Astha just stood beneath the shower, too tired to even remove the dress completely. Shlok did the honors for her and soaped her with care. He literally treated her like a child, and then took care of himself. He turned off the jets and wrapped a huge towel around her. Shlok wrapped a towel around his waist and carried her outside.
He gently made her sit while she regained some strength and resolve. Astha took another towel and wrapped it around her damp hair. She then got up and made Shlok sit on the bed. She lovingly toweled his hair. Shlok unusually felt emotional at that gesture. When Astha noticed slight tension is his posture, she cupped his cheek and asked him what the matter was.
Astha still had some lingering shock over their fevered love making. Her face was warm and flushed despite the cool shower. Shlok tucked one hair strand behind her and pulled her on to his lap.
"What?" She asked him in a soft voice.
"No one's ever done this for me since I remember. Taken care of me." He swallowed.
Astha was shocked. "But your Ayi.." Astha looked at him not knowing how to voice her question.
"No, after that man started caning us I couldn't bear to be touched. At some level my Ayi understood and respected my boundaries." Shlok's voice was a low murmur. Astha felt terrible for the small boy who had been forced to be self sufficient. She kissed him on this cheek and leaned on his shoulder.
"Shlok..." Her soft voice called to him.
"Hmm..."
"Why did you say you were undeserving of my love to Mrs Kulkarni?" Shlok immediately tensed at her question. She guessed at his tension and replied even before he could ask. "Yes, I heard you two speak." She spoke in a guilty tone, biting her lip with worry.
"Stop biting your lip, it's distracting." He tugged her lower lip with his finger. "I said that because I am one f**ked up bas***d and you deserve much better than me. I am awed by your strength Astha. You chose to stay with me despite my flaws."
Astha was surprised at his vehement speech. She looked at the beautiful man who effortlessly made her fall in love with him. Her eyes reflected her wonder and her love for him. Shlok stared back at the doe eyes with his steel black ones.
"What are you looking at Astha? This is only a beautiful face. Everything external." Astha's heart squeezed at that weary statement from that beautiful, sinful mouth. She shook her head at him.
"How can you say that? I can see a generous heart beating beneath the equally beautiful exterior. Despite everything you still care about your family so much. You're a self made man; you don't cheat. You treat me so well. And above all I now know how much you do towards battered women and poverty driven children. How can you say there's nothing beneath your exterior?" Her eyes were wet with tears by the time she finished.
Astha hugged him and kissed him softly on his mouth. "No wonder I love you." She finished. Shlok felt he was the luckiest man alive at that moment. Both of them changed into their night dress and got into the bed. Within no time they slept in each other's arms.
Astha tossed her head back and forth. She saw the ghost-girl standing there asking her the same thing again and again. What do you have that I don't? That kept going on in her head and suddenly Mrs Kulkarni pulled Shlok to herself and gave Astha an evil laugh. Astha felt herself getting out of reach with Shlok. The more she ran towards him, the more Mrs Kulkarni took him away.
Someone was shaking her and she got up with shock. She found Shlok asking her if she was okay. And then Astha realized it was all a dream. "Astha, are you okay? What happened? Why were you crying like that? Was it a bad dream?" Shlok's face was pinched in anxiousness. He put on the bed side lamp to survey her tear stricken face.
"I..that girl Shlok. She was there again. She was saying the same thing." Astha was truly shaken by the very vivid dream.
"Who? What girl? What are you talking about Astha?" Shlok literally pounced on her in worry.
"She looked so pale and thin. She would have been nearly the same height as I. Her hair too was long and black like mine. The other day she was standing outside office. She asked me what is it that I have that she doesn't. She even seemed to know my name." Astha whispered the entire thing to him with panicked eyes.
Shlok's face turned from frowning to absolute shock. "And when were you planning to tell me this?" He spoke through clenched teeth, obviously furious at her. Shlok immediately got up, in his shorts, his glorious chest bare. He picked up his phone and barked as usual.
"Shlok! Who is this girl who spoke to Astha? What?" He turned briefly to her and asked her when it happened.
"Monday morning." Astha whispered, now very much awake and utterly scared of this menacing Shlok. Shlok's mouth tightened even more. He turned away from her and spoke into the phone again.
"Monday morning. Yes, her office. I want to know within an hour. An hour that's all. If you don't come back with this consider yourself fired." He ended the call abruptly and came back to a trembling Astha.
Shlok ran an impatient hand through his hair. "Astha, if something like this happened why the f**k didn't you inform me? What were you bloody thinking? Are you out of your mind? You could have been harmed. What's wrong with you?" He was almost shouting at her.
Astha shrank back against his anger. "Please Shlok, you're frightening me even more. I didn't know who that girl was. I just took it lightly. Please don't be mad at me." Shlok threw a hard glance at her and paced the bedroom. Astha quietly got up.
"Where are you going now?" His tone was the same, cold and angry.
"Water; am feeling thirsty." Astha literally ran from the room and went down to the refrigerator. She drank water and Shlok came down to the kitchen. He took the bottle from her and had his fill.
They both went up together. She lay down first after which he followed her. Astha didn't speak anything. She was scared and upset to speak to him at the moment. Shlok finally sighed and spoke in her ear. He pulled her to his body. "Sorry; I didn't mean to yell at you like that. I am just worried. I want you to be safe and happy. Sorry." He gave her a lingering kiss in her neck.
Astha immediately turned and kissed him right on his lips. She went into his arms, her arms snaking behind his back. Shlok kissed the base of her throat. He slowly removed her short nightdress and trailed his lips all over her soft, scented skin. Astha sighed in relief and arched for giving him better access.
His lips and hands caressed her flawless skin until she was writhing in impatience. He caught her hair in his hands and raised her face to himself. Shlok kissed her as he entered he simultaneously. Astha parted her mouth and closed her eyes. Her breath quickened anticipating the wonderful release they would eventually have.
After their soft and sweet love making, Astha looked at the clock. It was barely four. She snuggled into Shlok, who covered both of them with the comforter. He caressed her hair and kissed her head. She was almost asleep when he softly whispered in her ears. "I cannot take it if something happened to you Astha." She simply tightened her hold on him and went back to sleep.
Cricket
O Humnava Tum Dena Saath Mera
Tu Juliet Jatt Di
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai
History
