Shakhi SS Marriage Of Convenience 

Chapter Sixteen

Right after Anokhi has confessed, more like blurted out her feelings to Shaurya, Anokhi was shocked herself and moved away from his embrace. She frowned and looked up to meet Shaurya's eyes and was quick enough to notice how Shaurya's eyes widen at her confession. He wasn't expecting that, she realized. Truth to be told, she felt the same.

Shaurya himself was contemplating if he should confess that he likes Anokhi but she shocked him by confessing that she loves him. Her confession caught him off guard. He knew she feels something for him but love? Her confession overwhelmed him; his mind alert while his heart raced. Did Anokhi really said that she loves him? Shaurya felt as if he was dreaming.

Anokhi tried to read Shaurya's reaction. She couldn't find traces of anger or discomfort rather it was shock that danced in Shaurya's brown orbs. Her own heart thudded against her ribs as she stared at his eyes, waiting for an answer.

It was the big round of applause that pulled them out of their trance. Noticing everyone leaving the dance floor, Anokhi threw a quick glance at Shaurya and hurried with her steps but her legs got tangled with her sari pleat. She was about to slip but Shaurya reacted in time and caught her by holding her waist, his hand placed firmly on her uncovered waist.

Anokhi's breathe hitched as she looked up at Shaurya who tightened his grip on her waist and helped her regain her balance by holding her arm. Shaurya removed his hand and looked around, not meeting her eyes. She regained her balance and threw a quick glance at him while tucking her strands behind her ear. Awkwardness was evident between them.

"Chale?" Shaurya mumbled while Anokhi nodded her head and they moved away from the dance floor. (Let's go?)

They both didn't get a chance to talk after that as Butty took Shaurya along with him while Nisha took Anokhi with her. Anokhi was little anxious of how Shaurya would react. But she's not regretting that she has confessed her feelings to Shaurya. Why would she when she clearly knows in her heart about what she feels for him?

What Shaurya feels for her can be thought later. Right now, all she wanted to process is that She loves Shaurya. She has admitted this to herself and she can't fight the smile that stayed in her lips as she thought about Shaurya and her.

Shaurya was Anokhi's first love. Her heart fluttered while a giddy feeling emerged from the pit of her stomach. It was overwhelming her in every sense. Strangely Anokhi loved this feeling. There was this bubbling excitement in her that overwhelmed her senses.

'Is that how being in love feels like?'

Anokhi belongs to a conservative family where loving someone is like a forbidden fruit. She had her focus on studies that she never had to think about boys and love. But now these feelings consumed Anokhi, even made her crave for more. What she has with Shaurya, it makes Anokhi happy. It excites her to explore these new found feelings.

Anokhi doesn't care about their Prof-student dynamics anymore. Shaurya is her first love and first love is always special. Yes, he is her husband and they are in this for life but still the idea of love between them pulled a string in her heart and made it flutter. There were too many emotions going through her at the moment. She couldn't wait to face Shaurya and pour her heart out.

Shaurya, on the other hand, was not only overwhelmed with Anokhi's confession but also confused, even scared may be. He like Anokhi; he's clear about that. He actually loves what he has with Anokhi. He knows that they are in this marriage for life and would end up spending their life together.

But is Anokhi sure of what she feels? Does she really love him and not just attracted to him? Is she feeling like she should fall for him just because they were married? Although Anokhi behaves more mature than her age, he can't deny the fact that she's just twenty. No matter what, it is always Shaurya who should behave more maturely in their relationship, given their age gap.

Shaurya would feel as if he's taking advantage of Anokhi if she isn't sure of what she feels. Is she sure that she loves him and not confusing her infatuation as love? That's one thing he's very concerned about.

Shaurya hasn't realized about his love for Anokhi yet. Only thing he is sure of at the moment is that he likes Anokhi. After she confessed her feelings, now he's confused whether he feels the same for her or not. His mind can't stop thinking about that possibility.

