Published on 8th February 2022.

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♡ Khawabon ke darwaze khulte hi jaate hain

Ek dusre mein utarte hi jaate hain

Behoshi ke daayre bante jaate hain

Dilko wohi raah mein milte jaate hain ♡

– R I S H A B H –

Warmth of a body engulfed me closely and I snuggled more into it. I knew this wasn't a dream or hallucination. I was finally home, on my bed, with my wife. I slowly opened my eyes and came across her neckline on the first sight. Her arms were wrapped around my hand, pulling me too close to her.

My gaze travelled down to her chest, which exposed more than half of her breasts to my eyes. Her shirt barely covered anything and her habit of not wearing bras at night helped her no more, but instead me.

I placed a kiss on her swells and moved up while listening to her soft snores. Lying her head properly on the pillow, I closed her mouth which eventually stopped the sound. At last, I yawned and wrapped my arms around her before closing my eyes.

There was no harm in enjoying my heavenly sleep for a few more minutes.

It was another thing that the clock showed 9:00 am.

✨

"Rishi, you're such a liar! When we asked you about your whereabouts, you told us that you were busy because of the meeting. Is this what we taught you?"

"Ma, you lied to me too. Your blood pressure went down, but you never told me. Is this the same you taught me?" I spoke and papa laughed, which ignited anger in ma. She elbowed him and he stopped laughing immediately.

"It pains."

"Do you think it wouldn't? You're old."

"Old? I'm your husband."

"Husbands don't get old?"

"They do." I interrupted and papa glared at me. "I mean, everyone gets old. Wife or husband, gender doesn't matter." When I knew things were getting out of my hands, I decided to run away before they could notice.

I quickly ascended the stairs and walked into our room. My gaze went towards Shruti as she wore her earrings. The saree she was wearing looked absolutely stunning. The way it wrapped perfectly around her curves appealed me to jump over her. Only I know how I controlled myself.

Even if we were ready to stay back and enjoy our times, we couldn't. There's a business party tonight, celebrating the onset of new year and I couldn't dare to lose the chance. Many delegates were going to be there and being there meant reputation for our company.

"Are you ready, Shruti?" I asked and saw her smiling through her reflection in the mirror. Her neck was adorned with the necklace I gifted her on the night of her first karva chauth. I knew that necklace was great; for I spent a lot of my time in designing it. But the person who carried it added a special aura to everything.

For, she is special.

"I'm done."

I stepped towards her and slithered my arms around her waist. "You're sure you want to go there? You are menstruating and I don't want you to get exhausted." I asked while looking straight into her eyes through the mirror. Settling all her hairs on a side, I nuzzled my nose in her neck to inhale my favourite fragrance and heard her giggling.

"If not me, who's gonna accompany you?"

"Umm... No-one. I'm indebted to you forever."

"Shall we leave?"

I wanted to stay a little longer.

I nodded my head and clasped her hands with mine. She looked at me with an amused expression and pointed towards our hands. "I'm not a child."

"Neither am I?" I brought our joined hands to the level of her eyes and spoke, "I like it. Shall we leave now?" She smiled and shook her head in yes. Bidding bye to everyone, we left for the party. She sat on the passengers seat whereas I took the lead to drive.

Today was the second day of year. We spent the first day playing video games, watching movies and talking our heart out. No-one had guts to wake early and get out of bed on a chilled day.

"Rishi?"

"Hmm?"

"Remember the day you beared torch on sports day?" She asked and I nodded while looking ahead on the road. It wasn't safe to move my gaze from the way during driving. "You-"

"I know I didn't look great. I was sweating a lot because of the temperature in summers. Especially on that day."

"No, you looked good." I turned my head towards her for a millisecond and my eyebrows raised high up in amusement. "What do you expect me to say? I liked everything about you. I mean, how could I find a fault in you? You were near to perfect for me."

Smoothly pressing brakes after reaching the venue, I sighed when the car came to rest. I unbuckled my seatbelt and turned to her. "And now? Don't you feel the same now?"

