Jai's POV:
I am over the moon after Maira accepted her feelings. I went to her office to surprise her but instead got shocked. At first, I was in awe of the way Maira worked and the way she held herself. The strict and authoritative Maira was back, maybe she was there but the dynamic shift of our relation changed the way she behaved with me. It was nice seeing Maira's advocate personality. I admired the way she talked to that moron. I started following her when she was going back to her office but again hid myself seeing her return towards the imbecile. I told Maira, I wouldn't fight her battles for her but when he said that she slept her way up, I don't know what happened to me and before I knew I was punching the guy. I had to hold myself from not punching him repeatedly but there was only so much I could have controlled.
Once in Maira's office, I wanted to go and kill the person but I pertained myself to abusing him in my mind and killing him multiple times. I turned to look at Maira and saw her head down. My suspicions of her not being fine were further confirmed when she sniffed and I just knew, she was crying. I pushed her chair back and then pulled her into my chest. Her tears wet my shirt and in that moment, I wanted to go and thrash him but I controlled myself for Maira's sake. Having her wounded up in my arms when we sat in her chair was the best feeling ever and I couldn't help but keep on pecking her forehead in the need to make sure she was well.
I realised that she was hungry and that was the reason for her spouting bullshit in the car and so instead of snapping at her like I so wanted to when she was accusing me, I settled on being the mature one and feeding her before talking about anything to her. I made her eat the chocolates I got for her and she told me what I have wanted to hear from her from the day I realised, I like her more than I should.
She confessed that she likes me. I couldn't then control myself from kissing her and I might have just died happily when she responded to the kiss. Our few make out sessions, and the embarrassed Maira when Dia teased us were the other highlights that I just loved.
Once inside our room, Maira got the first aid kit and stood in front of the couch where I was sitting. I raised my eyes at her.
"Shift." She orders.
"Why?"
"Because I said."
"Sit this side."
"No, I want to sit where you are sitting, so shift now." She says narrowing her eyes. Knowing she anyways was gonna kill me for what I did downstairs, I remain seated on my place.
"Jai, if you don't shift in next 5 seconds, just know you will not like what I do." She threatens making me gulp knowing her revenges can be pretty bad.
"One"
"Two"
"Three"
"Four"
"Okay, okay, come. Sit." I shift to the other side giving her my place to sit. I huff and look to the other side before mumbling under my breath. "Tyrant."
"Hey! I heard it." she punches my arms lightly.
"It was meant to be." She pokes her tongue out at me and it is then, I notice her putting antiseptic in some cotton. "Maira, are you hurt somewhere?" I ask concerned.
"Oh God! Why did you give me such a stupid husband?" She asks looking upwards before turning towards me and taking my hand. She pressed the wet cotton to my busted knuckles only for me to hear gasps at the stinging sensation. The hilarious thing was, it wasn't me who was gasping but Maira. She had her one eye closed trying not to look too much at my now injured hands. She keeps on blowing trying to relieve any stinging but her cute stressed expressions are enough for me to bite down my lips to stop myself from laughing out loud at her. After many gasps and squinting, accompanied with a pained contorted expressions , Maira kept on holding one of my now damaged hands and staring into the space.
"Mai? You alright?" This seems to have broken her trance as she turns towards me.
"Uhh... Wha-... Yeah, yeah, I am."
"No, you don't seem fine. What is it?"
"It's nothing."
"It has to be something."
"No, it's not." Her hand leaves mine as she starts to get up agitated by my pestering. I hold her hand as she gets up and give her a tug.
"Jai, leave my hand." I keep on tugging her, slowly increasing the strength of my pull.
"Jai, I'll fall over and squish you. I am telling you. Jai, leave. Jai-" All her voice drowned in her throat when she finally got tugged towards me only for her to keep her hands over my shoulders trying to balance herself.
"Tch, tch, Maira. So clumsy you are, I tell you." I tease her and see her mood flip instantly.
"Excuse me! I am clumsy right now?" She raised her eyes at me, glaring.
"Ummmm... Yeahhhh. Or else you wouldn't have fallen all over me."
"Oh really? I haven't even put my entire weight over you. Had I been clumsy right now, you would have been crushed under me. Huh..." She scoffs.
