Locked - Part 15

 

PREVIOUS PART


Chapter 15


Arnav’s POV


Di is laughing nonstop and I don’t understand what’s so funny about it?


“Di, come on? You are embarrassing me.” I snap.


We are on a video call at night and we are waiting for Khushi to make an entry in my room. I have messaged her already that my call to Di has begun but she needed 10 minutes which I unwillingly have given her. And during that ten minutes, I told Di how Khushi and Payal both are scared of Dogs and the entire fiasco that happened when we shared about Maxi to them.


“Oh my God, I have never laughed this much..” Di adds, holding her laughter.

“You shouldn’t be making fun of other’s fear.”


I am always on the receiving side of advices, but today I am giving her one which finally makes her stop laughing.

“Idiot, I am not laughing on Khushi and Payal but you and Akash. I mean, look at your face. It feels like you have a cross Mount Everest to win your woman.”


I exhale annoyingly.

“I hope they she likes Maxi.. and gels with him.”


My low voice and sincere wish brings a smile on Di’s face.


“Maxi will surely love them and I am very sure the Gupta girls will not reject such good proposals only because of their fear. They are just testing you two.”


Her reply relieves me for a bit. The door knocks and Khushi peeps inside. I had left the door open for her. I gesture her to get in. She is in a Yellow Churidar, with a silky dupatta pinned at her shoulder. I had connected this video call on my laptop so that me and Khushi could sit comfortably on the two-seater sofa in my bedroom and attend it.


“She is here..” I say before giving Khushi some space next to me. As soon as she settles down, Di’s face lights up.

“Hi Khushi, I am Anjali Jha. Arnav and Akash’s sister.”

“Hello Di. Arnav has already told me about you. How are you doing?”

“I am absolutely fine but seems like you are troubling my Chotte a lot..”

“Chotte?” Khushi doesn’t understand and Di laughs again.

“I call Arnav as Chotte.”


I feel embarrassed when Khushi glances at my face and then giggles.

“That’s a Cute name Di. I hope you don’t mind me calling you Di?”

“I would never mind. You are my soon to be sister-in-law, after all.”


Di’s remark makes Khushi blush but she quickly masks it by changing the topic.

“I haven’t accepted your Chotte’s proposal yet.”

“No?” Di frowns. “Why is that?”

Before Khushi could answer that, I interrupt.

“She likes to keep me waiting.. But don’t worry Di, I am not leaving this place without hearing a Yes from her.”


Khushi blushes harder and fiddles with her dupatta.


“Stop flattering yourself,” she mocks. “I am a very stubborn woman to be convinced.”

“Then you don’t know me at all. I can be the most clingy stalker in your life who wont stop following you until you accept my proposal.”


We both share a deep eye lock, for no idea how long, sitting next to each other like that. She has stopped fiddling with the Dupatta and my fingers have found their way to her arm to take her hand in mine.


The moment I touch her, she withdraws and focusses back on the Video call. I realize we cannot display our affection like that when someone is already watching us so keenly – that too my elder sister who I know wont leave a chance to tease me once we are back home.


Khushi and Di talk for some more time. It’s not exactly an interview yet Khushi shares about how she and Payal have handled their father’s business and Di is very impressed.


“Wow, I never thought my sister in laws will also be from a business background. I hope we will get to see you home too and not always at work.”

“We do the work mainly from home. I handle Dad’s accounting and stuff and Payal the other administrative work. Most of the things are sorted on calls and the visit to the site is done by Dad. But we are soon expanding to UAE. Gupta snacks and sweets will be soon inaugurating in Dubai and Abu Dhabi too. That’s why me and Payal had been there to complete the formalities and got stuck due to lockdown. Now, we might have to delay the opening a bit due to the pandemic and once the conditions are normal globally, we will have to shift some of our focus to our newly opened UAE branches too. This just means, me and Payal both will have to do the to and fro a lot in the coming months. I hope your family doesn’t have any objections.”


Di is so confused and proud, both that she is speechless. I too had no idea about their UAE branches but I am impressed.


“I don’t think the family will mind.” I reply. “We are very open-minded.


Khushi passes me a smile.

“He is right” Di adds. “The family will be so proud when I share all this with them. We really cannot wait to meet you girls. When are you coming to see us in Shantivan?”


“Shantivan?” Khushi again turns to me, asking what that is.

“Raizada mansion, is also called Shantivan.” I clear her doubts.

“Oh” she smiles happily. “That’s such a nice name. We will surely arrange this meet soon Di. But before that we have to speak to Dad.”

“That’s not a problem. Give me his number, I will speak and discuss all this.”

“Di..” I interrupt my sister who is speeding up with the marriage talks. “Actually, its better if Khushi talks to Mr. Gupta first. The situation is not as easy as you think.”

“You made it worse.” Khushi pokes a finger on my Chest.

“I did? If I hadn’t lied to NK, you would have still played to be his would-be bride. That’s intolerable to me Khushi.”

“Bride? NK? What are you both talking?” Di asks, totally confused of our bickering and then Khushi shares about her previous proposal with her.


Di understands the whole scenario and shouts at me.


“Chotte? How could you do this? You lied to that innocent man that she is already your girlfriend?”

I nod blankly.

