Mahi Jay - Falling For A Bollywood Legend

He shook her hand and said, ‘I know who you are. As you know news travels fast in the industry and there is no such thing as a secret.’

Was there a warning couched in his statement? wondered Nina as she swiftly changed the topic.

‘I rarely watch movies but I enjoyed your last one. It was refreshingly honest.’ Vinay’s eyes lit up instantly. She couldn’t have chosen a better topic to keep him engaged.

‘So why did you choose Aadith for this role knowing his reputation was directly contradictory to the character he would be playing?’ queried Nina curiously.

‘We’ve been friends since our film-school days and it was he who offered to finance the movie when I was desperately in search of a producer. Besides which I think he’s insanely talented and can pull off any role convincingly,’ he said, staunchly loyal.

After watching his performance today she could well believe it, thought Nina.

‘Not to forget the added advantage of comforting the women who fail to capture his attention,’ he said, wiggling his eyebrows comically and grinning from ear to ear.

Nina burst out laughing. For someone with a hat-trick of successful films behind him, Vinay was surprisingly unpretentious.

Aadith frowned in annoyance when he caught sight of Nina and Vinay laughing together. They appeared to be remarkably intimate for virtual strangers, he thought disapprovingly. She had never spared so much as a smile for him and now here she was cosily chatting up his friend. Aadith didn’t stop to consider his next move.

He strode swiftly towards Nina and slipped an arm around her waist. She almost yelped in surprise.

Her heart began to hammer furiously. Being so close to him, she couldn’t help but breathe in the clean scent of him. His hair was still damp from the shower and his warm male scent completely enveloped and intoxicated her.

‘I see you’ve met Nina. She’s an old friend of mine,’ said Aadith, smiling fondly at her.

Vinay’s eyes widened in surprise. ‘Oh. I didn’t know you two knew each other before.’

‘Well, we were neighbours for a while,’ interrupted Nina chillingly.

But Aadith was not to be deterred. ‘And after all these years she’s back in my life again,’ he declared, looking at her as if he couldn’t believe she was there with him.

‘I’ve already kept her waiting far too long so we’ll head for lunch,’ he said, dragging Nina away before she could do more than wave goodbye at Vinay.

‘How long are you going to keep using the stale we’re-old-friends line?’ demanded Nina hotly as he steered her towards his car. ‘We were no better friends then than we are now.’

Gesturing to his chauffeur for the keys, he opened the door of a sleek sports car for her. Nina winced inwardly. Being close to him was bad enough but in a tiny, enclosed space it would be sheer torture.

His eyes glittered as he turned towards her and said tersely, ‘I was merely looking out for you. If we let it be known that we are old-time friends, the press would make less of it if they happen to see us together,’ he finished coldly.

Nina snorted derisively. ‘Rather they will just add me to the long line of your just-good-friends list.’

Aadith laughed shortly and muttered, ‘You don’t give an inch, do you?’ Nina shrugged and chose to leave it at that. There was an uneasy silence between them.

Nina looked at his long and elegant fingers resting casually against the steering wheel. She could not help but wonder how they would feel against her hot skin. She fought against her wayward thoughts and looked up to see him watching her intently. She coloured instantly and could not have broken away from his gaze if her life depended on it. Her pulse started drumming and her mouth ran dry. Nina parted her lips slightly to run her tongue lightly over her lips.

Aadith drew in a sharp breath. His gaze fastened hungrily on her moist, parted lips. His body was throbbing with desire. Had they been anywhere else but in a car, in the middle of the road, nothing would have prevented him from hauling her firmly against him and pressing his lips against hers. Her heart lurched when she saw him staring at her with a burning intensity that sent molten heat coursing through her veins.

A blaring horn from the car behind broke the moment and Nina hastily looked out of the window. In no time Aadith manoeuvred his car into the compound of an exclusive restaurant renowned for its discretion. Nina couldn’t help wondering how many other women he had taken there previously.

The maître d’ escorted them to an intimate table set for two in the far corner of the room.

Hoping to put things back on a more professional note, Nina started off by enquiring, ‘What exactly are you expecting out of this current assignment?’

‘My soon-to-be-released movie is a period film in which the hero is a die-hard romantic who wouldn’t hesitate to give up his life for the woman he loves. An until-death-do-us-part sort of romance. With my current image people are going to find it tough to accept me in that sort of role. Moreover, since I’m also co-producing the movie I have a lot riding on it,’ stated Aadith simply.

‘When is the movie due to be released?’

‘For Diwali,’ replied Aadith.

‘That doesn’t leave us with a lot of time,’ muttered Nina thoughtfully. She didn’t waste much time before she started elaborating the plans she had thought of earlier.

‘Since it’s a love story and everyone loves a happy ending I thought we could organise a contest where people from all over the country could write to you about how much they love that special someone in their life. The best couple of entries could be chosen and you could help the winners plan and execute the perfect way to show their love. After which some well-placed articles and photos of you in romantic locations with the happy couple, and quotes about you longing to find your very own happily ever after, could go a long way to restoring your romantic-hero image,’ finished Nina excitedly.

‘Only you’d have to stay clear of trouble until you lose your notoriety,’ she offered as an afterthought.

‘You mean I can’t indulge in drunken orgies and loud parties any more? How am I ever going to get through these two months?’ he moaned with a straight face.

She stared at him, mouth agape, wondering if he actually meant it. She was for once lost for words.

‘Maybe you’d take pity on me and help me?’ he suggested, arching his brows and leering at her.

Nina burst into laughter. She knew he had a wicked sense of humour and she had fallen right into his trap.

‘You creep,’ she scolded laughingly.

It was Aadith’s turn to stare. The sight of her laughing unselfconsciously with her head thrown back mesmerised him. She seemed so alive, he mused. Their eyes locked and the air suddenly turned thick with tension.

When a sexy female voice called out Aadith’s name, it was as if she had been doused in a bucket of cold water. The owner of the voice was a stunning willowy young socialite and she promptly draped herself over him when he rose to greet her.

‘Aadith, darling! I truly missed you at the party last night. Why didn’t you come?’ she asked as she cast a dismissive glance in Nina’s direction.

The woman looked as if she had stepped right out of the pages of Vogue and Nina’s own business attire placed her well below the socialite’s orbit of competition, thought Nina ruefully. Though why should she want to be considered a threat to Aadith’s attention? she wondered in surprise.

‘I’ve been a bit busy and no doubt there were a dozen other men vying for your attention,’ he returned suavely.

The girl pouted prettily at his backhanded compliment and murmured throatily, ‘Oh, no, you know that’s not true.’