Part - 23

"A Relationship Without Trust Is Like Having A Phone With No Service. And What Do You Do With A Phone With No Service? You Play Games"

(Writer's POV)

"Mithra, come with me" Karthik holds Mithra's hand & drags her away from her friends.

"Karthik, where are you taking me?" Mithra asks him.

"Terrace garden. I want to spend some alone time with my fiancé"

"Why?" she asks him curiously as her stomach flutters at the mention of the word 'Fiancé'

"I'm going to fulfill my promise"

"What? What promise?" she looks at him puzzled.

"Proper kiss" he whispers near her ear in a husky tone. "Didn't I promise you to give a proper kiss later?" he asks her cheekily. She blushes profusely.

"You are crazy, Karthik" she hits his arm playfully.

"Ahaan! See, who is telling that?" he asks chuckling. "Just sometimes back you made a crazy proposal to me & now you are saying I am crazy"

"Was my proposal bad?" she asks biting her bottom lip, nervously. He pulls her chin with his thump to release her lip from biting it & places a peck on her soft lips before whispering "I loved your proposal. I would have been disappointed if it wasn't in my baby brat's style" she giggles & hides her face in his chest.

"I just copied my Karthik's style" she says hugging him.

"Just tell me you are coming or not?" he asks her.

"Wherever you want... I'll go with you" she says looking straight into his eyes. He smiles & they both race to the terrace to have some naughty time.

"Okay kiss me" Mithra closes her eyes & tips her head up for him to kiss but he doesn't launch his lips on hers.

"What?" she asks after opening her eyes and finding him smirking.

"You are so desperate nah?" he asks grinning.

"Stop teasing me, Karthik" she says giggling.

"Kiss can wait a little longer. Let's talk first for sometime" he tells her as he leans on the fencing wall & pulls her closer to him hanging his hands around her waist.

"Why you wanna make me wait?"

"Anticipation is the key to seduction, baby, don't you know that?"

"I am seduced. Just kiss me" she begs.

"All in good time" he loves teasing her. She pouts. He can't believe the girl who jumped at his mere intimate touch is now begging him to kiss her. Strange!

"You look beautiful in this white saree, Mithu" he says caressing her curves.

"Thanks. Aunty gifted this saree for my birthday"

"Oh. Nice" he smiles and hugs her tightly in his embrace not even letting the air to pass through them.

"Karthik..." she calls his name shyly.

"What, baby?" he asks lovingly caressing her cheek.

"Um... that..." she hesitates.

"Spill" he chuckles.

"Your thing is poking my belly" she whispers, her cheeks heating up. He laughs.

"Get use to my precious possession" Karthik says & pecks her cheek.

"Karthik, you are so bad" she chides him & pushes him away but he pulls her back and tightens his hold around her waist not letting her to escape.

"Oh really? Well, I didn't say 'You were bad' when you were seducing me in the pool, did I?" he asks grinning.

"That... I... I wanted to prove my point that I was really ready to be your wife in all sense. I wanted to get intimate with you & that was assurance to you"

"You know what? You are so cute & innocent to do all that..." he twitches her nose. "...but I would have trusted you if you had just told me you are ready for intimacy with me. There was no need for you to seduce me & pull me into the pool & make me wet"

"You got to kiss me" she pouts cutely.

"Well, I am not complaining, baby, I'm just telling."

"Alright"

Then they both remain in comfortable silence, Karthik looking down at Mithra & Mithra looking at his chest toying with his shirt button.

"Karthik?"

"Yes, baby?"

"Can I undo your shirt buttons?" she asks.

"Undo my buttons? Oh why? And what are you going to do? Are you planning to seduce me again & get a kiss as reward?" he asks grinning.

"Um... I just wanna feel you" she says not looking at him on his eyes.

"Go ahead" he grants her permission, grinning.

She initially fumbled with the shirt buttons but somehow managed to undo them, exposing his bare chest & then started trailing her greedy fingers over his chest sizing his taut muscles.

"Iss..." he winches "Your nails are digging in my skin. Be gentle, my wild cat" he tells her kissing her head but she completely ignores him as she's busy in teasing her fingers over his perfect abs.

"I like this. This is so sexy" she squeals like a small kid in glee poking his belly button with her index finger and then traced her finger tip down his V line.

"Enough, Mithu" he tells her holding her hand to stop her play. Her every touch turns him on, big time.

