"Oberoi, we'll hang the photo frame here above the sofa?" Gauri pointed out to the wall of the living room, wanting to hang Rudra's gift - their wedding picture there. Omkara nodded but frowned when she insisted that he did it now. "We can do it tomorrow too," he suggested, but she had asked him what other plans he had right now. "If you have nothing else to do, then why can't we get it done now?" she inquired, and he had no other option to give in. Ugh, so dominating at times, he murmured with a frown for not allowing him to laze around.
Omkara brought the ladder and marked the spot where he would hammer the nail. Gauri didn't know what warmed her heart more; the whole idea of hanging their wedding photo frame in the living room, or the way Omkara was set to do it for her. He saw the elated smile on her face and immediately smiled, realizing it was worth not lazing around. While he climbed up the ladder, he asked her to pass the tools and began to hammer the nail into the wall. "Here, let me help you," Gauri offered to help him carry the heavy frame, but he shook his head in a no. "Sharma, it's really heavy. Tujhse nahi hoga."
The moment he had held the photo frame to pick it up, Gauri held the other side, saying, "So, when did I say ke mujhse hoga? I'll help you with it. Dono milke karenge toh bilkul hoga, right?" Omkara smiled at her, shaking his head. He climbed the ladder, one step at a time, holding one end of the frame, while Gauri kept holding onto the other.
Gauri, however, was slightly distracted with the way his t-shirt stretched across the muscles of his back when he lifted the weight of it, alone, after asking her to let go. The man had a toned back, and bulging biceps as well, she noticed. What would it feel like to touch his back, all the way from his neck to the end of his spine? The thought left her as soon as it came to her mind. She ogled as much as she could at the man she was now married to, taking her time to admire how he looked from behind. Her not-so-innocent gaze did study his bottom, and she admitted to herself that he did have quite a cute butt.
"Done, right?" Omkara asked for turning around, and for a moment, she was disoriented. "Done with what?" she asked him, blinking at him, wondering if he had caught her staring at his bottom, just the way she had caught him scanning her curves. "The photo frame, what else?" he asked in confusion. Gauri nodded but said that it was slightly crooked. He adjusted it till she said it looked fine, after which he came down the ladder and put it away.
Gauri's mind, however, was still stuck on the way she had unabashedly checked him out. This had never ever happened before. In all the years that she knew him, she had never behaved this way with him. She agreed she did find him handsome and smart, even before they had decided to date each other. But this feeling, this sudden desire to feel him up close to her, this primal need that arose within her to want to run her fingers on his body, this unexpected raw ache of wanting to do a lot more than her brain could comprehend – this had never happened before. It was probably due to all that talk they'd had earlier about lingerie and seduction; or it was probably the way she was suddenly reminded how she woke up every morning wrapped in his arms, almost entangled with his almost-naked body...
Omkara snapped his finger and brought her out of her thoughts. He looked at her, still confused, as she appeared to be lost. "Are you okay?" he asked with concern in his voice. "yeah, why?" she asked him, blinking at him. "Sharma, I've called out to you thrice from the kitchen, and you've been standing here in a trance, looking at our photo frame!" She smiled, shaking her head, and looking away, she said, with a grin "I was just admiring how nice I look."
He chuckled as he turned to walk to the kitchen, mumbling to her, "Liar, you were just checking me out, right?" Gauri was shocked. How did he know? Omkara said out loud, "I know I looked stunningly sexy in that sherwani! What to do, Sharma? I have that effect; I leave people spellbound!" For the first time, Gauri did not argue; neither did she agree. She quietly agreed, knowing that the first part was true; she had been checking him out indeed.
Omkara was surprised that she walked into the kitchen behind him in utter silence. She usually argued or rolled her eyes when he praised himself. He looked at her, trying to understand if something was bothering her. She had her usual smile on her face, with an added tinge of pink at her cheekbones as she blushed for some reason. Whatever be it, she looked cute, he admitted. "We'll have fruit salad for dinner?" he asked, washing a couple of fruits after she nodded in agreement.
