When Naina opened her eyes at the faint sound of birds from outside, the room had just started to lose the darkness.
Sameer slept next to her. The quilt covered them to protect against the cold. They had slept in the same clothes... she in her dress and he was in his jeans, without the shirt. She blushed as she recalled how she had again broken his buttons... he would tease her to no end over it. But it didn't matter... nothing mattered except the fact that she was his wife and they had every right on each other. He knew it too... holding her like this in his sleep, knowing that she would accept his every touch, without any hesitation.
She could have never imagined till a few months back that she could sleep soundly in this position. He had held her captive under himself... his head lay under her chin, his arm around her waist, his shoulder pressed her curves, his leg, folded at the knee, rested heavily on her flat legs.
She felt no discomfort... none at all. If anything, it felt soothing, natural... and needed. She wanted to savour each moment, each touch, every breath of his that fanned her skin, every brush of his lips, his unique, musky scent, the raspy scratch of his stubble, his hard muscles, the silky hair beneath her fingers, those dark eyes shining with mischief, the curling of his lips into a naughty smile, that pressing of lower lip... in nervousness or in childlike enthusiasm... his deep, husky voice, his urgent kisses...
She could go on and on... each gesture of his was a treasure for her... and she would be denied this treasure from tomorrow...
The sign of morning that had begun to lighten the horizon did not bring any brightness for her... it took her closer to the time of their separation.
Her eyes filled up... she would still be with Preeti, chachaji, chachiji... Sameer would be alone... what if even Munna Pandit didn't come to stay with him... she shuddered at the thought of him being lonely in that big house...
Her fingers went to his hair, other hand covered his arm over her waist. She lightly weaved her fingers through the soft hair... wishing there was a way of going and staying in his house till her family accepted their marriage. They were legally married... no one could stop them from living together...
Her fingers clenched in frustration... why was everything so complicated in both their lives... why they could not live happily together like Rahul and Sonali... why everyone could not see their love and accept it as nothing but love, instead of creating complications for them...
Sameer felt a tug in his hair... he opened his eyes, to see what was causing the pull. The first feeling was of the thudding under his ear... her heart was beating fast... her fingers bunched up his hair in a tight grip... her hand over his arm was holding him in a tight clasp. He could feel her chest move up and down with her rapid breathing.
He didn't move... she could never do anything to hurt him knowingly... the tug meant she was lost in her own world... he lay silently where he was, enjoying the warmth... letting her think that he was asleep... or else she would make him get up.
"Tum jaan ho meri, agar tumhe zara bhi dard hua toh main seh nahi paungi." Her voice was almost inaudible... but he heard it...
Turning up his head, he looked at her, unable to bear her sadness.
"Naina?" He was shocked at her tearful eyes.
She jerked, as he moved his head away, loosening her fingers instantly.
"Mujhe dard nahi hua." He cupped her cheek, thinking that she was talking about the pulling of his hair.
"Sameer." She flung her hands around his neck, bringing him down over herself.
