Slightly Mature ;)

"I guess these two sisters have forgotten us already!" Om sighed to Shivaay as the few last guests were leaving the exhibition.

The exhibition was a huge success and all of Om's painting except for one was sold out. That painting was of a cute couple, unlike the other abstract painting of him. It has a silhouette of the guy trying to pluck a star from the sky with the aid of a ladder while the girl awaits at the bottom of the ladder. That particular piece of art was very well praised and loved by everyone, but they were more interested to buy the abstract paintings which had hidden meaning instead of that.

"This painting is amazing Om!" Shiva praised him as he looked at the beautiful blend of the blue and black hues with certain gold and white sparkle scattered throughout the sky, with the river below it showing a perfect reflection of everything that's happening above, on the ground and in the sky!

"What actually inspired you to paint this?" Shivaay questioned him.

"Gauri of course! But not in the sense of romance, actually!"

"Then? This is so romantic, I mean..."

"At a first glance, everyone will say that, but, if you asked the artist, there would be totally another story to it! You see Shivaay, the beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder. You decide how you see the painting. Some people say that your inner feelings affects what you see and how you perceive it. For an instance, show an angry person a red and black painting, he would perceive that its anger and hatred mixed together. Now, show the same painting to a person who's irrevocably in love with someone, he would say that it is the love crawling out of the darkness, lighting up their life! That's why artists never explain their work of art. At times, we just randomly mix the colours and let our feelings take control. Now, coming to this painting, this wasn't romantic because Gauri always, always get irritated when the typical Indian dialogue is spoken, 'I'll pluck all the stars and the moon for you'. She just hates it! She thinks that there's no logic in it. So, I made this for her to simply irritate her!" Om chuckled, remembering how they had fought that day when he painted this.

"Wow! I'm sorry, but I'm not a very artistic person. I'm fact, I just understood these things when you said them!" Shivaay exclaimed.

"Can I buy this?" He asked abruptly.

"What?"

"Can I buy this? I mean, it's for sale right?"

"Yeah! But I thought you just said that you aren't an artistic person!" Om pointed out.

"I am certainly not, but I want to get this for my wife. New year's gift for her!" Shivaay grinned.

"Okay, you can give this to Annika after your passionate time together!" Om teased him.

"Shut up, Om! You know, I thought you are a very matured person, but you're just like my little brother, Rudy."

"Then I'll definitely have to meet him!" Om exclaimed.

"Of course you will! By the way, are you serious about talking to Gauri's family? I mean, Annika's parents are fine but the rest of them, they are just too orthodox and traditional!"

"She misses them, Shivaay. Who else if not you would understand what I'm going through whenever I saw her weeping silently just because she's missing her family. Now, come what may, I'll get her to her family. I should at least try rather than being idle!"

"And, I'm there in this with you guys! You're like my brother too!" Shivaay and Om, being ultimately grateful for what they had just shared hugged each other.

"Wow! You both are bonding well, I guess!" Gauri exclaimed as she and Annika walked towards their husbands.

"And seems like you sisters have missed out my exhibition!"

"And forgotten about your husbands!" Shivaay added.

"Shivaay, I'm so sorry. We were takking and we didn't realize that we didn't keep a track of the time!" Annika apologized sincerely, meanwhile Gauri just scoffed at Om's complain.

"You should be lucky that we sister's didn't decide to spend the night together and let you both sleep outside together under the stars!" Gauri retorted when Om made a sad face.

"Gauri?!" Annika tried to reprimand her, but it was Gauri, would she ever listen to anyone?

"Actually, that's a great idea, shall we sleep together tonight, Ani? It would be fun! Like old times!" Gauri shrieked as she happily bounced and clapped her hands together, like a child.

"No!" All three of them shouted at the same moment! Understanding the reasons, Gauri just giggled to herself.

After a couple more hours of talking with Om and Gauri, along with a wonderful dinner by the hotel's cafe which had the view of a serene forest, Shivaay and Annika finally retired to their Villa. It was nearly two in the morning and Annika kept yawning throughout the way. Shivaay also noticed that she was close to stumbling with the high stilletos.

"Do you want me to carry you?" Shivaay offered.

"Huh?" She stopped at her tracks and looked at him.

"I can see that you're struggling to stay awake. Come here, I'll carry you in!" Shivaay gave her no time to think and scooped her into his arms. Annika gasped loudly when she found herself in his arms, but snaked her hands around his neck nevertheless. This proximity was new for them. New and enjoyable.

"Sleep!" He whispered to her and kissed on her forehead.

She smiled back as a reply and rested her head on his shoulder blade, half-hugging him. He quietly carried her into their Villa. Neither of them had realized that they had just completed the honeymoon ritual wherein the husband carries the wife into the room in his arms and then a long night, full of passion and love would follow.

Shivaay stealthily placed her on the bed and was about to walk away when she held him by his shirt sleeves. He turned to look at her. Her eyes was still shut but she had a strong grip on his sleeves. Shivaay tried to free his sleeves when he heard her clicking her tongue.

