Take a Chance on Me Read online

  His personal life had seen a multitude of beautiful women entering and leaving. He had no steady girlfriend that she had heard of in recent times. His last being a top Indian model, one he apparently dumped when she started hinting of marriage. Yes, Sheena had kept them entertained often enough by talking about him. Being extremely good looking and very rich, he was bound to get a lot of attention from women. But there was no woman who had held his attention long enough to make him think of settling down.

  The ringing of her cell phone pulled her out of her reverie. She excused herself and walked forward away from the chatting group and answered.

  “Hello,” Keya said.

  “Keya, sweetie, where have you been?” It was Sheena.

  Keya smiled fondly.

  “Sheena, how are you? I just returned from Vienna last night and today was this big management meeting. Now I am at this business dinner.”

  “Hey my big brother must have been there?” Sheena asked referring to Kabier.

  “Oh yeah! And I was quite shocked to see him!”

  “Yeah, I can imagine. It’s been years since you met him. Anyway, where are you now?”

  Keya told her.

  “Raashi is with me and we’re coming to pick you up. We are just a few blocks away and with Raashi driving I’d say ten minutes max,” Sheena said.

  “Sheena!!! That’s not possible. Didn’t you hear what I just said? I am at a business dinner. I was already late for the meeting. I can’t possibly miss the dinner now.”

  “Hang on, I am putting you on speaker. Raashi try and talk some sense into her please.”

  “Hello darling, come out with us tonight. I want to hear all about your time in Vienna,” Raashi drawled.

  “Hey Raashi!! Today is impossible. My boss will kill me.”

  “Keya, your boss reports to Janak and remember, you are one of Janak’s angels! No one can touch you as long as he is around. So get out there and pull some rank girl!!”

  Keya smiled and walked forward. Keya, Raashi and Sheena – Janak’s angels. He had given them this nickname so long ago. All three of them were close to Janak. Neither of them had a father and he had played the role of a father figure to each of them for so long. The three of them confided in him, and took his advice and suggestions seriously. He was always there for them. Though he called them his angels, in reality, he was theirs.

  “Keeeeeeeya are you there?” Raashi yelled down the phone.

  “Yes, I am here. At least tell me what the rush is about.” Keya realized that she had walked quite a distance further from the party and from where she was standing she was completely hidden by the palms.

  “I don’t know, Sheena is the one with some news and she says she’ll tell us when we are together. Sheena come on! What’s up?” Raashi asked in the background.

  “Well, I wanted to wait till Keya was with us, but since Keya is acting all pricey, I’ll tell you my news, now. Perhaps that will convince her to come.” Sheena paused, adding the desired effect and said, “Rajiv, proposed to me last night, and I accepted.”

  “Oh my God, that is awesome!!” Keya said

  “Super! This is the best news ever,” said Raashi.

  “Sheena, you have made my day girl! Oh, I can’t wait to meet you two. This is so exciting. When is the Big Day?”

  “Hang on Keya, there is, one slight problem, Kabier doesn’t know yet and Rajiv still has to meet him to formally take his permission.”

  “Yes, but what’s the problem, doesn’t Kabier know that you two are seeing one another?” Keya asked her.

  “He does,” Sheena said slowly. “But he doesn’t know it’s this serious. He considers Rajiv to be a rich playboy. In fact, Kabier has been warning me against certain heartbreak, if I went in too deep with Rajiv. So I am a bit worried.”

  “Have you told Janak?” Keya asked.

  “I told him and mom yesterday. They are thrilled with me being so happy. But you know I can’t do anything till Kabier approves. Frankly, I think he is going to throw a fit. And both Rajiv and Kabier are so important to me,” Sheena said in a low voice.

  “Don’t worry Sheena, Kabier will come around. Rajiv is a darling and it’s so obvious to everyone that he loves you very much. And the playboy lifestyle he had, has been a thing of the past since he fell for you. I am sure Kabier will accept him and if he doesn’t I will make it a personal quest to convince Kabier to accept.”

  “Convince Kabier to accept what?”

  Keya whirled around, shocked to see Kabier standing right behind her and looking at her accusingly.

  “I have to go. Call me when you get here,” Keya said into the phone and switched off.

  “You haven’t answered my question, Keya. What are you going to convince me of?”

  “Nothing, what are you doing here anyway?” Keya replied, trying to change the subject.

  But he wouldn’t budge.

  “Don’t brush me off, answer me,” Kabier said getting angry.

  Keya decided honesty was the best way forward. “I was on the phone with Sheena and she has some news to give you.” Keya sighed. “That’s all I can say at the moment.”

  “I don’t like this. Does this have something to do with my sister and that playboy boyfriend of hers?” He asked pointedly. Keya was surprised at his astuteness. She just stared blankly back at him.

  He shook his head angrily. “Looking at your expression, I guess that I was bang on target. In any case, I have let this doomed relationship continue for far too long. So, let’s get to the point. What crazy scheme has my sister hatched that she has enlisted your support to convince me of? Tell me. I insist.”

