dug inside her shorts and cupped her backside hard. She gasped in surprise but didn’t attempt to pull away.

He could feel her fingers caressing the back of his neck as her body responded, arching closer to his. She was game, ripe, and ready; his for the taking. He reached up to undo the buttons of her shirt then paused, breathing hard.

“Don’t stop now, please!” She moved forward, burying her head into his shoulder and tightened her arms around his neck.

He groaned in anguish, desperate to carry out her bidding.

No, I can’t do this. I know I can have her now, and she won’t stop me. But I don’t want that kind of victory. This isn’t a war that needs to be won. This is a lasting relationship between two souls
that needs to be built on trust and not deceit. There has been enough of that in our marriage, but not anymore. I won’t allow my wife to demean herself in her own eyes.

With great difficulty, he wrenched himself away and gazed deep into her dazed orbs. “You think I don’t really love you, that I mentioned the word just so I could have you in the physical sense? That’s not the truth.”

She didn’t want to let him go. All she wanted right now was to belong to him; she could care less about anything else. She pulled him closer. “I regret what I said earlier.”

“You may regret it, but you meant every word you spoke and it hurt me deeply. There’s nothing more tempting for me right now than to make you mine, but then I won’t be able to prove my integrity. I don’t want to just say I love you, I want to show you. And more than that, I want you to feel it.”

He caressed her lips with his thumb. “Ruhi, we have played enough in our lives together. It’s time to move on, leaving all the misunderstandings and distrust behind.”

Then taking a deep breath as though he had made up his mind, he said, “So until you come to me of your own accord, I will not take the next step. I will not force your hand in any way, and as I said before, I will wait.” He drew away after placing a soft peck on her cheek.

She sat stunned in the backseat, her feet pulled up to her chest, hugging her knees, fighting back tears of frustration.
No, I won’t cry, I can’t!
He has rejected me again, and I have become the biggest joke of all. He has played with my feelings, caused me to lose my self-control, and then callously flung me away because he can do so. He has broken my heart into a million pieces.

“I hate him. Oh how much do I hate him!” she muttered to herself as he drove into the darkness.

Innuendo

“I
want to go home.”

Back at the Venetian, Shaan tried to coax her out of the jeep. “Yes, we shall, the day after. For now, let’s get some dinner and check out some entertainment.”

She kept her gaze rigidly fixed on the back of the driver’s seat. “I don’t want to see any darn shows! I want to go home!”

“Ruhiii!” Blast her.
“I told you already!” His hands gripped the hinges of the door as he paused to breathe. “Fine! We’ll leave here tomorrow, but not tonight. I’m dreadfully tired, and I need to catch up on some z’s. You too.”

She twisted around to face him. “No… I don’t need to sleep. I need to leave! And by home I meant ‘home’ home, like Chandigarh!”

“What?” He stared at her astounded. “You didn’t hear even a single word I said?”

“What word? Oh…those!” Her laugh was wry, dismissive. “A very nice attempt indeed on your part to pacify me and make me feel better. Your way of saying, ‘Honey, you don’t measure up!’”

“Ruhi, you’ve got it all wrong. It’s not like that. I…I wanted you so bad but—”

She continued, oblivious, “Oh my god! What came over me? To ask you to kiss me. Utter insanity! Too much oxygen, or was it the effect of the place? It’s so weird, it’s hysterical! But now I know for sure we weren’t meant to be, you and I.” Her voice was filled with bitter regret.

“It was a dream I had, but it’s shattered now. It’s better we part ways amicably before we tear each other to pieces! I want to go to the airport, get back home to some peace and quiet. Do they have flights from here? I’m sure they do. Can you get me a ticket?” she asked, her wild eyes probing his face. “No? You won’t? But then why am I asking? I have your credit card, don’t I?”

She scrambled for her purse. It had fallen under the seat, and she dug inside. “There,” she said, pulling out her wallet with a smug smile. “I will have Dad pay you back when I get there. Now I need to get a cab.” She moved to get out of the SUV.

“No way!” He caught her by the shoulders and yanked her back. He had a long reach. “You aren’t going anywhere without me! I won’t let you destroy us, destroy what we have!”

“What do we have? Nothing!” She winced as his hold grew tighter. “I’ve tried. Oh God how I’ve tried, but this is the last straw. No more! If I stay any longer, I’ll forget who I am. I’ve got to leave now!” She struggled harder.

“Snap out of it, Ruhi!”

She kicked out with her legs and connected.

“Ouch! You hellcat!”

His jaw worked as he controlled an irresistible urge to hit her. Then thrusting his face up close, he blurted, “Don’t provoke me. I think you have a very good idea by now of what I am capable of!”

