"I think this bet thing that we did was not a good idea. In all of this constant urge to make the other beg, we have lost sight of one important thing- that we love each other, that I love you and if it takes begging to have you I am ready to grovel at your feet"

Nandini had not expected in this in even her wildest dreams and she was stupefied for a few moments. It was only when his lips made contact with her that a sudden dam broke and tears started flowing at a steady pace.

I know the moment his cheeks got wet that he realised I was crying and he pulled back like I was on fire.

"hey! Hey! What's wrong?" he asked frantically.

"I -hiccup-i-hiccup-just-hiccup-want to -hicccup-ho home"

"home?? Home means india??" he was almost pale now.

"no idiot-hiccup "

"oh thank god. Ok let's go"

He called a cab and they left swiftly without informing anyone. Nandini was hoping that she didn't create too much of a scene. But that was the last of her worries as her tears were at no point ready to stop. Manik hugged her to his side. He didn't know what he had said that triggered such a reaction because she rarely cried and that too like this, it was even rarer, but he will find out. He just wanted to be in the four walls of their temp home first.
"do you want water?" he asked after he settled her on the bed.

"yes"

He quickly fetched her a bottle. As she took some sips he loosened his tie and got rid of his jacket, tie and folded the sleeves and unbuttoned the top two buttons of his shirt. He settled in front of her on the bed. They had already discarded their footwear at the door.

"so tell me" he asked, full of determination.

"I just want you to love me" she said and fresh tears made their way out of her eyes.

"I love you already sweetheart. What do you mean?"

"I don't think you love me enough. I remember you told me after our engagement ceremony that you didn't know what you would have done if your mother hadnot agreed to our marriage"

"yeah I had said that but wo maan gyi and we are getting married na"

"but what if she had not?"

"jo ni ho rha uske baare mein baat kar why are you stressing yourself?"

"answer me manik what if aaj tumhri mom bol de that she doesn't want you to marry me?"

"what are you saying? I know maa asa kuch ni bolengi but even then if you want my answer to your hypothetical question then I will say I will still marry you. I am committed to you. We are even engaged now. How can you even think that I will abandon you"

"That means just because we are engaged now that's why you will marry me"

"No. God no! Stop twisting my words yaar. I will marry you because I love you"

"I don't believe you"

"I know what I have to do to make you believe me." saying that he picks up his phone. Nandini thinks he is looking through something but she sees him putting it to his ear. She quickly pulls it away and cuts the call seeing that he had made the call to his mother. "What are you doing?" she asks meanwhile. She is on the verge of shouting.

"I am calling maa and telling her about my living arrangements. May be that will make you believe that I don't love you less if I don't want to hurt my mother"

Nandini was left speechless. But when he tried to make the call again she snatched the phone and kept it under the pillow. Frustrated, he got up and stood facing the door. "Nandini I don't know how to speak sweet words nor do I know grand gestures. I have only seen struggle and poverty, so please pardon me if I am not like the romantic heroes of your dreamy movies. I just know I have held your hand and I will never let it go. If that's not enough, maybe I too will never be enough"

At that point, nandini had enough and she hugged him from back "I am sorry! I am sorry! I am so sorry" she chanted "please manik don't get gussa...i realise today why mom always tells me that I behave like child. I want things that don't matter even though what is important is right in front of me"

He turns around " I love you. Do you believe me?" he asks holding her face. She nods with tears in her eyes "will you make love to me now?" she asks boldly. "you want that?" she is too shy to look him in the eye so she buries her face in his chest.

"we have fairy lights, right?" he asked out of the blue. Nandini can hear the rapid beating of his heart.

"yeah"

"candles?"

"no"

"okay I want you to do whatever you want to do."

"what type of statement is that? I told you to make love to me..." she asks confused as she watches him get his phone from under the pillow.

"where are you going?" she asks totally confused.

"give me 15 minutes, tops 20 minutes. I want to make our first night together memorable" saying that he dashes out of the room and out of the main door. His statement leaves a trail of excitement and anticipation behind.

Nandini looks at herself in the mirror and she notices her eyes are puffy but are shining. She opens her cupboard. I need to change into something that is sexy but is also easy to take off. but what? Shorts? Nah I have to jiggle to get out of them, too tight. Dress..but if I lie down it will take time to take off..arghh..i should have bought a smooth , satin robe..that would have been so sexy! All the heroines wear them in the movies..no no no I shouldn't think like that. Movies are not real and why I am I fussing so much, afterall they will only grace my floor! Suddenly she had an idea and by the time manik burst through the door, she was ready and waiting. But he didn't enter the bedroom and nandini, who was shaking like a leaf in anticipation of him seeing her in only his t-shirt and lace panties, grew impatient and made her way out. She found him hanging the fairy lights in the living room.