  Kabier couldn’t believe this. He had been worried over Sheena’s increasing closeness to Rajiv Mehra ever since he had heard that they had become an item. But he had let it be thinking that it would fizzle out. Sheena had never been serious about any of the guys she’d dated in the past, so he hadn’t given this relationship another thought. But instead of that, he had seen Sheena getting more and more involved with this rich, playboy shipping magnate. He had tried to warn Sheena on several occasions in the past, about his dislike of the situation; but in her usual affable manner she had always brushed him off.

  In the past few days, however, he had sensed that something was up. Sheena was more on edge than usual and since yesterday she was like a contented cat that had got all the cream. He wondered what Sheena was up to and he also knew that her two friends would support her in any of her crazy schemes.

  Keya looked at Kabier in disbelief.

  Was this guy for real, Keya thought? Insist indeed!! She was not going to budge an inch. This was Sheena’s news and no way was she telling him anything.

  “Well you can insist all you like, but I choose not to tell you anything and that’s the way it stays. This is not my news to give you and you’ll know when it’s time for you to know,” she said haughtily and started to walk away.

  Now, he was convinced that something serious was afoot. Despite his having guessed that the conversation was about his sister and her boyfriend, Keya was refusing to tell him what was actually going on. His emotions were already running high since morning, ever since he had heard the report of the investigative agency and realized that Keya was in a position to cause serious damage to not only his company but to his grandfather and sister as well. People like her didn’t give any importance to friendships or relationships if they came in the way of their own personal agenda.

  Besides, who the hell did Keya think she was? She actually had the audacity to simply walk away from him without giving him the explanation he desired! She might have gotten her way and been able to get around things till now, because of her relationship with his grandfather. But he was in charge now. Not one of his employees had ever behaved in this manner. He hated evasiveness. If he asked a question, he wanted it answered.

  This situation was going to be no different he thought. He caught her elbow as she started walking away and whipped her around. The sudden motion caused her to stumble but before she could fall, he had held her waist and pulled her forwards. A confused expression clouded her eyes. He blinked and realized that for the second time today she was in his arms. His face was bent towards hers, his lips mere inches away from hers. He just had to angle his head a little and he would be kissing her.

  God help him! He actually wanted to kiss her he realized with a shock.

  Kabier was going to kiss her! This realization hit Keya the instant she was in his arms, with her hands against his chest and her face looking up into his. She saw it in his eyes, the desire that had flared up in their honeyed depths. Her mind told her that she ought to stop him before the kiss became a reality. But her body had stopped responding to her mind the moment he had hauled her against him. His hands were moving from her waist to her back, bringing her closer to him and every inch of her body under his hands was on fire.

  Oh God! She wanted him to kiss her.

  Kabier pressed his lips to Keya’s and was lost. Initially, she was too shocked to respond. But he kept brushing his lips against hers; slowly increasing the pressure of his lips, coaxing her to respond and in the next moment she was returning his kiss with an ardor that both surprised him and enticed him further. He ravished her lips, elated that she was responding. She let out a soft sigh and that small invitation was all he needed to thrust his tongue inside and capture her lush mouth.

  She tasted like chocolate. Sweet, molten and hot and he couldn’t get enough of her.

  His hands were moving of their own accord now. One hand was resting against her nape angling her head to give him better access to her mouth and the other hand was on her back pushing her closer to him.

  Keya couldn’t believe that Kabier was kissing her. She had never been kiss
ed so thoroughly ever before and she didn’t want it to stop. Her mind stopped thinking and simply reveled in the sensations. She was melting in his arms, pushing herself against him to experience these newly awakened feelings. She kissed him back with an intensity she never knew she possessed. A sane corner of her mind was warning her that things were getting out of hand, but Keya pushed that thought to the back of her mind.

  A phone rang. Once and then again, demanding attention. They jumped apart and stared at each other, shocked. Kabier looked at the phone ringing in Keya’s hand. “Guess you should answer that,” he said and quickly walked away.

  “Hello,” Keya said in an unsteady voice.

  “Keya, we’re outside,” Raashi said.

  “Ya, um, yes, um,” Keya mumbled. She was numb and couldn’t think straight.

  “Keya, are you alright?” Raashi asked sounding worried.

  “I am fine. I’m coming in a minute. Just have to say my goodbyes.”

  “OK we are waiting,” Raashi said and disconnected the call.

  What had just happened? Keya thought, stunned. She had not only let Kabier kiss her, but she had kissed him back with a passion completely unlike her. She had very little experience with men, staying away from any sort of physical or emotional entanglement with them, using her mother as an example of a broken heart. But today she hadn’t thought twice when she had reacted to Kabier. This was a big mistake. One she was surely going to regret.

  She returned to the party and excused herself on the pretext of being jet lagged and needing more sleep. She walked towards Janak, who was standing with Kabier and he said, “Where were you? I had sent Kabier to look for you.”

  “Well he found me,” Keya said, stealing a glance at Kabier who was shooting daggers with his eyes at her. Well he could be as angry as he wanted. She was equally angry with him.

  “You OK? You look exhausted,” Janak told her looking at her flushed face.

  “Tired, need to sleep, that’s all,” she replied.

