Read Online The Indian Tycoon's Marriage Deal by Adite Banerjie - Free Book Online

syrupy
gulab jamun.
‘Aha, so you have a sweet tooth!’
    Krish smiled sheepishly. ‘Never could resist GJs.’
    Sighing contentedly she said, ‘That was truly the most amazing meal I have had in a long time.’
    Krish looked at her, wonder-struck. ‘And you had a pretty decent appetite to do justice to it. Wonder of wonders, you aren’t worried about losing your figure!’
    She shrugged nonchalantly. ‘If I need to shed pounds, I will jog. But wasting such delicious food would be downright criminal!’
    Krish’s throaty laugh made her nerve ends tingle. ‘You know, you’re an amazing woman, full of surprises.’ And added in a husky whisper, ‘I can’t wait to unwrap the others that you have in store for me.’
    The fire in his eyes belied his teasing voice. It held a promise of passion that found an echo deep within her. She looked away, trying to steel her mind against the temptation. But her body rebelled, as it responded with sparks of fire of its own, spreading heat and warmth that crept its way right up to her cheeks in a fiery blush.
    Tearing her eyes away from his gaze, she murmured, ‘I need to change first before we leave.’
    As Maya made good her escape to the washroom, she pondered over the way she was reacting to Krish. There was something in his eyes that had the heat of fire—at times they were all aglow like embers, at times alight with the flame of mischief, and always there was a hint of controlled, fiery passion. She wondered how they would blaze when he finally let go of that control. The traitorous thought sent a hot wave of sensation down to her innermost core as she doused her face with cold water.
    * * *
    As Krish deftly manoeuvred the Prius through the city traffic towards the green outskirts beyond the cityscape of malls, multiplexes and multi-storey apartment blocks, Maya marvelled at the sight of the flame of forests. Blood-red flowers on trees that were stark and bald. The hotter the Delhi summers, the brighter the
gulmohur
blossoms. Sprawling farmhouses were spaced out between huge acres of farmland. The houses themselves, nestled deep in greenery behind formidable walls topped by barbed wire, were private and secure. These were the farmhouses of the rich and famous—and some even went the extra mile by posting gunmen to protect their property and privacy.
    Turning on to a narrow track off the main road, the Prius passed by acres of fenced-off sheds topped with the distinctive green covering sported by hothouses. The air was different—it had the feeling of space and greenery but also of seclusion and secrecy. For all the serene beauty, there was an edge of menace that chilled Maya’s heart. She felt a bit like Alice crashing into an alien Wonderland. A knot of tension gnawed away at her insides.
    To shake off the ominous feeling, she asked, ‘These are the Dev Group hothouses?’
    â€˜Yes. In total, the DGE hothouses are spread over more than one hundred acres. And these supply cut flowers to destinations abroad as well as to the rest of India. After you have settled in, I will show you around. Most of these hothouses, though not all, are completely climate controlled. I’m sure you would find it interesting to check out some of the exotic floral species that are grown. Though, honestly speaking, this is one of the least profitable of the DGE businesses and its potential hasn’t been harnessed the way it could have been.’
    â€˜Spoken like a true management consultant,’ she muttered.
    Krish simply shrugged. ‘Yes, but I don’t do consultancy for the DGE.’
    Maya was taken aback. ‘Why not?’
    â€˜KD believes in hands-on management and he has no faith in management consultants.’
    â€˜Not even you, the heir to his empire?’ Maya was incredulous.
    Krish’s eyes were focused on the road ahead. ‘Technically,
    I would be his heir. Realistically,