One Night in Goa

“It is my pleasure to announce that our annual firm retreat shall be held at Park Hyatt Goa Resort & Spa on 27-29 November 2015”, read the email from Ray, the managing partner of Lex Argus.
The entire associate wing broke into an animated chatter. Amongst them, most excited were third-year associates Vidyut, Shamil, Sayani and Trina who had received another email from Anand, the youngest partner of the firm, informing that they would assist him in the organization of the retreat.

Ishana walked in Anand’s cabin just after he finished his con-call. “Why did you get Sayani for this admin work? She is in the middle of the Samsung deal with me and I can’t spare her.”
“I am sure she can handle both,” replied Anand coolly.
Ishana came and sat on the edge of Anand’s table, her skirt riding up to reveal her smooth, toned thighs.
“She is due for promotion this year. I need to show to my partner that she deserves to be a senior associate. If you take up her time with…” Anand’s hand stroked her knees and moved inside her skirt. “You are incorrigible”, exclaimed Ishana and stood up. Anand laughed and leaned back on his chair.
“I am going bikini shopping this weekend. Want to join?” she flashed her seductive smile.
“I will, only if you promise to show me every time you try one,” came his reply.

Anand loved relationships which came with no-strings attached and so wore his commitment-phobia on his sleeves. With his gorgeous looks, marathon-trained body and job profile, he was never short of female company, both inside and outside his bedroom. His latest was Ishana, who was a principal associate on track to be a partner in Lex Argus. Moreover, she was blessed with the looks and body of a super model and was secretly desired by the entire male population of the firm. It took Anand months’ of hard work and the best of his charms to get her into his bed eight months ago; and it was Ishana’s skills in bed which had kept Anand interested all this while.

Finally, the day arrived when everybody boarded the early morning flight from Mumbai to Goa.

Park Hyatt was the most beautiful and romantic hotel on earth, thought Sayani as she waited with others at the lobby for the check-in process. A little farther Anand and Ishana stood, hand in hand. Suddenly Anand’s mouth quickly found Ishana’s neck. Sayani’s heart fluttered, unbidden. She had always been careful to keep her adulation for Anand in check but had slipped up a few times recently. How could she keep her mask of indifference on when he consistently asked her to stay back for more work after others had left, ordered takeaway and invited her to his cabin for dinner and hugged her in the dark elevator of the office during a power outage after hearing she had claustrophobia?

“Nothing can come between Ishana and me, especially now,” thought Sayani determinedly.
Ishana was not only Sayani’s immediate boss in the team but also a supportive and caring mentor. She could not afford to ruin her equation with Ishana and more importantly, her promotion over her feelings for Anand.

The retreat began in the afternoon with a welcome speech by Ray and a presentation by Anand showcasing the firm’s tremendous progress. Drinks flowed freely followed by sumptuous food. During the draw of lots to divide the lawyers into teams, Sayani’s heart did an involuntary somersault when she ended up in the same team as Anand.
“Hey where is your drink?” Sayani found Vidyut by her side. “Get something expensive; after all it’s free.”
Sayani knew Vidyut had a crush on her since the time they met during internship at the firm. She had friend-zoned the extremely shy Vidyut right in the beginning and he had not been able to ask her out till then.

Soon evening set in and the place came alive with music. Sayani found herself dancing close to Anand and tried to move away. But Anand’s hand found her waist and pulled her closer while he said something. Sayani leaned forward to catch his words. He repeated, “You are looking beautiful, Sayani,” and grazed her ear with his lips.
Sayani was shocked at the reaction her body gave to that touch. Her lower abdomen did a flip and she felt light-headed. That night, her dreams were filled with Anand.

Next day the team competitions began in the morning. Anand knew he made the right effect on Sayani last night and he just needed to build on it. Her indifference towards him, no-nonsense attitude and loyalty towards Ishana made Sayani an alluring chase for Anand. “Let me see for how long she holds up,” Anand thought.

Throughout the day, Anand worked his moves on Sayani, touching her innocuously during team meetings, hugging her for tad too long after a win and flashing his smile at her.

