Chapter 43

Pearl_Oyster

@Pearl_Oyster

Part 43

Time stood still even after Khushi pulled back.

"Leave behind all past memories"

We have new ones to establish' Khushi continued mentally.

Arnav wanted to say more, talk more but the ringing door-bell declared the end of their private moment.

Things will be different from now on. They both knew.

"I'll go and see. I think Abhay is back" Khushi said and went to open the door.

It was indeed Abhay, smiling mischievously as he entered in.

"How's the friend?" Khushi asked, as they walked towards the seating.

"Friend?" Abhay had totally forgotten the excuse, after the little romantic moment with Anjali.

"She's okay, Khushi" Arnav answered, joining them and Abhay's memory functioned back.

He looked at Arnav with surprise, thinking that the little secret was going to be out. He could only imagine Khushi with her favourite saucepan, ready to bang it on his head for being extra smart and manipulating her into things.

Arnav smirked seeing the direful look on Abhay's face and quite enjoyed it.

"What do you mean she's okay? How do you know?" Khushi asked, turning her attention to Arnav.

"Anjali texted me about it, when we were having our dinner" Arnav replied, giving a witty look to Abhay and the latter sighed in relief, at the same time wondering how did Arnav know about it.

"Oh okay" Khushi said, withdrawing her piped up curiosity.

"I hope she wasn't badly injured, was she Abhay?" Arnav asked and he could swear Abhay was taken aback by the question. He could have never thought Arnav Singh Raizada can play along and it was entertaining to see that look on Abhay's face.

"No, she's much better now" Abhay answered and so wished Arnav wouldn't stretch this anymore. After all him and Anjali had done this for their sake.

"Good to know that. You dropped Anjali?" Arnav further probed.

"Yeah, I did" Abhay obediently replied, looking sideways as he recalled the breath-taking goodnight kiss.

"I hope I am not invisible to you two" Khushi cut in, more to Arnav.

"How can someone this beautiful be invisible to me?" Arnav replied, flirting openly, making Khushi blush.

"I am tired. I'll sleep now" Abhay said getting up, not wanting to play gooseberry between the two.

"But your dinner?" Khushi asked.

"I hope the two would have eaten something. Or did you drop a starving Anjali home?" Arnav butted in, which made Khushi giggle. It was amusing to see Arnav behaving all protective for Anjali.

"No we had our dinner" a romantic candle light dinner' Abhay thought mentally with a dreamy look on his face.

"Okay, nobody wants to eat what I cook" Khushi pouted while Arnav analysed Abhay with narrowed eyes. Somehow, he didn't like that dreamy look on Abhay's face.

"I'll drop him to his room" He said and followed Abhay, who had already left for his room, while Khushi sat with an astonished face. Since when Arnav grew so fond of Abhay?

~~***~~

Abhay got inside his room and sitting on the edge of the bed, started unlacing his shoes, that was when Arnav stepped in his room.

"Take it easy, Abhay" He said, standing before him, crossing his hands against his chest, which muted Abhay's humming.

"What?" He asked getting up and talking as if he understood nothing.

"I am grateful you provided me and Khushi a private moment" Arnav started, walking past Abhay and sitting on the stool lying beside the bed.

"Really?" Abhay asked, recalling how a few minutes back Arnav was hell bent on pulling his leg about the same.

"Yeah. I thank you for that, Abhay. But with Anjali, I'd suggest you to go slow" Arnav said, hinting in an obvious direction.

"As in?" Abhay asked, not getting the line which irritated Arnav.

"I mean don't hang too much around her and...maintain...er...decency" Arnav said, choosing words with difficulty. It was hard for him to play the role of a concerned mother and father for his little sister.

"But I love her man!" Abhay retorted.

"That's the only reason you stand here with all your bones in the right places' Arnav murmured under his breath.

"Say what?" Abhay asked.

"I said, maintain D.E.C.E.N.C.Y. That's all I know" Arnav said and marched off the room leaving a wondering Abhay behind.

~~***~~

"Done with your threatening?" Khushi asked as Arnav walked back to her.

"What? I wasn't thre.." He said, all defensive.

"Oh come on, as if I don't know" Khushi laughed and Arnav admired that. Dressed in his favourite colour she looked irresistible, yet he had to hold back himself.

