Flaming Sun Collection 2: Marriages Made in India (Box Set with 5 novellas)

by Sundari Venkatraman

  Abhi shook his head in amusement. “Should I be jealous?”

  She studied his handsome features, thrilled to bits to be his wife. “Maybe,” she said challengingly.

  “Does that mean I can have girlfriends too?” he asked, needling her.

  Shikha glared at him. “Do you have girlfriends? That too more than one? Be warned. I’ll pull every woman’s eyes out if she comes too close to you.”

  Abhi burst out laughing. “So, the rules are different for me, are they?”

  “Don’t be silly, Abhi. These guys are really good friends of mine. They’ve always stood by me, the badass Shikha. They’re my besties.”

  “In that case, they are my friends too,” he smiled. “But that means I can have girls for friends, right?” he persisted.

  “Not unless you want them to be maimed for life,” she said coolly, pouring the last mouthful of wine down her throat. “Come closer,” she beckoned to him. “Let me show you some moves that will ensure you’ll never need to look at another woman till I’m alive.”

  Abhi sucked in his breath when she pushed him back on the bed and climbed over him to sit on his stomach. She bent over him, her breasts pressed against his manly chest, to kiss him on his mouth. A pink tongue peeped out to trace the outline of his lips, before pushing against his teeth, seeking entry. Abhi groaned, throwing his arms around her waist to hold her tight as she explored the contours of his mouth with her silken tongue, driving him crazy.

  She sat up straight, pulling his arms from around her and keeping them down by his sides. “Your turn will come,” she winked before placing soft kisses along his jaw line. She moved to his neck and took a bite of his skin, making him jump. Shikha pressed him back on the bed, continuing with her lovemaking, rubbing a wet tongue over his flat male nipples. She traced a leisurely path down his chest, his navel and finally reached his hardened manhood. She caressed him with her hands, kissing him there. Unable to stop himself, Abhi pulled her close, lifting her in both his arms and entering her with a groan. “Abhi…” moaned Shikha, riding him vigorously till both of them reached out to the stars as one. She collapsed against him, breathing hard, with a wide smile on her face. “Do you still want girlfriends?” she challenged.

  “God give me strength to keep one wife happy and satisfied,” laughed Abhimanyu, hugging her close.

  12

  The party had been organised at Debate, one of the smaller venues at Vivanta by Taj that evening. It was an intimate gathering of 75 people—office staff and some close friends of the bride and groom.

  Shikha was resplendent in a flaming orange ghagra of organza, heavily embroidered in gold zari, worn over a silk inner skirt of ruby red, teamed with a silk choli of the same shade of red, also embroidered in gold thread and crystals, shimmering in the bright lights. A dupatta of gold tissue graced her left shoulder while dainty golden heels complimented the outfit. The handsome Abhimanyu wore a suit in steel grey with a white dress shirt and a deep red bow tie. A matching cummerbund of the same shade of red accentuated the V-shape of his body.

  Abhi and Shikha mingled with the guests, his arm snugly draped around her bare waist. He did his best to keep track of the drinks she kept gulping, her laughter growing louder in direct proportion to the number of pegs she was downing.

  Everything went smoothly till around 10.30 when Shikha turned to Abhi and said, “I need a smoke, desperately. Shall we just sneak out for a short while?” She pouted at him appealingly, like a naughty child.

  Abhi shook his head solemnly. “We can’t Shikha. This is our party. It’s not fair to leave the guests and take off.”

  “Don’t be so straight-laced, Abhi. Nothing will happen to them if we go away for a few minutes.” When he shook his head in response, she pulled his arm off her and stamped her foot. “Stay right here at your damn party if you want. I’m going.” She walked away and beckoning to Dev, took off from the hall.

  Abhi watched her leaving with an irritated scowl on his face, just when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He wiped the frown off his face before turning to look at Ranveer. “All okay?” asked the latter.

  “I suppose,” shrugged Abhi.

  “The two of you make an awesome couple,” commented Chanda, joining them.

  “Thank you Chanda,” said Abhi, his smile not reflected in his eyes.

