Jab We Met part 24 updated (arsh fan fic) - Page 6

it is so cute

Part 11

After a day of sightseeing and an early dinner in Victoria, Armaan and Shilpa boarded a short flight back to the private island where they were staying.

Now, they were enjoying each other's company in the ocean amongst a most peaceful setting beneath the moonlit sky glittering with stars ' not that they were taking the time to acknowledge their presence. That would require them to suspend a kiss that had absolutely no desire to be disturbed.

Shilpa had known from the moment she'd first kissed him that she was walking into a fire, knowingly walking into a fire ' but now that fire was an inferno, a wildfire that was burning out of control.

She pressed the palms of her hands to his chest, tore her mouth from his, and said, "Wait."

"What?" He asked unable to stop kissing her.

"Wait," she repeated. "Stop."

"I don't want to stop," he breathed and kissed her again.

"You have to stop," she said.

"Stop as in stop or stop as in pause?" He asked.

"Stop as in stop." She couldn't help but quietly laugh.

"You can't really mean that," he said. "The only thing that could begin to make this better than it already is would be to do it without clothes."

"That can't happen," she told him.

"Why not?" He asked, "And by the way, how exactly are you defining sex?"

"You said sex was officially off the table," she reminded him.

"Maybe you and I don't define sex in the same way," he pointed out.

"Would you please just wait a second," she requested.

He took his hands off of her and let them fall to his sides. "What?"

"This is becoming a bit dangerous don't you think?" She asked.

"Dangerous?" He furrowed his brows.

"Would it be possible for you to take it down a level?" She inquired.

"Uh ' no," he said. "That's definitely not possible, especially when kissing you is all you'll allow me to do."

"I can't indulge in kisses like these," she told him.

"You were indulging yourself just fine a few minutes ago," he replied.

"If we continue this way, we're going to end up in getting ourselves into trouble," she stated.

"I like trouble," he smirked.

"You like trouble," she said. "Causing trouble is fine for you, but it's not for me. You are invoking ' feelings ' from me that I can't control."

"That's kind of the idea," he informed her.

"Then you're doing it intentionally?" She asked.

"Doing what intentionally?" He replied. "You're going to have to be more specific."

"You're purposely invoking these feelings from me," she clarified.

"No," he said. "I'm not intentionally doing anything. What's happening between you and me ' that's called chemistry, and chemistry can't be manufactured."

Chemistry was something she'd only read about in her books. Chemistry didn't matter in her real life.

"Can't you do something to control it?" She asked.

"Yeah," he said. "I can do something to control it."

"Great," she smiled. "What is it?"

"I can catch a flight back to Seattle," he told her.

Her face fell.

"Do you want me to leave?" He asked.

"No," she replied.

"Do you want me to stop kissing you?"

"No."

"What do you want me to do?" He asked. "Tell me what to do, and I'll do it. I told you I wouldn't push anymore. I gave you my word."

"I don't know what to do," she said. "I know what I'm supposed to do and what I'm not supposed to do."

"What do you want to do?"

"What I want doesn't matter," she replied.

"You're wrong," he said. "What you want is the only thing that matters."

"You don't understand."

"I know I don't understand, but that's the position you've put me in," he replied. "Still, that doesn't matter because what you do is up to you. No one else but you gets to decide'"

"But-" She tried to speak; however, his voice drowned hers out.

"But nothing," he said. "If you're in a position where other people are making those decisions for you, then that's screweded up."

"That word again," she sighed.

"I like it." He shrugged.

"You're not my husband," she stated.

"I know I'm not your husband," he told her. "Are you telling me it would be okay for me to say screwed in any form if I were your husband?"

"No," she said. "I'm not permitted to have sex with you because you're not my husband."

"I'm sorry," Armaan furrowed his brows. "What century is this again?"

"Please don't make light of this," she replied.

"I'm not making light of anything," he insisted, "but I have to ask."

"What?"

"Are you married?" He hated asking questions he might not want the answers to.

"No," she replied, certain she knew what was coming next.

"If history predicts the future then it wouldn't have made a difference if you were married," he said without giving her an explanation.

She'd obviously been wrong regarding what was coming next.

"More importantly." Armaan stated. "Whoever he is, you don't give a damn about him."

