Khushi was seated on the single sofa, while Payal and Akaash occupied the longer one. Arnav walked in and as soon as Khushi's eyes met his, he winked at her, causing her cheeks to pink up almost instantly. And this did not escape the other pairs of eyes as well. Akaash decided to tease Arnav. "Arey Arnav, where were you? What took you so long?" Arnav casually looked at Khushi, as he sat on the sofa right opposite to her and she lowered her eyes, too shy to look at him. Payal hit Akaash's knee and glared at him, but Akaash seemed to be having fun teasing the two of them. "I'll get something for you to drink" Payal said to Khushi and Arnav, and got up to go to the kitchen, while she tried signalling Akaash to stop embarrassing the two lovers, all in vain. Arnav smirked as he looked at Khushi and spoke. "For some reason, the handbrake in the car was a bit stiff. So I was just checking it out and testing it, until it wasn't so stiff anymore" Akaash had to bite his cheeks from bursting out into laughter, while Khushi's face turned scarlet and she refused to look up at any of them. "I'll help Payal in the kitchen" she said and walked away from the hall. Once she walked away, Akaash burst into laughter, while Arnav only gave him a shameless grin and winked at him.
"May I help you, Payal?" Khushi asked when she entered the kitchen. Payal smiled at her. "It's okay Khushi, I'm almost done." Pausing for a few seconds, she said, "I'm sorry if Akaash embarrassed you. These men can be such insensitive jerks at times" Khushi smiled and she instantly took to like Payal. And as though making her feel better, Payal said, "You won't believe what happened two weeks back. Kavya was jumping on our bed, which was making a lot of noise. And this Arnav knocks on our door. After we call him in, he walks into our room and says, Oh Kavya was jumping. I thought you too were busy doing stuff and came here to tell you both to tone it a bit down, fearing that the house would come down! You can imagine my embarrassment" Khushi and Payal, both, laughed at the incident. "But both of them have a heart of gold." Payal added, "They may behave like asses, but still, they are the best at heart." Khushi nodded in agreement, and said, "Akaash too loves you a lot. Arnav told me about you both, what happened years back. And looking at you, I see the love in your eyes for him too" Payal blushed, and Khushi was pleasantly surprised that even after so many years of relationship, Payal still blushed at the mention of Akaash's love for her. "He tells me every day that he loves me, and I never get tired of listening to it. And I see the same undying love for you in Arnav's eyes too. I'd reckon, get married soon. Or else, every time you are with him in an enclosed space, he won't keep his hands off you" Khushi's eyes shot up to Payal's and she blushed when she winked at her. Both of them went to the living room, where they saw Kavya sitting on Arnav's lap.
"Chachu, you said you'll give me my present, first thing in the morning. It is almost noon, and I haven't got my present yet" Arnav saw the ladies emerge from the kitchen. "I got you your present Kavya and it's right behind you" Kavya turned around to see Khushi standing behind her. "Kavya, this is your present. You're getting a chachi" he said, and winked at Akaash. Kavya looked at Arnav in confusion, and asked, "How did she become my chachi overnight?" Akaash smiled and said, "She's not your chachi yet, Kavya. When she marries your chachu, she becomes your chachi" Kavya furrowed her brows. "If chachu marries her, then she is chachu's gift right?" At that, all of them laughed, leaving Kavya still confused. Payal then called Akaash inside to discuss about how they need to proceed with the arrangements for Arnav and Khushi's engagement, while Kavya ran into the garden to play. Arnav took the opportunity and whispered into Khushi's ears. "Kavya is right about you being my gift" Khushi smiled, but her lips formed a perfect O when he said, "And I'm tempted to unwrap my gift right now" Arnav only chuckled when he saw her reaction, and she stuck her tongue out at him when she realized that he was just pulling her leg.
Soon, lunch was served and everyone was glad to sit together as a family and eat. Payal spoke first. "Khushi, Arnav, what have you both thought about the wedding? Any date in mind?" "Tomorrow is good" Arnav said, and Khushi was left with her jaw hanging open. Payal shook her head. "Forget about him. He just keeps saying things! You tell me Khushi. Do you have any date in mind?" Khushi shook her head. "I'll have to ask my Dad about that, Payal. But I just wanted to request something. If that is okay with all of you." Arnav, Akaash and Payal looked at her in anticipation of what she was going to say. "Well, ever since childhood, I've always dreamt of a chapel wedding. So if it is okay with you all, I'd like to have a Christian wedding... If not, it's perfectly fine." She smiled. Payal and Akaash looked at Arnav. "Khushi" he said, "If that is what you want, then so be it. A chapel wedding it is!" Khushi smiled at him. "Really??? Thank you so much Arnav..." "Anything you wish, love" Arnav said and blinked his eyes at her in assurance.
