*To rise in your love* - AnSh OS

A radiant blush stained Anandi's cheeks as she stared at the handsome profile of her peacefully sleeping husband, his face partially illuminated from the morning light peeping in from the gap in the curtains. Arranging an escaped strand of hair back in place above his forehead, she contemplated; he was the same reticent man she had once thought of as arrogant and big-headed. And now, with every passing day, he made her fall for him all the more harder. At the core of it, he was a simple man, who loves his family, works hard, and follows set morals. And still there was so much more to him. She considered herself blessed now, for after taking a painful journey of ultimately accepting real love, she had indeed found it in him. He was clearly as temperate as the colors he wore. Yet in moments of togetherness she had seen and felt his less moderate side, where he left nothing much to be desired for; she mused blushing profusely. Indeed the locution, simple yet intricate, was phrased keeping him in mind.

Sighing deeply at her stirring thoughts, she patted him on the shoulder once again. "Shiv uthiye na…pata hai kitni der ho gayi" she exasperated shaking him a little furiously this time. "Anandi why are you up so early…its Sunday" he whined sluggishly and with eyes still shut, pulled her closer, brushing his rugged lips against her soft ones.

"Mmm Shiv…"she groaned as her lips parted slightly, giving his velvety tongue enough room to mingle with hers.

"So did my beautiful wife sleep well?" he mumbled in a sleep heavy voice; his lips exploring and tasting her leisurely.

"Hmm….and you" she sighed, mind still foggy with the caress of his lips.

"Urmm yeah" he slowed down for a breath before deepening the kiss further.

"Ouch! Shiv your stubble" she moaned as he pulled in further, making her soft skinned cheeks bear the brunt of his overnight grown bristles. Still cuddled in his comforter, he chuckled seeing her grimace and pulled her into an embrace.

"Shiv pls uthiye na….we have to go to haveli" she squirmed as he coiled her into his strong arms and rested his lips on the nape of her neck.

"But Anandi its Sunday"

"Yeah and its pooja at haveli. So we need to get dressed"

"Dressed!! But I love getting undressed…by you"

"Shut up Shiv!" giggling shyly at his naughty comment she struggled herself free from his grip and pulled him from the shoulder.

"Anandi aapse nahin hoga rehne deejiye.." he smirked seeing his tiny tot struggle with his well-built physique.

"Achcha!! How dare you say mujhse nahin hoga" with a notorious smirk escaping her lips she attacked his belly with her tiny fingers until he woke up, panting and huffing. She giggled seeing his tousled state.

"Anandi pls just 5 mins more" he sulked like a school boy.

"No Shiv we will be late for pooja. You have to take shower too"

"I wish dadijee had kept the pooja on Saturday…I hate going out on Sundays"

"Mr Government Officer if you are forgetting it's just you who have a leave on Saturday, not me. I have school, online lectures and then meetings too. All thanks to you. And not to forget I have a lazy student too who is stubborn on learning cooking these days. He messes up my well-kept kitchen every Saturday evening and then I have to spend so much of time setting him straight."

Grinning guiltily at her words he bit on his tongue and ran his fingers through his hairs. "I am sorry Anandi…I have made it really tough for you"

"It's tough…but I am enjoying it"

Her words sounded relief to his ears. As it was him who had wished for Anandi to complete her studies. But only when she was about to re-start with her studies, the Chief Minister suggested that she should contest for a seat in the Legislative Assembly. And she was all susceptible about it. Then it was him who had come out with the solution that she should take part in the elections but also continue with her studies from a good open-learning institute. It was around the same time that both her and his family expected Anandi to conceive. And he had been quite vocal about the issue too, making it clear to both the clans that he first wanted Anandi to pursue her dreams. He was confident he did the right thing for her. Just sometimes when he saw he being shouldered with so many simultaneous responsibilities he felt guilty. He would feel absolutely concerned and worried about her health and well-being; which was the very reason he had pushed Anandi to teach him cooking so that he can lessen her burden and cook her healthy foods at the same time.

"Shiv kahan kho gaye aap.." she questioned shaking him out of his stupor.

"Nah..nothing"

"Achcha you get ready here and I will use the loo of the the guest room…we don't have time to take turns for shower"

"Nah let it be na Anandi…why waste water in two places when we can manage at one" he smirked holding her by wrist. She understood his naughty intentions.

"Not today Shiv pls…else I will feel drowsy the whole day…and I have a lot of chores here and at haveli" she requested blushing profusely at him.

"Okay" he smiled sweetly at his innocent wife freeing her from his hold.

"I have laid your clothes…get ready quickly"

"Hmm"

A few minutes passed as Anandi and Shiv got themselves dressed for the pooja when Anandi realized that she had forgotten her saree in bedroom only. Donned only in her blouse and petticoat she took stealthy steps towards her bedroom to ensure she doesn't let her naughty husband become aware of her semi-nude state, when a pleasant aroma wafted up her nostrils and transported her into a giddy spell of intoxication.

Her heart did a massive somersault as her eyes fell on the unclothed torso of her dhoti clad spouse. Forgetting totally about her own defenseless state, she gawked dumbly at him as he sprayed his chest and neck with her favorite pick from his collection of colognes.