“You should apologize to Khushi for hurting her.” Di adds and I still maintain the same pin drop silence. “Khushi..” Di continues to speak to her. “Don’t accept his apology so easily, even if he has said a sorry to you. Not worth it.!!”

“I haven’t forgiven him, don’t worry.” Khushi answers. “That’s why I haven’t accepted his proposal yet.”

“Very good” Di laughs. “Give him a tough time. He deserves it.”

“What the” I snap. “You both are talking about me as if I am not here.. Enough of this call now. I need this woman for myself!!” I shamelessly declare making Di giggle and Khushi stiffen on the couch. “Good night Di. Give our love to everyone and I will inform Akash that you will speak to him and Payal tomorrow afternoon.”

“Okay, can’t wait to know my other Bhabhi now.” Di replies. Soon we exchange formal goodbyes and I disconnect the call.


As soon as the laptop screen turns black, Khushi is about to get up and leave when I hold her arm, not letting her move.


“Arnav? Didn’t you hear what Di said? I should give you a hard time..”

“You already are…” I mumble and I am not talking about the Hard TIME but my body, which has gone hard for her ever since the moment I saw Khushi getting inside my bedroom in such a cute dress.


Khushi reads between the lines and pushes me hard, hiding her blush. She gets off the couch.

“You are seriously wrong if you think I am letting you get close to me,” she declares.

“No?” I frown rising on my feet. “What can I do to earn that then? I am ready to sacrifice anything.. Just ask..”


She gives me a cold stare and then grins.


“What is the point if I ask you do something and you follow? If you know me even a bit by now, you should know what will please me.”


She is right but I am not ready to put that much pressure on my brain, especially when my heart is so weak and fragile for her.

“You have 4 more days to think what can earn a Yes from me for your proposal. Think… act and then expect the results..”


With her chin raised high, she gives me this tedious task and walks out of my bedroom. Now how am I going to solve this puzzle? I have never dated a woman before so I would never know what she wants from me which can cheer up her mood and make her say yes to my proposal. But I will try. I still have four days, aren’t they enough? I don’t think so. !!


****************


Khushi’s POV


Day 10


I stretch on the bed, then curl inside the sheets recalling how Arnav Singh Raizada had touched my arm while speaking to his sister on that video call. I had felt his heat transferring into my body. He has always been the man of my dreams and I am going to marry him soon. So that feeling is never going to change. Yes, I will marry Arnav though I haven’t said a Yes to his proposal yet. And it is not only because of Maxi that I have held my reply. There’s more to it!! I want to see how he convinces me for this marriage. I am testing the man I hardly know physically from past 10 days before committing him for life long. The soft knock at the door surprises me. I get down the bed, thinking its Payal who has come to wake me up. Am I late to get up? No! It’s seven and that’s my usual time to wake up. I unlock the door and to my surprise, find Arnav holding two mugs of freshly brewed coffee.


“Good morning” he smirks getting inside my room without my permission.

“Wait.. what.. what are you doing here early morning?” I ask shutting the door and he hands me the cup of coffee.

“I thought of surprising you so I made us coffee. It’s exactly how you like,” he replies sipping from his mug. “Umm.. you should taste it.. Come on..”


Of course, I am not going to deny this sweetest gesture a man has done for me and the smell of coffee tempts me not to waste time. I sip the coffee and nod.


“This is really good and kicking..”


He laughs.

“Told you. I could make a great coffee .. Isnt that a plus point?” he asks sitting on the bed edge, watching me intently.

“Plus point?” I ask sipping some more.

“Just imagine very morning you wake up and bring you bed coffee for your whole life?”


Aww!! He is being too sweet and I know why? He just wants to convince me to say Yes. I sip some more coffee and walk to the bed, leisurely.


“I can marry a Chef instead. He could also serve me delicious meals on bed. How about that?” I tease.


I expected him to frown or lash on me but he remains cool and smiles.


“I always wanted to be a Chef” he replies and I burst out laughing.


This man!! Seriously!!


“I am serious” Arnav adds. I Know he is just saying to convince me. That’s all. He wants me to agree that he is the best man for me. How cunning.

“Really?” I hold my laughter.

“Yeah. I don’t mind enrolling myself in culinary arts program.”

“And who will handle your business?” I tease.


He gets up as I reach the bed. We both sip the coffee together without dropping our gazes from each other.


“I can handle both. I am a great multitasker.”

“That I can see..” It’s hard not to smile over his exceptional dialogue delivery.


It’s only that instant I realize I am in a thin satin gown, with the thread like straps almost falling off my shoulder. How could I not notice my dressing before opening the door for him? Seeing me so restless and shy, Arnav cups my face and forces me to meet his eyes, which I apparently do.


“If I could look just in your eyes so far, ever since I have stepped in this bedroom, despite all the bodily reactions going inside me right now…. you can trust me I wont make you feel embarrass by admiring you lower than your face.”


HECK! I bite my lower lip. Arnav has always been a gentleman in that case!! And since he has promised me, I am safe around him, despite being in this thin nightgown, I feel safe!!



To be Continued.

NEXT PART

Connect me on Instagram

Connect me on Twitter

_______________________________________________________________

EBOOK COVER REVEAL - BACK TO YOU. Click on the Image to watch the Full Video