"A husband and wife in a Tom and Jerry relationship may squabble endlessly, but deep down, they can’t imagine life without each other—the chaos is just part of the love story."
X—X—X
MANIK
As soon as we entered our room, she turned towards me but avoided eye contact with me. I feel a little irritated seeing her lack of attention towards me.
“First, you go and get fresh.”
“Oh… thank you so much for your concern, Mrs. Malhotra, but you are the one who needs a quick shower as you are dripping wet.” I passed her my fakest smile.
Dripping Wet!.... Ok, Manik, don’t think about double-meaning words.
I rub my forehead to calm my double-meaning thoughts.
“I will wait.” She bit her lower lip, and my eyes stuck on those luscious lips. “You go, you need a shower more than me.” She completes her sentence and looks at my lower, making me frown.
I looked down, and my eyes were wide as saucers. The tent in my lower is visible. Anyone can know what I am going through. I coughed and avoided looking at her.
“You are right.” I ran inside the washroom for a cold shower and heard a giggle that made me mad. I scolded myself, Manik Malhotra, you have to maintain your image. You can’t get a hard-on every time you see her. Get a grip, Malhotra.
I came out after 10 minutes and saw her still giggling, making me madder. “That was a common thing. So, no need to laugh.”
“What is common?” She is trying to instigate me. Fine!
“A normal man will always get a boner seeing his wife. That is the common thing I was talking about, understood?”
She cringes her face, “Jez…. stop saying that like it is not a big deal.”
“Who instigated this?”
“I was just teasing you. I thought that you were an impote…”
She stopped in mid, seeing my glare. How dare she have doubts about my sexuality? I took predatory steps towards her and caged her in my arms. Her hands feel warm on my chest, while my hands are on her waist.
This is the first time we are so close to each other. We are breathing the same air.
Her breathing becomes shallow while I whisper huskily, “Let me clear your thoughts about my sexuality.”
She shivered, and trust me, I loved my effect on her. I trail my finger from her face to her neck, feeling the softness beneath the tip of my finger.
How does it feel when I roam my hand on her body?
She is losing her senses as well as I. If I were ever in love with her, then maybe we would be in bed having our moment. I would be deep inside her, and she would be screaming my name.
Manik Malhotra, get a grip on your running thoughts
My eyes landed on her lips, and unexpectedly, my fingertip outlined her lower lip. Her lips look so delicious and seductive. I lean a little towards her face, our lips still miles away.
My heart urges me to feel those lips over mine, just once. It is a one-time desire, I know. But I can’t give her false hope just because of my desires.
“I will give you the proof of my sexuality some other day.” I teased her.
She struggled a bit in my arms, and I felt like a knife had stabbed me. I loosened my arms, and she pushed me back before running away, but in time I held her wrist.
“Did you by any chance feel uncomfortable with me?” I asked as this question buzzed me when she struggled to break our moment.
She didn’t turn back to face or answer me. I left her arms after a minute or two, understanding her answer.
She is uncomfortable around me. The end!
I never wanted to make any girl uncomfortable around me. Especially not her! I have to keep my distance between us because THIS MARRIAGE WILL NEVER GET ITS HAPPILY EVER AFTER.
I was so engrossed in my thoughts that I didn’t realize when she came out of the shower. I wanted to avoid her, but I have an important question to ask.
“Can we talk?”
She nodded and sat in front of me on the couch. “What were you doing there all alone? And, please, no fake excuses this time.” This time, I will not let this topic go without proper reasons. She ditched these questions frequently in the last month, but not this time.
Today, anything bad would have happened to her on that lonely street. And, this is my limit. She doesn’t know what I went through when I heard about her situation.
She got tense and started sweating. I knew there was a reason behind all this, but why did she never say anything to me about that?
Maybe she didn’t trust me enough.
“I won’t ever force you for anything, but at least tell me the name of your manager.”
“Why?” Her reply comes instantly.