***
After their dinner, the two of them had decided to do the dishes before going to shower. Omkara had offered to wash the dishes, while Gauri had decided to wipe them dry. The comfortable silence between them had stretched. However, there was a lot more conveyed between them without words. As the two of them moved about in the kitchen, with him handing the wet dishes to her, and she walking past him to place them in the utility, there were numerous gentle, almost-accidental, and almost-unintentional touches and brushes. Almost.
Omkara's fingers would touch her hand when he would give her the dish to dry, his arm would brush against hers as they stood side by side, when she would walk by, her hip would gently brush past his bottom. On two occasions, his hand had grazed against her breasts too. The two of them were comfortably silent and wore looks as if they hadn't been bothered by those touches at all. On the inside, however, it was a different story. Both their hearts were thudding as if threatening to jump out of their ribcages. The sexual tension peaked to a point where it almost started to physically hurt. The only time where they both could see the struggle on their faces to stay calm and collected was when they were done with doing the dishes and had stood facing each other against the opposite kitchen counters.
Part of Omkara wanted to cover the distance between them, grab her and pull her close to himself. Just when his gaze had rested on her lips as he wondered how they'd taste against his mouth, her lips had parted in a silent gasp.
With the way Omkara was staring at her, Gauri was almost sure that he would take her in his arms, and... And what? Her heart thudded with the various scenarios popping into her head. If he decided to kiss her, how long would she take before responding to him? Would things get awkward if they kissed right now? If they kissed, what would follow?
Although Omkara had always been a sweet gentleman with her, she had witnessed, earlier, a glimpse of the promising passion that his eyes held. And at that thought, her overactive mind decided to overthink. If things escalated, would they do the deed? Was she ready? Was he ready? Was it okay to do it on an impulse by giving in to the urgent need they both felt right now? If they did, would they regret it the next morning? Will they become awkward about it? Will it affect their friendship, the comfortable bond that they shared? That last question was thought-provoking.
Omkara, on the other hand, observed the way her body language had changed. From being flustered and shy, she had slowly transitioned into being bolder. He did not miss the way she leaned back against the counter, as if in surrender to the thoughts as clear as the day in her eyes. Everything about her was screaming desire right now. Her pupils dilated as she looked into his eyes, her breathing had turned laboured to a point where she breathed through her mouth, her knuckles had almost turned white with how hard she had gripped the edge of the kitchen counter.
The only thought that crossed his mind was if he were to make a move right now, would she accept him or would she shy away and reject him. If she welcomed him, would he be able to walk to the bedroom with her without breaking the kiss? It was evident that she was still a virgin, and it somehow fuelled his primal desire. He had to take it slow if he decided to move ahead at all. Perhaps he could kiss her slowly at first, then kiss her passionately and then lead her into the bedroom by holding her hand, and carry on for the rest of the night. Or would they kiss with desperation and carnal want, and simply stumble across the room without breaking the kiss until they reached the bedroom? Or, would they just so it right here against the kitchen counter? The thoughts caused a stirring within him.
Then there was another reminder. What if she wasn't ready yet? He could see that she looked more than willing in this moment, but what if she was just giving in to her bodily urges at the moment, but would regret it tomorrow by overthinking about it? Was she completely ready to do this? If she wasn't ready, then making a move right now would not be the best thing to do. His ego would definitely take a beating if she rejected his advances now.
Then a question popped into his mind, while she was still looking at him. Being experienced in the ways of passion, Omkara had always known to separate his physical needs from his emotional ones, while knowing the difference between making love and having sex. While both the acts involved being vulnerable, he knew that having sex was more of a physical need while making love was connecting heart, mind, and soul through the deed, involving all the emotions. He knew that being inexperienced, she would only make love when she was 'in love' with her partner; with him. And that brought up another question: was he ready? To have sex, yes! His body was practically begging him, and if he turned down the voice of his conscience, he would not hesitate to have her against the wall, right here, right now.
