Limerence : Part 22
Dream. It seemed like a dream she was in, ensconced in the arms of her prince charming, who had finally waded through the struggles and had reached to rescue her. Khushi sat huddled close to Arnav, his arm over her shoulder, pulling her closer to him. They sat facing the serene blue water, lapping across the pool... the soft sensual sound relaxing them further into the romantic bubble they were in. Khushi sighed, at the contentment she felt. Even though this feeling was new to her, it seemed like her entire life was leading onto this path of eternal bliss. She felt a soft kiss on her forehead and blushed at the memory of her first real kiss... from just a few minutes ago.
Arnav looked at the twinkling sky and searched for his father amidst the stars. Everything that he had lost as a child including happiness eluding him, seemed to have returned with interest. A personalized dose of happiness, who loved him just as much as he loved her. What more could he ever want? The desperate need to see his love returned in equal measure had been his deepest fear... that seemed to have dissipated completely. The eerie yet serene silence was broken by Khushi's rumbling stomach and he found it so funny, that he broke into fits of laughter.
"Arnavji!" Khushi chided him in embarrassment, yet reveled in the fact that even the stupidest of her things could make him laugh. How handsome he looked when he laughed freely... the slight crinkling at the corner of his eyes, the boyish gleam on his face as he lived a part of his missed youth and the miraculous sound of his laughter that brought a smile to her own face. Pulling her closer to himself, he placed a swift kiss on her lips and said jokingly, "Come lets get some food into you."
Khushi flustered at this shameless display of affection, not being used to physical intimacy. She got up and straightened her suit to avoid meeting his eyes... to hide away the awkwardness and hesitation from him. However, he was more attuned to her than himself in this moment as he held onto her chin and tilted it upwards, so that her hazel eyes clashed with his. "Am I embarrassing you, Khushi?" She lowered her gaze, unsure of how to respond to this question.
"Look at me Khushi...meri taraf dekho, please," his plea was so heartfelt, that her own heart chided her for being so formal. "Khushi, after all that we have shared and been through, the last thing I want us to share is hesitation. If you feel uncomfortable with something, just tell me. I do not want to make you feel awkward... samjhi tum? It would kill me if I ever overstepped my limits with you," Arnav said guiltily. Khushi wanted to kick herself for making him feel that way and she rushed to tell him that he had gone off on a completely different tangent.
"Arnavji no! Please don't say that. I was just feeling a little embarrassed... that is all. I am new to all of this, and it takes me by surprise how easily you can kiss me... I mean... what I meant to say is," she felt flustered at the mere mention of a kiss and that is when Arnav realized why she had hesitated. Cupping her face in his hands, he leaned in to place another tender kiss on her parted lips. It took great effort on his part to withdraw without wanting a taste of her yet again. However, he knew it would take a while before she was comfortable with such frequent intimacy.
She looked at him with startled eyes and he curbed the strong urge to laugh at her comical expression. "Khushi... I am new to all of this too. But do you have any idea how tempting you look? You are so beautiful Khushi and I love you so much. I have kept my emotions contained into myself for so long, that I am finding it difficult to control my happiness," he said, lightly brushing his thumb over her cheek. She smiled at him and replied as boldly as she could, "I didn't say I did not like it Arnavji. I only meant that you take me by surprise, every time you kiss me."
Arnav groaned seeing the blush once again rising up her cheeks and like a moth to a flame, he bent over to capture her lips into another kiss. His heart exploded with love and affection towards the woman, who now had his heart and knew for sure, that she would keep it safely with her. How was he to control himself around people? Now that the dynamics of their relationship had changed, he would have to rethink and realign their working relationship too. There were lots of things to be discussed and yet all he could think in the moment was the feel of her soft lips beneath his and the sweet scent of his happiness.
Breaking away to finally breathe, he rested his forehead against hers and said frivolously, "Lets get you to the dinner table, before I eat you up!" She blushed some more yet moved away from him, straightening herself up. As she made a move to walk forward, he held her wrist to pull her towards him and whispered near her ear, his breath fanning her face, "I love you Khushi Gupta... yaad rakhna! God! I love saying it!" "Arnavji..." she pleaded to release her from the spell he had cast on her. He smiled and finally, held her hand, leading her towards the interior of the Mahal.
Khushi looked around and said in a panicky voice, "Where are we going? I thought the party was in the other direction." Without replying to her, he led her towards a balcony, where a beautiful table was set up, overlooking the vast gardens. The sight took her breath away. Everything was so beautiful... so grand. She had never experienced such opulence and grandeur. "I thought on this very special day, I should take you out on our first date and a private dinner seemed like a very good option, Khushi," Arnav said, pulling out the chair for her.
Khushi's eyes pricked with unshed tears, seeing the way Arnav cared for her. No man had done such things for her... ever... and she definitely could get used to such pampering. It felt good and she felt blissfully happy. Soon they were flocked by servers, who came forward to place delicious starters on their table. "I thought, being in the city of the nawabs, we should try out some popular dishes from here," he said, while she dismissed the servers and took to the tasking of serving both of them. Arnav's heart stilled seeing the domesticity of this gesture. He smiled thinking that he could certainly get used to it.
