When Sonakshi's eyes fluttered open the next morning, she found herself awaking with a throbbing headache, curled in Dev's arms. Her forehead rested against his chest, her knees pressed lightly into his stomach. But she hadn't realized she was sleeping in his room, in his bed, in his t-shirt.

When her eyes opened completely she found her face looking at his bare chest. Her eyes closed again, last night came back in blurry memories. The vine, the kiss. She took a hand to her hair and rushed the thoughts trying to recollect. Then she turned and opened her eyes again. The room was dark because the curtains were still drawn, she realized she wasn't in her room now. She pressed her hand to her throat trying to sooth down the dry, burning throat.

Then her hand met the cotton of his shirt. As far as she remembered the night suit she had worn last night was a squared neck and slightly deep. Her hands trailed down her stomach to her thighs, when she realized she was dressed only in his shirt.

What had happened last night? She couldn't remember a single thing after he'd kissed her.

She turned again to look at Dev, when she moved, got closer to him, his arms went around her.

Then everything hit her. She'd...slept with him? No, that wasn't the right way to put it. It sounded so awful and so one-night-Standish to her.

He'd made love with her? No, that wasn't it either. She couldn't remembered a single detail. Then she wondered if he did?

She wanted to wake him up and ask him, question him. She'd meant it when she said about her alcohol tolerance level. He should have taken her seriously. But if something did happen, then what?

Nothing, she supposed. She was his wife, they were married. She shouldn't be ashamed. She would let him sleep, she decided slipping out of his bed. She grabbed her night suit that was on the floor and then left to take a shower.

She was smiling constantly. Would he tell her they were in love now and they could live their life like every other married couple. Plan to have kids?

She stepped out of the steamy shower and wrapped herself in a bathrobe. Then like every other morning, after getting dressed she went into the kitchen to make breakfast. She stopped at the door, running a hand thought her hair, when she saw Dev helping himself with a cup of coffee. He'd taken a shower and was dressed in a dark blue shirt paired with black trousers.

She smiled, but they both knew it was an uneasy one. She thought she saw embarrassment in his eyes for a second, and shame the next. But she brushed the thoughts off of her and walked into the kitchen.

Without a word she opened the fridge and took the eggs out, that's when he took her hand and turned her around. She looked at him nervously. He bit his lip.

"I'm sorry," he said in a low voice. "I'm so, so sorry for what happened last night. I don't know what got into me. I- I will never be able to forgive myself Sonakshi. Never." He sounded sorry and sad and ashamed. "Please forgive me."

She simply blinked. He was holding her hands tightly, nervously. She didn't know what to say. Say, I forgive you because I was my fault as much as it was yours? Or say that I don't think I have the right to forgive you because I don't remember what happened last night. How it happened, but it happened?

"Please say something Sonakshi. You can't be quiet now, or I'll never be able to look at myself again."

She cleared her throat. "It's not your fault Dev." She said in a low tone, holding his hands back now. 'I shouldn't have had the wine, I should have been able to stop you and myself." She sounded like that doll he's always seen in her. The perfect doll who wouldn't let anyone know she was hurt when she was.

"I'm sorry." He said again, hugging her this time, but finding her stiff, leaving her instantly.

"Why don't you go change until I make breakfast?"

"No." He shook his head. Then looked at her again, carefully. "I hate myself." He whispered lowering his head. "I've never given you any happiness since the day we've been married. I don't know what I'll tell mom."

She smiled, he cared for her at least. Leaving his hands she framed his face, lifted it, then pressed a kissed to his forehead. "Yesterday, the entire day, as much as I can remember it," she smiled looking at him. Her eyes were just as soft as her voice. And, as warm as her smile. "Was the best day of my life. Forget about it. We can't change it, but we can make sure it doesn't happen again."

He nodded. "Don't bother with breakfast. But I want you to come to office with me, is that possible?" He smiled finally. "You can keep an eye on Shanaya and I."