But Shaurya Sabherwal was also scared. Whoever he has loved in his life has left him. He had his baggage of trust and abandonment issues. He couldn't even deal with his life's biggest truth yet. He is a messed-up guy.

Although his Badi maa loved him, somewhere Shaurya lived with a void – a longing for unconditional love; a love that shouldn't feel like a duty; a love that doesn't break you as a person. Now Shaurya is too scared to love. What if he starts loving Anokhi and she abandons him just like the rest? The very thought made him restless, scared even.

But Shaurya won't ignore Anokhi's feelings. Rather he wants them to talk about it in a mature way. He already didn't like the awkwardness growing between them. If Anokhi is sure about her feelings for him then there's lot that she has to know about him.

~ * ~

Shaurya was already in their room when Anokhi walked in. She made her way towards their bed and sat on it without making much of a noise. She threw a glance at Shaurya and stared at the floor while her fingers played with her wedding ring.

Shaurya stood by the French window, staring out into the calmness of the night. He was oblivious to Anokhi's presence as his mind was completely elsewhere, fighting a war between his heart and mind.

Anokhi studied Shaurya's body language. She realized that he's drowned in his thoughts. She waited for few more minutes before charging towards him. She placed her hand on his shoulder and Shaurya turned towards her with a jerk.

"Anokhi" Shaurya acknowledged her presence as he relaxed on seeing her.

"You look lost" Anokhi said as she tried to read him.

"I was... thinking" Shaurya said.

"About?" Anokhi asked with a small curious smile.

"About us, Anokhi" Shaurya looked at Anokhi "We should talk"

"We should" Anokhi said, trying to control the budding excitement within her.

Shaurya took Anokhi's hand in his and took her to the couch. He made her sit down on the couch and he sat down on the coffee table in front of her. He looked much composed than before. He left Anokhi's hand as he looked up at her.

"Anokhi, I won't beat around the bushes" Shaurya said, fixing his gaze on her. He paused and added in a soft tone "I like you, Anokhi. Not just as a student, not just as a friend, not just as a human but also as my wife, I like you in all the aspects, Anokhi. In fact, I was trying to tell you about what I feel back there but I couldn't"

Anokhi was surprised with Shaurya's confession. She thought he won't be open about his feelings but he surprised her with his words. He was about to tell her what he felt for her? She got excited. She looked at him and realized that he's not done talking. So, she stared into his eyes, trying to read him.

"Yes, I like you, Anokhi. I won't shy away from what I feel" He confirmed her as he noticed the way her eyes reading him. He paused and added, "You said you love me... I don't know If I love you yet, Anokhi. But all I know is that life's beautiful with you. What I have with you feels right, as if I'm living without any conditions. Maybe I feel the same as you. Maybe I haven't realized my feelings for you yet. But as of now, all I know is that I love what I have with you. I may sound selfish but I know that you are what I need in my messed-up life right now, to be by my side while I deal with my demons. Your presence makes everything easier. The twinkle in your eyes convinces me that everything will be fine one day. Your care soothes my wounds like a salve. Your trust on me keeps me together. You make me happy. I'm not shying away from acknowledging your feelings, Anokhi. But there are things we need to talk, things we need to know about each other, things you need to know about me before taking our relationship forward. Yes, we are married and bound for life but you shouldn't feel obligated to like me just because I'm your husband. You're young, Anokhi. You might get overwhelmed and confused with what you feel. I mean, you should be sure of what you feel, na. I don't want you to-"

"Shaurya" Anokhi was mesmerized by what Shaurya said about his feelings but placed her hand on his realising where the topic is heading to "Can I speak?"

"Anokh-"

"Please?" Anokhi said, squeezing Shaurya's hand in assurance. He stared at her for a second before nodding at her.

