Sonakshi seemed more confident about her marriage and Dev, after her chit-chat with Shanaya that day. Dev was coming back tomorrow and she was excited to see him after a week. After having dinner, talking to Dev's parents on the phone, looking over a few files, Sonakshi decided to finish the laundry that had been sitting there for almost a week now. The office work made her tired by the time she was free from it. But she had to finish that load of Dev's clothes, before he got back tomorrow.

She opened his door and looked at the washed laundry sitting on his bed, it had to be ironed and then hung. Right when she was about to start the phone rang, before she could pick it up, it dropped.

His laundry was always fun to do, she found various things that were washed in his pockets. Papers, receipts, change, dollar bills, broken buttons, and God knows what other mess. When she was finished ironing and hanging, she looked thought his closet for any other suits or cloths that needed ironing. She might as well finish now that she was at it. To her joy there was nothing.

After making herself some green tea she walked back into his room to find a few files. When she found it, she moved back and sat down on his bed to look thought them and compare the fall and summer collections sales.

Dev had called Sonakshi to tell her that he was coming home tonight, not tomorrow. But when she didn't pick up he assumed she was already sleeping. Now, he quietly opened the house and walked into his room to drop his bags off before checking on Sonakshi in her room. But when he looked at his bed he was surprised to find Sonakshi sleeping there, files around her.

Ok, so maybe he made a mistake by sending her to the office. He went and changed quickly, then came back to clear-up the bed and stack the files away. He sat down beside her and then laid her down properly. That's when her eyes opened.

"Hey. When did you get home?" She blinked her eyes open and looked at him.

"Maybe fifteen minutes ago." He leaned down and kissed her forehead. "I didn't mean to wake you up."

"It's okay, I don't know how I fell asleep here." When she tried to sit up he stopped her. "You hungry?"

"No." He smiled.

"Why didn't you tell me you were coming?" She sat up beside him and pushed her hair back.

"I did, but when you didn't pick up I assumed you were sleeping. Everything fine at the office?"

"Yes, and Shanaya and I solved our difference." She grinned at him now, more at his expression.

"That's good. Now what was wrong exactly?" He stretched his legs on the bed and sat down beside her.

"Nothing big, she was just upset her boss was married."

"Oh!" Dev laughed. "I'm glad you guys worked it out." His eyes started to close.

"You go to sleep, we'll talk tomorrow."

"Hey, hey!" He took her arm and pulled her back beside him. "Where do you think you're going?"

"To sleep." She looked at him. "Do you have 'plans' again?" She grinned and his face flushed almost pink. She laughed at him and then stopped. "Ok I'm sorry."

"Me too, about that night." He continued the frown on his face.

"Good night, Dev."

"Good night." He smiled and watched her walk away.

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

Sonakshi allowed Dev to sleep late the next morning and called Shanaya to tell her that she would arrive late if she did at all today. While Dev slept in his room peacefully, Sonakshi showered, made her bed, then changed the entire bed set to pass time. After that she had breakfast, washed the dishes and dusted the kitchen where it needed attention. Around nine ,when Dev still wasn't awake she dusted the T.V. and other cabinets around the house. By nine-thirty she had nothing more to do so she sat down in front of the T.V. and switched through the few hundred channels again and again, then turned the T.V off.

She was restless to sit with him and talk to him. She'd missed him so much in the past week more than ever before because of that one silly day they had spent together. She tossed her head back on the sofa and closed her eyes.

A few minutes later, she felt someone picking up her hand. When she opened her eyes she saw Dev pressing a kiss to her palm. She sat up and took her hand back once he was done.

"Why didn't you wake me up?" He lifted his feet and sat down close to her.

"You needed a good night sleep, you were extremely tired last night. And, you haven't eaten anything since last night, breakfast?"

"No." He nodded and slipped an arm around her shoulder.

"Did everything work out with the stores?" Hesitantly, she rested her head against his chest and then relaxed when she felt his arm slip down to her waist.

"Yes, everything worked out fine. Did you review the marketing file and the budgets?" He didn't want to talk about the office and files but he didn't know what else to talk about with her at the moment.

