43. OS 18. Too Tempting to Resist (Part 43)

They couldn’t remember the drive home, both of them caught up in the urgency of the moment, passion roiling through their blood, impatient with everything that held them apart.

Thankfully there was no one in the living room. Mami was watching her favourite serial. Nani was talking to her friend on the phone, cloistered in the comfort of her room and as far away from mami’s TV and the wailing of the actresses as she could make it. Anjali was discussing her next pooja with her favourite purohit over the phone.

Arnav took hold of Khushi’s hand and walked up the steps to their room, their feet making rapid advances to their destination till the door was shut and locked behind them, sequestering them from curious eyes and well-meaning interference.

Arnav stood with his back against the shut door, her hand still in his and looked at Khushi. She was panting, looking slightly dishevelled, her gaze heated and desirous.

He tugged her to fall against him.

“Arnavji...” The cry was a mere breath.

She fell against his chest like a pillow of down, a cloud of dreams, as soft as a flurry of rose petals....

Her arms went around his neck and his clasped her around her bare waist and pulled her closer still.

His lips zeroed in on to the skin behind her ear, laying hot kisses on the sensitive skin and then nipping her ear lobe.

Khushi moaned and shivered, her body trying to get closer to his warmth. Her hands moved to his hair, her fingers clutching the strands at his nape and pulling them. Her head fell back, giving him unimpeded access to her throat.

Soon her pallu was lying on the floor, soon joined by his coat. The rest of her sari slipped off her as his nimble fingers, ably aided by hers, dealt with pins and pleats. As his fingers freed her from her ornaments, hers slipped through his open buttons to touch the searing skin of his bare chest.

The rush of red hot passion burned away her inhibitions and his reserve, their need for each other greater than any force that could have stopped them. Clothes fell on the carpeted floor one after the other and soon, Arnav carried his wife in his strong arms and walked to their bed.

42. OS 18. Too Tempting to Resist (Part 42)

Part 42

His lips touched hers, burning her up.

Fireworks went off behind her shut eyelids.

The seat gave a little, letting the pressure of his hot and hard body against hers to press it back a few inches.

He devoured her lips, learning every curve, tasting channa on her tongue, his tongue grazing her teeth and his lips sucking at hers.

She gasped for air as he lifted from her for a second.

“A..Arnavji...” she whispered.

“Hhmm?” he asked, his lips touching her chin and moving down the column of her neck to rest at the base. His tongue tasted the pulse galloping there in the hollow.

Her fingers clutched his coat-clad shoulders, her nails biting into the superfine cloth as she battled the flood of sensations rocking her world.

“Khushi...” he whispered against her skin as he moved lower, tasting her collar bones.

“A..arnavji....” she moaned.

His only reply was to bury his lips in her cleavage. She groaned and twisted and turned in his hold as his lips worshipped every inch of her skin he could reach.

“Koi aa jayega...” she managed to say.

He lifted his head to look at her.

In the dim light of the evening, she saw his tousled hair, the banked fire in his eyes and the faint flush on his cheek and the redness of his lips.

She swallowed hard as she released his hair from her hold, her fingers feeling bereft already.

His incendiary eyes took in her wide gaze, the pink, plump lips parted to draw in air, her heaving chest, the pallu that had fallen to the ground, leaving her slim waist open to his view.....

“Ghar chalein?” he asked, his voice husky and raspy.

She knew he was asking for more than what the words implied...and she was willing. She was dying for him. The little broken boy within the deliciously wicked adult frame had her wrapped around his little finger. She could deny him nothing.

“Yes,” she breathed.

Will post the rest here tomorrow. This is just a teaser.

41. OS 18. Too Tempting to Resist (Part 41)

Part 41

He drove in silence.

Khushi looked out at the lights and the shops, at the crowded pavements and busy roads, a part of her mind wondering why he wanted to take her out. Was he planning to take her to a temple?

Even as she thought this, he took a left turn and parked his car in the parking lot near a park.

He left the car, came to her side, opened the door and held out his hand.

She placed her hand in his and let him help her out.

He led her into the park and they walked together among flower paths in the mellow evening light, holding hands. Far away, couples sat close together and children played in a sandpit.

Khushi looked at his relaxed face with unsure eyes. Why had he brought her here?

