Locked - Part 23

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Chapter 23 (LAST PART)



Arnav’s POV


The condition of the pandemic is improving everywhere and countries have opened their borders which is why finally after 3 months of our marriage, we have planned a short honeymoon. It was obvious Payal and Khushi wanted to go to a common destination but me and Akash were strictly against it. We were going on a honeymoon not a family trip and wanted all the ‘intimate we’ time with our partners as much as we could. Though it took a while to convince our respective wives, we did that and quickly booked our tickets. Everything at AR Group was slowly getting better workwise and so was the case with Gupta Sweets and snacks too which is why we planned for a two-week honeymoon. Akash and Payal were flying to Mauritius and me and Khushi to Maldives. Whilst everyone in the family were going to miss us badly and vice versa, the most surprising fact was that our wives were going to miss Maxi the most. The two had developed quite a good bonding with Maxi in the course of three months of their stay here. Khushi, just like a good mommy was particular about Maxi’s food and health. The last time Maxi had his regular checkup the doctor told us he had gained weight which never happened in the last few years. And whilst I pointed Khushi’s extra pampering as the reason, she said I wasn’t paying good attention to Maxi’s fitness like I did before. That was not true. At least not completely. Earlier before marriage I took Maxi for walks, drives almost every day but now that’s not the case. Being married has piled my responsibilities towards Khushi and her father too which is why me and Akash had split up Maxi’s time of outside walks. We did it on alternate basis.

Maxi’s barks break my stupor and I realize why he is so happy right now. He has sensed Khushi coming back home. She and Payal had gone out this evening to meet their father before we all could start for our honeymoon. As soon as Maxi sees them at the living room, he runs to them and I cannot help stare at my wife who quickly kneels down and gives him a hug. She strokes his back, gives him a few kisses and then cuddles him again.


“Did you miss Mumma, little boy?” she speaks in a kiddish tone as if Maxi wasn’t a dog but a human child. I push the laptop away from my lap and watch my wife converse with him. It’s been my favorite pastime these days. She interacts so good with Maxi without any fear or hesitation that it gets hard to get her focus on me anymore. Maxi barks again and my wife is no longer scared of it unlike before when even having Maxi in the same room as her brought goosebumps on her body.

“Did Daddy feed you or did he keep you hungry?” she asks again, this time raising her head and watching me.


That smile on her face!! Damn!! I know when that comes. She is teasing me.


“Khushi, I will go keep the bags.” Payal adds. “Come on Maxi.. lets see who reaches the stairs first.”


The moment Payal runs for the stairs, so does Maxi in almost double her speed. Obviously, he reaches before Payal and then keeps wagging his tail and follows Payal to her room. Khushi reaches me in few strides.


“Where is everyone?” she scans the room.

“Satsang..” I grab her hand and pull her on my lap. She squeals when I don’t let her get up.

“Arnav? We are not in the bedroom. Anyone can watch us.”

“I said there’s no one home Sweetheart. Just us.. And of course Maxi and Payal who wont disturb us at all.”


She relaxes knowing the family is out and wraps her arms around my neck showing no urgency to get down my lap.


“You think I kept Maxi hungry?”

She giggles. “I was teasing you.”

“You always do” I kiss her arms which has circled my neck and then meet her gaze again.

“I didn’t get you. Why did you say that I always tease you?”

“You don’t?”

“I never crossed any line, did I?” She frowns.

“You never let me cross any lines. What about that?”


My query puts her in trouble and her face turns pink.


“Three months of love marriage and I am yet to know what exactly my wife looks like without her clothes..” I complain.


Khushi instantly shuts my mouth to stop me from extending my grievances.

“Arnav??”

My grin turns into a heavy smirk and the smile on her face vanishes as she realizes I am serious.


“Maxi and his Mumma united. When is Mumma and Maxi’s daddy uniting?”


This time she laughs and pats my arm.

“Stop it.. You are making me nervous..”

“And you are making me over patient which I never thought I had in me.”

“Aww.. Wasn’t it you who suggested you approve taking things slow with me?”

“I thought you will give in after a month or two of our marriage. But Madam seems to be enjoying her celibacy..”


She shuts my mouth with her palm this time which I don’t miss kissing.


“What’s gone into you today?” she asks. “You never showed this desperation before.”


I shut my eyes and then unwind my arm from around her waist to free her.


“Sorry. Guess I am just a bit frustrated. Don’t bother.”