Ishana could not help but notice them. Since when had they become so comfortable with each other, wondered Ishana. Her feminine instinct was sending warning signals, despite her faith in both Anand and Sayani.

“Baby I won. You lost. Tonight it will be your turn.” Anand whispered in her ear. Ishana blushed, putting aside her suspicion. Whenever they were pitted against each other, they would make it a game – whoever lost had to give the other a victory blowjob.

That evening, everyone was mandated to wear ethnic outfit and compete for the prize for the best-dressed male and female. Sayani, in an attempt to jazz up her demure cream tussar saree, draped it in a casual Bengali style over a red blouse and accessorized with a big, red bindi, faux gold jhumkas and arm full of bangles. Many male associates, including Vidyut gave her appreciative glances making Sayani looking forward to Anand’s reaction.

Ishana came in a backless orange blouse and a black shiffon saree tied dangerously low, along with Anand, looking extremely dapper in a cream silk kurta and red dhoti and standing out in the crowd of sherwani and bandhgala clad men. Women broke into giggling whispers, men threw jealous looks at him but Anand found Sayani’s eyes and nodded slightly, the hint of a smile playing on his lips. Sayani was insanely happy to note that their attire matched perfectly.

That evening, Sayani got high on both drinks and male attention, all the while waiting for a compliment from Anand. But he was pointedly ignoring her! Anger and jealousy gnawed at her, making her uncharacteristically sullen.

Anand was adjudged the best-dressed male, as expected. Sayani’s heart filled with hope. At that moment, the trophy for the best-dressed female was the most coveted prize to her.
“The best-dressed female is the very beautiful Ishana Seth,” boomed the partner’s voice. Tears threatened to cloud Sayani’s vision as she started applauding vigorously. Unfair as always, she thought.

She wanted to cry her heart out in the privacy of her room. As she started walking away from the lawn, her stilettoes caught the gap in the cobbled pathway. Vidyut caught her just as she stumbled. “You have drank a lot. Let me help you to your room,” he offered.

Before they could reach her room, Sayani puked right on the pathway, while Vidyut held up her hair.
Inside her room, Sayani drank the water offered by Vidyut. She was mortified to have made a fool of herself. “Are you okay?” asked Vidyut gently.
“I made such an ass of myself.”
He removed a strand of hair falling on her face and kissed her, as if to show he did not care she had puked just minutes before. The suddenness of his action took Sayani by surprise. Before her head could warn, her body took control and she kissed him back. Vidyut’s tongue probed into her mouth, while his hands held her firmly at her waist. Sayani’s hand curled around his neck and that was all the encouragement he needed. He undid the knot of strings which held her blouse together, pushed his hand past the padded front and squeezed one of her breasts.

The sensation jolted Sayani and she broke off. Breathing hard, she whispered, “Please, I can’t do this. I am not thinking straight.”
Vidyut turned his back towards her, trying to take his mind off his bulging erection. He mumbled an apology and left, seething at being rejected.

Next morning, when Sayani reached the 24-hour cafeteria for breakfast, she found everyone’s heads turning towards her. Ishana asked her as she sat down, “Are you and Vidyut finally getting together?”
A shocked Sayani couldn’t reply her. Later Vidyut explained that a few of their colleagues had seen him leaving her room. “I don’t believe you. I am sure this is your way of getting back at me for last night,” Sayani hurled her words at Vidyut and stomped off, leaving behind an enraged Vidyut.

That evening was the last before they all headed back to Mumbai. Ishana donned her off-shoulder maxi dress with a thigh-high slit. She was planning to ask Anand about moving in together and she needed to knock him off first.

“Hey gorgeous.” Sayani stopped in her tracks and spun around to see Anand standing in semi-darkness, just outside her room.
“Hi. What are you doing here?” she asked in a quivering voice.
Anand’s gaze went all over her body, ensconced in a black short body-con dress, hugging her curves and flat abs.
“Don’t drink too much tonight.”
Sayani blushed. “There is nothing between Vidyut…”
He cut her off. “I know. Meet me at midnight at the beach, at the farthest end towards the right.”

