Arnav held her hands in his firm grip. "Khushi, whatever I'm going to tell you, I assure you it's all in the past. And I can guarantee that nothing matters to me, more than you. I need you to trust me one hundred percent, alright?" Khushi nodded. For a moment, they just sat in silence listening to the raindrops on the windowpane, and slowly, Arnav began to open up.
"I was never the person to care about anyone. I never really loved anyone. I knew the destructing effect love had on people, and its rippling effects of devastation followed by depression and heartaches. And I always shielded myself from all that unnecessary pain. Being raised in a boy's hostel, all that I learnt, in the company that I was, was that girls are made to sleep around with boys like me. And the girls whom I came across were the ones who only saw the cash in my wallet. Initially, my conscience kicked me in the shin, telling me that it wasn't right - all this meaningless shit! But gradually, it seemed fine. Girls came over, I treated them like a fine luxury, and they thanked me by warming my sheets. And everything was going smooth and fine until you came along" Khushi looked up at Arnav, who was looking at their entwined hands as he continued talking. "For the first time I was drawn towards a woman without her seducing me. I was literally gobsmacked when I saw you at your birthday celebration. And I do not know the reason, but I was instantly drawn towards you. Something within me wanted to possess you. Back then, I did not know you, nor had I any interest to know you as a person. I just wanted to possess you; your body. And I readily agreed about you working as an intern at our company since that was the only way I could get physically close to you. Trust me when is say this, but I was thankful that Ananya was present in your room the day I saw you in your violet scraps, or else maybe I would have locked the door and had my way with you, despite your Dad being in the house" He looked up to see Khushi's jaw hanging open, protesting to what he said. "Oh no, don't give me that look Khushi. It would have taken me less than a minute to convince you to burn the sheets with me! And you would have obliged without much fuss. From my experience, I could read that unquenched passion in you." A tinge of red coloured up her cheeks, and instantly Arnav knew he was right.
The rain poured down heavily and the pattering of the raindrops increased intensely. "I still remember the way you brought me my coffee on the first day" Arnav smiled at the memory and said, "And the way you had been spitting fire when you learnt that you were my P.A." And this time, his smile grew wider. "And you did that on purpose? Making me your P.A?" This time Khushi spoke up, trying to search his eyes for an answer. "Yes" he said in soft admittance. "That was the only way to keep you near me. How badly I yearned to touch you! I was so frustrated all the time, since you would parade in front of me with your oblivious teasing, while you had no clue about the reaction of my body to yours and the thoughts that used to fuel my desire for you!" Khushi's eyes grew wide as she bit her lower lip in apprehension. Certainly, she had no idea that he desired her since day one! Arnav looked at her lip and then into her eyes. "See this is what I mean!" Khushi frowned when he said that. "You're biting your lip! Do you know how a man feels when you do that?" She immediately stopped biting her lip and shook her head in a No. He inched closer to her and whispered in her ear, "It makes him want to taste those lips and then bite them" She felt a cold shiver down her spine. Arnav was opening up to her way more than expected, and even though she felt shy at his bold and direct talk, she loved this side of him to her own surprise.
Her expression dimmed down when she saw Arnav frowning at a memory. "What happened?" she asked him, forgetting that she was the one who was angry and he had to pacify her. Right now, it was not about apologizing. It was about him opening up his life, his darkest secrets and desires to her, and that felt way better than having him apologize. When someone lets you know their innermost secrets, you tend to have a certain power over them. Khushi too felt the same. The difference was that she felt proud that he chose her to open up the dark chapters of his life. And to her own surprise, she did not feel bad about all those women he had fooled around with. Because she knew that they were there only as a convenience for him, and that they had never been a part of his life. However, she chose not to express it to Arnav, since she still wanted to know why he left her alone in bed.
