***Abhimanyu's P.O.V***
Slowly, I made way to the bathroom, with my towel in one hand, and Naina's words echoing in my mind. Can I consider it as a consolation prize if she loves to kiss me but doesn't love me?
A sudden emptiness had engulfed me that seemed to spread an empty void and dread within me, making me feel cold, inspite of the fact that I was standing under the warm water of my shower. Yes I had had multiple sexual partners, but it was all for the need of my body. First time I'd actually fallen for someone but she said she'd never love me?! She had had men in her life and though it didn't bother me, the fact that I was same to her like all those men who'd been in her life before me bothered me.
I'm her husband and I love her... is it wrong of me to want her to love me back?!
As yet again the image of my Naina with some random dude who held her and touched her and kissed her popped in my head, I hissed in anger and groaned in frustration.
Sure she had her own sexual release like I'd had mine but c'mon which guy wants to know about the previous sexual partners of the love of his life?! I for one want to go and kick every one of those guys for ever having touched Naina... probably kick them in the nuts?!
Though the thought did make me smile a little, but yet again the other thought - of how Naina told she'd never fall for me - made me groan in despair.
And then, my thoughts drifted off to last night, of how Shruthi was bawling her eyes out for Kunal, but then why was she flirting with Dhruv?
If I haven't told it already - women are fucking insane!! They're definitely impossible to understand! What was God really thinking when he made women?!
Give 'em brains, make them sexy... make it impossible to live without them... and oops, make them complicated as fuck - much more complicated than diffusing a time bomb! - my mind answered that question!
Well he ain't wrong is he?! How do I understand Naina, and how do I make a space for me in her heart?!
Sighing to myself, I quickly finished my bath and got out, dashing straight to the wardrobe to dress up.
*****
The rest of the day had gone by in getting ready for the reception, with Naina cooped up somewhere with my mom and other female relatives of both of our families! There was no news from either Kunal or Shruthi, while a sheepishly grinning Nikhil made his entry into the mansion later in the day.
"Niyathi agreed to go out with me" Nikhil chirped, as soon as my gaze clashed with his.
"Oh?! Uh congratulations!" I said, looking around for my wife as a group of giggling female cousins and relatives came down from the first floor.
"Naughty boy... you will get to see her later in the evening, and throughout your life too!! But for now, you need to get ready" Nikhil said, as though reading my thoughts, and sighing, I got to my feet, to get ready for the reception ceremony.
The reception was to take place in the Oberoi Hotel - the place where I'd first met Naina and had instantly fallen head-over-heals for her!!
I had expected Naina to be in our bedroom, but when the empty bedroom greeted me, I couldn't help but feel even more depressed if that was possible. The only comforting thought that at least she was in my life, with me... and not out there in some other dude's life!!
The sweet fragrance of her perfume filled my nostrils as I entered the wardrobe, making me sigh in content, a satisfactory smile automatically curling my lips - I get to at least have this woman in my arms every night!
Lost in thoughts about Naina and how to woo her, I mechanically got dressed in the suit I had got stitched specially for this day - though when I had actually gotten this ready, I had imagined my Naina blushing and looking coyly at me when I'd wear this for her!
I took a good look at myself in the mirror - a navy blue three-piece suit, with a baby pink tie. The suit fit me well, bringing out my biceps and abs very well like I'd expected. But what's the use of all this when Naina doesn't even want me like how I want her?!
Pouting to myself, I set my hair and with one last look at myself, got out of my room, making way downstairs, lost in thought to my own despair.
I lifted my gaze once before looking down back to my feet, only to look back up as realization dawned on me. A gasp escaped my lips, and I felt all the wind getting knocked off of me. I swear I've died and reached heaven... haven't I?!
A sigh escaped my lips, along with a dire need to pull her into my arms - my wife... my beautiful wife - Naina!!
Standing in the middle of the deserted hall, that was decorated with ivory roses, with a few baby-pink blooms here-n-there, she looked like a blooming rose herself! Was it her dress that made her look like that, or was it her in general that made my heart skip a beat?! The room looked divine and heavenly, with all the roses in it, but most of all, because Naina was there, at the center of the room, looking nervously up at me.