Collecting the keys from the table, he stood up, checking time in his watch.

"You're leaving now?" Khushi asked, with a hinge of sadness in her voice.

"Not I, we're leaving" He said.

"We? Where?" She instantly asked, ridden with curiosity.

"Long Drive" He replied but she refused stating how it was too late for her to leave the house and that she had an important meeting in her office, the next day.

But Arnav was adamant and she finally gave up.

~~***~~

"This is exciting" Khushi squealed in joy, as the cool breeze gushed in through the window and hit against her face.

The feel was too refreshing for her to contain her excitement.

"Hey, don't, Khushi" Arnav said, as she stretched her arm out of the window feeling the cold air against her palm.

"This is fun" She said.

"and risky too" He added, drawing up the glasses of the window.

"Hey, open it, Arnav" She said, in a child's voice who had just been devoid of his candy.

"I will, if you promise to sit properly" He drawled.

"Properly? What do you mean Mr. Raizada? I am not sitting PROPERLY?" She said with an added shrillness in her voice.

"See now you are misbehaving too" He chuckled earning a 'haww' expression from her.

"Stop the car right NOW! I don't want to go anywhere with you" She demanded, crossing her hands against her chest.

"Are you sure?" Arnav asked, looking around the surroundings. They had crossed the residential area and the place was surrounded with huge trees around either side of the road. The night's silence was adding more eeriness to the place.

"I am sure" She insisted, knowing well he wouldn't let her step out in such a deserted place.

"As you wish" He said wickedly, bending upon her and opening the door on her side.

Khushi's eyes went saucer-size as he surprised her with it.

She looked out of the car through the open door and all she could hear around was screeching of crickets and gushing of wind.

It would be stupid to step out in this chilling windy night her mind stated but she couldn't back out now, could she?

"Forget it, Khushi, close the door and sit inside, properly" Arnav said, enjoying the tease.

"You think I can't step out alone?" She asked, glaring him. He was so pissing her off.

Arnav shrugged his shoulders and that infuriated her further.

"Wait and watch, Mr. Raizada. I am not a porcelain doll and I am not scared" She said, filling her voice with hollow confidence.

"I never said you are scared, Khushi" He replied, now himself getting scared. What if she really steps out? You can never predict the craziness of this girl, he knew that very well.

She gave him a last determined look and extended her one leg out of the SUV, but before she could displace herself from her seat, Arnav caught her by the elbow and said, "Stop it, Khushi. It's too windy out there"

"Oh, so you are now all concerned? Or you don't want me to prove that I can wrong your words? I am going out" She replied and stepped out, closing the door behind her.

"Damn" Arnav said. He had come here to have a good time with her but her stubbornness was ruining it.

"And your stupid little dare?" His mind asked.

No sooner she stepped out in open, a cold wind hit her hard, blowing dust in her eyes and she cried out.

"Khushi?" Arnav watched her rubbing her eyes ferociously and opening the door, ran to her side.

"I told you to stay in, but you were so keen upon proving your Rani Lakshmi Bai genes" He screamed upon her, holding her hand with which she was rubbing her eye.

"So is this my fault?" She screamed back in the silence of the night and Arnav rolled his eyes.

"Now stand still and let me help" He said.

Holding her by her shoulders, he made her stand against the door of the SUV.

"It's hurting, Arnav" She cried in her innocent voice, making a smile reach his face. How he loved this woman.

"Are you going to help or stare at me like a fool?" she said, looking at him with her one eye closed.

"Yeah, wait" He said and opening her eye with his forefinger and thumb, blew in softly.

She stood transfixed as his hot breath fanned her face and her eye. She was becoming and more aware of the proximity between their bodies.

"Is it still hurting?" He asked, blowing again. She shook her head in a no and then he too realised the non-existing distance.

His knees were almost touching hers with their face was inches apart. As they stood in the magical moment, her silky tresses obstructed his view. With his one hand still resting next to her waist on the door of the car, he raised his other hand and tucked her strands behind her ears. The simple touch made her shiver and he could see it.

The air was still windy but it was nothing compared to the maelstrom of emotions running inside their bodies.

