Chapter 23

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23

"I love you, Arnav!"

She could not have possibly said that. He must have heard it wrong.

Arnav Singh Raizada had heard those exact three words, mostly followed by "ASR", many times from the lips of many a woman. Every time his reaction was the same. An inherent indifference. No matter if he still liked being with that woman or not, those three words never moved anything inside him. He never replied. And there were even times, when he in fact had to decide to move on from the relationship once the woman uttered those three words. For the sake of greater good.

But there was a first time for everything.

So this was the first time, that the world of Arnav Singh Raizada suddenly lost its balance for a while as the woman standing in front of him said those three words most spontaneously – no batting eyelashes, no hand on his shoulders, no trace of seduction.

"I love you, Arnav!"

Did she mean it?

Even she did not know if she meant it.

Khushi Kumari Gupta had been stunned by herself quite a few times. But nothing that could beat what she said a while ago. Did she just say that on his face?

"I love you, Arnav!"

What the hell was she thinking?! How could she say something like that? She said that as if she was saying, "I love you, Jiji" to her sister. It was Arnav. Arnav Singh Raizada. How could she be so callous around him?

Khushi could clearly see Arnav's lips slightly part in awe. His eyes clearly showcased his state of confusion .. and perhaps, shock. Khushi felt like banging herself in the head. It was probably better to hit him on the head by a rolling pin than saying something like that.

But Khushi Kumari Gupta had not learnt to back off. As always, her extraordinary wit came to salvage the situation. As soon as she noticed the expression on Arnav's face, she wiped off any trace of uneasiness from her face and stepped ahead confidently till she reached Arnav.

Arnav was still looking down at her – with his eyes trying to understand what her eyes held – when Khushi suddenly pulled his cheek.

"You are such a baby, Arnav," she said smiling as bright as the sun.

"Awww," she continued gaining a little bit more confidence noticing Arnav's baffled face, "Who would not love such a baby?"

Arnav was a bit taken aback by Khushi's gesture. So she was just .. pampering him? But didn't she seem to have halted for a few seconds after she said those three words? Or did he misread her? He was not sure why his heartbeat went erratic but he decided to go with the flow. She could not possibly have meant that. No woman can say those three words and mean it too, in such relaxed manner.

In an attempt to regain his balance, Arnav quickly held her hand that was still lingering on his cheek. He stared into her eyes and slightly leaned towards her.

"I am not a baby!"

He watched as Khushi's smile faltered and he let her hand go. He gave her a half-smile.

"But I do love it when you call me that .."

Flush crept up Khushi's cheeks immediately even though the tension remained.

"I think we should go downstairs now?"

Khushi nodded her head and started walking towards the door with Arnav by her side. Did she fail to convince him? Why didn't he sound very convinced? She did not mean that! She could not mean that.

"Why doesn't he understand..." Khushi murmured as she glanced sideways at Arnav, "I said it .. just like that."

"Why would she say that or mean that..." Arnav too murmured, "Why do I have to be so skeptic always?"

The afternoon at the Raizada Mansion passed pleasantly as the ladies chatted non-stop over Samosas & Tea. Arnav sat in a corner sipping his black coffee and tapping his BlackBerry while trying to understand once in a while what the ladies were so ecstatic about. The restlessness did not leave him; yet he could not but smile as the ladies giggled like children. He did not miss the stealing glances Khushi passed at him. She averted her gaze every time their eyes met.

"Arnav Singh Raizada," Khushi murmured as she munched on the third samosa, half-listening to Manorama Maami's eulogy of her son, "Does he have to stare like that? What if Anjali ji or Naniji sees?"

Well, Khushi's concern was for real because the two ladies in question, indeed noticed how these two were playing games with their eyes. They were having a hard time trying not to gape. They had never seen this side of Arnav before. It was so unlike him.. to sit with them for so long over tea, practically doing nothing. And his eyes hardly moved from Khushi. Manorama did not notice any of these and was busy portraying Akash as the best "man" ever born on earth while the other two ladies could not but start dreaming of what to wear for Chotey's Shaadi.

After almost an hour, Arnav decided to butt in. It did not seem like the ladies would ever stop. They have had Khushi's company enough for one day while he was practically starving for it.

"Khushi, shall we start now?"

Khushi eyed the clock immediately but before she could reply, all the Raizada ladies started talking together.

"Nahiii! Yeh Akash bitwa abhi tak kyun nahi aaya .."

"Tumhe jaana hai to tum jao na, Chotey .."

"Chotey! Aap jaaiye aur apne office ka kaam kijiye .."

A baffled and gaping Arnav tried to make out what was going on, while Khushi kept trying to stop the ladies and say something. However, none of them seemed willing to stop at all. They had no intention to let Khushi go so soon.

"Enough," finally Arnav barked. They were impossible!

"Will you please let Khushi speak?"

Khushi, in reply, glared at Arnav first and then apologetically looked at the ladies.

"Nani ji, Anjali ji, Maami ji. I really should go now. Mujhe packing bhi karni hai. Please don't mind."

