Page 76 of That Same Old Love

He wanted it all, marriage and then children with her. But he knew she wasn’t ready. She had spoken some nonsense about them being in ahoneymoonphase and that they wouldn’t want each other for long in the same way. He knew his mind. It wasn’t just the sex he enjoyed, he loved having her as a partner to talk about his work, share his dreams and every other aspect of his life. And she had done the same with him as well.

All he needed to do was to take baby steps and then slowly make her love him and then make her want the same things.

Mahi stirred again and then opened her eyes. She could see him propped up on one elbow and watching her with a smile.

“Good morning,” she croaked out.

He leaned towards her and gave her a long passionate kiss before drawing back and saying, “I want us to be committed together like a proper couple. We need to let our friends and family know right away, and not keep it a secret anymore.”

So much for baby steps, he thought sheepishly at his abrupt announcement. But then, he was filled with so much joy that he was bursting to tell her about what he wanted.

Mahi looked shocked and uncertain. “Samrat… I’ve already told you. I don’t want to marry again—”

He stopped her. “I’m not asking you to marry me Mahi. I’m saying that I care a lot about you and I want us to be committedpublicly. Maybe we both are too old to be using the term in this country, but I want us to be like a girlfriend and a boyfriend in a live-in relationship. We are already doing that, but I want us to commit publicly to each other, without necessarily announcing a marriage.”

She looked slightly relieved and smiled. “Okay. I care a lot about you too and want the same thing. My friends already know about you and I really don’t care about my immediate family knowing. But yeah, I can tell Rajeev and my aunt we are together.”

He smiled back, feeling happy and anxious to let his parents and his sister know. He didn’t care about the society or any such nonsense as long as his family supported him. And knowing his family, they would always want him to be happy no matter how he chose to lead his life.

Mahi sat up slowly, distracting him with her naked upper body. She touched his cheek and looked pleadingly into his eyes.

“Samrat, I think we should wait until you tell your family. I’m not comfortable about you telling Ananya about us this quickly. I… I want to tell her or maybe you can tell her when I’m a little closer to her or at least when I know she has forgiven me. Please. Can we keep the secret for a few more days? Just from your family,” she requested him.

He frowned. “Anu doesn’t hate you Mahi. Or at least I think she doesn’t. And lately, she has been too busy to come over here and I have been meeting her at her place. So how will you speak to her?”

She leaned and began to kiss him on his chest slowly, trying to distract him, but he already knew what she was trying to do.

“There will be an opportunity soon, I’m sure. But please, keep us a secret. Just for a few days. Until I can speak to Ananya. And besides, it is so much fun sneaking around, adds the forbiddendynamic to our relationship, making it even hotter,” she said huskily.

He wasn’t very happy about not letting his family know right away, but decided to give her some time. “Okay, if you say so,” he said and let her seduce him.

CHAPTER 27

Sidhu was in his bedroom wanting to speak with Ananya privately while she was tidying up their room.

“Anu you have been too harsh on Srishti these past few months. And even when you are with me you seem angry and tensed. I’ve asked you several times and I’m asking you again. Please tell me what is bothering you,” he pleaded with her.

They had just finished having their lunch with the family. Srishti had another outburst and Ananya had disciplined her in front of everyone. Srishti was upset and left the house to visit Samrat.

She looked at him coldly. “How is my behavior affecting you? Did I not cater to everything you needed? Was I not a good wife in anyway?”

He looked frustrated. “You are doing all those things, but I can sense that something is wrong. You haven’t been yourself for a while.”

She was irritated and didn’t reply. She continued tidying up their already clean bedroom.

He stopped her when she began to fluff the pillows and hugged her. “You need to relax, Anu. Let’s do what you enjoy. There is a wedding function tonight that the entire family will be attending. We both don’t have to go and eat there. Why don’t I make a res—”

She shoved him away, hard. “Is that all you want from me? I am just someone you can release your tensions on, in the bed. I’m sick of being your sex toy that you can wind up and have available anytime you want. I have feelings and emotional needs too!”

Sidhu’s expression slowly changed from being concerned to being cold. “I was about to suggest that I would be making a restaurant reservation at the new place that opened. The one you had written about in your blog and said that you would be providing a review to it soon.”

She felt torn. “Sidhu—” she broke off when he indicated with his hand to stop talking.

“That’s okay. I will probably work late tonight as there are some construction plans that I need to go over,” he said expressionlessly.

She felt guilty and frustrated at the same time. She was the one messing up. And Sidhu had always been the sane and mature one right from the beginning.

“I need a break,” she blurted out before she lost her courage.

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