Payal and Akaash were talking about further arrangements of the wedding, when Kavya suddenly moved away from her chair, causing a bowl of gravy to spill over Khushi's salwar, who was seated right next to the little girl. "Kavya!" Payal shouted at her, "I've told you a hundred times to be careful!" Kavya instantly had tears in her eyes. "Sorry Chachi" she said, and Khushi felt really bad that the child got yelled at because of her. "It's okay Kavya. It happens" she said, not wanting the child to cry. Payal guided Khushi to the bathroom in the guest room. "I'll bring you one of my sarees. You can change here" Payal left immediately, and Khushi did not get a single chance to deny. "Saree? Now how will I drape a saree?" she wondered, biting her nail. At her house, one of the maids used to help her drape the saree, but here, she could not even ask Payal. What would she think? That a woman who is nearing the age for marriage does not know to drape a saree? Her nervousness increased when she recalled how perfectly Payal wore her saree. Just then, Payal arrived. "Here is the towel, the bathrobe, and the saree." She said, laying it all on the bed. "Everything else that you need is in the bathroom. Just let me know if you need anything, call out for me and I'll come." Khushi nodded her head. Just when she was about to leave, Khushi called out to her. "Payal, don't you have salwars or dresses?" Payal smiled. "I used to. But Akaash prefers if I wear sarees. So I don't have any. I'm sorry" "No it's okay" Khushi said and Payal took her leave. Khushi sighed and picked up the towel and bathrobe and went into the washroom to freshen up.
Payal went downstairs. Akaash was busy on a phone call. Arnav approached her. "You gave her the saree?" Payal nodded. "Poor girl, she even asked me for the salwar or a dress, but I had to say I didn't have any. All because you want to see her in a saree!" Arnav winked at Payal. "Thanks Payal, you're the best" Payal glared at him in mock anger. "No need to butter me now!" she said and she smiled. Arnav only grinned as he went to his room. When he entered his room, he had a better thought. Smiling devilishly, he went to the guest room.
He smiled to himself when the door of the room opened. Of course, Akaash and Payal would not enter here, and she knew it! No wonder the door was not locked. Smiling to himself, he locked the door once he went in. He heard the shower running, and he was horribly tempted to go in there and join her in the shower. Minutes later, he heard the shower go off, and he stayed seated on the bed. Khushi came out in the bathrobe, and almost undid the knot to take it off, when she saw Arnav sitting on the bed. "What are you doing here?" she asked in a shocked whisper, clutching the robe close to her. "I just thought of coming by to see if everything is alright!" She glared at him, while he just grinned at her. "Yes, everything is alright. Now go out, and allow me to dress up!" Arnav fell back on the bed. "Sorry Love. My house, my rules. I'm not going out. You can dress up in the bathroom!" She only glared at him, hoping that he would go out, but he only kept grinning at her shamelessly. "Fine!" she said as she gave up, and picked the saree, the blouse and the underskirt and went inside the bathroom. Five minutes later, she called out. "Arnav, please, leave from the room. I need to drape the saree and I cannot do it in the bathroom!" He chuckled. "Come out and drape it then. I haven't stopped you, right? And if you're feeling shy, then let me remind you that I've seen all of you, every single inch!" Khushi felt shivers at the tone of his voice. She gave up after a minute and came out wearing the blouse and the skirt.
If Arnav thought that women looked sexy only in western clothes, then he was utterly wrong. Here was this gorgeous woman, with whom he was head over heels in love, who was standing in front of him with damp hair, dressed in a blouse and a skirt. She unconsciously covered herself with the bath towel as she remembered his words, I have seen all of you, every single inch. Arnav watched each and every movement of hers with his hawk eyes. She picked the saree and opened it out. Turning it around twice, she tried figuring it out which was the correct side. When she was able to tell, she tucked it and tried draping it. Everything was going on fine, until it was time to fold out the pleats. This part she never understood. She stood there, in front of the mirror, trying to decipher which side should she start pleating first - the left or the right. It wasn't helping that Arnav was watching her as she wore the saree. Taking a slow breath, she held out the two ends. Just when she was about to fold out the pleats, she felt warm hands up her waist. "Arnav! What are you doing?" she asked, unable to control her voice from turning into a husky moan as his fingers brushed her tummy, ever so lightly. "Ssshhh, you talk a lot" he whispered in her ears, and then bent his head into her neck. Touching her bare skin sent shivers up his body, and the sweet scent of her damp hair was not helping him in stopping either. Moving his hands on her forearms, he sensuously held her hands and tugged at the saree end she was holding. Khushi left the ends of the saree and looked at his reflection in the mirror. A warm fuzzy feeling crept up her body as she saw herself so intimately wrapped in his hold. His lips were a few inches from her hair, and every time he exhaled, she could feel his warm minty breath tickle her senses.
