“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry, Kunwar-sa,” she muttered, growing restless as I pulled her closer and tightened my grip around her.
She pressed her lips against my cheek, and I closed my eyes, pushing my hand into her hair bun and tightening my other arm around her waist.
She breathed unevenly and restlessly, and I could sense her panic.
“Calm down, Suman. I’m here,” I whispered, pressing my cheek against hers.
She gave in slowly, clutching my shoulders, circling her arms around my neck.
We had never been this close before.
She moaned as I pulled her painfully closer, my arms crushing her bones. I closed my eyes, breathing each other, licking the old wounds, realising how much we needed each other.
Her scent calmed my racing heart, and she relaxed gradually.
There was peace suddenly.
Her breathing returned to normal, and after a while, she slowly pulled away. She gulped, gazing into my eyes, and I silently stared back into her red, swollen ones.
Her gaze flickered to my lips for a moment, and then, without warning, she slapped me.
My hand instinctively found its way into her hair bun, pulling her perilously closer to me with anticipation.
Her lips quivered, her heart raced against my chest, and a soft cry escaped her lips.
I looked into her eyes and noticed her parted, trembling lips hovering just above mine. She was only a few inches away from me and all vulnerable.
“Aisa prem hai aapka. Humein akela cchodkar chale gaye,”“This is your love. You left me all alone.” she muttered, allowing tears to stream down her face. She heaved short, uneven breaths.
“Kam se kam prem to hai. Tum to wo bhi nahi karti,”“At least I love you. You don’t even have that for me.” I complained, and she stared silently into my eyes, angrily, tinged with affection.
“Kisne kaha nahi karte?”“Who told you so?” She breathed shakily, breaking into tears, and closed her eyes, pressing her forehead against mine.“Bahut prem karte hai hum aapse, Kunwar-sa,”“I love you a lot, Kunwar-sa.”
She sucked in a deep breath, trembling under my hold.
“Bahut, bahut, bahut prem karte hain, itna ki kadachit kabhi kisi se nahi kiya, bhagwaan se bhi nahi,”“I love you a lot, Kunwar-sa. I love you so much, maybe more than I’ve ever loved anyone, even more than I love God.” She confessed against my lips and brought her face closer, stretching into my arms, pressing her lips against mine.
I pulled back slightly and tightened my hold on her hair, earning a painful moan from her. The bitter memory hazed my brain, and I tried to warn her.
“You will regret it, Suman,”
She shook her head and cupped my cheek to pull my face closer. Her fingers dug into my nape. Our breathing fanned over each other.
“It could be the moment when you are low,” I added.
She shook her head, replying.“I know what I am doing.” A hint of frustration lingered in her voice.
I asked again, staring at her lips, trembling.“Are you sure, Suman?”
She nodded and fisted my collar to pull me closer than ever. My lashes forced closed as she pressed her lips against mine.
I inhaled profoundly, feeling the force of her lips sucking mine.
I froze, but then gave in.
She nibbled my lips, and I couldn’t help but grunt in pain.
Elevating herself, she pressed her knees on either side of my waist over the bed, not leaving my lips for a moment. Her fingers wove into the back of my hair.
