"Lemme sleep, Neil." I whimper as I snuggle more into him. I feel his soft skin beneath my palms, his warmth just compels me to get close to him.

His chest vibrates as he chuckled. "We need to leave."

"Please, lemme sleep more."

"You can sleep at home." He caresses my hair, I hum as I open my eyes.

"You are so cruel. How could you not let me sleep after destroying my sleep?"

"Seriously? I didn't destroy anything, maybe I just created something." He laughs and I smile closing my eyes.

"I'm tired."

"I'll carry you." He reaches out and kisses my forehead.

"Okay," I whisper against his skin before I kiss his heart and trace my fingers there.

"Maybe we could stay for a few minutes." I hear him whisper as he kisses my hair.

I lift my head to look at him and arch an eyebrow, "Mr. I'm getting late for office?"

"Mrs. You are driving me crazy." He whispers in his husky voice as he leans in to kiss me.

How to speak huskily?

This is something I need to learn from him, haha.

I laugh as he traces his lips on mine. "Stop laughing!" He laughs against my lips before he connects them.

"We need to leave before we get late," I murmur as he rolls us over and kisses my neck.

"Yeah." He grumbles as he reaches up and kisses me.

"Being the count down." He says softly as we kiss.

"Ten," I whisper as we break the kiss and kiss again.

"N--nine."

"Eight."

"S--e--ven."

"S--six."

"Five!" He says when I don't before we kiss again.

"Four." We say breathlessly.

"Three!"

"Two."

"One." I break the kiss.

"You are wrong, it's Ten again." He whispers closing his eyes before he deepens the kiss.

I pull him to me as I keep my hand on the back of his neck. His hand slips under the shirt I'm wearing, I gulp as I feel his fingertips.

I bite his lip as I try to suppress my moan, the feel of his hands all over me last night just makes me hot all over again.

"Clothes!" I push him away. "I don't have clothes to wear and go."

"Avni!" He complains, I chuckle watching him pouting with swollen lips.

"How are we going home? There is no way I'm just wearing your shirt and walking out."

I glance down at him. "And there is no way I'm letting you go out only in your boxers."

"From where do you think I'll get clothes now?" He frowns at me.

"I don't know." I shrug. "You ripped it yesterday."

"You asked me to help you get rid of it." He reminds me.

"I asked you to help me get rid of it not rip it." I cross my arms on my chest.

"Well, it was way too sticky on you after the shower session, and I couldn't find any other way." He smirks as he leans in.

"Fuck off!" I push him away as I laugh. "Search for a solution."

"I have a solution!" He exclaims after a moment as he picks his phone from the nightstand. I laugh slowly as I recall how his phone fell yesterday when he hurried to get rid of his pant.

He looks at me and rolls his eyes knowing why I'm laughing. "I'm surprised it isn't damaged."

"It fell on back and it didn't get wet." He mentions as examines his phone. "The edge is a bit cracked."

"Someone wasn't bothered last night," I smirk, he had simply cursed and continued.

"I'm still not." He shrugs as makes a call.

"Mm-hmm." I nod.

"Hello, Rebecca. I hope I haven't disturbed you?"

I look at him confused as he speaks on the phone.

"Remember, you said to ask anything if we want?"

"Party is over." I mouth as I glare at him.

He ignores me as he continues speaking. "Could you please ask anyone to get a formal dress for me and my wife?"

"Room number 19."

"Sure. Haha no, actually we were playing in the water last night."

"Thank you!"

"Seriously? From where will she get?" I cross my arms as I look at him in disbelief.

"That is why you should be observant. There is a clothes shop opposite and it's almost 11, it's open."

"Who will buy?" I implored.

"Whomever she asks to." He shrugs. "That's not something we should worry about, she is happy to help."

"Whom are you calling now?" I frown.

"Hello, Nyra. Clear my morning schedule, I'll be there after lunch."

"Thank you." He disconnects after talking to his assistant.

"Now." He inches closer to me. "How about we take shower till the clothes arrive?"

"We are not taking it together, are we?." I raise my eyebrows.

"Of course, we are. We need to hurry up." He holds my hand in his as he plays with my fingers.

