Zaroorat
Chapter 4: Zaroorat

The open window let inside the cool night air, the hint of rain making it more romantic for him, but the girl in his arms kept sniffling at regular intervals reminding him that her mind was far from romance. Sameer and Naina were married and were going back to Maheshwari bungalow in the car that was decorated specially for them. The driver kept his attention focused on the road, while Sameer tried to calm his wife… Wife… Goodness… Was it for real? He glanced down at her head on his chest, the heavy saree hiding her face from him, and he sighed wondering how to cheer her up. He understood the sadness of leaving her home, Chachaji, Chachiji, Preeti, but he thought it was okay since she would meet Preeti every day in college, and their home was just a few kilometers away from Nirmal Jyoti.

Trying to tease her, he said, “hey bhagwaan… mujhe nahi pata tha ke meri biwi itna roti hai… kaash shaadi se pehle pata hota.”

As expected she drew back, and glared at him, “pata hota toh kya karte?”

“Propose karne se pehle do baar sochta”, he mused, shaking his head.

She gasped in anger, and pinched his arm, “Sameer… tum na…”

“Ow”, he rubbed the spot, “dekho yaar… yeh toh maarti bhi hai… Ghar jaake mummy ko sab batata hun.”

Her eyes narrowed, “tum meri shiqayat karoge?” He nodded, pressing his lips mischievously, and she retorted, “theek hai… toh phir main mummy se kahungi ke mujhe tumhare saath kamre me darr lag raha hai aur aaj main unke saath rehna chahti hun.”

His eyes widened in panic, “kya? Tum pagal ho kya Naina? Tumko samajh me bhi aa raha hai iska matlab? Tum aise kaise…”

He trailed off when she started giggling, and that’s when he realized that she had also been teasing him. Smiling slightly he wiped the tears off her cheeks, “chalo kamsekam rona toh bandh hua tumhara…”

She smiled back, glancing out of the window, “kab pahonchenge?”

He smirked, reaching out to hold her hand, “kyun? Bahot jaldi hai?”

She blushed, her heart suddenly thundering at the thought of what would happen once they reach home. Will he kiss her? Was there more? What would he want? And how would she change out of all these heavy clothes and jewelry by herself?

Soon the car entered the gates, and Sameer helped her out. Home. Naina looked up at the big bungalow, she had been here just a few weeks back, spent so much time, but still now it looked so different… It was decorated of course to welcome her, but more than that the feeling she got when she looked at the house now was different. This was her home now… The place where she would spend her life with her husband… She blinked at this thought, moving her gaze from the house to the boy beside her… Few days ago he had been dressed in jeans and t-shirt, saving her from her father in temple, beating up another boy in college… and today he was her husband.

He felt her gaze on him, and turned to look; raising his eyebrows in silent query and to his surprise she promptly blushed. He smirked, and thought to carry her inside like in movies, but before he could lift her in his arms, another car entered inside the gates and his mother alighted along with Rohan, Deepika and Mr. Somani.

Sameer sighed recalling that a proper grihpravesh would be done here; he can’t just carry her inside in his arms. Vishakha quickly went inside to get the aarti plate, and did the new couple’s aarti. Deepika and Rohan placed a kalash with rice inside and a late of kumkum water. Vishakha guided Naina on how to enter inside, and Sameer walked alongside her, glancing at the clock repeatedly to check the time. A small Ganesh puja was done, and then Sameer was instructed to go upstairs. He grinned, holding Naina’s hand eagerly, making her blush and gasp. Vishakha chuckled, “Naina nahi… sirf tum jao.”

He frowned, “toh Naina kab aayegi? Woh bhi thak gai hogi na?”

His mother gently explained, “aaj ki raat Naina ko yahin sona padega. Ganesh ji ke saamne.”

He was horrified, “kya? Mujhse alag? Aur iss kamre me toh bed bhi nahi hai.”

“Haan”, Vishakha replied, “neeche hi soyegi Naina, aur main uske saath hun. Yeh rasam hai beta.”

“Aisa kaisa rasam?” Sameer kept arguing about it for some time until finally Vishakha just asked him to leave if he really wanted Naina to get some rest. He looked at Naina, who had stayed silent for the entire time, but even she looked disheartened. He didn’t like it, but had to obey his mother since he didn’t want to quarrel on the day of his wedding.

Going into his room, he threw his turban on the bed which Munna and Pandit had decorated for him, and scowled, “kya socha tha aur kya ho gaya. Aisi kaisi ajeeb rasme hai…” He changed into normal clothes, and then sat on the bed, pondering about the situation. And that was when it hit him… He had taken the bidaai so lightly, thinking that she would meet Preeti daily, and Chachaji-Chachiji weren’t far either, but actually he hadn’t thought that she was leaving behind the world she had known for 20 years. She had had to be scared. His mind flashed back to when he was left at hostel when he was young… He had been so scared about the completely new environments, knowing that he wouldn’t be able to see his mother daily, realizing that he couldn’t be with Nanu anymore, and worried about the many changes in his life. Naina must have felt the same way… so what if she was coming along with him, the boy she loved… There had to be some fear in her heart, uncertainty about the new life and changes it would bring along, sadness of leaving the familiar comfort. And he hadn’t understood what she was going through when she was crying. Dammit… He needed to see her now. To hell with all rituals…

Ten minutes later he was tiptoeing down the stairs, hiding in shadows, and went up to the room where Naina was supposed to be. He saw two forms on the floor, and understood it had to be Naina and his mother. Thank God, at least she was not alone. Though there weren’t many hours left for morning, but still… He crept inside slowly, going up to her, thinking that if she was asleep he won’t disturb her. But as soon as he reached closer, she sat up, and he smiled knowing she had sensed him. He sat down on his knees next to her, and immediately she hugged him. He wrapped his hands around her, sighing in relief as he held her.

She whispered, “thank you… mere paas aane ke liye. Mujhe bahot yaad aa rahi thi tumhari.”

His heart thudded, “I am sorry. Mujhe yeh rasam ke baare me nahi pata tha, aur main pehle samajh nahi paaya ke tum bidaai ke baad kitni udaas hogi.”

She tightened her hold a bit more, and they just sat there like that for many long minutes. Finally, when Vishakha stirred a bit, Naina parted from him, and said, “tum jao ab… so jao thoda.”

He nodded, and kissed her forehead, “I love you… Kal subah milte hai.”

When he went back to his… no… their room, he took a long look at the bed, and then grabbed a pillow and blanket… Spreading a mat on the floor, he slept just as his wife was sleeping downstairs. That was fair, wasn’t it? They had got married, they were husband and wife, so why would she sleep on floor and he on bed?

********************

Next morning Naina was woken up at 6:30am by Vishakha, and was instructed to go to her room and get ready for muh-dikhai, and pehli rasoi. Ideally both the events should have happened on separate days but Vishakha needed to go back to Delhi as Deepika’s school was important, and so they were going to do all the rituals today. Naina was bit confused at first on hearing ‘her room’, but then it clicked that Vishakha was asking her to go to Sameer’s room… Of course that room was hers now too.

As Naina adjusted her saree a bit, Vishakha instructed, “aaj bhi saree pehen lena… Aur Sameer ko bhi utha dena.” Naina nodded and left to go upstairs. She hesitated a bit before entering the room, but then pushed the door open, thankful that it was unlocked. However, as soon as the door opened she was stunned to see Sameer sleeping on the floor beside the bed that was heavily decorated with flowers. Why was he sleeping on floor? Puzzled she locked the door behind her, and went to sit beside him to wake him up.

She shook him, “Sameer… utho. Subah ho gai.”

He grabbed her hand, turning sideways to her, and murmured, “Naina, sone do na.”

She smiled, sitting down properly, and watched his sleep… He looked so innocent. The hairs on his forehead, the small pout on his lips, the way he curled up. She was amazed at the way he had recognized her instantly. In few minutes she tried to wake him up again, and this time he stirred, opening his eyes. He blinked, yawned and rubbed his eyes, rolling around until the blanket wrapped around him, and then stretched his arms. When he saw her, his eyes widened, and he immediately tried to sit up, but was hampered by the rolled blanket around his legs. She chuckled, helping him untangle, and he sat up as soon as he could, “tum kab aayi? Mujhe pehle kyun nahi uthaya?”