He was staring so intently into her eyes that she couldn't look away.

"And the fact that you don't give a damn about him makes it easier for me not to give a damn about him," Armaan explained. "Why haven't you kissed him?"

"I haven't kissed him because I'm not married to him," she replied, knowing how hypocritical it sounded but it was still the truth.

"You're not married to me either," he said, treading lightly while she seemed to be relenting, if only a little.

"No," she spoke barely above a whisper.

"Who is he?" Armaan asked.

Shilpa implored him with her eyes to drop it.

"Are you in love with him?" Armaan wanted to know.

Still, Shilpa maintained her silence.

"Even if you'd said yes, I wouldn't have believed you," he told her. "A woman in love would find it unbearable to be away from the man she loved, and she definitely wouldn't isolate herself with another man on an exotic island or anywhere else for that matter. She'd never engage him in the kinds of kisses you and I have been engaging in. She would never be unfaithful to the man she was ' in love with."

"I didn't come here with one or any of those intentions," she replied.

"So because it wasn't premeditated it's a lesser offense?" He smirked.

"This amuses you?" She asked.

"You have no idea," he laughed.

"That's not very nice," she told him. "You're laughing at my expense."

"Better at your expense than at you, right?" He replied.

"There's a difference?"

"So you're telling me there's a schmuck near Mumbai that you're involved with," Armaan inquired, wanting to make sure he understood.

"Yes," she simply stated.

"A schmuck you're not in love with," Armaan said for clarification.

Oh God. "Yes," she spoke again.

"A schmuck you're in a relationship with that you can't get yourself out of for whatever reason," he continued. "Or perhaps, you don't know how, or you've never had an incentive ' to ditch the relationship because it's ' comfortable?"

That wasn't entirely untrue. "Yes."

He slid one of his arms around her waist and pulled her flush against him. "Comfortable is boring," he quietly spoke as blue eyes met brown. "You now have an incentive to cut him loose, and you'll do it because you don't feel anything for him ' and being in a relationship with someone you don't feel anything for will only make you miserable. You deserve to be happy, Shilpa."

It's not about being happy. It's never been about being happy.

"I can make you happy," he told her as his hand moved to her cheek.

You already do.

"I want you in my life." He caressed her hair with his fingertips. "You're an amazing woman. I can talk and laugh with you." He softly kissed her lips. "I could kiss you forever, and I've never felt this way about anyone, let alone said it out loud." This pod person Armaan had insisted he was becoming was feeling less unfamiliar every moment he spent with her.

Meanwhile, Shilpa felt as if she were somehow being punished, but she tried to push that thought aside because she didn't want to waste another moment with him.

"I don't want to talk about this anymore," she said with the strongest of urges to touch him in all the ways she shouldn't. "I don't want to talk about him. I don't want to think about him."

"Then we won't," Armaan replied.

With her hands pressed to his chest, she lifted her lips to his and kissed him. "I could kiss you forever, too," she whispered.

"We're the only two people out here," he said. "Why are you whispering?"

"I don't know," she replied. I don't want the wind to hear me and carry my words home.

"I know you don't want to hear this," Armaan told her, "but it is excruciating how badly I want you."

"Why wouldn't I want to hear it?" She asked.

"Because it's outside the boundaries," he said. "Way outside, and it would be completely selfish to marry you for the sake of taking your clothes off and taking every liberty I can think of."

"Like what?" She wanted to know.

"I've already said too much," he replied, "and I promised."

"You promised not to encourage a sexual relationship between us," she reminded him. "That doesn't mean you can't talk about it."

"Actually it does," he told her.

"Why?" she asked.

"Because talking will lead to touching, and touching will lead to places that would probably petrify you." He slightly smiled.

"You don't scare me," she told him. "I'm not afraid of you."

"I shouldn't have said anything," he quietly spoke. "It's just that this is new territory for me, and I have all this stuff seething inside of me."

"If I were someone else, what would you do?" She asked.

"You're not someone else," he told her, very aware of her taut nipples grazing his chest from beneath her bathing suit top with every move she made.

"What if'" She began.

"There's no gray area here, Shilpa." He threaded his fingers through her long, dark hair.

"Would it help or hurt if I told you that I wanted you to touch me?" She asked. "If I was wishing that you could ' that it was possible?"