She stood at the exact center of the room, surrounded by hundreds of roses, and the light from the chandelier above twinkling like stars - am I really dead and in heaven?!
Naina seemed to glow, dressed in the baby-pink gown, and surrounded by so many roses, and the glimmering light of the chandelier, making her look like an angel... a true nymph... my angel... my wife!
The red and ivory bangles glittered around her wrists, and my mangalsutra shone around her neck, along with the sindoor along her partition - all of which marked her as mine - my wife!
Her long silky hair was set in some sort of an elegant bun, a few strands left out and curled, framing her pretty face. I sighed as the stray strands of her hair fluttered, making me just want to go and hug her and kiss her tenderly.
She shot her eyes to me, and bit her lip shyly, and yet again, I found myself loosing my mind as I slowly made my way towards her - to the center of the room.
My breath hitched in my throat as my gaze clashed with her's.... my doe-eyed beauty... her eye lashes fluttering every time she blinked.
Fuck! I'm a gonner!!
"Ji... I... uh..." she spoke softly, fidgeting with her long beautiful fingers, and biting her lip yet again.
"huh?" I croaked, not at all surprised at how gravely my voice sounded, finally standing right in front of her.
"Everyone has left... We are alone here" she whispered, shooting furtive glances towards me, and making me want to just forget everything and carry her into our bedroom!
Oh wait if nobody's here, we can do it right here, amidst the hundreds of beautiful roses, right?!
"I... uh... I'm sorry" she whispered, bringing me to reality.
"Sorry?! What for?" I asked, unable to stop myself from tucking the stray strand of hair behind her ear.
"For earlier... morning... I... called you a wuss... I'm sorry" she whispered, her eyes stuck on her fidgeting fingers.
"Huh?" I snapped my eyes to her lips which were inviting me to just take a bite... maybe suck on them?!
"I didn't mean it.... I should have called you a homosexual instead" she said, before bursting out laughing.
What the fuck just happened?!
"Excuse me?!" I managed to utter, my gaze stuck on my beloved and bewitchingly beautiful wife.
"You say you're lovestuck and yet you don't make a move on me Abhi!! I have seen you flirt with so many women and even heard from Shruthi of how charming you can be, but all I've seen you do is dress like a clown and act like a wuss!!" she managed to speak, before relapsing into another round of giggles.
"Hey I am wooing you and when did you see me flirt?!" I asked, taken aback that she has observed me before but how come I never noticed her?!
"I have seen you flirt many a times... not important anyway... but the point is... I expected you to be a lil more than what you are right now!" she finally said, chuckling.
"What do you mean?" I asked, moving forward and caging her in my arms.
"Well, for starters, I thought you'd not let go off of any moment to kiss me or hold me... I thought I'd receive a shower of compliments.... and even a lot of cheesy pick up lines.... at least I thought you'd gaze at me with lust filled eyes like how you used to gaze at all those one-night stands of your's!! I must say I am disappointed in you Mr. Singhania.... I am used to a lot of flattery, but not this solemn silence like your's!" she said, putting her arms around my neck and smirking at me.
"Well Mrs. Singhania... the point of all those women was only to fulfill my sexual desires... you're my loving wife... you're here to be as a part of my life... not just to warm my bed... you're here to warm my heart and life....and I do hold you and hug you but to kiss you... I want to kiss you out of love... not lust...." I said honestly, looking into her beautiful eyes that had long captured my heart and my soul.
"And about flattery... my whole existence is to flatter you Mrs. Abhimanyu Singhania... and I will slay every guy who's ever flirted with you" I said, a possessive streak overtaking me without my knowledge.
"Okay Mr. Possessive... but still... " Naina trailed off, running her fingers through my hair and making me sigh.
"I want my feisty Naina back... not this dainty and sanskari bahu types Naina... I want that Naina who threatened to hurt me for just looking at her... I don't want this I-am-your-wife-so-you-can-have-sex-with-me typical bahu wali Naina!! I don't want you to be with me out of obligation" I said, pulling her more into me and making her confused gaze meet my love filled ones.
