I closed my eyes again, surrendering to the torture that refused to stop. It was as if he were still there, as if he was teasing me, touching me, without laying a single hand. My body was burning slowly from within. And I didn’t know how long I’d last.
“Nandani, what are you doing?” I opened my eyes with slightly parted lips and met her gaze. My breath came out in a shaky gasp as I tried to calm myself. I took a few deep, long inhales to suppress the intensity of the sensations, which began to dull. Sitting had helped. I was getting used to it—barely.
Suman was still watching me with a puzzled expression.
“My back is hurting,” I finally said, hoping she’d buy it.
Her face softened, and then suddenly, she grinned.“Ohh, for a moment, I thought you were possessed.” She burst into laughter.“I was ready to run, seeing the spirit take over you!”
“Hahahaha,” she laughed louder, clutching her stomach.
I let out a quiet chuckle, mumbling under my breath,“Crazy.” She smiled at me, but just then, the palanquin jerked slightly on the uneven road.
“Ahhhmmmmm…” A soft cry slipped past my lips before I could stop. Suman looked at me again, dubiously.
“Rudra…” I whispered to myself, unable to hide the longing in my voice. Then came the question I wasn’t ready for.
“Are you sore down there?” she asked, her voice low and full of implication. My eyes widened as a cold shiver ran down my spine.
“What? No!” I said quickly, very quickly. She tilted her head, unconvinced.“I’m sleeping,” I said and shut my eyes.
I couldn’t talk to anyone in that state. It was torture, pure torture. And it hadn’t been even the slightest of a long time, and I was already missing him.
The thing that he had inserted into me was surely working, making me feel thousands of things, and aroused at the wrong times.
We kept moving, and I felt deep shivers crawling up my spineevery time the palanquin swayed even a bit.
And with every step forward, I felt myself slipping deeper into that unbearable, slow burn.
By the time we reached my home, I was drenched with arousal. I had used every ounce of control I had to not moan in front of Suman and embarrass myself.
As the palanquin came to a stop around sunset, the lifters gently lowered it to the ground.
“Aauchh…” A soft whimper escaped my lips again, and I bit hard on my lower lip to control myself. I immediately glanced at Suman to see if she’d noticed.
Thankfully, she hadn’t. She stepped out and said,“Come outside.”
I inhaled a few deep breaths and stretched my legs first before stepping out.
“Ahhh…” Another quiet moan slipped from my mouth as I tried to suppress the overwhelming sensation. I placed my feet down and straightened up, standing slowly.
The moment I did, a fresh wave of contraction hit me. My muscles tensed, and I clenched my jaw to keep another sound from escaping. I felt slick and sensitised down there.
I took a deep breath and tried to hold myself together to face my family.
But I was aching. The journey had left me desperate. I wanted his touch. The memory of him lingered in my mind, and the craving for him pulsed stronger with every passing second. My mind couldn’t stop replaying the images of him.
“Come,” Suman said again, snapping me from my thoughts. I looked at her, and she held out her hand gently. As I took it, she furrowed her eyebrows.“You look sick,” she whispered.
I blinked, flustered. Why, Rudra? Why did you do this to me now?
“I’m okay,” I managed to say quietly, barely able to speak. She slowly withdrew her hand, still watching me with suspicion.
I turned towards the main entrance and forced myself to walk. My eyes landed on my mother, grandmother, and father, all of whom were waiting to greet me with smiles. A small crowd stood behind them.
Seeing them, I instinctively quickened my steps. But the moment I did—
A sharp jolt of pleasure ripped through me.I froze in place, and my eyes widened.