"Don't go!" She mumbled in her half asleep state.

"I need to change, Annika!" He reminded her.

"No need!" Saying so, she tugged on his sleeves, pulling him on top of her.

Before Shivaay could comprehend to move, she rolled over him swiftly and settled her head by the crook of his neck. Her feverish breath that fanned over his sensitive neck skin was driving him mad. He was further turned on with every second that passed by. The passionate kiss they had shared earlier flashed through his mind. He closed his eyes tightly as he sharply inhaled, trying to divert his mind.

She's sleeping!

He reminded himself the very same thing over and again. When he finally managed to control his raging hormones, she scooted closer towards him. The tip of her nose was resting on his bare neck skin while her entire body was completely on top of him. As if in a daze, his hand raised up and rested on her waist. He gave her waist a little squeeze, only to earn her moan, very softly.

Fuck self-control!

He immediately rolled them over and pinned her on the bed. She was wide awake by then. Her eyes were speaking so loud to him. They reflected the love that she craves from him. Her parted lips seemed to be inviting his lips to feast on it. Her rather erratic breath was shouting out to Shivaay that she was already anticipating his next move.

"Shiv!" She gasped.

"Annika!" He huskily whispered as he looked from her lips to her eyes, asking for her permission even if he was already drowning in passion.

Annika smiled shyly as she turned her face to the right. She wanted this. She wanted him. But, now, when he is making the step, she was being shy. She was nervous as well as anticipating. Shivaay smiled at her new shy avatar. He lowered his head to nuzzle his nose onto her now deep red cheeks. Annika sighed in pleasure as she closed her eyes, slowly absorbing his love. She arched her neck to the other side when he proceeded down, still nuzzling into her jawline and neck, slowly inhaling her strong scent. A shiver ran down her spine when his lips brushed against her bare skin.

"Shiv!" She breathed out loud.

Hearing his name from her mouth, he placed a proper kiss on her jawline. He began giving her a strong of kisses from her jaw to her collarbone. The kisses were chaste in the beginning, but as she squirmed and held his hair by her fingers, they became wild and wet. She was in a moaning mess, also being turned on with every kisses that her husband was leaving. Her back arched when he bit her soft skin by her neck and instantly ran it over with his tongue, marking his territory like a tiger does to its tree.

With her trembling fingers, she managed to lift his face upwards, to face her. As soon as their eyes met, their lips too yearned to be locked against each other. Both of them gave in to the demands of their desire and devoured the taste of their lips. While being in the kiss, Shivaay slowly brought his hand to the zip of her dress at the back and pulled it down. Annika on the hand was literally breaking off the buttons from his shirt. 

They parted their lips for as long as it took for her to remove his shirt completely and continued to kiss each other madly. When Shivaay finally managed to pull down her zip completely till the bottom, he placed his palm on her back, feeling her smooth and soft baby-like skin. Her skin felt so warm against his cold fingers that made her to turn her back towards him, as she lay on her stomach.

Shivaay lowered himself towards her back as he weaved their fingers together and placed a long kiss on her nape. Annika threw her head back as his stubble brushed against her soft skin, burning them in a delighful way. Her breath was getting more erratic as his kisses went south, through the length of her spine. Annika clenched his fingers against hers as she let out a much more intense moan.

"Shivaay!" She gasped when his teeth sank at the back of his shoulder, marking her his, for a second time.

He was about to drop her sleeves down and peel the cloth of her body when his phone rang all of the sudden. Shivaay was about to go, but Annika turned around and held him back. This time, she made him lie down and took a chance to relish his exposed skin. She ran her finger through his torsoe, kissing him as she trailed her finger down. Just when she was about to unbutton his jeans, Shivaay's phone rang for another time. This time, both of them stopped to look at each other longingly.

"I think you should pick it up." Annika told him as she moved away, towards the washroom.

Shivaay groaned in frustration as he took his phone. It was some office work that needed his clarification. Once he was done with the call, he turned around to find Annika in her usual pyjamas, all set to hit the bed. Sighing to himself, he too changed and decided to retire for the night.

"Shivaay, just now..." Shivaay knew what his wife was about to ask when he settled next to her.

Holding her chin in between his thumb and forefinger, Shivaay lifted her face up to place a small peck on her lips.

"When the time is right, perhaps?" He asked her.

She nodded in agreement and they slept the night, cuddling. Yet, their ignited raw passion was still glowing within, creating sparks whenever their bare skin brushed against each other. It was a long night for both of them, in the attempt to control their love and desire for each other.

Shivaay was carried away in the heat of the moment at that time. He wanted to make love to her only after he had confessed his feelings to her. She on the other hand, was dying to at least know that her husband loves her through his gesture of love. Everything seemed so right, even without the prem boothi that Gauri gave her. But she knew, she knew that if Shivaay controlled himself despite such a burning passion that was ignited between them, it must be for a valid reason and she couldn't wait for the right time that he had mentioned.

"Good night!" She kissed on his cheeks, as usual.

"Good night!" He kissed on her forehead and held her close to himself.

* * *

To be continued...