She smiled, “main thodi der pehle hi aayi. Tum itni gehri neend me the ke uth hi nahi rahe the.”

He glanced at the locked door, and then grinned, suddenly pulling her to him, “toh subah subah romance kare thoda?”

She blushed, “hato… mujhe mummy ne taiyar hone ke liye bheja hai. Aur kaha tha tumko utha du… aaj muh-dikhai hai aur pehli rasoi bhi.”

He titled his head, quirking a brow, “achcha… pehle mujhe toh theek se dekh lene do apni biwi ko… Muh-dikhai baad me hota rahega.”

Unable to resist she moved her fingers through his hair, feeling the silk, and smiled, “tum neeche kyun so rahe the?”

He took her other hand and placed a kiss on her palm, “kyunki meri biwi neeche so rahi thi…”

Her eyes filled with grateful tears and she suddenly flung her arms around him, and he hummed, holding her tight, “wow… kaash meri har subah aisi ho, meri biwi hamesha mere baaho me ho.”

“dhatt”, she chuckled, and tried to pull back, “chalo chodo na… nahana hai, aur usse pehle toh yeh sab zevar aur make-up nikaalne me bhi waqt lagega.”

He withdrew his arms from around her, and scrunched his nose, “itna sab pehenke raat ko kaise soyi thi tum… chubh raha hoga na sab?”

She shook her head, “chalta hai… bas ab soch rahi hun yeh juda kaise kholungi khud… Bana toh diya parlor wali ne aur Preeti bhi thi madad karne tab… Par ab…”

“Main hoon na”, he interrupted, “waise bhi maine kaha tha ke tumhare baal toh main hi kholunga.”

She bit her lip, blushing, “par tum kaise? Tumhe thodi na aayega…”

He rolled his eyes, helping her to stand up, “madam… tum na apne pati ko kam mat samjho. Aao yahan…”

He guided her to the dressing table, and pulled out a wooden stool, “yeh na main, Munna aur Pandit leke aaye… Main toh khade khade taiyaar hota hun, par tumhe baal banane aur make-up karne me zyada time lagega na toh khade khade thak jaogi… Isiliye tum yahan bethna hamesha.”

She was surprised by this gesture, and kept staring at his reflection in the mirror as he made her sit. He was engrossed in checking out the pallu over her head, and suddenly grinned on spotting the pins, and gently took them out, easing the fabric down. As the heavy pallu slid from her head to her shoulder, she closed her eyes in relief. He knelt, placing his chin on her shoulder, and stared at his wife’s reflection in the mirror, “hayee…”

On hearing his whisper so close to her ear, she opened her eyes, and he smiled, turning his head to place a soft kiss on her cheek. Her breath hitched, and her hands fisted on her saree, “tum kya kar rahe ho?”

He started to remove the pins from her hair as slowly as he could, “bas tumhari madad… aur thoda sa pyaar. Tum kya bethi ho gudiya ki tarah… chalo tum bhi pins nikaalo, poori dukaan laga di hai parlor wali ne.”

She had to smile at the way he made her heartbeats flutter with the sudden hugs and kisses, and then also made her comfortable. Together they managed to remove all the pins, and then he undid the band around her hair, and let the silky mass down. Once more she exhaled in relief, and impulsively he slid his long fingers in her hair, massaging her scalp. Surprised at the sensations that washed through her, she made a soft moaning sound, and closed her eyes. That sound however, made his body react, and his breathing increased. His hand moved from her hair to her shoulder, his thumb rubbing the soft skin at her nape. Emboldened by the way she didn’t object, he slowly trailed down her arms, kneeling to her level, his broad palms covering her bangles and then clasping the back of her palms, sliding his fingers between hers.

“Sameer…”, she spoke his name with a shuddering breath, trying to comprehend the emotions she was feeling.

He softly kissed her ear, her cheek, and her head automatically tilted to the side when he nuzzled her neck, pressing a gentle kiss on her shoulder too. His heart thudded as he slowly turned her to the side, and looked at her parted quivering lips. Cupping her face with one hand, he stroked his thumb over the curve of her cheek, and slowly leaned forward, tilting his head…

“Sameer Bhaiya!!” A loud call and several thumping sounds on the door made him stagger backwards and fall on the floor. Naina gasped, placing her hand over her heart, and then let out a shocked sound on seeing him fall. She immediately knelt to help him, “tum theek ho na?”

He nodded, standing up, and rubbing his bottom, “uff… kaun chillaya?”

She giggled, “lagta hai Deepika hai… Main dekhti hun.”

As the door opened, Deepika skipped inside, and gasped on seeing Naina, “haww… bhabhi ab tak taiyaar nahi hui?”

Sameer scowled, “tum yahan kya kar rahi ho? Yeh mera aur Naina ka kamra hai… usko taiyar honeme time chahiye. Jao yahan se, warna mummy ko bol dunga ke tum Naina ko pareshan kar rahi ho.”

Deepika stuck her tongue out at her brother, “mujhe mummy ne hi bheja hai, bhabhi ki help karne. Aap bahar jao.”

“Nahi”, he growled, “main Naina ki help karunga.”

Naina suddenly started giggling, “tum dono ladna bandh karo, warna mujhe der ho jayegi. Mujhe bas ab yeh zevar utaarne hai.” Both Sameer and Deepika stepped forward saying they would help, and she bit her lip, thinking how to tackle the situation. She knew Sameer couldn’t be fooled at all, and so she turned to the girl, “umm… Deepika yeh necklace na thoda phas gaya hai. Sameer ko help karne do nikaalne me. Tab tak tum mere liye saree select karo mere bag me se. Bahot important hai yeh kyunki sab log mujhse milenege na aaj, isiliye tum jo bhi pasand karogi na main wahi pehnungi.”

Deepika seemed to be happy at the important task, “wow… thike main ekdum beautiful wala saree dhundungi.”

Sameer was also elated as he started helping Naina in removing her jewellery. He couldn’t kiss her in-front of Deepika, but he didn’t leave one single chance to stroke her skin, whisper how much he wanted to kiss her in her ears. By the time he was done, Deepika had chosen a red and green silk-bandhej for Naina, and he watched his wife praise his sister.

The last thing Naina heard before stepping inside the bathroom was Sameer and Deepika argue about who had helped her more. She chuckled, amused on seeing this equation between siblings. She removed her make-up, and saree, and then stepped under the warm shower, letting the warm spray ease her. The mornings before her marriage, and now were so different, she thought as she applied soap. The way Sameer had kissed her cheeks, her ears, hugged her caused a warm tingle inside her body. And she hadn’t even thought of stopping him… Goodness… He had been about to kiss her lips and she had been so lost that she couldn’t even think of stopping him. What had happened to her? How could she let him do that? Uh… Not that she didn’t want to let him kiss her, but none of them had brushed their teeth. Wait… She wanted him to kiss her? Of course she did… Wasn’t that why she had allowed him to come so close to her the other day? But was it okay to kiss so soon after marriage? Shouldn’t they take some time? And for what… it’s not like they needed time to get to know each other. But how would it be when they kissed?

She dressed up in the saree Deepika had chosen, and then walked out to find Sameer seated on the stool near the dressing mirror. He was leaning on the table supported by his elbow, and his cheek was on his palm. It seems as if he was totally lost in some thoughts, and going by the small smile on his lips they were good thoughts. Her eyes lit up with mischief suddenly, she unwrapped the towel from her head, and going near him, she flicked her hair sprinkling droplets of water on his face. He jerked in surprise, and she started laughing. Wiping the water off his face, he smirked at his wife, and then lunged, swiftly pulling her in his arms.

Her laughter caught in her throat, “Sameer… chodo na…”

“Nahi”, he grinned, “yeh jo tumne kiya na… movies me dekha hai maine. Par yeh baalo se paani jhatakna tab karte hai jab pati so raha ho… Use uthane ke liye. Aur phir jaanti ho pati kya karta hai… Patni ko apni baaho me le leta hai, pyaar karne ke liye.”

She giggled, “sab pata hai mujhe…”

He tugged her closer, “achcha… toh phir… hamari first kiss…”

She blushed, glancing down as he leaned closer, and then tickled him, escaping from his arms, “hato… pehle brush karo. Aur mujhe taiyar hone do.”