"Shaurya" Anokhi took a deep breath and tightened her grip on Shaurya's hand as she fixed her gaze on him "I know you were shocked when I said what I feel for you, that I love you. (She smiled at him with a twinkle in her eyes) Believe me, even I felt the same. I didn't mean to confess it to you in that way. But I was so overwhelmed by what I felt at that moment that I didn't know how ... (she paused as she can't frame words to say what she feels) ... But don't mistake that whatever I said, whatever I feel, they are spontaneous feelings. No, they are not. I didn't develop these feelings overnight, Shaurya. I know you think I'm young and I may be not sure of what I feel for you, that I'm confusing my attachment towards you as love. But that's not the case here. I have feelings for you for a long time now. Even before we were married, when you were just my professor, I had a crush on you (She said with a shy smile) After we got married, I didn't know when that crush changed into like and then love. I didn't know what love was, never felt it before. I only knew that I felt something for you, something strong and beautiful but couldn't put those feelings under a name. I didn't know why I found my smile in your happiness. I didn't know why I got hurt seeing you in pain. I didn't know why I felt proud when you tagged me as your wife in front of others. I didn't know why I felt butterflies in my stomach with your closeness. I didn't know why my heart raced when you took my hand in yours. I didn't know how you managed to make every single cell in my body tingle with excitement just with your touch. I didn't know why I got jealous when someone tries to hit on you. I didn't know why a single thought of being away from you made me suffocated. (She holds Shaurya with both her hands now, meeting her eyes with his) I didn't know what to name all these feelings until today, Shaurya. Can't you see it in my eyes, Shaurya? Can't you feel it? I love you, Shaurya. (She tightened her grip on his hand with a smile and added in a soft tone as a lone tear slipped out of her glassy eyes) I love you"

Shaurya was dumbfounded with the intensity of Anokhi's words and feelings. He was going through too many things at the same time. He didn't waiver his eyes away from her for a second, reading her eyes. All he could see was pure, unconditional love radiating from her eyes for him. His heart raced at the realisation; his eyes turned glassy and he felt a twist in the pit of his stomach.

"Not only just as a professor, not only just as a friend, not only just as a human but also as my husband, I love you in all the aspects" Anokhi said as she took his hand near heart. He was too dazed to react "I love you, Shaurya. My whole being screams the same (She dared to place her hand on his cheek, making him stare right into her eyes) You are my first love, Shaurya. I was never sure of anything in my life like I feel now."

Anokhi caressed Shaurya's cheek lovingly with a smile while Shaurya was awestruck by Anokhi. He prepared himself mentally and kept his emotions in check before deciding to talk to her but now he was spellbound by her words. His eyes searched for any hint of doubt in her eyes but all he could see was love; unconditional love for him.

"Anokhi... mein..." Shaurya couldn't form words to express what he felt. He fumbled with words, trying to voice out what he felt at that moment but failed. (Anokhi... I...)

Anokhi noticed Shaurya's suffering and tried to help him out. She placed her finger on his lips, silencing him. His eyes shot to hers as he tried to make sense of the situation.

"Aap ko kuch kehne ki zarurath nahi hai, Shaurya" Anokhi said taking her finger from his lips "I don't want you to pressure yourself into saying anything back. The feeling of realizing that your whole being craves for someone is overwhelmingly beautiful and I want you to feel it to the fullest if you ever feel the same for me. So don't bother replying me now. Take your own time. I'll wait. We care for each other, trust each other, enjoy each other's company and respect each other. I love you and you like me. Let's just move ahead with our relationship with this?" (You don't have to say anything, Shaurya)

Anokhi looked at Shaurya with an anticipating smile, her eyes filled with hope and love. Shaurya was too dazed to reply in words, his eyes moisten seeing the intensity of Anokhi's love for him. He was completely consumed by her love.

Shaurya has no memory of his mother's love save for the bits and pieces he saw in in the video his father cherish. For the past twenty-five years of his life, he thought he was loved by Devi without any conditions. But the truth shattered him, proving him wrong. He thought he would never find such a love in life.

