Cherished Wounds#2 NOTE Pg 66 - Page 18

That was a beautiful chapter! Loved reading it! Thank you for the PM! :)

Thanks for PM

*Scowls*

But yes, I do love you.

The words sprouted in her mind like rare wildflowers would in the recesses of a desert. Their significance sunk in slowly, flooding her senses like waves of thunderous rain, refreshing her soul, giving a new meaning to her very existence. Khushi looked at him, he seemed to be looking somewhere behind her, eyes lost in deep thought. She didn't disturb him, but just scrutinized his face. She watched how the faint streams of light played over his hair. She memorized how they fell over his face, a little over his eyebrows, at times hiding the slight, but permanent frown on his forehead. Khushi wanted to put her fingers over his neck, listen to his pulse, and remember their rhythm forever. She wanted to place her face against his chest and never get up. But would that day, the peace ever bestow their presence over them?

---

"Anjali..." Arnav breathed out a sigh, before continuing, his voice reflecting over the past.

"She fell in love, or so she called it then, with a poor excuse of a man. One month into their marriage and he sold her off to Sajjid...you remember...?" He asked hesitantly, looking behind him, where Khushi stood, her hand placed on her shoulder.

"I do...and Arnav, you don't have to tell me, its okay." Khushi murmured, feeling helpless looking at the tormented look clouding his face.

"No, I need to tell...I told her, you know, Anjali, told her to not marry him. She didn't listen. And I never knew what happened with Sajjid, because she somehow escaped him, and vanished. Vanished from Kashmir, from Jammu all together."

Khushi took in the slight glistening around the edges of his eyes. She wanted to stop him, be his face seemed to be unrelenting.

"I looked for her for months, you know Khushi...I never gave up. But then he...father, he told me to give up and stop looking for her. He told me that if she wanted to come back she would on her own. Amma, she passed away a month after Anjali's act. And since then it's been me and him. You know Khushi...I don't know what I'd do without him. He's the most ...most important part of my life." The distressed look hovering over his face passed, and a sudden adoration, immense love took over.

"And now that Anjali is back?" Khushi's voice cut through sharply, but she didn't hesitate, not for a second.

"She says she wants to stay...so she will." Arnav stated, not a shred of emotion in his eyes, betraying nothing to Khushi, who simply held his hand in hers, thoughts of what the future held for them, for him, for her, storming her mind.

---

They both stood against the line of the tiny windows, carved beautifully over the wooden walls of the shikara, breathing in the chilly air that played with their hair, washing over their faces every now and then. The overwhelming vanilla scent of the wisterias hung in the air, intermingling with strong smell of cocoa.

Khushi was wallowing in the sensation of his rugged skin against her hand, etching in her mind that unusual warmth only his hands, his touch could provide. Another burst of wind tickled her senses, and she couldn't stop herself from asking.

"Say it again," Khushi's voice came in a bout of whispers, only for his ears.

"Say what...?" Arnav mumbled against her hair, as she lifted up her chin, letting her hazel eyes bore into his.

"You know what..." Khushi murmured, lowering her gaze, a shy smile tugging her lips, as her fingers played with the lapels of his shirt. She was rewarded amply by his throaty chuckle and that crooked smile, the handsome lift of an eyebrow.

"You are unbelievable Khushi," Arnav whispered fondly, as his fingers combed through her hair. His face bent down, as a hand tilted her face up, and his lips lowered to her eyes. And almost in a rehearsed choreography, her eyes closed, the second his lips touched the flaxen skin, planting a lingering kiss. "I love you Khushi," a fervent whisper, seconds before another kiss was placed over her temple, sliding down to the other eye, as he spoke, yet again. "I love you more than you'll ever know, more than I can ever tell." Half of his words were gone unheard, yet registering somewhere at the back of her mind, as she felt incredibly light, her senses slowly spiralling out of her control. His lips glided down the slope of her neck, leaving in its wake a trail of his lingering musk, as his impatient fingers tried to slide down the edge of her kurta off her shoulders, but failing nonetheless. A subtle grunt and his hands brushed over her chest, before promptly placing a palm over her breast, as his thumb drew feverish circular patterns over the lush softness. He felt her shudder, squirm against him, and another hand went around the back of her neck, holding her still. "Open your eyes Khushi...I'll miss you when you're gone, I will..." Arnav mumbled, looking into her eyes, as a few tears threatened to escape. And suddenly, his hands enveloped her, pulling her into a tight embrace. "I don't know what I'll do without you..." His words played in her mind like the notes of the first plucked strings of the violin, and yet the words she wanted to hear did not come. She wanted him to ask her not to go, she wanted him to lock her up and make her stay with him forever. And probably Khushi would have stayed, had he said one word. But Arnav didn't.