“Naina…”, he whined…

But at the same time another voice called from outside, “Naina…”

Her eyes widened, “mummy… chodo mujhe Sameer… darwaze pe lock nahi hai.”

He left her hurriedly, and she lifted the pallu on her head just as Vishakha walked in. Sameer shuffled his foot, “good morning mummy.”

Vishakha smiled, “good morning… Naina, beta tum ab tak taiyar nahi hui? Jaldi karo… puja ka mahurat nikal jayega warna.”

Naina nodded, “jee mummy… bas dus minute aur.”

Vishakha instructed, “theek hai… aur koi bhari wala haar pehen lena. Rishtedaar aayenge tumhe dekhne.” She looked at her son, “tum kyun khade ho wahan ab tak Sameer? Jao nahane jao.”

“Haan mummy”, he muttered, walking to the cupboard to grab a set of clothes. As Vishakha left, Naina sat down to comb her hair, and saw Sameer in the mirror, leaning on the cupboard, admiring her. She smiled, “ghoorna bandh karo aur naha lo. Kya pehnoge?”

He thought for a moment, and then said, “tum jo cupboard se nikaal ke dogi.”

Her eyes rounded, and she turned on the stool to look at him, “main nikaalu… sach?”

“Haan”, he replied. She grinned, “okay… main dekh lungi.”

He chuckled, staring to move towards the bathroom, as she turned back to open her makeup bag. Suddenly he saw her open a tiny ornate silver box, and curious about the contents he paused. What could be there in such a small box? She opened the flap, and he blurted in surprise, “sindoor…”

She glanced at him, “haan… Shaadi me di thi yeh dibbi… sundar hai na?”

He ignored her question, rather queried, “tum… yeh roz lagaogi?”

Puzzled she nodded, “haan… shaadi ho gai hai meri… Suni maang thodi na rakhungi.”

“Wow”, he murmured, “aur yeh mangalsutra? Yeh bhi pehna hua hai… Nahate waqt bhi nahi nikaala?”

She smiled, shaking her head, “kyun nikaalu? Tumne bandha hai toh yeh mere gale me hi rahega.”

He walked towards her in a trance, towering over her, and softly asked, “sindoor… main laga du?”

Blushing a bit, she nodded, and he pinched a small bit in his hand, filling the partition in her hair just like he had done it yesterday. Then he leaned down and kissed the top of her head, before going to take a bath with a proud smile on his face.

The ritual of muh-dikhai seemed really interesting to Sameer, as he sat on the sofa, dressed in the kurta-pyjama Naina had chosen for him, and watched ladies take turn to bless Naina and give her gifts. Then she was taken in the kitchen by his mother, where she was supposed to prepare some sweet for everyone. He kept worrying, and Munna-Pandit who had just arrived kept teasing him about it. When he saw his mother come out of the kitchen, he quickly sneaked inside, and saw Naina adding stirring something.

He went up to her and whispered, “Naina… kuch help chahiye?”

She gasped, “Sameer… dara diya tumne. Tum yahan kya kar rahe ho? Mummy dekh legi toh daant padegi.”

“Padne do”, he shrugged, “tum akele bana rahi ho? Aata hai tumhe?”

She had a puzzled smile on her face, “haan aata hai… Hamare ghar me ladkiyo ko yeh sab pehle se sikha dete hai… Taaki shaadi ke baad taklif naa ho.”

He pursed his lips in appreciation, “waah… matlab tumhe khana vagera banana aata hai… chalo achcha hua… Ramdhari ke haatho ka khate khate main bore ho gaya tha.”

She chuckled, “haan aata hai. Tum bhul gaye, tumhe poha banana bhi maine sikhaya tha.”

He rolled his eyes, “itne saal pehle sikhaya tha… bhul gaya sab… uss din gas bhi theek se chalu nahi kar paa raha tha. Dekha nahi tha tumne mera haal coffee banate hue?”

She poured in milk, and laughed softly, “koi baat nahi… baad me phirse sikha dungi.”

He smirked, moving behind her and held her hand as she added sugar to the pan, and stirred, “baad me sikhana hi hai toh poha nahi aata gundna sikhana… taaki main aise peeche khade hoke…”

A clutter of cups made him jerk and separate, and they turned to see Ramdhari enter with a tray holding unbelievable number of cups on it, all poised so delicately that even a small gust of wind might topple everything. Ramdhari gingerly placed all the cups in the sink, and asked, “aap idhar kya kar rahe hai Sameer baba?”

Naina hid her smile behind her hand, and Sameer frowned, “oye… Sameer baba mat bol ab?”

Ramdhari looked puzzled for a moment, and then commented, “oh… memsahab ke saamne sharma rahe hai.”

Sameer fumed, “yeh memsahab aur main baba…?”

Ramdhari shrugged, “aapko toh bachpan se wahi bulaya hai.”

Sameer started to argue again, but just then Vishakha came in and shooed him outside. Thirty minutes later when Naina served the halwa to everyone, he relished the taste of his wife’s cooking and demanded a second helping, only to be told by Vishakha that it was all gone. He pouted, but then was pleasantly surprised when Naina gave him another bowl which she had kept aside, somehow knowing he would ask. Vishakha looked amused at this silent understanding.

That evening Munna and Pandit kept him busy in celebrations along with Rohan, and Naina was with Vishakha and Deepika. He kept thinking how long people would keep them separate. However, finally everyone left for the night, and he quickly went inside his room. The flowers were still there around the bed, bit dull than yesterday, but still looked okay. And there on the bed was his wife… Naina… sitting with her legs drawn up, and… reading? Oh God… Why was she reading? This was supposed to be their suhaagraat, and she was reading?

He inched forward, cautiously sitting on the bed at the opposite side, eyeing the book as if it was his enemy, “Naina… kya kar rahi ho?”

She hummed, still lost in reading, and he repeated his question. That’s when she looked up, and smiled, “tum aa gaye? Main bas yeh Economics ka ek chapter dekh rahi thi. Itne dino se shaadi ke taiyari me theek se padh hi nahi paai.”

He scowled, “toh kya shaadi ke baad padhai karogi?”

She chuckled, “padhna toh hoga na… Exams aa rahe hai.”

He took the book from her hand, and closed it, “Naina… tumko pata hai aaj kya hai?” She bit her lip, blushed and nodded slowly. He smiled, further querying, “tumko pata hai aaj kya hota hai?”

Once again she nodded, and he stared at her surprised, wondering if he should be overjoyed or scared. Hesitating a bit he asked, “uhh… kya hota hai?”

She fidgeted a bit, her toes curling on the bedsheet, “pehle husband andar aata hai aur… umm… ghunghat uthata hai.” Then she suddenly gasped, “main toh bhool gai ghunghat daalna.”

“Koi baat nahi”, he muttered impatiently, “aage batao.”

She glanced at the side table, and picked up the glass of milk that had been given to her by Vishakha, “phir yeh dudh dena hota hai… mera matlab wife apne husband ko deti hai.”

He grabbed the glass, along with her hand, rubbing her fingers, “phir?”

Now she started blushing, “phir… umm…. Kiss hota hai.”

His heart had started to thunder, “phir?”

Her lips curved in a puzzled frown, “kya phir phir kar rahe ho… Ho gaya na… Kiss ke baad thodi na kuch hota hai… So jaate hai.”

He stared at her for a moment, and then fell on his back on the bed, laughing out loud. She kept the glass of milk aside once more and pouted, wondering what was so funny, and not liking the fact that he was laughing on her. She pretended to be upset, “tumhe sharam nahi aati… aaj ki raat mujhpe has rahe ho.”

He stopped laughing, and grabbed her hand, pulling her down beside him, “sorry… jab tumne pehle kaha ke tumko pata hai aaj raat kya hota hai main thoda soch me pad gaya ke aisa kaise ho gaya. Par ab pata chala ke tumhari jaankari kiss tak aake khatam ho jaati hai.”

She turned to him, and lifted on her elbow to look at his face, “tumhara matlab… kiss ke aage aur bhi kuch hota hai?”

He smiled, and informed, “haan… bahot kuch hota hai.”

She bit her lip, thinking for a moment, and asked, “kya?”

He smirked, suddenly changing positions, pushing her on the bed and rolling over her, supporting himself on his arms, “kuch baate bolke nahi batai jaati… kyunki unhe samjhane ke liye koi shabd nahi hote.”