But the woman in front of Shaurya proved him wrong as Anokhi's eyes met with his, filled with so much love that Shaurya quivered. Anokhi's love was placed right in front of him, without any hold back and conditions.

Shaurya's breath hitched. For the first time in his life, he wanted to lose himself in the moment. Without breaking their gaze, his hands worked on his own and he cupped Anokhi's face between his palms.

Anokhi's breathe hitched as Shaurya leaned in while bringing her face closer. She closed her eyes as his lips lingered on her forehead. Shaurya placed a deep kiss on Anokhi's forehead as a lone tear slipped out of his brown orb while her face glowed with a smile, her heart fluttering at his gesture.

Shaurya's lips lingered on her forehead for a moment before he pulled back and met with Anokhi's eyes, his own lips breaking into a smile. Shaurya didn't had to say a single word. His smile said it all.

Their marriage is not a marriage of convenience anymore. Shaurya is in this as much as Anokhi. He wants this relationship as much as her. Anokhi was overwhelmed with the shift in their relationship and hid herself in his embrace while Shaurya wrapped his arms around her, pulling her closer, his heart bursting with joy. At that moment, Shaurya and Anokhi were content with each other.

~ * ~

Anokhi just finished talking with her mother and hanged up the call. She was at their room balcony. Anokhi breathed into the freshness of the night and placed her hands on the railings. She looked up at the sky with a constant smile dancing on her lips.

Anokhi was happy in every sense at that moment. She couldn't believe that everything worked out fine between her and Shaurya. They are going to move ahead in their relationship without anything holding them back.

Anokhi wasn't worried about Shaurya's response. He hasn't realized his feelings yet and she doesn't want him to rush through it. When she realized she loved Shaurya, it was one of the most soulfully consuming yet beautiful feeling she ever felt. She wants Shaurya to feel the same, without any pressure on him.

Anokhi still couldn't believe that she took a leap and confessed her feelings to Shaurya. She recalled their conversation and she didn't even know she had such strong feelings within her for him until she voiced it out herself. She thought about Shaurya and with a shy smile, she walked back into their room.

Anokhi frowned as she saw Shaurya sitting in his side of the bed with a book in his hand but his eyes were looking elsewhere. She realized that he's lost in his thoughts, again. Puzzled, she walked closer and climbed on her side of the bed. She moved herself to his side and tapped her hand on his shoulder. Startled, Shaurya looked at Anokhi.

"Where were you lost?"

"Huh?" Shaurya sounded clueless.

"You look lost, Shaurya. Sab teek hai?" Anokhi asked, concerned. (Everything okay?)

"Mujhe kya hua? I'm good" Shaurya said, narrowing his gaze from hers "I was just reading this book an-" (What happened to me?)

"Accha?" Anokhi saw through him "You are bad at hiding things, you know?" (Oh really?)

Shaurya glanced at Anokhi once before heaving a frustrated sigh.

"Okay, I was little lost" Shaurya agreed as he ran his fingers through his hair.

"And frustrated too" Anokhi said reading his reactions "Now tell me what's stressing you" she paused and added in a concerned tone "Is it something about what I said today?"

"Nothing like that Anokhi" Shaurya refused right away.

"Then what's bothering you?" Anokhi didn't backed down.

"Actually, I need to talk to you about something" Shaurya said speaking his mind "I can't be at peace until I get this out of my system, Anokhi"

"What is it?" Anokhi asked, puzzled by his words.

Shaurya turned around and sat facing Anokhi. He took Anokhi's hand in his as he looked up at her. There was hesitation in his eyes that didn't miss Anokhi. She placed her other hand on their joined hands and gave him a squeeze, urging him to go on. Shaurya took a deep breath before starting to speak.

