“Mmm...” Aarav suckled deeply, his body clenched with need, his arousal throbbing inside his strained briefs. His hand shaped the other breast, revelling in the softness as he squeezed and plucked the nipple between his fingers. He paused when he heard a loud moan, lifting his head reluctantly to look at her flushed face with slumberous eyes that had gone a smoky grey. “Did I hurt you?”
“No no.” Saloni shook her head vigorously, her eyes shut tightly, unaware of the droplets of tears at the edge of her eyelashes.
“Sal.” Aarav lifted himself up to sit on the bed, pulling her into his arms and holding her close to his clamouring body. “What’s upset you?”
She opened her eyes to scowl up at him, her eyes almost black with dilated pupils. “Nahi toh. Why do you ask?”
He wiped a gentle thumb over her left eye and showed her the moisture. “You were crying.” His gaze had turned sharp by now, studying her face keenly.
Saloni shook her head before burying her face in his rough chest. “That was just emotion. I know you’ll never hurt me, Aarav. I’ve never been made love to in my life. Don’t stop now, please.” She traced the tip of her tongue over a male nipple.
Aarav buried his face against her neck, his tongue returning the compliment as he drew it over the pulse beating there, taking pleasure when it beat harder than ever. His hands continued to mould and shape her breasts, as he turned her around to hold her back against his chest, her lush bottom pressed to his tumescent manhood. Saloni’s head fell back against his shoulder as she exposed her throat to his exploring tongue, whimpering with need when he nipped his way from her chin to her shoulder.
“Sal? I want to make love to your breasts some more. Do you...”
She turned her head to give him a sideways glance to ask, “Need you ask?” She pressed her hands over his as they fondled her breasts. “I can’t have enough of your mouth on me.”
Aarav didn’t wait for a second invitation as he bent down to clamp his lips to her left breast, suckling deeply, his breathing hard. He removed his mouth after a very long time to brush his rough cheek against the moist tip as Saloni yelped in shock. “Aarav.”
He grinned, looking up at her without moving away. “Like it?”
“Love it.” She buried her hands in the silky locks of his hair, rubbing her fingers roughly over his scalp.
Aarav moved down her body, his lips and tongue tracing the shape of her abdomen. He flicked his tongue over the thin white lines crisscrossing over her stomach, worshipping her. “The marks of holding Mitesh inside you. Was it painful, giving birth to a baby?” he asked, his head pressed against her body.
“The truth is that I can’t remember the pain, only the joy of holding him in my arms for the first time.”
“Spoken like a true mom.”
Saloni could feel his grin against her stomach and couldn’t help the answering grin that broke out on her face, only to choke when she felt his face rub against her vagina. She hadn’t even been aware when he had removed her panties. Aarav was a smooth operator, it seemed. A fleeting thought crossed her mind. He was thirty-one and obviously experienced in lovemaking. Had he had many lovers? But the thought flew out of her mind the very next second when she felt his tongue probing within the folds of her femininity, a deep sigh escaping her as she accommodated his onslaught by widening her legs some more. “Aarav...” It felt so heavenly as she felt her muscles quivering with the pressure that built in her womb. She revelled in the touch of his hard hands as they caressed her thighs, not really giving a damn if he thought she was fat.
Aarav lifted his head suddenly, much to Saloni’s disappointment. She had been on the verge of climaxing and he had stopped. She didn’t realise that he had done that deliberately as he kissed his way over the peaks and valleys of her torso as he worshipped her breasts once again before kissing her lips. “Sal, you’re the most beautiful woman I’ve set eyes on,” he whispered in her ear.
“And you’re the most handsome guy I know. Aarav...I need you inside me.” Saloni rubbed her legs restlessly against his, her fingers clawing at his briefs.
Aarav laughed, saying, “In a second,” before pulling off his briefs.
Saloni stared at him in fascination, her hand reaching out for his erection, her fingers gently caressing the shape. “You are big,” she whispered, her eyes wide and transfixed on his length.
He pushed her back on the bed before reaching out to the bedside drawer when he remembered that he had no condoms stocked. “Shit.” He moved to sit further away, his knees tucked to his chest and his face buried in them. “What an idiot!” he groaned.