She looked up at him, her heart beating in a fast rhythm knowing that tonight was the night he would kiss her… But then… What more was there? What did he mean? She had no idea but somehow she had this intrinsic trust on him… He was the same boy who hadn’t even hugged her until she had done so herself. Yes, he had stated what he wanted… But he had never made her do anything she hadn’t wanted or felt comfortable with. And so, keeping that trust in her heart, she touched his chest, stroking over the muscles she had never seen, and then wrapped her arms around him. He stayed steady, smiling at her actions. She took a deep breath and asked, “toh… tum mujhe aaj samjhaoge?”

His eyes widened at her question. Did she really ask that? Didn’t she have any fear? Looking into her luminous eyes, he realized that that day when she had come to him after rebelling with her family was the day when she had left all her fears behind and chosen to trust him… And the amount of trust was so monumental that even though she didn’t know what lay ahead in the path, she was still ready to walk on it with him. Overwhelmed with love, he dipped his head to let his forehead touch hers, “itna pyaar karti ho mujhse ke ab mana bhi nahi karogi?”

She was silent for a moment, staring at his face, and then tried to explain, “hamesha se hi toh tumhe aur khud ko roka hai… Tumhe pata hai jab hum school se Mt. Abu gaye the aur maine tumhare liye sweater banaya tha, tab bhi banate hue mere man me khayal aaya tha ke kaash maine tumhe gale laga liya hota, toh mujhe tumhara size pata hota. Aisa nahi hai ke meri kabhi ichcha nahi hui tumhara haath pakadne ki, tumhe gale laganeki… par hamesha parivaar aur samaaj ka sochke ruk jaati thi. Aisa kuch kaam nahi karna chahti thi jo mere parivaar ki izzat ko chot pahochaye. Pyaar tab tak sahi jab tak woh dur se ho, aisa hi lagta tha mujhe. Par uss din jab sabne mere pyaar ko hi paap ka naam de diya tab samajh aaya ke unko farq nahi padta humne haath pakda hai ke nahi, gale mile hai ke nahi… Unke liye toh pyaar ki bhavna hi paap thi. Par hamara pyaar paap nahi tha… kabhi ho hi nahi sakta. Tab mujhe laga ke tumhe rokne ki wajah parivaar nahi meri khud ki marzi honi chahiye…”

He swallowed, and placed a soft kiss on her forehead, and asked, “aur ab tum mujhe rokna nahi chahti?”

“Nahi”, she replied immediately and confidently, “ho sakta hai mujhe sab kuch pata na ho, par itna toh pata hai ke tum hamesha mera dhyan rakhoge. Ab main tumhari hoon.”

He stared at her, taking in every inch of her face, love and possessiveness rearing inside him like a strong high wave. Shifting his weight to one arm, he let his other hand skim down the side of her body and stop at her bare waist. Her breath hitched as his fingers played with the skin there, and he gently kissed her cheeks, her nose, her eyes and even her chin. She clutched onto him, sighing at the sensations, eager to feel more, to know more. He eyed her lips, and possessively declared, “main tumhe kiss karne wala hun.”

She smiled, acquiescing, “haan.”

He tilted his head a bit, and softly touched her lips with his… The fist gentle touch sent sparks up their spine, and they both shuddered. He looked into her eyes once, as if trying to gauge if she was okay. And then he dipped again… She saw the sensuous curve of his lips, the way his hair fell over his forehead, the glimmer of something intense in his eyes, and then her own eyes drifted shut. His lips were soft, yet firm, moving against hers, not demanding anything, yet making her want to give more… She didn’t know what to do, but when he lifted his head just a bit, she instinctively arched and kissed him again. He made a surprised groaning sound, and then opened his mouth, tasting her lips slowly, sipping at them. Her hands on his back clenched in surprise, and she quivered at this new sensation.

She offered pliancy, letting him do what he wanted, but abruptly she realized she wanted more… The soft, brushing, light kisses were putting her in a kind of trance, and his taste enticed her. She also realized that even though he was just kissing her lips, her body seemed to have a mind of its own, and it kept trying to curl into him, her hips arching as if needing something. She had no idea what was it that she needed, but it seemed he did, because he turned a bit, shifting some of his weight from his hand to her body. Till now he had always balanced himself over her on his arms, careful, but now he let his body touch hers, let her feel him, and she gasped in surprised delight. Somehow his weight didn’t seem like a burden, his feel on her wasn’t alien, and it was as if she had been waiting for this.

While she had been assimilating to the new enticing delights, he had been busy in continuing the kiss. His lips molded her mouth, applying pressure, and in just a moment she felt his tongue teasing the seams of her lips. She made a surprised sound, her nails digging on his back, and he immediately lifted his head, fearing that she was not ready for it yet. He looked into her eyes to find questions and confusion, and he smiled, once more kissing her forehead, and face, giving her time and choice. She kept waiting for him to come back to her lips, feel what he had started, but he seemed to be determined to be more patient than required. Even though the gentle kisses and his body pressed along hers made her sigh in dreamy pleasure, she felt the need for more… His taste… She wanted him to kiss her again, show her what he wanted, what he had promised so often to her. And she wanted it so much that when she finally felt him kiss the corner of her mouth, she turned her head a bit, and pressed her lips to his, daring to be bold enough to taste his full lower lip. He stiffened over her for a moment, and then gave a low growl, deep in his throat, and took the initiative from her. Angling his head, he applied pressure on her lower lip, parting the seams and then thrust his tongue inside. There was a moment of surprise and then a sharp, intense pleasure that made her moan aloud.

His tongue stroked her mouth, making her brain go numb and primal instinct take over as she found herself returning his gestures. So this was what he had wanted… This was a kiss. Oh God. He tasted wonderful, like something sweet, like chocolate, and like himself. Had he sneaked a chocolate downstairs, she wondered. But then she lost track of every thought as his tongue moved deep and sure, taking and giving, teasing and pleasuring. Suddenly his mouth left her and she made a protesting sound, but immediately moaned at the new sensation of his lips against her throat. His mouth left a trail of hot open mouthed kisses up and down her throat, covering every inch of bare skin he could find, and then she felt his fingers skimming the end of her pallu on her chest. Her eyes flew open, and she saw his gaze fixed where his finger touched.

What was he going to do? The question flashed in her mind even as she waited for his next move. Using just one finger he pulled the edge of pallu down as much as he could, given it was till pinned at her shoulder. Her chest rose and fell with each gulp of breath, and she saw his lips part as he exhaled visibly, as if captivated by the sight. Slowly dipping his head he brushed his lips at the gentle swells of her breasts that were visible above the neckline of her blouse, and her hand trailed up his back, into his hair, fisting on the silky strands.

His name escaped her lips in a moan, and he met her eyes once more, and at that moment in his eyes she saw what she was… She was the woman he desired for, he wanted, he needed… She was his woman… And as if to reinforce this thought he kissed the locket of mangalsutra around her neck, and then came up to her lips again. This time there was no hesitation as she accepted his intrusion and kissed him back. She had never imagined that a kiss could be so subtle yet so demanding, so full of meaning, so fulfilling. Her heart was pounding, her body trapped in a fever of need that he had evoked in her. She didn’t know in how long, but slowly he softened the kiss, sipping at her lips, pecking the corners of her mouth, and then once again kissed her forehead.

He rolled off from over her and sat up, pulling her up too, adjusted their positions and then again lay down, with his head on the pillow while she was curled up in his arms with her head on his shoulder. He held her to him, his eyes closed as he struggled to calm himself. Their first kiss… God… It had been fiery… She had been so responsive that he had almost forgotten he should take it slow. Had she not taken his name, he would have done more, tried to make love to her. But that sound had broken through the haze of desire, and he had remembered he needed to take it slow. This was enough for tonight.

After many moment, when he felt he could speak again, he asked, “tum theek ho?”

She was drawing patterns on his chest with her fingers, and smiled, “haan… mujhe nahi pata tha ke kiss aisa hota hai. Movie me toh kuch nahi dikhaate. Bas woh Raja Hindustaani me thoda sa dikhaya tha.”

He chucked in amusement, and teased, “kabhi English movies dikhaunga tumhe… Tab pata chalega kitna kuch dikhaate hai.”

She lifted her head, wrinkling her nose, “aisi waisi movies main nahi dekhungi.”