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


Khushi’s POV


I am surprised that Arnav really opened up this topic suddenly. Yes, we have been married for three months and we haven’t voluntarily participated in anything intense apart from kissing, cuddling, snuggling and a bit of teasing each other at night. Not that I wanted more time to know Arnav. I have known him enough to realize I wouldn’t have got a man as good and kind as him. Arnav is any woman’s dream man. Though our marriage was rushed, he never forced me to do anything I wasn’t comfortable with. I hardly got time to cook for the family in the beginning and that made me sad at the end of the day. But Arnav always boosted me stating I could do it on weekends when I am mostly free and everyone is home. He helped erase the distance between me and Maxi and now I love Maxi as much as I love every other member of the Raizada family. Arnav has stood by me when I needed his help and ideas in bringing back my business on track after the wave of Pandemic eased. And amidst all this, never did he object me keeping physical distance between us which was both surprising and overwhelming. I don’t think any other man would have given me that liberty.


Payal and Akash are totally opposite than our pair. They consummated their marriage within one week of our wedding and when Payal shared her little secrets with me I couldn’t help imagine what would it be like when me and Arnav do that too. But Arnav has never shown his urgency and I always wondered when he would finally ask me straightforward if I ever planned to take this step or not. To be honest, I have thought about it long since but could never voice it out boldly. When the family insisted, we go on a honeymoon, I got the best opportunity to make it happen. To take that one step and dive into the bliss and perks of the things a happily married couple do. But seems like My husband finally lost his patience just two days before I could give him my approval.


Now when I see his eyes shut, and he breathing hard, I know he is simply controlling himself a little more!


“Arnav?” I touch his face. “I pushed this a long way, didn’t I?”


I am serious about having this conversation.

“No” he smiles. “It’s fine to take your time Khushi. Every woman should be comfortable and prepared both mentally and physically before taking this step. I am sorry for putting up my silly frustration like this before you.”

“Shut up” I shout back. “Stop being so good. And now hear me out. You are the only man who have tortured me in my dreams when I had not even talked to you. If just seeing you in your Di’s wedding can bring that effect on me, do you realize what it does to me knowing you are my husband now?”


Arnav stares at me in disbelief and confusion.


“I don’t need time anymore…” I touch my forehead with his. “I need you Arnav.”


We stay like that for a few second and then he pulls away and stares at my face again.


“You serious?”


Why does he even have to ask this?

“I am dead serious. In fact, I had plans to surprise you in Maldives but you spoiled it all.”


I poke my finger on his chest, pouting for my failed plans. Arnav grabs my finger which poked him and kisses it.


“I won’t ruin your plans then..” he declares.

“Huh?”

“I mean it sweetheart. Go with your plans. Surprise me!! Let me see how romantic my wife is.. It’s always the other way round so far..”


I grin at his tease.


“Really? You can wait for two more days?”

“I can wait for two more decades..” he says but then groans and gives me a tight hug. “No.. two days are fine.. Two decades will kill me with desires overloaded.”


We both laugh at his silly comment when Maxi returns to us on the couch and tries to get on my lap. I take him on my lap, putting all my weight and Maxi’s on Arnav’s who doesn’t mind. We all cuddle each other like a one happy family.


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

Arnav’s POV


We are here in Maldives. The last two days after Khushi confessed her approval to consummate our marriage, I could hardly sleep but I was way too good at controlling these days so I did exactly that until we landed in Maldives today morning and too a real long nap in the afternoon. Now its evening when I wake up and find Khushi busy on phone. She is speaking to Payal and has no clue I am awake and watching her.


“Stop it Payal. I don’t need to hear your dirty secrets.” She giggles. “How’s Akash?”


She goes quiet again when Payal replies, then she laughs and leans back on the couch.


“My man is sleeping.. snoring in fact…” she adds turning to me and I quickly shut my eyes pretending to be asleep. “Huh! Yeah, looks like he is here to sleep. I mean.. he’s really not getting my hints at all. Who sleeps when your wife is wearing such a beautiful sundress? You know I hardly wear such outfits anymore and I specifically bought these for him to surprise but… huh!! Never mind.. Maybe my surprises are too blunt..”


I open my eyes again holding my grin. Knowing my wife complaining about my unromantic behavior ignites me all the more. I get down the bed. Khushi has no idea of it yet as she has turned her back to me.


“Yes, the red one with cute white flowers. I bought this specially for Arnav and he didn’t even regard me once.. Looks like he is going to make me boldly ask for it.” she adds.


The next instant, I pick her up from behind and she swings in my arms with me in charge.


“Arnav,” she mouths at me with a baffled expression. Payal is still on call which means I can literally tease my wife the way she has been teasing me all this time. I take her to bed and drop her there. Khushi doesn’t even get time to react. “Yea.. I .. I am here.. I mean.. I am not actually.. I..”


She pauses her talk when I hover on her and kiss her cheek. I have always loved to pin her with my touches and kisses whenever she is busy working. That brings the best out of my wife and she naturally gives in.


