Valley of Flowers

Chapter 17

ARNAV woke from his sleep when he heard vigorous clinking. He stretched his arm to grasp at thin air, realizing that Khushi was no longer in bed. Why did she have to be up before him every morning? He walked toward the clinking sound.

His eyes widened and his heart beat increased at the vision that welcomed him. Khushi stood at the pool side, her head bent to one side, drying her long and lustrous hair in the morning sun. She wore a beautiful orange saree, her creamy back exposed, except for the thin strip that held the blouse together. As he stepped into the pool side, his hands raised of their own volition to trace the shoulder blades jutting out temptingly.

Khushi jumped up at his touch and swung her head, her hair plastering itself across his chest, spraying him with water. 'Arnav ...I am sorry.'

'Are you?' He raised his eye-brows. 'I am not so sure about that.'

'I am I --' Khushi stopped when she saw her husband's bare chest, his pyjamas hanging really low on his hips. She lowered her eyes, the colour on her face going up a few shades higher as she took a step back. Arnav moved ahead a step, for each step she took, never taking his eyes off her, until her back touched the wall.

'What are you going to do now, Mrs Khushi Singh Raizada?' Arnav challenged his wife.

Suddenly a jolt went through him as he felt Khushi's hands tracing his abs, her luminous eyes staring up at him. As her hands inched up to his chest, Arnav's jaw tightened as he felt his body hardening. She raised herself on her toes and brought her glistening lips to an inch from his and just as he closed his eyes, she pushed him out of her way and ran around the pool and stood across from it laughing.

'Khushi, I think you forget that we share a room,' Arnav said, his lips twisted in a smirk. 'You are going to pay for this.'

'Go for a shower and get ready,' she called out as she stepped out of the pool side. 'Your breakfast will be ready by then.'

A little later, Khushi made Arnav's Columbian coffee and brought it for him as he sat munching on his toast, reading news on his ipad. Before she could go could back into the kitchen, he grabbed her hand, 'Join me.'

'Arnav,' she hesitated, 'I have to see to breakfast. You know Hariprakash is not here.'

'Please?'

There was no way in hell she could say no those hypnotic caramel eyes. She sat next to him and picked up a toast while he devoured his omelette.

'This omelette is fantastic Khushi,' Arnav said sipping his coffee, 'what have you put in it?'

'Why don't you also ask her who gave her permission to make it in the first place?' Mamiji's shrill voice filled the otherwise silent house. 'She knows we are a pure vegetarian household.'

Khushi stood up from her chair. 'I .... I used a separate pan for this mamiji.'

'How did you even think of buying eggs Khushi?'

'Amma,' Akash came up just behind his mother. 'The eggs were already in the house. The doctors recommended them to me for more protein, remember?'

'Thank you for reminding your mother for us Akash,' Naniji joined the group at the table.

'If you are done serving your husband his special breakfast, can we expect some breakfast for ourselves?' Mamiji addressed Khushi.

'I will look into it right away mamiji.' Khushi rushed into the kitchen.

Arnav's anger went up a few notches. When Payal came in to breakfast with little Ashu in her arms he said, 'Payal, could you please help Khushi in the kitchen today?'