"Anokhi, I said there are things we need to talk and things you should know about me remember" Shaurya said while Anokhi nodded her head slightly "I want to talk about that. You have to know few things about me before we move ahead in our relationship. I know you know a lot about my life, Anokhi. But there are still few things which you have no idea of and I want to bare myself before you"

Anokhi was confused with Shaurya's words. She stared at him, curiosity dancing in her eyes.

"You know that I was about to get engaged to someone before we met, right?" Shaurya asked.

Anokhi nodded her head at Shaurya. She still remembers the day she came to know that Shaurya was about to get engaged to his girlfriend but she called off their engagement at the last minute. It was few days after she got married that when she came to college, she was compared to Shaurya's ex and made fun of.

"Shagun Kapoor, right?"

"Yes, Shagun and I, we did our master degree together. We worked at SIAC together too. We started hanging out as friends. We enjoyed each other's company and we were compatible. So, we started dating. Everyone at Sabherwal mansion liked her. Badi maa was ... Badi maa was happy about my choice. She thought Shagun was a perfect fit to be a Sabherwal daughter-in-law. So, I proposed her. I told Shagun what kind of life partner I was expecting. I wanted a housewife who can focus on me and my family rather than her career. Shagun was ready to be one and we decided to get married to each other"

Shaurya paused for a second to look at Anokhi. She was listening to him without any judgement in her eyes. Although she slightly panicked when she heard that he expects a house wife, she decided that she will hear him out first before reacting. Shaurya continued, tightening his hold on her.

"We were about to get engaged but on the day of our engagement, Shagun said that she got accepted at Cambridge University to pursue her PhD. I congratulated her but gave her a choice to choose between me and her career. She said she'll manage both but I stayed adamant and wanted her to choose. So, she chose her career and I broke up with her and called off the engagement" Shaurya said.

Anokhi frowned as she heard what Shaurya said. Did Shaurya really did that? She thought Shagun was the one who broke up with Shaurya and she never knew why. But the truth is something different here.

A hint of fear was visible in Anokhi's eyes for a moment before fading into the depth of her eyes. For a second, she thought what if Shaurya place such a choice in front of her. But her heart refused to think more as she thought of how much he cared about her education and always urged her to study.

"Anokhi" Shaurya's voice pulled her out of her trance "I know what you must be thinking right now. Never ever think that I would make you choose between me and your career. I'm a changed person now, Anokhi. Trust me, my views have changed now. I would never do something like this with you" Shaurya assured Anokhi.

"Right from my childhood, the only constant thing that Badi maa told me is that my mother left me for her career. My mother chose her career over her four-year-old child and left her family broken. This idea was deep rooted in my mind that I developed a hatred for career-oriented women. I started believing that women can't manage family and career at the same time, that career-oriented women could only be selfish and break their family."

Shaurya tightened his hold on Anokhi's hand as he continued.

"What I did with Shagun was wrong, Anokhi and I'm ashamed for what I did. I didn't even realize it until the day you made me see otherwise. Yes, you changed my view, Anokhi. Ever since I have met you, you were always someone who wouldn't back down when I'm wrong and has always acted as a mirror to show where I went wrong. I wasn't the perfect Shaurya Sabherwal everyone celebrates in your presence. I was raw and uncaged before you. I didn't have to pretend to be perfect in front of you. You told me things straight at my face that none told me before. You were that part of my conscious which has always made me to see things differently. You challenged my thought and proved me wrong. You ran away from a forced marriage just to study and achieve great things in life. You didn't take anybody's favours. Rather you worked to stand on your own. You didn't back down from any of the struggles you faced, not even when we got married. You showed a fighting spirit. You managed both your studies and our family however tiring that gets. Studying while carrying out your daughter-in-law duties, participating in competitions while fasting for me... You crawled into my head and challenged my thought against career-oriented woman and proved that woman can take care of both their career and family. I have never wanted you to give up your studies or career, Anokhi and I never will. When I came to know about my mother's truth, I was even more ashamed of my thought but as a human, I can only accept when I'm wrong and try to become a better person. I'm glad that I have changed."