"Lekin bitiya," Nani did not seem very happy with her leaving so soon. "It is only 5. Have dinner with us and then you can leave. Chotey will drop you."

"Nahi, Nani ji. Really, I should go now. Also I have to settle things in the hotel .."

"Not fair, Khushi ji," Anjali pouted, "We just started having fun."

"I will come again soon, Anjali ji," Khushi held Anjali's hands, "I promise. And I will call you too."

"Why is Akash bitwa still not home??" was all a devastated Maami managed to say.

Arnav watched the Raizada ladies hugging Khushi and bidding her good bye. The slight smile on his face could hardly match the warmth spreading through his heart. How well Khushi had bonded with his family just in half a day! It seemed like a part of their family was going away.

All this seemed so right. So real. Why couldn't it be real?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Arnav watched Khushi almost running to the Koi Fish pond as they entered his apartment.

"Pagal," he smiled as he carried her luggage to the guest room. He was rather surprised that he did not really have to request Khushi to stay in the apartment.

"Let's go to your apartment. Dinner on me tonight!"

Why was she so unpredictable? Wasn't she supposed to rebuff the suggestion and he to convince her to stay in the apartment instead of the hotel? Women!

By the time Arnav freshened up and got into the comfort of a pair of black shorts and grey cotton t-shirt, Khushi was already perfectly settled in the kitchen. He found her kneading dough, humming to some song that sounded very familiar to him. Her dupatta ran across her torso and was tied above her left hip. Her long locks were punched into a messy bun over her head. She kept moving aside the loose bangs using the back of her forearm as they kept messing with her eyes.

It suddenly came to Arnav. The song. The dance.

"Tumhi dekho naa yeh kya ho gaya

Tumhara hoon main aur tum meri.."

Wasn't that the song they danced to? The dance suddenly became alive in Arnav's mind as he could see them dancing lost into each other .

They swirled, they merged, they smelled, they fondled … not for once withdrawing from each other, they made love right then, right there.

Arnav could feel the goosebumps across his body as he could almost hear the song playing.

The same woman who transported him into a different world as they danced in unison last night, was right now standing in his kitchen making him dinner.

A strange mix of emotions engulfed Arnav's total being – affection, care, respect .. attraction .. desire ..

Arnav did not realize when his legs took him silently right behind her. She was so engrossed in the dough that she did not even realize how near Arnav was. Arnav could clearly feel the shiver running through her body as he slid his both hands across her waist. He stood with his hands resting on her stomach and his face buried into her neck.

"Why didn't you change first," he whispered smelling her deeply from her neck.

Khushi's body had frozen the moment she had felt his hands on her sides. She tried to keep kneading the dough with her shaking hands but the warm breath on her neck made her lose control. She could feel him nuzzle .. his lips brushing against her skin in between.

"Arnav .."

"Why did you stop singing?"

"Arrnav .."

"Hmm .."

"D-do you want to have dinner or not?"

"Do you really think I am that bothered about dinner right now?"

"I .. I am hungry."

"To khao na."

"I have to cook first .."

"Who's stopping you?"

Khushi started to feel dizzy as Arnav kept leaving butterfly kisses on her bare nape. His husky murmurs were not helping her at all.

"Arnav .."

"Hmm .."

"I .. I cannot concentrate .. please .."

"Get used to it. In this kitchen, you will always have to cook like this."

Neither bothered to question why she would need to cook in this kitchen again .. let alone always.

Khushi could feel Arnav's teeth on the back zipper of her kameez. He started to pull the zipper down slowly using his teeth while brushing his lips on her exposed skin tantalizingly. At the same time, his hands left her waist and approached her hands inside the dough.

"Let me help you .."

His soft murmur made Khushi weak in her knees. But just when she realized Arnav was about to dig his hands into the dough, she jerked and pushed him aside.

"Nooo."

"What ..?"

"Don't touch the dough."

"Kyun?"

"Aap .. aap haath dho kar aaiye."

"My hands are clean, Khushi."

"Phir bhi. Jaaiye naa."

"I am not going anywhere."

"Toh mat jaaiye naa. Keep standing here like a pillar and let me cook."

Khushi quickly turned and went back to kneading the dough hoping Arnav would go away. But only after a few seconds, she again felt his touch on her back. Her body stiffened as she felt his finger drawing zigzag on her bare back.

"I am bored."

But his voice did not sound bored. Khushi swallowed anticipating what he might be after now.

"You go and work, naa. I will call you when I am done."

"If I had to work, why would I be here?"

"Then do something else. Watch news .. read something .. Water your plants .."

"Mmm. No. I have a better idea."

Oh no! Khushi swallowed again. His ideas of fun were as deadly as his business ideas. He knew his gains better than anything else.

"What kind of idea?"

"Let's play a game."

"Game?"

"Yeah. A simple one. I will write something on your back. And you will have to guess what it is."

"Huh? What kind of game is this?"

"A very interesting kind. Unless you want me to think of something else .."

Something else? Of course not. This one sounded rather safe. No point taking risk.

"Accha theek hai. Start then."