I feel the ticklish sensation but I can't say no to his cute gestures. "I..." He looks at me. "I think... I..."

"I'm listening." I smile at him though a part of me worries seeing him struggling with words.

"I love you." He stares into my eyes and my heart did a backflip as I watch sincerity in his eyes. I clasp his hand as I try not to get emotional when I see tears in his eyes.

"What's wrong?" I search for anything, something in his eyes. He closes his eyes as he drinks his tears.

"I just want to say something." He exhales and I wait patiently.

"It's just— I love you." He shakes his head as he chuckles softly.

"And I love you." I smile at him.

He nods with a smile as he looks down at our hands then back at me. "Avni, I hope I don't fail anywhere as a husband?"

"You don't." I frown at him.

"I think, I did everything but I never did one thing. Which I should have done." His voice quietens as he fixes his gaze at our hands and plays with my fingers. I stay silent giving him time to speak.

"I have never—" He looks at me and I watch the sadness on his face. "—thanked you."

"It's necessary to let your partner know how much you mean to them and I never did it." I look away from him because I feel guilty. I have never thanked him too.

"Look at me." He requests, I gulp as I look at him.

"This is not to make you feel guilty, I'm just doing what I think I need to." I nod with a smile as I try my best not to show him how guilty I am. He doesn't need to have a bad idea about my reaction, he wouldn't like it if I feel guilty when he is trying to correct himself. The thing is, Neil takes the upper hand to make our relationship work. At times when I am shouting at him, he tries to balance it and he is easy to deal with, the only reason he doesn't drag our fights is he doesn't want us to argue.

All of his goodness just makes me question myself, what am I doing for him? And just like that guiltiness engulfs me.

"You know when we married I didn't know what to do in the future, I just wanted to make you happy." I block my thoughts as he starts speaking.

I frown as I find myself focussing on his swollen lips moving than his words. "Back then I didn't know how much I'm going to be dependent on you and for some reason, I'm not even ashamed to accept the fact that I'm dependent on you in my life."

"Stop! Your lips are distracting me." I blurt out as I eye them. 

"Are you even serious?" He laughs loudly. "Are you going to act this way whenever I am speaking?"

"Maybe." I bite my lip as I wrap my arms around his torso. "Okay, continue."

He chuckles, "That's not gonna happen when you keep touching me."

"Hey, you are soft and warm I can't help." I try to defend myself, I mean who the hell keep their hands to themselves when you are in someone's cozy arms?

"We are going to proceed with this conversation tonight." He exhales as his arms wrap around me before he picks me up. "For now shower is all we need."

"We should go separate that will save time," I say rolling my eyes.

"We'll be quick." He pecks my cheek as he sets me on the countertop.

"Mm-hmm." I smile as he nuzzles my neck. He reaches up to kiss my face, I close my eyes as I grip the edges of the countertop.

He pulls away making me groan, "Someone is knocking on the door."

"Let them." I roll my eyes. "I said you before your sharp ears are sometimes so frustrating."

"Take the shower, I already said we need to be quick." He laughs as he walks backward. "Maybe we'll do it long in the night." He winks before turning around.

"I hate you so much," I shout behind him.

"Don't expect a 'same to you' from me." He shouts back and I hear his laugh.

"But I also love you freaking so much," I shout back at him. 

"Then you should expect 'same to you' from me." He enters in as he throws a bag towards me.

"Who got them?" I ask as I catch it.

"I don't know someone kept on the doorstep." He shrugs.

"Now." I get down from the countertop. "Get out, I gotta take shower."

"I don't mind watching." He chuckles.

"Maybe we will do long in the night." I tease him as I bite back my smile. "We need to be quick now, Husband."

"You hit the wrong cord." I don't realize what occurred after he said that under his breath. He slams the bathroom door as he sprints towards me in four long strides, his one hand rests on my cheek as he crashes his lips against mine, and the other wraps around my waist preventing me from falling.

We kiss fiercely as he starts walking and I walk backward, a fire burns in me each time he halts the kiss only to kiss back more passionately.

My hands go around his neck and then the back of my knees touch something before I fall in it.

The bathtub!

The cold water makes me gasp as I try to sit up. I try to catch my breath as I look at Neil who is laughing.

