Till lunch time she didn’t have a moment to think of anything else as she was called upon to give her inputs on a project that was turning out to be more ambitious than anything she had imagined.
The little germ of an idea she had proposed, of creating a video-game like presentation, had been taken to a whole new level by Ash. She was assigned to be the resource person on the job and do all the research that would be needed to create an effective video game, complete with characters and a storyline. Sir believed they could even use the concept to pitch to other clients. Sunrita was assigned the role of supervisor to ensure timelines and coordination. Knowing just how much Sunrita loved to torture her, Sanjana realized she had her work cut out for her.
Sunrita piped up. “So what kind of timelines are we looking at?” Ever the eager-beaver and trying to get some brownie points for her workaholism, she answered her own question. “Let’s finish it before Diwali. That way, we can all have a relaxed festival.”
Sanjana’s heart sank as the door slammed shut on her plans to get away to Nagpur.
“Good idea. Does that work for everyone?” Sir asked.
Ash shrugged nonchalantly. “I can work it into my schedule as long as no one has any objections to getting updates in the middle of the night and work related requests.”
Sanjana looked at him in disbelief. Was it all an act or was he actually a workaholic? He smiled at her knowingly and she looked away trying desperately to keep it all together.
“Wonderful. Sanjana, this is a golden opportunity for you,” said Sir. “If we can get this project, you can rest assured you will get a glowing recommendation for your university application. I expect you to put in your very best.”
Chapter Four
Ash had not had a moment to himself since he had moved in to the new apartment. The non-stop barrage of hard work and partying harder was something that rarely bothered him. But for once he seemed unable to cope with it.
Looking around the flat with his meagre possessions still boxed up, he decided it was time to tackle the most urgent of priorities. But a strange ennui gripped him. He plonked down on the couch, rested his head against the arm and stretched his long legs.
The day had not quite gone as he had expected. For one, he had fully intended to decline Shrikant Khandekar’s assignment. He respected Khandekar and his work but he simply didn’t have the bandwidth to tackle another project. Instead, he found himself falling in with Khandekar’s plans. Truth be told, the assignment wasn’t really the kind of work that excited him. And these days, challenges were what he actively sought. He had begun to make a name as a video game designer and he didn’t want for exciting jobs.
Why then did he say yes? If he were brutally honest, he knew the answer to the question: it was the girl he had been teamed up with. Sanjana. He couldn’t seem to get those large eyes and soft silky tresses out of his mind ever since he had bumped into her.
Running his hand through his hair he tried to recall the last time he had taken up an assignment on a whim. There is a first time for everything, he decided. And somewhere deep down he knew that the whim had something to do with the unspoken challenge Sanjana had thrown at him. For once, a girl was not falling over herself to get his attention, and that was a totally new experience for him.
The bell rang and he yelled, “The door is open. Come in.”
Rakshanda Saigal—looking every inch the sexy, size zero model that she was—should have been a sight for sore eyes but a sigh of irritation escaped his lips.
“What a mess,” she sniggered as her gaze fell on the cartons. “My offer is still open, Ash.”
Ash swung his legs down from the couch and got up. “Believe it or not, I like it messy and cluttered. But if it bothers you, you could help with the unpacking.”
Dumbass had emerged from his favourite spot on the window seat and was now jumping up and down for Raks’ attention. She ignored him as best as she could. Ash scooped him up in his arms and carried him to the bedroom, “Good boy. Stay.”
He closed the door on the unhappy dog who began mewling pitiably.
She covered the distance between them, put her arms around his neck and pouted her glossy red lips at him, “You know what, I can get my Man Friday to do all your unpacking for you, but only if you first move your stuff into my apartment. He will also take care of that mutt of yours.”
He removed her arms gingerly. “Raks, that’s an offer I will have to refuse yet again.”
“Haven’t I made it clear there won’t be any strings attached? You can come and go as you like. We’ll just be flat-mates.”
“Raks, don’t be such a drag. We have had this conversation often enough and you should know better than…”
“Yeah, yeah. But you can’t blame a girl for trying, can you?”
“You deserve full marks for persistence,” he laughed.
“If I’d tried this hard on finishing my studies, I definitely would have been a Ph.D. by now.”
“What…and deprive the modeling world of their hottest star?”
“Compliments dena toh koi tumse sikhey. Anyway, before I forget…”
She thrust her hand into a capacious Louis Vuitton bag and fished out a gold-embossed invitation card. “You’d better be there.”
He glanced at the card. It was an invite to the launch of her brand new boutique, “Raks’ Riches”. And it promised to be an all-glittering affair with the city’s who’s who in attendance.
“Of course.”
“Much as I’d like to help you with your unpacking,” she said insincerely, crinkling her nose at the boxes, “I gotta run.”
She flung open the door, pulled him by his shirt and mumbled, “Here’s something to remind you of what you just declined.”
Pulling his face down to hers she kissed him long and hard.
The elevator door pinged behind them and Ash pulled away. “My loss.”
“Later, gator.”
Raks ran into the lift, leaving Ash staring across the corridor at Sanjana who looked like her jaw would fall open any time.
