Shakhi SS Marriage Of Convenience

Chapter Twenty

Anokhi sat up on the bed and whined looking at the blank TV screen before looking at the closed doors. She slapped her flushed cheeks as she cupped her face, trying to calm her down.

'Mujhe aese ajeeb kyun feel ho ri hai?' Anokhi thought placing her hand on her racing heart 'Shaurya hi toh hai. Embarrass feel karne ki zaroorath kya hai?'

Anokhi shrugged trying to calm down but then another thought entered her mind.

'Agar unhonhe mujhe tharki samaj liya toh?' Anokhi thought tensing.

'Agar socha toh kya? Mein toh aese nahi hoon na'

'Par ithni innocent bhi nahi'

'Voh toh Shaurya bhi jaanthe haina. I mean urrrgh'

Anokhi had an on and off thoughts going on in her mind whether she should feel embarrassed or not. When she couldn't reach a conclusion, Anokhi shake those thoughts out of her mind and decided to react normal. She hurried to get down from the bed. In the process she placed her hand on the remote by mistake and the screen came alive with Fifty Shades again.

Shrieked Anokhi jumped on her feet and ran straight to the switch board and turned off the TV before taking a sigh of relief. She walked out of their room mumbling to herself of how she shouldn't have listened to Reema and Neha in first place.

Shaurya couldn't fight the grin that spread across his face. Yes, he didn't want to embarrass his wife but when the word Mr. Sabharwal rolled out of her mouth, he couldn't help but make that statement. God! She was so cute!

For the past one week he couldn't spend much time with Anokhi, let alone have a proper meal with her and Shaurya's glad that he has wind up his work in Patiala earlier than expected. Now he can spend some much-needed time with Anokhi.

Shaurya brought Anokhi's favorite dinner and dessert to make up for the time she had to spend alone. He was actually looking forward for a relaxing night with Anokhi. So, imagine his surprise when he found Anokhi behaving strangely.

Shaurya face palmed himself mentally as he sat on the table alone for the past five minutes, staring at the plate as he waited for Anokhi. When he came out of the room, she was placing the heated food on the table and hurried inside the kitchen on seeing him. It took him few seconds to realize she's embarrassed for getting caught.

Honestly, Shaurya was surprised when he heard moaning sounds from their room. But when he saw her watching Fifty Shades, he was amused, not shocked because he thought she's not the type to watch a steamy romcoms but hello, its very common to watch these kinds of movies, especially girls.

So, there's nothing wrong at all. When Anokhi hid watching the movie from him, her actions looked super cute and funny to Shaurya, especially the praying part. But he understood that she's feeling embarrassed as she wasn't exposed to any of this before.

"Anokhi, I'm starving. Come soon" Shaurya said as his fingers thudded against the dining table impatiently, hoping that she would join him for dinner.

And when Shaurya heard no response from her, he rolled his eyes and decided to go look for her himself. He stopped by the kitchen doorstep and leaned against the doorframe as he saw Anokhi mumbling to herself as she prepared a salad.

A chuckle escaped Shaurya's lips as he moved inside the kitchen. She always manages to amuse him without even trying. He stood right behind Anokhi, who was busy mumbling to herself that she had no close that Shaurya's standing right behind her.

Shaurya bit back his smile as he snaked his arms around Anokhi's waist and pulled her close to him. Startled, Anokhi looked up only to find Shaurya smiling down her. Anokhi relaxed on seeing Shaurya who lowered his head and placed it comfortably on her shoulder.

"What's taking you so long?" Shaurya asked nuzzling his nose along her neck.

"I was just making salad" Anokhi stammered, trying to regain her composure.

"We are having dhabey ka khana, Anokhi. We don't need salad. Come, let's have dinner. I'm starving" Shaurya said placing a kiss on Anokhi's nape before pulling away from her.

"Aap.. aap jaayiyeh na. You start. I'll join you in a while" Anokhi said, not meeting Shaurya's face.

Shaurya wasn't going to buy any of that. So, despite her protests, he took Anokhi along with him and made her sit on her chair. He served her before serving for himself and settled on the chair. They had their food in silence.

Shaurya, to ease up Anokhi, started talking about the upcoming project submission and enquired about her project. Anokhi was comfortable in no time and she engaged in conversation with him.

Shaurya has learnt a great deal how to handle Anokhi these days. Soon they started to talk about other things. They laughed as Anokhi shared a gossip she heard from college. It was such a funny one that both cracked up.

"You know I missed this" Shaurya said taking a sip of water.

