Khushi sat atop the bed, long curly waves cascading over her bra clad chest that matched the lacy thong clinging onto the stockings in the middle of her slender thighs. She'd been in the middle of undressing for a shower when he'd slipped the note of options beneath the door and now she couldn't find it within herself to look away from the numerous suggestions he'd listed to add intimacy to their relationship. Ignoring the way the paper scratched against her bare stomach, she clicked her high heels together in thought, much like Dorothy in the Wizard Of Oz she too believed there was no place like home, it just seemed so unfortunate that home happened to be two strong arms rather than the place she sat right now.

Perhaps it would've been better to wait when she was more dressed, but this conversation needed to be had sooner rather than later. Opening the door, she tucked her chin over the wood "Arnav?"

"You've read it?" A sense of urgency shook his body, pushing him to pull her toward him, but he wouldn't, not until he heard her agree.

"I've read it" she didn't move from behind the door, whereas before she had no qualms about walking in front of him like this, before had passed long ago, all they had was now and now was ever so different.

Nodding along with her, Arnav coughed to clear his throat "And what do you think?" He was nervous, very nervous to be honest that she'd shoot him down before he'd even had a chance to try and explain his reasoning.

"I don't think it's-".

"Wait" he walked in, uncaring for the way she almost slammed the door into him while trying to hide her body. "Before you say no let me just say this one last thing" exhaling, he looked up, "We are close already, don't say no just because you think it's purely sexual for me, it isn't, what I want is to be intimate, I can fuck anyone, but what I want only you can give to me".

She sighed "That's exactly why I want to refuse" falling onto the couch, her shoulders drooped. "We can't-" catching his heated stare, her legs crossed, running a hand over the goosebumps on her left arm shyly, a blush formed on her cheeks "What are you looking at?"

"You" his eyes hardened. Gulping harshly, he ran his eyes over the opaque tights climbing up to a few inches above her knees, the silver clip extended to her underwear which left little to the imagination when it came to the floral lace that matched the front of her bra. "God, you're beautiful" he stepped forward.

"Arnav" her hands rose to stop him, a frown marring her lips at the confusion etching lines on his forehead. "The intimacy that you want when we are already so close leads to new emotions, romantic emotions" she clarified. "That's how people get hurt, we can't be sure one of us won't fall in love, where does that lead the other?"

At that, he stepped back, hurt so clear across his downtrodden expression "Am I not worth the risk? I'm not him, Khushi, I will never break your heart if I can help it" and he meant it with every fibre of his being.

"But you might not be able to help it" her voice was gruff, tired from the unexpected that had manifested between them. "We can't undo feelings once they've arisen" she hated to cause him pain, but he had to understand. "This could ruin us".

"Khushi" he growled, cupping her face. "If I want to be ruined that's up to me and there is nothing I want more than for you to ruin me" he pulled her closer. "No more excuses, if I haven't already made it clear enough then allow me to do so now and if you want what I want then all you have to do is let me know" he nodded as he spoke.

Closing her eyes, she brushed her tongue over her bottom lip "What do you want?"

"Right now" he husked, "I want to undress you" this didn't have to be sexual, for him it wasn't, sure he wanted her in that way, but intimacy, closeness, passion was so much more than that, what he yearned for was something meaningful and she was the only person in his world that meant something to him.

"Okay," she stuttered. Not ready to begin right away, she gasped as she fell back onto the bed. Leaning up onto her elbows, black glistened from her orbs as she watched him pull off his tie and kneel before her. Her mind filled with all the other times he'd yanked his tie off like that, she'd always found it sexy, found him sexy and now seeing him on his knees before her like he was only yesterday turned her on like nothing else ever would. This was risky, but that's what made her so excited, he'd never touched her like this and after their recent adventures it was all she could think about.

Arnav watched as the moonlight washed over her trembling body, a slow smile moved his lips as she inhaled sharply when his fingers stroked around the clips he just undid. Yanking her forward, he laughed at her yelp then returned to complete seriousness. "I want to take care of you, Khushi, will you allow me to do that?"

It shouldn't have pricked her senses like that, but suddenly everything felt heightened; the smell of his musky aftershave drowned her, his animalistic growl as he watched over her pierced her ears and his hands on her unclothed skin was both heat and ice all at once. She nodded hesitantly, eyes wide with curiosity at how exactly he planned to do that.

"I need to hear you say it" he stopped, hands on the side of her body so his elbows hit her ankles.

"Yes," she almost moaned, this was taking too long. Her entire body was on fire and if he didn't touch her now she feared she'd burn.

Gripping the tip of the material with his teeth, he ensured to keep his eyes on her as he inched it down her leg, his hands massaging the underneath of her leg in sensual circles that tickled and elicited vibes of electric that coursed through her.