  It was at least another half an hour before Shikha returned to the party. She directly walked up to her husband and kissed him on his masculine lips. “Forgive me?”

  Abhi pulled her close, kissing her deeply. “Always.”

  “Did I tell you that you’re the best thing that’s happened to me?” she whispered in his ear, nipping at his earlobe.

  “Shikha,” growled Abhi, “Are you even aware of what you’re doing to me? Position yourself in front of me till I gain control or I won’t be responsible for the consequences.”

  Shikha gave a tinkling laugh, her hand on his fly, tracing his shape delightedly. “How did I ever imagine you were a staid guy?”

  Abhi groaned. “Take your hand off, woman. Please!”

  Shikha laughed again, kissing him. “How I love to hear you beg.” She winked at him.

  She turned right around and got a waiter to get her another drink, much to Abhi’s chagrin. “Will you lay off the drink, Shikha?” he frowned.

  “Why? You can’t afford it or what?” she challenged him, a shapely eyebrow up in query, sherry brown eyes dancing.

  “You’ve already had four large pegs.”

  “You’ve been counting.” The smile left her face.

  “Do you plan to get drunk?”

  “Arre yaar, Abhi! It’s our wedding, a once-in-a-lifetime event. I’m only celebrating. Give me a break,” she protested.

  “The way you’ve been knocking down the drinks, anyone would think that you’re in pain rather than celebrating.”

  “Says who? The great Abhimanyu?” A heavy scowl marred Shikha’s face, her voice turning sarcastic.

  “Shikha…” Abhi placed a hand on her shoulder, trying to pacify her.

  But she shook it off, too angry. He was stepping into her space. Just because they were married, did he think he owned her? “Don’t Shikha me,” she snarled. “I like to drink and I will. Try and stop me.” She walked away from him, directly to the bar counter and got sloshed, drinking as if there was no tomorrow.

  Luckily by now, the guests had begun to leave as the hall was to shut down by 11.30 pm. The few that remained were witness to Shikha calling out loudly to Abhimanyu, “Hey hushband! Come here,” she slurred. When he went to her, she raised a forefinger at him threateningly, “Don’t try to shtop me, ogay? I love to drink…sic…” she fell into his arms, snoring softly, fast asleep.

  Abhi lifted her and placed her on a sofa, taking her shoes off. He removed his coat jacket and covered her with it gently, when he noticed the goose pimples on her arms.

  He walked up to the food counter and filled a plate, joining Ranveer, Chanda and a few others, munching on the delicacies as if nothing had happened. Well, he knew this is how Shikha was. But she didn’t know that her life was going to change drastically from the next week.

  13

  Shikha opened her eyes in a slit, unable to face even the feeble sunlight that poured into the bedroom through the heavy curtains. Her gaze was envious when she saw Abhi fast asleep on his side of the bed, his bare chest lifting and falling as he breathed evenly. This was probably the first night that she hadn’t slept in his arms since the day she had moved into his home—their wedding night of all. An inadvertent sigh broke out from Shikha as she held her head in her hands, unable to bear the pain as it felt as if someone was using her skull instead of drums to play some raucous music.

  Her throat was parched. Though she’d have loved to have a glass of chilled champagne that had been consumed like water at the party the earlier night, she settled for the water from the bottle placed on the side table. She drank almost half the bottle and ran to the bathroom as she felt an urg
e to throw up.

  “Damn!” Shikha walked under the shower, turning it first to hot and then cold, trying to wash away the hangover. She ran a towel haphazardly to dry herself up before stepping out to see Abhi standing there in a pair of shorts, holding a steaming mug.

  “Good morning,” she grimaced. “What’s that? I hope it’s not something that’ll make me want to puke again.”

  Abhi smiled, shaking his head. “Drink it in sips. It’ll help with the hangover.”

  She took the mug from his hand and held it between both of hers, feeling the warmth creeping into her. The smell of ginger and lemon helped settle her heaving stomach. She took a small sip of the freshly made herbal tea with a shot of honey and heaved a sigh of relief, drinking it all up. She looked up at him and said sarcastically, “Abhi, you don’t always need to be an angel you know. I know I really cheated you out of your wedding night. Go on, shout at me.” Though she was being defiant, a small part of her felt wary of the situation.

