“Umm, yes, Ma’am. Let’s start on the tattoo,” Hashim replied, nodding like a robot, his mind struggling to maintain focus. Despite his efforts, the overwhelming sensation threatened to engulf him once more.

Observing his fidgeting, Shalu couldn’t help but smile playfully. “So, in what position do you want me while you draw the tattoo?” she asked, her voice laced with amusement.

“Umm, what?” Hashim asked, bewildered by Shalu’s question.

“I mean, do you want me standing, or should I lie down on the bed? Which would be easier for you?” she clarified.

“Oh, that,” Hashim responded, understanding. “I suppose it could be easier for me to draw if you were lying down.”

“More comfortable for me too,” Shalu cheered, immediately flopping down on the bed. Hashim took a deep breath and went to retrieve what he needed from his bag. He soon returned with a bottle of black ink and a drawing brush.

Giving him an inviting smile, Shalu laid back down, her back resting against the soft sheets as she comfortably positioned her arms above her head. It was a subtle invitation, her belly once again offered to him, and Hashim couldn’t help but feel a surge of anticipation as he prepared to begin.

Hashim climbed onto the bed beside her, his eyes fixed on Shalu’s mesmerizing belly once again. He couldn’t help but feel entranced, watching her navel rise and fall in gentle rhythm with each breath she took. His heart hammered in his chest as he opened the bottle of ink, his hands trembling slightly as he dipped the brush into the dark liquid.

Shalu, who had her eyes closed in anticipation, felt the soft bristles of the damp brush touch her sensitive skin just outside the rim of her delicate navel. A shiver ran through her body involuntarily, the sensation sending a rush of warmth coursing through her veins.

“Please try not to move your belly too much Mam.” Hashim said smiling.

“I can’t help it. I am just too sensitive in the area.” Shalu giggled. “How about this? Why don’t you hold my belly in place with your other hand as you draw? That will minimize the movements of my belly and will help you draw more steadily.

Hashim freezed. Is she giving me permission to touch her belly? This gorgeous mouth watering buttery belly? He tried to reply, but no sound was coming out. Due to lack of response Shalu looked down at him and rolled her eyes seeing his reaction. “Honestly !! Loosen up. Will you? Why are you getting so nervous around me?”

Hashim shook his head vehemently. “Its not that Mam. It’s just…..”

“Just what? What are afraid of?” Shalu prompted.

Hashim closed his eyes tight and blurted out in one breath “Its just that your belly is so attractive mam. I am already getting all these urges being at such close proximity without touching you. I am afraid I might loose control if I do that”. He said miserably and then quickly clapped his hands over his mouth as though he couldn’t believe he just blurted that out loud.

Shalu giggled softly utterly endeared by his admission, and Hashim let out a breath of relief he didn’t realize he has been holding. “Oh, Hashim,” she said softly, her voice filled with warmth. “I appreciate your honesty. And I am flattered to hear that you find my belly that attractive. But there’s no need to be afraid. Tell me. What is this urge you are feeling when you are near by belly? What do you feel like doing?”

This conversation was going in a wildly different direction than Hashim expected. He looked back at her belly and said in a soft dreamy voice “I …..feel like burying my face into your belly Mam” Shalu felt her belly shuddering as she heard it and her navel tingled hungrily feeling Hashim’s affectionate gaze. She fought hard against her urges to give in.

With utter fondness, Hashim finally started on his task. As started concentrating on the task at hand, all traces of his nervousness started to vanish and got replaced by a steady and confident demeanor. His hands moved with precision as he brought the brush toward Shalu’s navel and began to draw the tattoo.

In that moment, he felt as though her belly belonged to him, a sacred canvas upon which he could express his adoration. Despite some occasional twitches and flutters here and there, Shalu remained largely unresponsive as he worked on her.

Little did he know that Shalu was reveling in the sensation of each stroke of his brush around her sensitive navel. Embarrassed by her loss of control in the heat of the moment earlier, she found herself feeling awkward about meeting his gaze. So she remained still, with minimal reactions, as Hashim diligently worked on her navel, etching the tattoo with care and precision.

After a few minutes of battling against her senses, which protested against her efforts to stop herself from enjoying the sensations of Hashim’s brush strokes, it finally seemed like Hashim was finishing up. Based on the strokes and sensations she has been feeling she could tell her navel must now be encased inside the Omkari logo of a sun. With anticipation building, she waited for Hashim to announce that the work was done.

Shalu’s navel was already a attention magnet with the sculpted way it was shaped like a perfect oval shaped goblet. And now, adorned with the sun tattoo, the allure was amplified several times over, like a sensual black hole that drew you in irresistably. Even Hashim, who had just savored her navel to its very core moments ago, now found himself consumed by an overwhelming desire to invade the depths of her sensual abyss once again.

But giving in to his wild desires on her belly again would undoubtedly ruin the tattoo he had just painstakingly drawn. Not to mention, there was a high chance that Shalu would be furious. After a few seconds of internal struggle, Hashim suddenly had an idea. He retrieved a golden glittering pen he had with him, uncapped it, and slowly inserted its ballpoint into her navel.