Her lips went up in a teasing smile as she unbuckled her belt. "Things change with time." Before I could talk back to her she opened the door of her side and ran out. I stepped out and walked behind her, not before locking the car.

I ran out of the parking area and halted in my steps when cameras came in my view. Not this thing! When I came here a year ago, the same thing happened. Cameras are irritating, but only until we walk in the venue.

Shruti who stood just a few steps away from me looked in my direction and rushed back to me. She tangled her arms with mine before we could walk ahead. "You never told me media was covering this."

"I thought you knew."

"The only parties I've attended are the ones of our law firm. You know I've never been to parties of filthy rich diamond smugglers."

"Smuggler? Our company works with licence and we pay heavy import duties on the diamonds we buy." I spoke and forced a smile when I saw we were in the limelight. My personal relationships were something else and my love for my work was something else.

"I'm just joking. No need to take it seriously." I sighed as we walked in the party.

Finally free from cameras!

"Rishabh?"

"Hmm?"

"You would've been to such parties earlier, right?" She pulled my arms in her grip while looking around and I hummed. "With whom?" I chuckled at her words.

"You were not there with me. What could I do? So, I had to be alone."

"I'll come straight to the point. Did someone try to hit on you? And, is it going to happen today too?"

Someone is getting jealous.

"Well, I'm not going to lie. It did happen sometimes..." I said and turned towards her, only to find frown lines appearing on her head. "And I shooed all of them away. There's no need for you to worry."

"It better be."

I laughed when I heard her groan. She's twenty-eight but acts as stubborn as a five-year old. But now, I couldn't do anything. We're already married and there's no way I could reverse it. Or should I say, I don't want to change anything.

Talking about women hitting on me, I remember it did happen a few times. But I was way faster than them to excuse myself. Honestly, I hate clingy and creepy people, especially the ones who're stranger to me but don't act like one.

Most of our time was spent in conversing to other guests. Okay, it was me who talked whereas she rested her head against my arm, clinging on me as if I was her lifeline. I wasn't going to complain. She was menstruating and I'd let her do whatever she wanted. She did speak a bit, but only when the other party asked her about something.

"Hey Shruti! Nice to meet you." My brows raised high up when I heard a male voice calling my wife. I felt Shruti's head going away from me and turned to see who the person was. As soon as my gaze fell at him, the nerves in my mind worked upon to remember who he was. I knew he was someone known but my memory wasn't with me tonight.

"Varchasv bhaiya?"

"You're..."

"Rishabh. Rishabh Randhawa. I was the vice captain of our school's volleyball team, remember me?" I asked and he shook his head slowly and then vigorously. He was the captain of our volleyball team when I was in ninth grade and he was in tenth. He changed schools after his boards and I was promoted to his position. I never knew where he went and the curiosity always killed me.

"Woah! You grew up too tall." He gasped as he gazed me from head to toe. Well, it was true. My height increased a lot after the age of fifteen, the last time he saw me. He was way too taller than me and I barely reached his shoulders then.

He took steps ahead and wrapped his arms around me, hugging the life out of me. Shruti who was by the time stuck to me stepped a feet far from us. I patted his back a time or two before breaking the hug.

"Congratulations. I never knew Shruti married you." He said and I looked at Shruti. She knew him too? "If I knew you were her boyfriend, I would've surely tried to solve the matter from my side. I mean, the least I could do was talking to her parents to make things easier for you both. I understand, it took you a long time to convince your parents for the marriage. But, as we say, all's well that ends well."

What boyfriend?

What convincing?

Someone called him out of the crowd and he rolled his eyes. "I'll get going. It's urgent." I nodded and he left, disappearing in the dense crowd. I turned towards Shruti and she looked everywhere but me.

"Shruti-"

"Let's go to eat." She held my hand and I nodded. Let's wait till she's ready to speak to me about him. We had our dinner and excused to respective washrooms. After using the toilet, I quickly washed my hands and walked out.