  Ignoring Kabier staring at her, she spoke to Janak. “Uh, Janak, could I have a word with you?” Before he could reply she took his arm and was steering him towards the exit where Sheena and Raashi were waiting for her.

  “What’s up Keya?” he asked.

  “Sheena and Raashi are waiting out for me and we are going out to celebrate tonight.”

  “So Sheena has announced her news to you two.” Janak commented smiling at her.

  “I am so thrilled. Can you believe, Janak, one of us is actually going to get married?”

  “Yes dear, I want to see Raashi and you also as happy as Sheena and soon. I am getting old now and I want to see you happily married before…”

  “Stop it Janak, you have years to live and as for me, I doubt I’ll ever be as lucky as Sheena,” Keya said interrupting him.

  Janak stopped walking and looked at her. He lifted her chin with his hand and bent down to look into her face.

  “Keya, you cannot forever live in fear that what happened to your mother will be repeated with you some day. You have to give love a chance and learn to trust again. And besides I’m sure there is a guy out there just waiting to sweep you off your feet,” he told her in a warm voice.

  Keya just smiled back at him and started walking out. Janak, understanding her fears, put his arm around her and gave her shoulders a slight squeeze.

  Kabier saw what had transpired between Keya and his grandfather and he was extremely angry. But, more than that Kabier was mostly angry with himself. He couldn’t believe that he had acted so impulsively with Keya. She was involved with his grandfather for heaven’s sake! Besides, how could he possibly be attracted to her? He just could not!! But his body reminded him otherwise. He was still trying to control his body’s intense and immediate reaction to her, when she had pressed herself against him and wildly kissed him back.

  He normally dated stunningly beautiful and sophisticated women looking for a good time and that’s only ever what he promised them. Keya was nothing like them. She sure was good looking, but not in the drop dead way that he preferred his women. So what in the world was he thinking when he had kissed her.

  She was dangerous. He had to be more careful where she was concerned. In just two encounters he was reacting to her like a school boy on his first crush. He couldn’t and wouldn’t fall into the same web she had woven around his grandfather.

  Kabier walked forward in the direction he had seen Keya taking his grandfather.

  Keya broke into a wide grin when she saw Sheena and Raashi waiting outside. On seeing her, the girls gave a squeal of delight and came forward. Immediately they were all hugging and laughing and talking at the same time. Janak stood back and quietly watched their loud display of affection and his heart swelled with joy for a friendship so rare to find in today’s fast moving world.

  They were really lovely he thought. Each one of them was different and special in their own way.

  “Now now, girls, we are at a public place, you mind being a little quieter,” he said laughingly. Sheena and Raashi stepped forward to hug him and they resumed their conversation with even more gusto.

  Kabier walked out to find the four of them laughing and talking excitedly. On sensing his arrival, the four of them lapsed into silence.

  Immediately he sensed that he had intruded on something.

  Sheena was the one who broke the silence. “Hey big brother, come here and give me a hug.” Kabier came forward and hugged Sheena, his eyes on Keya.

  Keya completely ignored him and stared straight ahead. Raashi immediately sensed the tension between them and looked from one to the other in surprise.

  Kabier acknowledged Raashi with a nod of his head and then addressed Sheena. “So what are you doing here?”

  “The three of us are going out for a bit,” Sheena said.

  “Well not another late night Sheena, this last week you’ve been late home every single night,” Kabier remarked with raised eyebrows, knowing very well that she had been out with Rajiv every night the entire week.

  “Come on Kabier, I am twenty seven not seven. I know how to look after myself,” Sheena retorted.

  “In any case, I want you home early today, we need to talk.”

  Sheena made a face and accepted grudgingly.

  Looking at Janak, he said, “It’s getting late grandfather, we need to get a start on dinner.”

  “Yes, let’s go,” Janak said. Turning to Keya he said, “Give me your keys and I’ll have your car dropped home.”

  She handed Janak her keys, murmured a quick thanks and not so much as a glance at Kabier, Keya got into the back seat of the car and the girls took off.

  The moment the car pulled out of the hotel, Sheena commented, “Wasn’t he positively medieval back there?” referring to her conversation with her brother.

  “Well since he doesn’t approve of your relationship with Rajiv, I guess he’s bound to be protective of you,” Raashi said logically.

  “Actually, he walked in on me, when I was talking to you two, so he heard the last part when I said I would convince him to agree,” Keya told them.

  Sheena her eyes wide as saucers said, “Keya, please don’t tell me he bulldozed you into telling him, because he’ll kill me for not telling him directly.”

  “No, Sheena, I am not so easily bulldozed. But he does suspect that something is up regarding Rajiv and you,” Keya said with a wry smile.

  “Assuming Kabier gives his blessings, have you decided where you want the wedding? What you would like to wear?” Raashi continued changing the subject.

  Keya heard the two of them chatter on, but her mind was elsewhere. She was wondering how she would face Kabier in the office over the next few days. It was going to be so embarrassing. Oh! Why couldn’t she have prevented what had happened? Back outside the hotel, Kabier had looked at her as if it was all her fault.