Locked - Part 17B

 

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Chapter 17B



Arnav’s POV


I have no idea how to react. I am blushing like a teenage boy who just got to kiss his crush. So what if it was just a forehead peck. It was still beautiful. After Khushi confessed she wants to marry me too, we ended up just admiring each other for no idea how many minutes until a phone call from her father intruded us. Though I was so against her to answer it, I didn’t want to snatch her away from her father. So, as she left to talk to her dad, I cleared all the chores without her help.


“Oh God, you did everything?” Khushi asks, returning into the kitchen after the call.

“Pretty much” I scan the kitchen once, which looks as neat and clean as it should be.

Khushi reaches me and her smile widens.

“You know when I first met you here, you didn’t seem homely types. I mean, someone who could show so much interest in assisting a woman do the household chores.”

I laugh. Khushi leans against the marble slab and I pin her there in between my arms.


“You are forgetting something. I come from a family where women rule. Nani, Manorama Chachi and Di have been the pillars of our family. I have learnt so much from them.”

“Wow..” she smiles. “I always wanted a joint family. I hope you don’t have plans to stay away from them after marriage.”

“Never,” I instantly reply. “Family always comes first to me Khushi and you are now a part of it. I am glad you like Joint families but let me warn you, mine can be a bit intrusive. Also, they are very traditional. You will find them attending Satsangs and keeping Puja at home almost every month.”


She laughs heartily.


“Why do you think I will have a problem with that? I am a traditional woman too. You haven’t seen me in Sarees and traditional outfits yet so you don’t know how much I love the culture of our country and all the rituals and traditions that come with it.”


Huh! Imagining Khushi in Saree is the best part of this conversation. I move closer to her and Khushi’s smile wipes off.


“I want to see you in Saree..” I declare.


She looks at my eyes and then at my parted lips which want to say so much more.

“You will see me someday in Saree too.”


Her generic reply followed by a giggle brings my smile back too.


“Why someday? Why not now?”

“Now?” she gasps. “No.. I mean.. Why will I wear a Saree at this hour of night?”

“For me..” I grin..


She opens her mouth to say something and then shuts it again.


“I am already wearing this Red Gown for you. Stop being so demanding.”


I sigh. Maybe she is right. I am too demanding. Realizing that I am about to unpin her from between my arms when she grips them, not letting me move away.


“I will wear tomorrow.”


She will? I am so damn happy and I can already imagine how beautiful my day would be when I get to spend with her in Saree.


“Why do I think you have some serious fetish for women in Sarees?”

“Not any woman.. Just you..” I tap her nose. “Actually, I had dreamt about it one night.. You in Saree.. like a homely woman… like my wife..”


Her eyes glitter with more dreams about us.. She coaxes me to share more about that dream.

“And what was I doing in that dream of yours?”

I pretend to recall.

“Nothing much. You and Maxi were playing..”


Khushi pats my chest.

“Don’t …” she laughs. “Don’t lie.”

“Fine.. You were busy with my family, doing all the chores for some Puja and I was being ignored royally. So…”

“So?”

I cup her face. Khushi lashes flutter as her eyes meet my hungry ones.

“So, whilst everyone else were busy I carried you all the way to our room.”


Khushi’s lips part in surprise and her cheeks turn red.

“Then?” she purrs.

My body lights up seeing her interest in this subject.

“You really want me to continue sharing what happened next?”


I see she wants to say Yes but she rejects immediately, pushing me away.

“Shut up.. You are not doing anything like that with me ever…” Khushi turns around, with her back facing me. Not until we are married and even then… I need time to adjust with all these things..”


I smile at her innocence and reaching her, I wrap my arms around Khushi’s waist and draw her closer, such that her back touches my chest.


“I promise not to hurry and you can take as much time as you need to prepare yourself to accustom to my love and desires.”


She hides her face, looking away from the side I am watching her from.