"Hmm..." she hums distractedly pulling his chest hair & nuzzles his chest with her cheeks.

"Mithu, stop" he warns her. He wants to stop her before his control slips out of his hand.

"Mithu..."

"Karthik, I love you" she whispers breathing hard & starts trailing kisses upwards from his chest, throat, collar bone & neck.

"Fuck!" he hiss & rudely turn her around slamming her gently against the wall & roughly grabs her hair making a swift pony with his hand & yanks it up to bring her face to meet his as he leans down & hovers her mouth with his, kissing her wildly.

He gave her a passionate desperate kiss pouring all his love, lust & longing for her, for a moment his sudden assault surprises her but too soon she recovers herself from the surprise & reciprocates his kiss with equal fervent.

He stops the kiss to gasp some breath and then he gazes down at her, resting his forehead on hers, pressing his body close to her so she can't move.

He leaves her breathless, clinging to him for support as her knees are shaking pretty badly and she stares up at him after taking a moment to calm herself down and she finds passion dancing on his eyes.

Karthik leans down & nibbles her soft sweet lips, coaxing her for a gentle kiss this time. She parts her lips slightly & he takes the gap to inject his tongue in her mouth skating over her hard palate & on the sides of her soft silk like inside cheek.

He breaks the kiss letting her to gasp for breathe once again while he runs his nose down her throat, planting wet kisses on her neck region & lowers down to her cleavage as his hands squeezing her hips making her moan.

"You are so f**king beautiful." Karthik whispers & gives her a sharp bite on her collar bone. "You taste like honey" he tells nibbling her collar bone as his hands moves upward from her waist to her bust and he cups them with his palm.

"Hmm..." She moans in pleasure bringing Karthik out of his trance. He quickly pulls himself away from her & runs his hands through his hair breathing through his teeth while she stares at him disappointed.

"Sorry. I just got carried away" he tells & plants a loving kiss on her forehead.

"I liked it" she says softly, hugging him. He chuckles.

"Liked what?" he asks teasingly.

"Everything you did to me... but particularly the kiss" she whispers

"Kiss? Which one? Rough one or gentle?"

"Both, I guess. Maybe rough one a bit more. That kiss set me on fire. I thought I would combust" she tells blushing. He laughs.

"I love to see you happy, Karthik" she tells caressing his cheek, loving the feel of his stubble beneath her soft fingers.

"You are the reason for my happiness, baby. Today you made me the happiest man alive on the planet by confessing your love to me. Thank you. I love you"

"Thank you for giving me a second chance. I love you too" she kisses him sweetly on his lips.

"Karthik, I can't wait to be yours"

"I will make you mine soon."

"When?"

"In six months you will be graduating and after that we will get married or if you want we can wait to get married till you complete MBA"

"Six months? Or even more?" she asks in shock. "No! No! No. Tomorrow we are getting married, the very same night we will make love & next day we are having babies. I can't waste anymore time. Already I wasted three years." she says stubbornly stomping her foot making Karthik burst into laughter.

"I'm serious, Karthik" she glares at him with her hands on her hips.

"We can't have babies over night, baby" he says in between his laughter.

"Oh! Yeah! Well, we can at least get married & indulge in the baby making process."

"You are funny" Karthik chuckles as he pulls her into a hug & tells "But seriously Mithra, let's not rush things. Let's give us some time"

"Why? Why we need time when we are finally back together?" she asks, frown marring her beautiful face.

Before Karthik can reply they hear Sanjeev's booming voice. "There you are. Two love lizards"

"What are you doing here?" Mithra asks Sanjeev little rudely.

"Just checking" Sanjeev shrugs.

"Checking?" Both Karthik & Mithra asks puzzled.

"Yep. Checking that you didn't eat my best friend alive or simply push him off the terrace as we all know you are a crazy girl and you will do anything stupid"

"Ha ha! Very funny" she rolls her eyes. "Stop behaving like a mother hen, Sanjeev. I won't do anything to my Karthik" she tells him offended. Soon their friends Tara, Deepa, Rahul & Ria joined them.

"Congrats, guys" Deepa says & hugs both Karthik & Mithra.

"I am so happy for you, Karthik" Tara says & before she could hug him, Mithra jumps in & hugs Tara not letting her fondle her man, her Karthik.

"Thank you, Tara" she smiles so sweetly at Tara.