"Being the man of my words, I thought to keep the long shower for the night and a bath for now." He laughs as he gets in the tub.

"Jerk!" I throw the water at him.

"Yep, yours."

☆☆☆

"And I win." Bebe gives me and mother-in-law smug look.

"How did you even do that?" Mom asks her as she arranges the carrom coins.

"I used to play a lot when I was young."

"I already told you guys I would lose, I have never played it." I laugh as I go through my phone.

Neil had dropped me home and went to the office, I don't even know why he wants me to stay home today. I think of texting Sara to ask how the party was but I let it slide. I'll text her later she might be working now.

"The show is about to begin. Avni are you joining us?" Mother-in-law looks at me as she turns the TV on.

"Yep." I get up. I always look forward to spending time with both of them. I'm rarely free so whenever I get time I make sure to utilize it. Though we three have a routine to talk in the morning with coffee.

I sit beside Bebe and watch the advertisement running on the TV.

"How was your night?" She asks casually.

"It was—" I raise my eyebrows trying to find a word. "—Good." I nod as I try to maintain a serious expression. The last thing I want is her knowing how just the thoughts of last night with her grandson provoke me to want to reminisce each moment and flush.

Well, her grandson is my Husband I have all rights.

"Just good?" She smiles. "Rebecca said it was a blast."

"It was." I nod with a smile. None of you have an idea how much of a blast it was for me and Neil.

"I apologized to her for not coming last night. Why didn't Neela go?"

I look at mom as she looks at me with a questioning gaze. "She has gone to Delhi, to meet her parents."

Someone's phone rings, I yawn as I look at the TV. I should have slept when I came, it's going to be a long night.

"Don't you think that's your phone?" Mom looks at me and my eyebrows shoot up.

"Oh, yeah! I forget my ringtone because Neil keeps changing them." I laugh as I get up to reach for it.

"I got it." Mom smiles as she takes my phone from the table. "Mr. Husband Khanna."

She hands me, I take it already feeling delighted to talk to him. I look at both of them as I slowly get up.

"Uh—" I look at them unsure. "You guys watch, I'll be back."

I don't think they heard me because Bebe increases the volume as the show starts. I shrug not bothered and happy with the privacy.

I unlock my phone to call him as it got disconnected but he calls me again.

"Missing you." He says as soon as I answer it.

"Cannot say the same." I smile as I curl the ends of my hair with my fingers.

"Lair!" He laughs and that makes my smile grow wider.

"Don't flatter yourself too much." I laugh. "How is it going?" I walk out of the home.

"Meetings are boring with you." He says making me roll my eyes.

"I enjoy it when you are around you know doing the presentation." His voice all of a sudden gets low and intense. "Have I ever told you how hot you look while you are presenting?"

I stay silent as I nibble my lip not knowing what to say. Shouldn't I say something which makes him speechless?

"Avni?"

"Yeah." I clear my thought. "I don't know why I am imagining your lips moving as you speak."

Wow.

"They are so luscious, Husband."

When I receive silence from the other side I know I hit the wrong cord. He clears his throat.

"I'm finishing the meeting and coming home soon. Wait for me."

I gulp at his last three words as he presses them emphasizing each word. "I will."

"See you soon." I could almost imagine him smirking as he disconnected the call.

Okay, what is Neil Khanna?

I shake my head as I try to breathe. I don't know why all of a sudden feeling of concern engulfed me.

The gate clicks open and I smile when Alia enters. Her eyes meet mine and my smile fades as I see tears in them, she dashes towards me throwing her bag on the floor.

"Hey, what's wrong?" I ask out of concern as she hugs me and cries.

"Alia, listen to me." I watch a boy entering and I recognize him as Alia's boyfriend. He looks at me and halts.

"Don't cry in front of him," I whisper to her as I take a look at her face and wipe her tears. She nods as she sniffles.

"She was just a friend." He looks at her as he approaches us.

"Just leave. I don't care anymore." Alia looks at him determined. I know she is deep down hurt but I appreciate her acting unaffected in front of him.

"You can't end it just like it." He looks at her horrified.

