Moments (IPKKND Secret Romance #2) (aka Our Moments)

Chapter 11: Khushi

16th December

*****

Aye ajnabi, tu bhi kabhi aawaaz de kahin se, [Hey Stranger, call out to me sometime,]

Main yahan tukdon mein jee raha hoon, [I'm here, living broken-hearted,]

Tu kahin tukdon mein jeen rahi hai. [You're somewhere, living in pieces too.]

*****

Khushi shivered despite the heat blasting from the vents of the car. They'd spent most of this morning in silence, but Arnav-ji broke it now.

"Did you get much sleep?"

She glanced at him. He looked as tired as she felt – their long hours of conversation last night had obviously taken a toll. Khushi nodded when he looked over, wanting to reassure him, but he wasn't fooled.

"Are you alright?"

She fiddled with her dupatta.

"Khushi? Talk to me."

What could she say? He'd made promises yesterday and last night, promises she'd always wanted but hadn't dared to hope for. But Khushi knew that things looked different in the cold light of day, and feared that his decision had changed in the hours between their goodbyes on the phone and his knock on her door.

What if he doesn't want to get married? What will I do without him?

"Are you upset over yesterday? Do you ... regret it?"

His questions threatened to weaken her.

Did she regret yesterday? No. She couldn't bring herself to regret any moment she'd shared with him.

. . . . . . .

Yesterday, Khushi had made her way into his bedroom with her usual excuse of bringing him tea, intending to talk to him about Babu-ji's appointment next week. Arnav-ji had taken one look at her and admonished her for not wearing a shawl or cardigan to keep warm. Before she'd known what was happening, he'd wrapped her in his jacket. Her eyes had closed at the sensation, his scent enveloping her and his warmth slowly soaking into her. Lost in him, in the feeling of being wrapped in his arms, she'd mumbled something – she didn't know what – and her eyes had snapped open when she heard him move.

The heat that had flared in Arnav-ji's eyes had both scared and thrilled her. Khushi, watching him carefully, had seen the instant he'd made a decision, the instant he'd allowed his iron control to slip, and she'd known what was going to happen before it did. She'd stopped thinking when he'd backed her against the wall, stopped breathing when he'd cupped her face. He'd whispered something unintelligible, cradled her head, and then pressed his lips to hers. Once. Gently.

Khushi had thought about this - she'd even dreamt about it - but those innocent thoughts hadn't prepared her for the reality. How could she have imagined the heat and electricity that had zipped through her, making her feel as though she would never be cold again. How could she have imagined the faintness, the feeling of coming untethered, so that it felt like he was the only thing connecting her to the earth. How could she have imagined him, the rapid beat of his heart, the low groan that escaped him as she gasped, the strength and comfort of his arms as he crushed her against his body, holding her as he'd never done before.

Later, they'd escaped his house to drive to the hilltop and talk. It'd been tentative, awkward, punctuated with long silences, but it'd been honest. Arnav-ji had surprised her by mentioning marriage, saying that he respected her wishes and knew that she would expect nothing less if they were to be together. He'd said that he was willing to do anything to be with her.