He grinned, “saari movies aisi waisi nahi hoti… Kaafi achchi English movies bhi hoti hai. Tumhe cartoon pasand hai na… Main tumhe Snow White, Little Mermaid, yeh sab dikhaunga. Aur peechle saal hi Whale machchi pe ek movie aayi hai, Free Willy, woh dekhenge.”

She hummed, “theek hai…”

He reached out to turn off the lights, and then hugged her again, instructing, “so jao ab.”

She was silent for a moment, debating, but then slowly called out, “Sameer…” He hummed in reply and she asked, “tumne kaha tha kiss ke aage bhi bahot kuch hota hai. Woh kab bataoge?”

He smiled, happy at her curiosity, and stroked her back, “jaldi hi sab samjha dunga… par dheere dheere.”

She pouted, “aaj kyun nahi?”

He laughed softly, “tumko yaad hai peechle saal, exams shuru honeke do din pehle tumne mujhe Economics, Accountacy, Statistics, sab saath me ek hi din me padhaya tha. Aur end tak main itna confuse ho gaya ke ek simple se sum me bhi galti kardi.”

She didn’t understand the reference, “uska isse kya matlab?”

He gently explained, “matlab yeh Naina ke yeh sab hum dono ke liye naya hai… Ek hi din me sab kar lenge to naa tumhe kuch samajh aayega, aur naa main theek se samjha paunga, aur naa hi hum dono poori tarah se isme saath honge. Pati-Patni ka rishta jaldbaazi ka nahi, pyaar ka hona chahiye, saath ka hona chahiye. Bharosa rakho mujhpe… hum dheere dheere aage badhenge aur tum samajh jaogi ke maine kyun aaj nahi kiya kuch.”

She smiled, assured now, and hugged him. They talked for some more time, until slowly they both fell asleep.

********************

Next morning she woke him up after her bath, and he frowned on seeing her orange saree, asking if she hadn’t bought any pink ones. She chuckled, informing him that she had to go home today and so she thought of wearing this. That information didn’t sit well him, and he demanded, “ghar kyun? Abhi abhi toh shaadi hui hai… mana kar do tum.”

She smiled, “rasam hoti hai yeh… pag-phere ki. Main abhi breakfast ke baad jaungi phir shaam ko tum lene aa jaana. Waise toh ek raat rukna hota hai, par Chachiji nahi chahti ke main waise maahol me ruku itni jaldi, aur upar se aaj shaam ko mummy log bhi wapas jaa rahe hai toh isiliye main wapas aa jaungi.”

He sighed, “theek hai. Main brush karke aata hun, aur tum neeche mat jao abhi… Mujhe meri good morning kiss chahiye.”

She blushed at this blatant demand, but shook her head as he left. Sameer Maheshwari never knew the meaning of subtlety. He always put forth his demands in a straight forward language with no chance of confusion. She straightened the bed, adjusting the pillows and sheet. It felt surreal that she had slept in his arms for the whole night. She had been surprised for a moment when she had woken up with his arms around her, and her own hand on his back. Didn’t they feel uncomfortable even once sleeping so close? She always used to push Preeti away, wanting more space. But now when there was such a big bed she hadn’t even struggled once for space. What other changes did marriage bring? She couldn’t help but muse at the changes she could already see and feel.

Suddenly strong arms wrapped around her waist, and a wet nose sniffed at her neck. She giggled at the tickling sensation, and chided, “Sameer… muh toh poch lo kamsekam.”

He was busy in kissing the side of her face, “kyun? Sirf tum apne baalo se mujhpe paani chidak sakti ho?”

“Sameer…”, she protested, and tried to push him. But he kept his hold firm, and in the ensuing struggle, they fell on the bed, along with some flower twines that were decorating the bed. She gasped, and he immediately kissed her. The sudden kiss shocked her for a brief second, and then she immediately melted at the sensations, softening beneath him. His hands wandered over her body, feeling the soft skin at her waist, the curve of her hips. Her hands went into his hair, as she arched to meet his demanding kiss with demands of her own.

Finally after few minutes when parted panting for breath, she moaned in protest, “maine abhi bed theek kiya tha… Aur ab yeh phool tutke gir gaye.”

He chuckled, “rehne dete hai aise hi… jo bhi dekhega sochega bahot hi khaas suhaagraat rahi hai hamari.”

She threw him a glare and then got up to clean the flowers from the bed. After a minute he got up too and helped her with the clean-up, tugging all the flower looms and stuffing them inside a large polybag to dispose. That day was a mixture of fun as Sameer had a family breakfast probably for the first time in his life, if he excluded the horrible days of Delhi. And then Chachaji came over to take Naina home. The afternoon seemed to be empty without her even though he had spent many lonely days in his home, but still… In evening Vishakha decided to go to Naina’s home to meet everyone and then leave from there. And so they reached Nirmal Jyoti society at 6pm to meet Naina and her family.

Sameer’s eyes searched for her, and finally she stepped out of the kitchen dressed in a light pink saree, carrying a tray of tea. His mouth fell open at her sight… She had changed… And she was wearing pink, just as he had demanded. Preeti came to sit beside him and teased, “jijaji… ab toh Naina aapki biwi hai, phir bhi muh khul jaata hai usko dekhke.”

Sameer grinned, and whispered, “kya karu saali sahiba, meri biwi hai hi itni sexy.”

Preeti let out a haww and swiftly moved away, making Naina raise her eyebrows in silent enquiry to which he just let his eyes drift down and up her body, and then winked at her. After an hour, Naina bade goodbye to her family, and left with Sameer. They dropped Vishakha, Rohan and Deepika at the airport, and then had dinner outside upon Sameer’s insistence. When they reached home, she stood surprised on seeing the sign of “Mr. & Mrs. Maheshwari” near the door. He came to stand beside her, holding her hand, and asked, “kaisa laga?”

“Jaise maano koi sapna poora ho raha ho aankhon ke saamne”, she replied with a smile, “yeh kab lagvaya?”

He shrugged, “dopahar ko tumhare bina bore ho raha tha, toh bahar jaane banvake laaya.”

She teased, “abhi abhi toh shaadi hui hai… isse pehle toh akele hi rehte the. Toh aise kaise mere bina bore hone lage?”

“Rehta tha”, he affirmed, “par ab ek pal tumhare bina nahi reh sakta. Tum Chachaji aur Chachiji ko bhi samjha dena, ke jab bhi tum wahan rehne jaogi, main bhi saath aaunga.”

She laughed, “theek hai… samjha dungi. Filhaal andar chale?”

He clucked his tongue, “aise nahi… tumhara sapna poora hua toh mera bhi sapna poora karne do.”

Her brows furrowed, “kaisa sapna?”

He unlocked and opened the front door, and then came to her, bent and picked her up in his arms, “meri dulhan ko aise ghar me le jaane ka sapna.”

She just smiled and looped her arms around his neck. Once in the bedroom he asked her to change as it must be uncomfortable to sleep in a saree. She agreed, and when she came out of the bathroom her mouth fell open on seeing Sameer dressed in tracks, pulling on the t-shirt over his head. The brief glimpse of his bare torso made her fingers go lax and the saree she was holding in her hands dropped to the floor. He shrugged his shoulders, setting the t-shirt in place and then glanced at her, his brows furrowed in confusion. Picking up the saree she had dropped, he asked, “kya hua?”

Her mouth opened and closed for a moment, and then she managed to say, “uh… kuch nahi. Tum t-shirt pehen rahe the main tabhi bahar aa gai.”

His one brow quirked, and he had a knowing smirk on his face, as he leaned towards her, “toh… kuch hua?”

She swallowed, dropping the remaining clothes from her hand as he nuzzled her neck, “haan…”

“Good”, her muttered, throwing away the saree, and picked her up once again. She stared at him with wide open eyes as he placed her on the bed, and turned off the lights. Joining her on the bed, he slipped her hand inside her night dress top, holding her bare waist and pulled her to him. She grabbed his shoulders, something warm and liquid rushing inside her body, her breathing already fast even though he hadn’t done anything yet. He rubbed her nose with his, and whispered, “lesson number 2 ke liye ready ho?”