She touched him on his shoulder. “Aarav, what’s wrong?”
He raised tortured eyes to look at her. “I don’t have condoms, not bought them in a while.”
Saloni got up to hug him. He hadn’t bought condoms in a while. She couldn’t help but rejoice when she heard that. “Aarav, I’m fitted with a copper T to prevent pregnancy. You don’t need to worry.” She kissed him on his lips.
“Are you sure?” He looked deeply into her eyes and saw them lit up with passion. Pushing her back on the bed, he climbed over her to push into her invitingly wet core, settling within with a grunt of satisfaction as she expanded to accommodate his length.
Saloni was flooded by sensations as Aarav plunged deeply into her again and yet again, his tongue copying the movement as he kissed her, his hands pressed at her sides on the bed. She moaned when she felt his damp lips moving down her neck to her breasts, adoring them. She choked when she suddenly reached the pinnacle, the waves rising her up and up until she crashed, hearing Aarav groaning in synchrony as he climaxed almost immediately after.
He fell against her, his breath coming in deep gasps while Saloni clung to him, her arms tight around his narrow waist.
“That was simply amazing,” she whispered in his ear. She protested loudly when he tried to move away. “No.”
Aarav gave her a weak grin. “I don’t want to either. But I must be too heavy for you.”
“You’re perfect,” she whispered, meaning it. She felt absolutely cherished, feeling all woman for the first time in her life.
22
Aarav insisted on taking Saloni and Mitesh out for dinner that evening. They had made love once again, slowly this time and were still in bed. Saloni never wanted to leave Aarav’s arms. All the years in between had seemed to have disappeared and she felt like a teenager in love. She had felt so free as she explored every inch of his skin with her hands and lips, pausing to ask him now and again if he was enjoying himself.
Aarav hooted with laughter as he watched the intense expression on her face, his eyes feasting on her nudity. “How can I not enjoy myself with you in my arms? And in your birthday suit at that,” he grinned.
“Now tell me the truth.” Saloni pinned him with her huge brown eyes, her arms braced on his chest. “Don’t I need to lose weight? I think I’m horrendously fat.”
“Hmm.” Aarav pushed her back on the bed, before turning on his elbow to study her figure, ignoring her loud protests. “Don’t be so impatient. I’ve to check you out, right?” His grey eyes had turned mischievous as they ran over her body, staring a little too hard as her nipples turned hard in response.
He sat up to hold her face in his hands. “Your cheeks are a bit chubby and your lips plump.” He bent down to kiss her before continuing, “And totally kissable. Your shoulders are slender and so are your arms. Your breasts...” he paused to study the said anatomy, ignoring her anxious look as he cupped them, “They are big and fit into my hands perfectly. I wouldn’t have them any other way.” He looked up to give her a quick look so that she could see the honesty in his gaze, before he ran his hands over the slight swell of her abdomen. “This part could do working on.” He looked up to wink at her. “Are you aware that it’s flatter since you began swimming once a week?”
Saloni laughed through her tears as she shook her head at him. “I think I’m falling in love with you all o
ver again. But wait...” as he would have pulled her into his arms, “Tell me more,” she commanded.
Aarav placed his hand on her vagina. “Perfection,” he breathed, “Created just for me.” He pretended not to notice when Saloni made a choked sound as he stroked her thighs. “Well, maybe not fashionably thin, but I prefer yours.” He bent down to take a bite of her inner thigh, making Saloni groan loudly.
Saloni pushed him on the bed and lay down on him. “You sure can turn a woman’s head with your sweet talking, silver tongue. Thank you.” She pressed her lips to the middle of his chest.
He rolled her on the bed, climbing over her. “My tongue can do better than talk. Do you want to know?”
Saloni’s whispered “yes” was lost as he made love to her all over again.
It was a long time before they were in a state to speak. Aarav slapped her bottom gently, saying, “Get ready Sal. Let’s go pick Mitesh up and go out.”
“Hmm...in a minute,” said Saloni, her face on his lap, too comfy to move.
They picked up Mitesh at 7.30 and went to a kid-friendly restaurant. Saloni had rushed up to change as Aarav waited for her to get ready, chatting with Shyam and Ganga.
