My Husband | ✓

9.Shave it off

I sat on the kitchen floor arranging the vegetables in the vegetable box of the fridge.

"Anu, I think the water tank has become empty, water isn't coming through the tap. I am shaving. Go and turn on the motor." Vivek yelled from the hall.

"Anil uncle always keeps a check on the water in the tank and he always keeps it full. It is not possible for us to run out of water. Check whether the valve near the washbasin is turned on." I uttered stocking tomatoes.

"Anil uncle is not at the home. They left for a family function early this morning. Now turn on the motor, Meri Maa," I hear his irritation dripping voice.

Putting the vegetable box in the fridge, I went through the kitchen door to turn on the water motor.

Back in the living room, I saw Vivek standing with lather on his cheek and chin, looking at mirror in front of the washbasin. Walking to him, I leaned my shoulder against the wall near the folding my arms. Vivek turned to me, raising his thick eyebrow. I nodded my head sideways smiling and stood there looking at him. I observe him applying shave gel on the underside of his jaw.

"What is it?" he asked taking the razor from his shaving kit.

I nodded my head telling that it is nothing.

"Then go, do your work and let me do mine," he spoke wetting the razor.

"I want...I want to do that," I blurted out straightening my posture.

Halting his razor in the mid air he turns to me, "Do what?" he asked puzzled.

"Your shaving," I pointed my finger to his razor shyly.

I know this is weird but when I saw Vivek's face covered with shaving foam, I couldn't resist myself from asking that.

Vivek with shaving foam on his face is a turn on to me.

"I don't want razor cuts on my face," he teased me.

Leaving a grumpy sigh I turned around to leave but Vivek pulled me towards him holding the ends of my saree.

"I was just joking. Come on now," he handed me his razor.

I took it from him with an enthusiastic glee.

My left hand rested at the back of his neck and with my right hand stroked the razor downwards, like a lawnmower circling a lawn. Black stubble cladded with shaving foam rained onto the white porcelain. Each stroke of the razor exposed his unblemished skin. I watched his smooth skin emerge. After the last stroke, I held the razor under running tap water. All this while his eyes were fixed on my face, making me self conscious.

I ran my hand over his naked chin, applying the aftershave. I eyed him to look at himself in the mirror.

His muscular hands, slightly rough held mine as he stared deep into my eyes. I couldn't help but blush. An appreciated smile etched its way onto his face.

It's his lips that make the light in the rest of the room get a little darker. The world stops spinning as he leans in with a wicked smile. My stomach turns over as my mind raced to places I didn't know it could go until I realized we are still in the hall with the main door wide open. His eyes connect with mine as my world tremble and he asked for his razor back.

Rolling my eyes, I went into the kitchen to prepare lunch.

_____________

Dusk was falling, the mosquitoes were out, goose bumps were on my arms from the evening chill as I sat in the living room with the main door open, the green shrubbery now looking almost black.

Happy is what I feel when Vivek walks in the door, when I know for the rest of the evening he's all mine. It's not that he's fireworks and chatter; mostly he's so quiet, unwinding after a busy day. Just being near him lights me up inside, gives me a serenity I can never know without him being close, and just lying next to him is my favourite place in the world. It's him that creates the warmth in my soul and keeps the fire burning in my eyes. If that isn't happiness I don't know what is, so I'll let it be my definition, the one I keep with me always. People say these feelings fade away gradually, along with the honeymoon phase. I don't know what future holds for us, but I wish these feelings to never fade away.

When he settled beside me on the couch I smile.

"I got the job." he peers my way, face resolutely impressed.

"You got the email?" his soft lips stretched into a smile.

"Yes, this afternoon." I showed him the email.

"Why didn't you call me then?" he spoke reading the email.

I shrugged my shoulders looking at him.

Throwing my phone on the one seater he dragged me closer holding my legs which were earlier on his lap. His body was warm and toned as he hugged me, comforting to the touch. He pulled me into a kiss, our lips fitted perfectly as if they were meant for each other. Moving against each other, feeling each other. Vivek grabbed the back of my neck, growling in the kiss as I whimpered in pleasure.

His voice was deep, with a serious tone. His lips brushed my ear as he spoke, "I want my treat."

"Yeah lets go out for dinner," I said pulling myself away from him chuckling.

"You know what I meant," he uttered, pulling me back.

"No Vivek, I am hungry, let's go to Santhosh Dhaba." kissing his cheek I pulled him up.

You can always rely on the Dhabha food because you know what they make and when you think about it, you sense the taste in your mouth, which drives you more towards it. You need not wear nice clothes; you need not worry about how you are eating, no sophistication needed. You get more freedom in desi dhabas.

The Dhaba was full. You feel the love of the local land instead of being drowned in the grandeur of the expensive and artificial ambience of hi-fi restaurants. The locals do not have to try hard to create a natural environment. It comes as a part of the food. I looked around at the busy tables. An old couple eating side by side, one glass of lassi each, studiously bent over their meals. A group of young women in their thirties collapsing with helpless giggles as a stern woman dining alone nearby looked on and frowned. Kids trying to decipher the menu. A family and their teenage children. The noise level was high. The smoke level, too. But it didn't bother me. I was used to it. Vivek placed his arms around me and I leaned closer to him. The gentle touch of his arm against my neck made my back tingle. We sat on the chairs at the corner in the Santhosh Dhaba.

As soon as our order arrives I attack the food in my plate and the first mouthful morsel of biryani that I stuff right in with my hands brings me to the very edges of heaven and teases me. I am not ashamed. I know I won't be judged. I devour my meal like it's THE ONE I've been waiting for my whole life and I want to fulfill that longing with every bite that I take and the spices playing hide and seek on my tongue just nudge me into the heaven that the first bite took me to. Vivek chuckled looking at me.

"What? I missed Santhosh Dhaba biryani. You haven't brought me here since so long" saying that I hogged on to my plate.

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I know that this is a short update, but I want to treat you guys with two updates every week. So, this is here.

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Stay safe guys.

Love,
Misha❤️