“Please…” I pleaded for the first time. I never pleased anyone before, as I always had other ways to get my answers, but with her, I chose to be calm and patient. “I am asking this for your safety. Trust me for once…”
I looked at her tense face and crossed my fingers while praying. Please, trust me.
After what felt like a decade, she answers hesitantly, “Kavya Deshmukh.”
“Thanks.” Calmness spread over me as she tried to trust me. “Do you know where she lives? How do you know her?” She shook her head, which was strange. “Is she working with you from the start?”
“Yes. My Nani appointed her as my manager.”
Damn, that lady is not like what she shows the world. I met her at the wedding only, and since then, she has been one of the contenders on my hate list. Although her entire family is creepy, her Nani is something that doesn’t go well with me.
I told you about my institutions, and according to that, her family is the reason behind her problems.
I came out of my thoughts, hearing her, “Please, stay out of any trouble.” I smile internally, knowing that she cares for me while she continues, and I notice the fear in her words. “If you dig in my past or present, you will get hurt, or worse, OUR FAMILY WOULD GET HURT.”
I loved the way she called my family OURS. She is sweet.
I held her hand softly, trying to erase her worries. “Trust me, I won’t let anything happen to OUR FAMILY or YOU.”
“And you?” She asked, and instantly I felt butterflies in my stomach doing somersaults.
She cares for me. My lips stretched, showing my teeth to her.
“I want you to be safe.” She continued but avoided looking at me, and that thing irked me. She is looking at everything except me.
“I will keep that in mind,” I replied in my poker attitude.
“Come down for dinner. Maa must be waiting for us.”
“You go, I will come after a call.” She nodded and walked.
I took my phone and opened it to call my assistant. “I am not uncomfortable around you.” My head rose immediately, hearing her who was standing near the door. “I would never feel uncomfortable around you.” She licked her lips, and I loved the tension on her face.
Somebody, please, tell her not to lick those luscious lips of hers.
“It was just…” She stopped abruptly.
“Just?” I encouraged her to answer.
This time, she met my eyes, “It was new for me. I never come this close to any man.”
“Don’t you shoot romantic scenes with your co-stars? It must be normal for you.” I ask with a frown.
“That was my job, but this… this is real.”
Am I allowed to pull her cheeks right now because she looks so cute with that annoyed expression on her face?
“Your co-stars…” I wanted to ask something else, but she got angry.
“They were my colleagues, but YOU ARE MY HUSBAND, AND THERE IS A DIFFERENCE.” She yelled so loud that I had to rub my ears as I felt ticklish.
Women and their voices. I shook my head and looked at her retreating figure.
You can’t understand a woman. One time, they are all sweet and care for you, but another time, they get angry and are ready to have you for lunch and dinner.
I exhaled and dialed my assistant's number.
“Hello, Sir, Good evening.”
I avoid greeting him back and come directly to the point. “I want all the details about Kavya Deshmukh on my table as soon as possible.”
“Sir, there will be numerous Kavya Deshmukhs in our country. So, will you please elaborate? You are talking about which Kavya?” Finally, he made some sense.
“Aman, I am talking about the manager of Nandini Murthy, the actress.” I heard something falling, and the next second I heard his rasped voice.
“Sir, you know, Nandini Murthy?”
“Yes.” Now, what is wrong with him? Why is he getting all excited about Nandini?
“Seriously, sir, you know her personally?”
“Hmm…” *Yes, very personally. I even sleep with her.”
Not in that sense.
“Sir, will you please fix a meeting for me with her?”
Now, I am getting annoyed and angry. “Why?”
“Sir, I am her biggest fan.” He stopped, but I knew that he was blushing because of his tone. “I also have a huge crush on her.”
“If you don’t want to get CRUSHED by me, then do as I say and leave HER FOR ME.” I would have killed him if he were here for crushing on my wife. “Also, fix a meeting with my security agency within an hour.” I cut the call after ordering him. He is a pain in my as*, but I can’t ignore the fact that he is good at his work and manages my anger as well.
“If Nandini is not going to tell me about her reasons, then I will find it myself.”
To be continued…