There will never be another you- Chapter 11

 Khushi retired for the day with a yawn . It’s been a really hectic day- shopping, selecting jewelries, finalizing wedding stage decoration etc. In between Arnav's messages came. like, "Where are you?" "Did you have food?" "message me when you are free.." She replied him with short answers-"@jewellers", "Yes. From Puranmal and U had?" "OK".

Throwing herself down on bed she unlocked her phone and typed a message to him.

"Hi.. Where are you?" 

Her phone vibrated with his reply in the very next minute.

"Finally you remembered you have a husband."

She smiled and typed a reply.

"Sorry, was busy with the wedding planner."

"Ok. wait. I will call you on facetime. "

She suddenly got up from the bed and looked at the mirror. 

She is wearing the Pink Silk Nightdress gifted by Payal on her wedding. Her sister asked her to wear it on her Suhagraat. Little did her sister know the truth about her marriage. Today since Arnav was not there, she decided to wear it. The night dress is super soft and comfortable. Now if they facetime, he will see her like this. 

Her phone started ringing with incoming facetime videocall. She sat on the bed, adjusted her hair and held the phone in such way that, only her face is visible. 

She accepted the call and his face appeared on the screen. He was lying on the hotel bed in his green T-shirt she packed for him. He is looking tired and sleepy. 

After seeing his face her cautiousness about her own dress was forgotten.

"Arnavji, I think you are really tired and sleepy. Did you take medicines today?"

"Yes Khushi. It was a busy day with back to back meetings. But not that tired. We can talk for sometime."

"You had food on time right?"

"Yes, I had."

Khushi unconsciously lied on the bed and looked keenly at his face. It was just two days since he left. But feels like it has been months. There were dark circles under his eyes. 

"Arnavji, I think you should sleep, you are really looking very sleepy."

"That is why I want to speak to you."

"Why?"

"I am afraid to sleep alone. If you talk for sometime, I can sleep peacefully. If we video chat I will feel you are nearby and I can sleep peacefully."

Arnav said with a serious expression. "Please don't tell anyone I am afraid of sleeping alone." He quickly added.

Who will believe that the great ASR is afraid of sleeping alone. Then how did he sleep all these years? His girlfriends must have gave him company before.

"What? You are afraid of sleeping alone? Then how did you manage all these years. ?"

"Earlier me and Akash used to share a room. When I went to Harvard, I shared accommodation with my friends. After coming back to India, I used to play slow songs. But after marriage you are there know, so I always slept peacefully. "

"But you didn't call me yesterday before sleep."

"That is why I couldn't sleep properly yesterday, see the dark circles."  

"Then Why didn't you play music like you used to? "

"Because I cannot sleep with music these days, since sleeping next to you have become my habit."

"Acha.. So that is why you were insisting me to come with you? So that you can sleep peacefully?"

"Partially because of that, the main reason is I didn't want to leave you."

Both of them remained silent for few seconds looking at each other.

"By the way. Nice nightdress. I never saw you wearing this before. "

Khushi suddenly became conscious of her dress and looked at herself.  The dress is cut low enough to reveal a lot of her cleavage. She was lying on the bed sideways and he was able to see her half body. 

She suddenly held her phone upwards so that only her face and body until neck was visible to him.

"Ok. Ok, Please don't be embarrassed. I meant it as a compliment. "

She looked here and there for few seconds and answered him.

 "Woh gigi gifted me this."

"Hmmm... Pink is your color. "

 "its my favorite color."

"I know and You look very beautiful."

Khushi blushed at his compliment. Was he trying to be nice? Her face was devoid of any makeup and her hair was unbound. Yet he found her very beautiful. She thought his definition of beautiful was smoky eyes, lips with long-lasting, high-pigment lipsticks, a face with multiple layers of foundation etc.. Those models looked like that. She is nowhere in competition with them.

But he kissed her that day like a man possessed. It means he is attracted to her right? Yes he might be just attracted to her. He will never love her. But he told her that he didn't believe in love because it never happened to him. He was acting like a lover boy in the past few days. 