"Khushi..I" He said in a soft voice, as if taking her permission to make this moment perfect.

She was too enthralled in the moment to voice out her feelings, so she responded by fluttering her eyelashes.

That was the only gesture for which Arnav had held his breath. Registering her silent concurrence, he leaned in, with his intense gaze locked in her hazel pools.

The moment was too precious for them to haste. Standing in the pacific silence of the night, they had an eternity to them. Irrespective of all the impediments and inhibitions in their lives they were determined to make their love eternal. And this was going to be a small yet insignificant part of that process.

Khushi closed her eyes, her heart racing with the anticipation of what was about to come but it didn't. She slowly opened her eyes to find Arnav gazing her with a passion so intense that it made her scared for a moment. Scared of what would happen to her if she lost him again? As she mused over the consequence of this unbridled passion, Arnav knew what exactly was running in her mind and he needed to put an end to her insecurities.

So he leaned in further and placed his lips on her forehead, filling it with all the protectiveness he felt for her. She closed her eyes to relish the feeling. And then his lips slipped down to her nose, kissing it tenderly. Her heart was fluttering once again. It was like she could feel several butterflies dancing inside her, their soft wings ticking her within.

Without stopping, Arnav let his lips slide sideways and he kissed her cheeks, first and then the other. By now, Khushi's breaths were heavy, and she had clutched upon the ends of his tee, almost pulling them down.

After a fleeting second's wait, he placed his lips on her quivering ones, numbing her thoughts and insecurities. The kiss was full of his love, and he made sure he portrayed it in the most beautiful manner. Taking in her lips, he sucked upon them, which made Khushi's hand travel up his body, burning his skin under her touch and reaching his hair.

As for his own hands, he moved them in her hair, caressing the silkiness of it.

Their lips moved in sync with their feelings, each time Arnav would feel a new surge of love rising from his heart; he would kiss her more fervently.

The lack of air in their lungs made Arnav withdraw his lips from hers and he started placing open-mouthed kisses on the exposed area of her neck.

Khushi whimpered at the feeling and clutched his hair harder.

"Ouch" Arnav said and pulled back, making Khushi roll her eyes.

"Were you planning to pull out my hair?" He asked, rubbing his hair with one hand.

"You deserved it" She laughed, feeling rejuvenated.

"For kissing you?" He asked.

"No, for forcing me to step out of the car. I am feeling so cold" She said, shivering.

"Oh, then allow me ma'am" He said dramatically bending before her, and then hugging her all of sudden.

"Even though I am not Jacob Black with 108 degrees body temperature, I think this might help" He said, smirking.

"I hope the car would help more. Let's get in" Khushi said, shoving him away.

"What the? You prefer my SUV over me?" Arnav asked, portraying hurt.

"Of course I do. It never talks stupid. Now please get in, Arnav. I am already late. I am surprised Abhay hasn't called to enquire where I am" Khushi said, opening the door and getting in.

"He must be too occupied with Anjali's thoughts to care about you" Arnav teased her as he started the engine.

"Maybe, he's so in love with Anjali" Khushi said, looking visibly happy for them.

"So he is" Arnav replied and they went upon discussing Abhay-Anjali for the rest of the drive.

It was time for gifting the couple with a surprise, Arnav decided.

He needed to even up things with Abhay. Abhay provided her the time with Khushi, now Arnav Khushi were going to return the gift.

____________________________________

Happy Happy update it was, wasn't it?

So come on and give me some happy happy comments and like ;)

Next chap would be most probably done by Aisha as my 2nd theory paper is scheduled on 3rd and before that I have to do an update of Keep Loving Me, Will You?

P.S.There were a few people wondering that why is Arnav suddenly talking about the past. It's because he wants things to be clear between him and Khushi. They can move on only the past has nothing to hide. So, Arnav decided to let Khushi know about the type of life he spent in California. That's the head and tail of the story. 😉

P.P.S. I am sending PMs to over 250 people and the previous chapter garnered just 118 likes. Please like the updates otherwise I'll have to remove you from the PM list. 😡

Good night ❤️

-Kiran

New Readers DO NOT send me buddy requests until you have dropped a comment on any of my stories.

Pearl_Oyster2013-11-28 11:24:08