Benign Flame: Saga of Love by BS Murthy (sci fi books to read TXT) 📖

“Who’s that?” she said nevertheless at the sound of the door buzzer.

“Your prodigal soul,” said Prasad pushing open the door.

“My body welcome,” said Tara baring her blouse.

“I’m glad that I’ve found you at last,” said Prasad taking her at her waist.

“Why not say, by default,” she said removing his hand.

“Maybe, but still I’m glad,” he said, pinching her bottom.

“Are you sure?” she said winking at him.

“Do you need any proof?” he said  taking her into his arms.

“Getting scarce is proof enough,” she said sarcastically.

“I was busy in the beginning and lost track in the end,” he said resting his head on her breasts

“What are you up to now?” she said pressing his head onto her bosom.

“Thanks for not embarrassing me there,” he said, said kissing her hand.

“You know I don’t compromise my clients?” she said.

“It adds to your value, won’t it?” he said.

“Say, you want to come onto my tracks or wish to put me off yours?’ she said smilingly.

“Oh you’re impossible darling,’ he said affecting exasperation.

“Tell me, what’s cooking up over there?” she said looking into his eyes.

“Nothing of that sort but what about your concern for Roopa?” he said.

“Love thy neighbor, say the scriptures, won’t they?” she said smilingly.   

“Is it as simple as that?” he said.

“Isn’t she too sexy for your comfort?” she retorted.

“To be honest, I’ve no such ideas unless you want to put some into my head,” he said, assuming a grave tone.

“Hard to believe you but you stand no chance anyway,” she said.  

“Leave her aside, how are things with you?” he said reaching for her lips.

“You’re the better judge,” she said unveiling her valley.

“It’s juicier than ever,” he said digging into her bra.

“I trust you’re no less spicy now,” she felt him where it mattered to her.

“You’re welcome to confirm,” he said pushing her into her bedroom.

“You’re more amorous than ever,” he complimented her aggressiveness.

“Competition has become the bottom line in every calling now, isn’t it?” she said jokingly.

“So it portends a frenzied time,” he said mouthing her assets.

“Can I hope to see you more often now?” she said as he repaired to leave after a while.

“Am I a moron to miss these golden apples,” he said, fondling her breasts

“With the pathway to your passion so nearby, maybe you need a passage for your relief close by,” she said squeezing him meaningfully.

“Oh, Tara, you could even corrupt the saints!” he said in all admiration.

“Is it so? But let me see if you could seduce her. Meanwhile, you could count on my services,” she said nearly emptying his purse.

‘How on earth have these two got acquainted?’ thought Prasad on his way back to Sathyam’s house. ‘Is it possible that Roopa doesn’t know about Tara’s double life? How it could be, given that Roopa is no fool. Hasn’t Tara implied that Roopa is a tough nut to crack? Wouldn’t she have unsuccessfully tried to rope in Roopa into her fold? It could as well be. But the real thrill of coition lies in seduction, though paying for sex could be paying when the wares are Tara brand. Isn’t she as good as ever? She hasn’t lost a wee bit, has she? But my appetite for women would have a true satiation only in Roopa’s embrace, and that’s it. What about seeking Tara’s help to entrap Roopa? Surely, she could cooperate, but that might as well backfire. Oh, no, when it comes to seducing women, it’s better to keep one’s own counsel.’

When he reached Roopa’s place eagerly, he found it filled with Sathyam’s colleagues, who came to canvass for their candidate for the presidentship of their association. So, when Sathyam suggested that Roopa might engage Prasad inside, she excused herself on the pretext of her going to help Lalitha with a new recipe.

‘Oh, this god-damn dame,’ thought Prasad as he left in irritation at missing the opportunity. ‘She won’t even let me make a pass at her. Looks like she’s lending me all her eyes and ears with her heart tucked away in her attic. So, as it’s clear that I can’t seduce her by appealing to her mind, I should find a soft spot in her heart to gatecrash into her bed. But how am I to touch her Achilles heel, if there’s one? She seems to be good hearted, so, that could as well be the chink in her chastity. Why not I invoke her pity by declaring my love to her? But what if she cuts me short and shows the door? So, what about writing to her? Why not, as it could be the right move as a love letter could be the best bet for a tentative lover. Won’t that afford a lover the required space to modulate his passion even as it gives enough time for his beloved to crystallize her inclinations? But, what if she shows it to Sathyam, won’t that put paid to my passion. Besides, won’t that show me in a poor light to him?’

‘Then what about playing patience with her?’ he thought as he began to explore the alternatives. ‘Where would all that lead me to? Isn’t she coy to my advances without herself giving anything away? Oh, how my wooing is warming her like a winter glove in her icy setting. Won’t she like to have it that way as long as she could? When I can’t seduce her in the euphoric beginning, how can I win her over later, when familiarity would have bred contempt? So, patience cannot be the right tactic to checkmate women into resigning, so it seems. Well, time is the essence of an affair, to get into, as well as to get out of it, isn’t it?’

