New OS: Surrendering to Love!

Raman was pacing impatiently the living room waiting for his wife.

8:30 pm! She was still not ready! He had been restless all day. He was both excited and nervous. It was silly but he had to admit that he felt like a teenager on his first date. And he was going out woman. She was his Jhansi ki Rani, the craziest, and feistiest yet the loveliest woman he had ever encountered in life. His first romantic moment with his wife! Another look at his watch and the time showed 8:35 pm. Only five minutes had elapsed. It seemed to Raman that he had been waiting for hours.

Ishita was looking at herself in the mirror, smiling shyly at her reflection.

"Wear a saree today ...but one of my choice...make my heart beat faster today Doctor Ishita Raman Bhalla."

Ayyo Murugan! She closed her eyes tightly and took in some air in her lungs. "Relax Ishita! You know how to tackle this husband of yours. Just look good and everything shall fall into place. Stop behaving like a college girl on your first date! "

She mentally scolded herself but only to giggle nervously again because that was how she was feeling... like a college girl on her fist date.

Raman was still pacing here and there when he found himself surrounded by his crazy family members each ready to give him free tips about how to say " I love you" to his wife.

- Wow Bhai! Kya baat hain!. You won't need to do much. Just say it! Ishita to gayi kaam se aaj! You are looking so handsome!

- Bhai! Wah! Nervous?

A naughty Romi pulled his brother towards him to whisper something in his ears which got him a good smack on his head.

- Papa! Don't be nervous. Just give a kissy on Ishima's cheek and say it!

- Mera baccha ko tang mat karna! Raman puttar listen to me. I will give you a loaded drink. Just gulp it and say it.

- Maa aap bhi!

Raman was still rolling his eyes and shaking his head when he heard his daughter's squeal - " Wow Ishima! You are looking so pretty".

A look at her and his stomach flipped while his heart hammered in his chest. She had taken his words very seriously. At this rate he would turn cardiac soon. Raman said inwardly. Taking in a deep breath, he walked to her with a smirk, his eyes assessing her from head to toe.

"What is he doing?" Her heart felt like it was going to pop out of her chest as her breathing began to accelerate. She smiled at him, her eyes boring into his, trying her best not to show what a jelly she was feeling inside.

- Bhai you can stare at your wife all through the night. Ab jao!!

The family cheered as they walked out, arm in arm.

"What is he thinking?" Ishita looked at him from under her lashes and turned away just in time to look out of the window before Raman caught her staring at him.

"What is she thinking?" Raman wanted to ask but didn't know how; he wanted to say something...anything...just to ease the awkwardness... the acute awareness of each other... to act normal but tonight neither the KurKur Kumar nor the Lecture Queen felt brave enough to open their mouths, each preferring to steal glances at each other...

The drive to the hotel had them both tongue tight.

" Maata Rani, I hope she likes the surprise and doesn't beat me up for booking a honeymoon suite for...err...confessing my feelings to her!

And God why does she have to ask so many questions! Jagga Jassoos kahi ki. Why can't she just listen to me and go in the room!!"

They were finally at the hotel and with much difficulty Raman had manage to lead Ishita to their room alone.

Ishita's eyes widened in surprise as soon as she walked into the lit yet comfortable aura of the suite.

" Jhoota kahin Ka!" It didn't take her long to understand that her husband had planned a romantic date for them to..." Oh my god! He is going to say...god... I didn't prepare myself for it...what do I do now...Ok! Relax Ishita! Remember! You only need to look beautiful tonight!"

She went to stand in front of the mirror facing the huge bed, calming her nerves and trying to control her fast beating heart. In an attempt to distract herself, she took out her mobile from her purse and saw that she had a message. It was from Simmi - "Enjoy karna aur I love you bulva ke rehna mere bhai se."

She kept her phone back shaking her head but she couldn't help but smile to her over-whelming happiness. She sighed and closed her eyes, feeling genuinely happy from the bottom of her heart.

A hand on her shoulder made her breathing hitched in her chest. She turned around but couldn't muster the courage to lift her face to look at him. Her cheeks had developed a beautiful red hue marred by a flick of hair. Raman lifted his hand to tuck gently the loose hair behind her ear, his eyes never leaving her face, his fingers delicately and purposely caressing the edge of her ear. Slowly he lifted her chin to force her to look at him. When she finally did, she noticed the glint of naughtiness in his eyes and muttered:

- Liar!

- Should I understand that you didn't like the surprise?"

He asked with mischief.

- I love it. And I am impressed!"

She answered softly with her beautiful smile which always reached her eyes.

- Tumhari andaz to main ne dekh li airport mein, I thought why not show you... mine.

They smiled teasingly at each other.

- Accha! Any special occasion for booking a hotel suite? What is it that you can't say at home?

She knew how to push his button but this time when she looked in his dark orbs, she realized that the glint of naughtiness was now replaced by a sheer look of intensity which immediately ran a shiver down her spine. Ishita watched as he moved his left hand forward to touch her ear instead of his and spoke softly:

- Ishita...I...I am sorry for troubling you at the airport.

The tone of his voice...the look on his face...was enough for Ishita to understand that he meant what he was saying. May be the time had come for them to have a heart to heart conversation. Tentatively, she asked

- You really wanted to go away from me?

- No...It was killing me inside.

- You are a strange man Raman. And foolish also.

- I know. And I think I should be punished for such foolishness.