She took a quick shower, staring at her reflection in the bathroom mirror as she towelled herself. It was the same body that had peeped out at her in the morning from the same mirror, but it appeared different somehow, totally loved.
What had seemed like a fat, unattractive figure appeared svelte now as she turned this way and that, looking at herself through Aarav’s eyes. Yeah, his words had helped boost her confidence tremendously. But it was the adoring expression in his deep grey eyes that touched her heart.
Saloni quickly pulled on her sexiest pair of lingerie before donning a knitted jumper dress in teal blue that fell a few inches above her knees, the full-length sleeves covering her arms all the way to her wrists. Slipping into a pair of kid boots of the same shade, she applied some foundation and a nude lip gloss before clipping on a pair of gold studs on her ears. She had stopped wearing long earrings, knowing how her son loved pulling at them. Brushing her hair and leaving it loose, she rushed to the room on the side to check if Bindi had got Mitesh ready for the outing.
In a pair of denim dungarees and a red t-shirt, Mitesh looked adorable, with his hair brushed back neatly. “Ma-ma,” he called out, raising his little arms to Saloni.
She lifted him up in her arms to plant a kiss on both his cheeks. “Mitesh, sweetheart, shall we go out?”
He nodded, grinning at her, a drop of saliva dropping from his mouth as he clamoured to speak.
Saloni laughed, wiping his mouth gently with a tissue before lifting the tote bag that carried a change of clothes and nappies. “I’ll put him to sleep Bindi. You take a break and don’t wait up. You have fun watching TV,” she said, before almost running out of the room in her eagerness.
Aarav looked up when he saw Saloni and Mitesh at the top of the staircase. “Wait,” he called out, taking the steps two at a time. “Let me help you.”
Mitesh held out his arms to Aarav the moment he saw him. “Da.”
Aarav took the child from his mother to hug him close to his chest. “Yes, little sonny. I’m your Daddy.”
“Da-di,” lisped Mitesh, laughing, reaching a hand out to touch Aarav’s face.
Colour rushed in and out of Saloni’s face as she watch the two of them go down the staircase—the guys she loved the most.
They went to The Grills King at Gurgaon. Aarav sat Mitesh on a high seat meant for children, securing him with a seatbelt that came along with the chair. He fed him small bites from his plate, ensuring that there wasn’t too much masala that could burn the baby’s tongue.
Saloni sat there, smiling at them. It felt so good to have someone share the responsibility of bringing up a child.
23
Aarav was pretty excited when he opened his cell phone in the morning to see the Facebook update from Saloni. It said that Saloni Malhotra was “in a relationship” with Aarav Chopra. The post had already garnered two hundred plus likes and a horde of comments. Grinning to himself, he speed-dialled Saloni’s number.
“Good morning babe.”
“Good morning Aarav. Miss me?”
He smiled as he heard the cheer in her voice. “Every second that you’re away from me. So! It looks like we’re a couple officially.”
“I hope you don’t mind.”
“Mind? I’m on top of the world. Thanks babe.”
“Hmm...” Saloni rolled her eyes. Realising that he couldn’t see her, she said, “He says thanks. For what may I know?”
Aarav laughed. “Are you picking up a fight with me?”
“Do you want me to? I can, you know. I’m sure we can make up soon after that.” Saloni said the words in a whisper.
“Oops!”
“What happened?” Her voice was startled.
“Nothing. Just that my body responded with a little too much enthusiasm.” He laughed again. “Would you like to go for drive? We’ll take Mitesh and Bindi too. What say?”
“I say ‘yes’. Oh by the way, what’ve you done to Mitesh? He keeps asking for da-di. I...”
Aarav’s laughter was louder this time. “That’s my little man. He’s looking for me, right?”
“Yes.”
“Then we need to go out today, together.”
They chatted for a while longer before Saloni reluctantly cut the call as Mitesh called out to her.
Saloni’s phone rang again fifteen minutes later. She was surprised to see that it was Manish. He started yelling even before she could utter a word. “What the fuck’s going on Saloni? How dare you shame me like this on social media? People don’t even know that we’re separated and here you go and make such a stupid statement. I always knew you were an idiot. But this is beyond...”