"Oh please. Don't be jealous. I won't take your Karthik away from you. I'm just going to give a friendly hug." Tara pushes Mithra aside & hugs Karthik. Karthik whispers something to Tara & both laughs.

"What? What did you tell her?" Mithra asks curiously. Karthik just shakes his head & pecks her cheek.

"I feel so sorry for you, Karthik. You have to babysit this brat for all your life" Sanjeev sniffs & hugs Karthik.

"Idiot!" Mithra slaps Sanjeev on his arm only to wince in pain as her palm stings hitting on his hard biceps.

"So when you both are getting married?" Rahul asks.

"Six months later, probably" Karthik tells.

"No!" Mithra protests

"Yes" Karthik says sternly.

"Oh why? With all your touching & kissing I thought you both will be getting married as soon as possible" Deepa teases them.

"That's what I am telling but Karthik is not agreeing with me" Mithra complains.

"Why you want to delay, Karthik?" Ria asks.

"It's just I want to take things slow... Mithra will get graduated in six months time...and I have some pending work to complete in Singapore, so after finishing all our commitments I want to get married to the love of my life" Karthik reasons.

"You are leaving?" Mithra asks shocked.

"For now, Yes. I just wanna finish off few projects I started there so that I can come back to India permanently"

"When Aunty forced you to get married you were ready to marry immediately right? Then why can't now?" Mithra asks worriedly.

"Mithra, that's different. That time I was forced, I just agreed to do anything for my mom... but now we know neither of us is going anywhere so we will plan well & get married in a grand way. I want to make this wedding memorable" Karthik tries to convince her.

"Karthik, I don't want a grand wedding. All I want is to start a new life with you as quickly as possible"

"Why you are in such a hurry? What are worried about?" Karthik asks noticing the worry edging in Mithra's eyes.

"I don't want you to slip through my fingers" she says. Karthik looks at her puzzled not understanding her worry.

"Mithu, you won't lose me, ever so don't worry. Let's just give us some time. Don't you think it's all happening too soon? I came here for you birthday but now we are engaged and you want me to marry you tomorrow..." he chuckled at her suggestion "I can't handle too much of happiness at once. I am not used to it. I want some time, please try to understand"

"Good decision, Karthik. You can still have the chance to say NO to her. You can easily ditch her in this six months time if she goes wayward or even tries to hurt your hair" Sanjeev says smirking.

"Sanjeev, shut up." Karthik shouts at him.

"Is that why you wanna delay our marriage, Karthik?" Mithra asks him, her voice hoarse.

"Mithra, no"

"You still doubt me that I might hurt you?" Mithra asks as her eyes brim with tears.

"Baby, please, I trust you" Karthik steps forward to hold her but she takes a step back.

"Hey! Mithra, Sanjeev was just bullshitting, so chill, okay? You know Karthik won't ditch you" Deepa says to Mithra placing her hand over her shoulder.

"I wasn't bullshitting" Sanjeev retorts.

"Stop being an arse, Sanjeev" Deepa scolds him. "You are making her cry"

"Hey, I care for my friend. I don't want him to get hurt again. This girl f**ked up everything two years ago & do you have any idea how he was? He was like shit. She broke him completely... I'm glad at least now she realized his worth but let him take his time to accept her wholeheartedly..."

"Oh shut the fuck up, Sanjeev." Karthik roars not letting him speak further. "And stop meddling in my personal life, okay?" he growls at Sanjeev.

"Karthik, you don't know her. She is just insecure of losing you to another girl when your mom forced you to get married & that's why she pulled that stunt."

"You don't tell me I don't know her." Karthik shouts.

"So you all hate me now? Not even a single person here trusts me that I won't hurt him and I truly love Karthik?" Mithra asks with teary eyes.

"Mithra... just stop" Karthik warns her.

"So you still haven't forgiven me, Karthik? You want some time to think things out? You might any moment dump me right? And that's why I want to get married to you sooner before you change your mind"

"Mithra you don't know what you are talking about. How could you even think Karthik would dumb you?" Tara asks.

"See, this girl will only hurt, Karthik" Sanjeev pipes in getting a chance to prove that his assessment was right about Mithra. Karthik gave him a death glare & Sanjeev shuts his fucking mouth.

"Karthik, I am sorry" Mithra takes a step closer to reach him.

"Stay where you are!" Karthik orders her, stopping her from moving close to her.

