Rule Breakers – Part 7

She laughed. “I know you better than that. Responsibility is one thing—but bringing a girl to me? Hmm… bells are ringing somewhere.”

“Bells ringing and Maan Khurana?” he scoffed. “You know me better than that.”
Then, after a pause, he added softly, “But I won’t deny—she’s… different. Still, this is an old family affair. Dad would kill me if I crossed lines. Too many complications already in my life, can not afford any further.”

Suzan chuckled. “Rules and Maan—now that I want to see. Anyway, don’t think so far ahead. Enjoy the moment. Come—I’ll show you my most exclusive pieces. Just in case you want something special for her.”

Maan smiled, shrugged, and winked.
“Why not? Let’s enjoy the moment.”

#######

Geet was trying on a few outfits. She was struggling with the zip. After trying for a while, she tried to call a lady assistant there. As she opened the door, she was met with Maan, who had just arrived and was already in motion.

“Wooohooo…. Girl, watch out,” he said, stabilizing himself.

““Why are you here?” she demanded, but she noticed him checking her out.

“Excuse me,” she tried to get his attention.

“You’re smoking hot in these outfits as well,” he said casually.

“What?” No one had dared to talk to her like this. 

“Why? Do you want me to take the compliment back?” she heard him asking back.

“I was looking for the assistant here. Not expecting you”

He gave her a cheeky smile. “She was called, so I took the position,” he lied. He had sent her away because he had to talk to her.

“Of a female dress assistant?” Geet taunted.

“Why, I can’t. Don’t be gender biased. We boys will be out of jobs this way,” he made a puppy face.

Geet was sure now – he knew all the ways to flirt with girls. Why not? Maybe that is all that he knows with the free money around him.

“Listen,” Geet pointed her index finger at his face. He smiled and wrapped her finger in his, taking it slowly down. With his touch, Geet realized her dress was not properly zipped.

“Listen and calm down. Get that dress off.”

“What???”  she asked, confused. Maan mentally hit his head.

“I mean, I have a dress for you. Try that out.”

“Why?”

“Because I think it is the one just made for you,” he said, a dangerously sexy smile spreading across his well-defined face.

Geet’s heart always behaved strangely around him. Now he was asking her to try on a dress in a flirty manner. It was her heart, not a stone.

“Okay, I will give it a try. Let’s see how your taste is.”

“I have the taste for the best— for perfect,” he said, giving her a look.

“Don’t flirt with me,” she shook her head, but took the dress from him

The dress was stunningly beautiful, but she could tell it was one of the most expensive pieces—just look at the material and the craftsmanship. Upon trying it on, she felt as if it had been made just for her. Wait… what? That thought sounded familiar. Why was she repeating his words?

“Are you done admiring yourself in my choice?” His voice came from outside, breaking her thoughts.

“Can you send someone? I’m having a little trouble zipping it up,” she replied.

“Geet, no one’s here. I can help you. Trust me, I’m not that cheap.”

Geet opened the door and turned her back to him. It was just a few inches at the top that she couldn’t pull together.

Maan glanced at Geet through the mirror from behind, and their eyes met. Geet, who was usually shy around boys, felt her cheeks flush crimson red. The intensity of his gaze made her lips quiver.

As promised, Maan refrained from looking at the open part of her back. However, when his fingers brushed against her skin to hold the zipper, the final lingering touch of his cold, long, sleek fingers left a clear message about his feelings—it was undeniably desirable.

“Um… all done?” Geet said, trying to break the heat building between them.

“Hmmm…” Maan replied, slowly removing his hand and folding his fingers.

Geet stepped out of the fitting room, but before she could move forward, Maan pushed her gently against the wall, his hands framing her.

“Suzzie has a box of accessories that will go perfectly with this dress. I selected them,” he said confidently.

“And what makes you think I should wear the dress you picked out, topped with accessories you chose?” she challenged, her eyes locked onto his. Her voice was low, and the slight tremor in her fast-paced heartbeat was audible.

Maan stepped back, removing his hands from her sides to create some distance.

“Take them. You can wear something else if you prefer,” he replied, issuing an open challenge that Geet couldn’t resist. Deep down, she knew she was likely to lose this bet.

####

After dropping her off at home, Maan disappeared. Geet wondered where he had suddenly gone, but it seemed that no one else in the house was surprised by his absence.

When she casually asked Vicky about it, he laughed. “His appearance is a surprise for us. He tends to show up unexpectedly, but no one knows when he’ll come back or for how long,” he shrugged.

“Leaving this grand palace and his family to stay somewhere else? Why would anyone do that?” Geet questioned.

“This is London, not India, my dear. He’s a twenty-eight-year-old adult, free to live his own life. He’s a busy man.”

Geet decided not to press the issue further. Why should she care? It was probably for the best that he wasn’t around to bother her.

Even Geet knew that was not true; her mind was unable to move past thoughts of him. But why? She had only spent a day with him. Yet her heart understood that somehow, that one day had changed her. No matter how hard she tried to convince her heart that he was just a pompous man with no real value, she couldn’t deny that he had pulled at a string in her heart that no one else ever had or likely ever will, all within such a short span of time..