Lights dimmed, music started and people danced with their partners. I knew I had to take the chance to ask Shruti for a dance. I waited in front of the ladies washroom, leaning on the adjacent wall. When I saw my woman emerging out, the first thing I did was holding her hands.

"What's the mat-"

"May I have a dance with you, my lady?"

She chuckled at my choice of words and shook her head. I took her to the place where other couples were, grooving together on the music. Her arms went around my neck and I placed my hands on her waist, pulling her closer.

"Do you want to say something?" I asked and she nodded in no. My fingers escaped beneath her saree to feel her bare waist. No matter how many times, it still feels same electrifying yet comfortable as the first day. As soon as my skin touched hers, she stiffened. "You're sure?"

"Okay, I'll tell you. But, promise me you won't judge me."

"Did I ever judge you?"

"No... But..."

"Shruti, you can tell me." I spoke in a stern voice and she nodded.

"I met that man, whom you met a few minutes ago, on a blind date. He was the sixteenth man my parents set me up with." She spoke and my eyes literally came out of their sockets.

Sixteenth man?

"On what position do I come?"

"But we didn't meet on a blind date. It was a family meet."

"I know but-"

"Before meeting you, I've been on seventeen dates. Don't worry, none of them went successful."

Thank God!

"Oh." I sighed. Was I jealous? No. She was all mine and will always be. No one could change the truth and part us away. But I did feel a little bad when I came to know that other men had chances to be with her. "Shruti, why did he call me your boyfriend? I mean, we didn't even know each other properly before our wedding."

"What should I say? I didn't want to marry him. Not that he's a bad person but I wasn't ready for such a big responsibility. So, I told him that I had a boyfriend whom I loved a lot and my parents were against my marriage with my imaginary boyfriend. He being a responsible citizen gave a smooth no from his side. When he saw you today, he thought that you are that boyfriend of mine."

"You literally used this trick all the time?"

"Don't laugh at me for what I'm going to tell you. Okay?" I nodded and she started, "First was this trick, the boyfriend one. Second one was acting lame. I mean, they always had a no after I told them my made up stories, just like this man, Shlok Shah."

"Shlok? Who Shlok?"

"The man whom you hugged a few minutes ago."

"His name is Varchasv Shah."

"What! Don't lie. By any chance, does he have a twin?"

"No, he doesn't."

"Strange. I mean, when we met, he told me his name was Shlok Shah. Well, leave it! Let's not talk about him now. Anything you want to say?"

"Yes. Shall I ask why you didn't use the same trick of yours when you met me?"

"Let's say, I didn't want to let you go. How could I leave the chance to marry you?" She asked and I raised my brows high up. Was she the same Shruti who was too shy to talk to me in the first week of our marriage? "Just kidding. I was overwhelmed after seeing you at my home and couldn't say no. Rest you know."

"Hmm." I let out a sigh of relief and smiled as she stepped close to me, her chest touching mine and our head a few centimetres away, owing to our height difference.

✨

"Rishabh, be quiet!" Shruti yelled as she unbuckled my seatbelt. "Listen to me. You won't make any sound when we walk inside our home. Understood?"

"Understood. Shall we go in?" I asked and she nodded. She thought I was drunk. I mean, I was, but not too drunk to understand what she says.

When the party was on the verge of ending, everyone raised a toast and I couldn't go back on it. Hence it happened and ended with Shruti scolding me. She was the one who drove us back.

She unlocked the main door and dragged me inside, strictly ordering me not to make an noise. She took it as her moral responsibility to hide me from the eyes of ma. Everyone knows how much she hates alcohol.

"Rishi and Shruti." We halted in our steps as we heard papa's voice. "I came here to have some water and it's good that I did. I know you're adults but drinking is not allowed here, in this house."

"Papa, actually-" Shruti started to speak and I cut her off.

"She's not at fault. It's me who drank. Papa, trust me, I took just a sip." I said and walked towards him, "Just a few sips..." I heard them shouting as I was about to fall down. Shruti held me tight and helped me stand straight.

Trust me, it wasn't because of the alcohol in my system.

I slipped because of the low grip between carpet and my shoes.