"You want to marry me because you don't trust me? You think I am gonna dump you as a way of revenge for dumping me right?" he laughs evilly and rakes his fingers through his hair. "Oh God!" he groans and pulls his unruly hair. "I have been in your life for 21 years & failed to earn even a pea size of trust." he shakes his head & blows out his breathe.

"Karthik, please. I trust you. I didn't mean what I said. It just slipped out of my tongue."

"When I thought of giving a grand wedding by taking some time to make everything perfect, you were thinking so low about me... what did you say? I might dump you any moment? If that's what I wanted I would have just rejected you the moment you were on your knees, freaking proposing me" he shakes his head at her disapprovingly & walks past her.

"Sanjeev, mark my word, your death is in my hand" Mithra spits the words at him before running behind Karthik.

"Karthik, wait. I said I am sorry. I don't know what came out of me. I just got scared when you postponed our marriage."

"Why the hell you got scared?"

"What if I do something reckless in these six months period & you decide to leave me?"

"For crying out loud, I am not going to leave you. First learn to trust someone you love, okay?" he says rushing down the stairs. Then he stops abruptly making Mithra hit her front on his back.

"Party is still going down. I don't want anyone to see you crying." he tells her. She nods & quickly wipes her tears with the back of her hand.

"Karthik wait" she stops him holding her hands.

"What?" he asks irately.

"Did I smudge my kajal? Is it running down my cheek?" she asks forgetting the fight & shows more interest on her makeup. He stares at her in disbelief.

"Yes. You have that black thing all over your cheeks." he tells her.

"Oh! Do you have your hand kerchief?" he nods & fishes out his kerchief from his pants pocket.

"Here" he hands it to her.

"Wipe my face for me, please" she says & tips her head slightly for him to wipe the smudge. Shaking his head irately, he holds her face with one hand & with other he gently wipes off her smudged kajal. He slowly & cleanly removes the smudge, all the while his thumb circling on her soft cheek.

"Done" he says & steps back. She sets her hair properly to cascade down her shoulder & looks at him for approval.

"You will do well" he says & walks down. She follows him.

"You okay, Karthik?" Radha asks stopping Karthik on his track.

"Yeah, I am fine, Mom"

"You look upset" Radha asks & looks over Karthik's shoulder to see Mithra looking down at the floor.

"No, Mom." Karthik fakes a smile.

"Hmm... Where were you? I was searching for you?"

"Mithra & I were in the terrace with our friends" Karthik tells.

"Oh okay"

"Mom, I am going home. I need to pack my bag as I am leaving to Singapore tomorrow & will return shortly after completing my ongoing projects"

"Okay but why don't you have dinner & go?" Radha suggests.

"I am just not hungry at the moment. If I feel like eating I will eat later at our home" Karthik tells. Radha nods & walks away giving a polite smile to Mithra which she returns back.

"Happy Birthday once again" Karthik tells & gives Mithra a quick hug before walking out of her house.

Knock! Knock!

Karthik places his guitar down on his bed & walks to open the door.

"What are you doing here?" Karthik asks seeing Mithra standing outside his room.

"Can I come in?" Mithra asks. Karthik hesitates for a moment before letting her in.

"Eat" she thrust the plate of food she's brought for him.

"You don't get to order me" he tells irately.

"I'm not ordering. I am just telling you to eat"

"I don't want a fight. Just leave my room, Mithra"

"Neither do I want a fight. I just came to say sorry. I don't want you to leave to Singapore with things unresolved between us and unhappy."

"I will come around soon so stop worrying about me & go to your house"

"I will go but you eat first"

"I had my dinner already"

"Don't lie"

"Shut up & get out"

"No, soon this will be my room so I have the right to be here"

"It's not your room yet."

"Were you playing guitar?" Mithra asks changing the topic.

"Yes."

"Oh nice. Can you play for me?" she asks sweetly.

"No, I am not in the mood. Just leave, I am going to sleep."

"Please, it's my birthday"

"I told you not to use that card again & even you promised you won't when you asked me to show the pacifier"

"Oh did I? I forgot I guess"

"Yes, you did and besides your birthday over. See the time" he points to the wall clock which shows 12.05 am.

"But still you can play for me right?" she says & starts eating from the plate of food she brought for him.

"Did you bring that food for me or for you?"

"Why do you ask that?"

"If it's for you then you can go and eat at your home"

"Well, it's for you but I know you will share with me"

"You didn't eat?" he asks doubtfully. He knows she will never miss her meal at any cause as she can't stay hungry for long.