Shalu, who had been expecting Hashim to announce the completion of the tattoo any second now, jolted in shock, surprise, and arousal as a sudden burst of electric pleasure exploded from her navel. The moment the pen reached the depths of her navel and began mercilessly rolling over her navel knot, dipping in and out of every crevice, nook, and corner, her senses were driven utterly wild. It felt like her navel was being held hostage, chained to her pleasure center, her feminine modesty teased to the edge of her limits and beyond.

Hashim was fascinated by the reactions that the simple touch brought out in Shalu. With each stroke of the golden glitter pen over her navel knot, she took a mighty inhale and squirmed in pleasure. Her reactions only prompted him to continue, as he thoroughly painted the insides of her navel in gold. Once he was satisfied, he stopped and admired his handiwork. Her navel now truly looked like a blazing sun, glittering from the depths of its center with a golden glaze.

“It’s done Mam”. He finally announced. It took Shalu a few moments to regain her composure and steady her breathing. She stood up and faced the mirror. Blushing hard, she gazed at her navel, now adorned with the tattoo Hashim had just drawn. It looked way too sexy, even to her own eyes. Now she was starting to grasp just why Tanveer was hellbent on casting her for this ad. If this is how she was going to look in the ad, she had no doubt she was absolutely going to kill it.

Arjun requested Shalu to show them the concept video once again while they waited for Hashim to arrive. Unbeknownst to Shalu, the hearts of both men were beating madly with excitement as they rewatched the concept. Shalu has been famous for the beauty of her navel even from their college days, and judging by what they could see through the transparent saree she was wearing at the moment, that beauty had only increased over the years. The thought of her playing the lead in this ad, where she would not only have several close-up shots of her navel but also have her navel teased with a sword, was too thrilling. The idea of witnessing a sharp steel blade entering the depths of such an enchanting navel was too damn enticing.

Meanwhile, on the rooftop pool area, a diminutive 4ft tall man scrambled around furiously, stowing away cameras and accessories in a bag almost as tall as himself. His boss, Arjun, had just called him and instructed him to bring some basic studio equipment and makeup accessories to his suite. Hashim had a feeling it had something to do with the sexy lady in the black transparent saree he had seen with his boss earlier.

During the photoshoot, Hashim was the only crew member who actively refrained from ogling at Natasha. And there was a reason for that. Though Natasha was undeniably sexy, with flawless skin, alluring looks, and a size-zero figure, she didn’t attract Hashim’s attention because of a simple fact – she had a small, shallow navel and hard washboard abs. Hashim was a hardcore navel fetishist; women only caught his fancy if they happened to have a beautiful navel and soft belly. That was why he was the first among the crew members to notice Shalu when she first arrived. Right from the the moment he saw Shalu for the first time when she stepped into the rooftop area he hasn’t been able to take his eyes off her, or rather her midriff. Her big navel looked extremely alluring through her transparent even from that distance.

He had watched on with burning jealousy and awe back then as Arjun sir went upto her, hugged her and even boldly felt up and squeezed her curvy moon hips as he watched, making him almost wet himself. He had hoped Arjun sir would bring her over and introduce him to everybody but sadly he sent her away with his negro friend before he had a chance to see her up close. But now he has been called into Arjun sir’s suite with all the studio equipments necessary for a mini photo-shoot. Which could mean only one thing. He is going to get the chance to meet the sexy lady in black saree.

In his excitement he didn’t care about the struggle he was having to put his minute frame through to carry that heavy bag towards Arjun’s suite. He was almost gasping for breathe with exertion by the time he reached there. He took a few moments to catch his breath, before knocking on the door. He hoped that Arjun sir would invite him inside and not just send him away after getting the bag from him. As he stood there in nervous excitement the door opened and he was greeted with a sight that almost made his eyeballs pop out of its sockets. The person who opened the door was not Arjun sir, but the lady he has been looking forward to see herself. Being only 4ft feet in height the first thing he saw when the door opened was that gorgeous belly he has been longing to see all this time, covered only by a thin layer of transparent black fabric. That big oval shaped navel he saw from a distance earlier on was right in front of him, looking like a dark cave shrouded in erotic mystery.

Shalu who opened the door expecting him was surprised to see that Hashim turned out be a a diminutive yet cute looking man whose height only barely came up to her belly. He was carrying a bag much larger than him. If it wasn’t for his soft beard and mustache, Shalu would have definitely assumed he was a child. But what really rattled Shalu was the way his large saucer like eyes were boring into her midsection, like he was beholding one of the most beautiful sight in his life. She couldn’t help but blush feeling that penetrating stare invading the depths of her navel making her insides clench deliciously with need. Before the tense pause could get anymore awkward she cleared her throat loudly and said in a voice that sounded awkwardly high even to her own ears. “Hey.. You must be Hashim. We have been waiting for you.”