He might have done this many times for his ex-girl friends. Suddenly the thought of him kissing someone else the way he kissed her made her uncomfortable. He never lied to her about his past relationships. Even though she is not his first, she wished herself to be the last one.

"Khushi.. where are you lost?" His lazy voice startled her.

"Nowhere. I was just.. Nothing. What were you doing when I messaged you?"

"I was simply laying on the bed and missing you. You are not missing me?"

There he goes again. He is openly admitting he is missing her. She is also missing him. Alot.

"Yes I miss you too Arnavji." She admitted in a small voice.

"I will come back soon. Waise I want to taste that particular sweet again after coming back."

"Which one?"

"That one you ate after lunch on the day of Di's engagement. Kali Gajar ka Halwa. Your mouth tasted very sweet that day."

Suddenly it downed on her. He was talking about their kiss.  He laughed enjoying his wife's cute expression when she realized what he was hinting.

Arnav Singh Raizada had a secret. He never kissed any of his girlfriends on their lips. According to him, a kiss is an expression of deep affection. He used to kiss his mother and sister out of love when he was a kid. When he became a teenager his mother, Di and grandmother used to kiss him on his forehead with love. He associated kiss as the most intimate thing in a relation. 

His relationship with girls were purely physical. He never let anyone kiss him. That was his rule. let alone a lip kiss.  He felt a strong repugnance towards exchanging someone else's saliva with himself. Sex was a need for him as a man. It was always a brief act of intercourse which fulfilled his need. He never let anyone enter his personal space or bedroom. 

But with Khushi everything is different. She is making him lose his control. She left him hungry with need with that intense kiss they shared. It was the most blissful moment of his life. 

He kissed her forehead that day surprising himself. It just came naturally to him. He want to be real with her. He was not completely lying when he said he was afraid of sleeping alone. Its not like he was afraid, the loneliness at night made him uneasy. He was not able to sleep alone after his mother passed away. 

When they were taken in by Nani, he used to share room with Akash. But he never admitted to anyone that he is not comfortable with sleeping alone. He didn't want anyone to know his weakness including his sister.  Then why did he openly admit it to Khushi? With Khushi he crossed every line he kept for himself from getting committed. He wants to be in a proper relationship with her. After being away from her he got much clarity about his feelings towards his wife.

He looked at the image of his blushing wife and smiled. He realized something recently. Khushi made him happy. He was fine all these years, but after marrying Khushi he realized he could also be happy. And he is really excited about their life ahead. Was she feeling the same?

He wanted to talk a lot to her. But not now, they need to have a face to face talk. He is no more confused about his feelings. He like Khushi, he like her very much.

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Payal was surprised when she got an interview call letter from AR. Did Khushi ask Arnavji to give her a job? Khushi knows it very well she wanted to find it her own, then why ? Now their neighbors and everyone will start gossiping about this. She didn't want any favor from anyone. She hates that feeling of being small in front of someone. Now Akash's mother will get one more reason to taunt Khushi.

Moreover there is a big problem at AR named Akash Singh Raizada. She didn't want any complications in her life. It is clear that Akash's mother is not pleased with Khushi due to the class and status difference. She can never be happy at that home. 

Akash is a nice guy. She really like him. But they are not match made in heaven. she dialed Khushi's number to talk to her.

After talking to Khushi, it is all clear to her now. it was all Akash's plan. But how will she refuse the offer now? Khushi was happy for her.  After too much insistence from Khushi, she finally decided to go for the interview. 

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Anjali was not liking the state she was in. She is getting attracted to her fiancé. If someone hears her, they will laugh. It is perfectly normal for a girl to get attracted to her fiancé in an arranged marriage. But theirs is not a normal arranged marriage. 

They are getting married for the sake of family. Yet she is getting those weird dreams about him. He is a handsome man. And she is a divorced virgin in 30s with no past relationships. He is affecting her badly. She started paying attention to her dressing. She wants him to notice her. She is a grown woman with feelings and needs, maybe it was normal to feel this way about a man. 