"It would be irrelevant," he said. "I already know you want me, but I need all of you. Anything less would be dissatisfying for both of us, and I can't settle for that knowing how incredible it could be."

I'll never know.

"I can wait if you can." He kissed her. "I will wait ' for as long as I have to because I know this is it for me. You're the woman I've been waiting for, the one I was sure didn't exist."

She'd never hated Adi or her father more than she did in this moment.

"I wish-" she began, but Armaan pressed his finger to her naturally red lips.

"You don't have to wish anymore," he told her as his finger fell from her lips. "This is real. It's happening, and nothing and no one can stop it. Everything's going to work out exactly as it should," he insisted, one of his hands moving to rest just above her bottom.

In her dreams, perhaps. She realized that no matter how hard she tried, she just couldn't separate her real life from the life she was living with the man she was certain would carry her heart back to Seattle with him. The thought made her smile because it would solidify the fact that Adi would never have it.

"Where are you?" Armaan asked, pulling her into a little bit deeper water.

"I'm here," she told him. "With you." For as long as I can be.

"Forget about him," Armaan quietly spoke as he kissed her, assuming that's where her mind had gone.

"I'm sure I have no idea who you're talking about," she smiled before their lips melded together again.

With that particular distraction out of the way, the embers that had never fully burned out, reignited and continued to burn all through the night.

Part 12

Early evening, a couple of days later, Armaan and Shilpa found themselves back in one of their favorite places to be – the hammock near Shilpa's villa. It was the strangest thing because neither of them had ever spent time in a hammock, nor had they been inclined to do so, but it had become their little haven where they could simply be together and talk.

"Have you read the book I bought for you?" He asked.

"When would I have had time to read anything?" She replied, snuggling into his body like some sensual feline. "I've been with you every moment I've been awake and sleeping when I haven't."

"So it's my fault you haven't read the book?"

"Yes," she smiled, and then kissed the side of his neck since it was closest to her glossed lips. "My lips are imprinted on your neck."

He'd have preferred her lips be imprinted on every inch of his body, but he supposed that his neck was a good start.

"If you have a tissue, I'll wipe it off," she offered.

"You don't have to wipe it off," he told her.

"Are you sure?" She asked. "It's pink and a bit sparkly … not very masculine."

"Are you suggesting that I'm less of a man because I have a pink, sparkly imprint of your lips on my neck?" He replied.

"No," she said. "Of course not."

"I can think of a few other spots that would benefit from your lips," he casually commented.

"I'm going to pretend I didn't hear you say that," she replied.

"I can think of a few other spots that would benefit from your lips," he repeated, though more loudly this time.

"I heard you the first time," she pointed out.

"Are you sure?" He asked. "Because I could say it again."

"That won't be necessary," she replied.

"Oh, it's necessary," he said. "Very necessary."

She lifted her head so that she could look at him. "The temptation is there," she confessed.

"You think?" Armaan replied, sarcastically.

"What you're doing is honorable," she told him. "For that I'm grateful. I suspect that most men wouldn't be so … honorable."

"I'm not most men," he said, "and most men don't care about you the way that I do, so most men can go to Hell."

"If I ever spoke like that at home, my mother would wash my mouth out with soap," she slightly smiled.

"My mother couldn't be bothered with me," he replied, "so I pretty much did whatever I wanted."

"I'm sorry," she said.

He looked at her and asked, "Why? It's not your fault."

"What about your father?" She inquired, curious.

"What about him?" Armaan replied, wishing he hadn't brought his parents up in the first place.

"Nothing," she said but then asked, "Do you have any brothers or sisters?"

"No," Armaan stated. "You?"

"No," Shilpa said, "though, I do wish I had a brother."

"Put in a request to your parents," he smirked.

"It's inappropriate for me to discuss things of that nature with them," she replied.

"Why?" He asked.

"It's just … inappropriate." She softly kissed his neck again. "I love your scent." She then moved to kiss the base of his throat. "And the way you taste."

"That's just mean," he told her. "You can't talk to me like that, and expect to stay clothed."

"Why not?" She asked. "I'm just being honest."

"Then do me a favor and lie to me," he requested.

"You want me to lie to you?" She replied, confused.