"I had. This is my second round" she grins at him. He couldn't help but smile.

"Eat" she insists. He nods & takes a spoon of fried rice.

"You could have brought your birthday cake for me to eat" he says softening on her.

"You should feel glad at least I brought you this."

"I didn't ask you to" he says & continues to eat.

"When you will return from Singapore?"

"Don't know"

"Our marriage?" she asks hesitantly

"We will talk about that later when I return from Singapore"

"I will wait for you." she tells softly.

"I know"

"You didn't have kheer" she points to the untouched bowl of kheer.

"Enough, I am full" he says & sets the spoon down on the plate.

"I made it for you" she tells him. He looks at her for a beat in surprise before taking the spoon back in his hand & eating the kheer to make her happy. "It tastes good"

"Thanks" she smiles at him.

"Karthik, I need you permission"

"Permission? For what?"

"I'm planning to kill Sanjeev tonight, do you have any objection?" she asks in a serious tone.

"No baby, not at all. Kill that nosy bas***d and give me that good news soon" Karthik says & they both laughs but stops hearing a plate crashing and breaking sound. They turn to see Sanjeev standing at the door way, looking shocked as he placed his hand over his heart.

"I brought food & beer for you as I know you would be upset but you? You granted permission to that brat to kill me?" Sanjeev asks Karthik, feeling hurt. "You ungrateful dog!" Sanjeev barks like a dog.

"Just joking, man" Karthik tells to appease him.

"But I wasn't joking, Karthik" Mithra tells Karthik but her eyes are already sending daggers at Sanjeev.

Sanjeev ignores her & walks towards Karthik. He sit next to him on the bed & takes Karthik's hand in his.

Mithra quickly looks around for something & spots a wooden ruler & takes it & hits hard on Sanjeev's knuckles.

"Leave my Karthik's hand. If you want to talk, talk without touching him" she warns him.

"That's my wish. You don't get to order me, you little brat & could you please move your ass out of here & take it back to your house. I want to talk to my friend in private."

"No way. I'm the one who came first to meet him & you please say whatever you want to say to him & move your sorry ass for here & give us some privacy. After all he is going to marry me not you"

"I'm not in the mood to talk to neither of you so both of you better get out of my room and let me sleep in peace" Karthik says getting tired of their stupid fights.

"Karthik..." Mithra whines.

"Karthik..." Sanjeev Whines as well.

"You wait" Karthik stops Mithra making her pout but she shuts her mouth. "You tell" Karthik asks Sanjeev. Sanjeev gives Mithra a victorious smirk & says "Karthik, I am sorry. I didn't mean to create problems between you & your baby brat"

"I know, dude. No need to explain your action to me. Just chill" Karthik punches his arm in a friendly way.

"Thanks, dude" Sanjeev hugs & whispers something near his ear which Mithra couldn't hear though she strained her ears much to hear.

"Okay, I will leave you two now. See you tomorrow before you board your flight. You want the chilled beer?" Sanjeev asks.

"Sure" Karthik takes the beer bottle from him & then Sanjeev departs from his room.

"Now, your turn" Karthik looks at Mithra.

"I want to know two things?"

"What?" Karthik asks taking a sip of beer.

"You said you won't drink?" Mithra asks eyeing the bottle in his hand in disgust.

"I didn't say so. I said I won't drink on your birthday but now it's over. I never break my promises"

"Okay, now to my questions. What you whispered to Tara in the terrace for which you both laughed like loons & what Sanjeev whispered to you now?"

"I thanked Tara for training you on how to kiss & other 'matter' matters in which you were weak" Karthik answers for her first question which makes Mithra blush. "To your second question, Sanjeev whispered me to be careful as you are a white witch"

"Did you just say I am a witch?" Mithra asks in a murderous tone.

"I didn't say. Sanjeev did"

"I thought to forgive him for being such a mean mouthed piece of shit in terrace but now I won't spare him" she says angrily which makes Karthik to laugh out loud. Then he pulls her on his lap & kisses all over her face, calming her down.

"Just keep this in mind Mithra, I love you so much!"

"I love you too, Karthik & please forgive me for what I said before. I trust you & I'm ready to wait for you all my life for you to make me your bride"

"No need to wait all your life. Soon I will make you my bride. The world's most beautiful bride" he says & takes her lips in his for a kiss.

... To be continued!!!

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