Shaurya looked at Anokhi, his eyes searching for her reaction. He has bared his dark side in front of Anokhi. He wanted her to know who he was and who he's now before they move ahead in their relationship. She should know about the guy whom she claims to love.

Anokhi was dumbfounded. She just found out a dark side of Shaurya and how he overcame that darkness. His dark side was something Anokhi doesn't appreciate in a man. He sounded like her father and brother, a typical Indian man. But she was happy, even relieved that he has overcome his darker side. She was glad that she played a role in him changing his perceptions.

When Shaurya told her about his thought, she was scared and... disappointed? But when she heard him out, she could understand him why he lived with such a thought. His one traumatic childhood had such an effect on him and she's thankful that he's slowly coming out of it. She was glad that he shared it with her. She has also come to know what he thinks of her and she felt good knowing he keeps her in such a high regard.

"What you did with Shagun mam was wrong" Anokhi said breaking her silence, choosing her words carefully.

"I know" Shaurya said "I'm not proud of my behavior"

"I'm glad you have changed your perceptions"

"Me too, Anokhi. If you have confessed to me while I was still the old Shaurya Sabherwal then I would have stepped back because I know that I don't deserve you and you deserve better" Shaurya said "I had this in mind the whole time and now I feel as if my burden has lessened"

"You scared me for a minute there you know but thank you for sharing this with me" Anokhi said honestly.

"You should know about my darker sides too, Anokhi. I'm a changed person now but it won't be fair if I hid such a thing from you" Shaurya said and added after a pause "And I want to clarify one thing to you"

"What?"

"Always remember that I will stand by your side. Study. Achieve your goal. Make a career for yourself. I won't step into any of this. Before being my wife, you're an individual of your own. You're Anokhi and I'll always respect that"

Anokhi's respect for Shaurya grew more and more with each passing second. She was raised in a patriarchal house where neither her father nor her brother respected her thirst for education. Allowing her to follow her dreams was never on the table. They have always seen her as a burden.

Anokhi also knows about how people in Sabherwal Mansion are. Shaurya was also raised in a patriarchal family. She respected Shaurya that he has finally broke through such a low thought his family, especially his Badi maa filled in his mind for a long time and being a better person now.

Shaurya's words made Anokhi felt valued and recognised. He's putting her need above his. She knows that Shaurya is a man of his words and if he says that he'll stand by her then he'll. Her biggest concern regarding her education faded with his words. She was happy beyond words for getting such a life partner.

Anokhi stared at Shaurya who's staring back at her, waiting for her to respond. He was right in front of her, searching her for her reaction. She released her hand from his grip and surprised him with a hug by leaning against him as she wraps her arms around his neck and place her head on his shoulder.

Shaurya wasn't expecting the hug but wrapped his arms around her with a smile. He hugged her back before his arms went lower as he grabbed her waist and pulled her into his lap effortlessly. Anokhi gasped as she wasn't expecting Shaurya's sudden move. She broke the hug and looked at Shaurya, her hands placed on either side of his shoulders.

"Yeh... aap kya kar... rahe hain?" Anokhi asked as she stammered with her words. Their closeness has always affected her. (What... are you... doing?)

Shaurya didn't fail to notice the excitement that danced in Anokhi's eyes. His own body tingled with excitement. They could feel each other's breath. They were that close. Anokhi's throat ran dry. She wetted her lips with her tongue out of nervousness as her eyes stared at him.

"I don't know. Tum batao" Shaurya replied in a deep husky tone. (You say)

Shaurya's gaze dropped to her lips before looking up at her. Even her innocent act looked tempting to Shaurya. He wetted his own lips, trying to fight his temptation. He didn't want to do something that might upset Anokhi.