"I just remembered how mad you had been about that incident with me and Ananya at the stable! You even slapped me!" Arnav said with his lips twitching in annoyance. "Why wouldn't I be mad? I had my own reasons and rights to be mad at you both. And I did not slap you because of her. I slapped you because you said unwanted rubbish things about Rohan and me!" This time, Arnav smiled recalling how jealous he had been of that name, assuming it was her boyfriend. "You know, I thought Rohan was your lover" Arnav said, causing Khushi to shake her head in disbelief. "I even saw him show you that ring at the cafe, and I thought he was proposing to you! I hadn't been more mad in my life than I was at that moment! All I wanted to do was walk into that coffee shop, fling you over my shoulder and carry you, far away from him." "You were jealous?" Khushi asked, surprised at his confession. "As though it was not obvious! You'd have to be blind if you couldn't see me fuming whenever you took his name" he said and shrugged his shoulders. She just smiled to herself over the fact that a man like Arnav Raizada, who could get any woman he wanted, would be jealous for her. "I honestly did not think so seriously about it!" she said, to which he replied, "Of course you wouldn't. You were too busy saying Rohan this, Rohan that, Rohan, Rohan, Rohan!" She laughed a little when he scrunched his nose and furrowed his brows in irritation.
He looked at her laugh. It was music to his ears. It sounded like the tinkling of those tiny bells of Christmas. Her laughter died down slowly when she saw him staring at her with all the love in his eyes. He caressed her cheek with a feathery touch, too scared if she was a dream and would vanish away. "I'm sorry I hurt you so many times" he said in a soft voice. "I really misbehaved with you in the office, especially with that elevator incident" Khushi's smile completely faded when he brought that up. She had faced humiliation to no end. People talked about her character, even when she was not at fault. He knew that those wounds were not yet healed by the hurt expression on her face. "I was so blinded by rage that you slapped me, and with jealousy that you were with Rohan, and God knows what came over me that I did such a thing. I know no amount of sorry can undo it Khushi, but I really regret that you had to face a lot due to it." Khushi sat silent. She had buried all those hurtful incidents and had let her heart take the decisions of her life. She had never doubted those decisions earlier, but now when those memories were dug open, she felt humiliated all over again. "Did you have any idea what I went through, Arnav? No one spoke to you about it, but the way everyone looked at me, they seemed to have tagged me as a characterless woman!" Arnav winced visibly. He knew she was hurt, but the pain of those actions still ran fresh in her mind. He held her hand in a tight grip. When she looked at him she knew he was really sorry. For if he wasn't, he would not be at her doorstep at this hour of the night. She realized it was better to let some things in the past, buried deep down, never to be dug open.
"Honestly, I could not bear to see you so broken. And it was then I realized that I did have feelings for you. But when I saw that you were hurt because of me, something within me just broke. I knew that what I felt for you was something that I had never felt before for anyone, and it was clear that it wasn't just lust. It was something else. Something more powerful. Something that kept drawing me closer and closer to you, like you had some spell over me to summon me and my thoughts. Every step I took, I thought about you. Your eyes, your smile. It was when you shifted to another department that I understood how much I missed you, how much I missed having coffee from you in the mornings, how much I missed looking at you seated at your desk. I craved for you Khushi, and I wanted you more than anyone or anything. The times I came across you in the office and you cornered yourself away from me, my heart squeezed in pain. Until then, I had not known that the heart was capable of feeling such things. I understood that you hated me for what I had done and I deserved it." Khushi opened her mouth to say something, but he stopped her by shaking his head. "Let me finish" he said softly and she obeyed. "I knew I had to keep away from you. You were too naive and innocent Khushi, and I did not want to mess up your life. I felt too protective about you. And that was why I kept yelling at you and keeping you away. But the ego within me forced me to come chasing after you. For the first time in life, I was utterly confused. I wanted you, but I couldn't want you. You were perfect, while I was full of imperfections. I knew that we were no match. I shut my heart again. But it was of no use. It was as though you had gotten under my skin." He heaved a breath when he saw Khushi's moist eyes. He brushed off a tear on her cheek, and kissed her eyes. Fresh tears formed, but now she cried for a different reason. She knew she was madly in love with this man in front of her, and also knew she could not be mad at him. She realized that she could not love another, and the only man she would ever love is Arnav, despite his horrendous stained past.