"Only a few hundred times, just need your signature before we dispatch it."

"Do you have the file here?"

"Yeah." She moved away and stopped up. "I'll get it." Before he could stop her she was gone.

After she reviewed the file with him again, before he signed it, she made him breakfast and watched him eat foolishly. Once he was done he continued to discuss more office issues and trips he had to make in the coming month. She waited for him to remember that they had completed their seventh month of marriage today, but it seemed like he was so caught up with official duties he had forgotten about it. She was disappointed but then he hadn't remembered when they'd completed their first, second, third, fourth, fifth, or sixth month either.

"Do you want to go to the office?" Dev asked taking his plate to the sink and washing it instead of depending on her.

"We can."

"Alright then,let's go."

"Like that?" She asked looking at him and leaning against the sink beside Dev.

"I'm dressed perfectly." He placed the dishes in the dryer and wiped his hands with a towel instead on his jeans. "Why?"

"No, never mind." Confused she turned around. "I practiced driving with Shanaya last week a few times."

"Did you? That's good. Why don't you drive to the office today."

"Dev that's far and we'll be on the freeway. I can't."

"Of course you can." He took the keys and tossed them to her. "Nice catch."

"I did play goalie on the soccer team in high school and college."

"Really?" His nose wrinkled in confusion. "I never knew, or maybe I didn't notice."

She smiled a straight smile feeling annoyance reach her for some reason. "Why don't you go to the office alone?"

"Sonakshi," he took her arm and pulled her closer, "do I see annoyance in your eyes?"

"Of course not. Why would I be annoyed with you? There's no reason." Carefully she smiled and stepped back. "Have fun and make sure Shanaya tells you all the files and cheques that need your signature."

"You're really not going to come?" Disappointment shone in his eyes as he looked at her, his thumbs hooked in the loops of his jeans.

"No. I'm not coming." She said in syllables. "Go alone."

He opened his mouth to reply and then closed it when the phone rang.

"I'll get it." She rushed out of the kitchen and picked up the phone flopping down on the sofa.

"Hello."

"Hi Sonakshi!" Shanaya cooed into the speaker loudly.

"Hey, what's up?"

"I need Dev to come here and sign the cheques as soon as possible because need to be dispatched as soon as possible."

"Alright." She sat back in the sofa and picked out a strand of her hair and wrapped it around her finger then unwrapped it. "He's on his way."

"Ok!" She was like always loud and cheerful.

"And, and, congratulations on completing the seventh month of your marriage."

"How do you know?" She stopped playing with her hair and sat up straighter.

"Oh, remember Dev said the other day when you guys came."

"Seems like everyone remembers but Dev Dixit." She mumbled to make Shanaya laugh.

"He'll see you in the office and you won't remind him."

"Alright, you comin'?"

"Nah! I'll see you whenever I do come."

"You know you need to finish the budget reports before Dev's trip to Florida next week and it's too late for him to work on it alone since you've been for the past week."

"He can figure it out," she snapped despite herself.

"You're really upset, aren't you? Come over we'll talk!"

"Fine. See you in a bit." After other quick comments and questions they hung up. Dev stood in front of her in a leather jacket still confused.

"I'll go with you Dev." She stood up twisting her ring in her finger.

"Okay." Confused at her sudden mood change again he walked out, and while she sat in the car he locked the house. Because he knew she was having mood swings like never before he kept shut about the driving issue or about any other issue on their way.

At the office while everyone greeted Dev, Sonakshi left right for Shanaya's small cabin in a huff and puff.

"Hi." Shanaya greeted as Sonakshi just sat down in the chair before her. "What's up, Mrs. Dixit. I've never seen you this angry even after the mistakes that someone had made in the office over the past week."

"Your boss is an idiot." She said grabbing a pen and clicking it on and off again and again. "He comes back from one trip to be the nicest person alive and then a day later leaves again. Comes back in a week's time with a reformation of a total jerk!"

Shanaya's eyes squinted as her lips closed together at her explosion. "How about we order a lemonade?" She didn't wait for Sonakshi's response and ordered two lemonades.