But there was a tiny voice that told him she was looking for love, and not just sex. She deserved feelings, emotions, commitment, intimacy, comfort, closeness; most of all, she deserved his love; the love that a man and wife shared. Was he in love with her? He didn't know. And if he wasn't sure of the answer, he could not simply take advantage of her momentary willingness for his physical hunger. Yes, he did love her. But he wasn't 'in love' with her; not yet.
His Sharma was so special and precious to him, he couldn't jeopardize what they shared. This sexual tension between them demanded to be quenched immediately. But he realized she deserved better than an impulsive act of having a part of his body inside of her for merely physical gratification. He could see her eagerness to explore what he was willing to offer, and he almost felt guilty of thinking only in terms of offering physical pleasure, not really sure of what he felt for her from within.
One thing he was sure of; he and she weren't on the same page. If he took a step to cover the distance between them, he would raise hopes in her heart; hopes of falling in love. And Omkara knew for sure, he wasn't in love yet. She was gorgeous, sexy, beautiful, everything that a man could ever wish for. She also possessed a sensitive heart full of innocence. And she deserved to be made love with, not just have sex.
Gauri slightly frowned when she saw his expressions go from desire to something resembling guilt. Why did his eyes hold an apology, she wondered? Then, she saw his body slump against the kitchen, as if he was having an internal conflict with himself and had just defeated himself. She had hoped he would take the initiative of making a move right now. But perhaps he wasn't ready yet, she concluded. He had been experienced while she had merely sought knowledge on it from the books she'd read, and a couple of things she'd watched on the internet. She was sure he knew what was better for them, and she completely trusted him, in terms of this area of their relationship. Maybe he thought it was better to give them both some time to get used to each other as spouses and then get there. However, she would be lying if she said she wasn't disappointed. And perhaps, her eyes too conveyed that disappointment, which is why he looked a bit guilty. She wanted to reach out and tell him that it was okay if he thought that it was only right for them to wait. She didn't mind waiting until he felt it was the right time. She, however, couldn't bear to see the guilt in his eyes.
"Erm..." "Oberoi..." they both started, and stopped abruptly. They looked at each other, and almost instantly, they shared a look of understanding and a warm smile came upon their faces. This was the best part about being married to one's best friend – to be able to understand the other person better than your own self. They had always been each other's support, through thick and thin. One had always believed in the other, even in times of self-doubt. This wasn't going to be any different. Omkara's eyes had subtly told her everything she needed to understand. Their families had been so right when they'd pitched in the idea of marrying each other. It was only in this moment did they both realize the preciousness of having their best friend as their spouse. Gauri smiled, nodding in understanding, as she sensed his unspoken words, with an unwavering trust in her eyes that moved his heart.
"I'll head for a shower," Omkara said, taking a step towards her and cupping her cheek with his hand. She, ever so gently, leaned into his hand, savouring the soft touch. Unable to resist the impulse, Omkara gave in and leaned in to place a soft kiss on her forehead, that made her insides melt, that made his heart flutter. They both knew they were in the right direction of wherever they were heading. A little more time would only enrich the experience once they were utterly sure and ready to take the next step.
As Omkara made his way to the bedroom to pick his clothes and head for a shower, Gauri lingered a while longer in the kitchen, gripping the counter, taking a deep breath. Her thoughts were conflicting and confusing her. She wasn't yet sure if she was in love with Oberoi. Then, how was she ready to take their marriage to the next level? Wasn't it necessary to be in love with one's spouse before they made love? She loved him; she knew. But not in a way that a wife was supposed to love a husband.
Gauri still saw her Oberoi as her best friend; a devilishly, handsome, sexy one, if she might add. He was someone who annoyed and frustrated her to no end, but he was also the one who calmed her down, who supported her unconditionally, who made her happy, who made her feel alive and grateful; he was someone who had seen her fail and fall but had also helped her in standing up again on her feet, encouraging her to never give up. And now, after marrying him, he was someone she loved waking up next to every single morning, despite his super-tight hugs; actually, a part of her was beginning to get used to it. In short, Oberoi was someone whom she couldn't live without.