Before she could reply his lips caught hers in a deep, hard kiss that had her arching up and clutch to him. That night brought some new experiences as he lifted her top up a bit and kissed her bare stomach. She was caught in the pleasurable feeling, unaware that her own hands were seeking skin to touch. She didn’t realize she was trying to reach beneath his t-shirt and touch his skin, until he groaned, reared up and took off his t-shirt on his own. She blinked in surprise as he sat there without his t-shirt, dragging in deep breaths. The darkness stopped her from seeing him properly, but she lifted her quivering hand to touch him, unsure of what she would find. Just as she felt the soft skin of his belly, she quickly tried to draw back, but he caught her hand and brought it up to his chest, over his heart, letting her feel. The fast rhythm made her go weak, and she whimpered, pulling him down to her for a kiss. That night too he stopped after the kiss, and she knew there was yet more to come… But she didn’t ask.

********************

The next one week was all about learning and exams… For Sameer it was about the unit tests in college, and for Naina it was about intimacy. Every day they both learned something new. When it came to being in college, there had been a subdued wave of surprise among students when Naina had arrived dressed in a regular salwar-kameez but with sindoor and mangalsutra, and that too with Sameer on his bike. Even though people knew that they were going to marry since they had given out cards, a lot of them had also believed that Naina’s roka was fixed with someone else. When they had walked hand-in-hand on their first day in college after wedding, Sameer had spotted the same group that had harassed him with taunts about Naina’s roka, and were now staring at them in surprise. He had narrowed his eyes, left her hand and instead slid his arm around her waist, pulling her to him. Naina had looked up at him with a soft smile and the group had looked away. Their friends of course had left no opportunity to tease them, and Sameer left no opportunity of touching her, or kissing her hands.

While Naina had set the time table to study for morning and evening, so that Sameer scored well; he had insisted to put a stop to studies by 11pm maximum because after that he needed his wife. Naina didn’t mind… In fact she had thought he would interrupt the study sessions more, complain about her teacher mode. But he didn’t. And when she had asked about it once, he had remained silent for a moment before replying that it was no longer just about him, he didn’t want to risk their future by not studying. Having Nanu’s business in his name didn’t mean that they were all set for future. He had to be capable to deal with it, to handle it, to lead it to new heights. He didn’t know if just paying attention to studies in the last few months would help him achieve that, but he didn’t want to risk anything by taking things lightly. This thought and maturity had touched her so much that she had cupped his face and kissed his lips softly. After that in each study session he would demand a kiss whenever he finished whatever she asked him to study.

When it came to Naina’s lessons in the bedroom, Sameer had stopped wearing a shirt or t-shirt to bed after that second night. In fact he would take great pleasure on removing his shirt in-front of her and see her pupils dilate with desire. One step at a time he had driven her curiosity and interest to such a peak that she hadn’t even objected when he had finally completely taken off her top and somehow managed to pull her bra down to suckle on her breasts. She had arched in surprise and pleasure, fisting her hands in his hair to hold him to her, but not for one moment had she thought of pushing him away. The next day he had tried to unhook her bra but failed, and asked her to do it. She had looked into his eyes for a moment and then had done as he asked. That night she had again asked if there was more, and he had trailed his hands up her thighs, suddenly touching her between her legs over the layers of clothes and whispered a yes. Only she knew how she had given her exam next day in college, because her mind had still been revolving with the feel of his hands cupping her there, so intimately and yet it seemed she had been waiting for it.

The last day of the unit tests seemed to be extremely important for both Sameer and Naina; one reason being that Sameer was to start with his office three days a week from next day as per his plan; and second was that somehow they both knew that tonight was the night for that final step they both had been waiting for. There were no studies for that evening, and Sameer demanded a meal of fried rice, which they both prepared together. Ramdhari always cooked for them in morning, but for the night, she had now taken up the onus on herself. She would prepare meals that she had learnt from Chachiji, and had even bought a recipe book for some sophisticated dishes like matar-paneer. He couldn’t do much when it came to cooking but he loved being around her when she cooked, and felt proud even when she asked him to do something as simple as passing on the ketchup or helping her get something from the upper cabinets where she couldn’t reach. He took out some cold-drinks from the fridge and they had the meal in the living room, sitting on the couch together, from the same dish while watching Snow White movie as he had promised. He couldn’t help but relish these moments with her… They were so simple yet made him so happy. The ordinary moments like studying together, watching a movie, freedom to hold her hand or wrap an arm around her shoulder, the way she leaned on his shoulder as she watched Snow White singing and working… everything was ordinary yet extraordinary because he had never dreamt of such a blissful life.

She wiped her tears and smiled up at him when she saw Snow White wake up from death after the prince kissed her, and he teased, “kahin meri jagah woh prince toh pasand nahi aa gaya tumhe?”

She chuckled, “mujhe toh mera prince mil gaya, woh bhi bina kisi wishing apple ke.”

He pinched her nose affectionately, and dropped a soft peck on her lips. She stretched, looking at the clock that was showed it was almost midnight and yawned. He turned off the TV, and asked, “neend aa rahi hai?”

She watched him stand up to remove the cassette from the VCD and a mischievous sparkle lit up her eyes, and she moved behind him and suddenly tickled him. He jerked in surprise, “Naina!” She giggled and ran upstairs, with him in close pursuit. Reaching their room, she tried to close the door, but he was there pushing it open before she could lock it. She tried to dodge him, still laughing, but he caught her hand, and pushed her against the wall near the door, pressing his body to her back, holding her captive. She stopped laughing, but a smile curved her lips, as she felt him respond to her, just like she had felt every night in the last one week. He pressed more onto her, holding her hand up against the wall in a possessive demanding gesture, but when he kissed her hair it was soft and gentle. He slid off the dupatta off her neck, letting it slide to the floor, while his lips dropped more kisses along her neck. She pushed him away a bit, and before he could catch her again, she reached to the door and locked it, leaning her back on it. His eyes glittered on seeing her gesture, and he moved to her, sliding his fingers in her hair, cupping her face, tilting it upwards and kissed her.

He wanted to keep it soft but she stood up on her toes and deepened the kiss, making him groan in sinful pleasure. His Naina had learnt to kiss, and he had taught her that, he thought proudly. However, in just a moment, his eyes flew open in surprise when he felt her unbutton the top two buttons of his shirt and slide her hand inside to hold on to his bare shoulder. He drew back from the kiss, staring at her in wonder, and she blushed but didn’t pull back her hand. Holding her waist, he started guiding her to the bed, and asked in a low whisper, “samajh aaya ke kyun sab kuch usi din nahi bata diya maine?”

As the back of her legs touched the bed, she sat down and tilted backwards, pulling him on top of her, “haan… taaki main sirf chup-chap mehsoos na karu balki har pal tumhare saath rahu, tumhari zarooraton ko samjhu, aur apni zarooratein zaahir karu.”

He grinned, “meri topper biwi”, and kissed her once more. She unbuttoned his shirt, sliding it off his shoulders, trying to remove it completely. She didn’t even care that the lights were onn, she just wanted to touch him, see him, and it seemed he wanted the same because he also didn’t move to turn off the switch. Rather he removed his shirt, dropped it, and then started to unzip her kameez. She sat up, so it was easy for him, and he moved behind her, kissing every inch of flesh he bared. The black bra against her fair skin made his stomach clench with need, and he swiftly pulled off the kameez, sliding off the straps of her bra and kissed her shoulder. She whimpered, collapsing backwards on his chest, her head falling back on his shoulder. He let his finger skim her belly and then cupped her breast, kneading them softly, countering the gentle gesture with a possessive nip on her shoulder that made her moan. Suddenly she turned, pushing him on his back and taking him by surprise when she kissed his shoulder and chest.

His brain turned into a mushy puddle when her lips trailed down the center of his chest and her fingers skimmed his nipples. Wow… He had wanted for her to not be just pliant but rather participate; and here she was not just participating but demanding. He let her continue with her exploration, and tried to unhook her bra. The small hooks infuriated him as he tried to gauge how to open them without even seeing, but after a bit of struggle he managed to unhook one. She paused, suddenly conscious, and he looked at her wondering what had happened… They had ventured till here before, she shouldn’t be nervous. He gently stroked her back, and asked, “kya hua?”

She bit her lip, hesitating, but then pointed out, “uh… lights chalu hai.”

He smiled, rolling to place her on the bed, and kissed her forehead, “jaanta hun… roz tum mujhe dekhti ho, aaj main tumhe dekhna chahta hun.”