Swiping a hand across his mouth to remove the smudge of lipstick that Raks would have surely left, he called out. “Don’t tell me you have never seen a couple smooch?”
Sanjana walked past him. “You should conduct your…umm…private affairs inside your flat.”
Her embarrassment was more than obvious and it amused him no end. “You didn’t think we were about to make out?”
She bristled at his words. “It doesn’t make a difference to me what you do or don’t do. As long as it’s not in public.”
“How very prim and proper!”
She turned the latchkey and almost dropped the key when she found him standing right beside her.
“I have something to discuss with you,” he said.
“Uh…I did say I don’t care about your private life.”
“And I have no intention of discussing it with you.”
She gaped at him uncomprehendingly.
“Knock, knock! We also happen to be partners on the project, remember?”
She gritted her teeth and let off a noisy breath.
“You do have a problem working with me!”
She pursed her lips and stayed silent.
The challenge in his dark eyes was unmistakable.
“No, not really,” she said, trying to be as reasonable as she could.
“Good. Because if you do, you should talk to Khandekar about it.”
“I’m good.” She looked at him defiantly.
“Okaaay! So now that we are on the same page, can we proceed with our discussions? I need to show you some stuff.”
“Sure.”
He grinned. “My apartment or yours?”
Taking a deep breath she said, “Neither. This is official work and I’d rather we meet in office.”
“Can’t do. I have several ongoing projects. You need to adjust with my schedule.”
He could feel her hackles rising and he knew he sho
uldn’t tease her so, but couldn’t resist it.
“Well,” she said, “if you want me to work with you, it can’t always be on your terms.”
At that he just raised a shoulder. “I guess you do have a point. So, where then?”
“Let’s meet at the coffee shop down the road. Delia’s. In an hour?”
The lopsided grin emerged once more. “That’s a date!”
Without waiting for a reaction, he turned around and went away whistling to his apartment.
Sanjana banged the door shut, threw down her handbag on the dining table and muttered angrily, “He really thinks no end of himself.”
Pinky who was lying on the couch reading a magazine, gave her a look. “Who?”
“Our neighbour, who else!”
“No way. He’s such a sweetheart.”
Sanjana walked to the kitchen to fetch a glass of water. “Well, he has plenty of those and you’ve been added to his long list of admirers.”
Pinky followed her in and said, “Meaning?”
“I just saw him in ‘action’ with one of his sweethearts.”
Pinky laughed. “A teeny weeny bit jealous, aren’t we?”
“Jealous? He’s the most arrogant, insufferable man I have met.”
“Whoa! Aren’t you kind of over-reacting?”
“No, I’m not.” Sanjana opened the refrigerator and peered into it. “Is there anything to eat?”
“I don’t think so. It was your turn to go shopping, remember?” Pinky said.
“Damn! Will get some stuff on my way back?”
“You’re going out?”
“Yeah, to Delia’s to discuss the project with our annoying neighbour.”
“Oh…coffee date?”
“It is NOT a date!” She glared at her friend.
Pinky stifled a grin. “Okay. So what’s with the coffee?”
“It’s work related. I didn’t want to go to his apartment. Nor did I want to invite him here…so I suggested a neutral place. The best I could come up with was Delia’s.”
“Got it. But seriously, I do think you’re over-reacting.”
Sanjana felt like a heel for yelling at her friend. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to take it out on you.”
Pinky made a “peace” sign and did a mock-tippy-toes walk as if she feared Sanjana might throw something at her.
Sanjana laughed at her funny antics. “Enough drama for one day, okay? I said I’m sorry!”
“Forgiven, on one condition. Actually two…. Let’s order some pizza and you give me a complete blow by blow account of that ‘action scene’ you just mentioned.”
“That’s not fair.”
“Oh, don’t be such a wet blanket. What’s life without some juicy gossip about a hot neighbour!”
“Not another of your silly memes?”
“Actually, I must write it down. It’s a Pinky Original.”
A knock on the door and Pinky rushed to the door.
“Helllloooo!” she crooned as she opened it wide.
Ash gave a deep bow and said, “As usual, I’m being the pesky neighbour and am here to ask for a favour.”
Pinky smiled at him, “That’s what neighbours are for. Ask away.”
Ash gave a quick glance at Sanjana who was trying to ignore both of them as best as she could while pretending to tidy up the living room.
“Ummm…I have a meeting in a while but there’s a bit of a problem. Can’t leave Dumbass alone.”
Pinky smiled knowingly. “I’d have offered to do a spot of pet-sitting but I’m afraid I may have to go out in a while. Why don’t you reschedule your meeting?”
Ash let out a long suffering sigh and sent a side long glance at Sanjana. “This person is uh… very professional. She refuses to come over to my home to discuss work.”
Sanjana turned around. “Alright. Message received loud and clear. We can meet at your place.”
Ash looked at her, hand on his heart. “It’s a genuine problem.”
“Next time just get yourself a pet-sitter.”
“Aye, aye, Ma’am.” He gave her a smart salute. “See you soon.”