"You cannot crush me Maira."
"Oh yeah, right! Cause by the time I put my entire weight on you, you won't be crushed but already in hell."
"Why not heaven?"
"Duhhhh, for being such an arse to your wife." She still has her arms over my shoulders as I have now wounded my arms around her waist keeping her from moving back.
"Oh, really?"
"Yes."
"Jai, leave me now." She says trying to remove my hand from her waist while trying to support herself with one hand on my shoulder. I fake a gasp when she accidentally touched my knuckles.
"Shoot! See, you hurt yourself even more. Now let me get out of your grip or you'll end up hurting yourself more." Immediate concern marring her forehead. I love when she shows that she cares for me and so I keep up my pretense.
"Sssssssssss." I inhale another deep breath pretending to relieve my pain.
"Leave me immediately." She glares at me now.
"Nope." I say shaking my head. Maira now moves forward coming closer to me, making my grip loosen over her while I look at her confused and somewhere anticipating to get a kiss or something more. She sat over me just like she did in the office with her butts on the sofa while the rest of her body was wrapped sideways over me while she sat holding my hand.
"Is it still hurting?" She asks holding my hands tenderly.
"Yes."
"I told you to leave me but no, the great Jai Singh Rathore can never listen to his wife, now can he?" The same expressions making appearance on her face again.
I withdraw one of my hands from her books and cup her cheek softly, making her eyes interlock with mine. "What is it, Mai? Tell me. And whether the great Jai Singh Rathore listens to his wife or not, this Mr. Prince will always listen to his Mrs. Sarcastic. Now, tell me." I demand. I can see her contemplating whether to share whatever's on her mind with me or not.
She takes a deep breath before looking at me again. "Jai, you got hurt because of me. Don't say no because it is the truth." She says seeing me open my mouth before continuing.
"I don't like being the reason for anyone's injuries let alone you. I never want anyone to think of me to be a burden or a liability and that is the reason I never want to be dependent on anyone and fight my battles for myself. Had I been good enough to fight my battles or to prove them that where I am standing today is after a lot of hard work and dedication and not by sleeping my way up. What were you even thinking Jai while hitting him? What if he press charges? What if he had hit you back? What-" I cut her grimacing off the only way I have always wanted which is by pressing my lips to hers and kissing the life out of her due to the anger I feel towards the imbecile who planted this seed of doubt in her mind and towards her for even trying to degrading herself that too in front of me. I feel her arms around my neck while mine are on her face, cupping her cheeks. I bite her lower lip making her gasp, giving me an opportunity to push my tongue through. I can feel myself getting goosebumps all over my body while I keep on exploring the new territory. Feeling a burn in my chest I break the kiss moving slightly back and plastering my forehead against her.
"Maira, listen to me and listen to me good. I did not get injured because of you. It was that bastard who is at fault and I couldn't care less even if I had killed him. Your becoming the senior partner in a law firm at such an early age is proof enough of your capability and if someone who is jealous of you and your achievements has to point fingers at you, they can fuck off for all I care. When he said those words to you, I couldn't even begin to tell you the wrath I felt at that moment..." I close my eyes to calm myself down before looking at my wife again.
"I don't care if he had hit me back because he deserved those hits. And, as far as pressing charges goes, why do you think I have such an amazing advocate wife? This is the day I have been waiting for." I say teasingly trying to lighten up the sudden shift in the atmosphere which Maira seems to have sensed already.
She gasps. "This is why you married me? Because I am an advocate? And here I thought you liked me." She turns in my grip, making my hands fall from her face as she stands up to move away from me.
"Well, that was just an additional advantage along with the point that you are also so sexy and curvy."
"If only I knew that my husband would be such a pervert." She says giving me a saccharine smile.
"Hawwww... I am not a pervert."
"You are."
"Only for you, love." I say winking at her making her flush red making me gasp out loud. "Did I make you blush? The great Mrs. Maira Kapoor Jai Singh Rathore and blushing? This must be my lucky day." I say making my way towards her.
"Drama King." She says under her breath, blushing harder.
"Ahhh, if calling me drama King can intensify your blushes, I don't mind being called a drama king. Hell, if I care being called any name."
"Shut up!"
