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Part 25
[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qWFg_bRUIwU[/YOUTUBE]
'Khushi, you might have come to me as my mentee, but there's a lot that I can learn from you. The question is...will you teach me or now that you know everything, do you want to walk away and end this right here, right now?' he asked almost in a whisper.
Arnav dragged his hand through his black hair tousling it even more in the process. 'Look Khushi, you know full well what I'm like. I might be a ruthless businessman...a Rakshas as you call me, but I am not into deception and neither am I into playing games. You know everything there is to know about me, about this situation and whatever is going on in your head. I'll repeat the question once and only once more: do you want to walk away and end this right here, right now... you need make a call Khushi...now.'
Would she walk away? Arnav held his breath. He was unsure. Should he say something else? Where were those two voices when he needed them? 'They' were in fact hiding with their hands covering their eyes because they were just as uncertain as he was.
His question reverberated in her mind. Did she want to walk away - could she? She turned her head, her blazing brown eyes locking into his.
After what felt like eternity, Arnav watched as Khushi turned to face him, her eyes narrowing... the tigress was back. Arnav prepared for impact.
'You know what, just when I thought that everything was beginning to go well and my head was sorted you just had to throw this at me and...and become a Rakshas again...and what could I possibly teach you, you're THE Arnav Singh Raizada...and...and I had a plan for Jaleebi Junction ..and I was beginning to think about you differently...'
Arnav interjected 'Was?"
'Don't interrupt me when I'm talking! I hate that just as much as you do - I've just never said it you!!' she snapped through gritted teeth. Arnav drew back. The tigress was definitely back. He was about to apologise, but thought he better not open his mouth again, so he just lifted his arms at the elbows as if to surrender quietly.
Khushi took a deep breath to calm down. 'Arnav-ji, I appreciate you being honest with me and telling me everything. I'm not mad about anything because you didn't lie to me about anything; you just didn't reveal yourself. I suppose you were waiting for the right moment. I'll be honest as well now. Jaleebi Junction is still my first priority and I'm not going to let it go. I'm going to make it a reality regardless of what happens with my future at AR Corp or with what happens between you and me,' she said quietly.
'Khushi, Jaleebi Junction, your career at AR Corp and our relationship are three different things...' Arnav said calmly.
'Relationship? Arnav-ji, we are not in a relationship!' said Khushi indignantly.
'Do you want to be in one?!' retorted Arnav his eyes narrowing.
'No..yes..no' her voice trailed off.
'Which one is it Khushi, yes or no?!' thundered Arnav as he stepped closer invading her personal space, his voice echoing through the otherwise silent night, his body heat radiating over her. Try as she might, she just couldn't tear her eyes away from his. He was invading her every sense.
'Answer me!!'he bellowed.
'YES!!' she yelled.
Khushi immediately detected the shift in his energy.
Arnav didn't realise that how restless he was until he heard her say yes. His eyes relaxed, his lips curled into a slight smirk as he crossed his arms across his chest.
'o...k...well... now that we've got that decided. We can move on to talking about the rest of it,' he said his eyes glinting almost victoriously.
'Arnav-ji, wait nothing has been decided' countered a now panicky Khushi as she eyed him nervously. Arnav Singh Raizada was looking at her with the same expression that he wore when he was about to succeed in a hard fought corporate encounter.
'Arnav' he said quietly.
'That's what I said Arnav-ji' she said getting more flustered.
'Arnav. Not Arnav-ji. I'm not having my woman call me Arnav-ji' he said in low growl.
Khushi's eyes shot up. Did he just call her 'his woman'? Her tummy flipped as she swallowed.
'Khushi, say my name' he commanded with a hint of arrogance as Khushi caught a glimpse of the formidable ASR in his eyes.
'Ar...Arn..Arnav...' she whispered.
A half smile broke out on Arnav's face. He stepped even closer. 'Say it again...'
'Arnav,' she whispered again, her voice barely audible yet breathlessly husky.
Arnav heard her voice and his stomach flipped while his heart hammered in his chest.
'See it wasn't that hard was it...' he whispered. He was close enough for his warm breath to caress her lips. Khushi swallowed.
'But what about everything else Arnav-ji.. Arnav' she corrected herself hastily as his eyebrows began rising.
'I don't think I can stay with AR Corp now that you and I are...I mean we are..' her voice began trailing off again. Devi Maiya, what was she supposed to say she wondered?
Arnav watched her closely. She was clearly struggling with this conversation. He needed to get her to relax. In any case the biggest hurdle had been cleared - she had said yes, he thought with an inward smile. The rest was a matter of sorting out technicalities.
'Khushi...' he whispered as he took her hand... 'come' he said as he began to lead her back to the marquee. She was trembling. Arnav stopped and turned towards her. He knew what she needed.
Khushi felt her breath catching in her throat as Arnav pushed the jacket off her shoulders. It fell onto the terrace floor with a dull thump. What was he doing? Her heart felt like it was going to pop out of her chest as her breathing began to accelerate. She looked down as his hand get go of hers and slid up her hip, his arm slowly encompassing her waist. His other arm came around her shoulders as he pulled her into a hug. They were perfectly matched for each other as her head fit neatly under his chin. Her arms drifted around his waist.
Arnav hugged her even more fiercely as he felt her arms go around him. 'Shhh...' he whispered into her hair, cradling her against him as if she was made of the most fragile glass. Her body shivered again. A powerful feeling began to take over his body; Khushi needed him just as much he needed her, he could feel it.
Khushi gave up on the mental struggle as she melted into his embrace without question, her head resting on his chest. His strong regular heart beat under her cheek was strangely reassuring but his words echoed through her head again 'my woman' and the fear returned.
Arnav felt Khushi tense up again. 'I'm afraid Arnav...everything is...it's all such a complicated mess...I don't know how this is going to work out..' she whispered into his chest.
Arnav decided that a distraction was required and he nudged her head off his chest. 'Khushi, I know you're nervous and scared. I know I've made some pretty big revelations to you over the last few days... Khushi...breathe...Ok...I think we needed to divert your mind with something you like so that you're not afraid' he whispered, his honey soaked baritone getting even more husky as he moved his head down towards her.
'How Arnav?' she asked as her lips trembled even though she already knew what was coming. A hair's breadth separated them. Khushi was afraid to inhale, her eyelids closed tightly.
...phew!! So... how are we doing?😳 😳 😳
p.s got feedback asking for the heat to be turned back on... as you can see...its begun 😉
p.s.s. I'm getting lots and lots of people emailing to say they arent getting PM's for Master Class... I have no idea what's happing with the I-F mail system because I am PM-ing everyone who is on my buddy list... sorry guys😕
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