"Maybe yes or maybe no" She shrugged crossing her arms across her chest.

"I choose the first maybe" He walked in towards his wife.

"What are you doing?" He asked hoisting himself on the kitchen platform.

"Kheer" She replied with a shrug.

"Sweet huh?" He winked.

"It's supposed to be" His mother walked in.

"Mumma" Shubh muttered.

"Haan mumma. Now you can leave my kitchen" She glowered.

Shubh raised his hands in surrender and discreetly winked at Jiya before stepping out of the kitchen. The young bride's cheeks turned pink.

"Jiya, sugar is the top second cupboard and jiggery in the next one" She pointed at the cupboards. Jiya nodded her head obediently and started cooking with her mother-in-law's help.

A few minutes into cooking and she discovered her mother-in-law as the cool. As the kheer was almost ready her mother-in-law's face had a loving expression.

"Jiya, I know you haven't attended college. I'm not the type to force you to be a home-maker. You've got every right to study further and I and rest of the family will support you" She said caressing Jiya's head.

"Aunty ji, I know I failed NEET twice but can I try it once more. I know I can but my family's scenario and culture had always been a hurdle. Can I try it just once more?" Jiya pleaded.

"You can, Jiya. I'll be the most happy person if you succeed." She kissed Jiya's forehead.

Overwhelmed with joy and happiness, Jiya served them into bowls and carefully arranged them on a tray. With a bright smile on her face, Jiya carried the tray into the living room.

"Aaie betee(come daughter), come and serve your husband first" Her father-in-law teased.

"Papa!" Shubh gritted his teeth as the newly wedded couple's cheeks flooded with blood.

Obliging her father-in-law's words, she served Shubh first and quickly moved to the others. She stood by her mother-in-law as everyone tasted the sweet. Everyone except Shubh showered praises and gifts on her. She longingly kept stealing glances at him to see if he reacts but he didn't.

"Jiya, Why don't you rest for a while?" Her mother-in-law asked her.

Jiya nodded and quietly made her way to her room upstairs without even sparing a glance at her husband. She cursed her husband as she walked the corridors to her room. Pushing the doors to her room, she stormed in.

"Not even a single word about it! What does he think in his mind?! He doesn't even have manners to compliment then what will he teach his students!" She huffed.

"Botany" A deep voice spoke behind.

Jiya flinched and turned to find her husband staring at her amused with his arms folded over his chest.

"I teach Botany to my students", He spoke as he closed the door behind him and walked towards her.

"Oh" She replied staring at her feet.

His shadow fell on her as he stood before her. Using his index finger, he tilted her chin up. Jiya let out a gasp when his warm finger touched her. She forgot to blink staring at his eyes.

"Did you taste your sweet?" He asked her voice coming out huskily.

She shook her head slightly implying that she didn't. He smirked as he slid a arm under her saree on her waist.

"I think you should" He murmured in her ear.

Before she could wrap her head around what he did and told his lips gently pressed against hers. She was shocked for a moment but recovered quickly as she wrapped her arms around his neck. Having felt her approval physically Shubh gently caressed her lips with his, one arm circling her waist and the other on the nape of her neck pulling her closer. Jiya began responding to his kiss slowly but still passionately and ran her hands over his broad shoulders and soft hair. He stopped caressing her lips and pecked them a few times before ceasing his lips from any movement.

"So how did your sweet taste?" He murmured against her lips brushing them faintly.

"Sweet" She moaned.

"Heavenly on your lips" He whispered against her ear gently tugging her ear lobes with his teeth.

"Shubh" She whimpered.

He ducked down and peppered open-mouth kisses along her neck. He bit her collar bone gently and ran his tongue over it. She gripped his shoulders tightly letting out a moan.

"Laters baby" He murmured against her neck and left the room leaving her to her ecstasy.