A LOT LIKE LOVE#2-part 40 pg 128(LAST PART) - Page 52

'Armaan? she said groggily, her mind still in the land of nod, 'is it morning already?'

'No,' he whispered, kissing her nose, 'it's a little before midnight,'...somewhere in her groggy and sleep deprived mind, Riddhima registered that the soft and wet feeling on her shoulder had been Armaan kissing her.

'then let me sleep na?' she said, closing her eyes preparing for a good long sleep..she felt really exhausted...partly because of the emotional upheaval of the day and partly because of Armaan's passionate love-making..

'no,' Armaan whispered as he gently nipped her neck...

'Armaaaan' she groaned, closing her eyes, 'kya kar rahe ho?'

Armaan lifted his face from her neck, 'what does it look like?'

'Armaan!' she blushed and tried pushing him away..she was finally awake and very much aware of what had transpired between them just a couple of hours ago..

He swiftly caught her hands in his and smiled triumphantly at her.

'Please Armaan!' she pouted, trying to free her hands from his grip in vain.

Armaan smiled and bringing his face closer, he whispered in her ear, 'have you realized that in the past 2 minutes you have said my name like a dozen times!!'

Riddhima giggled...she hadn't realized she'd done that and moreover, his lips brushing her ear were tickling her.

Armaan looked and into her smiling face..she looked so sweet and innocent right now...he had been dying for this smile...her expressionless look and then the sudden outburst had really got him worried but it seemed things were normal now..or as normal it could get...they needed to talk..about a lot of things but he wasn't sure how to bring up the topic..he didn't want to remind her about Anjali's condition as she would definitely get all upset over it...in her sleepy and drowsy condition she seemed to have momentarily forgotten her miseries and he intended to keep it that way...atleast for the night. Tomorrow morning, they would go to the hospital and visit Anjali...hopefully by that time her dad's anger would also cool down. Thinking about Shashank, Armaan immediately felt a surge of anger inside him...his behaviour today had been totally wrong and unacceptable!! He had made a wreck out of Riddhima!! Didn't he know his daughter well?? Didn't he know how much damage his statements could have done?? no...he probably didn't...only Armaan knew because he was the one who had seen her during that phase when she had gone into depression and how much it had taken him to get her out of that phase...the very thought of something similar happening to her scared him...he was thankful that the impact had not been as severe as he had expected it to but he made a mental note that henceforth he would be more careful around her when she was dealing with her dad...he couldn't afford to lose her again!! and he didn't know why but there was this inexplicable feeling inside him that something was not right between Riddhima and her dad...he didn't know exactly what..but he just had this gut feeling that there was definitely wrong and wierd in their relationship...but he knew now was definitely not the time to go around questioning her...right now he just needed to be there for her...

'kya hua?' Riddhima asked as she saw the change of expression on his face...

Armaan shook his head and smiling slightly at her, he released her hands from his grip.

Riddhima quickly pulled up the comforter upto her neck..in all the teasing and fighting, the comforter had slipped slightly down her chest, revealing her cleavage and now, all of a sudden she was very shy about the fact that Armaan and her were cuddled up together without any clothes on..

Armaan smiled as he saw her instant reaction. He leaned in and kissed her on her lips..She moaned slightly trying to push him off but his weight was too heavy..she couldn't move him even an inch!

Armaan slowly removed the comforter with which she had been conveniently convering herself and moved closer to her, their bare bodies touching..

Armaan groaned as he felt their bare bodies coming in touch, 'Riddhima...' he whispered, breaking the lip-lock...'I love you,'

Riddhima closed her eyes, breathing heavily as she felt him kiss and gently bite her neck and chest.

She dug her fingers in his hair, catching fistfulls of it as he went lower, kissing and caressing her body..

He explored her thouroughly and led her to the heights of passion before finally making tender love to her.

They lay in bed awake for a long time after their loving reunion. Her head was on Armaan's chest and he gently stroked her hair as she played with their interwined fingers.

'Riddhima?' he called out softly.

'Hmmm?' she answered drowsily.

'You don't regret any of this right? I-I mean whatever happened between us and-' Armaan's voice gave in his uncertainty in his feelings.

Riddhima looked up at him and gently pecking him on his lips she said, 'NoI love you...'

That was all that was needed to be said. Armaan smiled his cute dimpled smile at her and her heart immediately melted into a puddle.

'When you smile like that,' she said, poking his dimple, 'you looke like CHO CHWEET!'

'Really?' he asked, immediately turning around so that she was pinned under him.

'Armaan!' she gasped, 'I shouldn't have said anything!!'

'What?' Armaan asked in mock anger, 'first of all you hardly even compliment me and once in while when you do, can you blame me for taking advantage?'

'Jao! Main tumse baat nahin karti!! maybe I should have stopped you yesterday!! Now you're just uncontrollable!!'

Armaan started laughing uncontrollably at her innocent and cute little angry face.

'You're my cute little phoolan devi!!' he said, buring his face in her neck once again.

Riddhima smiled slightly but didn't want him to know that she was not angry with him and so she tried pushing him off...as if that would have made a difference but still!!

'Hato!! I don't want to talk to you,' she said whining slightly.

'Really?' Armaan smiled wickedly and then began tickling her..

Riddhima squealed with laughter and desperately tried to stop him but to no avail. They both rolled around the bed, screaming and giggling with laughter...drowning all their worries...enjoying a new beginning...

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'Riddhima!' Armaan said in frustration, 'Don't you want to go see Anjali?'