“Ummm.. yea.. … I .. No.. I ..” she keeps talking with more than required pauses in between as I rained kisses on her face and neck. “Payal, I will call you back..”


Without waiting for Payal’s reply, Khushi disconnected and placed her palms over my chest to stop me from further torturing her.


“What kind of behavior is this?”

I push her hands away not letting her intrude my kisses upon her.

“You were complaining a minute ago that I didn’t regard your red sundress. I am just doing that now..”


My gaze shifts to her little sundress which has rolled up on her thighs a little higher than usual.

“You heard that? You were awake?” She blushes.

I glue my eyes back on her with a nod.

“And you also said who sleeps on their honeymoon?”

“No. I didn’t exactly say that..”

“You meant that sweetheart. Admit it..”


Khushi rolls her eyes.

“Alright I did. So? You know I was awake from two hours for you to wake up. I showered, dressed up and … you were still sleeping. I had to complain..”


When she complaints that so cutely, how could I not kiss her? So I do.! I kiss her like this is the only few minutes I have to do what I want. Khushi reciprocates the kiss with equal desperation until she is short of breath. We both pant together.


“This is my surprise?” I shamelessly ask, reminding her the promise she made two days ago.


Khushi blushes harder at my reminder.

“No, its not. I mean it’s just the 50% of it.. I decked up like this for you..”


Oh!!

“And the rest 50%?” I ask curiously.

She pulls me closer to her and whispers..


“I am already yours… from my mind and soul. What’s left is just a formality now..”


Her cute little confession fills my heart with so much love that I cannot express. We both knew coming here would erase that final distance between us but if she says such cute dialogues above all of it, I don’t think I can help loving her more right from this instant.


“Then let’s complete that formality too” I declare before kissing her back.


She gives in completely to my actions. I had dreamt of this moment like thousands of times in my head, planned it to be worth for both of us and here it is.. I don’t think we could do this any better.


Who had thought two people who had never anything in common would meet in such unusual circumstance during the pandemic and fall in love with each other during their quarantined period? Well, it happened with us and just like Maxi is fortunate to have got a mother in Khushi, I am lucky to have found my love and life partner amidst such tough times.


The whole world has faced every limitation, restriction and suffered losses in the pandemic which was one side of the story but on the other side we had also learnt to live with limited resources, to share and had set such great examples of humanity. But what outdid in all these situations was our love for each other and the belief that no matter what grave situation falls upon mankind, we will still stand and work in unity to rebuild our society.


The End!!


Note: Hmm.. Not sure of the Epilogue of this one. Bride of Sheesh Mahal – Season 3 will replace this slot 😊 Thanks everyone for being a part of this journey of “Locked”

The spooky haunting Bride of Sheesh Mahal series is back with tinge of Arshi romance. I am very sure you all are going to love it. Stay tuned.

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Sneak Peek 2 - BACK TO YOU - The Car kiss Scene

SNEAK PEEK 2

Rajveer's POV

We finally get back in the car, and I drive to the hotel. While I am all quiet and nervous, she is entirely the opposite. Ananya’s enthusiasm and her silly blabbering about how she loved rain doesn’t even make me realize when we reach the hotel parking lot and park the vehicle. She isn’t interested in getting down nor me. But we got to change our clothes before we fall sick. She is still tipsy from the alcohol but not like before. Rain has re-energized her senses.


“I just love rain.” Ananya resumes while I patiently listen, showing no urgency to get down the car. “And you know what’s so special about it? The fragrance of the wet soil, the magic lightning, the sounds of the thunder.”


I simply nod. More than her talks, her cute expressions allure me. She’s having no effing clue how hot and bothered I am at the moment seeing her sharing such little secrets with me. I didn’t know she loved rain this much.

“And the best part of it…” she continues. “Hot Jalebis and a heated kiss. That’s how I’d like to end the rainy night with my partner.”


She giggles. Did I hear that right? Heated kiss? I feel like my heart is going to explode. As if she realizes her mistake, she shuts her mouth with her palm and laughs again.


“Ignore that. Slip of tongue.”


She laughs again, but I don’t. Whatever she confronted is burning me so bad that only she could soothe this pain down. Our eyes meet again for longer than usual and when hers gleam with the same desire as in mine, it shoots a pang of need in my already aching body. I stretch my arm for her to hold that she glances at, and then looks back in my eyes as if confirming if I am serious about it. I have never been this sure, never this needy and achy either. If she pulls back this time, I don’t think I can survive; that’s my state.

I’m still juggling with my inner turmoil when she finally places her hand on mine. She’s In. She isn’t stepping back. Neither I. Making sure she really wants this as much as I do, I then pull her to my seat.

CONTINUING READING HERE

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SNEAK PEEK 1 HERE