Zoya

When I returned to my house after Dhara's wedding, there was one thing that I was certain of...that I was going to keep Aditya for life.

As the night stretches on, and I find myself enveloped in weird coldness of my own room. The silence of my house is deafening, the other side of the bed colder than ever before...my bed feels empty... While Aditya is soaring the skies, his absence weighs heavily on my heart and I can feel it around me as well.

Lying there, I close my eyes, my mind wandering to the moments we've shared, to the warmth of his embrace, the way his arms encircle me, pulling me close.

The memory of his touch lingers like a humming sensation, and I ache for it, longing for the warmth of his skin against mine.

I wish I could summon him back to me through memory alone. But it's not enough, and the yearning in my chest grows stronger.

I crave the soft, sweet kiss of his lips against mine, the way his fingers trace intricate patterns on my skin, igniting a fire within me. The desire to be held in his arms, to feel the rhythm of his heartbeat against my ear, is an ache that I can't quell.

There's a taste in my mouth, and it feels like desire...it feels like I'm yearning for Aditya. I got up to get myself a few scoops of ice cream.

I need this sweetness...these calories... my mouth that is aching to feel Aditya, is trying to do with this strawberry ice-cream.

Strawberry? Not really my favourite but I am his shortcake...right?

This is the right flavour to try and feel him.

The hours drag on, and I imagine Aditya navigating the endless expanse of the night sky, alone, as I am here on Earth.

It's a lonely feeling, and my heart feels like it's floating in that same endless expanse, yearning to be tethered to him once more.

I reach for my phone and send a simple message..'Miss you,' I type, the words inadequate to convey the depth of my emotions.

As I wait for his response, I'm acutely aware of the distance that separates us.

I hugged a pillow to my chest, burying my face in its softness as if it were a surrogate for Aditya.

"I miss you' I murmured within my chest, yearning for tomorrow... when he would return, when I could run into his arms and feel the world melt away in his embrace.

The moment he returns, I'm going to kiss him so bad....trust me...

This feels sinful but ....I cannot stop thinking about him.

'Just a few more hours shortcake and I'll be right next to you. miss you too' I read his text from the notification's pop up while I was in a meeting, the next morning.

He had called too but I wasn't in a position to receive. He must've figured that I was occupied, hence the text.

I was sitting in my cabin when I realised that it was 7 p.m. already.
Dammit! I don't like when I am not able to finish my work on time.... This is so ridiculous Zoya!!! You had planned so much for tonight and now?.... You're just tiring yourself because you cannot be punctual for fucks sake!?!!!!!

I opened my hair, releasing the bun on my head and sighed as I turned my computer off and right then, he called.

"What's my shortcake doing?".... Ugh!!!! His voice hits the length of my spine.

One word from him and I turn into a mushy ball from the uptight head analyst of the company.

"Workk!! Ugh... anyways. When did you land?"

"A few minutes ago... You aren't free yet?"

"You'll take time then?"

"Not much hopefully... I need to attend the debriefing and then I'll go for the aircraft inspection."

"That means... You'll still take time... Right?" I could hear my voice becoming pouty. "I miss you ... It's been three long long looooonnnggg days Adi."

"I'm sorry... Will you have dinner with me? I need to compensate for the long long loooonggg three days." His voice was giggly and hot at the same time.

It's so tempting, there's a maddening hint of arrogance about him that made my lungs squeeze with the desire to hold him close to myself and... be held.

"You sure will have to compensate for torturing me like this... But I already have a plan."

"Oh...okay.... I'm all ears."

"I still need to finish up a few things, how about you come and pick me from my office and then I'll tell you my plan." I said, biting my lower lip.

"Yes ma'am. But I will probably take an hour... I hope that won't be too long."

"Works. But be quick... Okay?"

"Sure boss. I'll be at your service as soon as possible."

"That's my good boy."

"Ahan???!!" I could hear him smirk.

He wasn't kidding because by the time I finished he had already called me to tell that he was waiting in my office's parking.

"Oh! You're still here?" I heard Kunal's surprised voice when I was coming out of my cabin, he was standing at the entrance of the pantry with a cup of coffee.

I don't see Kunal that often these days, I guess he returned from NYC not really long ago, his team was sent there by our company.

"Um yeah! Had things to finish up because of my recent leaves."

"I see. How was the wedding?"

"Oh! Lovely. Everything went great and well"  I smiled, I really felt bad for avoiding Kunal the past year.

Yash never liked him, was always suggestive that I don't interact with Kunal ever since he knew that Kunal asked me out two years ago.

I rejected him because I was just starting with my job and I am not really a fan of dating colleagues and Kunal understood. I knew that he had moved on but Yash still didn't trust him.

Now that I don't have Yash being persuasive in my life, I see how influenced by him I was. Kunal is a sweet man.

Goodness!! The things I did to stay with that man..... disgusting.

