Rules Of Attraction#3 Chapter 37 02/10 Pg73 NEW! - Page 14

But to see her was to love her. Love but her, and love forever.

-Robert Burns, "A Fond Kiss"

Beautiful, as ever, the inky black hair, now tousled and splayed all over the pillow, framing the oval of her face, brushing over her cheeks that seemed to be glistening with the much despised tears. His fingers reached out almost immediately to brush them away, as his mouth seemed to find back his voice.

"Can you ever, not cry?" But that slightest hint of humor was not received well by Khushi. She swatted away his hand that approached her cheeks, and spat at him, a delirious fury rising up in her. "I can't believe you left me here...all alone, I hate you Arnav, just...just go."

The last few words were said with her swallowing large gulps of air, as she felt Arnav slid down next to her on the bed. Before she could react, his hands slipped underneath that threadbare shallow green hospital gown, and moved over her navel, drawing incomprehensible patterns.

"Arnav, I don't want to talk to you...just leave, please," her pleas sounded unconvincing even to her own ears, as his lips moved near her ears, placing soft kisses, as a barely audible whisper escaped him. "I'm sorry Khushi, so sorry. I was...I was scared."

The revelation was followed by a pregnant, implausible silence.

The rhythmic sound of their breathing, her back moving away and close as she breathed, was touching his front. Her chest was ceasing to explode with sobs, with uncertainty, but then after a long, long moment she spoke, "...I'm scared too..." she paused for a moment, feeling the pressure of his lips increase on her neck, before she continued with a steely grit, "...but that doesn't mean you're forgiven, I still hate you!" Khushi could almost sense him laughing silently behind her, "...I love you too Khushi!"

Khushi replied, her voice filled with veiled joy at his return, as she wallowed under the magical ministrations of his touch,"...so...so you won't leave me again...promise?"

She probably didn't know but he had been crying, already and the tears rushed away their flow when he heard that childlike plea, mentally berating himself for being so selfish.

But he was aware of yet another fact, that he remained to be the only person who could make her cry and laugh within a span of seconds. So taking advantage of that fleeting, vulnerable moment, vowing to bring back that smile on her face, his hands reached the pocket of his charcoal grey blazer, pulling out the small velvet box he had been toying with the whole of last week.

A thin platinum band, with a circle of glimmering diamonds studded meticulously, forming a vortex of stunning silver, peeked out from velvet padded box, sending a sliver of light over Khushi's face. The beauty of the light dimmed, as her lips dazzled themselves into forming a smile so enthralling that Arnav knew he didn't need to ask the question he had planned on asking.

Instead, placing his lips on Khushi's, he whispered against them,"…we're getting married—next week."

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The sedan neared Hazratganj, which had retained its old world charm and essence in the rapidly urbanizing Lucknow. Arnav had brought her home. Everything seemed blindingly clean and bright, and the lack of mooing cows on the street was disconcerting but reassuringly normal. The hazy sky stretched overhead, as the car moved at a phlegmatic speed through the buzzing traffic.

"Why here?" Khushi questioned, somehow already knowing the answer. "Because I think we have cried enough since the past few weeks and its high time you smile…And make me smile too!" Arnav smirked down at her bemused face. "Itne cheesy lines….kya baat hai!" Khushi's face contorted with bubbling laughter and after a long, long time and the skies seemed a little less hazy to Arnav's eyes.

Timidly tracing bony wrists and exploring the warmth of Arnav's company, Khushi's fingertips searched longingly for his, now intertwining softly, each curve falling into their perfectly balanced place. It's as if this was meant to happen all along, their contours fitting so perfectly. It was a still peace in this mangled society that was bustling with broken people. Nothing more, nothing less. A safety in someone other than herself.

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The grey memories Khushi had instilled in her mind till then of the fire that had not ceased to consume almost all her loved ones, seemed to dim as she looked around the streets, her hair being done up now in a messy chignon, under Anjali's ministration, as she sat in one of the effusive bedrooms of the farmhouse. Where once her home stood, it was now dazzling with a bevy of twinkling lights, blue, gold and silver, glimmering and showering their colors on the happy faces of the small group of people had gathered in the small farmhouse, festooned in all its glory. Mason jars filled with hydrangeas hung from shepherd's hooks at all corners, its beauty dulled as Khushi stepped into the hall, the chestnut lehenga sashaying behind her, a sunny smile playing on her lips, as her eyes fell on Arnav peeping through the door to the room.

