And Khushi flushed even more. She wasn't even surprised by that reaction after so many years. He would always have that effect on her, no matter what.

"Good morning. Tum theek ho?"

Khushi felt guilty at that. Knowing how he fussed for the tiniest thing when it came to her, she knew what he must have been through all the time she had been sleeping. "Hum theek hain, Arnavji. Sorry. I didn't realize it was so late," she said and made to sit on a chair opposite his table.

But Arnav extended his hands and softly said, "come here," which she took and was effectively brought around the table by him. He swiveled his chair around and parted his thighs. She walked in between and he put his hands around her waist and as soon as he had her where he wanted, he raised his head and touched his lips to hers with an exquisite tenderness that stunned her every single time, brushing back and forth in a progressive rhythm.

"Thank you for the breakfast. I was so hungry I gulped it down in minutes," she said when they finally ended the kiss.

"That figures. You must have been really hungry to have actually eaten that without a complain," he chuckled.

Khushi smiled sheepishly because he was right. She was a girl who liked her parathas and pickles. "I'll quickly make something for lunch," she said.

"We can always order out."

"From one of your expensive restaurants? Ji nahi! I'll manage something."

He chuckled again. "Payal said she'll drop by and she'll bring lunch."

"Oh," she said but then she realized that he had been teasing her when he said they could order out. "Arnavji! You were teasing me!"

"It's fun when you get rattled," he said squeezing her hips a bit and making her sit on his lap.

"Is she bringing Riddhi?"

"No. Seems she had a play date with a friend which extended to a sleepover with her friend staying over. She slept late and hadn't woken up by the time Payal left. They're going to the mall later. Payal will be here for a few minutes only because she wants to see you."

"Is she taking all the trouble to come here just to bring us lunch? We could have managed. Or they could have sent it through Mohan ji."

"Like I said she wants to see you. And she's actually coming to the office for a small work. She's going to run back immediately after that."

"I didn't realize 6 year olds had sleepovers," she said distractedly as her face contorted with unease at something.

"Why are you so surprised?"

"I still remember her as a little girl, that's all. Babies grow up so fast," she said splaying a hand over her still flat stomach. "For that matter, I still think of Ahaan that way. He was the sweetest and he loved me so much."

"He still does. Most of the times Khushi Mami is all he talks about. I might even think he's a little infatuated with you."

"Arnavji! He's only 11."

"What? He's hormonal. You know he wants a girlfriend like you?"

Khushi reddened. "Really? Did he tell you that?"

"Mhm."

"What did you say to him?"

"Nothing. He was just expressing an honest emotion. It's harmless and cute."

"Hmmm. Now that I think of it, I have never had a sleepover in my life. I had never even slept in a house that wasn't mine until I started working. And then—

"And then?" He husked with raised eyebrows.

Khushi reddened which was answer enough.

"You should then thank me for the experience," he said flicking her now red nose.

"Maybe. How is that a sleepover? Not that I had much sleep..."

"There is very little actual sleep involved in sleepovers," he said as he begun distractedly playing with the bow on her dress. "Though it might be different for kids, I think I enjoyed ours."

Khushi blushed and turned her attention to his hands. "Arnavji, what are you doing?"

"Why the hell won't this open?"

She was wearing a mulberry silk one-piece pullover nightgown that reached her knees and looked absolutely fetching on her. The ivory of the gown blended in with her natural skin tone. The wide and gently pleated neckline had a bow like tie-up that Arnav was trying to open up.

"You figure it out. You are the fashion designer here."

"I would never design something so nonfunctional . At least not for you. Is it ours?"

Khushi nodded rapidly and when he started tugging impatiently she stopped his hands and said, "Stop. You're going to tear it. It's not a tie. It's an embellishment."

"How the hell do you remove it?"

"Arnavji, baby can hear you."

"Would they also know what their parents are doing?"

"Arnavji..." Khushi's face twisted again. "I think..."

"Khushi, what is it?"

She hastily got up from his lap and ran, with Arnav closely in tow and barely reached the bathroom before she threw up the entire content of her breakfast.

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I think I haven't let go of this story yet. I really hope you like reading this. Like, vote and comment to let me know!

For a while (a loooong while), I have been toying with this idea of a sequel. I had started writing notes back last year because I wanted to post it by New Years or Valentines but as is obvious I'm pathetically slow. I would still have not posted it now but then I decided if I didn't just post it, I would never even finish writing anything I have begun (You can't imagine the number of incomplete documents on my laptop). Also, with the world today, I think everyday is special.

Let's just pretend that the world is Covid free in sapnon ki duniya! Asli duniya is hard enough. I thought lots and decided to not include Covid in the story.

And I hope you're all masking up, distancing and staying safe. I think we have all learned first hand what it means by Prevention is (definitely) better than cure.

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