Sonakshi sipped hers slowly and calmed herself down, then looked back at Shanaya.

"Feeling better?" She asked cheekily.

"Yes. I'm sorry for being impatient and loud and..."

"Dev." Shanaya quickly stood up and smiled.

"Good morning."

"Morning." He looked at Shanaya then at Sonakshi, who was still sitting down sipping coolly on her drink. He looked up at Shanaya, pointed at Sonakshi and moved his hands in asking what was wrong.

She simply shrugged.

Sonakshi noticed the awkward silence and looked up at Shanaya. She was just standing looking at Dev with a puzzled look on her face. Sonakshi set down her glass and stood, turned.

"Did you need something?" Shanaya asked Dev picking up a few checkbooks and files.

"No," he shook his head and looked at Sonakshi. "I needed to sign papers, so I was wondering if you could give them to me." He couldn't stop himself so he asked, "Sonakshi are you angry with me for some reason?"

"Why should I be angry with you, Dev?" She replied nicely, coolly, then slipped out of Shanaya's cabin saying, "I'll see you guys later."

A few seconds after the door closed behind Dev he walked to Shanaya's desk and sat down in front of her. "Papers?"

"Yeah." She handed him the files, explained each one in minor details as he scribbled and then looked at her again.

"Ok what's up with Sonakshi? She's been behaving so oddly, so unlike her since this morning." He signed the last cheques and looked at her, leaning back and looking at Sonakshi's drink.

"I don't know Dev. She doesn't tell me everything." She shrugged. "Are the legal matters settled in New York?"

He nodded.

"You ready for Florida by next Sunday?"

He shook his head. "The report I still have to prepare is getting to me. A week isn't enough time Shanaya. In the past I've taken over a month to prepare these reports. You know how bad I am with them."

Shanaya chucked at the sulking expression on his face. Poor guy, she thought, he's in a fix from everywhere. "Sonakshi finished half the report while you were gone, Dev."

"In four days?" He cocked an eyebrow at her.

"Yes. She's a quick learner." She looked at the time. "I need to monitor the runs for today Dev. I'll see you later. Picking up a hand camera she walked away. "Take Sonakshi out for lunch, she'll like it."

Then he understood, she was upset, he had, she thought, forgotten they got married seven months ago today. He laughed to himself and picked up her glass. Matched his lips to her clear prints and drank.

Dev didn't take her out to lunch because an unexpected meeting had stepped up and no one but him could attend it. When he got back to the office after five Sonakshi was sitting working on the laptop completing the reports and printing out a first copy for Dev to review.

She'd been angry without an apparent reason, she'd told herself. It was just seven months, another month. It was nothing special.

But it was, because a week ago she'd spent an entire day and night with her husband. It meant something to her now that she was his wife in almost every way. She finally started to feel that she wouldn't live her entire life hoping to tell Dev she loved him. There would be a day when he would tell her himself. Until then she would keep quiet and allow him to play with his and her heart.

He entered his cabin and Sonakshi glanced up from the laptop and smiled. "Hi, did the meeting go well?"

He looked at her carefully, she was nice and calm like she had been always. A pleasant smile closed upon her face when he came and stood beside her and to look at what she was doing on the computer.

"You finished the first draft?! Impressive." He sat on the chair of the arm and looked at her.

"You should be paid for this."

"Should I be?" Her hand rested on his knee as he leaned down to press a kiss on her head.

"Yes. But for now I need you to do me another favour."

"What?"

"Have dinner with me." He closed the laptop once the report printed and looked back at her.

"I don't think so. The result of our last dinner weren't very pleasant." She reminded him getting up. "I rather go home have dinner and then sit and read a book or watch some T.V in the warmth of that excellent bed of mine."

He frowned, the lady was going to kill him someday. She wasn't even agreeing for a simple dinner, he'd planned to kiss her afterwards, in his senses this time.

He might have been drunk the night he spent with Sonakshi, but he remembered all of it. He'd dated endless number of girls, but never bothered to take them to bed. It was extremely unpleasant to do so.

But that night all he could think about was Sonakshi. Like someone had cast a spell on him. And, not once had he thought that he should stop.