“That’s a Blue Jacaranda,” he murmured, pointing to a sprawling tree covered with purple flowers. “A Neel-Mohar.”

“It is beautiful,” she whispered right back.

“I like to sit here...in this park,” he confessed. “Sometimes the work gets too much and I...”

She nodded.

“My mother loved gardening. I...I learned it from her.” He looked at her face. “I feel close to her when I work in my garden.”

Khushi listened with full attention. It was rarely that he let anyone in and she was fully conscious of the honour he was according her.

He led her to a bench in the park and they sat watching the ducks in the pond nearby and the carpet of multi-coloured flowers all around them.

“Khushi,” he murmured.

She looked at him with wide eyes.

“You are beautiful, Khushi,” he whispered, his eyes mellow and tender.

Khushi swallowed hard.

“Inside and out. So beautiful,” he murmured.

He pressed her fingers gently. Khushi felt warm and cherished even as butterflies fluttered in her tummy.

He continued, “I was alone.” He paused and then continued, “But I didn’t know what I was missing. Then I met you and...I realised. Are you happy, Khushi?”

She nodded slowly.

“Nani and the others love you,” he said softly.

“I love them too,” Khushi admitted.

He smiled a proper smile. This was no smirk. This was too important for him to turn into a war. There was a tender light in his eyes and his lips were relaxed.

“You are so hard not to love, Khushi. I had a hard time fighting my attraction for you, till one day I just stopped fighting,” he confessed easily as though it were a thought that had occurred many times to him.

“Kya?’ Khushi asked after a long moment of staring at him with eyes as wide as saucers, her voice a low squeal. “Kya kaha aapne?”

His twinkling eyes met her startled ones. “I love you.” He dropped the bomb and sat back.

Her mouth fell open. The breath she had been taking when he spoke caught somewhere in the region of her chest and she began to choke.

Arnav pulled her close to rest against his shoulder and thumped her back till she got her breath.

When she could stop worrying about dying, she looked up at his face and gasped again, “Kya kaha aapne?”

His eyes smiled into hers. “Tum ajeeb ho,” he said lovingly. “But I am no less.”

She waited, eager to hear him, every sense alert, every muscle tense.

“I love you,” he said in his husky voice, his possessive eyes running all over her lovely face.

Her breath left her in a huff. She sagged against the bench and said in wonder, “I thought I must have imagined it. Matlab, my ears....”

He looked away smiling.

“You love me,” she whispered in wonder.

He looked at her awe-struck face in amusement and then slowly clasped her hand. His fingers slid into the gaps between hers and took charge.

“Chalein?” he asked.

She had no idea what he was talking about. Her head was in the clouds and she was happy to let it be. He loved her?

She walked by his side and as they exited the park, he saw a young girl selling strings of jasmine flowers. For the first time in his life, he purchased a roll of fragrant jasmine. He then held it out to Khushi.

She took it with a smile and held it to her nostrils.

Her eyes fell shut as she inhaled the heady smell. His intent eyes watched her, not willing to miss even a fleeting expression on her face.

Then she tried to pin the string of flowers in her silky hair. He quickly offered his services even though he had never done it before.

Khushi looked down at her clenched hands as his fingers played with her hair. She could feel his breath against the tender skin of her neck. He loved her? Really?

When the torture was over, she heaved an unsteady sigh of relief. He walked by her, making their way to the car.

Suddenly her eyes fell on a man selling roasted channa. Her face lit up.

He hid his amusement with great difficulty and quickly bought her a paper bag full of channa.

He then seated her in the car and drove away from the park.

                                                                     ***

Khushi offered him channa.

“Aap leejiye na,” she persuaded him.

“No, thanks,” he said, his eyes on the road.

“Just one,” she pleaded, holding out one channa on the palm of her right hand.

He turned the car away from the road into a bylane and hit the brakes.

Khushi looked at him in astonishment. He was stopping the car to have a channa? Her hand still remained stretched out, the single channa sitting on her palm.

His wicked eyes looked into her confused ones. Then he bent and making sure his lips touched her palm, bit the channa from her hand.

Her breath hitched. Her shocked eyes were trapped by his.

As he chewed, his hand caught hers, cradling hers in his.

Khushi looked down at her small, fragile hand lying in his larger one and felt her heartbeat pick up. Her breath came fast and shallow as he bent his head and placed a kiss on her palm.