"No, I don't want you to lie to me, but yeah, I want you to lie to me," he attempted to clarify.

"You realize that makes no sense," she said.

"It makes perfect sense to me," he told her.

"You're going to have to explain it to me because I don't understand," she replied.

Lately, every conversation we have ends with sex," he pointed out.

"I'm not talking about … sex," she replied, uncomfortable saying the word.

"You don't have to be talking specifically about sex to be talking about sex," he told her.

"I didn't even mention … it," she stated.

"Sex is about the senses on a whole other level," he spoke, trying to make her understand.

"You're saying that, because I mentioned two of the senses, I'm automatically speaking about sex?" She asked, thinking that came out entirely too easy, but then it was easy to talk to Armaan. Perhaps that had something to do with it.

"Look where you are," he quietly said. "Your body is next to mine. You've got one hand on me, and you've been kissing me every few seconds, minimum."

"It's what I feel," she told him.

"And there's nothing wrong with that," he replied, amused that he was the one on this side of the conversation.

"If there's nothing wrong with it, then why do I feel as if you're lecturing me?" She wanted to know.

"I'm not lecturing you," he insisted, "but it's getting to the point where you and I are going to have to physically stay a few feet away from each other."

"Why?"

"Just because I've agreed to not having a sexual relationship with you doesn't mean that I'm not craving it … or you," he told her. "And I'm going to lose my freaking mind if we have to keep having this conversation."

"How do we stop?" She asked.

The innocence in her eyes was going to be the death of him as he contemplated what they'd need to do to avoid any future discussions about sex. The obvious answer was to actually have sex, but that wasn't an option.

"I'm not sure there's one answer," he replied. "But I am sure that at least for now, I need to go back to my villa."

"It's early," she said, not wanting him to leave yet. "Why do you have to leave?"

He gazed at her, quietly speaking, "If I stay here, I'm going to take you to a place where you'll be the one taking your clothes off – a place where you'll start begging for things you've never imagined being so desperate for … and I'd give them all to you because I can, but more importantly because I want to.

"Oh my," she murmured.

"And just for the record," he added, "Being honorable sucks."

"I didn't realize what I was doing," she said. "I'm sorry."

"Believe me," he replied. "So am I."

"I don't want you to leave," she told him. "I promise I'll stop."

"You only think you'll stop," he quietly spoke, his mouth hovering near hers.

She softly kissed him and whispered, "Please don't go."

"I can't stay," he told her.

"Please," she said as her lips slowly savored his.

"You're not listening," he replied. "I'm trying to do the right thing here."

Shilpa hated always having to do the right thing, especially when she wanted to know all the things he'd spoken of. She wanted to know how it would feel to lie next to him, naked, with nothing between them. Realizing it wasn't meant to be, she got off of the hammock first while Armaan held it still, and then he followed.

"Armaan," she said.

He cradled her face in his hands, kissed her, and said, "Goodnight, Shilpa."

"Goodnight," she reluctantly replied, watching as he turned and walked away.

After enjoying a delicious meal that had been brought to her villa, Shilpa took a hot bath filled with orchids and then slipped into a long, deep purple, silk nightgown in preparation for bed.

Hearing the rain outside through her cracked windows, she knew her sleep would be a peaceful one, as rain always led to a peaceful sleep and the sweetest dreams. She couldn't remember a time when she'd been so content, as she pulled the sheets up to cover her body, which was ironic considering her current and future circumstance. If only Armaan could be her future, but unfortunately, her future had been determined centuries ago.

Armaan had been unable to sleep that night. What had begun as a steady rain, turned into a downpour with booming thunder and lightening that resembled some semblance of a fireworks display on the Fourth of July. He'd always had trouble sleeping on a loud night, so this was making sleep impossible, and he fully expected the power to quit at any moment if the weather continued this way. Lying naked beneath the sheets, he leaned over towards the night table, reaching for his watch to check the time.

"Eleven forty-two," he groaned, having hoped it would be later that evening or rather early the next morning, but it was not to be. He set his watch down and then turned onto his side, covering his head with one of the king-sized pillows as he did so.

He wasn't sure how long he'd been lying like that when he heard the door open. It also occurred to him that he might have heard it closing, and not opening. Armaan elected to wait and see rather than jump to the conclusion that he might be on the verge of being robbed or something even more unpleasant.

