Page 46 of That Same Old Love

“Fine I will. But you don’t have to go now. Let’s just—”

Before she could finish the sentence, Samrat grimaced in pain and quickly turned away from her. Opening the door, he walked out hurriedly in the rain and disappeared into his house.

She stood staring, feeling like an idiot who was still extremely aroused and left unsatisfied. At that instant she wanted to drag him back from his house to both choke him to death and also to kiss him senseless.

She shut the door and slowly walked towards her bedroom to lie down quietly. Once she felt her senses restore to a reasonable level, she sat up to think about what Samrat was proposing.

He wanted a fling.

It didn’t feel cheap or tawdry to her at all, and she felt it was long overdue. There was absolutely nothing wrong with what they wanted to do. It was between two available consenting adults who wanted the same thing. But like Samrat had warned, whether or not they can pull something like that in India with the current society’s mentality, she didn’t know. All she knew with absolute certainty was that she wanted him and craved him above anyone else.

* * *

That evening, Mahi had a conference call with her friends. She told them about what Samrat had proposed.

“Mahi, are you absolutely comfortable with that arrangement?” Smitha asked in a very matter of fact tone.

“Oh yeah. I want him badly. And this arrangement is perfect because there will be no promises or messy emotional attachments or anyone’s heart breaking. I really want to do this. But—”

“But what?” Jhanvi demanded.

Mahi exhaled a loud sigh. “One other issue I forgot to mention among my long list of issues. My body issue. Everything is chunkier than it used to be. I don’t have a super toned body. And then there are my stretch marks, cellulite, bulges… Yikes. I can’t take the disappointment in Samrat’s eyes when he sees me naked for the first time. Or should I say… if I everlethim see me naked.”

There was a pause and then, “Mahi, you are over thinking this. Men are not that picky when it comes to naked women. Especially Indian men,” said Jhanvi.

Everyone on the call giggled and chimed in a “True.”

“Well…if the choice is between feeling conscious of my body and not sleeping with Samrat… or taking a chance and showing him my imperfect body. Then I want to take the chance and be with him.”

Everyone on the phone cheered loudly.

“Pack a lot of condoms and practice safe sex,” suggested Smitha.

“I don’t know why, but I’m finding the whole thing so dreamy and romantic. You and Samrat finally together after eighteen years of mating dance,” giggled Parvathi.

Mahi shook her head at Parvathi’s thoughts. Parvathi had always been so romantic and found no bad in anyone oranything. She was labeled the only hot but good girl in their gang during their college days.

“Bang his brains out Mahi. Make us proud,” said Ashwini in her typical bold manner.

“Oh I will. I definitely will,” promised Mahi.

Later that night she sent a text to Samrat.

Mahi: I’ll stay with you in SF.

A minute later, she received a reply.

Samrat: Good. I will pick you up at seven in the morning from your house. We will talk terms and conditions of our deal on our way to the airport.

Mahi rolled her eyes with a grin and shook her head at Samrat’s choice of words. They made him seem like a very controlled, boring, and a rule following type of person.

Good thing I sampled him a little beforehand and liked what I saw.

She couldn’t wait for them to come together finally!

CHAPTER 14

Mahi woke up at six in the morning. The D-day was here and her stomach fluttered in anticipation.

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