- No. I think you got enough punishments for...

She giggled as thoughts of her running after him and beating him up flashed in her mind.

- No I insist. I think I deserve a...Ruhi waali punishment!

- Hawww!

An embarrassed Ishita looked on as he turned his cheek to her. She looked down, her face flushed pink.

- Fine. If you think I got my share of punishment, then I think you deserve one for pulling and pushing me in front of so many people.

Without waiting for her answer, Raman snaked an arm around her waist and followed his daughter's advice and planted a kiss on his wife cheek, leaving her as stunned as she on the first time. Ishita slightly ran her fingers over the burning spot on her cheek where he had let his lips linger.

A sudden spurt of happiness growing at the pit of her stomach. Raman on the other hand, didn't know what had happened to him. He had neither planned the conversation nor the kiss. He only knew that having her so close to him, there was this sense of elation, a warm feeling inside him which words couldn't describe, a "never felt before" feeling which he was so happy to go along and eager to experience.

- Ishita...I...

They were only a hair breath away from each other and Ishita, her eyelids closed tightly, was even afraid to inhale.

- Open your eyes Ishita.

His voice came out husky as he moved his head down towards her. Gazing in his dark orbs, Ishita felt completely disoriented, holding on to his voice for direction.

- Do you really want to know how I am feeling right now?

Ishita only nodded. His face was dangerously close to her. His eyes were boring into hers. She knew what was coming. Her lips trembled with nervousness.

His breath fanning across her cheek, Raman whispered: I...I am...really hungry!

Ishita's eyes flew open only to see the teasing glint back in his eyes. She struggled to get out of his arms but Raman tightened his hold even further.

- Raavan Kumar!

Raman struggled hard not to laugh aloud as he released her but still holding her hand as he led her to the open terrace for dinner.

A glance at his watch...

It was past midnight. Raman turned his head to look at his beautiful wife who was admiring the stars in the dark sky. There was still one thing left to complete; it was time for it.

Ishita felt his eyes on her and turned her head to face him. Her breath caught in her throat. His eyes were simmering with a...raw emotion...the same emotion reflecting in her eyes. He drew closer and took Ishita's hands in his, holding her gaze.

Ishita watched she as he struggled with words.

- Ishita...I...

- Kya Raman? You want to thank me for coming here with you.

- Huh? Yes...thank you. I also want to say...I

- Kya? You enjoyed the dinner? Me too. The food was really good and...

- Yes but I also want to say that...

- It is late? We need to go? I noticed you looking at your watch.

- Yes... I mean no...

- Then what? Do you have an important call to attend?

- What the hell Ishita? Will you stop it? Stop interrupting me when I am talking to you...Kab se koshish kar raha houn par tum samajh nahin rahi ho

- Kya?

- I LOVE YOU...YOU...YOU CRAZY WOMAN!!

His voice faltered, realizing finally what does "feeling foolish" really meant. Running his fingers in his hair, tousling it in the process, he bit on his lower lip as a shy smile cropped up on his face. Ishita looked at him with a loving smile spread on her face.

- Keep looking at me like this Mrs Bhalla and you will land yourself in a lot of trouble.

Still smiling lovingly at him, Ishita only moved closer to slide her arms around his waist and hugged him tightly.

- I love you too, MY IDIOTIC HUSBAND!

Ishita felt him tightening his embrace around her as he buried his face in her hair as she uttered those three golden words. She heard him draw a long breath as he kept holding her tight. She knew that it was not easy for a man like Raman Kumar Bhalla to voice out his feelings. It must have been really...tough. She smiled serenely in his arms with the thought- "He will learn to say "I love you" more often just as he had learned a lot other things since I have stepped into his life"

When she lifted her face from his chest to look at him, his face was as flushed as hers. It has not been easy for her too to voice it out to him but seeing his fulfilled face and that priceless smile, she wished she had said it long time back. She loved him so much...but pulling his leg would always be part and parcel of their life so she left no opportunity to tease him.

- I am... IMPRESSED Mr Raman Bhalla.

- Accha?

He replied with his eyebrows cocked. He knew his teasing wife too well.

- Yes! Two times in a single night! That's a record...But... you took too much time and I think you really deserve a...Ruhi waali punishment for it!

Without much ado, surprising Raman quite much, Ishita closed it to peck his cheek.

- Well...I am IMPRESSED too Mrs Bhalla...and...you deserve a reward for that...and I will give you Romi waala reward...

A confused Ishita didn't get the time to ponder on his last line because the next minute she was in Raman's arms, his lips locking on hers, stealing the breaths from her lungs. When they pulled back, a flushed Ishita held on to Raman's arms, her knees threatening to let her go. Raman only placed her nose against her forehead, waiting for her racing heart to settle.

Romi had suggested that his bhai should give Bhabhi a French kiss if he managed to get a " I love you" from her and Raman mentally reminded himself to reward his rowdy young brother for such a bright idea.

Minutes later...

- Ishita

- Raman...I...

- IMPRESSED?

- Huh?

She looked up still confused but blushed profusely as his words seeped in.

- I think I break the record a third time and...

Scooping his wife in his arms...as he moved towards the bedroom suite...

- I have all night to break many more records.

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Ok i am done. Dont hesitate to say if it has a lame ending. I won't mind at all😆

But do hit LIKE if you like and pour in your feedback coz they means a lot.

P.s: Pms would be sent a bit later in the evening!