Trapped ARHI SS Part 24 Up Thread 2 - Page 24

This was by no means their first kiss. They had kissed earlier. But something was drastically different. The tenderness, the sensations, the attraction, the ambience----everything was different.

No sooner had he touched her lips, he felt his emotions go haywire. Something at the back of his mind was telling him he should not be doing his. But he was no mood to listen.

Initially he simply brushed his lips on her quivering lips. But the touch enflamed his senses and he deepened the kiss.

Alarm bells rang in her head. This was all wrong. He would dismiss the kiss later saying it was just a' man woman' moment and meant nothing. She should stop him, she thought.

So, why couldn't she?

Why couldn't she resist when she felt the first light brush of his lips? Instead she allowed him to deepen it, she allowed his tongue to plunge and probe further.

She couldn't think beyond a point.

All she wanted was to please, to give him what he wanted, to let him have the pleasure he sought from her. It was a heady feeling that he wanted this from her. It was a moment she would take away with her, when everything would end someday.

She would cherish these moments with the man she loved---perhaps the only man she could ever love. Yes she was weak and shameless enough to want it. But she wanted these little mementos to carry with her, no matter what happened.

She tasted of the strawberry ice cream she was having. But the sweetness of the kiss was even beyond. Why did she have this pull on him? Why couldn't he think of any other woman as much as he did about her? Why did he feel he had come home when he was with her?

The questions raged, even as he pulled her towards him, without breaking the kiss.

In a moment she was on his lap and he continued to ravage her lips, moving down to the creamy column of her throat, scattering feather light kisses.

She felt powerless as he seated her on his lap and continued to kiss her. She shivered as he kissed the column of her throat. It was only when his hand moved to cup her breast that she came back to the present.

She realized that they were in a restaurant, no matter how private their seating arrangements were. The waiters could interrupt them any time, though they would come in only after knocking. Yet they would know immediately what they had been up to, looking at her disheveled state. She was scandalized. She had to stop him, before he lost further control.

Gently her hand moved to stop him. Shocked, his eyes met hers and she barely managed to whisper, 'Please no'

Instantly his hands dropped. Shocked, he looked all around. Oh God! What was he doing! He was behaving like a teenager. He would have lost all control if she hadn't stopped him. He tried to gain some control over his uneven breathing and finally succeeded. But, his raging hormones were another matter altogether. He was aroused and the fact that Khushi was sitting on his lap, did not help much. Gently, he moved her away from him.

Instantly she got up and began arranging her saree. The pallu had almost come off. He could see the faint marks on her cheek left by his stubble. Her lips were swollen with his kisses. Her sari was crushed, though she was desperately trying to smoothen it. Even hair was disheveled due to the passionate way he dug into them.

She looked like a woman who had been made love to and he was the man who had done this, he realized!

Was he being fair to her? He had refused her love. He had refused her respect. But he wanted her body. What did that make him?

More importantly how was he making her feel?

He felt remorse mixed with guilt. But he still wanted her. He couldn't change that if he tried.

And Khushi? What did she feel? Did she still harbor feelings for him? Why hadn't she stopped him? Was she feeling hurt? But her passionate response had been something beyond his imagination. Why did she let him make love to her?

An odd silence hung between them, as Khushi tried to finish the dessert which was completely ruined now. Arnav tried to break the silence.

'Khushi I----did not intend to---I mean what just happened----' he stammered.

'Are you trying to say sorry for kissing me? If so, please don't. I have heard you say it before and I know you are going to say it meant nothing and it was just a momentary thing. So, I know. The kiss meant nothing,' she concluded.

'Khushi no. I wasn't going to say that. The kiss did mean a lot to me. I won't lie. But why did you let me kiss you, knowing that I would throw it back at you?' he asked, genuinely puzzled by her behaviour.

'Because not everything is done for a reason or thinking of the consequences. You wanted it and I can never say no to anything you want,' she confessed, her eyes filled with a sad lovelorn expression.

'Why Khushi? Why do you let me hurt you and use you?' he asked, his heart aching for the woman in front of him, whom he had always hurt.

'You will never understand. Perhaps the day you understand, we won't even be together,' she said, as she lowered her eyes to hide the pain.

He couldn't fathom a befitting reply. He did not understand emotions. He did not understand what made her so giving. The words which stuck on to his heart were 'Perhaps the day you understand, we won't be together'.

Why did those words hurt? He knew h would call of the marriage in a year.

So why did the talk of a future without her feel empty?

Just then they were interrupted by a discreet knock and on being given permission the waiter entered with the bill.

Khushi placed her debit card even as Arnav protested,' I was just kidding Khushi. I would never let you pay,' he said, pulling out his wallet.

'No. I want to do this for you,' she insisted.

'But Khushi---' he began when she again interrupted.

'Please. You have always done more for me. Let me do this,' she pleaded.

Silently, he complied.

As the waiter walked away, the uncomfortable silence returned. Again he was lost in thoughts about her. She was a paradox like no other.

She had literally lied and cheated her way into marrying him. He had always believed it had been for his money and due to her deluded notions of love.

He was rapidly beginning to believe in the second and not the first. Her total detachment from money was something he never failed to notice.

Just then the waiter returned and extending the card to Khushi said 'Mam. Your debit card has been declined due to less balance. Do you have a credit card?'

Mortified Khushi looked at the waiter 'No, no, tere is some mistake. I had the balance----' and suddenly she stopped, her eyes going wide, as if she had suddenly realized something.

Arnav observed her ashen and confused face. She looked crestfallen.

He had to salvage the situation.

He drew some money from his wallet and placed it on the table , 'Here you go. Check if that is enough. My wife and I would like to leave now.'

The waiter counted the cash and the tip and nodded.

Dragging her behind him, Arnav strode towards his SUV.

Once they were inside he said 'So, tell me Khushi how did a salary of 30,000 plus my own allowance of 20,000 go missing from your account within four days?"