When nothing out of the ordinary happened, he lifted the pillow from his head and opened his eyes to see Shilpa standing next to his bed, thoroughly drenched from head to toe wearing a silk gown that left absolutely nothing to his imagination.

"I'm sorry if I woke you," she apologized. "Your door was unlocked."

"I know," he simply replied.

"You know your door was unlocked?" She asked. "Why would you leave your door unlocked?"

"I left it unlocked in case you…"

"In case I was what?"

"In case you were … scared," he quietly spoke.

"Why would I be scared?" She inquired.

"Some people have an aversion to the sound of the sky exploding over and over," he replied.

"Oh," she said. "Well, I'm not scared."

"Oh."

"Except that I am scared," Shilpa was wringing her hands.

"You just said…" he began.

"I know what I just said," she replied. "I wasn't talking about the thunder."

"Then, what were you talking about?"

She glanced down at the floor and then met his gaze with hers. "I was talking about you."

Part 13

"Why would you be scared of me?" He asked but then interrupted his own thoughts. "You need to put on some dry clothes before you catch a cold or pneumonia. I'll give you a t-shirt and a pair of shorts."

She suspected that he wasn't wearing anything, so the second he threw off the covers, she turned away because she knew that seeing him naked was not a good idea.

"This isn't really necessary," she told him as she stared at the wall in front of her.

"It's very necessary," he said as he approached her from behind with one of his t-shirts and a pair of cotton shorts.

"No," she replied, aware that he was behind her now. "It's not. I could just … go back to my villa and change."

"You're already here," he quietly spoke. "Why would you want to go back out in that weather?"

There was a loud boom and despite the fact she knew it was thundering it still startled her.

"But you're not afraid of thunder," he murmured as he extended his arm which held the two dry items of clothing. "You need to get out of that wet gown and put on some dry clothes."

"I'm … fine," she said. "I just need a towel, please."

"Either you take it off or I will," he said, knowing that should do the trick.

"You wouldn't," she replied.

"Trust me," he told her. "I would." Meanwhile, he began playing with some of the wet strands of her hair, intentionally grazing the nape of her neck as he did so.

"Why are you doing that?" She asked, her heart beating rapidly.

"I'm doing it because I want to," he replied. "Haven't you ever done anything just because you wanted to, Shilpa?"

His gruff voice was like melted butter oozing across her entire being. What I want is irrelevant. "It's complicated," she spoke on a whisper of air.

"It's not complicated," he disagreed, thinking the gown was wearing her the way it hugged every curve of her svelte body. That gown would be nothing without that body. "You're making it complicated because you're so worried about everyone else."

"My husband is supposed to be the first-" she began.

"How do you know he won't be?" He quietly spoke near her ear.

I know because Adi is going to be my husband whether I want him to be or not. "Why are we talking about this?" She asked.

"We're talking about this because you just trekked through a tropical storm in your nightgown late at night to see me," he replied. "You're entire body is trembling, and it has nothing to do with you being cold because … you're not cold. You're here because you and I want the same thing. The only difference is that your conscience is getting in the way. You're letting it interfere."

"The truth is I am afraid of the storm," she told him. "I've always had a fear of storms."

"Yet you walked through one to get to me anyway," he pointed out.

"I could get into a lot of trouble if I … I can't. I'm not supposed to. It's wrong…"

"Why does this guy have such a strong hold on you when you obviously don't give a damn about him?" Armaan asked. "And by the way, Shilpa, anything that happens between you and me could never be wrong."

Perhaps it wouldn't be wrong in your world, but in mine, it may as well be a sin. She turned to face him and immediately regretted it as her suspicion was confirmed. He was naked as the day he was born, though much bigger. Her entire being became heated." She stammered. "I … I know."

"You know? He replied ignoring her obvious discomfort with the sight of his naked body, and it annoyed him because he'd much rather be moving her past her discomfort. "That's it? You know."

"Please don't make this anymore difficult than it is," she requested.

"You can't put this on me," he said. "The conflict you're experiencing is all you. I've told you that before. I think I've made it fairly clear how I feel about you, Shilpa. When was the last time you ran through a storm to get to him? And … why isn't he here with you? You don't love him. Does he love you? Actually, it doesn't matter whether or not he loves you because you don't love him and that's enough to bury any relationship."