Arnav smiled to himself when he saw Khushi's breathing turn uneasy due to their proximity, and from the position he was standing behind her, her heaving chest tempted him to forget about the saree and grab a hold of those beautiful creamy mounds of hers. Taking his own sweet time, he folded those pleats, one by one, and brought it close to her tummy. Then, he slowly tucked it within the skirt. Khushi leaned against Arnav's broad chest when she felt his fingers on her skin, causing Arnav to smirk. Turning her around, he made her look at him by tipping her chin with his fingers. And ever so slowly, he leaned down to taste those flushed lips of hers. The moment their lips met, they forgot the rest of the world, and it was as though only the two of them existed in the universe. His hands automatically roved over her chest, and she gasped when his fingers brushed over her breast. He pulled apart and focused his attention on her graceful neck. The tiny water droplets falling from her hair onto her neck dripped down, and made its way down her chest, disappearing under the blouse. How he wished his tongue to follow that tiny trail of droplets. Knowing that if he did not stop, he would end up ravishing her in bed, he pulled back, but Khushi wound her arms round his neck and encouraged him to go on. "I need you Arnav" She moaned. "Khushi... No.." he said with a heavy voice, and pulled back.
When Arnav lifted his head, he saw tears in her eyes. "Baby..." he placed his hands on her shoulder, but she moved his hands away and turned to the mirror to adjust the end of her saree. "Khushi, listen to me..." She sniffed and stifled a sob. At that moment, only one thought hit her - He did not want her as much as she wanted him. But he spoke up as he understood her thoughts. "I need you more that you need me Baby. But I do not want to do this now. Let's get married, and then I will give you what we both want. Trust me, once married, I will make love to you until you claw the feathers out of the bed and beg me to stop." Khushi looked up at him with her mouth hanging open. He continued to speak. "As much as I loved the time we made love in Greece, I don't want us to do anything more than just cuddling and petting for now." Khushi blushed as she recalled the heated moment in the car this morning, and it did not go unnoticed by Arnav. He placed his hands on her shoulders and looked into the reflection of her eyes as she stared into his. "Right now, I am so tempted to rip open your clothes and ravish you against the wall, the floor, the bed, the dresser table, and against every damn surface in this room, and do some unmentionable things to you" Khushi's heart threatened to stop beating when she heard him speak out his raw desires. "Baby, I am so hard right now that it is either ramming myself into you, like a bull in heat, or taking a really cold shower. And as much as I'd love to do the former, I'll be going for the latter." When he pulled her body into his, she knew he was dead serious as she felt his hardness at her bottom, and if she did not tempt him, they would end up ruining the furnishing of the room with their lustful deeds.
When words refused to come out of Khushi's mouth and a blush turned her cheeks into pink, he knew he had gotten his point across. He stepped away from her after placing a soft kiss on her cheek. He was about to leave the room, when she called out to him. "Nicely draped" she pointed out to the pleats, "On how many women have you draped the saree?" she asked with a sly smile. He thrust his hands into his pockets, "Honey, just because I have a knowledge of something, it doesn't mean that I have done it" She raised her eyebrows at him in a challenging manner. He grinned at her and took three quick long strides towards her and before she knew it, she was wrapped in his arms. "For instance, darling," Arnav explained, "Just because you know how to make love, that doesn't mean you're an expert at it!" She cursed herself for opening her mouth, and lowered her eyes as she felt shy, although her mid started thinking sinful things about making some earth-shattering love to Arnav. And he read her mind. Her blush told him all. "You are going to pay for tempting me, Khushi! That too, with interest" he said in a whisper. A thrill shot through Khushi at that promise he made, and when she bit her lip as vivid deliciously sinful images flooded her head, Arnav only groaned and walked out of the room to have that much needed cold shower.