"Can I have her to myself for some time? Please?" His plea to Anjali bore no result, as she promptly closed the door on his face. But not the one to give up, he sauntered in, the copper jodhpuri suit exuding in all its glory, raw masculinity, making Khushi shiver as he came up to stand behind her, his hand placed firmly on the small of her back. "Five minutes Anjali? Please?" Muttering something that sounded a lot like incorrigible, Anjali left the two alone.

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"How are you feeling?" The words were spoken, not quite looking into her eyes, as his own roamed about the contours of her face, his fingers, grazing over the embellished silver on the rich red of her blouse, as he absorbed and captured in his mind the stunning picture she made as his bride.

"I'm nervous; excited…I don't know exactly…you?" Khushi's effulgent voice was met with a kiss landing square on the slope of her neck and as he raised his eyes, his fingers weaved through the chignon, pulling it free, his words came out raspy, but heavy with something close to gratitude or just immense love. "I just feel so lucky, to have you here with me today…" The sentence ended, just like it had begun, but this time the kiss was placed on her lips, soft and lingering, as the cherry gloss on her lips was efficaciously wiped out of Khushi's face. His eyes and hands followed with deep attention every part his lips touched, covering with nook and cranny of her body left bare by the lehenga. "You smell heavenly Khushi…" he breathed out, breathing in the soft scent of jasmine and something he could probably only identify with her. He watched with her eyelashes fluttered and lowered, blushing, as the picture she formed turned more ethereal to him by the second, as the faint strains of the afternoon sunlight bathed her face indulgently.

"It's time Khushi, let's go," her hands were safely placed in his, drawing in assurance, which he readily gave, his mind in the realms of hope, that they would sail through, whatever the future had in store for them.

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The guests had left, the family remained behind. The wedding had been completed, as feeling of utter bliss had descended on everyone present in the vicinity. Anjali's mock anger at her immaculately done-up chignon being distorted, had been dealt with Khushi blushing recollecting her earlier little clandestine tryst with Arnav whilst he smirked away.

When the newlyweds entered the master bedroom, bedizened with a deluge of flowers, a riot of scents, they just smiled, ecstatic of this feeling, somewhat new, yet not. As Khushi fell on the bed, feeling a little faint, the exhaustion of day slowly taking over, Arnav slipped in next to her, whispering, "…sleep Khushi..."

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Their morning after, began with Arnav unwrapping the chestnut chiffon of Khushi with unusual care, as the sunlight filtered through the ivory of the crotchet curtains, dappled their faces. Khushi felt overwhelmed, giddy when the first thing she saw the second she opened her eyes was the handsome image of her husband. A string of giggles erupted from her chest, which Arnav matched with lazy lopsided grins and warm kisses. His mouth touched, glided along her back, ambling over the tricky hooks on the front of her blouse whilst his hands massaged the mounds with dawdling desire, as he felt her squirm and embrace him within seconds. And the moment he left the luscious softness of her lips on the base of his throat, they fell into a passionate rhythm, rising and falling, till they were both enveloped in the film of dazzling bliss.

When Arnav woke up a few hours later, he didn't wake Khushi up, instead, just spoke to the sleeping, calm face of his wife, with a determined austerity. "I can't imagine not ever meeting you Khushi. Without you, life would be unbearable. This---this being with you, it's like you are a routine, a habit, drugging. I don't know what will happen next, but I will love you, always." His hands encircled her waist tightly, pulling her closer to him, this time drawing in her warmth, to melt the sudden cold that seemed to have enveloped his mind, as he ventured into the possibilities of the future.

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[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EdBym7kv2IM[/YOUTUBE]

I apologize for the extreme delay, but please understand that being a student, comes with the baggage of frequent exams and what not. I shall try my best to write out the chapters as soon as possible. Thank you for your cooperation.

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