"Sarpanchjee are you like checking me out" he teased raising a brow in her direction while proudly pluming his well-toned trunk.

"No..not at all..I mean I was here just to take my saree" fumbling like a stupid school girl who had forgotten her viva answers she frantically scanned the whole room to locate her saree.

"Anandi are you looking for this" Shiv smirked showing her the red draping in his hand.

"Shiv pls give me the saree…we are getting late"

"Ahan…not that easily"

"Matlab..??" she pouted.

"Matlab yeh ki I will let you wear the saree only when you will let me drape it"

"No way"

"Ok then let us be late for pooja"

"Pls Shiv…"

"Anandi ye to meri line honi chahiye…Pls Anandi"

Now she knew there was no way out for her. His "please" was something she could never say no to.

"Such an opportunist you are Mr Shekhar" patting him playfully on the shoulder she turned her back towards him, all ready to be draped in the hues of his passionate love. Shiv sucked on his own juices as his gaze ran on the slender yet voluptuous figure of his beautiful wife. His chest felt taut and restricted as his heart fluttered wildly in his ribcage. Breathing in short, quick huffs he encircled the crimson draping around her waist. Anandi gasped for air as his lingering touch ran across her skin causing her entire body to shiver and squirm in an enticing manner. She moaned as he squeezed her weak spots all the way while draping the saree, ushering fierce passion within her.

Now it was the turn of jewelry. Moving like a nymph towards her dresser she took out her velvety jewelry box from it and held it to him shyly. He took it biting his lower lip and confused from where to start with picked on the diamond studded necklace, his latest gift to her. She giggled softly under her breath as he did the necklace placing a few wet butterfly kisses along her neckline. He was indeed a strategist when it came to striking the right chords with her. Her lips broke into a shy impressed smile as she saw him picking on her favorite set of jhumkis. He was always bang-on about her choice.

Sliding her hair to one side of her neck, his quivering fingers eventually made way to her slender ear lobe. She winced merrily as he bolted the earing carefully, her body anticipating the replica effect for the other ear.

Anandi's breaths continued to become wilder as he did the adornings one by one, arousing the various parts of her body to sweet desire. The strumming of her bangles by his soft grazing fingertips, the tinkling of her belly-chain as he slid his cold fingers to adjust it around her waist and the soft tickling of her tender skin as he hung his antique payals around them – the dashes of his touch all over her body drowned her in unrecoverable drowsiness.

A tiny drop of tear left the corner of her eye as she stared at the final thing in his hand – her dibi of sindoor. Something that had nothing to do with her body but her soul. She closed her eyes as he proceeded to take a pinch of sindoor out of the pot and swiftly adorned it in her maang. Anandi had never thought that wearing this hue can ever mean so much for her. Since childhood it was just a part of her attire, her adornments. But it was now that she knew the real worth and pleasure of it. She smiled as he wiped a few stranded tears from the corner of her eyes.

"See that's why I say do this yourself…you always cry when I put sindoor" he cupped her face.

"Shiv these are happy tears"

"I know but still I hate them…"

"Achcha baba now wear your kurta quickly…its changing weather and you know na how easily you catch cold"

"Okie…" smiling tenderly at her he slid the kurta off his braod shoulders. It was then that he noticed her muse that made her smile wear off her face.

"Shiv I don't want to go haveli"she whispered in a monotone making him a little surprised.

"Don't want to go? But why Anandi? Dadijee has kept this pooja for us…"

"Shiv you know na…I hate the way ppl treat you there. I mean the distant relatives. Everyone from ma's side don't like you because they think you took Jagiya's place in my life. And the people from the village they still hold you accused for forcing me to contest for the the assembly leaving behind my duties of Sarpanch. And then the old ladies who think that its you who are keeping me away from motherhood by forcing me to pursue my career than start family.And I hate their scheming taunts. You never complaint but I feel like giving them an earful"

Shiv giggled as he saw his miniature-framed wife turn from a love-struck damsel to hot-headed angry bird.She was surely one of her kind. Looking fondly at her and closing the distance between them he encircled his arms around her waist and questioned,"Anandi do you too feel the same?

"NO SHIV! Are yoy mad?I know how much you love me.And you know how much I am enjoying this facet of my life.My dreams and aspirations.Our dreams."

"Then why think about others? I don't care until you understand my intentions"

"But Shiv…"

"Anandi…"he tucked a finger on her tender lips.

"We are not going to haveli for any relatives or village people…we are going for our family. And if some people think that I have not been a good husband then let them be. I am not bothered until my wife is happy. For me what is important is what you think and feel about me. Beyond that everything is trivial"

A faint smile tucked the corner of her lips as she heard his words. He surely had his own with her.

"Shiv aap bhi na…you can never fail to bowl me over" patting him softly she rested her head on his chest as he took her into a warm embrace.

"I love you Anandi…"

"Thankyou Shiv. Thankyou for being there in my life. Its with you I have learnt to rise in love.I love you evermore"

As the two of them lost each other in the coziness of each other's arms their first gift of love danced proudly on the tunes of the breeze, drowning out all other sounds ❤️