Aman greeted Khushi as the car came to a halt in front of the five-star hotel in Agra, situated near the Taj Mahal.
"Khushiji, ASR is having dinner with other delegates. Will you wait in his suite? I have arranged a meal for you there." Aman smiled.
Khushi gulped. "Ji."
Aman led her in to the huge hotel. Khushi was too nervous to notice anything around her except the rapid thudding of her poor heart.
Aman opened the door to the suite. The boy placed her luggage in its place. Aman tipped him and led Khushi to the small table laden with delicacies close to a Lucknawi heart.
But Khushi's appetite and hunger had fled along with her courage.
"Amanji, will A... Arnavji be angry...?" Khushi stammered.
"No. He was complaining of a headache. And he told me ten minutes back that he was returning to Delhi tomorrow morning instead of the day after." Aman smiled.
"Acha?" Khushi paled. Was he returning to Delhi earlier to make sure that she had left?
"Please have dinner. I will send ASR over as soon as he finishes his meal." Aman beamed as he left, shutting the door behind him.
Khushi sipped a cup of coffee, which was all she could swallow. She laced her fingers together and shut her eyes, praying that Arnavji wouldn't be too angry with her.
She heard movement near the door. Soon the door opened and ASR entered the dimly-lit suite, rubbing the back of his neck.
His eyes fell on the figure sitting in the shadows and he halted his progress in to the room.
The figure stood up and moved towards light. It was Khushi in a peacock green sari. Her hair was in a single plait, and her worried eyes looked at him, almost fearful of his reaction.
"Khushi!" he whispered, sure that she was an apparition and that she would disappear if he spoke too loud and startled her.
She stared at him. Her eyes filled with tears.
"I am sorry, Khushi." he whispered. "Sorry for hurting you, sorry for trying to make you jealous, sorry for..."
He couldn't say anything more. Like a tornado, Khushi had launched herself at him. Her arms were around his neck, strangling him in her eagerness.
His arms went around her, unable to believe that she was real... and in his arms.
"I... I wanted to make you love me... but..." he whispered in her ear and shook his head, angry with himself.
"You don't have to make me love you." Khushi whispered, her wet cheek against his.
"Khushi..."
"I have been yours... always..." she sobbed. "I just didn't know it."
"Khushi!" His arms tightened around her.
"I am sorry for saying all that bakwaas." Khushi wept.
"I deserved it for hurting you. I thought you would realise you loved me when you saw me smiling at other girls." ASR confessed.
"I am sorry for hurting you. I should never, never have said such things. It is just that I felt so alone and so sad..." Khushi said.
"Khushi, I will never hurt you like this. Please don't leave me and go to Lucknow." ASR whispered against her wet cheek.
"I will never leave you, Arnavji." Khushi said.
"Promise?" he wanted to make sure.
"Promise." Khushi sealed the deal by showering kisses on his face and finally pressing her lips against his.
A few moments later, ASR lifted Khushi in his arms and moved towards the bedroom of the suite. The door was shut.
As his arms were full of Khushi, she leaned forward to open the door.
ASR & Khushi stared at the room.
The floor was decorated with the fragrant petals of red roses. The bed was covered by a fall of red roses. Sweet-smelling candles lit a heart on the floor. A bowl of fruit rested on the low table by the bed.
"Amanji did all this?" Khushi whispered.
"Looks like it." ASR whispered against her ear.
Khushi slipped down from his hold.
"Arnavji, is this our suhaag raat? Like in the phillums?" Khushi asked ASR seriously.
Arnav hid his smile and said, "Yes."
"You said you would tell me on our suhaag raat why my heart feels like it is going to burst out of my ribs, why I can't catch my breath, why I feel butterflies in my stomach when you come close to me." Khushi reminded him.
"It is because you love me, Khushi." He ran a finger down her cheek to her swollen lips. She licked her dry lips. ASR's eyes darkened with burning desire.
Khushi looked at him. "Love makes me feel like I am going to be sick?" she asked.
"Yes. And the wonderful thing is this, Khushi. I too feel the same sickness when you come close to me." he confessed, moving as close to her as he could.
Khushi looked at him with brilliant eyes, happy that he was suffering everything that she was going through.
ASR put his hand on her shoulder and slid the pallu of her sari down.
Khushi blushed and turned away, trying to cover herself with her hands.
"Khushi!"
"I am feeling shy." She moved away, the pallu trailing behind her.
"Oh, that's a pity. I was thinking of getting rid of my shirt." ASR said, his voice filled with sorrow. His fingers quickly got rid of his coat, waistcoat, & tie.
Khushi turned around to see him undressing. Her eyes lingered on his shirt-clad figure, lovingly tracing the broad shoulders and the lean muscles of his body.
Unknowingly, her hands fell away.
ASR unbuttoned his shirt.
Khushi stared at him, her eyes on the inches being exposed by each undone button. Her breath came in spurts, and she was lost in his bare glory.
ASR threw his shirt away.
"You are so handsome!" Khushi sighed, almost without knowing that she was paying him a compliment.
He walked closer to her. She stood captivated by the bare chest coming closer and closer to her.
"Would you like to touch me, Khushi?" ASR asked.
Khushi nodded vigorously.
He caught hold of her hand and placed it on his chest. Khushi traced the hot, masculine muscles, lost in the sensation.
ASR slowly pulled the sari away from her body.
"Khushi, turn around." He said, his voice rusty.
Khushi turned obediently. He brushed aside her hair.
His breath caught at the sight of the doris.
He pulled the first one loose. Khushi shivered in pleasure.
He bent his head to kiss her nape. Khushi whimpered.
His hot lips moved towards her neck and down her shoulders. Khushi almost collapsed on the floor unable to withstand his sensual attack.
His lips worshiped the expanse left unguarded by the loose dori.
"Arnavji!" Khushi moaned.
"Hhmmm?" he murmured against her hot, burning skin.
His fingers mounted attacks on the second and the third doris. Khushi fell back against his chest.
ASR scooped her up in his arms and moved towards the bed.
"Arnavji, hum aapse bahut prem karte hein." Khushi whispered.
"I love you too, Khushi. More than my life." ASR whispered before he captured her lips with his and delved deep.
Many hours later, the lovers sat in a chair looking out at the moonlight falling on the Taj Mahal.
Khushi was in ASR's lap, held close against his warm body covered only by a pair of loose pants. Khushi was wearing his white shirt and nothing else. A blanket covered both of them.
"Arnavji, the symbol of love! It is so beautiful!" Khushi whispered through kiss-swollen lips.
ASR kissed her cheek and murmured, "I will build one for you, Khushi."
"A Taj Mahal?" Khushi asked, her eyes round in shock.
"Hhmmm..." ASR licked the corner of her lips.Khushi trembled in his hold. "Not in marble, Arnavji. It is too cold. And hard. And white. It has no colour." she complained.
ASR tasted her lips again. "I will make you a Taj Mahal of jalebis, my Jalebi Bai of Lucknow."
Khushi giggled weakly. "Jhalli Jalebi Mumtaz Mahal Rani and diabetic Shahjahan Shahenshah... ki... amar... prem... kahani..."
ASR lifted her in his arms and proceeded to their bed.
"Arnavji?"
"Hhmm?"
"How is it...?"
"What?"
"How is it that...?"
"Hhmm?"
"How is it that your chumban are so sweet when you are so diabetic?"
"What the!"
The end.
Darlings, will start the next tale by mid January 2014. Hoping to see all of you here then.
Happy New Year!
Smita
Anupamaa
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