A small table with two chairs surrounded by white curtains. Her favourite white roses pattern the entire arrangement with its soothing vibes. Slow breeze accompanying the calmness of the blue ocean.
She was dumbfounded. Her mouth opened but no words came out.
"Did you like it?" Hot breath touched her neck. His calm husky voice caressed her earlobe, touching a little.
"It's beautiful," the two words came out in a gasp. She almost got teary-eyed.
"Let's go then," Arjun extended his arm in a gentleman gesture for her to accept it and she took it, automatically. The small smile playing on his lips warmed her heart.
Is it a dream? A Prince, a Princess, dreamy nights, and a happily ever after. At that moment she knew Arjun is not just a friend. The stubborn tension and attraction between them have stepped up. No, it's not because Arjun has gone full-on rich romantic boyfriend mode with all these arrangements but the caresses it shows, from her favorite flowers to her favorite foods, those small gentle gestures like opening the car door, pulling chairs for her.
They sat together and soon got blended into a cozy conversation while enjoying the delicious food and the romantic atmosphere. All her troubling thoughts blew away like the small breezes passing over the sea.
After eating the lovers started walking along the beach, hand in hand, like there is nothing existing in the world except for the two of them.
It seems that nature was also cooperative. The sky soon got clouded bringing the news of rain. But the beautiful couple was so consumed in each other before they could realize the heavy water drops started soaking them.
"Shit!" Arjun cursed before holding Ananya's hand and running towards their car.
But a sound of laughter turned his head to the back. And the sight was stunning. She was soaked. Her black long hair has already started gluing on her head with some drenched curls kissing her temples. Her white dress started showing her curves more bravely but the utterly complete winner was her carefree laughter.
"You know I feel like I am on an adventure. There is this isolated island and we two idiots running for our lives." She said in between her laughter.
When is the last time she enjoyed this much? When is the last time her laugh was so natural?
Ananya felt the intense stair on her from her companion. She couldn't stop but returned it with equal intensity. They came close to each other until they can see the raindrops making their way on their faces, water dripping from their eyelashes, noses, and chins. The longing, devotion, and adoration she saw in the pool of his eyes made her heart clench. And what was he seeing in hers, the same longing, devotion, and adoration or deception maybe? And the momentum was gone for her.
"Maybe we should go inside the car." Her voice came out in a whisper while breaking their eye contact. They pulled away from each other and got inside the car afterward.
As the car took turns towards the main gate of Arjun's villa Ananya glanced at him questioningly.
Arjun shrugged. "If we don't want to spend the next two days in bed we must change."
"And how do you suggest I change? I'm not gonna wear your clothes."
He chuckled at her words. " As much as I loved the idea of seeing you in my shirt I think I can manage according to you."
As they entered his farmhouse Arjun passed her towel.
"I will return in a minute", saying this he disappeared inside.
Ananya started rubbing her hair in slow motion while her eyes roamed over her surroundings. Her mind drifted to their early activities. How close they were to kiss each other. A shiver ran past her already cool wet body at the thought. A new freshness engulfed her. She couldn't help but felt happy. Truly happy. After a long time. And Arjun is the reason for her happiness. A new hope started budding in her stressed mind. Hope for a future, a joy dripped truly utterly loving future', hope for a partner, hope for togetherness. Hopes were shattered many times in her not-too-long life span.
A movement caused her to come back from her thoughts.
"Here, it's my mom's. Hope it will do." Ananya gazed at Arjun's hand which was holding a magenta-colored chiffon saree.
"Saree?" She asked pointedly with a raised brow.
"Don't know what to wear?" He asked, amusement touching his voice.
"Well, that sounded like you are underestimating me," she replied in an equally amused tone.
He shrugged. "Can't really know your dressing room secret, yet. Girls these days treat saree like it's an ancient thing, too much for modernism. So wouldn't really be surprised if you don't know."
"Again, that's very judgemental Mr Singhania. Most of your so-called gentlemen can't wear traditional properly, too much for their no modernism. And as for our modernism, I do prefer to wear a saree with a blouse."
Arjun realized his mistake, his face contorted in embarrassment. Both of them joined in a moment of laughter feeling both of their heart with a comforting warmth.
"You should laugh more," Arjun mumbled, his voice almost a whisper. Their gaze found each other's once again.
"Same to you," Ananya said smilingly.
She cleared her throat breaking the moment. "Well, I believe it's better if you see into the wardrobe yourself and help yourself." She nodded at his request.
Arjun took Ananya to his mother's room. The room was arranged with minimum furniture for the room to not look bare but not over-furnished.
"Well, take whatever you need from here," Arjun said pointing towards the wardrobe.
"O-o-ok," Ananya replied hesitantly feeling a little overwhelmed. One thing that was getting more and more transparent to her was that their relationship has gotten more intimate, deeper, and more ardent. The invisible boundary of once two strangers was collapsing, slowly. She can't resist any longer. Today Arjun gave her a part of his soul, not just his heart without any hesitation, a part of her mother. If she didn't know any better, she would have thought Arjun Singhania is far from being a private person, but she DID know better. And this is not a story people could create randomly for fun. He's just not committed but devoted. And with that, a fear crept up in her mind, did she worth it? And this time she realized it was not just guilt or awfulness that crept up like every time but a fear, fear of losing something or someone.
"I will be in the living room," he said bringing her out of her zone. But then he came close, his lips inching near her ear. She almost gasped when it touched there, the same quite sensitive skin.
"Though I might say that idea of saree in that way is quite tempting, maybe sometime in future we can try," he whispered against her skin, and then he left making her flustered.
After changing as Ananya stepped into the living room slow-vibed music filled her mind. She couldn't help but felt goosebumps rising in her. The rain hadn't stopped yet, the cold air trespassing the room making the curtain dancing in flow.
A pair of hands snaked her waist with the utmost gentleness, palms touching the bare skin of her waist.
"Dance with me", a slow whisper mingled with hot breath caressed her earlobe followed by a hot heart-melting kiss on her bare neck.
"Ok," came her reply.
He spun her around making her bump in her chest. His one hand snaked around her while the other one hold her hand intertwining their fingers together. They started swaying to the slow music playing in the room.
She felt content. The most peacefully content in years, in the arms of this man whom she hated at first, accused him of breaking her marriage. And here she was feeling safest with him at this moment. A moment she was sure he will be with her every being.
She closed her eyes. Everything seemed to be part of the poetry written by those love-sick poets.
But there was so much to confess, so much to reveal. And it's now or never. She vowed. It's time to finally recognize the truth. She opened her eyes to greet by a pair of eyes so intense, so passionate.
Arjun dipped her. She gripped her shirt tightly.
"Do you have any idea how much my lips are craving to kiss yours? And I think I shall go crazy with regrets for not kissing you?" His hot breath caressed her lips, his voice soothing, sensual, husky. Before their lips could touch Ananya put her fingers on his lips resulting in his mouth kissing the sensitive skin of her fingers which seemed oddly intimate.
"I want to tell you something."
He raised his brow at her. "And it can't wait?"
"Arjun", her voice shook, her lips trembling, her heart overwhelmed with stormy emotions, was beating like never before.
"Say it"
A lone tear slid down her face without her realizing it. It alarmed Arjun.
"Anu", he pulled her closer to look into her eyes with concern and adoration.
"What.."