Bollywood Fiancé for a Day Read online

  A part of her urged her to trust him again. A foolish headstrong part.

  She went for her tea break, staring at the steam rising from the cup without attempting to drink it. How could she trust him after what he’d done?

  What had he done? You got too close. He’d sensed her vulnerability and her feelings for him when she’d told him she wanted to stay with him.

  Dammit, willing or not, she obviously did trust him. Or she wouldn’t have made that decision. She felt the tears moisten her eyes again and determinedly blinked them away. God, she would not cry in her workplace.

  But, lying in her bed that night, she was forced to admit what she was truly afraid of. She didn’t want to take the chance of being deserted like she’d been deserted by her father. He’d gone and never looked back. All that childhood guilt and fear had coalesced into a big ball of insecurity. The dread of losing someone she loved had become ingrained in her subconscious. Somewhere the feeling grew like a rot, slow but sure. It had made her overly cautious with men. Zaheer had broken down all those barriers and forced love to take root in her heart. For once she’d left all those fears behind.

  Now she had given in to them again. Allowing them to drag down any chance of her finding happiness.

  Because she was still afraid. Yes, they had shared something rare and precious. But his subsequent actions had made her doubt all he had made her feel. That she had his acceptance that she was her, Vishakha Sehgal, no ugly duckling but no glittering swan either, a woman of flesh and blood and mistakes and blunders, full of silly emotion more often than not…

  She wanted that security. Craved the promise of caring.

  He had apologized. What more could he do?

  She didn’t know. Maybe she wanted just too much from him.

  Morning came and another day started. Trying hard to swallow the pain permanently lodged in her throat, she put her stethoscope in her bag and carried it to her white Estilo, relieved to be starting her day. At least work provided some distraction.

  She had to go to the orphanage as per every other Thursday evening, but she didn’t feel like lunch and left in the early afternoon. The narrow street seemed unusually crowded with sleek SUVs, she noticed absently as she turned her car down the lane, making for the old building. She frowned at the shut gates. Unusual. Honking her horn didn’t help and she got up to open them herself. Then stopped short at the scene that met her eyes. In the wide courtyard, the children were jumping, flushed and overexcited, surrounding a tall man who turned as she stood rooted, his hazel eyes serious for once as his smile stilled on his lips.

  ‘Hello, Vishakha.’

  ‘What are you doing here?’ She felt suddenly suffocated, robbed of breath. Not content with haunting her dreams, he’d started appearing physically. Stalking her workplace.

  ‘What does it look like?’ he asked in a voice that was rock-steady. ‘I’m playing with the kids.’

  And my heart.

  He couldn’t do this. Surely it should be illegal to re-break someone’s poorly mended heart.

  OK, breathe deeply. He could be here for any reason of his own.

  Yet her stupid heart was pounding uncontrollably, just seeing him here. Surely she had to stop it going wild with hope. That somehow he was really here for her…She looked at him and blurted, ‘Don’t play games with me, Zaheer.’ She cringed. That was all she needed. An admission of her susceptibility to him. Fool. Fool. Fool.

  ‘You’re early,’ he said instead of answering her. Glancing at two other men hovering in the background, he made a gesture as though for them to take over. ‘OK, kids, I have to talk to your doctor for a minute,’ he told the limpets giggling around him.

  To her surprise, a young one piped up, ‘Tell her. No needle,’ pointing at Vishakha.

  She smiled though her mouth felt like stretched rubber. ‘No needles today,’ she promised.

  ‘I thought you dealt with therapy?’ he said, again in that deadpan neutral tone.

  ‘Last week we had to give vitamins and iron shots to some of them.’ It was a miracle that she could sound so normal. She glanced at him. ‘You aren’t interested in hearing about medications.’

  ‘I could be.’ He took her arm and led the way inside. A thrill was creeping under her skin at his touch and desperately she tried to suppress it. She had to act cool, not let on that somewhere something was breaking apart. Tiny chinks starting to appear in her armour. She couldn’t allow that, could she?

  ‘We can talk here.’ He opened her small cubicle. It had hardly enough privacy but considering her track record for falling into his arms when they were alone, maybe that wasn’t a bad thing.

  Outside her small window, she could see the land which had been cleared for her pet project. Due to financial deficit, construction hadn’t been started yet. Two more well-dressed men who were taking a look round there made her eyes narrow.

  ‘Your people?’ she guessed. Then her impatience overcame her. ‘What do you think you’re doing, Zaheer?’

  ‘It’s your dream project,’ he told her quietly, ‘and now it’s…mine too.’

  Had he been about to say it’s ours?

  ‘Why?’ she whispered.

  ‘Just that I’m going to be funding it,’ he said, turning suddenly matter-of-fact. ‘You mentioned this and I have the means, so…’ He shrugged, looking out of the window too.

  So? Was that all? Her heartbeat began to resound like a dhol beat.