Past me was disgusting.

Present me is disgustingly in love with her Aditya.

No... I don't call my love disgusting because it is... I call it that because of the thoughts I have due to my love for him.

Oh the lovely lovely lovely Aditya.

I think Kunal noticed my face muscles relaxing, thinking about Aditya when he asked.

"So... Everything's good? Sorry for bringing this up.. I heard you broke up."

"Yeah.... That happened."

Okay yeah. He's nice and polite but my Adi is downstairs, waiting.... I need to run into his arms.

My calves shake with anticipation. The lift opened and we both walk in.

"Are you leaving too?"

"Not yet, I need to prepare for tommorow's briefing for the interns and I don't like working when I'm home so...I just need something from my car."

"Oh! Makes sense." I smiled. "Sometimes when I reach home, I just wanna sleep."

Or take a long shower and think about my hot boyfriend.

Ughhh... Adiii. I adjusted the duffle bag in my hand which Kunal had noticed wierdly but he didn't say a word.

My body is literally screaming for him. And so is my heart. I felt like I stood alone in the elevator, my heart pounding like a trapped bird.

"Haha... That's true sometimes." Kunal said.

As the elevator doors slid open, my breath caught in my throat and I come out of it, I greeted Kunal a bye and my eyes immediately wandered to spot Aditya.

And there he was, standing in front of a pillar, a distance away from the lift, he stood there, leaning against the car, his smile wide and welcoming. His eyes, warm and affectionate, met mine, and it felt like a lifeline had been thrown at me.

I am physically incapable of not running into him.

Without a second thought, I rushed into his arms. I needed to be with him right now, to feel his strength and warmth.

Ihad been missing him so badly, and being near him was the only thing that could soothe the anxious knots that had formed in my stomach.

Aditya's arms enveloped me, and I melted into his embrace. The world fell away as he held me close, his heartbeat steady and reassuring.

His familiar scent, a comforting blend of cologne and the natural aroma that was uniquely his, wrapped around me like a protective shield.

"I missed you," I whispered, my voice muffled against his chest.

He kissed the top of my head, his lips soft against my hair. "I missed you too, shortcake."

His palm caressed my back sensing me quiver with emotions.

I looked above his chin to look into his eyes.

The nasty woman in me couldn't help it, I pecked his lips and took a moment to look around... Kunal was probably gone and I didn't see anyone else and immediately took his lips into mine.

His tongue dipped in the seam of my lips, like something different but mine entered into the warmth of my existence.... Different yet so comforting, so familiar...so right... So perfect.

His palm squeezed my waist with greed and restraint.

His lips turned to my cheek and he whispered, "let's go!?"

His words immediately made me aware of the way I diminished against him, yet again.

No matter how bold or confident I feel, I feel mushy when I have this man near me.

"So, what's the plan? Where are we going?"

"Your house."

"My house??" He looked at me surprisingly.

"Mm hmm..." I gave him a playful nod.

His smile was worth my everything.

Uggghhhhhh.....cutieeeee. I wanna sit on his lap and kiss him again and again and again.

God!!! Your child is not going to be pure anymore.

I feel dirty.

"Your colleague looked at me like he needed a gun."  Aditya chuckled while driving, diverting my attention from the hotness he is in his uniform.

"Hun?" My eyes widened with confusion.

"That man.. who was in the lift with you. Who is he?"

"Ooh!! Kunal... Is his name." I don't think much before telling him. "He's in the sales department... He asked me out... but it was two years ago... I doubt he was giving you any such looks."

"Eh!" He chuckled and looked at me for a moment as if I was talking very naively. "Trust me on this one Shortcake, a man knows who's into his woman."

I didn't care about what he said because the way he called me his woman, I was water.... Completely liquid... My flesh was incapable of staying solid and firm anymore.

Ugh.

"So... What should I do about it?" I asked, listening to which he reached for my hands that were on my knees and entwined his fingers with mine.

"Why are you asking me? Just do whatever you think you should do."

"You.... You don't want me to stop interacting with him?"

"I mean... If you think it's necessary... I don't feel like I have a say in this."

"Why won't you have a say in it??" This man is so confusing.

"Zoya, my love.... You are too cute. Baba, why do you think I should tell you if you should be comfortable around someone or not. That's on you .. only you."

"Aren't you bothered by it?"

"Why would I be? The way I see you look at me is enough reason for me to trust you blindly." He smiled, with a mischievous wink.

Does he see desire in my eyes???

"You're....... Unbelievable." I sighed.

The butterflies somersaulted in my stomach thinking about the ideas I have been having.

This beautiful man.
This lovely man.
This sheer hotness.
The indecent me.
His house.
I will be his.
Entirely his.

His presence rips discomfort off my existence.

~~~

Thanks for reading.

I'll post the next chapter soon .. most probably within two days.

So sorry for being so late, I really don't have time.

Please do comment.