Anokhi, on the other hand, observed Shaurya's expressions. His deep husky tone made butterflies fly in her stomach. She has seen this moment in one of her many dreams and she can't fight the blush that crept on her cheeks. She lowered her gaze, feeling shy.

"Tu bhi kya soch rahi hai, Nikki" She chided herself in mind. (What were you even thinking, Nikki)

But Anokhi can't ignore the fact that she actually felt excited of what might happen next. Will they kiss? The hue in her face darkens as she looked up at Shaurya; her gaze stayed on his lips for few seconds before looking up and meeting his eyes.

Shaurya was already looking at Anokhi, his eyes clouded with desire. His eyes didn't miss the way Anokhi blushed, her shy smile making him go crazy. His self-control slipped away as her cheeks turned crimson.

Shaurya's eyes didn't left Anokhi's as he trailed his arms up along Anokhi's body, earning a gasp from her. He trailed his arms along her arms and finally cupped her face between his palms.

Shaurya caressed her cheek softly with his thumb as Anokhi tighten her hold on Shaurya, her eyes closing with the contact of his thumb on her cheeks. When she opened her eyes, she found Shaurya staring at her with a teasing smile. Anokhi blushed and lowered her eyes.

Shaurya dared to lean closer to Anokhi as he brought her face near him. He nuzzled his nose in her neck, earning a gasp from her before trailing his nose upwards. She closed her eyes, losing herself in the new found feeling.

Anokhi's heart fluttered as Shaurya placed his warm lips against her cheek. She closed her eyes instinctively, enjoying this new feeling. Shaurya kissed Anokhi's other cheek. This time his lips lingered there for a moment before he pulled back and placed his forehead against hers.

Anokhi was breathing hardly by now. She clutched Shaurya's t-shirt in her fist, trying to control her racing heart. Shaurya, on the other hand, tried to control the intensity of his desire for her. Both had their eyes closed as they breathed in together.

Shaurya moved back and stared at Anokhi. She had her eyes closed; her bosom raised and fall in a rhythm as her breathe was uneven and her face flushed. Her lips quivered in anticipation. He couldn't control himself any longer. He angled her face to look up towards him and slowly placed his warm lips on her quivering ones, sealing it in a heated kiss.

Anokhi stiffened under the contact of their lips as Shaurya smooched her lips a little before taking her upper lips between his lower lip and teeth. She winced as he sucked her upper lips for a second before catching her lower lips between his lips. He kissed her; his one hand held her face while the other started roaming on her body, pulling her out of her trance.

Shaurya released Anokhi's lips and backed away to look at her. Anokhi looked up at Shaurya, her mind trying to process what just happened. Her lips burn, reminding her of the kiss they shared.

Shaurya's eyes searched for Anokhi's response as he stared into her eyes. Anokhi's lips broke into a shy smile as she lowered her gaze. A smile danced on Shaurya's lips as he took in Anokhi's shy smile, his eyes twinkling.

Without waiting for another second, Shaurya angled her face towards him and crashed his lips on hers. Anokhi was taken aback for a second before moving her lips along his and wrapped her arms around Shaurya's neck, pulling him closer.

Shaurya kissed Anokhi pouring his feelings into the kiss, his hand roaming down her body. His hand reached her waist as he breaks their kiss and started trailing wet kisses along her neck. Anokhi couldn't fight the moan that escaped her lips, her senses clouded by Shaurya's ministrations on her body.

Shaurya groaned as he heard Anokhi's moan, his desire for her mounting with each passing second. He trailed his lips upwards and claimed her lips in a sizzling kiss while his hand shifted her kurta top aside and found her bare waist. She responded him in equal fervor, kissing him back with the same intensity as his while her fingers slipped into his locks, pulling him closer.

Shaurya caressed Anokhi's bare waist before kneading it, earning a gasp from Anokhi. Taking this as a chance, he slipped his tongue into her sweet cavern as he tasted her, taking his own time. He was getting addicted to her with each passing second.