Hashim’s mind suddenly snapped back into reality. “Fuck!!” he cursed under his breath realizing he has been standing their stupified looking at her navel. Clearly she must have noticed it. He looked up a little fearfully not knowing how she would have taken it. “Yeyeyess mam !!” he somehow managed. Realizing the little man’s discomfort and guessing what must be going through his mind Shalu couldn’t help but smile, finding his timidity utterly adorable. She stepped aside and said in sweet voice “Come on in.”

“Half-Pintttt !!, you are here.” Arjun called out cheerfully as soon he saw him. Hashim bristled hearing his boss calling him by his nickname in front of Shalu. “Shalu bee, this is Hashim, my little right hand man. We call him Half Pint. He may look small but he is a store house of talent. He is by far my best employee. And Hashim, this is my friend Shalini. Like Marcus here she is also a close friend from college”

“Hello mam! Nice to meet you.” Hashim said politely giving a small bow. “Pleasure to meet you as well Hashim” Shalu said smiling. It didn’t escape her attention that Hashim was still trying hard to keep his gaze from straying to her midriff. She had to admit the looks of desire and admiration her midriff has been getting all day was certainly boosting her confidence to new levels.

Arjun quickly brought Hashim up to speed on what was going on, and the impromptu photo-shoot plan. He even showed him the concept video of the ad Shalu has been offered to play. Shalu enjoyed watching the little man’s face go through a myriad of expressions from curiosity to awe to utter disbelief to the point where his mouth hanging open like a big ‘O’. She could tell he was already imagining her in that ad in his head.

Once he finished briefing Hashim, Arjun turned his attention back to her “Now, Shalu, he may not look like it, but Hashim here is an excellent wardrobe stylist and a makeup artist as well. If you’d let him, he could help you modify your getup to look as close as to your getup in the ad, complete with that Omkari logo around your navel.” That last bit stunned both Shalu and Hashim as neither saw that coming.

All this while Hashim has been considering himself lucky and thanking the stars for just the opportunity of getting to see Shalini again let alone getting to know her. Never in his wildest dreams did he imagine something like this would be thrown his way. He couldn’t believe his ears. He looked at Shalu in disbelief to see her reaction to this absurd proposition by Arjun and realized that she has been looking right at him with an inscrutable expression. He gulped nervously. No way she was going to go along with this.

“Ok.” Shalini said simply after a slight pause. Hashim’s brain exploded. WHAT !!!!!! She actually agreed??????

Shalu couldn’t help but smile at his cute reaction. If it was anybody else, she may have hesitated. But this guy was only half her size and looked as harmless as he possibly could. Besides, for some reason, Shalu found him adoringly cute too. Something about him was drawing her to him. Perhaps it was his timidity combined with his look of reverence and admiration everytime his gaze landed on her – or rather at her midriff. Shalu was surprised to find that she not only didn’t mind, she was finding herself rather excited too at the thought of this little man fussing around with her appearance.

“Great. You go and get ready then Shalu. I will set the camera and lights here in the mean time. Hashim, take her to the bedroom and prep her. ” Arjun said winking at him. He was very well aware of Hashim’s fascination for woman’s navels. Being someone with the same fetish himself he did always had a soft corner for Hashim and was sure he was gonna enjoy every second of this.

“Ockk…..okay sir…” Hashim squeaked out in a high voice. He nervously looked towards Shalu again, only to see she was already walking into the bedroom. He stood there for a moment trying to comprehend the turn of events. Was this really happening? He shook his head trying to get his bearings before getting a makeup kit from the bag he brought and following her into the bedroom.

Once inside the bedroom, Shalu closed the door, casting a playful glance at Hashim. He stood there, a bit anxious, awaiting her guidance. With a mischievous smile, Shalu decided to add a touch of teasing to the moment. She shifted her hips to the side in a seductive manner and playfully inquired, “Okay, Hashim, let’s get started. What should I do?”

Hashim’s knees buckled and nearly gave way at the sight of her suggestive hip movement. He swallowed hard and cautiously suggested, as though anticipating a rebuke, “M-Ma’am, let’s work on your attire first. Could you, um, take off your… your saree… and, um, wrap it around your waist like a dhoti?”

“I can take off the saree,” Shalu said, casually pulling her saree from her shoulders and letting it fall to the floor. “However, I have no idea how to wrap it like a dhoti. You would have to help me with that.”

Hashim’s eyes nearly popped out of its sockets at the sight. Shalu has completely laid bare her enchanting belly and navel in front of him without any hint of hesitation. He swallowed a mouthful of saliva which has been threatening to drool out of his lips. Not only has she bared her belly to him, she was even requesting him to help her with wearing her saree like a dhoti. He was having a hard time believing his own eyes and ears. Such alluring scenarios never happened to him. What kind of crazy alternate universe am I stuck in right now? He wondered.

“M…mmeee? Wea.. wear dh..dhoti o..on you???” Hashim squeaked out trying to confirm he hasn’t heard it wrong or was dreaming it.

