Chapter 7 :Unrestricted Feelings
The SUV stopped before hotel Elphinstone, one of the most grand and sought after hotels of the city and the scene was truly mesmerizing for Khushi.
Darkness had descended upon the city and the entire area was lit beautifully, adding artificial beauty to the cool weather and comforting breeze.
Seeing small shivers running down her body, Arnav smiled and coming to stand beside her, took off his coat and offered it to her.
"No, thank you, Sir. I am okay" She politely refused, still having a look at the surroundings.
"You are shivering, Khushi. Take it. Having a sneezing PA in the meeting wouldn't be the best thing" Arnav said and helped her wear the coat, his fingers brushing against her arms and she shivered again, this time for a different reason.
"Comfortable?" He asked softly, smiling at her reaction as his fingers touched her.
"Hmm" She nodded, trying to learn the tile patterns of the floor, than looking up at him.
"Let's check in" He said and they together moved in.
~~***~~
After checking into his room, Arnav visited Khushi's room, asking her if she needed something. He had this strange excitement bubbling inside him, making him extra cheerful and jovial. Though he didn't know the source of it, he knew it shared strings with Khushi.
It had been an hour since both of them had retired to their rooms, and Arnav was busy with his laptop, doing some last minute amendments in the presentation.
The conference was to be held next morning in the conference room of the hotel he was staying in.
Finishing and finalizing the presentation and files, he shifted to the emails.
He was totally immersed in the work, when the soft knock at the door disturbed him.
"Come in" He said from the hall, expecting the room service man.
To his amazement, Khushi stepped in the room, looking extremely conscious.
"Khushi? You're here? Any problem?" He asked, getting up from his seat.
"No, Sir. I was getting bored in my room, and I thought you might need my help with the work" She replied, looking up at him.
"Well thought! Come and help me with these emails" Arnav said, giving her a smile and Khushi smiled back, feeling relaxed.
Arnav shifted in the couch to make some place for her and they worked together. Khushi read out the mails to him and typed his replies, sending them to respective firms.
The work was almost finished and Arnav could see Khushi was struggling hard to keep her eyes open.
He was going to ask her to leave and have some rest when the telephone rang; making Khushi jump out of her drowsiness, and Arnav chuckled seeing her instinct reaction.
"I'll get it" He said, trying to maintain a straight face upon seeing her getting embarrassed.
Arnav had a brief talk over the phone while Khushi sat meekly, giving him frequent glances.
"I am sorry Sir, wo actually I was a little tired so I.." She started explaining once Arnav was done talking.
"That's okay, Khushi. I know you are tired after the long journey. But then why did you come here to help me? You could have slept" He said.
"I was feeling lonely actually. I mean.. I haven't ever been alone in a room. Normally it's me and Jeeji. We share a room and so I don't have the habit of staying all by myself" She explained, feeling awkward thinking what Arnav might think of her.
"Oh" Arnav said, amused by her apprehensive face. In fact he was surprised how easily small gestures by her would make him admire her more and more.
Khushi noticed that he was once again giving her those looks, the ones which made her heartbeats erratic.
"Can I leave now, Arnav Sir?" She asked, wanting him to avert his gaze which he seemed unwilling to do.
"Yeah..No..No" He said, shrugging away the dreamy look from his face.
"The hotel manager had called a few minutes back. The dinner is served in the hall. So we'll have to move down" He informed making her bite her lips.
"All okay, Khushi?" He asked, trying to ignore the reddish hue which emerged on her lips every time she bit them.
"Yeah.. I was wondering if I could order my food in my room. I am too tired to move down" She replied and looked expectantly at him.
"Of course we can. You can move to your room, I'll ask them to deliver the food" He said and she nodded in gratitude.
~~***~~
Khushi walked to her room and sat cross-legged on the bed, admiring the humble and caring nature of her boss.
She was yet waiting for the dinner when her cell phone rang.
Heavy lines emerged on her forehead as she checked the caller identity.
"Hadn't I told you not to call me?" Receiving the call, she exclaimed with a suppressed fury in her voice while on the other side of the phone, a hollow laugh resonated.
"Talking to an angry bird, am I?" The man chuckled, making Khushi fist her fingers in anger.
"Get on the point. Why did you call me?" She asked, wanting to finish the conversation as soon as possible.
"Oh nothing much. I wanted to hear your sweet voice" The man replied in a leering voice, followed by another laugh.
"I am disconnecting" She said, trying to contain her bubbling anger.
"Not so early, babes. I hope you are doing well in Nainital. I got to know that you are there for some conference? Alone with your boss? That was really painful news. You should have told me, no? You know I was..."
"Shut the hell up" Khushi said, anger bubbling within her.
"Relax, birdie. Your screaming is getting on my nerves. Just keep in mind everything I have told you and warned about. That would help you maintain your decibels"
The voice on the other side said maliciously.
"Dinner is on its way" Arnav said, stepping in the room and found Khushi talking on phone.
