Page 102 of Forbidden

I am thrilled to see what the final decision will be, but I really want Daadi to stay with us for some days. It will bring a major change in her slowly progressing relationship with Aarav.

I stare at Aarav who’s still not left his gaze from Daadi’s as if he is equally waiting for her reply.

“Fine, if that’s what my grandsons want. I will stay with Aarav until Mohit is back,” Daadi answers.

I see a soft sigh leave Aarav’s lips but of course, no one else notices it like me. The dinner continues and whilst everyone else is busy discussing other topics, I grasp Aarav’s arm over the table. He raises his head and smiles back. I know what that smile means. He has almost accepted Daadi’s redemption and taken that step towards her, to build something stronger and deeper and give their torn relationship a new beautiful beginning. Whatever he chooses, I was and will always be by his side. After all, even on the chessboard, it’s the queen who protects the King. For the man whom I once considered as Forbidden is now my entire being. It’s as simple and as complex as that.

THE END.

BONUS CHAPTER

Jhanvi

LONDON

I stare at Sophia in the mirror. The prewedding jitters had taken away her sanity temporarily from last week when the countdown to her wedding with Mohit began. Being from the groom’s side, I had to plan everything with Sophia’s parents as I couldn’t expect Daadi to do all this alone. My husband, Aarav Raichand did help me, but most of the time he was all cranky for not getting me alone for himself. We came to London two weeks ago, and my entire time got divided into looking after my three-and-half-year-old daughter, Aarvi, meeting up with the wedding planner, assisting Sophia to pick her wedding dress, arranging a Bachelorette party for Sophia and ensuring everything till the wedding runs smoothly. This was the first wedding in the Raichands which wasn’t the Indian style but fortunately, Daadi had no complaints. She was the coolest to accept the idea of a Church wedding when Sophia’s parents proposed so after giving their consent to this marriage. So, while looking into all this, I hardly could afford any time for my desperate husband who wanted me to at least spend every night making love to him, if not during the day. Whenever I finished all these chores and returned to him at night, it didn’t take me five minutes to doze off in his arms, diffusing every plan he had for us.

Eventually, he gave up and stopped chasing me even for those quick kisses and making-out that we could afford in the last two weeks, hiding from the family. I knew this was the silence before the storm. Either Aarav was planning to ruin all my senses once he got that sweet little night to spend with me without any hindrances or he was punishing me without his touch and wanted me to beg for it. I was sure if things went on like this for a few more days, I would literally have to beg my husband to give me what we both were deprived of because of these wedding preps.

“I am ready.”

Sophia’s voice brings me out of my reverie. She gets up from the little chair, straightening the heavy wedding gown. It’s a netted strapless dress with a high-low hemline.

“You look absolutely adorable and a stunning bride,” I say, holding our hands. “Can’t believe you and Mohit are officially getting married. You don’t know how much this means to us, and how long Daadi has waited to see you both married.”

“I know” she smiles. “I never thought marriage would be in my cart, but whenever I saw you and Aarav together, I always wanted to give it a try.”

The mere remembrance of my husband makes my cheeks warm. I am the maid of honor and Aarav the best man of the groom. So today morning while getting ready, when Aarav saw me in this Wine color gown with a plunging neckline and a long slit till my right thigh, his gaze had peeled that dress off me that very moment and had he demanded, I wouldn’t have mind actually going with that idea and spending some time with him before heading for the venue. But the self-control my husband showed was so challenging that he was back to his hard self and focused on wearing his Black Tux, leaving me hot and wanting. I knew he was annoyed by my over stressing schedule. If only, I had that much time to make it up to him. But I promised myself to utilize every bit of tonight and the coming one week that we are spending in London after the wedding, giving my husband everything I couldn’t offer him so far.

“Mommy,” Aarvi barges in the room, in a cute wine frock twinning me. Behind her is my friend Jaya Parekh Mathur who is again in a similar shade.

“You gals ready? The groom is getting desperate outside.”

“So is the bride,” I tease.

“The best man is no less desperate either,” Jaya mocks. “He didn’t get his today’s dose I suppose.”

“He didn’t get it from two weeks.” I pout.

Both Jaya and Sophia giggle at my response.

“Then more than Sophia, you need our wishes for tonight. It looks like the man has some serious plans for you after the wedding.”

“Does he? How do you know?” My eyes twinkle with delight.

“I heard Aman and him whispering about it. But couldn’t hear it exactly. And you know my husband. He will never share the secrets of his friend no matter how much I lure him.”

I agree with Jaya. Aman and Aarav are the epitome of friendship. But I wonder what has Aarav planned for tonight and since I have no other commitments apart from him once this wedding is over, I can’t wait for the night to begin.

I walk with Sophia and Jaya over the rose petals which Aarvi sprinkles in her wake, towards the aisle where Mohit and my husband Aarav are waiting for us to join. I sense the heat in Aarav’s eyes which promises a smoldering desire for this lethal night. As the bride and groom take the vows, I keep admiring my husband who hasn’t left his gaze from mine. It’s been five and half years since our marriage, but this heat between us still ignites us to a level where only we can satiate each other in ways others cannot even fathom. Loving Aarav Raichand is one thing but quenching his carnal needs another. While I have no complaints, I still look forward to it every night when he touches me. I don’t think any man could touch a woman the way Aarav touches me.

Mohit kisses Sophia amongst the chores of “ooohs and aaahs” from the guests. Aarav carries our little princess in his arms, who suddenly seems to close her eyes feeling shy that her uncle is kissing her aunty in public. I am glad she hasn’t seen how her father kisses me when we are alone. Aarav says something to Aarvi and then pecks her cheeks which makes her giggle and forget the rest. Wish I was the one he’d pecked like that. Soon!! My heart thumps.

The wedding party after is in a full swing. For the first time, I see Aarav taking this initiative to drag Daadi to the dance floor and ball dances with her. Of course, the newly married couple is the center of attraction for the rest but for me, Aarav and his small gesture towards Daadi have caught my eye. When Mohit was away with Sophia to take the latter’s parent’s permission for this wedding, Daadi had stayed in AR Mansion with us. Those two weeks were a few of the most beautiful moments for me to watch Daadi and Aarav slowly bonding over the evening tea, where she shared tidbits of his father’s childhood. I never failed to notice Aarav was slowly opening up to Daadi and that he had already forgiven her.

Aman drags his wife, Jaya, to the dance floor. The two have been planning for their first child now, and I can’t wait to see them getting their share of that happiness too.

Soon Daadi is tired of dancing, and she tells Aarav to take me instead which my husband readily agrees for. The way he strides towards me brings goosebumps to my body again. Will I ever get used to his charm? Will I ever get used to the fact that this whole sexy package in the name of Aarav Raichand is my husband? All of mine? Aarvi is dancing and playing around with a few kids of her age from Sophia’s side, and her nanny is around to keep an eye on her which means I have enough time to focus on my husband. Aarav takes me to the dance floor, and my smile heats a few degrees as his fingertips trail down my neck over the thin straps of my dress at the shoulders.

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