Chapter 1: Mere Toh Band Baj Gayi

Good news: Last night, I hooked up with a total boss—literally. Even better, we’re now official weekend partners. Bad news: He’s my new boss. Mere toh band baj gayi.

Again.

That same irresistible body pressed up behind me, melting away every bit of my so-called resistance.

Again? My brow furrowed, but my body had other plans.

My mouth said no, but my hands betrayed me, pulling him closer. I turned my head, gave in, and kissed him—like I’d never stop.

……

There’s a special kind of madness when Arjun’s stubble grazes my jaw, his palm splayed warm and possessive on my stomach. The old ceiling fan above us hummed lazily, barely stirring the sticky air. The sound of rain mixed with the distant honking of rickshaws outside, and for a moment, the world shrank down to just us, tangled together.

We spent the entire weekend like this—day and night, refusing to let go. By Sunday night, Arjun still looked like he wanted more. I dug around for my shirt, nearly stepping on Arjun’s phone charger tangled with my socks—of course, he just grinned and stretched like a spoiled cat. I forced myself to say, "No, I have an early meeting tomorrow. I can't be late."

A new boss is taking over—I have to make a good impression.

He lay bare-chested, looking regretful. "Alright, see you next week."

"Okay."

His voice was a low rumble, and it took all my willpower to get up. My shirt was pinned under his thigh—he let it go only after I tugged and gave him a look. As I buttoned up, Arjun’s hand brushed my back, lingering just a little too long. My phone buzzed—a family WhatsApp. Ma’s reminder: eat dahi-cheeni for good luck on the first day. I smiled, pulling on my socks, trying to keep the weekend’s warmth close for just a few seconds longer.

Monday morning, I walked into the office in my crispiest shirt and formal pants, badge clipped on, hair still damp from a rushed shower. Priya, who sits next to me, leaned over, eyes wide with gossip: "Suno na, new CEO full-on hero types, I heard. Young bhi, handsome bhi."

I just shrugged. "Bas, I just hope he’s not another psycho like the last one."

The previous CEO barely treated us like human beings. Finally, he got transferred. I was praying the new guy would be even a little better.

As I sipped my cutting chai from the glass tumbler and adjusted my belt, I scanned the office: posters from last Diwali still hanging crooked, and the faint smell of reheated rajma-chawal in the air. Priya was already scrolling LinkedIn, hunting for clues about the new boss. "Last boss didn’t even say namaste to staff. Let’s just hope this one’s not totally pagal," I said, half-joking.

In the conference room, the new CEO entered to thunderous applause. The moment I saw the man at the centre, my heart stopped—Arjun. My bed partner. How can the world be so chhota? Mere toh pairon tale zameen khisak gayi. I wanted to disappear into the carpet. Luckily, with so many people, he didn’t notice me right away. I kept my head down, praying to all the gods.

Suddenly, someone nudged my wrist. Priya whispered, "Kabir, Mr. Arjun is calling you!"

"Who’s Kabir?" I muttered, still dazed. Then I heard Arjun’s voice, calling my name. I glanced up, nerves jangling, and saw his eyes widen in shock.

I’d told him my name was Ravi. Now he knew the truth.

He looked at me for a long, loaded second, then said, "Team Leader Kabir, your team is handling this project. Please present."

My hands shook, so I tapped my pen on the table, glancing at my WhatsApp notifications to stall for just a second. The whole room stared. Arjun’s gaze lingered, as if he was weighing all our secrets. I cleared my throat and began, my voice barely above a whisper.