“A..arnavjiiiii...” It was a whisper.

“Hmmm?” he asked, his lips savouring the soft skin of her palm.

Khushi swallowed hard.

He lifted her hand and let his lips run over the mount of Venus at the base of her thumb and then to her wrist where he dropped a loving kiss.

Khushi jumped.

“Kya hua?” he asked softly, his hot breath against her wrist.

She had no reply to make. She could only wet her dry lips.

His lips ran up to her elbow, kissing her thoroughly.

She was shaken out of the haze only when he undid their seat belts.

“Kya..yeh kya kar rahe aap?” she whispered.

“Don’t you know?” he asked.

40. OS 18. Too Tempting to Resist (Part 40)

Part 40

All were having their breakfast, laughing and chattering away as they made inroads into parathas and toast.

Khushi looked at Arnavji’s mouth chewing toast and looked away at the carpeted floor. Had that mouth actually touched hers? Had those hard lips actually captured hers? She bit her lower lip. She lifted her eyes to gaze at him. Her raised eyes clashed with hot, incendiary, molten chocolate eyes.

She gasped and quickly lowered her eyes.

Arnav’s lips twisted in a smirk. She had woken up before him and run away downstairs. He had been unable to have a word with her alone, but the day was just beginning. His eyes lingered on her rosy, flushed face.

“Khussi bitiya, Chotey is going to office,” nani reminded her before she could hide in the kitchen under the pretext of clearing the table.

“Ji, naniji,” she murmured. She looked apprehensively at the broad shoulders of her nemesis as he turned away to shrug into his coat.

He grabbed his laptop bag and throwing a look at her which was a clear order to see him to the door, walked away.

Khushi pretended not to understand him and looked away.

Mami said, “Khussi, go bith hamre Arnav bitwaa. Naahi to he bill shout at all the boyjj and girljj working at his ophice.”

All chuckled. Khushi’s face flamed red.

The whole family watched with interest as Khushi made her unwilling and slow way to the door. Even HP peeped from the kitchen to see his Arnav bhaiyya’s hitherto unseen and unknown romantic ways.

Arnav halted at the door and turned his head.

Khushi was standing at least two feet away from him.

“Come closer,” he murmured, his husky voice sending a secret message to all her nerve endings.

Khushi drew in a deep breath and took one step closer to him, her wary eyes on him. There was no saying what he would do!

Arnav took the step needed to bring him near her.

Khushi lowered her head.

Arnav bent and kissed her cheek gently.

The press of his hard lips on the soft satin skin of her cheek sent her reeling.

All the members of his family stood with their mouth open at this sight of a Romantic Singh Raizada.

“I will see you in the evening,” came the ominous murmur in her ear. “Till then think of what happened in the storeroom.”

Her eyes widened to their maximum.

His finger flicked her pale cheek. He then left the house, a small smile on his lips.

                                                                 ***

A couple of hours later, her phone rang.

The conversation stopped as if a switch had been put off. All eyes turned to Khushi, eagerly anticipating that it would be from their darling Chotey.

Khushi paled as she saw his name on the display.

“Is it Chotey?” Anjali asked eagerly.

“Ji,” Khushi murmured.

“Take the phone, Khussi,” mami urged. “Aphter shaadi, hamre Arnav bitwaa ijj quite the lover-bai, hello hi bye bye!”

Khushi flushed as she answered the call.

“Khushi, I am sending you a gift. Wear it and be ready at six. I want to take you out for a drive,” he murmured in her ear.

Khushi could only try to swallow through a dry throat.

“Khushi?” he called.

“Jiiii,” she answered throatily.

“Will you?” he asked.

She couldn’t refuse, what with many pairs of excited eyes trained on her.

“Ji,” she said softly.

“Good,” he said before cutting the call.

“What did Chotey say?” nani asked as soon as Khushi cut the call.

“Woh...,” Khushi blushed. “He said he wants to take me out for a drive.”

All beamed, delighted that their Chotey had red blood flowing through his veins.

“He is sending a gift. He...he wants me to wear it,” she mumbled.

The happiness on the faces of the Raizadas was beyond description.

Anjali limped up to Khushi and hugged her tight. “I am so happy Chotey married you, Khushiji,” she murmured against her cheek.