"Come, let's go and have dinner."
"Umm... Jai, I am not feeling like eating anything. You go and have your dinner. Pleaseeeeeeeeeee!" She begs me.
"No, Maira. We both know you are hungry and so I suggest we better go and have our dinner. I don't want to hear anything now." I tell her sternly.
"No! I am going to take rest. I don't wanna eat." Saying this she move to the closet to change. Before she could enter the closet, I tug her back.
"Jai-" I shut her up, by obviously kissing her. My one hand is placed around her waist while the other is cupping her cheek. Our eyes are closed taking in every second of this moment. It's a simple and sweet kiss just pressed hard enough to have her mouth shut. I pull back slowly before looking at her softly.
"We are going down and that's it." I tell her in a voice much tender than before. I then leave her to change into something more comfortable before we make our way downstairs. I see a distressed look on Maira's face and stop midway, which results in her stopping since we have are hands intertwined. She stops with a jerk and turns around to send a glare my way. Typical Maira.
"What?" She asks seriously.
"You tell me what. Why are you looking distressed?"
"No, I am not."
"Yes, you are. Tell me, Maira."
"It's nothing Jai. You will probably laugh if I tell you. Let's go."
"I won't. Tell me please." I give her hand a little squeeze.
"I know you will. It's just something stupid."
"I won't. Please."
"Jai, what if Dia embarrasses us again? I mean, I know she wouldn't do that but she does love to tease us and doing that in front of all the elders is gonna make me wanna bury myself deep in the earth. So, I thought it's better to stay in and I wasn't even hungry." She says pouting. I couldn't help giving her a small peck before laughing out loud.
"See, you are laughing and you said that you won't laugh. Now I am not gonna talk to you." She poked her tongue at me before turning to go away. I grab her hand to stop her and go and stand in front of her.
"Maira, I wasn't laughing at you. I laughed because you were looking too cute-"
"You are lying. You kissed me because I looked cute but you laughed at me because of my stupid answer. Go away." She moves to leave again but I block her path.
"Maira, really that was not the reason. I promise I will not let Dia do anything like that." I tell her sincerely.
"Promise?" She forwards her hand towards me.
"Promise." I grab her forwarded hand and give it a light squeeze before taking her towards the dining room. We take our seats and wait for others to come and soon enough everyone comes except Dia. Dia enters the dining room and is giving too broad a grin and I knew she was about to speak something Maira wouldn't appreciate. I need to stop it before it happened.
A very bouncing and bubbly Dia makes her way to the table and her saccharine smile making me leave deep sighs. This doesn't look good.
"Dia, you seem to be in a good mood today?" My father comments.
"Oh, you are gonna be even in a better mood when I tell you what I saw today." She says while giving Maira and I some secretive glances. I can feel Maira's palm getting sweaty in my hand and I give Dia a glare, warning her to keep her mouth shut.
"What is it?" My grandfather is the one to question.
"Actually, I was just going upstairs when I saw bhai and bhabhi park their car outside-"
"Dia?" I call her out seriously.
"Yes, brother?" She raises her brows.
"I don't think you should stretch the story. I mean you can just tell everyone that I am ready to get teach you how to drive." I say in a way so that she understands that she is getting bribed in return of not saying anything further. Her shrieks are enough to tell me that my plan has worked.
"Yes, yes, yes. I am gonna learn how to drive." After a round of laughter at my sister's madness, everyone settled to have their dinner while I can feel Maira's hand holding mine tighter expressing her gratitude. I turn my face to look at her and see her looking at me with a certain warmth and emotions that I couldn't pinpoint.
Once done with dinner, I grab Maira's hand and take her outside to the gazebo. The cold winter nights, the lightly fogged atmosphere, and the dimly lit area, making it look much more romantic. We make our way and sit down on the plush cushions placed over the wooden benches. I sit with my back against the arm of the bech while I pull Maira to sit between my legs with her back pressed to my front.
"Jai, someone will see us."
"No one is gonna be out here at this time."
"But we are."
"Because we are stupid. Anything else?" I ask, trying to get her to stop her overthinking and just enjoy. I hear her let out a sigh before relaxing under my touch.
