The boxes were already filling up when Dev and Sonakshi got there. In them, Sonakshi saw tanned and sunburned faces. Ladies were dressed in pretty pastel color summer dressed. And, too many of them turned to look at Dev, as they walked past them, bodies brushing, to their box. And, hell Sonakshi hated it. But liked the fact he didn't pay any attention to them but only took her hand and paid attention to her.

"The last time I saw so many people together was when Jatin took me to the last world cup."

Could you please stop talking about Jatin, Dev thought bitterly. He loved his brother, but he loved his wife more. And was too possessive to hear her talking about her ex-fiance.

"Want something to drink?" He asked when they sat down.

"Something cool, a lemonade would do fine. No coke or anything. Even water will be great."

"I'll be right back." Before leaving he pressed a kiss to her cheek. "Don't wander off, I don't want to loose you here."

"I won't, Dev. Go." With a smile he disappeared.

"Hi Sonakshi." Sonakshi looked to the other way and saw Viola walking her way. "Nice to see you here. Are you alone?"

"No. Dev just left to get me a drink." Why are you here? she wanted to ask. "Are you alone?"

"Was, until found you. First race?" She asked sipping the beer in her hand.

"Yes." She looked down at the other people, saw Paddy. He was an attractive young man, maybe she could "hook him up" with Viola. The thought made her smile. Her gaze moved to the brown oval and the inward grass around which the horses would be shortly running. She understood races and that was a relief.

Dev came back and sat down beside Sonakshi, his arm instantly around her when he saw Viola. "Here's your drink and I'm hoping you'll share."

"It's too big for me to drink alone. You didn't get yourself a straw?" She sipped the cold drink.

"Do I really need one?" He asked sipping right after her, making her smile that he was ignoring Viola.

"Hey Viola." He said taking her hand, kissing it.

Sonakshi cursed mentally. She shouldn't have jinxed herself. "Did you bet?"

"Of course on my horse. Did you?" He looked at her face, the shades made her look different.

"Do you think so?" She asked giving him the drink. "But I want to."

"On who?'

"Not yours."

"Wait till the third race." He told her, leaning over to kiss her, the excitement in her.

She looked at him, "You said you weren't ending our marriage Dev." She basically whispered it in his ear so Viola couldn't hear while she was busy attending a call.

"I was just teasing you Sonakshi." He kissed her forehead and they both saw the horses being brought to the gate.

"They all look so beautiful." She sighed and felt better when Dev's hand rested on hers. When the gates opened and the horses ran with their riders wildly, Sonakshi's eyes stayed on Dev's mare and her fingers linked hard with his. When they curved the first corner and ending the first race, Sonakshi gasped. They might have made it business now but she could see why it was a sport for kings.

When it was over she laid a hand on her chest in excitement. "I never thought this would be so much more exiting seeing in real than on T.V. My hearts still pounding and- don't smile like that." Then laughed. "It's just wonderful. A once-in-a-lifetime experience. And, I want to bet on the next one."

"Third one." He said sipping his drink.

When her time finally came she did bet with the money that wasn't Dev's but the money that had been sitting in her purse from before her parents had died. She had plans if she won. Taking his hand she took him away from the conversation he was having with Viola and to the railing. "This is exciting." She clung to him and then jumped in air when the horse she'd bet on moved ahead of others. "He's moving forward, Dev!"

"Hold your horses," he laughed. "They still have half a mile to go."

"I don't mind loosing but I rather win." She looked back and when they both thought everyone was calm again the crowd roared as the colt moved up to second and a head away from taking first. Sonakshi caught his shirt and tugged, straining to hear the announcers.

"Oh my god!" Her arms flew around Dev. "He won! I won!" Laughing she kissed Dev, hard and loud. "How much?"

"You mercenary little brat."

She laughed and kissed him again, this was the second most perfect day of her life. "Its not about that, I only bet on him and won. Now tell me how much?"

"Fifty dollars."

"Yippee!" She jumped with her arms still around his neck. "When is your horse running."

"Fifth race."

"Cool! I want to buy you something."

"But Sonakshi." He walked with her and allowed her to do what she wanted. He'd never seen her this excited and happy. And it had to do with more than just winning. She bought him beer, as he wanted, and herself a bag of chips. And they were back in time to see the fifth race being announced.

"I hope she wins." Sonakshi said with her mouth full. "Sorry."

"It's okay." He laughed and stole a chip from her bag. "And, I know she'll win."

"Me too! And not only because I bet on her. I wonder what it must feel like to be the owner of one."

"I should ask you." He looked at her surprised face. "You own her just as much as I would. She's a part of that property you own now."

"Oh! But still how does it feel?"

"It feels like having an expensive lover." He grinned at her. "It's true. You put so much money in taking care of them and they pay you back with winning."

"You're full of blarney." She drank out of her glass and turned to the horses again. "They're starting," she announced dryly.

It felt wonderful, he thought. Felt wonderful to be standing with his wife and watch her face full of excitement. He'd never thought that he would be able to live in once place. During college he traveled a lot, transferred a few times even. He never imagined to be married to a beautiful twenty-six year old crazy women who loved him so much at twenty-eight.

