Chapter Sixteen
She wanted to feel him, she craved to love him, to be loved by him... she longed for his touch, she wanted to be as close to him as she could.

As her lips met his, she felt ecstatic, like she was in a different world completely. His hands on her thighs made her jittery with excitement. She pressed her body against his more forcefully as his hands caressed the top of her thighs.

He opened his mouth and she slid her tongue in, tasting every corner of his mouth. She loved him so much, she wanted to love all of him.

Laying her down on the bed gently, his lips attacked her neck, sucking on her exposed skin and she moaned softly, her hands burying themselves in his hair, stroking his head, motivating him to continue.

His lips moved lower and lower down her chest, sucking on her cleavage, as he lifted her dress up. He reached up and attacked her lips with his again as she helped him remove her dress.

What he saw under her dress blew his mind away.

"You planned this didn't you?" he asked her mischievously.

She blushed and pulled his face back down so she could suck on his lips.

"You don't know how badly I wanted you," she said naughtily.

"Oh God Sanyukta," Randhir moaned. "You will kill me."

His hand cupped one of her breasts gently as his other hand slid under her back and unclasped her bra. Placing a kiss on the top of the exposed skin of her breast, she arched her back, pressing herself against his mouth.

Removing his lips from her breast, he kissed her mouth passionately, and she rolled him over so that she was on top of him. Removing his shirt from his body completely, she attacked his belt, causing him to emit a moan.

As she removed his belt and unzipped his pants, she pressed her lips on his neck and he buried his hands in her hair.

"Sany- Sanyukta," he moaned. "What are you doing to me?"

"Trying to show you how much I love you," she whispered.

Her words seemed to have opened his eyes. He gently took her face and pulled her up. Rolling on to the bed beside him, she looked at him with a confused expression.

"We can't always be doing this," he told her, his fingers caressing her waist softly.

She placed her hand on his chest and kissed him on the cheek.

"Who says we can't Randhir?" she asked, her eyes welling up with tears. "We can."

"You have to stay with Parth," Randhir said, taking one of her hands in his and bringing it to his lips. "I already told you why."

"But I can't... how can I? I promise I won't regret it Randhir," she whispered, her heart aching. "I won't feel guilty... I promise."

"You're saying that in the heat of the moment Sanyukta," Randhir told her, "I know you. I know you very well - you will feel so guilty and that guilt will only build up Sanyukta."

"So you're telling me to just waste my life?" Sanyukta asked, feeling herself get angry. "You're telling me that I have to either spend my life feeling guilty or feeling depressed? Is that the choice I have to make? Oh wait - you won't even let me make that choice, because you've decided to make all my decisions for me!"

He tried to squeeze her hand reassuringly, but she snatched it away from him.

"Sanyukta," he said softly, reaching out and holding her shoulder. "You know that's not what I mean."

"What else would you mean Randhir? What do you think would happen if I married Parth? I would be miserable," she said painfully.

"Come here," Randhir said, opening his arms, and Sanyukta leaned into him, a teardrop falling onto his chest.

He caressed her cheek softly and dried her tears. Laying her down on the bed, he kissed her eyes softly before kissing her lips. She opened her mouth, giving him immediate access, and he seized the opportunity to caress her tongue with his. They both immediately forgot about the outside world as their lips playfully teased one another.

Lifting his lips off hers, his tongue traced her jawline before sliding down her neck. She let her fingers press onto his back forcefully as she breathed more quickly, very turned on.

Her quick breaths soon turned into moans as he made love to her for the rest of the night, both of them equally wanting the other one, wishing they could stop time just to be together.

In the morning, Sanyukta leaned further into Randhir's arms and squeezed her eyes shut more tightly, trying to pretend that the sunlight invading the room did not exist - she didn't want to leave.

It wasn't the sun that forced her to open her eyes, or even Randhir, it was her phone. Her phone rang loudly.

Picking up her phone from the table and looking at the caller ID, her heart nearly leaped out of her chest in fear. Parth.

"Randhir," Sanyukta said, shaking him awake. "Parth's calling."

"Pick up," Randhir mumbled, pulling Sanyukta closer to him.

"Randhir, stop," she said, struggling against his chest.

His lips met the skin of her arm and she instinctively pressed reject call. Her heart hammering loudly out of fear, she turned her phone off and placed it back on the table.

She turned towards Randhir and quickly pressed her lips on his.

"Why didn't you pick up?" Randhir murmured against her lips.

"I didn't know what to tell him," she mumbled.

"It's time to drop you back home," Randhir whispered, gently biting Sanyukta's bottom lip.

She felt her heart fall when he said that. She didn't want to go back. This was the only thing in her life right now that felt real. She loved her daughter a lot, but when she went back, she would have to bear Shraddha badmouthing Randhir too, and she didn't know how much of it she could tolerate.

"Randhir, I love you," Sanyukta said painfully.

"I love you too Sanyukta," Randhir told her lovingly, "But you need to make a decision, I won't make it for you, but think about what I said... please."