Anokhi was clearly inexperienced but she's a quick learner. She followed Shaurya's movements and kissed him back. Shaurya's hand started to trail higher from her waist, his fingers playing with her bare skin.

"Shaurya" Anokhi moaned into their kiss, his touch driving her crazy.

Shaurya broke their kiss and trailed his lips down her neck. Anokhi arched her neck back, giving him more access to her neck. He nibbled on her sensitive skin, earning a moan from her while her fingers played with his locks. He continued his ministrations on her neck, marking her skin with his kisses while his hand caressed her bare skin.

Satisfied with his work on her neck, Shaurya pulled back himself and went back to Anokhi's eager lips and placed his lips on hers, kissing her with everything. Anokhi replied back with the same fervor.

Giving her one final kiss, he pulled back and rested his forehead against hers. Both were panting as they were out of their breath. Their face flushed because of their intense make out session. Shaurya brushed his nose against Anokhi's as he moved up and placed a deep kiss against her forehead before moving away from her.

"We should stop, Anokhi" Shaurya said. As much as Shaurya wanted to go on, he has to think about her and keep his desires in check.

Anokhi looked up at him with her face flushed and lips swollen. She was still trying to get her breathe even as she stared into his eyes before lowering her gaze. She nodded with a shy smile, not meeting his eyes.

"Ab mujhse kya sharmaana?" Shaurya said teasingly as he placed his thumb under Anokhi's chin and made her look up at him. (Why blush at me now?)

Anokhi playfully hit him on his chest before moving away from his lap.

"Aap bhi na! Kuch bhi bol lete ho" Anokhi mumbled to herself as she moved to her side of the bed, a constant smile playing on her lips while Shaurya stood up and walked to the washroom, shaking his head with laughter. (You! You just say whatever you want)

Shaurya came out after few minutes. Anokhi just had a glass of water and laid down on her side of the bed. Shaurya threw a smiling glance at Anokhi and settled on his side of the bed. There wasn't a trace of awkwardness between them. Rather a peaceful silence dominated the room.

This day will be their most memorable day. They went sight-seeing in the morning and spent the day together. Their whole evening was beautiful with them coming in terms with their feelings. They have decided to move ahead with their marriage. They have come closer emotionally, mentally and physically. What more do they need for the day to be tagged as special?

As they laid down, Shaurya and Anokhi stared at the ceiling in silence. Both had a smile on their lips thinking about the events of the day. Anokhi turned facing towards Shaurya. She missed the warmth of Shaurya around her. She could still his hands moving over hers, making her crave for his touch.

Anokhi could feel the heat radiating from Shaurya's side. She hesitated for a second before moving closer to his side and tugged Shaurya's arm which was beneath his head. Startled, Shaurya looked at Anokhi.

"Kya hua Anokhi? Kuch chahiyeh?" Shaurya asked, looking up at her. (What happened Anokhi? You need something?)

Anokhi didn't bother to reply him. Rather she sat up by Shaurya side and flattened his arm on the pillow before settling her body against Shaurya while placing her head on his arm. She turned her body and placed her hand on Shaurya before smiling up at him.

"I have all I need right here"

Shaurya couldn't fight the smile that slipped out of his lips. He shifted towards her and pulled her into his arms. Anokhi placed her head against Shaurya's chest as she wrapped her arm around his neck. Shaurya caressed her hair lovingly while holding her closer.

Anokhi was nervous at first with their proximity but soon eased into Shaurya's arms as his caress coaxed her into sleep. Shaurya felt Anokhi's soft breath on his neck as he closed his eyes and slowly slipped into a promising sleep with a content smile playing on his lips.

~ * ~

Hey guys, hope you all are doing good. I hope you have enjoyed reading the chapter. Do let me know what you think of the chapter. Do watch SAAKK on Tv. Stay home, Stay safe.

Thank you.

Nan ~