Maira has her knees pressed to her chest to keep her warm while I have my arms wounded around her to have us both warm and well, just an excuse for me to maintain the physical contact.
It was almost midnight when we made our way back. Maira was almost sleepy and it was a task to convince her to take her back inside the house or palace as Maira calls it. I remember how few days after our marriage I realised she calls our home, palace. I remember her asking why she does that and her reply was that it was afterall a palace even if she now lived here, in a duh tone.
We were back in our room when Maira's voice brought me out of my thoughts. "I am gonna sleep. Good night." She was about to climb on the bed when I stopped her.
"What?" She asks.
"Umm... Did you hear that?" I ask her pretending to listen hard to some sound that does not even exist.
"What? I cannot hear anything and I am so sleepy that even if you have a drum with you, I will not be able to hear it." She moves to go back to bed but I keep my hold over her hand.
"Maira, there's some noise coming from the terrace. I think we should go and check it once."
"Jai, you go and do that naa. Please. I am too tired."
"But,-"
"Please."
"Maira, what if there's something dangerous and what of something-"
"Ughhh... Come, let's go or else you won't let me sleep tonight." Together we make our way towards the door leading to terrace. Maira and I stand side by side when I open the door and reveal the area to Maira. A loud gasp from my side making me realise that she understood what was happening. The terrace was now decorated in warm yellow fairy lights, on the table was a cake, with "Happy Birthday Mrs. Sarcastic" written over it and a shocked expression over Maira's face. Her eyes wide, her hands over her mouth and the awestruck look is giving made me want to hug Dia for helping me out with the plan.
"Happy Birthday wife." I wish Maira before turning to face her fully and give her a tight hug which was difficult seeing Maira still had her hands covering her mouth. I shifted back and removed her hands from her mouth before hugging her again, tighter this time. She hugged back whispering a 'thank you' in my ear.
I took her hand and dragged her towards the table where cake was placed. I hand her the knife and light the candles. Maira blows the candles and cuts the cake, forwarding a piece to my mouth, making me eat the delicious cake while I forward another piece for her to eat. She opens her mouth and it is hanging open when I smear the cake all over her face instead of her mouth.
"Jai! You did not just do that." The shock evident in her voice.
"Oh, but I did."
"Now you are going to pay for it." I see Maira taking a big piece of cake and coming for me while I run to inside our room.
"No, no. This is wrong. Come out of the room. I don't want to get our room dirty." She speaks standing on the threshold of the door. I snort but remain inside the room to save myself from getting cake all over me.
"If I come inside you better be ready to clean the room, Jai."
"Maira, it's your birthday. You deserved a chocolate facial. I thought you will enjoy it." I rile her up further.
"Oh really."
"Yessssss." I say and turn around to get her gift. Before I realise it, I understood the meaning of never turn your back towards your enemy while fighting because I felt Maira lunge forward and smear my face with cake fron behind.
"Well, husbands should always accompany their wives in such holy tasks." I turn to face her and the glint in her eyes makes my chocolate covered face worth it.
"Well, we now have to clean our faces." I say on the same tone as hers.
"Duhhhh... Thank you captain obvious. Also, you are supposed to clean both your face and the ground." She says pointing towards the floor where a blop of cake had fallen and has splattered around a bit. She moves forward to go to the washroom but I stop her, grab her waist and pull her towards me.
"I was thinking of another way of cleaning our faces, something that might save water." I suggest mischievously.
"What? How?" She give me a confused look while I slap my forehead realising she really didn't get what I was saying which resulted in some cake on my hand. "Oh! I get it now. You want to use the face wipes, right?"
"You do realise you are very dense when things come to romance, right?" I say amazed by her answer, my hold loosening on her waist.
"No, I am not." She says with a gasp.
"Yes, you are."
"No, I am not."
"I remember saying that we should find another way of you saying thank you to me and you still didn't get that I was flirting with you."
"I don't get it. When did this happen again?"
"On our engagement day when we were on the terrace, remember?"
"Yeah, but what did that mean?" I slap my forehead again which resulted in more cake coming onto my hand.
"Maira, let's get cleaned up. Okay? I don't even know what to explain to you."
"But, tell me what did you mean."