"You're not going to leave this alone, are you?" She asked.

"Are you going to put these clothes on or not?"

"I was hoping you might put them on," she told him.

"I'd rather rip your gown off of you," he informed, completely serious.

"I don't condone violence," she said.

"Neither do I," he replied, looking at her curiously.

"But you just said-"

"I know what I said."

"I can't talk to you like this," she gestured towards him; although, her eyes never left his. She was not going to look. "Please put something on."

He absently tossed the shirt and shorts he held behind him.

"This really is inappropriate." She felt quite flushed everywhere.

"You walked into my villa unannounced without any warning," he explained. "Some people sleep in clothes." He shrugged. "I don't."

"But you're not sleeping now," she pointed out, very aware of how ridiculous that sounded since everything he'd said was accurate. It wasn't as if she'd given him any notice. Still, he could have covered himself.

"No, I'm not sleeping now, but I am going back to bed now," he told her. "You can stay or you can go. Either way, this conversation is over until you can be honest with yourself."

"I am being honest with myself," she said, looking everywhere but at him as he made his way back to bed.

"Wrong," he growled as he pulled the sheets over his body. "You're making excuses."

"I'm not," she insisted.

"You are," he replied. "Life's too short to live in fear."

"I'm not afraid," she said.

"You are," he repeated. "You're afraid of the storm. You're afraid of some guy that you shouldn't be giving a second thought to, and you're afraid of me, which makes absolutely no sense."

"I-" She began to speak but was interrupted.

"Goodnight, Shilpa," he spoke … not wanting to hear anymore of her nonsensical chatter.

"Goodnight," Shilpa quietly replied, always polite.

Armaan inwardly sighed as he watched her leave the bedroom, but he refused to follow her.

Meanwhile, Shilpa walked over to one of the windows in the main living area, watching as the rain pounded the ground outside while the thunder roared and the lightening lit up the sky. Standing there in her drenched purple gown, she was undeniably aware that she was at an impasse in her life.

Shilpa hated Adi, despised him … resented him for everything he was and everything he represented. She doubted that he ever had a moment where he pondered the consequences of his actions the way she always did. Of course, for him, consequences were non-existent. He could do whatever he wanted without repercussions; yet, here she stood soaking wet from head to toe after being startled from sleep by the loudest thunder she'd ever heard. And without a second thought, she'd abandoned her villa and run to Armaan's.

Why? Silent tears began to stream down her face. She'd run to his villa because Armaan cared about her and would keep her safe. He took care of her. At home, no one took care of her except for those who were paid to do so. It was their job. They weren't given the choice, but Armaan … Armaan took care of her because he wanted to. No one was forcing him to spend time with her. There were other single women staying at the resort. She had no doubt that they would give him anything he wanted in a heartbeat, but he wanted it from her. He wanted her. She wanted him, too, but…

But. But but but. Why did there always have to be a but? This was what she wanted, wasn't it? This was what she'd been daydreaming about for years … stepping outside of herself to be herself. Knowing her fate had been sealed for a long time with Adi, she yearned for a time when she could simply be Shilpa or in this case, Shilpa. She wanted someone to choose her because they wanted to be with her. She wanted someone to love her that she could love in return. It never occurred to her that it might actually happen.

She hadn't planned for this, for Dr. Armaan Mallik who despite his colorful language and thunder-like voice, was the most amazing man she'd ever met. So … why was she standing out here on the verge of developing a case of pneumonia instead of in his bedroom … in bed with him? The obvious answer was the fact that she was expected to go to bed with her husband untouched, a virgin for the sole purpose of procreation. She'd always accepted that this was the way her life was meant to be, but it was never what she'd truly wanted.

What she truly wanted was in the next room with a desire to love her and give her all the things she was never permitted to have. From a very young age, she'd known that her father would choose her husband based on a number of things that didn't matter to her. She was merely a pawn in everyone's game it seemed. That's how it felt anyway, and it was an unpleasant feeling. It made her feel unloved and uncared for, and she very much wanted to feel both of those things. Both were easily within her reach. All she had to do was walk back into that room. That's all she had to do.

