Fragile Hearts

Chapter 7

They were back in India the next day. Pallavi was left alone in the huge mansion with the mere presence of staff while Raghav joined back his office. She wandered around the mansion and noticed there were barely any pictures other than some larger than life portraits of Raghav. Does he not have any family?' She wondered. After unpacking her stuff from the trip she went to the indoor swimming pool just beside her room and sat there for a while, dipping her legs in it. 

She had a lot of time on her hands which allowed her to ponder over the dimensions of her and Raghav's relationship. Things were changed now, her opinion of him had changed and somewhere deep down her feelings had too. Yet more than his loving and considerate side she felt attracted to the possessive devil. Pallavi started looking forward to spending time with him and today was no different. After thinking about it for a good hour she knew why she was feeling anxious, she was missing him. Badly.

"Pallavi" She was startled at his voice. "Raghav? You're back?" She squinted her eyes at him and turned to look at him in disbelief. He was unbuttoning the cuff of his white shirt and rolling up the sleeves "Do you know how to swim?" He asked before removing his tie. She nodded in a no and turned back to look at the water. "The pool is very deep. Be careful" He warned and sat beside her. They both sat in silence for a while till Pallavi spoke, "Can I ask you for something?"

"Anything" he smiled back reassuringly as she seemed nervous. "I want to work again." After a small pause she continued " you went to your office and I had nothing to do all day. Even at the Deshmukh Saree...."

"Okay" he interrupted her, "You can work with me. You told me that you have experience as well a Degree regarding Accounts so I guess you can handle accounts of Jayati Jewellers" Raghav declared joyously and got up. Letting her out of the protection of his house was something he couldn't afford to do but if she works for him it will be all good besides having her in front of him all day was something he was already looking forward to. She was surprised that he agreed, Pallavi was skeptical that he wouldn't allow her to work at all. He was leaving but stopped in his tracks, "And remember what I told you. Never talk about the Deshmukhs again." saying that he walked away. Pallavi was still sitting there thinking about how their relationship had changed now. She no longer looked at him like a foe but rather a friend or even more. Sometimes she couldn't help but admire how protective he was of her. Pushing those thoughts at bay she got up and freshened up.

She was serving him dinner while he was mischievously smiling at her. Raghav wore a white cotton kurta and left the top few buttons open. 'He looks different' she thought to herself 'But even more Handsome in traditional' the vixen in her added. Pallavi glanced at him and he complimented,"You are so pretty" she couldn't help but blush. She turned to leave, making an excuse that she had to go to the kitchen but his firm hands grasped her wrist and pulled her back. She fell into his lap. His gaze unwavering from her, while hands travelled around her waist and she straightened her back, pushing it more into his chest.

"Eat with me" he spoke gently. "But.." he put a finger on her lips to make her quiet. "Shhh. Eat with me" The authoritative tone was more prominent now. He took a spoonful of rice and pushed it inside her mouth while she silently chewed the food. "Good Girl" he fed her another spoon. After gulping down the food in her mouth she finally managed to ask, "Don't you have to eat?" He had just been feeding her and did not eat a single thing on the plate. "I will. You will feed me after this." He pushed another spoonful of rice in her mouth.

"Feed me" he ordered and keeping the spoon away he snaked both his arms around her like a possessive child. She obeyed him and neared the spoon to his mouth, "No. I don't eat rice." He pointed towards the chappati kept on his plate. She took a small portion of it and fed him the morsel, she could feel his lips on her fingers when she fed him every bite. "Dessert?" He questioned after eating the last bite. Like any other day he was informed about the dinner menu by the staff and he knew there wasn't any sweet dish made today, Pallavi had asked them not to as Raghav was strict about his diet and she simply won't eat it, so rather than food being wasted she ordered them to skip it.

"I thought you didn't...you won't...so I..." she stammered and barely completed her sentence and her grip on his kurta tightened, crumbling it in her palm. She was no fool to not have understood the games her husband was trying to play with her. "No problem, Jaan." He cupped her face. 'Did he really call me that?' She felt an odd sensation in her guts. "You can compensate" Looking at his beautiful wife he thought a few extra calories won't hurt.