“Why? Is that a problem?” Shalu raised an eyebrow, a small smile playing on her lips.

“N..No Mam.” Hashim said quickly and tentatively walked towards her, keeping his gaze down, his legs feeling more and more like jelly with each step. His heart was hammering inside his chest wildly as he reached near her. Shalu bended down to pick up her dropped pallu, presenting him with generous view of luscious cleavage valley before standing back up and handing it towards him.

With shaky hands Hashim took the saree from her. As soon as he did that Shalu did something that almost made him collapse under on the spot. She raised her hands above her head and put it behind her head as though totally submitting her midriff to him. The entire expanse of her enticing midriff was now stretched out right in front of his face in an extremely alluring manner. He could clearly see the intricate details of her belly now, like the flawless creamy texture of her delicious skin and the delicate contours of her deep oval shaped navel. A heady, exotic scent emanated from her, a tantalizing blend of wildflowers and her unique essence. He was intoxicated. He found himself having difficulty to focus on even simplest of tasks. Shalu waited on patiently with anticipation and didn’t utter a word. Her belly was already fluttering with butterflies feeling Hashim’s loving gaze caressing every inch of her belly.

Finally, with shaky hands Hashim tentatively reached up and touched her lower belly just above her petticoat which was tied a good few inches below her navel. Both Shalu and Hashim recoiled for a second as though they got electrocuted by the touch.

“So..sorry.” Shalu immediately apologized embarrassed by her own reaction. She thought Hashim pulled his fingers away because he got startled by her reaction. “I am a little tender there. Don’t worry about it. Carry on.” Hashim gulped, his fingers still tingling after momentarily touching her skin. He brought his shaky hands up again and softly placed it against her lower belly where her waistline was. Shalu’s belly shivered again feeling his feathery touch, sending pleasant tingling sensations all over her body, but this time she was prepared and didn’t move her body much. For a few seconds Hashim was just lost in staring at her shivering belly in such close proximity, her navel whispering to him to just lean forward and steal a kiss. He absently ran his fingers along her waistline making her giggle despite herself.

“My belly is not made of lava you know. It won’t burn you to touch me a little more firmly” Shalu said playfully jiggling her belly in front of his face. Hashim started to almost hyperventilate with exertion. Every fiber of his being begged him to sink his face into her belly and bury himself in those buttery flesh. He shook his head and forced himself to concentrate on the job. With hands which was still shaking he began carefully tucking her saree into her waistline while walking around her, his heart fluttering every time his fingers graced her soft silky skin emanating a giggle from Shalu. Gradually his nervousness began to ebb away as he realized not only Shalu was coperating, she seemed to be even enjoying herself as he worked on her. His fingers began to get steadier and surer with each tuck and his focus became a lot more clearer. After a while he finished and stepped back admiring his handy work. It was then he realized Shalu has been standing there all this while with her eyes closed whilst having her hands still locked behind her head. A blissful smile was playing at her lips.

What a magnificent woman!! Hashim thought reverently as he beheld her in her full sensual might in that pose. Keeping his eyes locked on his object admiration again he announced “It done Mam.” He was feeling less shy about openly ogling at her navel now, reassured by Shalu’s apparent comfort. Shalu started and slowly opened her eyes to see Hashim standing a few steps away from her now, still penetrating her navel with his lusty gaze. It was obvious was that the little fellow was besotted with her midriff. But what surprised Shalu was the fact that despite having his object of fascination presented to him at such close proximity he never tried to take advantage even once. His fingers never waved or lingered more than they had to.

Smiling at him with newfound respect she turned towards the wardrobe mirror to check her reflection. Hashim has indeed done a good job. Her saree hung around her waist like a legit dhoti now. “Wow nice work Hashim.”

“Thank you so much Mam.” Hashim grinned widely. That simple compliment filled him with so much happiness that he felt as though he was floating in air. His gaze lingered on her, admiring every curve as she struck various poses before the mirror. Shalu caught sight of his reflection in the mirror and was surprised to find him still fixated on her belly, despite his back being turned. The longing, affectionate gaze in his eyes stirred a desire within her—a yearning to feel his love expressed for her midriff.

“I guess all that is left now is the tattoo.” She said turning back to face him again, her insides already burning with anticipation of having him work on her navel.

Hashim who has been busy ogling was startled when Shalu suddenly turned back to face him. It took Hashim a few seconds to register what she said. Suddenly his eyes opened up wide like saucers as he recalled what he is has to do next.

Late Morning at Hotel Velvet Vista

“Hey, Thomas! Heads up. A customer is coming,” Vivek hissed to his fellow bellhop as a car entered the gateway. Thomas looked up from his mobile lazily and took a casual glance at the oncoming car.

“Hmm, a Maruti Baleno. Probably some middle-class wannabe here to check out the hotel amenities. You handle this one,” Thomas scoffed, shaking his head, and returned to his phone. Velvet Vista is a premium 5-star hotel with the fanciest of amenities. Dining or staying here was far from a budget-friendly affair. While people from all walks of life visited from time to time, it was the rich and the elite who were their prized customers. The others were usually just passing through.