She wrinkled her nose. "Should I be suspecting you, Dev?" Her hands rested in his arms now, he knew they were there. But he pretended to ignore.

"Maybe you should come along and find out. Do you mind getting my clothes out, like everyday? I've missed that in the past week."

"I can. Why don't you make me a cup of coffee till then? It'll help my throbbing head."

"Of course!"

"I'll see you upstairs." With another quick, small smile she left.

When Dev came upstairs to his room his clothes were on his bed, which Sonakshi had already made. He frowned, he didn't tell her to make his bed.

When she turned from the closet and saw Dev, she smiled and took the cup. "Thank you. Shanaya called on your phone a little while back, she said it's urgent."

"Hmm, let's see." He picked up his phone and called her.

"Shanaya you called?" Sonakshi sat down on the sofa beside him, massaging his temple, Dev noticed. "Oh, do I have to?" Another pause. "How long?" Dev groaned now, "fine. Bye."

"What happened?" She took her hand back and looked at him.

"I have to go to New York."

"Oh!" She smiled, or tried to smile. "How long?"

"Six days," now her smile was gone. "I'm sorry." He placed a hand on her shoulder. "It's some legal matter with the stores there and it'll take a few days. I'll try to be back before the week ends."

"It's okay Dev." She took a sip of her coffee. "I'll pack for you and you go change. And, stop feeling guilty, it's your job."

"Yeah." Confused he stood up and walked into the bathroom. "By the way." He turned around at the door. "Did you find your ring?"

"Yes." She smiled. "I left it on my dresser yesterday."

"Ok, where is it now?"

"On the dresser. Why?"

"Just asking." He smiled and left into the bathroom.

**************************

"You'll go to the office everyday until I get back." Dev ordered in front of his car.

Sonakshi sighed, "Bye Dev."

He frowned looking at her. "You're suppose to say...bye Dev. Have a good trip, miss me and call me. Not, bye Dev! Go to hell or heaven I don't care about you."

She bit her lip to stop the grin, then looked at him. "Bye Dev. Have a good trip, but don't miss me or bother to call. Okay?"

He growled and rolled his eyes. "Well missing you isn't in my hands, more like my mind." He lifted a shoulder. "If anything goes wrong at the office ask Shanaya. You have my number, don't stress yourself over pointless things. What else..." he thought. "Pamper yourself a little. You don't have to get to the office right on time."

"Do I have to even go? I never went before."

"Yes you have to go. Just a few hours everyday. Please."

"Alright. Now you should leave or you'll miss your flight." She brushed her hand over his coat to dust the small amount of lint away.

"I will miss you, I'm sure of that." His arms went around her waist and she looked at him. "Sonakshi I think-" ...I'm falling in love with you.

He stopped, Sonakshi waited a second for him to continue. When he didn't she asked, "you think?"

"Nothing, I have your ring." He reached into his pocket and slipped the ring into the fourth finger of her left hand.

"I could have worn it myself." She looked at it with a smiled and then at him.

"I just felt like putting it on myself. Take care." He pressed a kiss to her forehead and then left her. "Bye."

"Bye." She wanted to hold and tell him that she would miss him so much more this time than she had before in her life. She waited until his luggage was put in the car, then he turned to her again.

"If you need money-"

"I know!" She laughed and hugged him now. "We've been through that so many times." Absently she pressed a kiss to his chest. "Now go."

"I'm taking you with me next time."

"Next time," she grinned. "Go."

"Gosh, you sure you don't see your boyfriend behind my back?"

She giggled like a teenage girl now, "You got me!"

"Ok no more. Bye." He kissed her cheek and opened the door and sat down behind the wheel. She watched him drive away and when he left turned to go back into the house.

**********

Dev had made sure the office knew that Sonakshi was his wife before he left through Shanaya and a letter in everyone's box. The day after Dev left, when she got to the office, she was greeted with flowers and gifts. The experience was overwhelming.