"ummm manik" he turned around and his jaw nearly fell to the floor. He abandoned his task and rushed to her "god! Nandini...you are killing me...let me atleast prepare the room, set the mood"

She blushed furiously "why here...i thought we will ...in the bedroom"
"uhhh...its your first time...i thought..well you know the blood and all..."

"oh"

"yeah...so I will set it up all here on the floor, just give me 2 minutes" he went back to work. "I bought this along with the candles" he handed her a lamp "set it up, please" she did as she was told and the room was aglow with star shaped lights. They both lighted the candles together. When everything was setup , he forwarded his palm to her and she took it albeit a little shyly. He made her sit on the rug and she tugged on the hem of his tshirt self consciously. He sat down and stopped her from doing so by kissing each of her fingers. They were surrounded by nervous energy.

"you are beautiful nandini and you are mine" and he kissed her. The kiss was slow tentative and she relaxed into his embrace. He peppered kisses all over her face, chin and down her throat. It was then that she opened up like a flower for him. Her body arched pushing her soft front into his masculine chest. He pulled the t shirt to expose her shoulder and he lightly nipped on it. her fingers threaded into his hair pulling him close. Soon her fingers were unbuttoning his shirt.

She was frantic as if she couldn't get him topless fast enough. He helped her and she kissed him with a fervour that he found himself returning the favour. Soon her fingers were exploring his body.

"you are so perfect! I can't believe I am so lucky" she whispered as she pushed him to lay down and peppered kisses all over his chest and navel.

"I guess we both are the lucky one then" he pulled her to his lips and soon her t shirt was somewhere on the floor. He looked at her soft flesh almost greedily and in no time he was suckling on one of them.

"oh god, manik" she moaned as she fell back on the rug, his lips still intact on her flesh.

"yes sweetheart? You like that?"

"yes yes yes please"

The way her hips were rising and arching off the floor, he knew what she wanted, so he got rid of her lacy panties in one swift movement. He moved to get down on her.

"no no foreplay please...i want you..please" she stopped him. He understood her urgency because he himself felt like he will combust. It was getting difficult to hold on for him too. But he had to prepare her for him. He quickly got rid of his remaining clothes and his erection sprung free. She watched him unashamedly. She was quick to get on her knees in front of him. She touched him tentatively and he knew he won't last, so he stopped her exploration "no foreplay, you said" he remarked and again laid her on her back. He kissed her hard and quickly inserted his fingers in her warm wet folds. He worked her up fast and almost roughly. At first she felt uncomfortable but soon the pleasure took over and her moans fuelled him to go even faster. Soon she was shattering around his fingers and he used this moment of pleasure to enter inside her. She almost screamed but he was quick to kiss her.

"ah manik...it hurts" she said almost in tears, her fingers assaulting the pillow.

"I know sweetheart" he was suspended on top of her not moving "I tried my best. Just hold on. Please" his brow was now coated in sweat from the effort.

"I think you can move now" she informed him gently aware of his struggle. He pulled out tentatively and saw the blood "you are no longer a virgin sweetheart" he informed with a smile and entered her again.
.....
It didn't take long before they both experienced the bliss and manik rolled off her to lay on his back, both breathing harshly.

"I am sorry I behaved like a animal.

Let's do this again. This time slow and sweet" he said pushing himself on his elbow.

"I didn't mind. But yeah let's do this again" she answered and almost immediately they were at it again and this time there was a lot of foreplay and teasing.
......
"good morning sweetheart. Coffee?" he asked as he saw her rising from her slumber.

"good morning. How long have you been awake?" she asked. He was in his pyjamas but topless.

"not much long. I think 10 minutes. You look so sexy and your voice so alluring that you are making me hard but we both know you need time to recuperate, so I will hold back" he said squatting in front of her and giving her a chaste kiss.

She blushed and put on the tshirt that he handed her along with the coffee.

"I think I will have to go out to buy you morning after pill. We didn't use protection last night" he informed her calmly. She paled "I don't want to get pregnant, so please go get it quick!! And buy condoms too"

"yes ma'm" he got up and after putting on a t-shirt he grabbed his phone and wallet and walked out. She got up and after putting on her discarded panties, she sat on the stool by the kitchen island and sipped on the coffee. Remembering the moments of last night brought a flush to her cheeks. For the first time in her long relationship with manik she felt secure.