"Naina," Ahanay rasped, his frowning and devastated eyes staring at her as he caught her arm. "What are you doing out, this late in the night?"

"Ahanay," Naina breathed, her wildly beating heart now running faster. "I thought it was someone else." She placed her hand on her heart, laughing softly. "God, I'm more nervous now."

"Why are you out? Go back in," he said, concerned and confused.

"I was out to meet you---" She waved the letter he intended to give her, before stopping. "Wait, why are you here? Did you come right now because of some telepathetic fate nonsense?"

"I was worried about my wife living in this place," he said, scanning the dingy surroundings. "I should raise your friend's salary. Nobody should live in a place like this."

"Don't be snob, it's good in the morning. Women draw water from the pump over there and men meet up at the milk place there. Everyone helps each other out---" As she was pointing at the milk place, she noticed Ahanay's car parked there. "How long have you been here?" She strode towards the BMW, finding a neck pillow and blanket haphazardly spread inside. "Have you been sleeping here?" She spun around like a little tornado at that realization, pushing him with her fists, trying to destroy him. "Why, why are you here? You're supposed to take care of yourself! You're not supposed to worry about me! You're supposed to be mad at me!"

Ahanay caught both her wrists, stooped to meet her eyes now glistening with fat tears, and smiled. "Is my little demon crying for me?"

"I love you," she mumbled, snuffling her snot so loud that Ahanay thought he misheard her.

"What did you say?" He asked, deeply stunned, as if his bones were pinned down to that spot.

"I love you!" She cried out, twisting her wrists to break free and throw her arms around his broad shoulders. "I missed you so much, I'm sorry! I'm sorry for everything! I'm sorry for the protest, I'm sorry for not telling you earlier how I felt, I'm-I'm sorry for my snot all over your back!"

"You shouldn't be." Ahanay chuckled, rubbing her back that shook from her sobs. "I was wrong for not telling you about this project. You're my wife. You should know all about this from the start."

"But I'm not your wife anymore!" She cried harder, her shoulders shaking violently that Ahanay had to squeeze her in his arms. "I divorced you! I hate myself! What am I going to do now?! I divorced the love of my life!"

"Idiot," Ahanay said, knocking her head as if her head was a coconut and he was testing if there was anything substantial inside. "It takes two to get a divorce."

"W-What?" She pulled away, her face wet with tears and red with hot shame. "Are we still husband and wife?"

"Of course," he said in amusement. "What did you think? A piece of paper could stop me from having you?"

"My mistakes should have," she mumbled again, looking down at her feet.

"I don't care about that." He raised her chin, meeting her eyes again. "I'm happy that you're back."

"Really? How happy are you? This much---" She brought her fingers together such that there was a tiny space between. "Orrrrr . . . This much!" She stretched her arms wide out like an eagle and seizing that opportunity, Ahanay suddenly grabbed her waist, lifting her up and placing her on the bonnet of the car. "Woah." He spread her legs, standing in between them as she swung them happily, asking, "Now that I love you . . . Can we do it?"

Ahanay frowned, feigning confusion. "Do what?"

"Do that. You know . . ." She felt her cheeks growing hot as he started laughing, interrupting her embarrassing thoughts. "Stop pretending to be innocent! You knew what I meant."

He leaned forward to see her blush up close and smirked. "Are you sincere about your love, Naina? You can be using me for your lustful desires."

"Lustful!" She gasped, scandalized by his words. "My love for you is pure. Ninety-nine point nine nine percent. Even Aquaguard can't beat it."

"The zero point one percent?"

It was her time to lean forward and hear his loudly beating heart. "What can I do, mister? You had to be handsome. I can't pretend to be innocent."

Not holding back anymore, he closed the zero point one percent gap between them, his lips capturing hers and exploiting her mind, body, and soul. A gasp escaped her lips at the suddenness as he bit her lower lip, to seek access, and deepened the kiss with his intruding tongue. Holding her thighs tightly, he leaned forward till she was half lying on the bonnet of the car, receiving violent kisses all over her mouth and neck. She could barely ask him to slow down, she could barely breathe as he ate her up. It was a riot of kisses that made her lose all her senses and surrender herself to his mercy. Even though she couldn't make sense of what was happening to her body, she wanted more.

As he let go of her thighs to pin her down by her arms, the car started beeping and bright lights flashed, interrupting them. Ahanay groaned in annoyance and Naina burst out laughing, getting up and fixing her clothes. She wiped her wet lips, still laughing. "You turned into some animal."

"I have been wanting you for months, Naina. You cannot blame me."

Despite the thrill of excitement that ran down her body at his naked words, she said, "I-I should get down. The car won't stop beeping." Just as her feet landed on the ground, her eyes connected with a group of dogs wagging their hungry tongues and she shouted, "Run, Ahanay!" Only Ahanay did not run, Naina ran fast like lightning and disappeared before he could blink his eyes. The group of eight, wild, dogs surrounded him and the only chance to survive was to climb on the car. Naina peered at Ahanay crouching on the bonnet of the car from behind a distant tree and called him via her mobile phone. The minute he picked up, she yelled, "Why didn't you run?!

"These are just dogs, Naina."

"Then why are you on top of your car, panting?"

"I'm not panting," he said through gritted teeth.

"Don't get angry at me if you want help," she teased and there was a prolonged silence. "Be sweet and I'll help you."

"Tell me, my darling wife, what should I do?"

"You're being sarcastic. But fine, I'll take it." She glanced at the time on her phone. "You have to open the car door exactly a minute and a half from now."

"Open the car door?"

"Trust your expert wife, she has dealt with many dogs, both with two and four legs in her short lifetime. I'm hanging up now, good luck!"

Exactly a minute from then, Naina tied her hair into a ponytail and sprinted across the area, first grabbing the attention of all the dogs who began chasing her and then circling to reach the car again. Ahanay who had watched her sprint in awe, kept the door open to the passenger seat as instructed. The moment she was near, he got inside the car and she slid in just as one of the dogs was about to bite her feet off. With a sudden roar of the engine, the married couple fled the scene, the husband looking at his brave wife in a mixture of shock, awe, and amusement.

"I'm still not sure what I married," he said under his breath, to receive a slap on his arm. "But I love it."

"You better. Now that I love you, you have no chance to get rid of me!"

"Not even zero point one chance?"

"None! You're hundred percent mine, Ahanay."

* * *

A/N:

To compensate for the lack of updates this past month, here's a double update for you.

Happy late Diwali :)

(Tap on the little star if you're liking this story :))