Instead his mouth descended over hers, entering swiftly through the slight parting of her quivering lips, drinking in her fears and pouring in his promises, his love. His teeth grazed her jawline, tasting her skin, and as her fingers came up to touch his face, they were promptly enclosed by his lips, as they glided down each contour of her hand, memorizing every detail. He left her hands reluctantly, as her fingers ran through his hair, with his lips diving down her neck, resting somewhere down the valley of her breasts, trying to tug the neckline of her kurta as low as his mouth and fingers could possibly. Khushi felt her insides clenching up slowly, a white flame seared through her veins, as she felt the erotic strokes of his tongue over the lush swell of her bosom. He stilled suddenly, backing a few steps away from her. His eyes summoned her to look up at him and eventually, she did. Then his raspy voice breathed out a few primeval words.

"Take that off Khushi," Arnav whispered, loud enough for her to hear and acknowledge the meaning, as her eyes shot up to his, spitting out surprise. He calmly unbuttoned his shirt, as it fell off his shoulders, landing somewhere near her feet. His eyes roved over her chest, directing her hands to move up and take that wisp of cotton off her body. She didn't listen.

Arnav went forward, standing a breath away from her, as his fingers clutched the hem of her kurta, slowly sliding it above her neck, as his nails skimmed her over her arms, earning him a fleeting gasp as the silent click of her brassiere opening, resounded through her mind. His palm glided over her back, shrugging of the pale peach straps, letting them fall over his shirt. Khushi turned away from him immediately, her eyes fluttering with hesitation, as he came closer, irritated by the sudden distance. "Let me see you Khushi..." His hoarse murmur flitted through her heart, as a hand came around her chest, swiftly palming the cinnamon peaks, his voice still not stopping. "...maybe for the last time," A firm slap landed on his face seconds later, as Khushi turned around, seething fury clouding her eyes, "...don't ever say that again." And the slight sting on his cheek was lovingly soothed out by the ministrations of her lips, showering his face with ephemeral kisses. Arnav was a little stunned, slowly giving rise to anger. But the only thought overshadowing every other emotion, was that she would be leaving in a few hours and for all he knew, this could be the very last time, the very last moments he would have with her. And hence, with wasting a second more, his mouth descended over her chest, as his lips engulfed a peak, and a sudden rhythm of fervent moans reverberated through the walls of the houseboat. Khushi felt the a fairly audible throbbing against her ribs, as her nails created crescent patterns over the bronze skin of his back. And suddenly, she threw her head back, letting out a guttural gasp, revelling in the sudden intrusion of a finger swiftly entering her core. His lips claimed hers, trying to distract her from his languid strokes over her burning centre, but failing beautifully, yet slowly building up a veering pressure. A sudden explosion of liquid heat ventured between her thighs as she acknowledged a gentle thrust, slowly picking up rhythm, ascending to newer heights as both their senses reeled into ecstasy.

Khushi snuggled closer into the confines of his chest, listening to his hammering heartbeats, that slowly after a few long minutes left in their wake a beautiful pattern, a solitary melody, she would cherish for years to come.

---

*Edited

So you decided that because Rae is in such a romantic mood, let us make her swoon and sigh and cry? Really now?

That was amazingly exquisite, Sona.

From the start to the end - it was just overwhelmingly beautiful!

And the little things you push in italics, they make me just hold on even tighter to these precious moments!

The way Arnav told her about Anjali, lightened his heart of the load it had been carrying for so long because he could do so with her, having finally admitted to himself that his heart was hers...sigh. And her need to hear him say those three words to her again and him complying with a smile...wow.

And the slap! WOAH! That was so amazingly put! Of course she would get angry at how he talks but I am glad you didnt brush over it with an overly glossy brush but said that though Arnav felt angry, he knew why she had done what she had and realized his priorities and fear and decided to keep them to himself but not discard them like she is trying to because they are very much there...amazing, Sona.

A part of me is hoping Arnav will stop her because one word from him will be enough but for a man who values his work so much, I dont know if he will ask her to undermine her work...though I hope he does because this is a matter of love...call me selfish but what to do?

I felt so incredibly in love but with a hint of tears in my eyes at the end of this chapter...

Edited:

Sorry, was out when I reserved the spot, but got back late so couldnt comment on time.

This was an update so high on emotions, passionate ones and touching ones. They want to take as much of each other as they can, because they know they dont have enough time with each other, so for them these are the few moments of bliss...Their kisses, their looks for each others, their fervent touches, their tender emotions reflected in the passion filled moments, everything shows how much they crave for each other, and makes me wonder, what will the future hold for them. So beautiful but so painful.

Arnav sharing with her, Anjali's truth and his painful past was really touching.

The best part was, when Arnav pleaded to look at her body, and he continues for the last time, and she slapped him. Just so beautiful, a slap, but so beautifully blended with the scene that it seems the most apt thing to do. Such a slow passionate moment that will last forever in their minds. I am scared of the future that these lovers have to embark.

I am looking forward to reading how the separation (if there is) will affect their relationship.

Please update soon ...Pretty Please!!!

Thanks for the PM