"Listen, Tanay, you can't just go around and ask girls to be your date when you have a girlfriend. It doesn't say that she was just a friend. It means you needed a change and it's fine with me because now I need a change. I just feel pity for the girl who fell into your trap and I am sure before me you had many girlfriends."

"No, you were my first." He tries to defend.

"Exactly! She was your first, you have second now." I cross my arms on my chest. "Fuck off!" I curtly nod at the gate.

He looks at Alia for a moment before he shakes his head. "It's better off with you than fulfilling your ice cream cravings."

"Well, I heard you met that girl in an ice cream bar." Alia's words stop him from walking away. "Good luck fulfilling her cravings and then someone else's."

"You b—"

"The gate is over there, Tanay." I cut him off. "Over there."

I hear her sniff as he leaves. "He's not worth it." I look at her with tenderness.

"He's not." She shakes her head.

"How about we go shopping?" I try to cheer her up.

"I would like that." She smiles.

"And then ice cream." I lick my lips. "Because girl, it's not always boyfriend who can fulfill your ice cream cravings." I wink at her.

The only reason I pay for my shopping is I don't want Neil to someday feel he is taking my responsibilities and I owe something to him for that.

I know he wouldn't think like that but despite how good husbands are sometimes they speak it out of frustration in arguments or as a joke.

I have seen many husbands like that and believe me it hurts like a bitch when we get the feeling of being financially dependent on someone.

Though I don't show off the money I earn and let him pay for my food and stuff in the home. I'm yet to take my own car and I am saving money for that and I also enjoy rides with Neil so I am not hurrying on it. It's about time I get a car for myself so that I can go when it's needed and not be waiting for him or take a cab.

I also appreciate Neil not showing off that he earns more than me and he respects the money I earn and make use of it so whenever he gets anything for me he brings it as a gift mostly he gets night outfits and the reason he gives is, "I want only me to see you in the outfits I choose for you."

☆☆☆

"I'm full, Avni." Alia laughs as I order another ice cream for us.

"No one is ever full for ice creams unless they are not so fond of it." I roll my eyes at her, I know she isn't full but that's a formality.

"You know if there is anything you can get from me always without hesitation it's ice cream." I smile at her gently. "I won't say no to it and I know you won't too."

"I am so thankful to you. This was supposed to be my worst day but it turned the best." She smiles shaking her head. "I don't know how my blockhead brother got so lucky."

"And I don't know how I got so lucky to deserve him." I laugh with her. "And he isn't blockhead."

"Maybe not as a husband." She raises her eyebrows as the corner of her lips twitch up.

We sit for a while as we gossip about random stuff in between I got mother-in-law's call and I inform her I am hanging out with Alia.

It was almost 7 and we both walk out. Neil must be home by now, as we cross the cafe someone tugs my arm.

"Hey." I look stunned at Rayan. "You are ignoring me, can we talk?"

"Uh—" I try to contemplate what to say. "Yeah." I nod. I should talk to him and get over this, I can't keep running.

"Alia, leave home. I'll see you soon." I look at her.

"You sure?" She looks between me and Rayan. "I could wait out in the parking lot."

"No, you go and study I'll be home or I'll just call Neil." I smile at her, I don't want her to stay here while I'm talking with him about something serious.

"Okay. Be safe." She turns looks at Rayan. "I'm Alia." She offers her hand.

"Rayan." He shakes her hand uninterested.

"Rayan." She repeated nodding to herself.

Crap! She'll tell Neil if at all it's needed.

"Alia." She turns around to look at me. "Don't say to Neil. I'll be home soon."

She nods and walks away. I hope she doesn't say, he would get angry at me and I don't want to argue with him tonight not when it was supposed to be a good long night.

As I walk with Rayan to his car I fear I may turn this into a bad long night.

My phone rings and I glance at the screen and gulp I'm not gonna lie to him. I'll tell him everything once I sort it out. I switch off the phone and look straight at the road.

"Stop around somewhere." I tilt to look at him. "I'm not coming to your home."

"It would be better if we talk at home." He chuckles. "How have you been?"

"Your husband doesn't like me too much, huh?"

I roll my eyes frustrated, he has been the reason for our argument once and I can't let that happen again. "Rayan, stop the car."