'Armaan...please, tum jao...' Riddhima said, looking away,'I'm fine over here,'

Armaan looked at her exasperatedly. They had come again today morning to see Anjali but Riddhima didn't want to go the ward...she wanted to sit near the reception area and was forcing Armaan to go alone and check on Anjali's condition. She knew papa would be there and she didn't need another confrontation with him...he had told her to stay out of their lives and so that's what she would do.

'Riddhima, you're doing this because of your dad right?' Armaan asked gently.

Riddhima shook her head, blinking away tears, 'no...I.I just..'

'Ridz,' Armaan said, gently cupping her face in his hands, 'I'll be there na? I won't let him hurt you again,'

'No,' Riddhima quickly looked away as she felt unwanted tears sidle down her face, 'Please Armaan..I really don't want to do this,'

Armaan looked at her with concern...obviously this whole fiasco regarding her dad had affected her much more than he'd thought...maybe he had provided temporary relief with his physical love but in the long run, she was still healing from the wounds her dad's words had caused..

'Fine,' he whispered, kissing her forehead and wiping away her tears, 'I won't force you...I'll..I'll see you in a while...you'll be here, right?'

Riddhima nodded trying her best to not let her face betray any of her emotions...she didn't want to appear weak in front of Armaan..and anyways, he wouldn't understand...he didn't know anything about her and papa's relationship.

Armaan nodded, still looking uncertain but he quickly went to the ward.

Riddhima watched him go with a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. As she watched his retreating back, she couldn't stop the flow of tears anymore. She ran outside the hospital towards the parking lot and leaning against Armaan's car, she sank to the ground, crying bitterly...Anjali was her sister...it was RIDDHIMA who was supposed to be with her right now and yet, here she was sending her husband to check on her sister in the ICU!!...she had never felt this cursed or helpless...not only was she responsible for her sister's condition...she couldn't even see her when she was in such a critical situation...what if something happened to Anjali di?? what if she never saw her again?? maybe papa was right...maybe she just shouldn't have been born!!

However, as she thought over this, Armaan's face suddenly entered her mind and all thoughts of ending her life just left....how could she be so selfish?? what would Armaan do if she was not there?? he was SO dependant on her...but more than that, he loved her..probably more than anyone else in this world!!

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Armaan glanced at Shashank sitting in the waiting area. He looked as though he had aged 10 years in just one night!! He looked tired and worn out and it didn't seem like he had slept last night at all.

'Uncle?' Armaan called tentatively.

Shashank looked at Armaan and a faint smile broke out on his face...he looked genuinely happy to see Armaan...probably Anjali's accident had really shaken him up and he needed some emotional support at the moment.

Armaan smiled back uncertainly and sitting down next to him, he asked, 'how is Anjali now?'

'Better,' Shashank said in a relieved voice which could not hide his weariness and exhaustion, 'Initially she was critical due to severe blood loss, however, after the tranfusion, she is much better.'

'That's great!' Armaan said, trying to sound encouraging...he was really glad that Anjali's condition was improving...even though he hardly knew her, she was Riddhima's sister after all and there was that bond between them due to the common link of one person whom they both loved dearly:Riddhima....thinking about her, he felt slightly happy..atleast he would have some good news to give her....

'Uncle,' Armaan said, on a sudden impulse, 'Riddhima's waiting downstairs. I'll just get her and come...she'll be really happy to know that Anjali's condition is improving.'

The change of expression on Shashank's face was unmistakeable, 'No need!' he said softly, 'I don't want her anywhere even near my family!!'

Armaan looked at Shashank incredulously.

'What??!!'

Armaan felt that same rage bubbling inside him that he'd felt when he'd seen Riddhima crying in the reception of the hospital..what was with this guy??!! he thought that initially Shashank had spoken that way to Ridz just because he was upset at the moment and it would die down soon...however, obviously he had been mistaken...Ridz had been right..her dad really blamed her for all of this!!

'What the hell are you saying?? it's not Riddhima's fault!!' Armaan said angrily, standing up..at this moment, he did not feel kindly or sympathetic towards this man who was sitting over there..he had momentarily forgotten that this was Shashank Gupta, his father-in-law, dad's business partness, Riddhima's dad...at this moment Shashank Gupta was the man who had hurt his Riddhima and he was not going to put up with it anymore.

'It is!! ALL OF IT!!' Shashank said, equally angry and squaring up to Armaan...

'Whatever happened was an accident!!'

'It was not!! If it hadn't been for her, my...my Anjali...' Shashank could not go on any longer..placing a hand on his forehead, he closed his eyes, trying to calm his anger and nerves...

Armaan didn't say another word...he had a good mind to blast Shashank for his totally incredulous behaviour, however, right now a father was worried about his daughter and Armaan didn't have the heart to fight with him, even though he still thought what he did to Riddhima was wrong...

'I think I should leave now...I'll come in the evening again,' Armaan mumbled and before Shashank could say another word, he turned around and left...

Armaan pasted on a fake everything-is-OK look on his face as he neared the reception for Riddhima's sake...she was first only upset..he didn't want to make it worse by telling her what a dowright insensitive jerk her dad was!!!

However, as Armaan glanced at the waiting area, his smile turned into a frown...Riddhima was nowhere in sight..where could she have gone?? Armaan thought as he scanned the waiting area, I told her to wait here!!

Armaan took out his cell and quickly punched in Riddhima's cell number trying his best to not think pessimistically...but seriously!! how could she just leave when he specefically told her to wait there for him???

'Hello? Riddhima where are you?? I told you to-' Armaan started ranting off but stopped mid-way when he heard a soft sob on the other line.

'Ridz?' he said softly, 'where are you, sweety?'

'Pa-parking lot,' Riddhima said, stifling her sobs.

'Ok...wait there, alright? I'll be there in two minutes,' saying so Armaan rushed out of the hospital to the parking lot.