Love is in the air

 

‘Alia, what are you doing tonight. Let us go for a dinner. You, me and Somi.’ I said.

Alia accepted the invitation but Somi dropped out because she had an online meeting with an international client scheduled in the late evening.

Alia came dressed in a nice pink gown. Though she was not back to normal, it was evident that she was at least making an effort to move on.

‘Isn’t Somi mam there?’ She asked as she took her seat. I told her the reason for Somi’s absence. She didn’t probe any further. Both of us had a quiet dinner with soft instrumental music playing in the background.

‘I love this music.’ Alia said with a smile. I was glad that I was able to make some difference to her life.

That day the ice between us was broken and the wall of formality too. Slowly, we started becoming friends.  We would go out for lunch and dinner, catch a movie in the weekends. Sometimes Somi would join us too.

‘Sir, please don’t mind but…’ Alia said and took a long pause.

‘Come on Alia, speak. You don’t have to be so formal.’ I said.

‘Sir, please don’t misunderstand me, but ….I don’t like all these.’ She said.

I was taken aback. I had been a thorough gentleman and had never done anything that would make Alia uncomfortable.

‘Sir, what I mean is that these expensive restaurants, posh multiplexes. Given a chance, I would like to spend some time in natural environment.’ Then again, she took a long pause and said, ‘with you…’

I don’t know if my mind was making up things, but I could clearly discern the sensuousness in the words with you. That was when I observed her again. Her deep blue eyes were beautiful with a tinge of sorrow in them. Her skin pink and radiant. Standing tall at five feet four inches, her perfect form would put sculptures of Ellora to shame. She sighed and her bosom jerked a bit. That was for the first time I felt that I was looking at Alia like a man looking at a woman and not a coworker looking at another.

The next Sunday morning we went on a long drive.

‘Sir, where are we going?’ Alia asked.

‘Haven’t we decided  that there shall be no Sir business. Only Tarun.’

‘Okay Sir. I mean Tarun. But where are we headed to?’

‘Haven’t you heard something called surprise?’

Alia cast her eyes down and smiled.

We drove across the winding road with lovely green paddy fields that dotted on both sides for company. Alia opened the window. The gentle balmy breeze ruffled her hair and kissed her cheeks.

‘I wish I were as lucky as it.’ I murmured.

‘See, you can inhale the scent of basmati. This is wonderful Tarun. Thank you,’ she said and gently placed her hand on mine. Alia said.

After half an hour, my car left the tar road and took a detour through a mud path. The gravelly path soon dissolved into a patchy brown ground that looked like extending up to the horizon.

‘Which way are we to take?” Alia asked.

I laughed and said, ‘Whichever way we feel like going for there is no way at all. The entire ground is a way.’

The car engine grumbled but succeeded in taking us above the steep ascent.

‘Here are we’, I said and turned off the ignition.Not a soul was to be seen in the vicinity. We were on a table land. Unlike others, this table land was not known to all and hence had preserved its pristine beauty. We got out of the car. The wind also seemed to have fallen in love with Alia’s lustrous hair. It caressed her and played with her. Alia held my hand and we walked through the expanse of table land admiring the breath taking views of the valley, beauty of the bright yellow the wild flowers and the warmth of each other’s company.

‘Close your eyes,’ I told Alia.

She closed her eyes. At that point I wanted to plant a peck on her cheek, but I controlled my desire. Holding her by her hand I escorted her a little further.

‘Can I open them now?’ She asked.

‘Not yet. A few steps more.’ I said.

Once we had reached the edge of plateau, I asked her to open her eyes. She opened her eyes. Her mouth was left gaping open by the spectacle unfolding in front of her eyes.

‘Its…’ The words were lost in her mouth on seeing the spectacular cascade of glittering water dropping into the ravine.

We stood there admiring the waterfall for some time.

‘Is there any chance, we can step into the pool of water below?’ Alia asked

‘Your wish, my command,’ I said.

We meandered through the graceful twists and turns on shoulders of the mountain flanked by karwand and ber trees, interspersed with tall wild grass admiring the beauty, grace and serenity that it offered.

We  ripped off our clothes and stepped into the crystal clear blue waters of the pool holding each other’s hands. Alia’s gaze alternated between the waterfall and the colourful stones that lay in the pool. My eyes were fixed on her all the time.

Resting against a rock, we sat in the pool splashing water on each other. At one slippery moment, I held her in a warm embrace. She didn’t resist. Our eyes met each other and conveyed that the desire burning inside the wet bodies was reciprocal. I moved my finger across her moist lips. She let out a sigh. I planted my lips on her and we lost into ecstasy.  The youth of a woman is contagious. It sets on fire  the loins of a man, and makes him younger again. 

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