And he does. I look at him suddenly feeling suffocated.

"I want you to be honest. Do you have feelings for me?"

He opens his mouth and closes again. "I do!" He finally says and I suddenly feel dirty when he takes a long look at me.

"Why?" I look at him unbelievably. "Look, Rayan, you know I'm married."

"It doesn't matter to me." He shrugs.

"I didn't expect this from you." I look at him disappointed.

"Unexpected things happen." He shrugs not bothered. "Not something new."

He was being so friendly seconds ago and as soon as he accepted he has feelings for me he changed.

"Well, it doesn't matter to me that you have feelings for me. Just stay the fuck out of my life." I try to push the door to get out but it's locked and I groan frustrated.

"Stop being rude." He speaks, I keep my eyes on the door not willing to face him.

"Look I know you are married but I can't ignore the feelings I have for you."

I turn around in anger. "So what do you expect me to do if you can't ignore?"

"I expect you to give us a chance." He says slowly.

"Seriously? Us?" I scowl at him. "What's wrong with you, Rayan?"

"I don't know." He shrugs. "You look different now, I'm attracted to you."

I watch the desire in his eyes and I don't like it. The anger starts building up in me and it terrifies me at the same time.

"Open the door!" I look at him determinedly, I make sure not to bring tears to my eyes. He doesn't frighten me, his words do but I don't want to come as a weak person here, I can't.

"Think about it, I like you."

"I said, open the damn door, Rayan," I shout out of anger.

"What if I don't?" He shouts back. "It's not easy for me to act politely okay? I have been waiting patiently keeping my hands to myself."

"I'm polite, very polite, don't force me to lose my patience and act violently." I glare at him fisting my hand.

"Woah!" He laughs. "This is the other thing I love about you."

I clutch my phone as I make a plan to escape from here.

"I'm scared, Rayan," I mumble. "What if this is the wrong idea?"

He turns to me giving his full attention. "It's okay. Just say yes I'll manage everything."

"You will?" I move close to him as I stroke his cheek. He closes his eyes as he inhales. I slowly pluck the keys with my other hand and it takes everything in me to stop stroking and start scratching him.

I wrap my arm around his neck as I unlock the door behind him.

"Not so smart move." He chuckles as soon as he hears the keys sound. I swallow as I pull away and clutch the keys and my phone.

"I'm done playing." I shake my head. "Bitterness suits you."

He beings to laugh, I slowly remove my heel, and in an instant, I bang it on his head first then I slap the heel on his eyes, and he groans. I take the time to scratch his cheek with my nails and push the door behind him before I push him.

Tears run down my cheeks as I lock the car doors. I hear him shouting as I start the car, I press my left foot on the clutch pedal and drive straight away to home.

For some reason, tears kept running down my cheeks and I wipe them with the back of my hand.

"I'm fine. I'm okay." I say to calm myself down.

Within a few minutes I am nearing the home and I stop before I enter the gate as I watch Neil standing there with crossed arms. I get down as I look at him that's when I realize the reason I was crying was the fear of him worrying about me. I have been through this phase waiting for my parents and it is the worst feeling ever. The feeling of not knowing where your loved one is, how he or she is, and fear of not being able to reach them. It's worst and I feel angry at myself for turning my phone off.

I swallow the knot in my throat as I stand in front of him, I just wanted to end this I didn't want to go against him.

I cry silently as I watch him standing there in his office clothes with worry clearly written on his face. A tear rolls down his cheek before he pulls me in a tight hug.

I cry hugging him as I let his warmth solace me, I pull him closer as an unidentified fear engulfed me.

I did turn the night into a bad long night.

━━━━━━━━━━━ ★ ━━━━━━━━━━━

So, how was it?

I don't know what I'm writing, going with the flow.

Sometimes I sit and think it so happens that I get more ideas to write the past scenes and I feel like I'll continue this a bit longer.

Sometimes it so happens that I get incredible ideas to write the present scenes and I feel like completing the past within a few chapters.

And then I talk to myself mentally and think to go with the flow because that's the best thing I can do.

This is how I struggle!

Thank you for all the love in the last chapter.

Do vote, comment, and share your views.

Thank y'all.