"Me too" Anokhi said "You have no idea how weird it is to have food all alone. You don't get to go out of Chandigarh without me for at least a month"

"If you say so, mam" Shaurya chuckled as he stood up and ruffled Anokhi's hair before taking their plates to the kitchen while she laughed and stood up as well. Shaurya was washing their plates when Anokhi came there. He moved aside so that she could wash her hands.

Once done, Anokhi sprinkled the water from the tap at Shaurya playfully before running from his grasp and placed the leftovers in the fridge.

"Wait till I get my hands on you" Shaurya said trying to splash water at Anokhi which she clearly dodged as she laughed at him.

Anokhi taunted Shaurya by showing her tongue at him. Shaurya shook his head at Anokhi in disbelief as he did the dishes with a smile, mumbling to himself 'Pagal hai' while Anokhi took out the ice cream tub from freezer and two bowls and spoons and settled comfortably on her chair and placed a huge scoop of her favorite ice cream in her bowl.

Anokhi moaned as the ice cream hit her taste buds. She closed her eyes as she relished the chocolaty goodness. Within seconds she was done with her bowl. She looked back to check on Shaurya before opening the tub and serving herself with another big scoop of ice cream with a cheeky smile.

Shaurya joined Anokhi once he's done with washing the dishes. They have decided to take turns in washing dishes since they decided on not keeping a maid. Not just doing dishes, be it any household activities, they share it among themselves.

"Where's my bowl?" Shaurya said sitting on his chair.

"Here" Anokhi said pushing the tub, bowl and spoon towards Shaurya.

"Thank you" Shaurya said and served a scoop of ice cream for himself.

They chatted for a few minutes. Anokhi noticed the time and decided to get her things ready for next day. She placed her empty bowl on the table and looked at Shaurya.

"I'm off to room now" Anokhi said standing up.

"To pray?" Shaurya bit his tongue as he realized what he said while Anokhi gasped at what Shaurya said.

"Anokhi, I didn-" Shaurya tried to ease her on looking at her face but she cut him in middle.

"Shaurya" Anokhi said sitting back on her chair. She clearly looked embarrassed. It's like she wants to say something but fighting to voice out.

"Hey, It's okay. Why a-"

"I know you caught me while watching Fifty Shades" Anokhi said taking a deep breath and closed her eyes as she continued "God! So embarrassing! I know you must be thinking I'm some hormone raging teenager who's watching steamy movies while alone. But I'm not like that. I was just watching because Reema and Neha were going on about Christian Grey and suggested me to watch it. I didn't mean to hide watching it from you. It's just I was embarrassed you know. Believe me, I haven't watched anything like this before. Don't mistake me as some horny person you ma-"

Anokhi said in one breath but paused as she heard Shaurya's laugh. She opened her eyes to look at Shaurya laughing at her. There were tears in his eyes as he laughed making her annoyed.

"Aap mujhpe has rahe hain?" Anokhi said making a face as she stood up to go.

Shaurya reacted on time as he pulled Anokhi on his lap effortlessly as he wounds his arms around her waist. His smile lost as he looked at Anokhi's face. She looked really tensed and that concerned him. Seems he hit a sensitive nerve.

"Chodiyeh mujhe. Mujhe aap se bath hi nahi karni" Anokhi said trying to get out of Shaurya's grip but he tightened his grip around Anokhi.

"Hareey mein ne kya kiya. Yehan dekho toh sahi" Shaurya said trying to make Anokhi look at him but she turned her face.

"Nahi dekhna mujhe" Anokhi said as her eyes moisten.

"Anokhi!" Shaurya said concerned as she sounded like she would cry at any moment "What happened?"

"You know that I don't hide anything from you na" Anokhi said after a moment of silence while Shaurya nodded at her. She added "I felt embarrassed that you caught me while I watched Fifty Shades because I didn't want you to think me as a horny person. I mean, you know how embarrassing that is! I-"

"Anokhi relax" Shaurya said "You calm down right"

"I mea-"

"Calm down first" Shaurya said wrapping his arm around Anokhi. She eased up against him.

"Anokhi, this isn't a big deal. Why are you getting tensed? Tell me one thing. Why are you feeling embarrassed? And that too with me?" Shaurya asked once Anokhi calmed down.

"You first tell me what did you thought of me when you saw me watching Fifty Shades?" Anokhi said, shifting on Shaurya's lap and look at him. Shaurya sighed, realizing Anokhi won't let this go.