Pushing her hands into the sheet, she rose her hips and threw her head back "Godddd" she growled angrily, an exasperated breath blowing heat on her face when she blew upwards.

"Patience" Arnav tutted as he slid off her shoe then rolled it off her foot. "Look at me, Khushi, I want you to watch me do this".

Pushing her thighs together so as to minimise the effect he was having on her, Khushi lifted her upper body so she could see him. Biting harshly down on her lip the second he pushed her legs up in the air, she grabbed at his hands on her underwear "What, what are you doing?"

He smirked, "Did you want me to use my mouth for this too?"

Dropping her hands atop her waist, her head shook. If he did, she didn't think she'd be able to hold herself back. Raising her hips to help him, she slid back onto the bed. She wanted to cover herself, but also enjoyed the way he looked at her when she was like this, so she ignored her initial thought and began to count down from ten to clear her mind.

"Turn over" he stood up, pushing at her side so she was lying on her stomach. Unclipping the strap on her back, he ran a hand down her spine that flinched beneath his touch.

Khushi muffled her surprise in the duvet at the cold liquid on her back "What is that?"

"Massage oil" he rubbed some between his hands to warm it before pushing his fingers into the bottom of her back.

"That wasn't part of the agreement" turning her head over her shoulder, she scowled.

"You want me to stop?" His brow hitched.

She froze then, she certainly hadn't been expecting him to offer a way out so easily, if she expressed just how much she wanted him to continue then she'd show him how eager she was and that didn't suit her right now, alternatively, she also didn't want to ask him to stop just in case he actually did. "Well, you've already started so um".

"You don't have to pretend you're so against this, if it wasn't already obvious I am very into it" dragging his hands from her shoulders down to her bum, he kneaded his knuckles into the bouncy flesh that jiggled beneath his hands.

Biting down on the pillow to halt her own moan at the sensation of liquid falling beneath her buttocks, she shivered. She hated how well he knew her, but she loved it too, the truth was she'd never be as naked with anyone else as she was with him because even fully clothed he always managed to see right through her.

"Don't be quiet" he admonished, "I want to hear you" he pressed down harder, enjoying the throttled sound that she made whenever he pressed the right spot.

The ache building up was verging on painful, Khushi wanted nothing more than to touch him as he touched her, but she was scared that once she started she wouldn't be able to stop. Moving into a blissful state of relaxation, she stretched out her legs "You're so good with your hands".

"I'm good with other things too" his hand smacked lightly on her backside.

"Shit" rolling her eyes back, she rubbed her face into her hand.

"Too much?" Arnav removed his hands.

"God, no" believe it or not, it was kind of their thing. He made the utmost effort to hit her there at least once a day and she enjoyed it, she certainly didn't want him to stop now. The echo of his hand on her skin hit her ears before it hit anywhere else, pushing her body back into his hand, she moaned out: "Arnav". Rolling back onto her front, she slung an arm over her forehead. Allowing him to do that again would only lead them to a place of no return, so she had to shove away her desires and lie a little "No more".

"No more anything?" Arnav queried, hand on her hip.

Holding her breath at the proximity of his hand to a place he'd never touched before, she moved around so she was led down properly "I have an early morning" sitting up with the blanket over herself, she grinned "Thank you for that, I feel so good right now, so taken care of" no one had ever wanted to take care of her and she was glad he was the first to ever try.

"Goodnight, baby" swiping his nose against hers, he kissed her hair gently. "I need to go and shower and sort myself out" he looked down at his trousers then up again.

"Oh". She wasn't ready to offer help with that just yet, so she let him go. Only then realising that she could help in another way, she pulled open the door, turned him around and kissed him, lips harsh on his in a way they'd never been, her teeth bit down on his lower lip and her nails scratched his cheek. Breathless, she pulled away "Goodnight".

Both his brows rose "Uh, goodnight, Khushi" touching his lips, his head shook. Had she been lost in passion or did she just like things rougher? Had she kissed him because she wanted to or because she felt she owed him something? With those thoughts, he stripped off his shirt, turned to shut the door, then spotted her.

"Can I um?" She held her hand out.

"Can you what?"

"Your shirt, helps me sleep" she blushed.

How could he forget? "Here," he handed it over. "Why did you kiss me? You know you don't owe me anything, right? I don't give to receive".

She knew that, Arnav wasn't like Dean. "I know, I wanted to help" she shrugged.

"Good" he smiled. "One last thing" he stopped her, "Why did you kiss me like that? Do you like things rougher?" Since they'd come this far, there wasn't any point going back.

Doing up a few buttons, Khushi shook her head "No, I just thought, um, without emotion would be easier for me" she shrugged.

"Impossible for me" tapping her cheek, he pulled away the belt from his trousers. "Get some sleep, we'll talk more about this tomorrow".

"Oh," she whispered.