She blinked, unsure, and he understood her hesitation. After a minute, bowing to her limits, he reached out to turn off the light. But in that moment she recalled the first night when he had kissed her and for a minute had been fixated at just the small sight he could see by pulling her pallu down… She recalled how she had understood his desire in that moment, and had felt wanted, cherished, beautiful… Impulsively she caught his hand before he could flick the switch off and when he looked down at her, she smiled, “mujhe andhere ki nahi, tumhari zaroorat hai.”

He gazed into her eyes, as if searching for the assurance that she really was okay with the idea, and she let him know that she was, by reaching behind her and undoing the remaining hook of her bra. He sucked in a sharp breath, dipped to kiss her again, and his fingers gently removed the black fabric from her body. Because she was conscious of him seeing her, he kept his eyes closed, continuing to kiss her lips, and let his fingers play on her body. Very soon she started writhing, her hands moving over his back in need for more, and that was when he broke the kiss and looked down at her. He literally had to hold his breath for a moment… The first sight of her body added fuel to the already raging desire in his veins. He throbbed, settling his hips more firmly onto her… God, she was so beautiful. He heard her small gasp and looked up in her big round eyes only to realize he had muttered the compliment aloud. She kept staring at him as if wanting to confirm if what she had heard was right. His throat seemed to be stuck so he chose to show her what he felt, and started with the gentle intoxicating kisses once more. When he reached her breasts she knew what to expect but it still stunned her… She knew he would lick and suckle but still each flick of his tongue caused her to arch, each pull of his lips made her moan.

His hand trailed down her belly, undoing the knot of her salwar, and then slid inside the layers of clothing, touching her for the first time. She let out a sound of surprise, gasping for breath, and he reached up to kiss her forehead assuring her, waiting for her to embrace this new feeling. She looked into his eyes even as she felt sensations shoot up her spine when his fingers rubbed gently. Slowly, gently after many minutes he tried to ease one finger inside, and she whimpered, grabbing onto his wrist, her nails digging in his skin. He thought she would pull his hand away, demand more time, but to his surprise and delight she closed her eyes and held on, letting him explore. He felt a surge of pride and wonder for his wife at the way she was boldly stepping into unknown territories and letting him show what more this relationship held for them. He slowed down even more, giving her time to not just adjust but start to enjoy, feel the pleasure, and after many minutes the slick feeling on his fingers and her soft moans told him he had succeeded, that he could move to the next step without scaring her.

Still he was gentle and extremely slow as he removed the remaining barriers between them, but there was no objection from her as she watched him with half-opened eyes, heavy lidded with desire. He went to her, wondering how he could explain what was to come next, his own brain seemed to be fogged with need so urgent that everything seemed hazy. However, it seemed she needed no explanation from him, as she stroked his hair, cupped his face and kissed him. He parted her legs with his hand, stroked her once more, and then started to guide himself inside her. She stiffened for a moment, the stretching sensation causing a buzz in her ears, and her loud moan was swallowed by him. She tried to be still, to let him continue, not quite certain where it was leading to. He whispered something in her ear, and all she could make out amidst the constant buzz was that he was talking something about pain. She opened her mouth to tell him that it didn’t hurt, when suddenly the sharp unexpected prick of pain made her body arch in feminine shock and a small scream escaped her lips. She writhed around him, her legs shifting in unease, a drop of tear rolling down the corner of her eyes. His body pressed her to the mattress, and he tried to steady her, kissing her tears away, murmuring apologies for hurting her, asking her to be still for a minute. She tried to focus on his voice, her nails digging on his back as she panted for breath, and slowly relaxed.

Her eyes were still closed as she finally calmed down, and with wonder felt him inside her. Was it for real? Was it really happening? Or was she dreaming? But how could she dream of something she didn’t know? His touches during the whole week and the way his hips pressed had given her some idea of what was to come, but still… Maybe she was imagining. She flexed her hips, testing the scenario, but a deep male groan in her ear and the jerk of a body on her made her realize that she wasn’t dreaming. He really was sheathed so deep inside her, and that was why she felt so… full. She slowly opened her eyes, meeting his glittering gaze, and saw the tracks of tears on his cheeks. Her brows furrowed in confusion until it dawned on her that she had cried out because of the sharp pain, and he was crying because she had cried. Immediately she forgot every apprehension, and wiped the tears on his cheeks.

“I am so…”, he opened his mouth to apologize, but she sealed his lips with hers in a soft assuring kiss. Her legs moved over his thighs, and she smiled, “I love you… bas itna hi bolo.”

As her legs locked around his hips, he whispered, “I love you too”, against her mouth and started to move. The power of her own need surprised her, and she clung to him with desperate hands, her hips lifting to meet his demanding strokes. Her nails marked his back as she gasped and moaned at the resulting sensations, feeling as if she was losing herself to a black storm from where she could never be found again. There was something happening inside her that made her feel as if her heart would burst out of her body, as if she would be torn apart, as if she would fall over a cliff so high that she would be forever gone. He whispered hoarsely to her once again, she couldn’t grasp what he was telling but the sound of his voice assured her that he was there with her wherever she would go, that she won’t be alone, that she won’t be lost… And she let go… Her body convulsed at the pleasure she felt that was almost like a sweet torment. There was blackness for a moment and then a thousand colors exploded behind her eyelids. And he was right there with her, his body bucking with his own release, the spasms making him collapse on her… And she accepted him, his weight, his feel, as she sprawled limply beneath him.

Sameer felt as if his body had turned into the consistency of overcooked limp noodles; the only effort he could make was to drag in breath in his constricted lungs. He felt damp and sweaty, and the cooling breeze wafting from the open and curtained window was more welcoming than ever. As his brain cells kicked into active mode one by one with each breath, he realized that he was lying like a dead weight on her. He stirred, but she didn’t seem to be bothered about his weight as her nails made circular motions on his back and she turned her face into his neck, breathing in deep. Swaying a bit he somehow managed to lift himself on his arms and lie down beside her, pulling her to him, and kissed her forehead. It took him a few minutes more, to regain his speech and then he asked, “Naina… tum theek ho?”

She hummed, nuzzling more into him, and he queried, “koi sawaal?”

There was silence for a moment and he thought she had drifted off to sleep, but then he heard her low voice, “yeh dard… hamesha hoga?”

His heart pinched that she had to go through that without a proper explanation from him, and he cursed his callousness because he hadn’t remembered it until he had already started thrusting into her; and by then he was too far gone to do anything more than warn her just before it could hurt. “I am sorry Naina”, he apologized, “mujhe tumhe pehle samjhana chahiye tha. Yeh hamesha nahi hota… sirf pehli baar hota hai. Par main pehle batana bhool gaya. Bahot zyada laga na?”

She tilted her head to kiss his jaw, “nahi… thodi der ke liye hi dard tha. Ab kuch nahi hai. Aur tum maafi mat maango… mera dard tumhari aankho se aansu banke nikla hai, isse zyada gehra rishta aur kya ho sakta hai. Waise bhi uske baad jo hua woh…”

“Woh kya?” He asked cautiously as she trailed off.

She yawned, threw her arm around his waist, and murmured, “khaas tha, achcha tha… aur mujhe roz chahiye.” With that she proceeded to fall asleep, leaving him to stare down her wondering if he had heard her right. Did his wife just demand daily lovemaking from him? He tilted her face up a bit, looking at her, checking just to assure that he had married his padhaku, naïve, extremely innocent Naina… But then he chuckled, choosing to pat himself on his back mentally for doing a good job in showing her the pleasures of this relationship, and thankful of his luck to have a wife who would demand this daily.

********************

The coming few months of college were a combination of struggle and delight both. Sameer started going to office for few hours, three days in a week, just as planned. It was tiring exercise, especially because he had started to consider studying as equally important and was determined to focus on that as well. Munshiji tried to keep his office workload light, but if he was honest he was glad that Sameer was joining office since there were many critical decisions that he felt afraid to take. It took Sameer some time to adapt into the new environment but slowly he started to find his own ground to stand on, and even started to take decisions independently. Some knowledge came to him instinctively, some from Nanu’s teachings and for others he relied on the experienced staff in office. It wasn’t that he didn’t make mistakes, of course he did, but with his staff’s support and Naina’s constant motivation he learned to learn from his mistakes. On Saturdays classes ended early, so he would drop Naina home and then go to office, but after a month of this Naina insisted on taking an auto home so that he could go to office directly. However, Sameer arranged for a driver who could pick Naina up from college and he used his bike to go to office. Their daily college trip was still on his bike because he loved the way she would hold him, and he had wanted it since they were in school.