Nani, mami and Payal followed suit, hugging her.

                                               ***

Khushi looked at the elegantly-wrapped gift that Hari Prakashji had brought up to her room. Her heartbeat went right through the roof. He Devi Maiyya, what was it? she wondered.

‘What is the use of looking at the wrapping and wondering what is inside, Khushi?’ she asked herself. ‘Unwrap it. Tear open the cover and you can see it.’

With shaking but eager fingers, she tore open the packet to see a red-pink and gold net saree from a leading designer. She gently touched the cloth, her mind filled with awe. It was so soft, so spider web-like that she was scared it would disappear into thin air if she clasped it.

After long moments spent staring at the beautiful creation, she set the box aside on the bed. She needed to call him to thank him. She took the phone, but her hands shook too much. She left the phone on the bed and went to sit in the garden, breathing deeply to calm herself.

                                                            ***

Arnav came home to see his family in the living room, waiting for him.

“Chotey, Khushiji is dressing in Payalji’s room. Freshen up and come down fast,” Anjali ordered him.

He grimaced. So the family knew about the outing?

“Chotey, I can’t tell you how happy it makes me that you are happy in your marriage,” nani said with a loving smile.

“Hamre Arnav bitwaa ijj becoming a good husbaandwaa,” mami added.

Arnav flushed slightly. “I...I will just...freshen up and ...” He quickly walked up the steps and disappeared from sight.

He returned a few minutes later to see Khushi waiting for him along with the others. His eyes, caught by the enchanting spectacle she made, did not see the others. The sari looked like a million dollars on her and his favourite colour brought out the creaminess of her skin. His eyes lingered on the curve of her waist and he clenched his fists to fight the desire to free her from the sari.

Ignoring the teasing from his family, he held the door open for Khushi. As soon as she had seated herself, he marched to the driver’s side, got in and after making sure her seat belt was on, drove away.

                                                                    ***

39. OS 18. Too Tempting to Resist (Part 39)

Part 39

“Khushi,” he whispered, his lips close to hers.

Khushi wanted to reply, but was powerless. She just swallowed through a dry throat and looked at his eyes, her body pinned against the wall by his hands on her waist.

His hot lips brushed against hers, softly, gently.

She jumped at that tender touch. Her mouth fell open and her eyes widened. What was he doing?

His lips pursued hers and this time, pressed more firmly against hers.

Khushi fell against the wall, giving up all pretense of standing her ground literally and figuratively. Her entire focus shifted to her lips and trapped by the sorcery of his lips, she stood still letting him do what he wanted with her.

His warm lips trapped her upper lip and tugged.

She trembled.

He moved to her lower lip and sucked the nectar from it. Her nails curled into his waist, crushing the fabric of his t-shirt.

His tongue invited hers to a duel and, the Jhansi ki rani that she was, she obliged.

His fingers trailed down the sides of her neck and moved over her shoulders and down her arms, searing her bare skin.

Khushi fell back, wrenching her lips away. Wild eyes looked into wilder ones, the dark swirling around them like inky black silk curtains.

She pushed him away in panic and ran out of the storeroom. She raced up the steps and locked herself in the bathroom.

Arnav followed slowly, a smirk on his face.

                                                     ***

“Khushi, come out. You will fall sick,” he said, trying to hide a smile, one hand on the locked bathroom door.

Khushi stood in the shower stall, letting cold water pour down her head and body, hoping it put out the fire he had lit in her. Her arms were clasped around her shivering body.

“Khushi,” he called again.

There was no reply, except the sound of the shower running.

“Khushi, come out. I won’t touch you,” he promised.

A long moment later, he heard the water stop. A few minutes later, Khushi emerged from the bathroom, dressed in a white night suit, her hair wrapped in a white towel. Her eyes refused to meet his.

He crossed his arms and stood watching her dry her hair, brush it and then climb into bed.

He dimmed the lights and followed her.

Once in bed, he gathered her close, blanket and all.

“You promised...” she hissed.

“I am not touching you, only your clothes. So jao, Khushi,” he muttered, 

burrowing his face in her hair.

“Aap...” she began.

“Shut up, Khushi,” he whispered.

Khushi bit her tongue and stayed immobile and stiff till she felt he had fallen asleep. Then her body sagged and became limp. Slowly she slipped into sleep.