Her eyes widened with alarm at his intimation.

“I’m not a saint. I have some basic needs and a gorgeous wife who can fulfill it,” he stated in a more measured voice and a devilish smile. His gaze raked down her body slowly taking in her trembling lips, the long smooth lines of her throat, coming to a deliberate stop on the deep hollow exposed by her disheveled shirt that her fingers fumbled to rectify.

“Nobody will blame me, not even you,” he said quietly.

“You won’t!”

“I can and I will.”

He could perceive her mind racing amok, searching for ways to escape but not finding any. She gave up, her shoulders drooping; the wild fire doused quickly, leaving behind cold embers of resigned defeat.

He wanted to scoop her up in his arms and say,
Darling, I’m the last person on this earth who would wish to harm you.

But then, he opted for a sterner approach. “We will talk later when you are in a friendlier mood. But let me tell you one thing. You may be willing to quit, but I’m not ‘cause I can see us spending the rest of our lives together and relishing every bit. I won’t rest till I prove it to you,” he declared with firm determination. “As for leaving, don’t ever mention it again.”

She wasn’t exactly sure how they got to their room or how she changed into the cocktail dress, being only conscious of the shock of ice-cold water burning her skin and the blood-red of her dress contrasting with the pale white of her face as she ran a brush through her hair.

If you try to leave, then there won’t be anybody worse than me.

She didn’t care; she couldn’t stay in the same room with him. She was more fearful of how she’d react if he touched her again. She would more likely than not lose it completely.

He was on the balcony hotly arguing with somebody on the phone when she sneaked out. Pumps in one hand, clutch in the other, she raced to the elevator barefoot, her frayed breath not settling till she lost herself in the hoopla of the casino floor.

Like a scene right out of a gangster movie, or for that matter a sci-fi flick, the place was a dazzling kaleidoscope of color, sound, and smoke, a virtual feast for her uninitiated eyes. Long sinuous backs, which leaned tense over roulette tables, clashed with row upon row of robotic human heads glued seriously to the eerie glowing slot machines. The constant drone of beeps, whirrs, and bells peppered by the jackpot roar of coins pouring out was an instant inducement. Caught in the tumult, she frisked through her purse only to discover small change; Shaan had confiscated all the plastic.

“The clever bastard! But of course! What else could I expect?” Feeling furious, bummed, and truly trapped, she barged through the glass doors of what looked like an upscale lounge, an oasis of safety and calm in the midst of a treacherous desert, where she hoped to purge and revamp her unsettled mind.

Or so she thought.

“A beautiful woman should never be left alone. Can I buy you a drink?”

“Whatever gave you the idea, you creep!” Ruhi said.

Without stopping to think, she grabbed the glass of iced hard liquor in front of her and tossed it at the intruder who happened to be a beefy and very much inebriated white man in a loud Hawaiian aloha shirt.

He spluttered, his round pudgy face turning the color of beet. “You screwy bitch!”

She stepped back as a huge paw grabbed for her, missing by several inches.

“What gives you the right to meddle with my woman, you rotten scoundrel!”

A well-placed jab in the solar plexus had the oversized creature doubled up and on the ground in no time, howling with pain.

Her husband then turned to her, unbelievable in a black dinner jacket, his fingers reaching tenderly for her cheek. “Are you all right?”

She nodded, too shaken to speak.

“Your woman is bloody crazy! She needs professional help!” The clumsy oaf hollered as a pair of gorillas in uniform dragged him away.

“Hmm…” Shaan grinned, blocking her way as she drifted toward the exit. “So what did the poor sucker do to invite the wrath of my sweet-natured mate.”

“He…he made a lewd suggestion.”

“So this is how you’ll treat anyone who dares to do the same?” Shaan asked.

His eyes sparkled with mischief while hedging her close to an elaborate gold column.

“Perhaps, I’m not sure,” she said distractedly, putting up an arm to steady herself, having lost all feeling in her legs.

“There…don’t collapse on me now,” he said, bracing her against his own length. “Did you take more than a few sips of the drink?”

“No…maybe I should have.” She stumbled, pushing him away. “It might have helped ease the pain of the thorn twisting in my side.”

“Ruhi!” His hands gripped her tight as he breathed hard, and his lips compressed into a thin straight line, wishing to chastise and love her at the same time. His eyes drew shut for a brief moment. “You are not thinking straight, irrational anger is clouding your judgment. You need to wind down, relax. Perhaps then you will get where I’m coming from.”

Her chin lifted in impertinence. “Oh, go to hell. Give me back my credit cards!”