"Should I call dibs on the washroom or are you going?" I ask ignoring her question. I have come to terms that my wife is bad at romance and I might need to work on that.
"No, no, no. I am going. You know I don't like going to a wet washroom." Yeah, you heard it right. She has a problem with washrooms being wet and that is one of the reasons she argues with me to let her take a bath before me everyday. Weird, but cute when she scrunches her nose at the idea of using a wet washroom.
While she is taking a bath, I quickly clean the room and use the washroom in Maira's previous temporary room since I only had to wash my face. By the time I return, I see Maira sitting on the bed talking to someone over the phone. I take out her gift and bring it to where she sat, while waiting for her to end the call.
Once she ends the call, she looks at me waiting for me to say something. I forward the small box to her and wait in anticipation for her to open the box.
"Thank you!" She says without even opening the gift.
"I think it's time we change the way you thank me." I say.
"Umm... You want me to say this in Spanish? Gracias?" She says looking confused.
"You say I am pathetic at flirting, well, you are pathetic at understanding when someone's flirting with you."
"No, I am not."
"Yes, you are."
"No."
"Yes"
"No."
"Yes."
"Yes."
"No."
"See, you yourself accepted it." She says giving me a sarcastic smile.
"Yeah, yeah. You just know how to trick people but not how to know if they are flirting with you."
"I am sorry I didn't have people going around flirting with me to really understand it."
"Well, similarly I didn't go around flirting with girls and it's normal that I would suck at it" I shoot back with a pout on my face.
A broad smile appeared over Maira's face as I completed my sentence. "That's one thing we both agree on. You are pathetic at flirting. So, basically me not understanding your flirting has nothing to do with me but everything to do with you." Once she completes her sentence she looks so proud of herself.
We both are sitting on the bed, infront of one another with our legs folded and almost touching each other, leaving barely few inches between us. The content look on her face, making me tug her nuptial chain slightly, making her lean forward due to the unexpected move, while I shush her gasp by capturing her lips in between mine.
I move away slightly after a second. "This is how a wife is supposed to thank her husband." I say this before diving right in for another kiss. I kiss her for a few more minutes before moving back, letting our heavy breaths linger in the room.
"You drive me crazy." I confess.
"You were already crazy when we met."
"Well, the moment I saw you for the first time, I became crazy for you."
"Look, I know this is flirting." She says raising her imaginary collars making me chuckle and pecking her lips at her cuteness. She blushes slightly and closes her eyes, giving way to a long yawn.
"Let's sleep." She says almost in a sleepy voice.
"But your gift?"
"I'll see it tomorrow please." She says almost sleepy. I move from the bed, giving her place to lie properly and sleep. While I make my way towards the other side. As our recent tradition I pull her, or at least try to pull her towards me, which seems difficult and had me shifting closer to her. I took her into my.arms before settling in for the night, pulling the thick blanket and cocooning us from the slithering cold outside.
__________________
Maira's POV:
I woke up next morning to see Jai missing from my side. I stretched and turn to my side to check my phone.
08:23 a.m.
Shoot! How come my alarm didn't ring. Even Jai didn't wake me up. He knows I wake up early. Ughhhh...
I get out of my bed hurriedly knowing I do not have time for exercise. I take a bath and decide to cook something quick and easy that might consume less time. I wear a nude pink kurti paired with same coloured pants and a dupatta with golden embroidery. Wearing my slippers, I descend in a hurry not even caring to check where Jai is. I am almost at the kitchen door, when I get tugged and a hand is placed over my eyes before being taken somewhere. I can feel the person's warmth in my back a d the familiar musky woodsy scent that Jai wears.
"Jai, where are you taking me? What are you even doing? I need to cook and you-"
"Shhhhh..." He just says this. The hell!
"What-"
"Maira, please be silent for few minutes and you will understand everything." I decide to listen to him for once and keep my.mouth mum. Suddenly I feel a gush of cold air hit me, my wet hair increasing this cold sensation, sending a shiver across my body. The reason for shiver is confusing, whether it's the sudden cold or the Jai's breath near my ears.
"Be careful, there are steps ahead." He whispers closely in my ears. Not showing his effect over me, I pay attention on descending the stairs. What seems like hours but has hardly been a few minutes, we come to a stop and finally, Jai removes his hands from over my eyes.