"I want that Naina who made a huge scene out at the Oberoi Hotel... I want that Naina who accused me in front of a whole crowd of getting her pregnant... I want that Naina who rolls her eyes at me, who takes her stand... " I said seriously, to which she chuckled wryly.
"That was an unmarried Naina.... now I am Mrs. Abhimanyu Singhania... I cannot behave like that" she sighed sadly, letting go off of me.
"Hmm... but I want you to be the girl I fell in love with" I said, intertwining my fingers with her's as we slowly made our way out of the mansion.
"Really?! Bhaiyya had told me off for insulting you like that at the Oberoi Hotel that day" she said as I held open the door of the limousine for her before sliding in beside her at the back of the car.
"I fell in love with that Naina my dear wife... I sure want her back in my life" I said, kissing the back of her hand.
Naina didn't answer, but with her hand still in mine, she looked out of the window, probably lost in thought.
"Hey I never got to hear why you made a scene both those times? The third time with Kunal was obvious that you thought of me as some ristha meet guy... but what about the first two times?" I asked, breaking the silence in the car and drawing her attention.
"The first time was... well... you were gaping at me with your mouth hanging wide open.... I actually hadn't recognized you too... and your eyes.... they were roaming all over me.... now I know that you're a decent guy but back then I thought you were a pervert.... so I couldn't help giving you a piece of my mind... and it didn't help that I had had a very long day and the receptionist not paying any attention to me... I was irritated as fuck!" Naina chirped, talking so expressively that each time her eyes moved to and away from me, I felt my heart going haywire!
"Hey woah.." I stuttered, not knowing why I'd even uttered those two words.
"What?! C'mon!! You can't deny it!! Even when I was sitting right in front of you, your eyes were stuck on my boobs!! And don't deny the fact that you checked my ass out as I walked away!" she said defiantly, looking at me through eyes narrowed to slits.
"But now you're mine... and you have a really nice ass" I grinned, to which she giggled, though her cheeks tinged pink.
"Anyway... the second time... my friend Tara was having a bridal shower at the Oberoi's and yet again, we met... My friend Riya had told me about some guy who was following her, but asking about me! She said that he had apparently seen me here at the Oberoi hotel and well... I thought it was you!! So I didn't mind humiliating you" she said, biting her lip to control her laughter.
"Laugh away Naina.... but the joke's on you... once I make you fall for me... you will indeed be carrying my child... I will be getting you pregnant... with our child" I smirked before kissing her cheek.
"I told you Abhi.... don't count on me falling for you... I have told this to you many times already and I am telling it to you again... I don't believe in love... I cannot fall in love.. I don't mind having a family with you... and I don't even mind having sex with you. But love... I can't do that" she said, shattering my heart all over again.
My eyes stung with unshed tears as I looked away from her, and the limousine came to a halt at the same time, indicating that we'd reached our destination.
Without another word, I got out of the car, before holding out my hand to her, which she took, and both of us beamed and smiled to the hundreds of cameras flashing away madly, in front of the Oberoi Hotel.
***Kunal's P.O.V***
"Bro you're gonna prick your neck if you continue to do this" Nikhil's voice drifted into my ears as he himself came to my side, patting my back.
"This is called torture bro" he chirped again as I kept my eyes glued to my side, where Shruthi was sitting, along with Dhruv.
Dressed in a simple yet stunningly beautiful baby-blue evening gown, Shruthi stood there, a few feet away from me, looking as beautiful as ever... or even more if possible! She had straightened her shoulder-length curly hair and let it free, her pretty face with a touch of make up.
Do all un-obtainable things look so painfully and hauntingly beautiful?!
And Dhruv!! He was supposed to be my brother... how could he flirt with her when I love her so much?!
As yet again Shruthi giggled to whatever Dhruv was telling to her, my eyes stung with unshed tears - how could she just dodge me and completely ignore me?!
I sighed and closed my eyes, as I recalled how earlier in the morning she'd pushed me away and finally I had left for home, but she'd not bothered to answer even one of my calls throughout the day.
I'd even stopped by her place before coming here but she had left long ago, leaving me alone as ever.