“Oh, come on, man. I attended the last customer too. It’s your turn now,” Vivek protested.

“Quit quibbling. I’m the senior among the both of us. Do as I say,” Thomas snapped.

Vivek cursed under his breath but at the end began to climb down the steps to receive the customer. However as soon as the car stopped and the driver stepped out he froze on his tracks. The person who stepped out was a gorgeous middle aged woman looking staggeringly alluring in a transparent black saree and golden sleeveless blouse. Suddenly Vivek felt like his legs are made of jelly as he struggled to put one feet in front of other as he walked towards that goddess of a woman. His eyes greedily consumed the sheer sexiness alluded by the woman, her angelic face split into a polite smile as her mesmerizing eyes met his making his heart flutter. Her body was curvy and voluptuous. Her skin fair and radiant. Her medium length hair was dyed brown and let loose behind her. But despite all this the sight that made him almost trip on his feet was her midsection. Her big and deep oval shaped navel was almost 80% visible through the fabric of the transparent black saree she was wearing. And it was one of the most sexiest sights he ever beheld. His gaze got locked to the spot and refused to move away.

It was not until the woman made an “Ahem” sound that Vivek snapped out of the enchantment he was in and looked up in panic realizing he was standing in front of her now and has been quite unabashedly staring at her navel up until a second ago. He cursed under his breath for behaving like a creepy idiot in front of her and said hurriedly.

“Hello Mam. Welcome to Velvet Vista. Are you here to visit or stay?”

“Just visiting.” Shalu said giving the flushed looking bellboy a slight smile secretly enjoying the effect she was having on him. “I am here to visit a friend who is here today. I was told he would be there at the rooftop bar and pool area here. ”

“Oh ! Are you sure Mam that is where he is Mam? ” Vivek asked suddenly.

“I think so. Why do you ask?” Shalu asked.

“Its just that the whole area has been booked by a photography studio for the whole morning. There is a shoot going on there at this time. Customers are not permitted there.” He said looking distraught at having to deny her.

“Oh is it so?” Shalu asked confused. Then another thought occurred to her. “Is the person in charge of the photoshoot Arjun?”

Vivek’s face brighted up. “Oh you are here to meet Arjun Sir? Then no problem. Come with me Mam. I will lead you there.”

Thomas who have been still been standing at the lobby lazily flipping through his phone happened to casually look up at that moment and was stunned to see Vivek leading a stunning woman up the stairs. His expression changed immediately. If only he knew this hot woman was the one driving that Baleno he would have never let Vivek attend her. This was supposed to be his turn and he should have been the one attending her if he didn’t bully Vivek into it.

As they came up the stairs Thomas immediately approached them. He put on a cloying smile and said “Welcome to Hotel Velvet Vista Madam.” He turned to Vivek and said “I will take over from here Vivek. Thank you for covering for me”. Vivek’s face soured but he put on a forced smile and said through gritted teeth “It is no trouble Thomas, I can take care of Madam. You take care of the next customer.”

Now that the prat knows the person who drove the Maruti was this hot woman he suddenly wants to do his job. Vivek thought bitterly. “Don’t be silly Vivek, you attended the last customer too. It is my turn now. You take some rest.” Thomas said sternly trying to exert his authority and suppress him.

Shalu who had been silently watching this passive aggressive war between the two excitable bellhops decided to step in. “Ahem…if it is all the same to you I would prefer to have Vivek guide me. “ From their exchange just now Shalu got the vague idea what was going on and she didn’t get a good impression of Thomas. Vivek on the other hand seemed like a sweet enough guy.

Vivek’s face immediately spit into a huge grin while Thomas’s expression visibly soured. But he covered up his embarrassment well and said “Ofcourse Madam. As you wish.” He stared daggers at Vivek’s back as he wistfully watched him lead that gorgeous woman away. Her exotic perfume still lingered in the air where she stood moments ago.

Meanwhile on the rooftop bar Marcus was sitting lazily on a lounge chair wearing nothing but shorts and a beach shirt and sipping a glass of chamagne. He was enjoying the show that was going on the other side of the pool where a hot model in a bright red bikini was striking alluring poses under the instructions of Arjun who was busily clicking away at his camera.

“Excellent, Natasha, excellent. Bend over a bit more, just like that, and pout your lips… excellent… fantastic… great shot,” Arjun called out cheerfully, concluding the session. He was surrounded by his crew members, all men who were trying hard not to openly stare. Working with Arjun, they were accustomed to being around attractive women, but Natasha, in just a bikini, was almost too much to resist. Especially when she was dripping wet from head to toe, the allure of her slender, sexy body enhanced several times by the glistening water droplets that clung to her skin.