The evening was magical! Sayani danced with gay abandon, revealed to her colleagues that she had spurned Vidyut’s advances the previous night and laughed at Vidyut’s red face along with them when they all teased him mercilessly.

Around midnight, Sayani made her way to the beach in front of the resort. The sound of the waves became louder as she spotted a male figure. She smelt the manly fragrance mixed with the smoky smell of Laphroaig as Anand embraced her tightly. The beautiful full moon flooded the beach, giving them the visibility they wanted. Sayani’s bottled-up feelings for Anand overpowered her as she prepared to surrender herself to the man of her dreams.
“You are stupid, you know that? Who wears a body-con dress? It is fucking so tight!” Anand gave up trying to put his hand inside and yanked at the zipper. Sayani’s red lacy bra was flung aside as her dress gathered at her waist. Anand’s mouth found hers, as his hand began to squeeze her right breast softly, in a circular motion. Sayani’s body was on fire. Anand’s fingers woke each and every of her senses. Both her breasts were now perked, aching for more of his touch. Anand took one of her nipples in his mouth and sucked slowly, listening to her moans growing louder.
“Say whatever is on your mind aloud,” urged Anand.
“I love this. Do this to the other one.” Sayani murmured.
Anand obliged.
Anand pulled her dress down all the way and helped her lie on the sand. In a swift motion, he removed her matching red panty.
Sayani thanked her foresight to go for her Brazilian wax at the last moment before her trip. That painful 20 minutes felt worthwhile at that moment.
Anand caressed her clitoris and slowly inserted one finger inside her tight vagina, sending shivers through Sayani’s body. He began to plant small kisses, starting from the top of her head to her mouth and then her cleavage, going down to her navel. Sayani was at the throes of uncontrollable passion. Quickly, Anand pulled his jeans down and entered her. Intense pleasure overtook the sensation of pain as Anand continued to thrust in rhythmic motion inside her. He rode her first slowly, increasing the speed and reaching to a frenzy all the while cradling her in a tight embrace. Sayani shuddered and came a little before Anand’s semen covered her thigh. She realized Anand had pulled out at the last moment.

Next morning it was time for the vote of thanks by Ray before the retreat ended. He put on the projector to show a video collage made up from the various moments of the last two days. After two minutes, the screen changed to a moonlit beach.

Sayani suddenly had a sick feeling in her stomach. Before her shocked eyes, the large projector screen was filled with her and Anand. Everyone watched open-mouthed as they began kissing. When Anand yanked the zipper and pulled down her dress, Ray regained his senses and shut down the screen. But the volume remained on. The room was filled with the sounds of their passion.

Amidst the stunned silence, someone’s voice carried, “First Vidyut and then Anand…” Sayani was jolted out of her stupor and ran out of the hall. Later, she took the bus back to Mumbai. She resigned the next day over email and did not even go back to the office to collect her things.

———————
Six Months Later

“You have been promoted as a senior associate. Congratulations!” Ishana smiled at Vidyut. “You are the first promotion under my partnership.”
“Thank you,” Vidyut smiled broadly.
After a few moments, he added softly, “She has joined his practice”. Ishana raised her eyebrow in surprise. “You mean Sayani joined Anand’s private practice?”
“Yes. And she has moved in with him.”
A pain shot through Ishana’s heart.
She looked at Vidyut’s handsome face.

“Why did you do it, Vidyut? For revenge?”
He flinched. She knew she had guessed it right all along, that it was Vidyut who had filmed them and added the footage to the collage.
“Partly. But mostly for love,” he said in a quiet voice and turned to leave. He hesitated at the door and turned back. “There’s a new Japanese restaurant in Phoenix Mills. Can I take you there to celebrate my promotion?”
Vidyut’s steady gaze held Ishana’s shocked eyes unwaveringly. He did not want to fail again for lack of trying on time.
“Sure,” Ishana replied with a smile. “Let’s go tomorrow”.

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