"Oh, you're on call?" He asked, taking a seat on the couch placed next to the bed.
"Okay" Khushi quickly replied in the phone and disconnected, turning to look at Arnav.
"Sir? I thought you were going to have your dinner?" She asked, putting up a fake smile and digressing his question.
"Well yeah. I am going to have my dinner" Arnav replied, adjusting to a comfortable position in the couch.
"Here?" She asked.
"You mind?" He counter asked, smirking.
"No, you don't have to, Sir. I know you're trying to give me company because I said I am not in the habit of staying alone but.."
"Actually you are wrong, Khushi. I am not giving you a company. In fact, I am providing a company to myself. As you know, I have a sort of big family, so I am not in the habit of having my dinner alone. So for that, I am seeking your company. I hope you won't deny me that" Arnav said making her smile.
"so is that a yes?" Arnav asked, his eyes glinting.
"Yes" She said and walked up to him.
Within two minutes, the food arrived and Arnav decided he will serve it.
As he served the food in plates, Khushi had her eyes only for him. It was hard for her to resist his charming smiles and easygoing nature. It was hard for her to not fall for this man.
"If you are done ogling your boss, let's start the dinner" Arnav commented making her hell embarrassed and a bright red colour suffused over her cheeks.
While she shied away, Arnav took the full liberty to admire her.
"I guess the food is getting cold, let's start" Arnav said, tearing his gaze away from her face.
"Yeah" She replied meekly and they started the dinner.
Along with the dinner, started the game of stealthy looks and flattering talks, most of which came from Arnav's side.
Khushi was most of the times either blushing or being surprised by the candidness her boss was exhibiting.
"So Khushi, do you have a boyfriend?" Arnav finally the asked the question which had been in his mind since a long time.
Khushi looked bewildered for a second but covered up rather quickly.
"I had one" She replied, looking down at her bowl of soup as she continuously stirred it, wondering how would he react to her answer.
"A serious one or just..." Arnav asked, his heartbeats gaining speed.
"I don't know actually. Shashank seemed serious about it but I wasn't. For me we were just good friends but Shashank made it look like we were in a relationship. At least everyone thought so" Khushi said.
"Hmm" Arnav said, and tried to concentrate on his dinner rather than imagining different situations which included Shashank and Khushi.
"You and this..Shashank..When was this?" Arnav mentally cursed himself as soon as the words left his mouth.
"A year ago. He had to shift to Mumbai, due to some reasons and then we lost contact" Khushi replied.
She could feel a strange tension brewing up in the room.
"I am done" Khushi said, finishing her soup and breaking the silence of the room.
"Even I am" Arnav said, trying to sound cheerful.
As both of them placed their dishes in the tray, Arnav stood up to leave for his room.
"Good night. Be okay" He said, and turned to leave.
"Arnav" Khushi called on his back, making him turn back, surprised.
"I mean Arnav Sir.." she quickly said.
"Thank you" She said with a smile and he smiled back.
"My pleasure, Khushi" He said and left, leaving behind a turmoil-stricken Khushi.
~~***~~
She tossed and turned in her bed, unable to gain any sleep. Arnav's face kept flashing before her eyes. She recalled the glow in his eyes dying when she had replied positively to his question. He was indeed affected by her answer.
But she didn't want to lie to him, adding to the pile she had already created.
She closed her eyes forcibly and tried to sleep.
An hour later, her eyes opened to the knock at her door. She drowsily got and opened the door to find Arnav standing there.
"Arnav sir?" She asked, rubbing her eyes, thinking she was dreaming.
"Khushi, I..I have something to tell you" He stammered upon the words, stepping closer to her.
"At this time?" She asked, her breaths hitching at the proximity he was creating between their bodies.
"Yeah, now, right here" He said, his own getting huskier as he wrapped his hand around her waist and pulled her close.
"I love you, Khushi" He whispered against her ear, making her eyes wide in surprise.
"What?" She asked breathlessly as his breaths fanned her face.
"Yeah, I love you. I tried hard to control this feeling, get over it, but it would keep increasing, robbing me off my senses. It makes me crazy, Khushi and I can't hold it any longer" He said, pinning her against the door.
"But this is wrong, Arnav" She whispered back, tried to catch hold of her senses which were vaporising second by second.
"Nothing is wrong, Khushi. Iss pyaar me sahi aur galat ka koi matlab nahi hai, matlab hai to sirf ek baat ka, ki main tumse hamesha pyaar karta rahunga. I will keep loving you Khushi, always, forever" He whispered back, and slammed his lips upon hers.
"Arnav, stop" Khushi screamed, sitting upright on the bed, hyperventilating, her heartbeats furious.
"It was a dream?" She asked herself, falling back in the bed and resting her head against the headboard.
"How could I dream something like this?" She said, suddenly feeling very disturbed.
Her heart was getting treacherous and she knew the consequences would be disastrous, for both of them.
*******
Pearl_Oyster2018-04-24 06:58:04
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