She started looking forward to his messages and calls everyday. Whenever they went out she took extra time to get ready. She enjoyed those innocent touches when they dined out. 

Why are you acting like a hormonal teenager Anjali? He is not feeling that way about you. He loves someone else. The thoughts about his ex-girlfriend Tripti made her uneasy. The intelligent, classy and sophisticated lady who was his ex-lover.  she is nowhere in comparison. But her stupid heart is not listening to her. It raced every time he is near.

Today when they went out for dinner, the owner invited them for a dance on the dance floor. She was lost in him when they slowly swayed with the music. His cologne had a hedonistic and extravagant fragrance which is impossibly seductive and romantic. The way he looked at her as if he is also affected just like her. After the song ended everyone clapped bringing them out of the reverie. 

They both decided to be friends first. She cannot let the romantic feeling grow inside her, it will make things more complicated. 

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Khushi finished her work in hurry as Hari Prakash told her Arnav has returned from Lucknow. She rushed towards the bedroom with a smile. 

What he will do when he sees her?  Epinephrine and norepinephrine secreted from her adrenal glands, which caused her heart to beat faster.

She found him in their room. He was taking out something from his travel bag. He has already changed into fresh clothes. 

She closed the door without making noise and turned around to meet his eyes. 

He gave her a warm smile. 

Dhak Dhak.. Her heart is beating faster. 

He is looking tired, but she didn't miss how his eyes sparkled with joy when he saw her. 

He took small steps towards her without breaking their eye contact. 

She also stepped forward and closed the distance between them and hugged him.

"I missed you Arnavji..." She whispered against his chest.

"I missed you too Khushi.."

She lifted her head from his chest and looked at him.

Without another word, he pulled her close, kissing her passionately.

They kissed hungrily, their bodies pressed together and arms around each other.

After kissing to their hearts content, they parted for air. Their heads rested against each other as they tried to catch their breath. 

His hands softly caressed her cheeks and moved down towards her neck slowly making its way to her shoulders. 

"Khushi," he whispered, kissing her neck in a way that made her heart dance excitedly.

He removed the shawl and unzipped her kurta in a swift motion and slid the bra strap down, softly kissing her shoulder.

She moaned making him lose his control. 

His fingers searched under the elastic of her bra to find the hook and to release the breasts. 

When her breasts were finally released and he felt her left breast, he felt her stiffen and realized that it had gone too far.

He let out a sigh and zipped up her kurti after pulling back the bra strap in position.

Khushi's heart filled with warmth at his gesture. It was the first time someone touching her private part like that. It made her uncomfortable. Even if he is her husband, they need to talk and clear certain things. He understood it and fixed her dress. 

He cupped her face and whispered.

"I am sorry Khushi. I just crossed a line there. I shouldn't have done that."

"Arnavji, why are you sorry? I mean its not like you forced me to do it. I was equally invol.."

His next kiss was consuming, hungry yet sweet, teasing her with a hint of promise and driving her body to new heights of awareness. 

After the kiss he smiled against her lips and whispered. "I just couldn't stop myself. "

His phone rang, and she saw Aman's number flash on the screen.

"I need to take this. Its important. Do you mind.?"

"Its Ok Arnavji. Please go ahead."

When he answered the call she tried to move away. But he held her hand and stopped her from moving away.

"ASR.. I got the details of the journalist. It is one Ms. Tina from Bharat times e-newspaper. One of my friend works there. So with his help I got the list of numbers she contacted at that time. As the informer called her many times on her official phone, my friend could collect her call details. And I was really shocked when I checked who owns that sim card."

Khushi noticed his smile is gone and he is angry. She looked at him in concern.

"Who is that Aman?"

"ASR the sim is registered under Khushi Bhabi's name."

Suddenly he let go of her hand and moved away from her.

"What?"

Love,

ST