She didn't remember, but he did. She was so willing. So perfect. With her, that night, he felt like he'd loved her, and she him, for years now. And, that feeling didn't allow him to think or feel the need to stop what was happening.

He knew Sonakshi wasn't in her senses and he wasn't either to an extent, that's why she couldn't stop him. It wasn't until the next morning he felt ashamed because she wasn't in her senses. He hadn't given her a choice but to be with him. He felt like he'd taken advantage of her. He couldn't say he made love with her, because she didn't have a choice. But something told him he'd made love to her.

He was falling in love with her, knowingly, but too fast. And, because he knew she was still settling with him, at the moment he was keeping the feeling to himself. That was the best thing for both of them.

"Dev?" She laid her hands on his shoulders and messaged. He seemed tensed about something, it was written on his face. And the muscles under her hands were tensed and knotted.

"How much tension do you take up in a day?" Without thinking and pressed a kiss to his shoulder.

Her touch stung him unexpectedly. He couldn't lose him for the second time. Pretty please no. So he stood up and walked away from her, leaving her in utter shock.

"Are you ready to go home?"

She frowned, she was expecting him to pressurize her for that dinner. "Yup! I'll wait for you down stairs."

"Okay." He turned around and looked at the questioning eyes that looked at him. "Anything wrong?"

"I should ask you that, Dev? Anything wrong? You seem so distant suddenly." She crossed the room and walked to him. "Are you still upset about last week?"

Of course not! He was never exactly upset with what happened last week. He was worried what she might think of him. If he knew she wasn't going to hang him over boiling water and drop him for what he did, he would have never said sorry. He would have simply kissed her and told her, 'Move on with me Sonakshi. Be mine forever in everyway.' And then left the choice to her. He could love her without knowing he loved her.

Yeah it was complicated. Whoever said love wasn't complicated? And, that too when marriage was arranged. And your wife was in love with your own brother, who died, leaving her alone. Love was as complicated as hell. He suddenly felt like he'd died and went to heaven and then was pushed into hell because he was holding himself responsible for a mistake that he knew wasn't a mistake. And, she didn't care for.

He wondered, why she didn't care? He thought and then concluded. They were married, that's the only reason.

"Dev, now you're not paying attention to me." She snapped her fingers in front of his face and his eyes went back to meet hers. "You're still upset, aren't you?" She looked at him sadly and placed her hands on his arms. "Dev I'm sorry. I don't remember anything that happened that night. Nothing. I didn't feel differently about you or me the next morning."

She didn't. She knew that. Her love for him was there. And she didn't feel anything but that throat that was burning like hell the next morning.

"And I'm sure nor did you."

He frowned mentally. That freakin' night had put his life and heart at stake. His entire world was upside down and was revolving upside down around his wife.

"Sure." He said finally just to reply.

"Exactly. That's why forget about it. I doubt it made a big deal to either one of us."

Oh, how she was lying through those pretty, strong, white teeth, she knew that herself. She might not have remembered anything or felt anything but she knew they belonged to each other now. She didn't know if he shared a night with another lady before her. But she knew, he was her first and only.

Hell it mattered and every part of her wanted to belong to him all over again and this time without the alcohol. She wanted to look at him when he made her his over and over again. She loved him, and wanted her husband in every way. In every authority.

And the thought haunted her again, was she his first?

"I'm sure you've spent a night with someone you actually loved before, it shouldn't matter."

He hated her for that comment. How could she even think that? He'd never looked at any of his girlfriend or love interests before knowing she was it. Looking at her he knew she was it. She was the one.

"Right?" She asked looking at him again, the wierd emotions, the unreadable emotions, in his eyes.

"Right." He replied dryly.

Right what? she wondered as he turned around the lock the windows.

If it meant he had, did that mean he loved someone before they were married? That crushed everything, every hope. Now how was she suppose to find out if he did.

"I know it's none of my business Dev," she started when he turned around and looked at her, "but do you love someone?"

"I do, I love her very much." He replied with a casual smile. "And I always will, just like you will always love Jatin."

"Yeah."