Poles Apart

Chapter Fifty

Does anyone else wonder when this book is going to end? We've hit half-century now!

Arvi

I drift into consciousness when Arjun's heavy arm settles around my back, his breath fanning my neck.

The extra pillow remains crushed under me and me under my husband as he snuggles closer. I toss the extra pillow away, and move closer to Arjun, facing him.

I run my fingers through his hair, lightly ruffling it. Arjun looks so much cuter when he's sleeping (and when his smart-arse mouth isn't running). I raise myself with the help of my elbow and run my thumb along his bearded jaw, feeling his beard tease my palm.

An urge to bite his straight nose rises in me, making me silently giggle to myself; the beginnings of my insanity. No, the insanity may have been a thing since our first meet; this is beyond matters of sanity or insanity.

I press my lips against his forehead. "Cutie," I whisper to myself.

"Bangaram," I say out loud, a smile escaping my lips at the endearment. Arjun, is in fact, gold; more unique, though. [Bangaram (Telugu): Literally translates to gold, is also used as an endearment]

I trace his parted lips, feeling the softness against my fingertips. How can a man be so... perfect?

At that moment, a euphoria washes over me and I feel as though I've fallen in love with him, again. The uncertainty of the first time, brushed away by strokes of happiness, I hold him close to myself and let myself relish in the feeling.

~.~.~.~.~

"What took you so long?" Arjun asks when I get out of the bathroom, drying my hair.

True to his word, Arjun did dunk me in the sea and I've been draining away sand until today; two days later.

"When did you wake up?" I ask him, walking over to the bed.

He grins, propping up a pillow and sitting up against it. "Ten minutes ago, I think."

I narrow my eyes at him. "Then how do you know that I've been in the bathroom for long?"

"I don't need to wake up two hours earlier to know that you take two hours in the shower, especially with that hair."

Rolling my eyes at him, I toss a fresh towel onto his face, which he catches before it even hits his face, much to my dissatisfaction. "Take a shower."

Without a word, Arjun gets off the bed and walks towards me, towel in hand. I try to walk past him (keyword: try) but he's quick to hold my wrist and pull me back to stand in front of him.

"Good morning," Arjun wishes cheekily, his hands going around my waist as he pulls me closer to his bare chest. Big fan of sleeping half-naked, this one.

"Good morning?" I offer, trying hard to keep my eyes trained on his, but my eyes keep slipping downward, and every time I reign them back, they go lower, ending at Arjun's defined collar bones before he calls attention back to his lips.

"Good morning kiss?" Arjun asks, faux-innocence shining through his face.

I nearly caved in, moving my arms to loop around his neck, but hold myself in the last minute, keeping them strictly on his biceps, no moving, no feeling, certainly no giving into temptation.

"I'd think twice before kissing you when your mouth is clean, but now, you haven't even brushed."

The playfulness on Arjun's face takes a blow as he narrows his eyes at me. "That's not what you said yesterday," he taunts, walking me back until my back hits the wall. "Or the day before," he continues, huskily. He skims his fingers up my sides, unabashedly feeling me as he brings his hands up to rest on either side of my face.