She didn't want to admit it, but she knew that Randhir was right. Perhaps, the guilt would eat her alive later on. But was pursuing a relationship with Parth right? If going back to Randhir was wrong, how was pursuing a relationship with Parth correct?

Whatever it was that she was thinking, she held it in.

Kissing Randhir on the lips one more time, she got out of bed and searched the ground for her clothes. She dressed up slowly, trying to buy as much time as she could... she didn't want to return home.

As soon as Randhir pulled into her driveway, she was hesitant to leave.

"What do I tell him?" she asked Randhir, fearing what Parth would think.

"He already knows," Randhir told her seriously.

"I know..." she whispered, "But what if he still asks?"

"Listen to your heart," Randhir advised.

"My heart is with you though," she mumbled.

"Then listen to me," Randhir said.

"But I don't want to listen to you," she told him. "You're telling me to leave you forever."

"I'm telling you to be with Parth," he corrected.

"I'd have to leave you forever to do that," she whispered.

"You asked me a question, I answered by telling you to listen to your heart, and you yourself said that your heart is with me. You wanted my answer... if it's valuable to you, then listen to me," he told her matter-of-factly.

"I hate you," she said bitterly. "I like that attitude," he said with a smirk. "It'll make things easier for you."She glared at him. He said it in a teasing manner, but she knew that he was being completely serious.

"When will we meet again?" Sanyukta asked him.

"I'll come to your wedding," he said lightly.

"This isn't funny Randhir!" she said, seriously getting annoyed now.
"I didn't say it was, I'm being serious," he told her, seemingly unnerved.
"You're... impossible!" Sanyukta said, giving up. "You'll be the most hurt."
"I'll be the happiest person in the world," he teased, "I'll finally have you off my back."
Her jaw dropped open.
"I seriously hate you!" she said, her eyes welling up with tears. "You insensitive jerk!"
"I'm being serious," he teased again, "Now stop crying Princess."
"What's wrong with you?" she asked. She didn't know if she felt more annoyed or more confused.
"Nothing, you know I'm joking - but seriously, if you'll invite me to your wedding, I'll see you there... otherwise..." his voice drifted off.
"Otherwise?" Sanyukta asked with wide eyes.
"Otherwise maybe we'll meet in our next life," Randhir joked.
"Don't be stupid," she said, getting the serious urge to hit him right now.
Randhir chuckled.
"I'll see you when you want to see me, okay Princess?" he said with a smirk.
"What's this Princess drama now?" Sanyukta asked, crossing her arms.
"Oh - I was telling Shraddha a story about some Princess yesterday, and you interrupted and made the whole story about you," he teased, causing her to blush.
"The story was originally about me anyways," she mumbled.
"Alright then Princess, it's time for you to leave," he told her with a soft smile.
"Leave my Prince?" she asked him, hearing her voice crack.
"Sometimes you just have to let things be," Randhir told her, his tone suddenly turning serious. "And let the story write itself... when we try to write our own destiny, it becomes problematic."
"Like... what we did five years ago?" she whispered, her heart aching when she remembered her and Randhir's break up.
"Exactly. Like five years ago. We thought we knew it all. But we didn't. Let it be Sanyukta," Randhir told her with a sad smile. "Just let it be."

"Okay," she said, deciding that what he said made sense. "I'll let it be... but that doesn't mean I'll stop loving you." 

"It doesn't mean I'll stop loving you either," he told her and brought his hand up to her cheek, stroking it softly. 

She leaned towards him and closed her eyes, not sure whether he would accept or reject her - either way, she decided that she would follow his advice and let it be, even if her body ached to feel his lips all over it. The kiss came. It was a soft one, but a sweet one nonetheless. 

It finished as quickly as it came. 

As he pulled his lips off hers, he adjusted the hair on her face, so that the side of her neck was covered.

 "Be careful," he warned. "I accidentally gave you a lovebite. I'm sorry." 

She blushed and allowed her fingers to brush over her neck. 

"Don't be sorry," she said with a happy smile. "I'm glad."

"You're crazy Sanyukta," Randhir said, shaking his head. 

"They say love makes even the sanest people go insane," Sanyukta told him lightly, and opened the door to leave. "Bye Randhir... I'll see you soon." 

He smiled at her, and suddenly, she felt a positive surge of energy - perhaps, what was meant to be would happen. Maybe she just needed a little faith. It was true that the last five years had been hard on her, but she hadn't exactly tried to change her perspective either. She had been sulking over the past or worrying about the future without living in the moment. 

She entered her home, her face glowing. She was on her way to the staircase when she bumped right into Parth and she fell backwards, her hair falling back off her shoulders. 

His arm swooped under her back to hold her upright. 

 "S - Sorry," she said, her smile dropping immediately, her heart hammering, and guilt filling up her insides as she stood up. 

There was nothing but pain etched all over his face. 

"Sanyukta," Parth said, sounding hurt. "You have a hickey on your neck." 

Then he turned around to walk away but Sanyukta grabbed his arm, her eyes filling with tears. 

"Parth... wait," she said hoarsely. 

Randhir had been right - she wouldn't be able to deal with this guilt.