‘So, nothing could be gained by playing the waiting game with her,’ he resolved at length. ‘I’ve got to take chances to improve the odds. Let me draft a smart letter and hand it over to her. If she complains to Sathyam, so be it. What more have I got to lose if she is not inclined, after all that?’

After penning the missive that night, he thought about its delivery mode, ‘If I try to give it in her house, she might as well refuse to take it. And even if I force it on her, she could tear it in my face. So, I’ve to confound her in a way that she won’t have the wits to refuse it, and having taken it, she won’t be able to resist the temptation of reading it, will she? Once she goes through it, she can’t keep me in the cold for long, can she? So, if only I could thrust my love letter into her hand, won’t she wide open her golden gate of lust for me? And then, the rest would be our erotic history.’

Having hit upon the winning move at length, though he couldn’t sleep for long in anticipation, he woke up early to take on Roopa as she came out of the Vinayaka Typewriting Institute, near her place. Accosting her at a street corner, he took her hand and thrust his letter.

“What’s all this?” she protested in confusion.

“I’m dying, save me with your medicine,” he said with apparent passion.

Before she could recover her wits, he drove away out of her sight. Stunned though at the development, she looked around instinctively, and finding none in the vicinity, she composed herself readily. Heaving a sigh of relief then, she paced up to her home with her contemplation for company.

‘What else is it, if not his love letter,’ she thought in bewilderment. ‘How dare he force the letter on me? What made him think that he could have his way with me? Did I give him any cause for hope? But obsessed as I’m with my Raja, how could I have coalesced with him? It looks like there was a mix-up between my love for Raja and liking for him in my interaction with him. Still, how could have I expected something like this from him? Oh, why didn’t I fling the thing at his face? If only I had done that, wouldn’t that have served him right? But it was not to be. What should I do with it now?’

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Reaching home, Roopa pondered over Prasad’s missive further, ‘Why not I tear it and be done with it? But then, won’t he assume that I’ve read it. Better I return it to him as is where is. Yes, that would give him a clear picture of how my mind is closed to him, having been locked by Raja’s thoughts.’

Soon, having decided upon the mode of its disposal, she has hidden the letter behind the bookshelf, and tried to forget about it. However, as the incident haunted her no end, she tried to divert her mind, and to rid herself of the embarrassing trespass, she took a romantic ride on the thoroughfare of her heart.

‘Had it been from my Raja, I might still be kissing the cover, unable to gather my wits to part my quivering lips from it,’ she thought endearingly. ‘While my eyes would have been kept in anxious waiting to read his outpouring, wouldn’t have my heart missed its beat in anticipation.’

However, as the reality of it all dawned on her, she thought melancholically, ‘What a tragedy that the first love letter I’ve received should’ve caused fright instead!’

Fed by her anxiety, she had a meager meal, and as though to push the issue into her subconscious self, she settled for siesta. But as if to spare her subconscious-self from the dilemma, her conscious mind kept sleep at bay by keeping the issue alive in her thought.

‘What made him think I would accept it?’ she contemplated in all humiliation. ‘And I did take it, didn’t I? Didn’t I know it was a cat and mouse between us all along; why was I not enjoying it in good measure? Couldn’t he be expected to strike at some point, and strike he did, so what’s surprising about it? Now that he has thrown down the gauntlet, won’t I have to ready myself for the battle of wits?’

‘If not for anything else,’ she thought at length, ‘I need to read it to avert the threat he might be posing to undo me, so that I’ve an idea of his line of attack to strategize my defence? So, it makes sense to read his mind through his letter.’

It’s thus Roopa retrieved the letter from behind the bookshelf and began reading it with apprehension.

‘Roopa, my hope,

I’m aware that my move would agitate you. But how am I to portray the thousand deaths I died wanting to avoid distressing you.

All these days, I’ve chosen to suffer silently without making you privy to my predicament. Then, it dawned on me that I owe it to you to let you know that a poor soul is bathing in the warmth of love that is inspired by you. That apart, do I have any right to deny my love its legitimate expression no matter even if it’s unrequited?

On that fateful evening, when I’d first seen you, I felt as if the flood of love that spurted out of my heart would drown me to death. Unable to hold on my own, I ventured to seek your hand for support. Thus, as I was nearing you, I’d seen someone coming to you with those popcorn cones. Oh, how my heart froze, fearing that you’re married to him. But when I realized that you’re my friend’s wife, I rejoiced at his fortune, and chose to bury my love for you in the depths of my heart. Since I am not supposed to love you as woman and as I couldn’t live without loving you, I forced myself to adore you as a sister instead.

But, it didn’t take me long to realize that the brotherly affection is too limited to reflect the manly love I feel for you. Possessed as I am by carnal passion for you, my suffocation in the fraternal garb has been