At home Naina had taken over complete charge be it deciding what to cook, or what to buy. Ramdhari was relieved because now he had someone who would tell him what he should be cooking for breakfast and lunch, rather than facing earlier instances of him cooking something and Sameer refusing to eat. He didn’t have to cook dinner anymore, so he would clean up everything by evening and leave before Sameer and Naina returned home, unless otherwise instructed by Naina. To Ramdhari’s extreme delight Naina also managed to feed Sameer vegetables, a task in which he always miserably failed. She had a few tricks up her sleeve like finely grating every vegetable and adding them to cheela so that Sameer wouldn’t know, or mixing grated carrots in idli batter where he wouldn’t be able to pick them apart, or smashing boiled beetroots and peas with a small amount of potato to form patty and name it was ‘train wala vegetable cutlet.’ If there was any problem around the house like a leaking faucet or getting the furniture cleaned, somehow to Sameer’s surprise Naina always knew what to do and whom to call. He felt that maybe this came as part and parcel of a woman’s brain, some skills that she could use post wedding to impress her husband and in-laws. She also started to keep track of their monthly expenses, along with the bills they were paying, monitoring each amount and cutting off the unnecessary ones; for example the fines because sometimes Sameer or Ramdhari would forget the pay the bills on time. Her logic was that just because they had money, it didn’t mean that they should be careless about it, the spare money could be useful to some needy. And she proved her theory by once helping Ramdhari when he needed money in emergency at midnight for his sister’s treatment, a time when Sameer was unable to get money out of any bank, but Naina had her savings from the household expenses.

When it came to studies, Sameer had scored much better than expected in the unit tests and the teachers were surprised to see him actually study diligently. However, all his commitments post his wedding had resulted in less time with his friends. For some time Sameer wasn’t affected by this because he had Naina with him, and he was engrossed in fulfilling Nanu’s dream… But it took a toll on Munna and Pandit who were used to spending most of their time with Sameer. They didn’t say anything but their mischiefs reduced, their laughter wouldn’t ring the college corridors. And so, one fine Sunday Naina surprised him by taking out his old cricket kit from the storage and asked him to get ready as Munna and Pandit were coming to pick him up. He had argued about wanting to spend time with her since they got so less time now on weekdays owing to his work. But she had explained how his friends needed him, and he also needed them. Love didn’t mean secluding themselves in their own private world; she had reminded him that their love story was incomplete without their friends. When he had asked what about her, she had said that Preeti and Swati were coming over to spend some time with her, and they would have hot tasty lunch ready by the time the boys returned. And so it had become a Sunday routine to play cricket now, and during that time either Naina was joined by Preeti and Swati at their home, or she visited them in either of their houses. The Sunday evenings however were a couple time on Sameer’s insistence, and they would either go for a movie followed by dinner, or a long-drive in car, or shopping if needed.

In this duration Naina went to stay at Chachaji-Chachiji’s home twice, naturally accompanied by Sameer. And they also visited Maheshwari house, and were surprised at how well Naina was handling her responsibilities. A small tip from Chachiji about Naina’s health, and a bout of teasing from his friends reminded Sameer of the need of protection during lovemaking in the second month of their wedding. Naina didn’t understand what he was worried about, but he slowly managed to explain that without protection she could get pregnant and they were still too young. That resulted in a slippery adventure one night because none of them could figure out for some time what was the proper way to put on a condom.

His exhausting routine of college and office had also affected this part of his life, somedays he wasn’t in a physical or mental frame of mind to make love. But at first he had felt ashamed to confide this with Naina, and then he had been scared to tell her no because she had demanded daily lovemaking from him… Naina had however put a stop to his embarrassment and fear by subtly saying no one day and citing that she was tired from housework. He had been relieved and fallen asleep immediately, but had woken up at midnight feeling her hand stroking his hair and a few drops of tears on his cheek. He had been shocked to see her cry and had turned on the lights asking what the matter was, and if she was sad because they couldn’t make love. And she had poked him on his chest demanding to know why he felt that he couldn’t share about his exhaustion with her. It was another shock for him to know that she had understood, but slowly he had shared what he had felt and thought, and she had simply asked him if she had the freedom to say no then why he didn’t. After that night he had never felt squeamish about accepting he was too tired on some days, and neither about demanding that he needed more on some days. He had even managed to surprise her one day with a lovemaking bout in shower before they left for college, and that day Naina had kept blushing at odd moments the whole time in classes and he had understood she was thinking of their morning adventure.

Their honeymoon was still pending and Sameer had reminded her of it, but she had suggested waiting until exams were over so they could spend more time and have a proper honeymoon rather than a hurried one. The idea of long lazy afternoons of lovemaking appealed to him, and he agreed to the idea. And finally after their exams ended, Sameer booked a trip to Manali for fifteen days. The shopping for honeymoon was fun and of course it included replenishing the stock of condoms. He had also managed to buy a nightie, a pink one, and had asked Naina to wear it on the first night. The flight was another adventure as it was Naina’s first time, but naturally he didn’t mind her clinging to his arm at all. The hotel was an exotic one, and the honeymoon suite a pure delight.

As soon as they reached Naina insisted on going out for the afternoon and evening, and he agreed given he was in for a treat of pink nightie tonight. They didn’t venture far that day, just a temple, and a park. They had dinner at a small restaurant, and then went back to the hotel. Once inside the room, he immediately demanded her to wear the pink nightie. She opened the suitcase, grabbed a polybag, and then turned to him, “aaj nightie nahi… aaj kuch aur hai… kuch khaas…”

He was puzzled, but agreed, “theek hai… dekh lete hai kya khaas hai.” She grinned, threw him his tracks but no t-shirt and then sauntered inside the bathroom. He chuckled, loving how she loved to see him without his shirt, and quickly shucked his clothes and changed into the tracks. Pulling down the quilt, he dimmed the lights in room a bit, and then climbed on the bed, leaning back on the headboard with his legs stretched out, and waited for his wife.

When she came out of the bathroom, he was stunned… Naina was dressed in the same clothes as the first day when she had come to him on that rainy afternoon after proclaiming her love to her family… the day that had set things in motion for them to be married. She was wearing his tracks, folded in half, the same light blue t-shirt and his white jacket zipped up to just below her neck. The clothes were still oversized, and odd for her, but God… she had looked absolutely beautiful then and even now she looked stunning. She walked over to him, and climbed up to sit on his lap, straddling his legs, and asked, “kaisa laga surprise?”

His throat worked for some time before he managed to say, “bilkul jaisa tumne kaha tha… ekdum khaas.”

She grinned, cupped his face and kissed him. While that day he had zipped up the jacket, now he pulled down the zip, removing the jacket from her body and throwing it down. His hand roamed on her body over the t-shirt. When he tried to tip her onto the bed, she stopped him. Puzzled, he watched amazed as she got down from the bed and shimmied out of the tracks. He nearly choked when she pulled out a condom from the pocket of the tracks she had removed and handed it over to him, and then climbed up on the bed again, helping him pull off his tracks. She pushed him back on the bed, kissing and licking his throat, his chest, and he cursed, somehow managing to put on the condom, the need to make love to her extremely urgent. There would be time for long and slow later, he thought as he trailed his hand up her thighs, pushing the t-shirt up, and stroked her to readiness while she was still busy feasting on his chest. But before he could roll her over to place her beneath him, she reached down and enveloped him totally in one smooth move. He groaned in surprise, his whole body arching up in surprise, and it was lights out in his brain… He was sure every nerve endings in his body had fused at her move… They had tried this out in bedroom, maybe twice in all these months, and she had been so hesitant. But today… oh man… He couldn’t believe what she had done. When he calmed down a bit, he opened his eyes to find her smiling at him, as if she knew she had managed to totally take him by surprise. He growled, moving his hand to remove the t-shirt needing to see her, but she managed to blow his brains once more by herself removing the t-shirt and flinging it over her shoulders. He couldn’t help but stare at his wife with desire and wonder as she placed her palms on his chest, and rolled her hips, taking them both on a ride that he would never ever forget.