Arnav continued, "The day of that auction event, when I saw you, I had my heart in my mouth. You looked devastatingly gorgeous. And then when you spoke to me out on the deck of the yacht, I knew you did have feelings for me. But I was afraid to speak out my emotions to you. Whatever you said was in a state of inebriation, and I assumed that you would reject what I felt for you when you would sober down. I had realized I was falling for you, and there was no escape from that. Everything began to feel wonderful the moment I accepted that I love you. And as time passed, I began to get addicted to you, as though you were some drug to my system." She chuckled when he said that, and he only frowned at her asking her what was so funny. "Do you realize how much I had to fend off Antonio from laying his hands on you? Why do think I called you my fiance? Khushi, if you saw yourself through my eyes, you would know how exquisite you are! I mean it when I say that you're the prettiest, smartest and the nicest woman I have ever known! And any man would agree to what I say. I had to have a little talk with Antonio at Greece, telling him that you belong only to me. He backed down only when he knew how serious I was."
Greece brought back more memories to her mind. "And in spite of all that, you left me all alone in bed! Why Arnav? Was I so disappointing? I know I do not have experience like the ones you are used to but..." "Please Khushi, stop saying that! You were not disappointing! That is far from the truth." He took a deep breath and looked at the ground. "Khushi, with the lifestyle I have lived all these years, I have never come across a situation wherein I had any reason to stay back in bed the morning after. I have never cuddled any woman. It was just doing the act, and then getting out of bed. I never had to face the woman in the morning. She would usually get out of bed, leaving her number behind, which I would not contact again. And even if I got out of bed before her, I never had the necessity to explain why I left her alone. It was understood that there would not be any strings attached." He gripped tighter on her tiny hands, as though fearing that she would slip away. Then he looked into her emerald eyes. "When I made love to you last night, it was magical. I never knew that it was supposed to feel that way. I may have had sex with many women, but when it came to making love, it was the first time for me. And trust me, sex and making love have a lot of difference. I learned that yesterday when we consummated our relationship. I used to keep my hands off you since I made a promise to your Dad that I would take care of you. Last night, both of us were drunk when we made the decision to become one. But this morning when I got up, I felt like I had betrayed myself and your Dad, since I couldn't keep up to my promise. I felt like I had forced you to come to bed with me, and I knew you would not disagree. I felt ashamed. Not because I made love to you, but because I couldn't control my desires when I was with you." He cupped Khushi's face in his hands. "But I do not regret those moments spent with you. Trust me when I say this honey; Last night was the most beautiful night of my entire life so far."
Khushi felt a wave of relief and happiness when she heard him. She felt foolish for overreacting and assuming things of which had no clue about. "It was magical for me too" she said, placing her hands over his, which were at her cheeks. He smiled at her, kissing her button-like nose. Then suddenly, he withdrew his hands and searched his pocket. He took out the ring and showed it to her. She felt her heart contract when she saw it, and she felt pained that she had taken off the ring and given it back to him. He got off the bed and knelt on one leg, as she had always wished for the man of her dreams to do for her. He asked for her hand, and she willingly placed it in his.
"Khushi, before I met you, I did not realize how empty my life was. You showed me the meaning of life. You showed me what love really means. You complete me in every way and I want to share every moment of my life with you. Khushi, I know I cannot fix all of your problems which may come in future, but I can promise you that you won't have to face them alone. I promise to take care of you and cherish you every day. I promise to love you more and more, till the end of time. I promise to keep you happy always. I want to spend my whole life with you, make so many babies with you, to grow old with you. And when my hands tremble and my eyesight is weak, when I cannot walk and I cannot speak, I want you to be next to me, holding my hand. I know my life will never be complete without you beside me to share it. So, Miss Khushi Gupta, would you make me the happiest man alive by doing me the honour of changing your name to Mrs. Khushi Kumari Gupta Singh Raizada by becoming my wife? Will you marry me?" Khushi was too choked with emotions. She was laughing with tears in her eyes. "Yes" she said in a soft whisper with a nod, and Arnav grinned. "Think twice. I won't be letting you go away from me till the end." She whacked his arm as he teased her. "Till eternity and beyond that" she said and he slipped the ring on her finger.
