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Her confidence and determination challenge me, leaving me momentarily speechless.
“Why is this such a big deal, Meher?” I question, goading her a bit more.
“It is a big deal for me.” She steps closer, her voice insistent. “This is non-negotiable if I’m marrying you, Ayaan. My name is my identity, and I won’t compromise on that.”
A playful smile touches my lips as she continues.
“And if you have a problem with my surname, you shouldn’t have fallen in love with a Walia.”
I immediately clutch her arms, unable to hear any more.
“Calm down. I know how much this means to you. Meher Walia Shergill it is. Happy?”
A hint of a smile curves Meher’s lips. “Finally, the Queen now knows how to tame her King.”
I grin with pride. This is my feisty Meher, always keeping me on my toes. And she is getting good with her one-liners too, which she wanted to learn from me once. But I can’t let her win so easily, can I? I pull her closer, basking in the sensation of our bodies pressed tightly against each other.
“Taming this King is out of the question, but seducing him isn’t,” I whisper, my voice laced with desire. “There’s a difference between taming and seducing, Meher. I won’t mind you trying the latter, though. In fact, I am looking forward to it.”
I can feel the spark between us as she looks into my eyes. My desire for Meher is at an all-time high, and the tension between us is unbearable. I wonder if these trial rooms are soundproof, allowing us some privacy to let our passion loose. The thought of having her all to myself, whispering sweet nothings into her ear and exploring every inch of her body again is driving me crazy.
“Do you think these trial rooms are soundproof?” I ask her mischievously, trying my best to restrain myself from taking her right here.
I want to nibble her earlobe, run my hands down her back and raise her off her feet, taking her directly to one of the secluded trial rooms, but I resist…for now. Meher looks at me with both surprise and embarrassment. She’s trying to read my intentions, and her eyes widen with the realisation. I love to see her blush like this, making me want her even more.
“Hold your horses, Mr. Shergill. Control yourself and stay away from me until marriage,” she warns, lightly pushing me away and checking our surroundings to ensure no one heard our private interaction.
We notice Devika coming out of one of the trial rooms, looking for Meher. I reluctantly let her go, giving her the room to continue with her fitting.
*****************
Simran’s eyes light up as she takes in the appearance of the groom-to-be when I come out of the trial room.
“Wow, Ayaan. You look absolutely dashing in that sherwani,” Simran remarks gleefully. “The maroon embroidery work matches perfectly with Meher’s lehenga. You two are going to look beautiful together. A perfect couple.”
I thank her for designing these gorgeous outfits and give her my feedback on the fittings. She takes notes on everything to confirm the final fits, then asks me to change before racing back to Meher. As I change into my earlier clothes and step out of the trial room, I catch sight of Devika. She’s standing outside the women’s trial room where Meher is currently in. I walk over to her and greet her with a smile.
“Hey Devika, how are you doing? Congratulations on your pregnancy.”
Her eyes light up with warmth as she responds.
“Thank you, Ayaan. I’m doing well,” she replies with a sigh. “Just going through the usual ups and downs of pregnancy.”
I take a deep breath, ready to address something that has been on my mind since a long time.
“Devika, I want to apologise. I feel responsible for the rift between Aksh and you. Even though Aksh had his own motives, I was the one who provoked him to go ahead with his plans. And now, I feel accountable, seeing you both living separately when you should have been together, enjoying this new phase in your life.”
Her expression turns pensive, but she speaks softly, “You don’t need to carry that burden, Ayaan. In fact, I owe you an apology too. This misunderstanding between Meher and you were all my husband’s doing.”
I meet her eyes as I reply, “Misunderstandings arise when distrust and insecurities creep in. No one else can truly come between a couple except themselves. I am saying this from my own experience.”
She nods in agreement, understanding the depth behind those words.
“Also, I am sorry for not answering your calls and blocking your number after Meher’s return from Dalhousie. I know you were worried about Meher and wanted to contact her through me, but the situation was so tense at the time that I didn’t want to escalate it further. Please forgive me.”
“I already have,” I say with a prompt smile. “Anyone would have done the same if they were in your shoes. I understand. Family takes precedence over outsiders any day.”
“And today, that same outsider, ‘you’, is about to become an integral part of the Walia family,” she says warmly.