Khushi made sure that her saree stayed intact with a number of pins and once she was done, she walked downstairs. "You look wonderful!" Payal said as she examined the younger lady in the reddish-orange saree. "Thanks Payal" she said with a shy smile. "Your clothes will be clean and pressed ready in an hour's time" she said, and Khushi thanked her again. Kavya came running to Khushi, and tugged at the end of her saree, indicating her to bend down to her level. When she did, Kavya said, "I'm sorry chachi. Because of me, your dress got dirty" Khushi pulled the cheeks of the little girl and placed a kiss on either side of her cheeks. "It's okay, my doll! Mistakes happen. No need to feel sorry!" she said, and Kavya immediately hugged her as she hugged her back.
Arnav had just finished his cold shower, and was stepping out of the bathroom. His phone rang, and he picked it up when he saw the ID on it, despite today being a Sunday. "Yes Anand, tell me... Okay... Great job... Do one thing, bring the file to my house by evening... alright..." And Arnav cut the call with a satisfactory smile.
When he went downstairs, Khushi was playing ludo with Kavya, and was chatting with Payal, simultaneously. Her eyes met his and she quickly looked away when he flashed her a sexy grin. "Are your clothes ready?" he asked Khushi. "Arnav, a few more minutes. They are being dried and pressed, at the moment" Payal said and then asked, "You two have some plans for the evening?" Arnav nodded. "Yeah, I'm taking Khushi for shopping" he said with a smile. Khushi then remembered. Wedding night gift. Lingerie store. What's your size? She did not look up at anyone, but kept rolling the dice and moving her coin on the board. "Oh okay, I'll just check on it then" Payal said and went inside. Khushi looked at Arnav from the corner of her eye and he gave her a flying kiss. Her eyes widened and she checked if Kavya saw him doing that. Luckily, she did not! Khushi continued to play with the little girl, and Arnav amusedly watched on.
An hour later, Arnav and Khushi were on their way for shopping. Arnav looked at her and smirked as he saw her fidgeting with the edge of her dupatta. "Penny for your thoughts?" he said, and she just shook her head. If he knew her better, she was probably getting worried about shopping for lingerie in his presence. He laughed to himself. Minutes later, the car came to a halt. Arnav got off, and opened the door for a nervous Khushi. When she looked where they had reached, she was surprised. "Jewellery store?" He simply smiled. "Yeah! Jewellery store! Of course, if you are disappointed with this, we could go to the Lingerie store!" She laughed. "Jewellery is fine" Both of them entered the showroom and the sales guy came ahead. "Good day Mr. Raizada. How can I help you?" Arnav looked at Khushi. "We'd like to see some promise rings in platinum." The sales guy nodded, while Khushi only kept looking at Arnav. "Arnav? Promise rings?" her voice choked up with emotions. "Yeah, I figured that we'd purchase our engagement rings as well" "But Papa..." Arnav held her hand. "To convince Papa is my responsibility. And I know how to convince him. Leave it to me." Then he rose from the chair, "I'll be back in a minute. Till then, you have a look at these rings" She nodded and looked at the rings that the sales fellow brought for her to see. Arnav went to the other corner and called another sales person. "I'd like to see a diamond solitaire - a neck piece" He nodded, "Sir, what type would you like to see?" Arnav looked at Khushi from where he was standing, "Something very rare and exquisite, delicate yet strong, the most beautiful one that is unmatched in beauty... Something like her" he said pointing out to her. The sales guy smiled. "So it's for your girlfriend?" Arnav smiled as he heaved a sigh and said, "No. For my bride"
Moments later, Arnav was back, beside Khushi. She had already picked two sets and was confused. "What do you think? This one, or that?" He looked at the two pairs. Both were different and beautiful in their own way. One was a plain platinum ring, and the other was a ring studded with tiny diamonds. "I like the first one" Arnav said, pointing out to the plain one. The sales guy nodded. Just as he was about to pack it, Arnav said, "I'd like to get something engraved on it" "Sure sir" The guy said, and pulled out a notepad to write it down. "NEVER TO PART" Arnav wrote it and handed it over to the guy. "Never did I think that Arnav Raizada could be this romantic!" Khushi said as she saw what he wrote, to which Arnav replied, "Wait for the wedding night honey. You'll know how romantic I could get" Khushi hit him on the arm and he laughed. Things were finally beginning to get brighter and better for both of them.
Udne Ki Aasha
CID
Web Series
35