Pinky closed the door and waved her hands in front of her face as if fanning herself, “Oh my God. He’s so hot.”
Sanjana grimaced at her friend and walked into her bedroom, wondering how she would cope with this guy who was turning out to be a massive pain in the butt.
After stressing for more than fifteen minutes about what she should wear, she blindly pulled out a mauve kurti to go with her jeans. The attire was simple as well as casual. She toyed with the idea of leaving her hair open, but at the last minute pulled it into a bun at the nape of her neck. It made her look older—Meghna called it her “school teacher” look.
Grabbing her laptop she scurried out of the room to Pinky’s parting shot which was delivered with a lusty wink. “Don’t work too hard.”
Taking a deep breath she put a finger on the doorbell and even before she pressed it, the door swung open. The whiff of a musky male perfume assailed her. As she gazed at his face—bearing his trademark grin—she nearly swooned.
“Right on time,” he said as he opened the door wider.
She smiled coolly, trying not to look as flustered as she felt.
She had barely taken a step inside when a furry ball flashed in front of her and wrapped itself around her legs. Before Dumbass could knock her over with his enthusiasm, she knelt on the floor and let him lick her face.
“Wow,” Ash muttered somewhere behind her. “I don’t think he has ever welcomed anyone so exuberantly ever. Not even me.”
“The saviour gets special treatment,” she countered.
After she had managed to get the dog off her, Sanjana gingerly looked around the room. A few unpacked boxes were stacked away in the corner of the room but otherwise it was spotlessly clean. Even while the decor was minimalist, the pieces of furniture had been chosen with care. The couch looked well used but cared for and the book shelf was studded with books on a variety of subjects.
He took her to his study which resembled a high-tech studio. The computer console and gadgetry around it was all gleaming and shiny. Ash watched her take it all in for a few seconds and said, “Okay time for full disclosure: I kind of made up the excuse about Dumbass. But my reason is totally legit.”
“Which is?”
“I needed to show you examples of what I have in mind, and I can only do it at my workstation.”
She tried to rustle up annoyance but all she managed was a petulant response. “You couldn’t have transferred the files on to a pen drive?”
“No offence, but your dinky laptop is not quite geared for showcasing my work.”
Dripping sarcasm she said, “Dinky laptop versus state of the art console… no comparison.”
He shrugged, unrepentant. “So, let’s get on with it then. How familiar are you with video games?”
“I don’t play games.”
His eyes twinkled merrily at her response. “That I can well believe.”
“I meant video games,” she huffed, as the meaning of her words was obviously taken otherwise.
“Got that. Let me show you some of the stuff I have designed.”
“I’d rather we discuss our current project.”
“Look, I realize you’re not particularly keen to work with me but here’s the thing. You either…”
She cut him short. “My way or highway. Is that what you’re saying?”
He leaned back in his chair with his arms crossed behind his head and simply looked at her, more amused than ruffled at her prickly behaviour.
“Are you just going to sit there?” she asked.
He leaned forward till his face was uncomfortably close to hers. “Tell me something…what exactly is your problem with me?”
For a few seconds she had no idea how to respond. Her heart beat a rapid tattoo, that was part anticipation, part annoyance and part something else. She tucked an errant strand of hair behind her ear and licked h
er dry lips.
“Who says I have a problem?”
He pointed his finger at her without taking away his intense gaze.
Taking a breath she said, “I want to keep this purely professional.”
“What makes you think I don’t?”
“This whole neighbourly thing you have going—”
“What about it? We are neighbours and colleagues…”
“But not friends.”
“And why would being friends with me be a problem?”
“No…I mean…” She squirmed uncomfortably.
“Ah….I get it. You don’t want the girlfriend-boyfriend dynamic happening between us?”
She bit her lower lip hard and he brought the tip of his finger to her lip and caressed it ever so softly.
“Don’t do that,” he said huskily.
She swallowed. His eyes roamed all over her face. She wanted to pull back but something would not let her. Just when she thought she would die of tension, he leaned away from her.
The breath she took stuttered before filling up her lungs.
“Well….,” he drawled, “then how about neighbours with benefits?”
His eyes were now dancing playfully and she knew he was pulling her leg. Her heart which had just about stopped beating like a drum gone berserk began its wild beat once again.
“Are you crazy?” she squeaked, her voice unsteady.
“Relax, I was just teasing. Besides, I don’t believe in bedding reluctant women.”
The silence that followed was earth-shattering.
He let her stew for a while before he said, “Okay, so now that I know where you’re coming from, let’s get down to work.”
The emphasis on the last word gave her just the shot of anger she needed to keep her self-esteem intact.
Drawing her wits about her, she pulled out her notebook from her bag with much more force than necessary.
“Right… I have developed a theme and storyline which would provide the basis for the presentation.”
Referring to her notes, she said, “The story could revolve round a girl who comes across some old stuff lying about in her house but what she doesn’t know is that the “junk” inside are valuable treasures. We can show our areas of expertise by focusing on different aspects—antiques, restoration of artefacts, heritage houses, etc.—through this girl’s discovery.”
Bombay Heights- Sleepless in the City of Dreams Page 3
