Page 103 of That Same Old Love

She didn’t comment. She leaned closer, and kissed his strong, square, stubborn jaw, and then his chin dimple before kissing him on his closed stiff lips. She half expected him to bite her or turn his face away, but he slowly responded to her. His eyes were closed shut, and he kissed her back, his tongue entering her mouth as she caught his head firmly and then climbed over him to lie on top of him.

They kissed for an indeterminate amount of time and when she drew back, they were both gasping and panting.

“God, I missed you… I missed us… being together… loving each other,” she told him between quick kisses and then moved away from him to sit next to him.

She smiled and ran her fingers on his stubbly cheek. “I can’t talk to you with your distraction poking me on my stomach.”

He frowned. “Get back here and I don’t want to talk.”

“We have to Samrat. I need to tell you about how it was for me during—”

“You left me! I don’t want to listen. It will only make me come back to you again, only to be torn apart and thrown away like garbage again. I can’t take it anymore!” he growled.

“Listen to me. Just for a minute—”

“No!” he shouted.

Mahi was getting frustrated with his stubbornness even though she knew that she deserved his contempt. She stood up to leave. She was almost at the bedroom doorway.

“Where are you going? Come back here you tease and finish what you started!” he shouted at her.

“Until you give me a minute of your time to listen to me, I’m not touching you… to either untie you or to finish what I started,” she told him stubbornly even though her body was screaming at her to jump on him and to take up his offer first.

He looked irritated.

“I’ll go down and drape myself in jasmine flowers and come up to force feed you rice pudding while you are still tied up to this bed,” she threatened.

Samrat’s mother had told her a few months ago about his weird hang-ups. He didn’t like the smell of jasmine flowers. Apparently, during his childhood, he had harassed his mom and sister not to wear any during the prayers or for any occasions. He also didn’t like the taste and texture of any kind of rice pudding, to the point that he adamantly refused to even taste some when it was given as god’s offering.

He sighed loudly. “Fine. You have a minute. After that just untie me. Just so we can finish what you started, before you leave my life for good… in the morning.”

Her chest tightened a little at his callous attitude, but she knew he was all bluster, and that there was no way he would throw her out after they spent the night together.

“Okay fine,” she said, and then proceeded to tell him about her three miscarriages and about Aryan.

And about how he was born with complications, and what she went through each time he was hospitalized, the final days until he passed away. She also talked about her suicide attempt and then her counseling that didn’t completely help. And how seeing Preethi’s son had reminded her of those painful times, and how she felt guilty for holding Samrat back. And then, she finally told him how she was ready to have children and be courageous like he had asked her to.

Her voice broke down several times and she had unshed tears in her eyes when she was finally done.

Samrat was listening to her keenly and when she finished, he simply said, “Untie me, now.”

She bit her lip uncertainly and untied him.

He rubbed his arms slightly when he was released and sat up.

“You took longer than a minute. In fact I’m sure it was several minutes. Now come here,” he said softly.

She went towards him and he pulled her close. He picked her up and sat back, leaning towards the headboard.

“Why didn’t you tell me before about how bad it was for you? Did you think I wouldn’t understand? Or worse, pity you?” he asked her gently.

She shook her head. “I knew you would understand, but I used to dole out advices to you, about how we should remember only the happy times with our children, and not remember the guilt or feeling of helplessness. It was stupid of me not to share my dark times with you.”

She kissed him softly on his lips. “I love you. And I promise you that I will never ever leave you. I no longer feel scared to take chances… as long as I can have you in my life as my husband.”

“Are you proposing to me?” he asked in amusement.

“Hell yeah! And ifyouever try to leave me, I will chase you again and again, even if you throw out my stuff or even if youhave me ejected bodily,” she told him, laughing softly through her tears.

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