“Shut up Manish,” Saloni snarled, walking out of the bedroom, out of her son’s hearing. “How dare you talk to me like this? Just remember that I’m not your wife anymore. If you have something to say, just say it minus the insults.”
Manish was so stunned for a minute that he was unable to speak. He took a deep breath before shouting again. “Have you lost it, woman? The whole world knows that you aren’t with me now. How could...?”
“Isn’t that the truth?” Saloni stopped him mid-sentence to ask. “What’s your problem?”
“What’s my problem? You stupid moron! I don’t want people to know...” He was talking to thin air as Saloni had disconnected the line.
The house phone rang the very next minute and Rati picked it up on the second ring. Before Saloni could walk down and salvage the scene, Manish had placed his complaints with his mother-in-law. Saloni watched her mother’s face turning redder and redder with each passing second.
Oh God! Was there no escape from Manish? And what’s with her mother? Couldn’t she simply accept the fact that Saloni and Manish were no longer together?
She stood at the bottom of the staircase for Rati to finish the call. The latter banged the phone down and turned to Saloni, her eyes blazing with temper. “Is what Manish is saying the truth?”
“And what does Manish say?” Saloni asked coolly. She refused to be browbeaten by her mother. Those days were gone.
“That you have made an announcement on Facebook, saying that Aarav is your boyfriend?”
“Oh that! Yes, he’s right.” Saloni shrugged her shoulders.
Shyam raised his head from the newspaper when he heard his daughter’s words, but refrained from commenting.
“Is he?” Rati snarled.
“Is who what, Mamma?” Saloni scowled right back at her mother, unable to understand her mother’s question.
Rati noticed her mother-in-law walk out of her bedroom. “Mamma, see what this girl has done,” she complained to Ganga. “She’s shamed Manish by declaring that Aarav is her boyfriend. She...”
“Is he?” Ganga turned to ask Saloni eagerly.
“Yes Daadima.” A slight
colour ran up Saloni’s cheeks as she gave her grandmother a shy smile.
“That’s splendid. I’m...”
“Oh, you understand the question now when your grandmother asks you. But couldn’t when I asked you the same thing. Aren’t you ashamed Saloni? How can you tell the world that you have a boyfriend when you are a married woman?” Rati shook her head in despair. “Kyunji,” she turned to appeal to her husband, “See what your daughter has done. She...”
“Yeah, I heard the whole thing.” Shyam admitted in a quiet voice. “Saloni, do you love Aarav?” He turned to ask his daughter.
“Yes Pappa.”
“Then it’s fine I suppose.” He turned to Rati and said, “Rati, Manish and Saloni aren’t married any more. That boy is interested in neither his wife nor his son. Why don’t you accept the fact and move on? If Saloni wants to marry Aarav after she gets a divorce...”
“I don’t think I want to get married Pappa.” Saloni spoke the words in a whisper. “I don’t want to be under any man’s thumb, ever again.”
“What are you saying?” Rati shrieked. “If you don’t want to marry Aarav, then why have you declared that he’s your boyfriend?”
“That’s because he is.” Saloni’s voice was firm as she made the declaration. She turned abruptly and walked up the stairs.
Rati fell against the sofa, beating her hands dramatically against her chest. “What did I do wrong while bringing her up? Haven’t I taught her any family values at all? Oh my God!” She ranted and raved as Shyam watched on in horror. He couldn’t decide which was more shocking—his wife’s tantrums or his daughter’s declaration. He turned around to look helplessly at his mother.
Ganga laid a pacifying hand on Shyam’s arm, shaking her head. “Don’t you worry about anything, Shyam. It’s still a long way for the divorce. I’ll talk to Saloni. She’s deeply hurt by Manish’s treatment of her and can’t stand the idea of being tied to another man, which is only to be expected. Let her be. She’s so happy being friends with Aarav. I know for a fact that he loves her deeply. Everything will work out for the best. We just need to be patient.”
Flaming Sun Collection 3: Perfect Twins Find Anya (Box Set with 3 novellas) Page 32