"Some things require patience Kunal... patience and time" Nikhil said in a soothing voice, in yet another attempt to earn my attention.
I sighed before sniffling my tears away - a man mustn't cry right?! Funny how my conservative family taught me never to cry and never to show my feelings, but never taught me to man up and confess my love to the woman I love?!
"Hey look around you man... there are so many women out here and now with Abhi and me too off the market, you have a big pool to choose from... choose wisely... go mingle and if not sex at least get some action you sanskari celibate!" Nikhil whined, and finally letting go off myself, I let out an involuntary giggle.
"Now that's good okay... see that woman over there? She's been looking at you from a long time now... go talk to her" Nikhil whispered, indicating some woman in a black figure-hugging dress who was smiling at me.
"Huh?" I looked around in disinterest.
"Okay now act cool she's making her way to you" Nikhil said briskly before walking away. Not even bothering to see where he was going, I turned my attention back to Shruthi, who was talking very animatedly with Dhruv.
"Hey Kunal?" I heard an unfamiliar feminine voice, which finally made me look away from Shruthi, to find a petite girl, with shoulder-length hair and a pretty face, looking up at me. This was the woman that Nikhil had indicated?! She was wearing the same black dress... oh yeah looks like that woman.
Did I know her? I don't remember ever seeing her... but alas how would my heart even remember any girl when there's already one residing inside it - Shruthi?!
And at that thought, I turned to take another glimpse of Shruthi, to see what my dear cousin brother was upto, but to my utter amazement and happiness, found her gaze {albeit a furious one!} on me!
"Do you remember me... we were classmates... during MBA at IIM?" the girl's voice flitted into my ears, and I turned my attention to her.
"Uh.." I trailed off, forcing a smile, before turning to look at Shruthi, who's eyes had turned to slits as she glared at me... and the petite girl in front of me.
"Maya?" I blurted out, wondering if I'd guessed right. But when she beamed at me and fluttered her eyelashes, I knew I'd hit bulls eye!
"Hey... long time... how are you?" I asked smiling at her as she continued to beam up at me, while I looked at Shruthi from the corner of my eyes, to find her fuming - aww is she jealous?!
"I've been good... wow you look great" Maya said, beaming at me and tucking a strand of her hair shyly behind her ear.
"Huh?! Oh uh thanks... you look good too" I shrugged, and from the corner of my eyes, could make out Shruthi glaring murder at Maya. Now that's awesome news!
"Thanks... I uh... it's been a long time... maybe we could catch up some time?!" she asked, to which I felt myself shrugging and nodding, my brains wondering what Shruthi would do next?!
"Okay cool then... this is my number..." Maya trailed off before a flowery perfume filled my nostrils, and the next thing I knew, Shruthi had wrapped her arms around me, beaming at me, before turning her cold gaze to Maya.
"Hey... I'm Shruthi... Kunal's girlfriend... and you are?" Shruthi asked, looking innocently at Maya, though I'm sure steam was coming out of her ears right now!
"Girlfriend?! Oh I'm so sorry... I thought he was single..." Maya trialed off in a guilty tone, while Shruthi stood there with a smug expression on her face.
"Oh not to worry darling... all water under the bridge! We've been dating for over ten years now" Shruthi chirped brightly before excusing the two of us and dragging me behind her.
Once away from the hustle and bustle of the lobby, Shruthi dragged me to a silent corridor, before stopping around a corner and turning to glare at me.
"I thought you said you didn't flirt with anyone!" she hissed, glaring murder at me.
"And I thought you said it didn't matter to you" I said, unable to stop myself from smirking, or from moving forward and pulling her into my arms.
"What the fuck Kunal?! Let go off of me!" she hissed, trying and failing to move out of my grip.
"Oh but darling you're my girlfriend!" I sighed happily, before pulling her more to myself.
"I..I.." she stuttered before I moved forward and pecked her lips.
"I love you Shruthi.... just like how you love me... All these years and yet we love one another.... We've been in love with one another for over 12 years now!! I am ready to marry you Shruthi... I have always been ready for it.. now more than ever!" I said honestly, before placing my lips on her's once again.
To be continued...