  Abhi went and sat next to her, hugging her close, removing the empty mug from her nerveless fingers. “We’ve been enjoying hot sex since so many days,” he grinned, “so what if we took a break for one night?”

  “Are you for real?”

  He took her hand and placed it against his manhood. “What do you think? Am I real enough or…?” he winked.

  “Abhi,” groaned Shikha, burying her face against his chest. A small fist beat against his shoulder. “I hate myself.”

  He crushed her close. “I adore you. Now let me go. I’ll get you something to eat.”

  “Don’t make me feel more guilty than I already am,” Shikha breathed into the crook of his shoulder.

  Abhi rubbed his large hand on her head, calming her down. “Shikha, I hope we’re in this marriage business for the long haul, like until death us do part.”

  She lifted her head from his chest to look up at him, crinkling her eyes that were still hurting. “Yes, Abhi.”

  “So, what does one day or night matter? I’ve thought of you as my life partner from the day you agreed to wed me. What happened yesterday was only a public declaration. So…” he shrugged.

  “I think I’m falling in love with you.” Shikha’s voice wobbled as tears threatened to fall from her eyes.

  Abhi got up and pushed her back on the bed, making her lie down. “You stay put while I get us some hot breakfast in bed. Anything specific you’d like to have?”

  “Just you for dessert,” she said cheekily, blowing him a kiss.

  14

  Shikha was excited when she got to know that the two of them were flying to Bangkok on Sunday by Thai Airways. Their flight was at 11.30 am from Indira Gandhi International Airport.

  “Abhi,” she squealed excitedly, hugging him as they took an OLA cab to the airport. “This is the most awesome surprise.” Her smile vanished when she suddenly gave him a shocked look. “But Abhi, I’ve packed next to nothing. And you say we’re going for a long, long time,” she pouted.

  Abhi held her hand in his, his fingers intertwined with hers. “Why do you want to carry stuff? That place is a shoppers’ paradise. We’ll buy all you want and more,” he said, smiling indulgently. He was glad that the cynical Shikha was truly enthralled with something for a change.

  “Are you serious?” She threw her arms around his neck, not giving a damn about the driver.

  They were carrying just a couple of trolley cases that they checked in at the counter, collecting their boarding passes. With time to kill before boarding, they took a walk around the airport, drinking coffee and munching on doughnuts.

  They had the most comfortable flight as Abhi had booked them on business class. “Arre yaar Abhi, it looks like you’ve money to burn,” said Shikha, in a whisper, her eyes rounded in awe as he settled down beside her, stretching his long legs comfortably in front of him.

  Abhi laughed. “Till now, I’ve been saving most of my earnings, living all by myself. I’ve never felt the urge to splurge on anyone.”

  Shikha turned quiet, absorbing the magnitude of the compliment he had paid her. She laid her head on his shoulder, her arms wrapped around his right arm that was closest to her.

  Abhi spoke to the flight staff in private and had only one glass of wine served for them along with their lunch. They relished the spicy Thai chicken curry that was served with fluffy rice. It was followed by Khao Neow Toorien—sticky rice with a piece of durian served with coconut cream—a dessert typical to Thailand. Abhi watched a film while Shikha went to sleep, her head against his shoulder.

  Abhi shook her shoulder gently a few minutes before landing as he didn’t want her to miss the view of the flight coming down over the ocean. Shikha blinked sleepy eyes as she turned to look through the window when Abhi pointed it out to her. The turquoise waters glimmered bright as the sun seemed to sink into the sea, shading it with gold and orange.

  Their flight touched down at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi airport at 5.35 pm Thailand time—an hour and a half ahead of Indian Standard Time. After they completed the formalities for immigration, they stepped out of the airport. Abhi had already received a call from the driver of the car that had come to pick them up from Cape Dara, the beachfront resort at Pattaya. The sun had set and a number of lights had sprung up when they settled into the comfortable seats.