The next hour was spent in talking about the most mundane things and getting to know each other better, along with gorging on delicious food. Arnav realized, just how small Khushi's world had been till now. Her tastes and desires were so simple... unable to believe the fact that she deserved more... much more. Here he was ready to lay the world at her feet, and all that could make her happy was the jalebi rabdi she was relishing in the moment. "Hmmm, this is so delicious," she said, licking her fingers, unaware of the effect her innocent gestures had on Arnav's raging libido. He leaned over and picked a tiny morsel of jalebi stuck to her bottom lip and put it into his mouth, savoring the feel of her lips as well as the taste of the sweet dish.
"Really delicious," he mumbled, making Khushi blush to the roots. How amorous all this seemed, yet she had never felt so at ease! Knowing him, his tastes, his dreams, his desires had tightened the fragile strings that bound their hearts. By far, this had been the best day of her life... scattered with genuinely beautiful moments that would remain in her memory for a lifetime. So thrilled was she in her own sweet world, that when Arnav mentioned about them returning back to the party, she felt a sudden pang of sadness. Why did she not want to part for him even for a moment? Did love bring along with it its dangerous counterparts... obsession and addiction? How would she deal with emotions that were beyond the realm of her imagination?
She walked alongside him, her hand safely enfolded in his. "You seem to be unusually quiet. Tum theek ho na Khushi?" he asked huskily, stopping in his tracks for a moment. She peered up at him through her long lashes, smiling brightly at him for asking his favourite question. "Hum bikul theek hai Arnavji. Actually never been better," she replied truthfully. He lifted their entwined hands to his lips and placed a soft kiss on her knuckles. "Good. I always want it to be that way. But remember, if ever, anything bothers you at all... regarding me or anything else... I want you to come to me Khushi. I hate these long communication gaps that create misunderstandings. I prefer to talk, even if it hurts in the moment... because in the long run, it will only ease out your path towards the future." She smiled and nodded at him, as they almost reached the entrance to the party hall.
As soon as they walked in, two things happened at the same time. First, they were hit by the loud sound of music, popping the happy silent bubble they were cushioned in. And second, they were surprised to see NK and Akash, supporting two drunken ladies, escorting them towards the exit. Payal was the first one to screech over the loud music and slurred, "Khhuuushi, where have you been? I see you are holding hands with ASRRR. Did you guys kiss?" Khushi flushed and tried desperately to withdraw her hand from Arnav's vise-like grip... yet failed miserably. Akash tried to silence Payal and winked at Khushi saying, "I think I am going to take her to my room. She will soon be completely out." He dragged a still mumbling Payal along with him.
It was only after they were gone, that Khushi noticed Arnav's stoic face, focused on the woman clinging onto NK. As NK struggled with dragging her along with him, Lavanya slurred seeing Arnav, "ASR!! I love you. Why don't you love me back ASR? Whyyy ASRRR!!" With that she slumped into NK's arms... unconscious. NK looked coolly at Arnav and said, "I will just make sure to drop her to her room. I think I am done with the party too. I will be in your room. Will you be coming later?" Arnav nodded and waited till NK was out of sight, before turning to face Khushi. He could sense the sudden change in her demeanor and after the beautiful evening they had spent, he was not ready to sleep over something as dangerous as Lavanya Kashyap.
"Wait here. I will be back in a few minutes. I just need to speak to Aman," Arnav said, reluctantly letting go off Khushi's hand. She barely managed to nod, her mind at work and her heart thudding uncertainly thinking about Lavanya. Arnav returned in a flash, after instructing Aman to wind up the party in an hour. He took Khushi's hand and led her towards the elevators leading them to their suits. As Khushi used her keycard for access, Arnav asked almost pleadingly, "Can I come in for a while? We need to talk and I didn't want to make a scene at the party." Khushi surprised him with her response when she said, "You don't have to ask Arnavji. Even I want to clear out a few things. I will always speak my heart out to you like I promised."
He smiled as he entered their suite, which was now unusually quiet, with Payal probably snoring away in the suite opposite. Arnav quickly took off his jacket and sat himself on the plush sofa in the living room. "Give me ten minutes Arnavji. I just need to quickly freshen up. I have been feeling so suffocated in this dress," Khushi said fidgeting slightly. "Offcourse, take your time Khushi," Arnav replied coolly. She dashed into her room, and changed into her overused yet soft salwar kurti. Scrubbing her face clean of the little makeup Payal had applied on her face, she brushed her hair and tied them in a messy bun, finally feeling at ease.
When she walked into the living room, fifteen minutes later, she saw Arnav standing in the balcony in just his shirt and trousers; the sleeves rolled upto his elbows. He had removed his shoes and socks and looked so irresistibly delicious and homely. She smiled at the thought and knew she would have to put him out of his misery soon. She had felt his anxiousness regarding her reaction to Lavanya and that was one reason she wanted to have this conversation with him. Walking over to him, she said softly, "Can we talk inside, it's so cold out here. Looks like the winters have arrived early."