In the evening, after he had dropped her off, she locked herself in her room, threw herself in bed, pulled the pillow close to her heart, and lost herself in reminiscing about her day.

First, when her eyes went to the swimming pool, even without getting a full glimpse of him, then their first meeting in the kitchen – Damn, that had completely shaken her core. It was not just the physique; it was much more than that. The rawness and confidence that he carried, his teasing side-loop smile. And how his slight brushing on her had burned her.

Then their interaction in his room – uff.. they had been so close when she had been trapped between his strong arms, raw, wet torso in front of her eyes, water droplets on his face, falling from his wet hair, and the intoxicating fragrance. How her heart felt like jumping out of its place, completely shaken.

Geet took a pause from her thoughts, sat up, resting her back on the headboard, crisscrossing her legs, and grabbing the same pillow in her lap. She let herself be in that bedroom scene for a while before moving further in the day.

Later, it was announced that he would be in charge of her security. Of course, there had been irritation with that knowledge. First, she didn’t believe he was responsible enough to handle the task, and second, he was dangerous. She feared slipping around him.

And then all the later part of the day, where he surprisingly took her to Suzan Martin and then finally selected a dress for her, which she could not deny, and topped it by challenging her to wear the accessories of his choice.

Her eyes went to the table where the packages of dresses and accessories were placed carefully by her.

It was just one day, but whatever they shared felt significant and had moved her deeply. However, it was all risky given her situation. He was a Khurana boy, and she didn’t have the luxury of falling for him. Her mom and dad had trusted her and sent her here for her safety, not to get involved with any of the wealthy boys around. She couldn’t afford to let them down.

And all this may be a Playboy flirty thing for him. It can just be his way to turn his responsibility into some fun time. But the day’s event with him has affected her.

Geet knew she had to maintain her distance. She didn’t fear him anymore; instead, she felt confident that things could get messy if she got too close. For a flirt like him, it might not matter, and he might not even realize there was something significant at stake. However, she had never experienced this level of attraction before. Therefore, she needed to be extremely careful around him and keep her distance, or she risked ruining her parents’ trust and reputation..

Okay – she will take care. She confirmed herself. But today, just this one day, she can leave all this worry and feel those moments.

Geet’s eyes went on the packages. She was sure she would be wearing those. She was already excited to see his reaction.

No-no, she won’t be indulging further. But this one time she wanted to see his reaction.

#####

A week had passed. Dev was kept busy with work while Vicky was often out. The new session would begin in a week, and he and his friends planned to use this time for some activities and partying. However, he also made sure to spend time with Geet, showing her around the town. It was easy to connect with Vicky—there were no complications. They became good friends.

Geet was spending time with her new family here, becoming their darling with minimalistic efforts. They were just happy that she was in their family.

“Ghar ki raunak hi kuch aur hai tere hone se” Raj uncle said. She didn’t know what special she was doing for them to feel so. But if she was making them feel so special, why were her parents always troubled by her and sending her so far away from them?

Well, she missed them. It’s not that she was not liking it here, but it was all sudden for her. The luxury, care, and comfort were immense. Warmth and love were there, and these were the main factors that were making her comfortable in this otherwise alien world. But it will take her time to feel home here.

It was not them but her. Sandhya and Gauri aunty were just like mothers. Uncles were extremely loving and caring, and Dadima was so much fun to talk with. She had her jokes, teases, and talks of old times. She was the one who told stories of how Mohinder and Raj were besties in Hoshiarpur and partners in crime. And how they used Sukhi as their assistant. Poor boy did it all to be felt included. She laughed. Her Taya ji, Vijendra, was an obedient son as well as a good elder brother.

The stories had just begun, and Dadima was all set to share more in the coming days. Vicky and Geet also participated in various cohort sessions, general counseling, and program guides that were part of the school curriculum before the session started.

During this time, Geet noticed that Maan had been completely absent from home. She had been hoping to catch a glimpse of him during his visits. Did he not feel the same urge? She wondered. Perhaps not; otherwise, he would have found some excuse to visit. To her, it seemed like his behavior was just a playboy’s casual flirtation—simply playing around with the girl he was obligated to take care of.

No one seemed to expect his visits. They would occasionally talk about him, expressing concern and wishing he would spend more time at home. But they were accustomed to his lifestyle. They just hoped that things would improve over time, especially with his impending marriage.

The mention of marriage caused a tightness in her heart. She knew she was very far from that reality—almost impossibly so. Why would she even be remotely interested in the matter? He was a playboy, living a mysterious life, free of responsibilities, and only concerned with spending money while others worked hard to earn it.

Yet, every time the topic of marriage surfaced, she found herself battling the butterflies that began to flutter in her belly.

####

 Tomorrow is the grand event organized to introduce her to the young club of their society. She found out that Maan was responsible for taking her there. Since this is a highly anticipated occasion, security measures are crucial. This realization sent shivers down her spine. The entire week felt like an era.

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