"To be honest, when I saw you watching Fifty Shades, I was amused. I didn't walk in on you watching as I didn't want you to feel like I'm violating your personal time or that you feel embarrassed. When you said you were praying, you felt super cute to me. You were totally adorable. I didn't think anything else. I don't know why you're getting worried"

Anokhi visibly relaxed on hearing Shaurya's words. She's from a place where things like this are not discussed even among friends. Though she has watched few movies and series with lip lock scene and read stories, these kind off things were alien to her. She was focused on her studies that she didn't paid attention to any of that and Shaurya's the one guiding her during their intimate moments.

"You didn't think I'm some hormone raging lusty person?" Anokhi asked in a small tone. Shaurya nodded in a no.

"You know back at Kapurthala, if I even watch a lip lock scene by mistake while scanning channel, Papaji would smack me and scold me and Mummyji badly" Anokhi said "It is such a taboo back there and not only Papaji, even Dadi ji won't leave a chance to taunt me. They used to say that I would run off with someone and end up being a disgrace if I watch things like this. They kept saying that these hormone raging teenagers can't be trusted and didn't even allowed me to go out with my friends. So, I didn't want you to think of me as such"

Shaurya could understand now why Anokhi was trying to justify herself again and again. Anokhi may look like an emotionally strong person while handling Shaurya but time and again he finds that she's scarred inside by the difficult childhood she had.

"I'm glad that you're voicing out what's worrying you than keeping it to yourself, Anokhi" Shaurya said as he holds Anokhi's face in his hand "Why would I think of such? And what's wrong with watching such movies? Are you a kid that you can't watch such things? Almost everyone your age does. So, ease up. It's not a big deal, Anokhi. There's nothing wrong in watching this. It doesn't matter your Papaji or Dadi ji think. They belong to old generation. Don't reflect on their words. This is such a taboo because we don't speak about that. It's a genre just like rest of movie genre, Anokhi and its something natural for people to watch it. So, there's nothing to be embarrassed about it. Don't think about anything or anyone else, okay?"

Shaurya explained to Anokhi further as he caressed her cheek with his thumb while Anokhi nodded at him with a smile.

"Besides you have to know such things. Not that I'm complaining but would I have to teach you everything, Anokhi?" Shaurya said the last part in teasing tone.

"Aap na, kuch bhi bol lete ho" Anokhi said fighting off the blush that crept on her cheeks as she hit Shaurya on his shoulder.

"Blushing suits you more than getting embarrassed, Anokhi" Shaurya said chuckling at Anokhi "Waise, why is this embarrassed thing coming between us? We talk about anything and everything na"

"It's just I don't know... I felt weird talking about this with you may be"

"Tell me something, have I ever shy-ed away from asking you for a kiss or hug or touching you?" Shaurya asked as he grabbed Anokhi's chin.

"No!" Anokhi said.

"You ever felt that us hugging or making out is something wrong?"

"No!"

"Then why can't you be the same with me? Why do you have to be hesitant with me?" Shaurya said caressing Anokhi's cheek with the back of his hand "You check me out with eyes but never makes the first move and that's something that has to be changed, Anokhi. You don't need to feel embarrassed with me, Anokhi. I'm yours as much as you're mine. So, don't hesitate with me, okay?"

Anokhi's face broke into a faint smile as she hugged Shaurya, burying her face in his neck. Shaurya wrapped his arms around Anokhi and rocked her along with him. Both sat silence for a moment before a much-composed Anokhi pull back from Shaurya's embrace.

"Are you okay now?"

"Yes" Anokhi nodded with a smile as she eased up and ruffled Shaurya's hair. She added "Its late. I have to take out things for tomorrow before going to bed, Shaurya"

Anokhi tried to get off from Shaurya's lap but he tightened his grip around her waist, not letting her go. She looked at him with puzzled eyes while he grinned at her.

"Ab kya hua? Chodiyeh na"

"Hareey, aese kaise chod dhu? I didn't have my dessert yet" Shaurya said putting on an innocent look.

"Accha?" Anokhi asked with an eyebrow raised and added as she pointed at the empty bowl in front of Shaurya "Phir yeh kya hai?"

"That is nothing compared to what I'm going to have now" Shaurya said eyeing at Anokhi's lips with a teasing smile "And you haven't fed me any lately"

Anokhi laughed at Shaurya's words as she clearly understood what's he referring to. She cupped his face in both hands and caressed his cheeks with her thumbs while their eyes played with each other before she leaned down and placed her lips on his.

Shaurya smiled against their kiss and deepen their kiss. His lips devoured hers as his hands roamed around her body while Anokhi's fingers played with his locks. He pulled back when they were out of breath and placed his forehead against hers.

"Now that was delicious"

Anokhi blushed as she buried her face in the crook of Shaurya's neck while he rocked with laughter.

~ * ~

Thank you for reading.

Nan ~