He was twenty-eight, successful, rich as hell, married, and very much in love with his very beautiful wife. It was becoming easier and easier for him to stay at one place and with one women.

When he'd married Sonakshi he thought he would end up betraying her by keeping touch with other women. But he never did. Her wifely duties never allowed him to. And, with passing months his interest in traveling around without her also lessened. If he traveled now it wouldn't be without Sonakshi.

"You won!" She was jumping in laughing again. Her arms came around his neck again. "You won! Oh, Dev I'm so happy for you."

"Are you?" He rested his hands on her waist. He'd forgotten about everything. The race, the horse, and the bet.

"Of course I am. She looked very charming. And I think we've won a good amount of money. The odds were-"

He stunned her by dragging her closer and pressing his lips to hers. With a scrape of his teeth, making her part them. The power, passion, and love, she realized, left her limp.

He loves me! she thought in pleasure and excitement as he lifted her off her feet and kissed her deeper. He loves me and he's kissing me in a public place, lovely!

He drew her away and looked at her in daze. "To hell with the odds." And he kissed her again.

"Dinner's mine." Sonakshi said helping Dev on with his coat. "Dev I need to tell you something."

"After dinner." He said turning around, knowing exactly what she had in mind. "I promise." He looked at her, brought her closer in that silk robe and kissed her. Then again and again. He kissed her again and again, long, slow, lazy kisses.

"Stop." She demanded tilting her head back. Her head was dizzy, otherwise she would have never stopped him. Not now when he was so close to her. Her lip looked kind of puffy now that he'd been chewing it forever.

"I'm sorry." He leaned over and kissed her more lightly this time. "Come with me." Taking her hand he took her to the fridge and took out ice, rubbing it on her lip. "I didn't mean to do that. I just got....carried away."

She laughed and tilted her head away from the ice. "Sorry won't make a dead man alive." She winked and hugged him. "You know Dev-"

"No I don't know. Get ready, Shanaya and Viola must be waiting."

"I don't understand," she looked up at him, "why are Shanaya and Viola coming with us?"

"Because I invited them." It was a perfect was to bother her, he knew. "They'll be good company."

"Am I not good enough?" She took another, smaller cube ice, and popped it in her mouth to crunch on.

"Okay maybe we can drive them away."

"I want to because I want to spend tonight day with my husband."

"And I want to with my wife. Sonakshi I-"

"Later." She stopped him and turned with a grin. She was understanding the game he was playing with her. "Let me change and we'll go. Tell Shanaya and Viola we've cancelled the office dinner. It will be a candle light between us now." She disappeared into their room and closed the door.

Dev sat on the sofa of their hotel room watching the recording of the races from this morning, with a wide grin on his face. He watched himself, Sonakshi, and his mare in the winners circle. He remembered the first question he was asked by reporters was about the lady standing with him. And he'd, finally, told the press and media that she was his wife, Sonakshi Dixit.

"Sonakshi!" He yelled pausing the T.V., he know she would be excited to see herself like that. "Sonakshi," he yelled again.

"Yes Dev." She walked out of the room fixing the neck of her sexy ivory dress. Dev stood with his mouth dropping to the floor. She looked...gorgeous. Yet it wasn't the right word, it wasn't enough to explain how dazzling she looked. With he ivory dress on her, her skin looked more creamy. He wanted to walk over and touch her, make sure he wasn't imagining things. The silk dress matched her wonderful chestnut hair color. The texture looked exactly the same, he knew well when he touched them both it would feel the identical as well.

"Dev." She looked up at him when she'd adjusted the dress's neck. It was a fluid and light dress, with absolutely no patterns or work on it. Fell lazily to her upper stomach and then fell into a thick crunched belt and then into the continuing scrunched cloth that stopped slightly above her knees.

And my God, with nothing in her neck but that slim, barely visible gold chain he'd given her and small diamonds in her ears, she looked marvelous.

She smiled at his dazed look, she'd hit the right string in his heart. "What are you looking at, Dev?" One hand swung to her side, while she ran one at the top of her head to smoothen it down.

"You," he whispered vulnerably. "You look..." a new word, he thought. Something that would tell her exactly the way he felt. But a word that could describe how good she looked was yet to be invented.

"I look?" She brought her hands to his chest, with the help of her heels, she looked right at his mouth now. Tilted back slightly to meet his eyes.

Her eyes looked silky and shiny brown. Around her eyes she wore brown liner in a light, smoky fashion. Her lashes framed her eyes thickly. Her eyes were just...dark. And, perhaps she didn't know or perhaps she was doing this on purpose, but those eyes looked incredibly naughty. That small, sexy, smile that curved her lips allowing her cheekbone to lift just a little, tugged his heart. Exactly the way he didn't want to tonight.

Her hair were tired in a simple twist at the back of her head, leaving her shoulders nearly bare, except the slim straps. He picked up his hand and ran it up her head, scattering the pins in her hair. When most of them fell to her feet and the silk fell over her shoulders, he smiled. They fell in natural curls and waves, yet didn't look messy. Looked elegant and glossy.