  Oh, no! He couldn’t back away now.

  ‘Is that the only reason you’re here?’ She could barely make out the words. Was she ready for this? Ready to steer into the deep waters when she’d pledged to stay safe at the shore?

  Yes! The sound broke free from inside her. Because she couldn’t do without him. She loved him and right at this moment he seemed perilously close to—to— Dare she have the thought?

  ‘No,’ he said, ‘that isn’t the only reason.’

  ‘Zaheer…’ So many questions and not much so far in the way of answers.

  ‘I…I need a chance with you, sweetheart.’ The whisper, the slight hesitation took her by surprise, sending such a jolt of electricity through her that her throat jammed.

  She faced him, blinking away the sting in her eyes.

  ‘You want a chance with me?’ Her chest rose and fell rapidly. ‘After all you’ve put me through?’

  ‘Vishakha—’

  She cut him off. ‘That very first day you ditched me at the Dream Date promo.’

  ‘I took you out on the date—’

  ‘You came onto me in the car. Then you barged into my home and kissed me without even asking.’

  ‘These things happen.’ He closed the distance between them. Near enough to put his arms around her.

  Suddenly afraid he was never going to admit he loved her, she beat a fist on his chest. ‘And now you shock me, coming here and acting cool as a…as a…’

  ‘Frostik?’ he offered helpfully and got more blows. ‘Hey, enough.’ He caught her flailing fists, leaning back to look at her. ‘At least now I know you’re all right. You sound normal. Peppery.’

  ‘Oh, that’s good. In fact, it’s guaranteed to get you in my good books!’

  ‘You’re not going to listen, are you? Can’t you even give me a minute?’

  ‘No!’

  ‘Then I’ll have to kiss you to keep you quiet.’

  He finally had her attention. And her silence.

  ‘God, now I don’t know if I should do what I came here to do or proceed with my threat.’ He gave a rueful grin and ran his thumb pad over her lower lip, meeting her widened gaze with an intent darkening of his eyes. Then he straightened.

  ‘You just can’t keep holding what I did to you against me, Vishakha. It’s not fair to either of us.’ He saw her flinch and swore. ‘I meant to do this with greater aplomb but—’ Briefly he closed his eyes, the slight vulnerability he showed sucking the fight from her. ‘I love you, Vishakha. It took me a long time to realize it becaus
e I’ve been in such total denial.’ He saw her become as still as a statue, her face blank with shock. ‘You don’t believe me?’ He raked a hand through his hair, chest expanding with emotion. ‘God damn it!’

  He turned around on his heel and walked away. The door swung shut behind him and too late Vishakha lifted a hand to stop him. Had he finally said the words she’d longed to hear or had some wild imaginative streak made her hear them?

  Her legs trembled. Her heart pounded. God, she had been so wrong about him. She had allowed her own insecurities to take over once more. Her own stupid fears. She knew Zaheer wouldn’t just say the words. He meant them.

  He loved her.

  And now he had walked away, thinking she had rejected him. Had she lost him?

  ‘Zaheer!’ She shot to the door, clutching the edge as she looked right and left to have some clue of which way he had gone. As she hesitated, taking a step forward, then back, like a clumsy pendulum, he appeared far down the corridor and she rushed headlong to him. ‘Zaheer…I’m sorry. I believe you. I do. I was just caught by surprise, that’s all.’ She fell into his arms, which tightened around her.

  ‘Vishakha. Come with me.’ She registered the urgency in his voice, in the grip on her wrist, then he was leading her down the turning that led to the mess hall at the back.

  ‘What?’ Tugged inside by his hold, Vishakha entered and looked and froze, a hand clamping to her mouth.

  Inside, long table and benches had been joined together. Small children, shiny in new clothes, stood there holding white placards, each bearing a letter. And they spelt out:

  Will you marry me, Vishakha?

  Streamers ran down the walls and balloons—pink, silver, heart-shaped—floated all around.

  She gasped, her eyes brimming over, and blinked to look into his beautiful emerald-green gaze that spoke the words she would kill to hear him say again.

  ‘Zaheer!’ Her breath caught and she clutched him, burying her head in his shirt with a choked sob.

  ‘Sorry,’ he said, his voice sounding a little unsteady. ‘Could you be more lucid than that? I’m not good at interpreting sounds.’

  * * *

  Zaheer felt his lungs squeeze, not surprised to find when he tried to pry her away, his palms were sweaty.

  In theory it had been a good plan but her early arrival had thrown a spanner in the works. Then, looking into her accusing, hurting eyes, he’d felt it might all blow up in his face. He’d been prepared to take the chance but the cost of her saying ‘no’ was so high, the thought sent judders through him.

  The children smiled and waved the placards. A few chimed up, reading the question out loud, and others joined in, chuckling loudly.

  ‘Answer them, Visha,’ Zaheer said, his voice throaty. ‘Answer me. Will you marry me? Even though I’m sure I don’t deserve to be forgiven.’