“Yay !! Let me have a look” Natasha called out cheerfully not bothered the least by the unabashed stares she was receiving and skipped over to Arjun. “Here take a look” said Arjun casually putting his hand around her waist and drawing her close while showing her the pics on his camera with his other hand. Natasha didn’t care at all and let him hold her close and run his hands all over her tiny waist as she flipped through her latest pictures. The other crew members watched this casual exchange with awe and jealousy.

On the other side, Marcus shook his head, a wry smile on his face. “The idiot hasn’t changed at all,” he thought to himself. Arjun made it look like he was doing it casually, but Marcus knew better. Arjun would never miss an opportunity to be handsy with an attractive girl if he could. Plus, he had quite the reputation as a ladies’ man, which made it even easier for him. He had been like this ever since Marcus had known him, going all the way back to their college days.

Suddenly, he felt a pair of feminine hands covering his eyes from behind, plunging his world into darkness. The pleasant combination of a flowery aroma and an alluring, strangely familiar feminine scent enveloped his senses, like a fragrance from a long-forgotten dream. Then, the air was graced by that sweet, honeyed voice, a sound he believed he would never hear again in this lifetime.

“Oye Marco Polo. Guess who?” The playful voice reached Marcus’s ears, causing his heart to beat wildly. It couldn’t be. Could it? “Sha… Shalu?” he asked, his voice a mix of surprise, uncertainty, and wonder.

Marcus was the first person Shalu saw when she arrived at the rooftop. He was sitting alone on a barstool by the counter facing the swimming pool on the far side where the photoshoot was going on. Though Shalu only saw his backside, his giant frame was unmistakable from whatever angle you looked at. After all you don’t see a lot of large 6ft 3, african man in India. Though she was nervous about the prospect of meeting Marcus again, as soon as she saw him in person a warm familiar feeling enveloped her. That was why she quietly tiptoed up behind him and thought to mess with him by making him guess who she was. What she didn’t expect was for him to recognize her within mere seconds.

“No way. How did you do that?” Shalu whined taking off her hands. “Arjun warned you I was coming. Didn’t he? ”

Marcus stood up and turned around to see the face he hasn’t seen in over 15 years. His eyes widened, a mix of disbelief and joy playing on his features. The years melted away as he gazed into Shalu’s eyes, her familiar face bringing back a flood of memories.

“Arjun didn’t spill a word. There are only two women in the world that address me by that nickname and I know both their voices pretty well. ” Marcus said grinning widely, his voice a mixture of surpise and delight. He didn’t mention that he recognized Shalu’s distinct scent as well. “Shalu, its really you’.

Shalu chuckled, a warmth spreading across her face. “The one and only. Missed me?”

Marcus hesitated for a moment, a myriad of emotions crossing his eyes. “More than you know,” he admitted, the weight of unspoken words hanging in the air. His eyes drank in her appearance. Draped in a bewitching black transparent saree, Shalu’s silhouette seemed to dance with sensuality. The sheer fabric clung lovingly to every curve, revealing the contours of her body like a whispered promise. Marcus couldn’t tear his gaze away from the clear visibility of her enticing belly, and the sight of her beautiful navel, the navel he had longed for so much during their college days, it was reigniting some long forgotten desires within him. Shalu seemed to have blossomed into a more voluptuous form over form over the years, and the added softness to her belly and navel had only increased her allure by several folds.

The tension was broken by another loud “Shalu Bee…” call from behind her. Shalu turned around to see Arjun walking towards her with a big grin on his face. He swooped in and wrapped her in a warm hug. Shalu grinned brightly and returned his hug warmly. However, that warmth lasted only for a few seconds as Shalu felt his hands, which had been resting on her bare lower back, creeping over to her bare waist.

Swiftly, Shalu swatted his hand away as it began squeezing her love handles, a playful yet instinctive move on her part. “Behave, you idiot,” she said with a laugh. The action was second nature for Shalu, who knew Arjun well enough to be aware of his weakness for women’s midriffs. A greeting from Arjun was, after all, incomplete without a few cheeky squeezes on the waist.

“Hard to resist when you are dressed like this,” Arjun replied unabashedly, still keeping his arms on her waist. Thankfully, he had stopped squeezing. The other crew members watched in awe and jealousy from a little behind as they found their boss with yet another gorgeous woman. Everyone secretly wished they were as cool a person as Arjun, who seemed to be acquainted with so many beautiful women.

“Right!! Like you would spare otherwise,” Shalu said, rolling her eyes. Then, she caught sight of his staring crew members. Assuming they were waiting for him to join them again, especially the hot girl in the bikini who didn’t look too pleased, Shalu didn’t realize she was scowling because her spotlight has been stolen by her while she is standing there in just a bikini, dripping wet and exuding all kinds of sultriness.

“Please go and finish your work Arjou. Your crew members seem to be getting impatient. I have Marcus here to keep me company. We have lots of catching upto do.”

“Oh Right!!” Arjun said as though just realizing what he was supposed to be doing. He has rushed over as soon as he saw Shalu arriving looking like a diva forgetting everything. He immediately turned to Marcus said with a meaningful look. “Marco, why don’t you take her to my suite and get her some refreshment. I will wrap this up in an hour and join you guys there.”

