Part 16
They remained lost in each other's arms. The music came to an end, dancers huffed & puffed their way to their seats and their families & friends, but Khushi & Arnav stayed locked together. His hand explored the length of her back under the cover of her hair, his fingers leaving a trail of fire on her cool skin, playing with the doris, threatening to untie them...
Akash & NK came running to them, laughing and panting.
"That was fantastic!", Akash exclaimed, his hands on his hips.
Khushi slowly let go of Arnav, and he reluctantly loosened his hold.
"Khushi bhabi, Khushi bhabi, who is
that lakdi (ladki) in the green lehenga, in the far corner of the room?", NK asked eagerly.
All of them turned to look at the girl in question. She was gorgeous, her shoulder-length hair swinging with each step as she walked to her parents, laughing.
"Mili, my cousin. Her parents run a textile shop in Kanpur."
"Haiyee! Mujhe Mili mili!"
Akash sighed.
"Really!", Arnav cocked at eyebrow at NK's dramatics.
NK mused, "Hmmm. Kanpur. I see."
"What do you see, NK Bhai?", asked Akash.
"Kan means Ear, right, Nannav?"
Arnav nodded.
"And Pur is City, right?"
Arnav nodded again.
"Looks like I will have to go to Ear City to mil with Mili!"
"God save Mili! And Kanpur!", Akash whispered.
Arnav & Khushi looked at NK in wonder.
Then Khushi said, "Nanheji, she has four, not one or two, but four brothers. Tall, huge, muscular ones."
NK sighed, his hand held to his heart
in a dramatic fashion. "There are many hurdles in the path of true love, Khushi bhabi!"
"Just make sure those hurdles are not your broken bones.", Arnav said wryly as he led Khushi to her seat.
As they had dinner together, Arnav asked Khushi in a whisper, "Why didn't you want to dance, Khushi?"
Khushi leaned into him, and confided
in his ear, "I was scared the doris would break if I moved my arms too much
while dancing, Arnavji!"
Arnav swallowed hard.
"But when you asked me to dance, I forgot the doris!" She happily bit into a slice of pineapple. "Arnavji! Just imagine what would have happened if the doris had broken while we were dancing!"
Arnav could imagine it very well. His face flushed.
"Anyway, you were with me, Arnavji. You would have found some way out." Khushi chewed a piece of paneer with relish.
Arnav could list a hundred ways he could have dealt with the broken doris. If only they had broken!
Mami, passing by, heard Khushi's statement reposing all her faith in her Arnavji. She added, "Aur Kaa, Why Phear When Hamre Arnav Bitwaa Ijj Hier?"
Khushi smiled happily at Mami, and held out a morsel from her plate for Arnavji to taste. He obediently opened his mouth. She placed the slice of apple in his mouth, but before she could withdraw her hand, he brought his lips together, caressing her fingers with his lips, his eyes intent on her innocent ones.
She withdrew her hand hastily, the tips of her fingers tingling. She curled her fingers into her palm, wondering how one moment Arnavji could be like the best friend on earth, harmless, safe, loving, tender, indulgent... And how the very next moment, without any warning, his eyes would start burning her tender skin, his fingers would send her body shaking, her heart beating fast, her breath coming in a rush... How his eyes would look her up and down as though she were an ice cream cone and he ready to devour her... How his eyes on her would make her feel as though he could see through her clothes... She took a hasty sip of water. She needed cooling badly.
The water went down the wrong way, and she choked. Arnavji's hand slipped under her hair to rub her back, lingering on the doris. Her breath hitched, and she looked into his predatory eyes with unsure ones.
(Oh.petite.one, thanx!)
"Khushi, tum theek ho?", he asked, each word sounding like a caress.
Part 17: https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/topic/3185727?pn=72
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