I see our entire family standing there with broad grins covering their faces and the decorated gazebo. The cold winter morning making it the perfect weather for outside breakfast.
I am soon engulfed in various hugs and wishes, all the while haven't seen Jai yet. Once, everyone has got themselves involved in conversations, I try looking for my husband, whom I find standing in a corner talking to Rishi but looking at me. I give him a small smile while trying to engage myself in the conversation going on in the group I am standing with. I want to talk to Jai, this sudden yearning for Jai is something totally new to me and the reason for this restlessness is also unknown.
The people around us making it difficult for us to even have small sneak peaks. It was post afternoon when my family decided to leave. After seeing them off, I decided to get my phone which I have left in the drawing room. I enter the palace when I am pulled in a small room, the same one where Jai pulled me into after few days of our marriage.
I see Jai in from of me and wait for him to remove his hand from over my mouth.
"I hope you liked the surprise." I nod my head, unable to speak.
"Why are you not speaking?"
Seriously!
He had my hands held in his behind my back, making my eyes the only way to tell him why I am not speaking. My muffled voice along with my eye gestures make him realise. He removes his hand from my mouth.
"Stupid!" I remark.
"Wifey, you can't insult me when I have sacrificed my sleep to plan a party for you." He pouts.
"Not like I asked you to." I say, sending a wink his way.
"Okay, I am going to go. Here I thought you will like what I had planned for you, but you-"
"Uh.... We back to being a drama king?"
"Why do you always keep insulting my feelings?" I am drawn aback from the statement and I cannot fathom if he is serious or not.
"Jai, I didn't mean to insult your feelings. I was just kidding. I am-" I am cut off with his laughter.
"Yo- your, face. It was epic." He somehow say between his fit of laughter. I can feel my eyes getting watery at the thought of hurting him. I wipe my eyes before looking at him, seeing him sobering up seeing my watery face.
"You made me cry. I am not talking to you." Saying this I leave the room and come back to my room. I open my phone and see that I am urgently required to revert back on a case and unfortunately that particular file is in the office. I pack my bag and decide to go to office for sometime. Since it is a weekend there will be no people in the office who can get me the file, making is necessary for me to go.
I am turned around using my shoulders and I see Jai standing in front of me. "Love, I am sorry if my joke made you feel sad. I promise not to do anything like this again." He says pecking my cheek.
"I am not angry. I just need to be at the office for some work. Just know it has nothing to do with you." I say in a rush before exiting the room.
"I will drop you." He says.
"No, no. You have been up since dawn. You take rest, I will be back in sometime. I just need to get one file urgently." Jai catches up with my fast pace and gives me a hard smooch before leaving me.
"I'll be waiting for you." My heart soared hearing his words. He followed me till the driveway where the driver is waiting for me in the car. I was about to sit inside the car when Jai grabbed my hand and pulled me into a tight hug. I inhale his musky woodsy scent while I feel him sniffing into my still slightly wet hair.
"I am already missing you."
"You are still pathetic at flirting." I say trying to lighten up the atmosphere. Jai lets out a laugh before pecking my forehead and running back inside.
You shouldn't have done that. -Maira
Why? We have done more than that already. -Jai
I blush at what Jai is insinuating but nonetheless text him back.
Stop being a pervert. What if someone saw us?- Maira
You are my wife.- Jai
Doesn't give you license for PDA.- Maira
For a matter of fact, it does.- Jai
Jai, please no PDA from next time. You have our room for that. -Maira
So, does that mean I can do anything in our room? - Jai
Mr. Jai Singh Rathore, you better not get way ahead of yourself and be on your best behavior when I get back. - Maira
Yes, mom :( - Jai
I laugh at Jai's reply and eagerly wait to return home and be in Jai's arms. Little did I know, I had a long way to go before I am with Jai again.
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Hey guys!
Finally, I am back. I am so sorry for not uploading for last two weeks. I promise to get to my proper updating schedule by the end of this week. Please bear with me till then.
I hope you all enjoy this extra lengthy update. Lemme know your thoughts about this chapter and what do you expect from the chapters ahead.
Don't forget to vote and comment. Thank you for showering your love and support.
Love you all:)