Marcus nodded in understanding. He wanted Shalu taken from there as her appearance was distracting the crew members. “Sure Man. Come on Shalu. Let’s get to the suite.”

Marcus led Shalu away from the bustling scene of the photoshoot, navigating through the glamorous chaos of the rooftop. As they entered the opulent suite, a stark contrast to the lively atmosphere outside, Shalu couldn’t help but notice the air of luxury that surrounded them.

“Make yourself comfortable, Shalu. Arjun’s suite is quite something,” Marcus remarked, gesturing to the plush seating and offering her a seat.

Shalu sank into the comfortable surroundings with a grateful smile. Yet, it didn’t escape her notice that there was some lingering tension between them. Despite Marcus’s cordial behavior since her arrival, he hadn’t once tried to touch her or even get near her, and Shalu knew exactly why that was. There were still a lot of unresolved issues between them.

“Listen. Marcus ! ” Shalu started “I owe you an apology for how things went down all those years ago and for not keeping in touch. Yea !! Don’t give me that look. I know that is what have been weighing on your mind. “

Marcus met her gaze, his expression a mix of attentiveness and empathy. “Shalu, you don’t need to apologize. I understand that life can get complicated, especially when dealing with relationships.”

“Still I need to get this out of my chest. You have to understand I was struggling to keep my marriage together and at the time keeping distance from you seemed like the easier thing to do. I know you are aware of this after that fiasco that happened at Chithra’s wedding. But Navneet have always been extremely jealous of the bond I shared with you and Arjun. Perhaps you a little more than him.“

Marcus nodded. “I figured. Thats why I kept my distance as well and stayed out of your life. But Shalu we were best friends. If you were having problems in your relationship because of me you should have confided in me before things escalated to that level. I would have understood and been more careful around you”.

Shalu looked down guiltity. “I should have. I was just embarassed. And at denial at the fact that I was involved in a toxic relationship. In the end it all blew up in my face big time anyways.”

Marcus sighed. “I know. Been 10 years. Hasn’t it? Since your divorce with Navneet?” Shalu nodded . “So what happened? Cutting out your friends didn’t help either?”

Shalu shook her head. “No. Not really. He was always convinced the kind of relationship I shared with you was promiscuous. He would bring it up every time we argued to hurt me. It was not just you, I even stopped talking to Arjun for a few years because of this. I put up with all the abuse initially for the sake of saving our marriage. Told myself its just possessiveness out of love. Then I got pregnant. I gained a lot of weight during the pregnancy period and was overweight for a long while even after delivery. I didn’t have time to take care of my diet or looks as I was a breastfeeding mother. I was aware of Navneet becoming increasingly distant with me all through this. But I didn’t pay it much heed initially. Then after a while I began to feel a little guilty for putting all my attention on the baby and neglecting him. I began to make efforts to rekindle our romance. And one day I dropped by his office with little Akki in my arms for a surprise visit with a special lunch I have prepared for him. And found him making out a girl.” She said, her voice faltering as she recalled the heart wrenching moment that turned her life outside down.

“That day, my world shattered into a million pieces,” Shalu’s voice wavered as she continued. “When I confronted him about his betrayal, his response was a cruel blow. He said we were ‘even’ because he believed I had experience fooling around with you and Arjun in the past. He twisted our innocent friendship into something tainted and used it to justify his own infidelity.”

Her words held a mixture of disbelief and pain, the memory still vivid and raw. “He felt entitled to his actions, as if my supposed past gave him permission to betray me. There were no arguments, no explanations that could erase the pain. I simply gathered my belongings, took Akki, and walked away from the life we had built together. In the following months, we got legally divorced as well.”

Just then, their refreshments arrived, prompting Marcus to remark with a grin, “Well, it came right in time. If this doesn’t call for a drink, I don’t know what does.” He got up and skillfully poured out two glasses of wine. Shalu’s heart warmed at the gesture, and she couldn’t help but notice that this time, he chose to sit beside her as he returned with the glasses of wine. The simple act spoke volumes, silently reaffirming their rekindled connection.

Slowly over the wine they began sharing stories, and catching upon everything they have missed to tell each other over the past several years. Their old familiarity and comfort with each starting to return. An hour later, Arjun returned to find them sitting together, lost in conversation and sharing a hearty laughter. With a playful grin, Arjun quipped, “Wow, there’s a sight I haven’t seen in over a decade. So I take it you two have made up finally?”

Marcus’s hand instinctively found its way to Shalu’s bare waist, pulling her closer to him just like he used to do in the past. Shalu’s surprise was evident as she looked at Marcus, a smile slowly forming on her face. With a mischievous wink, Marcus turned to Arjun, a wide grin stretching across his face. “Well, what do you think?”

