All Strings Attached

Chapter Thirty

My heart flips at how casual this intimacy is, how easy and simple. How safe and secure it feels.

"A very good time," I answer, running my hands through his hair.

Dhushyanth kisses my shoulder and slips his hand under my t-shirt to rest on my waist, getting comfy. I kiss his forehead, and brush his hair off his face, appreciating a sleepy moment with my husband.

"I love you," I whisper, knowing there's no way in hell he would be able to hear, considering that I hadn't been able to hear myself.

I find myself surprised at the ease of how it slips out of my mouth, and how warm it makes my insides feel, in the best way possible.

I fall asleep with a warm, fuzzy chest, smiling into my husband's hair.

~.~.~.~.~

I hand out bottles of coconut water as Meera, Veer and Prashanth enter the car. "It's incredibly hot outside," I comment, fanning my face.

"Insanely hot," Meera agrees, turning the AC towards her face.

Veer extends his napkin to his wife. "Are you okay? You look red," he asks after her.

I smile at the two of them as Meera nods, and wipes her face off the sweat. "The sun is so harsh."

"Did you put on sunscreen?" I ask her, concerned she might get sunburnt because of how red her face has become. "You should all drink lots of water, we don't want you to get dehydrated."

"Yes ma'am," Prashanth agrees, guzzling down his bottle of water.

"I'm going to go back to Dhushyanth," I announce, picking up another bottle of coconut water, and some adding some paper napkins to my handbag. "You guys go home and rest up. We'll come back to campaign in the evening."

"Okay," Meera agrees, and I exit the car, careful not to trip on my saree.

I plaster a grin on my face as I walk past the people, a bodyguard in tow. "Sir deggariki vellaali," I let him know. [We need to go to sir.]

"Okay madam," he agrees.

He takes my load from my hands, leaving me free to fold my hands for a namaste as we walk past. A group of female volunteers join me as I continue to request people to vote for my husband, reiterating the emblem of the Party, and the key points of our manifesto.

By the time I reach Dhushyanth, thankfully, he's done with his campaigning for this morning. I board the car and only have to wait a few minutes before he comes in.

"Aw, you waited," he coos, leaning in to kiss my cheek. Reflexively, I forward my cheek to him, only realising I'd done it when Dhushyanth grins boyishly at me.

"Here," I forward the bottle of coconut water and some facial wet wipes to him as I attempt to focus my attention elsewhere.

"Thanks baby," he whispers. I would've thought my husband was only being grateful if his voice didn't dip into the teasing melody that it does.

I look at him from the corner of my narrowed eyes, only for him to raise his eyebrows and wink back at me.

Once again, I have to look away, unable to maintain a straight face. This only makes my smartass husband laugh out loud and kiss my shoulder before he rests his head on my shoulder, shutting his eyes for a quick nap.

I caress his cheek for a slight moment, and ruffle his hair, overcome by affection for his resting form. "Bangaram," I whisper to myself, letting myself feel the butterflies in my stomach and the increased pace of my happy heart.