Khushi did not see Arnav smirk and felt his finger just below her neck few seconds later.

"Wait. Wait."

"What?"

"Tell me the rules, first!"

"What rules?"

"Are you writing vertically or horizontally? Hindi or English? Straight or Cursive?"

Arnav stifled a laugh. This girl was impossible! Was she serious?

"English. Straight. Vertical or Horizontal. Any way I like. Ok?"

"Accha. Start."

Khushi tried to concentrate on her back as Arnav used his index finger to write something. Although she was anticipating his touch, yet she could not help the tingling feeling right down to her very core as his finger touched her bare back. She lost herself for a second and forgot she was up for a game. The king of Distractions!

"So tell me. What have I written?"

"Please, write again, naa."

"Nope."

"Please! Aur ek chance. You were too quick."

"Okay. Only this time."

Arnav wrote again a little slowly and Khushi's face broke into a smile.

"You wrote Khushi."

"That was easy, huh?"

"Haan. And anyways, I always win."

"Accha? Okayy... Dekhte hain."

Arnav started writing on her back again slowly. Khushi shuddered as his finger dipped into her skin but she tried not to lose her focus this time. She would not lose – no matter how much Arnav tried to distract her.

But this time it was not easy.

"So Khushi, what was it?"

"Mmm .. mmm …"

"Tell me."

"Mmm .. you wrote in English? Pakka?"

"I don't cheat."

"Mmm … Ok … mmm .. COAT?"

"That was close. But no. I wrote COITUS."

"Huh?? What's that?"

Arnav used his best ever serious voice to give an answer. It was not easy when his brain was signaling him to do exactly the opposite.

"COITUS. Life has no meaning without it. C.O.I.T.U.S. Google it."

Arnav could not but grin imagining Khushi's reaction when she would actually find the meaning out. If she would blush or chase to kill him, he could not conclude.

"Huh? What kind of word is that?"

The devil did not leave Arnav yet.

"A very important kind. I can actually give you a practical demo! Right now.. if you insist."

"What?"

Arnav suppressed the spasm of laughter with much difficulty, not willing to end the fun so soon. It was time to get serious again!

"Never mind. Focus. Next word."

Khushi missed the third & fourth word too.

"You are cheating!"

"No, I am not. You are losing."

"You are intentionally writing difficult words."

"Yesss. Isn't that what I should do? Especially when you always win!"

"Arrgh. I will get it this time."

Arnav smirked.

"Ok! Let me do one thing. I will write down very slowly this time. And I will write something you definitely know. So if you get it, you win. Ok?"

"Fine!"

"And if you lose, you will have to do anything I say."

"And if I win?"

"I will do anything you say."

"Good."

Khushi concentrated fully on her back not at all wanting to lose by any means. Her hands had stopped kneading though still inside the already well-done dough.

But Arnav did not write anything. Instead, he started slowly pulling down the zipper even more.

Khushi jerked.

"What are you doing?"

"It is a long one. I need space."

Khushi swallowed as she started to feel the air touching her skin below the satin wings.

"You can write over the clothes, Arnav."

She tried hard to sound calm but her voice gave away. Arnav smirked inwardly.

The real game had just begun.

"Uhh. I play fair. Skin only and all through."

Khushi swallowed again. Arnav Singh Raizada! She should have understood. She felt the zipper went down to the small of her back till it could not be pulled down anymore. Arnav's thumb was pressed against her skin all the time and touched every inch of her skin the moment it was exposed. This man surely knew his game.

"This .. is how you play fair?"

"All is fair .. Khushi. Jaanti ho na?"

Arnav pressed his knuckles on her skin where the zipper ended. Khushi's breathing hitched as he slowly started to push his knuckle up brushing her skin teasingly. Arnav could feel her shiver and could not control himself from messing with her a little more. He brought his face near his knuckles and started to blow air on the skin as his knuckles left the spot.

Khushi shuddered.

"What are you doing?"

"Clearing the area," he gulped as he pushed open the hooks of the satin wings without giving her any chance to react.. leaving her milky back totally exposed to him.. for him.

Khushi did not dare open her mouth this time, fearing she would not be able to hold her moan.

Arnav Singh Raizada surely knew how to play.

As he reached her nape, Arnav slowly moved his face away. His eyes feasted on her exposed back for seconds before he started to slowly form a letter with his finger on her back. He kept writing letters… one after another taking all the time in the world and stopped only when he reached the end of the zipper.

"Done."

His bold & husky announcement only made Khushi almost forget the word she could so easily make out.

Khushi's voice came out in whispers.

"I know."

"So .. Khushi Kumari Gupta, what did I write?"

"Something you should not have written."

"Why?"

"Because it indeed was the easiest."

"Easier than your own name?"

"Hmmm .."

Arnav leaned on her, murmuring into her ears.

"So?"

Khushi smiled.

"Arnav Singh Raizada. Aapne hum par apna naam likh diya."

Arnav stilled.. trying not to read more than he needed to. But then he smiled.. a soft, pampering smile.

"Likh diya."