“But just a little request..” I add. “Don’t take very long.. I might not sustain..”


I feel her shivering with embarrassment in my arms and the next instant, she withdraws herself from me and runs to the kitchen door. I don’t stop her. Maybe I really made her feel too shy. Khushi might be the modern woman of today’s society but she was too traditional about romances!! Not that I wouldn’t like to teach her. But I wont rush. One step at a time always works!!


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


Khushi’s POV


Day 11


I wake up the next morning, still in haze and openly dreaming about my future with Arnav Singh Raizada. As he told me last night about his traditional family, one thing was sure that me and Payal would fit well in that family. We always wanted a big family as we never got a chance to have one. Dad being the only son to my grandparents never had any cousin sibling either. So, we hardly have much relatives or cousins whom we grew up all these years with. Though me and Payal were always there for each other, now things would finally be different. I cannot wait to meet the Raizada family. But Maxi?? I don’t know what my reactions to him will be. I hope he doesn’t get too close to me or else I might run away or climb a place where he won’t reach me.


Jokes apart. I cannot forget how beautiful Arnav made me feel yesterday during the dinner date he organized in his bedroom. The greeting card, Phone call to NK, Arnav’s forehead kiss, he hugging me from behind and allowing me as much time as I need to accept him wholeheartedly from my mind, heart and body is a beautiful start to my relationship with him. I never thought I would find a man like him who had so much of patience and the willingness to go slow in terms of romance.


Today I have promised him to wear a Saree like he wants to see me in. So taking my shower, I drape a simple Saree.. Luckily, I had shopped one for myself at one of the best Indian boutiques in Dubai as a memento of that place before flying back to India. Who knew I could put it to use today? It’s a yellow saree, with a plain yellow Pallu. I prefer such light-weighted sarees which are more comfortable for the daily chores. I don’t know if he would like to see me in such a simple avatar but knowing he has a fetish of seeing me in Saree, I am sure he would love it.


I apply a pink gloss before heading down for beginning my day. Payal is busy watering the plants outside while Akash is jogging in the garden. I really like how they spend time with each other. Not that me and Arnav don’t. I clear my throat standing at the kitchen door when I see him so busy in making coffee for himself. Wait!! He is making one for me too. He knows by what time I am ready downstairs. The moment his eyes lands on me, his face glows as his eyes quickly scan my attire.


“This is the only one I had.” I pout.

“Beautifullll,” he stretches that word as if not doing so would mean anything less. I know I have charmed him enough already yet such praises matter.


Reaching closer, he hands me the coffee mug and sips from his.


“You fled last night..” He mentions.


I sip my coffee in a hurry, burning my tongue..

“Careful..” Arnav shouts..

I nod and once better, I frown at him.

“Alright.. we are not going to talk anything about the conversation we had last night. Happy?”

“Very,” I shout and head inside the kitchen. Arnav follows.

We talk a bit about how and when we can come to see his family after heading back to Delhi in 3 days. I tell him how much eager I am to see dad again. He is happily listening to all my talks but I also see his eyes wandering all over my face, making me blush in between. While cooking breakfast, I keep strolling around him as we share the same marble slab for cooking and chopping. I could see him fisting his fingers when I was too close intentionally. He even mutters something, holding his breath, when I lean over him to collect the spatula lying next to him, but it’s not very audible to me.


I must praise Arnav’s patience and the way he is handling his desires from touching me in the worry that I might dislike it or run away again. Payal and Akash soon join us and I see them holding hands and blushing all the time during breakfast. They are faster than us, I am sure. We together plan out the next family meet and its decided that me, Payal and Dad will see the Raizada family for dinner next weekend and that’s when we will also meet Maxi!! Uff!! That’s one task I cannot skip even if I want to. I know the Raizadas are very attached to Maxi like their own family member so I have to be very careful in dealing with my hatred for dogs, in order not to hurt their sentiments.


To be Continued.

NEXT PART

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