Arjun couldn’t help but chuckle, a mischievous glint in his eye as he observed the amusing sight in front of him. “Ah, the dynamic duo returns! It’s about time, you two. I was starting to think I’d have to call in a professional mediator.” With a playful gesture, he pointed his finger back and forth between Marcus and Shalu. “Now I’m feeling a bit left out. Scooooot…” Arjun made his way towards Shalu, attempting to squeeze himself into the limited space on the other side of the sofa.

“Uff there is plenty of other places for you to sit dude. ” Shalu complained but Marcus was already moving to the other corner and pulled Shalu alongside him making room for Arjun.

Arjun squeezed himself into other side of Shalu and put his arm around her shoulder. “Ahh thats better.” Shalu rolled her eyes and shook her head. This man will never grow up. She thought. “So Shalu bee.” Arjun started. “What was that important thing that you wanted to discuss with me so badly?”

Shalu felt strangely giddy sitting between her two oldest friends after a long time. She took another sip of her wine and gathered her thoughts and started telling them the whole story of how she got the offer to star in an ad starting from the impromptu presentation she delivered for getting her manager Sreekanth out of trouble and to the point where Tanveer pitched the incredible offer to her at his office. She even played the ad concept video in her phone which she made Xavier send to her the previous day.

“So now I am torn in indecision, not knowing what to do.” She concluded. “The amount of money he is offering me to perform this ad, is way too incredible to be ignored. It would take me multiple years to earn that kind of money on my normal payroll. And here I have the shot to earn it in one shot. And as if that wasn’t enough, he has even offered a 30% hike in salary on my designer job as well. “

Arjun couldn’t hide his astonishment. “Hold on a second! First of all, WOW! I mean, seriously, WOW!” Shalu couldn’t help but grin at his reaction. “Secondly,” Arjun continued, “Did I just hear that you are torn in indecision? On an offer that would give you 60 lakhs rupees and a 30% hike in salary in one shot? Meaning you haven’t said yes to it already? Are you out of your mind?”

Shalu’s cheeks turned slightly pink.. “Well when you put it like that….it does sound like a no-brainer.” she murmured softly.

“I think she is worried about her public image and the impact the publicity may bring to her personal life Arjou.” Marcus chimed in. Shalu smiled. Marcus has always been the one that was able to read her mind. Even after all these years of gap he hasn’t missed a beat.

“Exactly.” Shalu said emphatically suddenly standing up from between them and turning around to face Arjun face to face. “You saw the concept video Arjou. This ad is sure to go viral and the person who performs it along with it. There is a reason many top level actresses and models said No to the offer.”

Arjun burst out laughing. “You are making it sound as though, you are asked to do porn. I don’t think it is as bad as you are making it out to be Shalu bee. And lets not forget, you are no stranger at all to being recognized for having a stunning navel or for using it to your advantage. This is essentially the same thing, just on a grander scale. “

Shalu’s face turned deeper shade of crimson. “That is not the point. I am not some youngling in my twenties anymore Arjou. I have a 15 year old son now. Any bad publicity I get will affect him too.”

“Akki is a cool kid. I am sure he can handle it. Listen Shalu, at the end of the day the real question you have to ask yourself is, does the pros outweigh the cons? In this case it very clearly does by a huge margin. And fortunes like this dont knock at your door everyday. I work in the glam industry. Take it from me when I say, I haven’t heard of of newbie being offered such a humongous deal in all 10 years of my experience. If you let this go, you are going to spend the rest of your life wondering what could have been, if you just took a chance. I guarantee you that. ”

Marcus, silent until now, added, “Shalu, life is about taking chances. Don’t let fear dictate your decisions. You’ve always been bold and unconventional. Embrace this moment, and who knows where it might lead you.”

Shalu didn’t reply. She just went over and sat heavily on a single sofa on the other side. “It is not as simple as that guys. You guys also have to remember the character I am expected to play is that of a young princess. I am not some youngling hotshot. I am a grown ass woman in mid thirties and a mother of a teenager. I would probably look like a Aunty posing as a young girl. It would be ridiculous to see a mummy playing princess pretty on screen. People would troll me so bad.”

Arjun groaned exasperatedly. “Come on, Shalu, if that were true, your bosswouldn’t have dangled this opportunity in front of you. Your age-defying looks can outshine any young model. But if you are still unsure, I have an idea.”

Shalu looked at him interested. “What have you got in mind?”

“You are all dolled up and looking pretty and sexy today. How about we do a mini photoshoot right here? I already have the studio equipments here. Since you’re in a saree, it should be easy to replicate the look you’d have in your ad. “

Shalu hesitated for a moment, contemplating Arjun’s proposal. The notion of a mini photoshoot intrigued her, as it would give her a pretty good picture of how she could look on the ad. “Are you sure Arjou? Wouldn’t that be too much trouble?”

“It’s no trouble at all. We can set up the shoot right here in this suite itself. Let me call my assistant, Hashim. He must still be around here somewhere. I’ll tell him to bring the necessary equipment here, and we can get started,” Arjun said, taking out his phone and making the call.