  Her tear-streaked face made his eyes sting. If he’d had any remaining doubt he loved this woman it had vanished now. Her hurt made him feel ripped apart inside. He blinked away the moisture, but not before she caught the gesture.

  ‘Marry me,’ he insisted.

  ‘Oh, my darling, yes! Yes, yes…’ The rest was lost as she reached up to snake her arms around his neck, pulling him down for a kiss.

  * * *

  ‘I love you, Visha,’ Zaheer groaned a little later in her office, face buried in her hair. He lifted his head. ‘I always will. My secrets belong to you. They can’t be anyone else’s. They were emotional scars and they’ve only just begun to heal. I need you to make the journey, sweetheart. To teach me love.’ He looked down, holding her gaze every minute. ‘I used to feel the excitement when I took risks, but loving you is more potent than any thrill I’ve ever experienced.’

  ‘That’s the most romantic thing I’ve ever heard,’ Vishakha sighed, snuggling closer.

  ‘I’m not normally that kind of guy, sweetheart, but you inspire me.’ His eyes darkened. ‘Also in many other ways.’

  The admission thrilled her. She reached up and drew him down, letting him show her some of that inspiration. Moments later, slowly she drew back, flushed and starry-eyed. It took minutes to come back down to earth.

  ‘I’m sorry about your movie, Zaheer,’ she said as she remembered her concern for him.

  ‘These things happen.’ He shrugged it away. ‘I’d got too hung up about it. You asked me once why I felt the impulse to risk my neck. It was a constant need to prove myself. Facing all those demons square on made me realize I didn’t need to tussle with myself any more. I may do better in my career or not, but I don’t need to be always trying to push my limits.’ He smoothed the hair off her face. ‘Armaan misunderstood. Or rather Mia planted a suspicion in his mind that we were involved, but since he’s getting rid of her, having found out the truth, he called me to apologize. If the movie gets going again, he’s promised I’ll be a part of it. But, in the meantime, I have much to keep me busy.’

  ‘You have?’

  ‘Yeah, planning my wedding, for instance.’ He kissed her temple and she felt him smile as a breathy sigh escaped her lips. ‘And making love to my bride.’

  Vishakha felt heat suffuse her at his bold declaration.

  ‘Not so easy,’ she warned. ‘I’m still angry with you. You made me gain two pounds bingeing on cheese and chips trying to get over you.’

  ‘That’s OK. I love curvy women.’ He moved back to look at her. ‘But don’t talk of getting over me.’

  ‘I couldn’t. Ever.’

  ‘That suits me.’

  ‘I always knew you were a selfish man.’ She smacked a fist on his chest, smiling.

  ‘Extremely. Where you’re concerned.’ A lingering kiss later, he breathed, ‘I can’t believe I actually tried to drive you away.’

  ‘Why did you?’ Vishakha put space between them, some of the remembered hurt making her ask, ‘Was it so necessary? It wasn’t as if I was trying to sink my hooks into you.’

  ‘Would you believe I was frightened out of my wits?’ His mouth twisted wryly.

  ‘Am I that scary?’

  ‘Very. When you look at me with those doe eyes and make me wish I could spend my life drowning in them, yes, you are. For a man who had sworn never to be vulnerable to anyone, that was a punch in the solar plexus. So what could I do?’ He traced a line on her cheek. ‘Forgive me?’

  ‘Been there. Done that.’ Her breathless avowal set him smiling, and the sight of those attractive clefts in his cheeks made her pulse speed up.

  ‘Love me?’

  The husky query set her heart thumping. ‘The man who irritates the hell out of me, sees right through me. Drives me mad with passion?’ Her brows arched but, unable to hold back, her laugh broke free. ‘Yes!’ It became a litany on her lips as he bent to seal the avowal with a kiss to prove that at least one of her accusations was absolutely right.

  * * * * *

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  Growing up, Ruchi Vasudeva wanted to be a doctor or a writer with almost the same amount of enthusiasm. It seemed the writing ambition would win when she scored more in English than in any medical subjects in her first medical exams—the fallout from reading heaps of novels! However, she persevered and became a doctor. But she knew she wanted to write more than just prescriptions. Winning the Passions contest became a thrilling opportunity and a doorway to realizing her dream.

  She lives with her alpha-natured husband, patient in-laws and two mind-controlling teens! Juggling a medical career, writing and family life isn’t something she would recommend to anyone who wants peace and calm, but at the end of the day she finds it very fulfilling. She likes to take morning walks with her husband, watch cricket matches with her daughter, feed her perpetually hungry son and go for movie outings with family. She spends her “me” time listening to her favorite songs and social networking.

  She loves to write about spirited heroines getting hurtled out of their daily life as soon as they cross paths with their rather challenging heroes.

  Bollywood Fiancé for a Day is Ruchi Vasudeva’s debut title.