But when minutes later she sat in her husbands chair she found herself confused. She was here, but what was she suppose to do?

Now three days later, she sat on Dev's chair staring at her empty e-mail account. Not that she was expecting an e-mail from Dev but she had assumed. He hadn't called her once in the past day and he was coming back in two days. What part of not calling her meant he was really missing her?

She sighed and told herself not to expect anything because he doesn't love you. Or maybe he does? Even that confused her. What was she suppose to do? Perhaps tell him how she feels about him?

There was a knock on the door then, she looked up. "Come in." She sat up straight and closed the windows from the computer screen.

Shanaya walked in with a bright smile, which confused Sonakshi. "Morning Shanaya. You're late today."

"I'm sorry." She was annoyed already. Dev had never stressed if Shanaya came to work late.

What did she not like about me, Sonakshi wondered. She forced a smiling as Shanaya stood behind the chair and handed Sonakshi the file. "These are the quotes for our last sales in all our stores around the world."

"Alright." She opened the file and scanned it. "This needs Dev's signature, Shanaya. I can't sign it." She closed the file and looked at her. "Anything else?"

"Dev called." She shrugged and read her expression. "He said he's been trying to contact you but the phone at your place don't seem to be working."

"Really? Damn!" She rolled her eyes. "I know why." She shook her head and looked at Shanaya again. "Can I talk to you?"

"About?"

"Us. Sit down, Shanaya. Please."

Hesitant Shanaya sat down and folded her hands on the table. She looked at Sonakshi, she was still dressed simply, hair neatly pulled back in a pony tail, very little clear lip gloss. Her cotton skirt and pretty laced shirt was so elegant, just like the way she carried her. Shanaya had been wrong about Sonakshi, she realized at that moment. She was simple but an excellent women. The way she had picked up the work from the middle amazed Shanaya.

"If I'm not wrong, you're not very fond of me, are you?" Sonakshi chose her words carefully. She didn't want an argument but she wanted this matter to clear away.

Shanaya smiled now, a nice, pleasant, friendly smile. "Yes."

"You had, correction, have feelings for Dev?" She asked, still her voice was careful. Shanaya was a pretty girl. Dark hair a mixture of brown and black, of course they were colored, though. Maybe she was a blond under that fake color. Dark, blue eyes. Typical blond, perhaps. But she was a nice girl, she was simply jealous of Sonakshi because she was Dev's wife.

"Kind of. Nothing very serious." She sighed and a smile lightened her face and the mood. "You're very nice. I was rude when I met you for the first time."

"Slightly." Sonakshi said with a smile. "I'm sorry if I did anything to create difference between you and Dev."

"Oh no!" She laughed at Sonakshi now. "If Dev found out you're saying sorry to me we'll both get a piece of him. He loves you," she shrugged. "Anyone can look in his eyes and tell that when he's with you."

"Really?" She sounded surprised, she couldn't tell yet.

"You seem surprised, can I ask why?"

"Maybe I can take you out for lunch and tell you my story." She smiled and leaned forwards.

"You're a nice girl Shanaya."

"Is it?" She grinned. "Friends then?"

"Friends." She put her hand out and she took it with a smile. "Now you have follow-up calls to attend."

"Yeah." She rose and turned to leave.

"Hey Shanaya." Shanaya turned around to look at her. "Dev doesn't come to know about this, aright?"

"Ok." She smiled and walked away.

**************

Sonakshi and Shanaya were sitting in CPK. "It's been years since I've had lunch here." Sonakshi said with a sigh as she watched Shanaya sip her drink.

"Why? I would expect Dev to take you out often." Shanaya set her drink down and looked at Sonakshi. "Or is something amiss, like I'm suspecting?"

"There is." Sonakshi nodded. "I was engaged to Dev's elder brother Jatin before Dev I got married."

Shanaya rose an eyebrow at Sonakshi. A old habit she had. "So what happened?"

"He died in the 9/11 attack. He was in the first tower when the first plane crashed."