After nearly an hour of clock-watching, Armaan wasn't sure what to do or what was going through her mind. All he knew for sure was that she was still somewhere in his villa. He'd been awake the entire time listening for the door to open and close, but it never happened. She was obviously torn. Actually, she was probably tormenting herself with buts and what ifs instead of just going after what she wanted. He knew exactly what he wanted, and he knew that if she gave him the chance, he could make her comprehend how much she wanted it, too. That was his hope, anyway.

The sound of her footsteps amidst the storm quickly diverted his attention from his thoughts as he anxiously awaited whatever it was she was going to say or do.

With his back to her, he assumed she would speak the moment the sound of her footsteps ceased to exist but that didn't happen … not as quickly as he'd expected.

"Are you still awake?" She quietly inquired.

"Yes," he replied, his voice muffled by the fact that his face was jammed into the center of his pillow.

The next thing he felt was something landing in the crook of his neck and shoulder … something wet. He reached for it and then lifted his head to see what it was.

"You wanted the gown," she told him with a slight quiver in her voice. "Now you have it."

Armaan briefly stared at the wadded up gown and then did a one-eighty to so that he was facing her. She was standing before him wearing nothing but damp skin and a somewhat petrified expression.

"I didn't want the gown," Armaan stated just above a whisper.

"I know," she said and then nervously laughed. "I'm not a complete idiot." She'd never met anyone who could make her doubt or question herself the way this man did.

He pushed himself up onto one elbow and reached for her hand. "You're not an idiot," he told her as he pulled her closer until she had no choice but to join him in bed. "If I've made you feel that way, I didn't mean to, and I'm sorry."

"You didn't," she replied as he covered her with the sheets and light comforter in an attempt to warm her up. "I excel at making myself feel that way."

"I've been guilty of the same thing every now and then," he slightly smiled in attempt to put her at ease.

"You have?" She asked.

"I have," he replied as he caressed her back. "So … I don't suppose you're going to tell me what convinced you to … give me your gown. I think you've coined a new phrase. Is this an act of defiance or are you here because you want to be here?"

"It is an act of defiance by default," she told him, "but I'm here because I can't imagine not being here. Here with you is the only place I want to be."

"I think we might finally be on the same page," he replied. "I didn't realize we'd have to be naked to do it."

"You have to be naked, don't you?" She asked.

He quietly laughed and kissed her. "I was talking about us being on the same page," he clarified, "but no, you don't have to be completely naked to … do it."

"Oh," she said.

"That's a lesson for another time," he informed her.

"Another time," she replied.

He softly kissed her mouth and stated, "Another time."

Yet another loud crash across the sky could be heard.

"I really hate that," she told him.

"How freaked out are you?" He asked.

"I'm not terribly freaked out," she replied using his words. At least it's happening outside."

"I was talking about what's going to happen inside," he replied.

"Oh," she softly spoke but then simply said, "The unknown is always a bit scary, but I trust you."

"If it makes you feel any better, I'm a little out of my comfort zone here," he informed her. "I've never been anyone's first time, so I'm going to need your help."

"You're going to need my help?" She asked.

"You're going to have to communicate," he told her. "If you don't like something I do, I want you to tell me, but if you like something, I'll want you to tell me that, too; although, I'm pretty sure I'll know."

"Okay," she said.

"I think we should take our time. We have all night and the days ahead, so there's no reason to rush."

"Whatever you think is best," she was going to completely surrender herself to him.

"One more thing," he added.

"What?" She asked as he slowly pulled her body to his.

He could feel her heart rapidly beating against his or perhaps it was his heart that was beating so rapidly.

Armaan stared into her eyes, which were mere inches from his as he informed her matter-of-factly, "I'm going to be your first, and you … are going to be my last."

haha cute...and loved how armaan said im going to be your first and your going to be my last at the end...iight well anyways...finally ridhima being herself and hopefully adi and shilpas dad dont come in between haha....make armaan and shilpa stay there and never go back home =P haha but yeahh update soon =]

👏👏👏 awesome updates

Heeyyaa!!!

Sorry for late comment but interuptions took me forever to read!!

Got to say lovely updatess!!
Love hiw they plan their lives ahead!!
Hope they woold clear all problems!!

Jinszyy!!

loved it... it was awesome.... plzz plzz update sooooooon

loved the parts