She stood up to hug him as he rose from the floor, and he hugged her back, inhaling her feminine scent while nuzzling in her neck. "I love you Arnav" she said in a tone that was unintentionally husky. He kissed her neck and pulled her tighter in his embrace as the lightning flickered in the rain. Tucking her hair behind her ears, he wiped those tears from her eyes and kissed her cheeks on either sides. Then, he gently brushed against her lips. Khushi melted into him when she felt his fingers circling her waist over her night gown. He pulled back slowly to see her pupils dilated with desire and smiled. He reached her face to cup her cheeks and leaned against her forehead. "I love you too, Khushi" he whispered as he rubbed her nose against hers. She smiled when he did that. "Stay with me tonight" she whispered. "I want to, but I don't want to be the cause for Hari Kaka having a stroke if he learns that I stayed the whole night in your room." She smiled at him, fidgeting with the top buttons of his shirt. "Why Arnav? What do you think would happen if you stayed with me tonight, slept with me in my bed, while it rained and thundered outside? Do you think I would feel cold at night, and then turn to hug you to feel your warmth, making you feel aroused as I press against your warm body under that quilt?" For a second, Arnav fell off guard and swallowed a lump in his throat when Khushi slowly undid the knot of her peignoir. Only when she laughed aloud, he knew she was just pulling his leg. He smirked at her, and her laughter died down when he walked to her in lazy steps. "Actually" he pulled her by her waist to collide against his chest, "I think that it would be fine if I stayed back." Khushi's eyes grew wide when she saw his expressions turn serious. He was smouldering now. "If you felt cold, I could make you feel warm by giving you more than a hug. And if you felt too warm, then maybe I could help you take this off" he said as he slipped the sleeve of her peignoir down her arms, and it fell in a soft swoosh at her feet. She now stood in his arms, in her satin gown, and the way her body reacted, due to the cold outside or to the heat between them he did not know, told him that she was missing her basic innerwear. "You must be so tired from all the travel today." He said to her, looking at her in her dazed eyes. "Perhaps I could give you a massage" and bending down to her ear, he whispered sensuously, "I could massage you everywhere" She mouth parted as she breathed for more air, while his fingers brushed against the fabric-covered skin of her waist. Then he suddenly stepped away. "Of course, we do not want one thing leading to another, do we?" he said in a husky tone. It took a moment or two for Khushi to realize that he had turned tables and was teasing her now.
He laughed as her cheeks pinked up. Then he bent to peck her lips to wish her goodnight, and left from there. She stood rooted to the floor, blushing at what just happened. Then, she looked at the ring on her finger and kissed it. She picked the peignoir that had pooled to the floor near her feet, and blushed as she kept it aside and tucked into bed. Minutes later, her phone buzzed.
Arnav: Just reached home. Goodnight love, dream about me. *wide grin smiley*
She smiled and typed the reply.
Khushi: Gudnite. Ur d only one I dream abt. Love u. *flying kiss*
She sent the message, and waited patiently for him to reply. And soon, her phone buzzed again.
Arnav: Wat do you dream? Tell me? *winking*
Khushi: gudnite Arnav *blush*
Arnav: nt fair. If I wer u, I wud hv told my dream *sad*
Khushi: awww poor u. Tel me wt u dream abt me?
Arnav: I can't type. It's too ... I hope u get what I mean *wink wink*
Khushi: *shock* Arnav!!! Badtameez *blush*
Arnav: haha *laugh* hw abt I meet u up n shw u wat I dream abt? U knw, in practical? *wink*
Khushi: No thanks. Sleepin nw. U too go to sleep. Gudnite.
Arnav: BTW, wats ur size?
Khushi looked at the message thrice and read it again. What size was he talking about?
Khushi: What size? *straight face*
Arnav: Well, i wanted to buy someting for u for our wedding nite. So tel me! Quick! If I am not wrong, 36-B?
Khushi: *embarrassed* How did u know? *embarrassed*
Arnav: I have my ways to find out *wink* Gudnite *kiss*
Khushi: Gudnite... *blush*
She bit her lower lip and blushed through her grin. Sure enough she dreamt really well about him that night.
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