"Oh! That's terrible, I'm sorry Sonakshi." She gave her hand a light squeeze. "So how did you guys end-up falling in love?"

"We're not in love, Shanaya." She nodded and Shanaya's eyes widened. "After Jatin passed away, my parents died in a car crash, a few years later. Our parents have known each other forever, before I was even born. They asked Dev's parents to take care of me. I belonged to a very poor family before I got married to Dev." She sighed and sipped to sooth her throat down. "Dev and I got married because his parents had to go back to London, it was circumstances that got us married, not love."

"That's sad." Shanaya's lower lips was pulled out, Sonakshi smiled at her. "But it doesn't seem like you guys don't love each other."

Sonakshi laughed in her throat. "The day I came with Dev for the first time was the first day we were actually spending together. He's obviously trying to pull me away from my past."

"Did you love Jatin?"

Sonakshi thought for a second, she couldn't tell Shanaya the truth. If Dev found out through her he might think she used Jatin to get closer to him, or something. "I did."

"And Dev?"

"I love him, just differently." That was honest, she told herself. She loved Jatin and Dev but in different manners. Jatin she loved as a friend, in respect. Dev, she loved as her own, as her lover, as her husband, she respected him but the respect came with an authority she felt for Dev that'd she'd never felt around Jatin. The only thing was she never poured her authority over him.

"You guys...I don't know. I mean wow!" She laughed and then sipped her wine. "That's crazy."

"Sure is. But that doesn't give you permission to eye my husband. We're married and that's important."

Shanaya grinned, "He might not see it, you might not see it, but I do. He cares a lot for you, more than he thinks he does."

"He's never expressed it to that extent."

Sonakshi moved her straw around in her drink, musing over the day they spent together. "It's nice to talk to someone after such a long time. Thank you."

"Your welcome. I'm sorry for my behavior, Sonakshi. I envied you for having a great guy like Dev. I've had my eye on him for quite sometime now."

"Well I'm glad you can tell his wife that so openly." They both laughed in giggles. "You'll find someone good."

"I'm sure I will. And, I hope things work out between you guys. You should seduce him!"

"That wouldn't work." Sonakshi said with a laugh.

She rose an eyebrow again. "Don't tell me." She said in a shocked voice.

She sighed, "Yes. I'm not to good with alcohol and after dinner that night we sat and had more wine, things just... got out of control."

"Well," she leaned back, "what did he say?"

"'I'm sorry Sonakshi, I can never forgive myself for what I did!' It made me mad for a second, but then he's not running away anywhere."

Why did that thought even come to her, she wondered? She's known this girl for maybe a week and she's talking to her like a long lost sister or friend.

"Alright Shanaya, if any part of this conversation gets to Dev's ears, you're fired. I have every authority as well."

"Oh I would never! You can trust me." She winked playfully. "But I can help you."

"We'll think about that later on, I don't think I really need help. Dev's getting closer to me on his own will, it seems like. I just want to move on, but I can't tell him that. I don't know what he wants for a fact."

"You'll know soon. The best way is that go to his trips with him, he only spends a few hours a day working at meetings, the rest he does nothing more than nothing."

Sonakshi smiled, "If he asks me next time, I'll say yes."

"Good. And, he's a fun guy." Sonakshi looked at her carefully, one brow cocked. "I mean he takes care of one well. He knows how to have fun. Our launch in Australia a year ago, before you guys got married, I assume, it was fun. I was managing the dressing rooms and models that year." She moved her hand away from the table when their lunch arrived. "Now let's finish and get back. Dev said he would call you during lunch."

"But I'm here!"

"Cell phone?"

"Don't have one."

"What? Ok, then we'll buy you one." Shanaya said forking her salad. "Dev won't mind."

"I rather ask him first, Shanaya."

"In that case, whatever!" She rolled her eyes and the finished lunch talking about various things. It was a nice break to have lunch alone or with Dev for Sonakshi after such a long time.

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