Reunion

Chapter three

A long time or a short time or maybe no time later he came back to awareness to find that he was still crushing her underneath him and she was still holding him tight and they were both still trembling. He tried to push himself off her and she clutched him tighter, whispering hoarsely, "Just a little longer, baby, please." He couldn't deny her, not when he wanted the same thing. 

He propped himself up on trembling forearms when their breaths began to slow to a rate somewhat approaching normal and kissed her soft and slow. Then he eased out of her, holding the base of the condom in place to prevent accidents. He rolled to the side and pulled it off, tied a knot in it, then sighed. "Shower?" he asked her as he sat up. "Yes," she nodded, sitting up alongside him.

They walked to the bathroom and she took off her makeup while he threw the condom away and used the toilet. They'd long since left behind any inhibitions they'd had with each other. He joined her in the shower and they washed each other's hair and bodies softly, almost reverently, touching and stroking each centimetre of skin that was more precious because of how rarely they'd been able to touch it in the last few months. Their eyes, their hands, their lips, all said the same thing - I love you, I need you, I miss you.

When they were both clean, they went to the hot tub that they'd left filling while they showered. It was fitted with jets and large enough to comfortably seat four. They climbed in and Ranveer whined when Deepika took the seat opposite him, "Why are you so far away?" 

She smiled and shifted into his lap. "Better?"

"Mmm, much," he replied, pulling her close and kissing her. They stayed like that for a few long minutes, just reveling in the fact that they could taste each other again after so much time spent yearning for it.

She eased off his lap onto the bench next to him, then curled up so her head lay on his shoulder and her legs across his. He held her close, stroking her arm in soft, soothing motions. The heat of the water, the soft sound of the bubbles and the scent of the rose oil in the bath all conspired to put them into a state of drowsy peace. From time to time she'd kiss the skin beneath her lips as her hands clasped him closer and each time she did that, he'd hold her tighter, both seeming to need the reassurance that yes, they were actually here with each other. He felt a heated droplet fall onto his skin, followed by another, then another, and raised his head to see her crying.

"Deepika? What's wrong, baby?" he asked, and she shook her head, pushing it further into his neck and beginning to sob in earnest. Ranveer panicked a bit. "Baby, talk to me, come on, please?" he said, stroking her hair and back in an attempt to soothe her. 

She raised her head at last and looked at him with huge, teary eyes. "I love you." 

"I love you, too," he replied, his expression still puzzled. 

"I love you, and I'm sorry it took me so long to acknowledge that publicly."

"What are you talking about? You tell me that every day, baby, I never doubted it for a second," he told her. 

"Yes, but I did. Doubt it, doubt you, and I'm so sorry for that," she replied. "You never deserved it."

"Deepika, hey, look at me," he said, all levity gone. "I love you. Just as you love me with all my flaws, so do I love you with all of yours. And this? Not declaring to the world what we are to each other? Honestly, it never bothered me, because I know you. You show me every day in a thousand small ways what I mean to you. So please don't ever feel bad about it. What you did today was incredible, but all I've ever wanted is this. This quiet, with you. This is home. This is life." 

He held her gaze as he said this and she cried harder before crushing her lips to his. This man and his words. He'd never cease to amaze her. She tried to pour her gratitude and love for him into the kiss and she thought she might have succeeded because by the time she raised her head, he had tears streaming down his face, too.

They looked at each other for a long moment before laughing together. He wiped her tears as she wiped his, using cupped handfuls of water to wash away the salt. They sank further into the tub and into each other, exhausted physically, mentally and emotionally. Deepika felt Ranveer's hands, which had been holding her close, begin to grow lax on her body. She lifted her head and saw that his eyes were dazed and half-closed. She nudged him and whispered, "Come on, Veer, let's go to sleep." He sighed and nodded, then stood up and extended a hand to her.

They helped each other clamber out of the tub, then dried and wrapped themselves up in the fluffy towels provided by the hotel. They stumbled over to the bed and fell into its cool, rumpled sheets, arms still around each other as they drifted to sleep.