He laughed. “You can’t wheedle them from me, sweetheart. Remember they are mine and so are you. Don’t expect me to give up on either this quick, especially the latter who happens to be quite enticing. Come now, we have a long night ahead of us.”

Before she could say a single word in protest, Ruhi was swept away into an evening of enchantment.

They were ushered into a theater. Shaan informed her it was a recreation of a Paris opera house with plush red seats, golden statues, a hand-painted ceiling and opera boxes lining the sides.

“Am I dressed appropriately?” she asked, observing the people in the boxes were dressed in period costumes.

He followed her line of sight and grinned. “They are mannequins, no two are alike, and they tend to fool a lot of people. Me too, had I not read about them beforehand.”

She sat in her front row seat grimly determined not to enjoy the show, but her efforts were in vain. Soon she found herself transported into the classic tale of unrequited love. The music by the live orchestra and the singing held her spellbound, and the myriad special effects including the pyrotechnics, the ghostly staircase, and phantom boat made her feel as though she was part of the play.

And to top it all, she screamed in terror, clutching at his arm when a huge chandelier dropped from the ceiling coming to a halt just a few feet above their heads.

***

“So how was it? I saw you had tears in your eyes.”

They were seated at a French restaurant in an exquisite garden setting with live music in the background.

“Yes, I was moved to the core. Love hurts.”

“Not always, I promise.” He placed a warm hand over hers and was pleased to not see her recoil.

“Monsieur, madame, ready to order?” the waiter asked.

“Ladies first.”

She made a face. Everything on the menu seemed terribly complicated and indigestible. “I will have…umm…the salad with Fuji apples, walnuts, and the red wine vinaigrette.”

“I will have the same,” Shaan said, and the waiter walked away with their orders.

“I didn’t know that was your choice, too!”

“Did I say it was?”

“Then why?” she asked.

“It saves time.”

“But I thought you loved whatever I cooked, or so you had me believe.”

“I do, damnit! Don’t act like a petulant child. What I meant to say is, it’s okay in a relationship to have differences as long as we agree on one basic thing.”

“Like what?” she asked, tilting her head to one side while sipping her strawberry daiquiri.

“Like I want to spend the rest of my life with you and no one else. About that, I have absolutely no doubt at all, and I’m sure you don’t either.”

“How can you be so certain?”

“Well Ruhi…weren’t you the one who said if it wasn’t me, it wouldn’t be anyone else? And that would be such a waste, especially after finding that we both are exceedingly compatible.”

She flushed but didn’t look away. “That is not enough. You can’t have sex all day and night and do nothing else. A marriage comes with responsibilities.”

“Exactly! And I am pretty sure we can handle both of those together. By the way, you are very blunt with your opinions. I like that.” He chuckled, amused.

“Well…yes, I am. Maybe this is helping?” She stared quizzically at her drink. “What’s in it? It is making me feel weird but a good weird.” She smiled, slightly tipsy. “Everything is a nice hazy blur.”

“Gosh! You didn’t order it virgin. They must have laced it with rum or something.”

“It’s fine. In fact, I like it very much. I want more.” She downed the rest of her drink in a gulp. “Can I have a refill please?” She waved to a passing waitress.

Shaan signaled a subtle no.

“Why? Why can’t I have more? Don’t people drink to drown their sorrows? I want to be happy, too!”

“I’ll make you happy without the assistance of artificial agents, if you’d only trust me.”

She giggled. “Later, but there’s one thing I must tell you before I forget…that you are a knockout kisser!

“My husband is one hell of a kisser!” She staggered to her feet announcing aloud. A few heads turned their way, taking notice.

“Sorry, my wife has had a long day.” He caught her before she took a tumble down some steps, then whispered gruffly in her ear, “Ruhi, you are drunk. Let’s go to our room.”

“Noooo! I’m loving this. The night is so beautiful, like a psychedelic dream. Hold me close, dance with me please?” she whimpered wistfully against his chest.

He relented, sighing, drawing her head gently to rest on his shoulder, then swung with her to the tune of a haunting ballad.

Why do these songs always reflect how I feel?

Burrowing his face in her neck, he inhaled deeply of her distinct scent. She was his, every single lovely inch, and he couldn’t let her go.

She stirred in his embrace and planted a tender kiss on his chest. “So nice to be in the arms of your lover, safe and secure, without a care in this world.”

Feeling a familiar thirst stir within as her soft curves brushed against his rugged frame, he pulled her roughly to himself.

She lifted her face to his, her eyes glazed and glorious. “Shaan, I…”

“Yes?” he asked eagerly.

Then without notice, an angelic smile on her face, she slumped unconscious in his arms.