The Media Circle-Scene 4

“Here she is, our head designer...”

He interrupted immediately, his voice husky and completely inappropriate for the business environment they were in.

"We all know who she is; we have met before, haven't we?"

She no longer had an option, she had to face him now.She raised her eyes to his, and almost stumbled back at what she saw there...

Desire.

Previously, she had thought that it was all a figment of her imagination, but now, it was plainly visible. His eyes no longer promised, but demanded an answer. An answer she had no intention of giving.

"Yes, we have. It is a pleasure meeting you again, Mr. Dobriyal."

"The...pleasure...is all mine, of course."

She didn't miss the subtle inflection in his voice, and fought to control the blush that rose to her cheeks. She cursed the fair complexion she had been born with, and cursed this man for embarrassing her in front of her colleagues.

Outwardly, she remained calm, and turned away from him in order to greet the others.

Once that was done, she took her seat at the head of the table, supremely conscious of his every move as he seated himself at the other end of the conference table.

He took one look at his folder, and then looked up at her again.

"Shall we begin?"

"Of course. I'm sure everyone present is aware of the fact that we are operating under a deadline, and it will benefit for exhibition if we are able to reach an agreement on terms today...”

"The Dobriyal Group agrees to all designs in this brochure."

His voice broke into her carefully prepared speech, startling her.

"What?"

"You heard me. As the CEO of the Dobriyal group, I am letting you know that we have no problem with anything outlined in this brochure."

Taken aback, she could only stare at him for a moment.

"Are you sure?"

"Of course. We can go ahead and sign this right now, if only you will agree to one small addition."

"Addition?"

"Yes, I'm sure you will find that it is quite reasonable."

"What exactly is it?"

He tilted his head to one side, his eyes moving over her face with barely hidden intent. She fumed inwardly. How dare him!

"It is something that I would like to discuss in private, if you don't mind."

Her anger reached new heights. Who did he think he was? How could he sit there and ask this of her? She answered her own question immediately. He could do this because he knew. He knew how important this  meeting was to her. Gritting her teeth, she stood up abruptly. "Please excuse us, everyone." Without waiting for a response, she turned away, facing a window that overlooked the city outside. She heard the sounds of chairs being pushed back, and waited while the room emptied. When the door closed behind the last person, she turned to face him again.

She was startled anew to find that he had moved up right behind her while she had her back to him. She took a step back, and raised outraged eyes to his when he closed the distance between them again.

"What the hell do you think you are doing?"

"Something I should have done a long time back. Taking you home. It’s already 11 at night and you need to go home to rest. And that’s final. The Shankar Dobriyal has spoken. That’s it" he said closing her in his embrace, which she came. In her green short frock with black stockings, and her lucirious hair which just ended somewhere in her mid spinal length, though he always liked to be just near ear and full straight but till now it’s the wooing part so he had no such right over her tied into a high pony tail. He took her outside his office where she had come for meeting. In his way to flat he asked “Do you allow these late meetings every time even after knowing the environment of Delhi. and even when you are such a party dress” While driving she was cracking her neck due to hectic schedule which preceded her day, she didn’t had time to grab a lunch but she knew if told him he will storm all Delhi which was of no use.  she said teasingly “Not generally, it’s just a major auction lined up and I had to deal with one insufferable brute who is leaving country for next 10 days, so to finalize the auction I had to be there.” She left him in pent house where he stayed majorly and Prashant’s house over another floor in the same building was their main house. But when was about U turn the car, he just took her out from the car and said “you are staying because Shankar’s girl doesn’t travel’s alone at night 12.” It was common to stay some nights at his bachelor pad, now their pad after the acceptance. Both the fathers had full trust over the couple so never questioned. And they also kept in limits. She entered the pent house, then only came Omkar, the house-help and said “Didi, are you here for dinner but there’s no dinner cooked today and I was also leaving.” He left and after that she changed into her nightie. She now kept some pair of her dresses over here which were generously gifted by Shankar. Today after changing into a loose sunshine colour shorts with Winnie the pooh print t-shirt. She went to kitchen and cooked and now it’s a household or ghar fully stocked with cooking items.  The bachelor pad was now their house. It was the way married people houses looked. She decorated it delicately. His play stations and bean bags were mercilessly thrown and pearl decorative were placed. In them, she entered beautiful moments of Shankar’s childhood and he insisted of photos her also and now it had some of their photos which he clicked every time they were together. Though they both slept together in same room but it was a clean relationship.

“May I ask you something?”

“Say, you don’t need my permission, you are Priyashi Shankar Dobriyal, though not now but I have full trust one day, you will be.”

“Are you really going to somewhere for 10 days? Or it’s just a way to torture your staff? Is it something related to you won’t want to tell me?”

“No, I am in India only. Actually would going for silent retreat in our Himalayan bungalow near Dhramashala. Would have asked if you could join but you are busy so I didn’t tell. And for you nothing matters. If you want me to be with you, I can cancel everything. And there’s nothing in my life which I can’t tell you. And I proved it by telling my biggest secret.” Hearing that she again was lost in some other memories……

“One secret that I never told anybody else, I can dance, actually I’m a trained kathak dancer plus I am well acquainted with ballroom dancing as I learnt it 2 years. Didn’t want anyone to know this. So that I’m not forced to dance in parties especially with some of clients I detest for their lusty behaviour, now your turn.” She said when one day they were discussing the secrets in their life. It was then she told him that she was 16 when her mother died and it was her funeral prayer that she was tried to be molested first time by her father’s client.

He told her that he remembers his mother’s name, it was Carol, she was a one of model with whom his father had affairs in his life and others dates but the day he stepped in his father’s life, only he was there, after that he never even was seen with a girl but he never went to his mother because he believed they were not meant to be together. But even she had some hints of it, so he told her that “I cant drive because I had an accident when I was 18, I was in outers when due to my recklessness I ended in pits, though the car and me both didn’t got in serious problems but since then I have road fear, so either Dad or my friends drop me home or I keep a driver for the work. Now I have you”…………..

 As Priyashi drove a  SUV that too a Conquest Evade of wine colour so she use to pick him from work whenever they had to be together. So they did went on long drives but she drove the car and he just quietly leaned his body on headrest with old Bollywood songs in background.