  The driver spoke broken English as he explained the sights to them during the ride that lasted a little less than two hours, till they entered the gates of the imposing structure that was Cape Dara. The reception had a high ceiling, reaching up to five floors, with impressive floor-length glass doors and windows. They were shown into comfortable sofas and offered welcome drinks—a delicious cocktail of fresh mango and orange juice spiked with white rum. The staff was friendly as they verified their passports. Abhi had already paid online for their suite on Dara Beachfront, the five-storey section of the hotel.

  A bellhop escorted them to their room, showing them the facilities. Shikha was especially impressed by the Jacuzzi tub that was comfortable enough for two, facing the beach. “Ooh, this is lovely.”

  Abhi sent off the bellhop with a substantial tip before shutting the door behind him. “So, Mrs. Mehra, do you like the place?”

  “It’s amazing, Abhi.” She hugged him tightly, placing a kiss on his lips.

  They relaxed in the Jacuzzi, drinking from the complimentary bottle of champagne, watching the moonrise from the floor length window, showering its silver light on the gently shimmering waves of the Pacific Ocean.

  Abhi sat back in the tub, holding Shikha on his lap, his hands cupping her breasts. He bent his head to kiss a silky shoulder. “Sweetheart.”

  Shikha leaned back against his chest, her hands holding his arms, champagne glass forgotten, as her skin broke out in goose bumps. She could feel the thrust of his manhood under her, making her heart beat harder. She tilted her head to capture his lips in a mind blowing kiss. “Abhi, I want you now.” She bit his lower lip, pulling his head closer.

  Abhi switched off the hot tub before stepping out, lifting her in his arms. He bundled her up in a bath sheet, draping another one around himself, drying off the excess moisture. He placed her on the bed gently, as one would a china doll.

  She reached out to wrap her arms around his neck, pulling him close. Abhi’s hands caressed her body, arousing her to fever pitch. Shikha’s legs thrashed restlessly, her hands moving down his satin back. She guided his hand to her breast, inhaling deeply when his thumb traced a swollen nipple. He bent down to take the twin in his mouth, stroking it with his velvet tongue. His hand moved down to trace her abdomen before moving down further to her feminine core. He dipped a finger into her to find her wet and ready.

  He traced a path down her body with his tongue, reaching down to taste her. “Abhi…” Shikha raked her nails on his shoulders, her body trembling with the orgasm building within her womb. Abhi was relentless in giving her pleasure, his tongue thrusting into her, as she held his head close to her body.

  “Abhi�
��,” sobbed Shikha, her body shuddering when she climaxed.

  He pressed his lips to a silken thigh before rising up to enter her in a single stroke. His jaw tightened as he pummelled into Shikha, as she hit the high spot once again. He kissed her hard, even as he peaked immediately after.

  “I love you,” whispered Abhi, his perspiring forehead touching hers.

  15

  The next day morning, after gorging from the buffet breakfast of international cuisine at Radius restaurant at their hotel, Abhi and Shikha got into the car to visit the Bang Nam Pheung floating market. The car left them at the entrance where they got off to walk on the wooden bridge across the river. They paid the entrance fee and got into a narrow motor boat and took off.

  They looked right and left at the many colourful wares on display in wooden structures built on stilts. Abhi had the boat stopped near a vendor selling straw hats and purchased a couple of them, placing one on Shikha’s head. She laughed, insisting on taking a selfie along with him. It was truly fascinating to be able to sit in the boat and buy stuff without getting out.

  The boatman took them to their first stop—a Coconut Sugar Farm. The whole area smelled sweet. It was from the boiling liquid sap that was collected after cutting the top of the flowers plucked from the coconut palm. They got to taste the yellow crystals of palm sugar that was the final product and even bought some to carry home.

  The boat crossed the stalls selling a variety of spices—both full and powdered forms. There were red chillies, black pepper, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom and many more. They even sold mixed spices for flavouring Thai food items. It was Abhi who was keen to purchase a few spice mixes for his kitchen.

  They stopped the boat at a stall selling Phad Thai Noodles, to which the woman added an array of veggies and boiled fish, topping the bowl with clear soup, adding her own spice mix. The result was simply delicious.

  Further down, they stopped at a vendor selling fruits in a bowl. They could pick and choose from a variety of mango, durian, pineapple, strawberry and more.