He turned around and sucked in a breath taking in the angel that was his Khushi. Her face was scrubbed clean and the soft cream-colored kurti, blended with her skin. She looked so young and vulnerable, that his heart constricted to think about how much she had gone through at such a young age. He walked inside and sat comfortably on the sofa once again, when he heard her ask, "Would you like to have some tea... or coffee?" Her smile bedazzled him and despite the dark clouds looming around them in the form of Lavanya, he felt proud at the way she was handling the situation. It gave him hope, that she would never give up on him. But then again, she was a strong woman... and in this moment... extremely beautiful too.
"I would like a cup of coffee very much. Let me help you," he said, getting up and walking towards the small table where lay the coffee making machine and the ingredients needed to make a steaming cup. In about ten minutes, Arnav and Khushi were both settled on the sofa, relishing their beverages, the silence surrounding them... soothing and happy. "I guess you want to tell me about Lavanyaji... you seemed shocked when she said she loved you," Khushi whispered.
He sighed, kept his cup aside and shifted closer to Khushi. What was it about her presence, that made him feel calmer? It had been like that since their first meeting. She was the only person who he had opened up to... even the idea of which, usually terrorized him. Was he in love with her all along? He had no answers to these questions, yet he was glad that this evening, he had shared his feelings and she had reciprocated them. It was a heady feeling and he was still reeling in the aftermaths of those passionate kisses.
Clearing his throat and his mind of these amorous thoughts, he whispered hesitantly, "I told you Khushi, about Lavanya and my arrangement. Love was never a part of it. My past had scarred me to such extent, that I had shunned that word out of my life until... until you entered it Khushi. Believe me when I say that even though I had a vague doubt that Lavanya was falling for me, we had never discussed this and she had never mentioned it before. She has always been so practical and professional. I don't know when and how..." He stuttered unsure of how Lavanya had fallen in love with someone as cold as him.
"I believe you Arnavji and I guess by now you must have realized, falling in love in not truly in our hands. The heart has a mind of its own. And you know, anyone can easily fall in love with you... you are kind, intelligent, generous and extremely handsome..." Khushi said genuinely, wanting to put him out of misery. She knew he was worried about her reaction, but now she was sure of his feelings for her. There was no reason for insecurity anymore. His intense stare suddenly became wicked listening to her words and he moved in closer, crowding her.
"So you think anyone can easily fall in love with me? You think I am extremely handsome... huh Khushi?" he whispered hoarsely, making her blush. She fidgeted with her dupatta, unsure of how to deal with this flirty Arnav Singh Raizada. She had never seen this side of him until lately. For the first time since they had met, she felt uneasy in his presence... and uneasy in a good way! He cupped her face and the warm touch, soothed her frazzled nerves. She closed her eyes as the warmth enveloped her, his scent intoxicating her. She felt the featherlight touch of his lips on her forehead, on her cheeks and then his warm breath fanning her lips.
Her eyes opened to gaze into his molten brown ones teeming with love and desire... for her. She leaned into him, closing the distance between them as if in daze. The hesitant touch of her innocent lips over his was his undoing, as Arnav pulled her closer kissing her passionately... frantically. How could one get addicted so soon? It had been mere hours since their first kiss and he felt like he was drowning in an abyss of endless desire. He knew if he went on like this for any longer, he would be walking on a dangerous path that neither of them were ready for. He knew Khushi was innocent and naive, and he had no intention to rush her into anything. She loved him, and that was enough... for now!
He pulled away from her, his breathing ragged, taking in her heaving form. Her hair was in disarray, her skin flushed and lips swollen. Her eyes remained closed, as he ran his thumb over her quivering bottom lip... his favourite. "Open your eyes Khushi," he breathed and she did... obediently, entranced by his voice. "I love looking into your eyes... they are a mirror to your thoughts Khushi," he said truthfully. "Well, in this moment, I can't think of anything beyond you," she replied, equally truthfully. He laughed his carefree laugh, that seemed to have become a constant around her and said, "Well I like it Khushi Gupta... that is how it should be."
They sat huddled together, ensconced in their own sapno ki duniya, filled with overwhelming love and abundant laughter. They spent the night, overlooking the new dawn, knowing each other a little better. With eyes brimming with love for each other, sleep seemed to have evaded them. The serenity of Lucknow finally seeping into their hearts, filling up the scars of the past and making new memories to override the nightmares. It was never about cities or situations; it was always about the people... flesh, blood, and a pumping heart that swayed from the evil to good. And in this very moment, a bruised heart twisted in pain... miles away from Lucknow... yet his evil mirthless laughter was heard resonating in the Jha Mansion, at the success of his plan... a plan he didn't even have to work for.
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Part 23
Edited by mints23 - 9 years ago
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