Page 169 of One Hellish Desire

I push her finger away. “Every moment with you is right. I’ve delayed saying this for a long time. No more. Although love was all around me, I never felt it for any woman until you. I never wanted to explore it, until you…” I push her palm over my heart. “Until you touched my heart, Maahi. No one has ever reached there before you, and no one ever will.”

She squeals as I lean down and kiss her, playfully, and she seizes the opportunity by running her fingers through my hair. This is our world, however small and limited… it’s still ours.

MAAHI

The pressing need to empty my bladder wakes me up, and I quickly head to the bathroom, followed by a relaxing shower. Vikram is still sleeping when I come out, his arm searching for me. I chuckle when he groans, not feeling my touch against his body. Last night, after he said those words about love, and how I am the only one who has made a special place in there, it was hard to restrain myself from giving him all the rights over me. Stopping after a few dozen kisses wasn’t enough anymore, but then I wanted to make it special for him, and today is that day.

I still can’t believe a woman like me, who was always ready to fight with him, is finally thinking of submitting myself to this same man. And why not? Vikram has carved that place in my heart with his love, trust, desires, and most importantly, his sacrifices. He has always given me the liberty to stick to my choices, to live my preferences, and never expected me to get out of my comfort zone. I don’t think many men today are willing to do that for their life partners.

It’s Preet’s wedding today, and I have to be there in two hours. I’ve designed a peacock green lehnga to wear for the peak wedding hours. So, for now, I wear another pink Anarkali and stand before the mirror to tie the back doris when I suddenly feel his fingers on my back. Vikram ties the doris for me and turns me around to face him.

“You up early?” I ask.

“You walking out of the bed is my wake-up call,” he mocks, earning a giggle from me.

The next moment, he adjusts the mangalsutra on my neck so that it’s highlighted to anyone who notices me. That brings another laugh from me.

“Everyone knows I’m married.”

“They still need a reality check,” he mutters.

I curl my arms around his neck. “I’m already yours, and the world knows it. That’s reality.”

“I can’t take chances, Cub. Not when that Shyam Trivedi is around.” He gently picks the sindoor and applies it on my forehead. “Now you look… mine.”

His possessiveness always surprises me. He trails a few kisses from my ear down my neck, and I push him off.

“Save it for tonight.”

I quickly grab the cordless phone to dial room service. “I’m ordering breakfast. Go freshen up. And did you message your mom? I forgot to ask you yesterday.”

Vikram rolls his eyes. “I sent two voice messages yesterday but no reply. But I know she’ll come around eventually. I won’t stop until she does.”

“I know,” I grin and place the order for breakfast.

We enjoy a heavy Indian breakfast, and then I rush Vikram to shower. I’m not going to let him work today; he has to be with me all the time at Preet’s wedding. Not that I’m jealous my friends will ogle at him in my absence, but like I said, I love to flaunt my husband these days and want people to see us together as a happily married couple, a newlywed pair so much in love.

VIKRAM

I come out freshly showered, and my eyes dart in surprise as Maahi shows me the maroon sherwani she wants me to wear for the wedding.

“No way. I’ve never worn such traditional clothes before.”

“That’s because you’ve never attended Indian marriages before. Even at our wedding, you wore a suit.”

“That’s because we married in the court, Cub,” I mutter.

She frowns, putting the sherwani on the bed and reaches me.

“I specially designed this for you, Vikram.”

“You… you designed it?”

She nods, and I’m even more impressed.

“Your boutique has men’s outfits too? How come I never knew this?”

“It’s a recent project. I haven’t established in that zone yet, but I want to try. So, I started with the traditional ones, and you happen to be my first customer if you wear it today.”

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