But, love? As in a 'husband-wife' love? She wasn't confident about that. She was thankful that, while she was experiencing all these emotions for the very first time which were causing her a different kind of rush, she had her Oberoi who was level-headed and thinking practically. Maybe, having experience in relationships made him understand that it was important to be in love before taking that step.
Then there was a vague thought: Had Omkara been in love when he had made love to his ex? An irrational, jealous part of her brain hated the woman who didn't even know she existed, and whose existence she never knew of. Riddhima. Omkara's ex-girlfriend with whom he had been in a live-in relationship. A rational part of her brain did tell her that Riddhima was a part of a life he had way before he had met her; almost a part of his dark past, which he had let go.
Gauri closed her eyes and took another deep breath, while she recalled her Papa's piece of advice that he'd given her. There was no place for anything or anyone else in her marriage with Oberoi, and that included Riddhima, along with her confusions, his guilt, their egos, everything. The moment she heard her Papa's voice in her head, Gauri felt a strange calmness over her disturbed mind and heart. In the distance, she heard the bathroom door click open, and Omkara announced he was done with the shower.
Gauri walked back to the room to see him drying his hair. She gave him a warm smile as he flashed a genuine one at her, and that was when she noticed what he wore. In an attempt to make her feel comfortable, he was wearing a t-shirt and track pants, despite his discomfort in sleeping in anything but boxers. His gesture overwhelmed her. As she picked her clothes to head for a shower, she looked at him, and in a confident tone, she said, "Oberoi, you can get comfortable and sleep in your boxers." Then, she added cheekily, "Don't worry, I won't bite!" Before he could react, she went into the bathroom and shut the door, not before leaning against it and happily grinning.
Omkara, who had expected her to behave awkward, flustered, and shy, had surprised him with her confidence and maturity. Additionally, she had caught him off-guard with her smart-ass comment on biting him. The mischievous man within him hoped she would bite him though, in a very different context. Smiling while still looking at the door, he continued combing his hair.
Gauri came out of the bathroom after a warm shower and saw that he was already sitting in bed with his phone. The duvet covered him till his waist while he sat there shirtless. She smiled at the fact that she wasn't unnecessarily guarded or uncomfortable around him. If he could compromise on his comfort for her, she could also encourage him to be himself around her. This was exactly the role that friendship played in marriage – to be unapologetically yourself without having to pretend to be someone you're not. Until now, they had been unapologetically themselves, and there was no way it was going to change. She knew they would make sure that if anything did change, it only was for the good.
Omkara, looking up from the phone, had a full-blown smile on his face, when he saw that she was back to wearing her pair of 'juicy' shorts. With the cocky smirk on her face, he knew she'd done it on purpose – to establish that they still shared that comfort level, and which they will continue to share, come what may. He mentally appreciated and applauded her for her attempt in assuring him that everything was good between them, despite that tiny moment in the kitchen.
After she hung her towel to dry and came back to the room, he grinned at her as she sat at the dressing table to finish her skincare routine. Once she was done, she noticed he was still grinning at her in the same mischievous manner. She narrowed her eyes as if waiting for the comment that he seemed to be dying to make. "Fine, just say it!" she said, unable to stop the smile from escaping her lips. He chuckled as he said in a breath, "Sharma, now that you're back in your juicy shorts, I cannot promise I won't bite!"
Gauri gave him a mock glare, knowing it was in reference to the comment she made at him just before she'd gone for a shower. "Tu na, Oberoi, badi kutti cheez hai!" she said with a small smile, making him chortle. "Tere sangat ka asar hoga, Sharma!" he replied, making her giggle. She climbed into bed, turning the lights off. This time, she didn't wait for him to hug her. She simply snuggled close to him. An elated Omkara happily hugged her as they drifted to sleep. Life was slow, steady, and yet so darn wonderful!