"Rishi, I can see how many sips you had. I don't have any problem with it, but we can't let your mother know. Go straight to your room and don't come out until you're over it. Shruti, watch him. If Meera sees him, she would surely be angry." He said to us before walking back to his room.

Shruti looked at me and sighed. "Let's go." She held my arm tightly and her other arm went around my back.

"I can walk."

"I saw it, just now." She scolded and I nodded, just as a student is scared of his teacher. After ascending the never ending stairs, she opened the door of our room and helped me sit on the couch. "Sit here. I'll be right back." She ordered me before walking out, probably hiding from me.

When I felt my patience slipping, I took my tux off and walked out of the room. When I couldn't see her on the same floor, I walked down and went to the kitchen.

And, there she was!

Her back was turned to me as she stirred something in glass with a spoon which made a lot of sound. I could clearly trace her curves over the saree she wore. Her clothes barely hid anything from my eyes and made me hard for her. I had seen her naked, many times, and still crave to feel her which I'm sure would never end.

God!

Why is it so hard to control myself?

I knew she was on her periods but me being a pervert for her always acts the same!

Before she could sense me, I walked behind her without making any noise and slithered my arms around her waist. My hands rested safely over her belly and I kept my chin on her neck. "Rishabh, what are you doing here?!"

"What are you doing here? You left me alone in the room."

"I was preparing this for you." She pointed towards the glass, "What if ma sees you in this state? Drink this quickly and let's go back to our room." Removing my arms from her, she handed me the glass and asked me to drink it.

"Make me drink." She rolled her eyes at my demand and made the glass touch my lower lip. In a moment, the sour drink was over my throat.

Keeping the glass in the sink, she turned to me and I was quick enough in sandwiching her between me and the slab. I knew my greed for her was never going to be over, atleast not in this life. So I did the only thing my mind was telling me to. I placed a chaste kiss on her lips and felt her hands on my chest, trying to push me back.

"Rishi! We're in the kitchen..." I knew what her main concern was. Picking her up in my arms, I walked out of the kitchen and went on the way to stairs. "Rishabh, let me down! You'll drop me." I knew she doubted me of drinking too much which I actually didn't.

I had to clear her doubts and prove myself!

Carrying her safely to our room, in which she kept scolding me the whole way, I dropped her on the bed and sat beside her.

"Do you trust me now?" She narrowed her eyes at my question and stood up from the bed. Before she could leave, I held hands and pulled her on my lap. Nuzzling my nose in her neck, I inhaled her fragrance and sighed. It made me calm and relaxed. "I love you Shruti. I really do."

"I know."

"I am in love with you, Shruti Rishabh Randhawa!"

"I know." She smiled and crossed her fingers through my hairs, ruffling them every now and then. She leaned her head towards me and placed her lips on mine.

She reads my mind too well!

I pulled her closer and wrapped my arms around her as she slipped her tongue in my mouth. I love her and I love those silly touches of hers.

My mouth travelled down to her jaw as I placed wet kisses on her skin, earning a low moan from her. I loved that sound and wanted more of it. Peppering kisses down her throat, I heard more of my favourite voice and grinded myself on her.

As my lips reached her chest, she pulled my head up and looked into my eyes. "Rishi, I'm on my periods."

"I know."

"Shall we stop?"

"No."

"Rishi?"

"I want to do this."

"But Rishi-"

"I promise, no sex tonight." I said and she raised her brows. "I know, sex is an important part of every marriage. But I also know that it should not be the only necessary part in our relationship. I love our talks, I love our sweet bickering, I love our fights, I love our love making, I love our sex. I love everything about you, about us."

I wanted to speak more but she stopped me by placing her fingertip on my lip. I am well aware of the fact that either I say nothing or open my heart out. The latter makes me speak a lot which could sometimes hurt others.

I hope I didn't say something wrong.

She placed her lips on my forehead and I took a sigh of relief. Wrapping my arms around her tightly, I rested my head against her breasts and closed my eyes. Her fingertips went through my locks and caressed my scalp just the way I needed.