He brushed his thumb over her bottom lip and in response she parted her lips. Unknowingly her head dipped closer to his face and he embraced her lips with his. Her hands traveled from his shoulders to his neck then to his jaw, the feeling of touching him all over washed over her as they kissed. He gingerly put his hand below her chin and levelled her face, leaving the warmth of her lips he moved to her neck. Unlike previous times, he was gentle with her. His lips touched her every time only with the promise of love. He trailed kissed from her neck to collarbone as her hands traveled to his back. "Raghavvv!" She moaned as he sucked on her skin. 'Did she really say my name in that tone?' He glanced at her and she bit her lip to suppress her sounds. That did nothing but turn him on, he sucked on the skin of her collarbone and a frustrated Pallavi pulled his hair and captured his lips in a fiery kiss. She could feel him smiling through the kiss as his tongue sought entrance into her mouth devouring every corner as if marking territory.

Her hands roamed freely in his silky black hair and she kissed him back passionately just before they were interrupted by the ringing of the door bell. Pallavi parted as if she had been electrocuted, her face went red and she rushed to her room whereas Raghav got up to open the door. It was Farhad who had brought some important documents for his meeting the next day. He cursed his luck and went to the study, being tired he dozed off while reading the files. "Raghav, Wake up!" Pallavi shook him vigorously and he woke up rubbing his eyes.

"You are late! Farhad has been calling on the landline since half an hour" Pallavi informed. Perhaps it was the jet lag and lack of rest that made him sleep in late, Raghav noticed Pallavi was already dressed and ready. He had told her he would take her with him to the office today. She was wearing a beautiful lemon saree and her black hair looked majestic against the material. He got ready within twenty minutes and they left for his office.

"Meet our new Head of Accounts, Ms. Pallavi" Raghav stepped back and let her introduce herself. She had asked him to not tell anyone that she was his wife, he had initially thought that maybe she was embarrassed to accept that publicly given the circumstances of their marriage and it hurt him but her reasoning calmed him a little. "I don't want anyone to think I got this job because of you. I want to prove myself". His wife never failed to amaze him.

Pallavi had mingled with the staff in a short span of time and most of the people grew fond of her. Although in his cabin Raghav kept an eye on her through the glass window, 'she seems to have forgotten that I exist' he frowned. Pallavi on the other hand was completely  aware of his eyes following her around. "Hi Pallavi" a male voice started her. "I am Vishal, the Head of sales". They shook hands and chatted for a while before Pallavi was summoned to Raghav's office. "You called me?" She peeped through the door before entering and asked.

"Yes, Have a seat" he was seated behind his huge mahogany desk and he signalled her to sit in front of him. She did. "How are you liking the new working space so far?"

"It is great. I made a few friends already" she pointed outside to a group of ladies through the transparent window and then Vishal and they waved at her. He put the blinds down after that, getting up from his chair he walked upto her and sat on the edge of the table. "You know you are not here to make any friends" he tucked a stray strand of her hair away "You are here to work," He bent down and pecked her lips, "For. Me" A rouge colour formed around her cheeks and she turned away her gaze. "I hope I am clear" he repeated. She nodded and smiled at him.

The group of ladies surrounded her when she came out of his office and the blush that had crept up on her face didn't go unnoticed by them. "You like the boss huh?" One of them teased her. "Who doesn't Krishna? Don't we all have a crush on him" Another girl named Diya spoke up.

'That is my husband you're talking about' she wanted to scream. She felt something weird inside her burning at those compliments her husband was receiving from these ladies. A sudden pang of jealousy hit her and she left the spot to breathe into some open air. She had never felt so protective about any thing, let alone a human being. She was used to complying with the needs of others, making them happy sacrificing her own desires in the process but Raghav. Raghav was something she wanted all to herself. She wanted him. Him.
'Am I falling in love with my Husband?' She smiled breathlessly.