The Business Trip (Arshi FF)

Let's make dessert

"Kh..Khushi?", Arnav calls out, waving his hand in front of his wife's face. "Jaan, are you OK? I..I haven't even thought about this properly yet. I mean I don't even know if I'll accept. And the weather? It's so bipolar. 6 months is too long of a time. I might actually go crazy without you around to nag me for that long.", Arnav rambled, trying to make light of the situation.

"Arnav", Khushi said, finally looking directly at him, having had some time to process this new information. "Stop. You're going. And that's that. There is absolutely no way you're letting go of this opportunity. That too because of me. After what we've been through, what's another 6 months, huh?", Khushi said trying to break in to a smile as she bit her bottom lip. "But Khushi..", Arnav protested. "Nope, enough. Tonight we're celebrating and that's that. We'll discuss all the boring details later, theek hai? I don't want to get upset thinking about all that just yet. So why not we just enjoy the time we have left with one another for now?", Khushi said with a glint of sadness in her eyes. Arnav sighs, knowing that he's lost the battle for now, and this little detail was only going to upset her more later. Arnav gives in "Ok. Tonight we celebrate dear wifey. Let me call an Uber. I'll be right back, i'm just popping to the washroom."

"That was not at all how I saw this night playing out.", Khushi whispered to herself, a tear threatening to escape while playing with the one loose thread on her dress. She mentally chided herself for overthinking after telling Arnav to not do the very same. She quickly wipes away any tears as she hears Arnav make his way back, and he informs her their cab has arrived.

Once they get back home, Khushi cannot wait to remove her heels. The pain we go through to look good, uff. "Ahem, my credit card bill with all that expensive makeup suggests it's not just the heels you need to make you look good.", Arnav responds cheekily. "You'll miss this pretty face when i'm not around", she teases. Arnav sighs, suddenly turning serious. "You're right. I will." Nope, nope, nope. She had promised him a night of celebration and a night of celebration is exactly what he'd get. No depressing talk for now. "Arnav, you know what I'm craving?", Khushi asks rubbing her hands with glee. "Hmm..me?", he asks with the cheekiest grin ever. Without waiting for a response, and catching her unguarded, he pulls her in for a kiss, one hand on her waist and the other slowly working his hands to undo her zip.  Khushi takes a deep breath and breaks away. "There's plenty of time for that later Mr. Raizada. First, we're going to make some dessert." Arnav asks her seriously "works for me. That's exactly what I was midway through before I got rudely interrupted actually." Khushi tries not to smile "Ha! Funny, but we're making chocolate cake, c'mon." as she drags him downstairs.

An hour later, with chocolate batter all over the two of them, and one failed chocolate cake later, they'd finally given up. "So this dress will definitely need a dry clean thanks to you! Add that to your credit card bill", Khushi said matter of factly. "Oh shoot, looks like we missed a spot", Arnav said as he licks the chocolate batter just below her neck, dangerously close to her cleavage. "Arnav", Khushi manages to say, almost unable to speak from his trepidations. "Let's take a shower." Arnav needs no further prodding and carries her upstairs in to the shower.

As Khushi comes out from the shower for the second time that day, Arnav can't help but notice how red her cheeks are. "Khushi, it's a little late to be blushing, no? And anyway, I quite like this bold side of you", he teases. Her husband would be the end of her, and she him! Before she even had the chance to protest, Arnav was already having his way with her, knowing exactly what makes her weak in the knees and given the rollercoaster of a day she'd had, she wasn't about to refuse him again. In fact, if anything, she somewhat appreciated being this close to her husband right now and if her observation was correct, even he was more possessive of her in bed tonight. Almost as if he was scared of losing her. Or maybe simply cherishing the moment, she thought sadly.

Arnav had finally slept after both an emotionally and physically exhausting day but sleep seemed to escape her tonight. The 'what-ifs, maybe ifs and should i' kept playing in her mind tonight. Just as she was about to fall asleep, Arnav's phone went off.

She wish she could say she wasn't the nosey wife types, but sometimes curiosity got the better of her, she admitted to herself. Careful so as to not wake him from his sleep, she picks up his phone. A missed call and a text from 'S'. I've emailed over your flight tickets for next week, Arnav. Let me know if there's any issues."

Next week?! Khushi exclaimed.