He tugged the ends and played with it. "If you're trying to seduce me, Sonakshi," he lifted a hand a traced her cheekbone, took his face close until it was a whisper away from hers.

"It's working just perfectly. If I hadn't already booked that fantastic, fancy dinner, you would be somewhere else instead of standing here on your feet."

Color ran to her cheeks and the rest of her face flushed pale. She nibbled her lips and he ran a thumb over her lower lip to stop her.

"I never thought you were the type of girl, in high school, who would appeal me later as a woman. Now I think I was a fool. When I married you I was scared of both of us. I didn't love you then and that's why I was scared I would be driven to other woman still. But something in you always kept me tied. The way you took care of me everyday, like a child, like you loved me so much, from the first day till today."

She looked up at him, her face was burning. Courtesy the closeness, his breath, his touch. His eyes looked tawny in what seemed a mixture of passion and compassion. Love and friendship.

He cupped her elbows and brushed his lips over her temple, she loved it when he did that. So intimidating. So intimate. "I've always felt that I could never give you anything in return. I want to today, Sonakshi. For once and for all. I've had over a million girlfriends, I traveled this entire world, and I've always thought I would never find someone, one lady, who would give me everything. Everyone had flaws, something or the other. So do you."

It made her smile completely. The way he was getting to his confession made her heart fill with joy. And, for those three words she could have given him her everything.

"Yet, I found myself falling for you. It took me seven months but it happened. I realized I was in love with you."

She opened her mouth- closed it when he placed a finger under her chin.

"Let me finish." He cupped the side of her neck. "Or should I wait?"

"If you make me wait now I wouldn't be able to breathe anymore. Hurry."

With a grin he kissed her forehead. "Thank you. Don't cry," he demanded. "When I went to Boston I don't know why, I couldn't concentrate. You clouded my mind to my fingertips. I couldn't think but about you. Then I simply pacified myself by saying I was simply used to my wife. I accepted that much on my trip. I also realized that you had kept me busy enough that I didn't think about having to search for affairs." He read the impatience in her eyes, but he would pour his heart out before telling her the exact words.

"The day I spent with you after I returned was one of my best and then today. The night I spent with you was never a mistake for me, Sonakshi."

In shock, in anger, in surprise, in sentiments a tear dropped. He framed her face, and slid a thumb over the tear. "I wanted to tell you Sonakshi. I wanted to hold you and tell you that I wanted you forever, that I loved you, the second I saw you the next morning. But in my room I came across Jatin's picture. You loved him, you were drunk the night before, I pretty much left you no choice but to be with me. But I never figured it a mistake. I loved you that night, the way, perhaps I'd been waiting to, for a very long time."

"Why are you torturing me, Dev?" She was trembling now.

"I'll continue to do that. I need to tell you exactly how I feel. I knew I was in love with my wife, but I kept putting it off. Scared of facing rejection." When she rolled her eyes he smiled. "But I couldn't keep it to myself anymore."

"You're still keeping it to yourself Dev."

"So are you," he whispered pressing his lips to her forehead for the third time. "You have been hiding it from yourself and me."

She pushed him back now, surprising him.

"Well if my husband, who supposedly loves me very much, doesn't even bother touching me for two entire days, I'm forced to think he doesn't love me. And if he sits drinking wine with another lady after telling me he wants a divorce. And, he just walks away seeing me cry, what am I supposed to do, throw myself on him when he'd made it clear he doesn't want me?"

"Sonakshi." He stepped forward and took her arms, held her close. "Stop crying. I was only joking."

"Well it was a disgusting one." She tried to pull back but he embraced her tightly. "I hate you Dev." She whispered in his shirt as he pressed kisses to her head. "I hate you."

"I couldn't think of touching you Sonakshi. I was so scared, I wanted to be with you so terribly I didn't dare touch you." He tilted her head up and smiled at her crying eyes. "And I was bothering you because it's always fun to do so. And, I was only using Viola to make you jealous."

"You're so bad." She hit his chest and hugged him again. "I still hate you."

"I want you to hate me just like this for the rest of your life then. I'll let you tell me that you hate me everyday, a million times a day, if you promise to stay this close. Are you done crying?"

She frowned looking up at him. "Yes. It was your fault. Now if you're done making me cry lets go." Leaving his shirt she tossed her head back so the curls were pushed back. "Why were you calling me anyways?"

"Oh!" He turned her around and played the footage again. "Look, we're on T.V."

"Oh cool!" she said lamely.

"I have something cooler to tell you." He told her, whispered in her ear in fact, leaning closer to her. "Remember I told you I was in love with someone and I would love her forever."

"Yes, I won't forgive for that stupid comment either. It worried me. If you're planning to tell me who she is I don't want to know." She turned the T.V. off and left him standing there.

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

That was the end of the chapter. Please comment and do vote

Precap- Viola plans to make Sonakshi jealous but😉😂😂

I have started a new Devakshi FF called Judwaa. Character Sketch is already posted. Please do have a look, if you haven't till now.

Target- 205 votes