The sound of the door made Sameer look up.

Naina walked upto him... and sat on the opposite chair... She could not gather enough courage to do what her heart said.

Sameer poured tea for her, handing over the cup before pouring for himself.

He looked at her lowered face as they sipped tea in silence. Naina did not look up even once. He wondered if she was not okay with what he did or something else was bothering her.

When they were done, he picked up the tray and went out to put it back in kitchen. Naina got up, slowly going near the bed... she stood at the edge, twisting her fingers... Sameer had been extremely patient with her... never questioning, never forcing, never complaining... probably it was her turn to take a step towards him now...

Lost in deep thoughts, she couldn't hear the sound of door closing.

Sameer put the latch... he did not want any disturbance while he talked to her... he wanted her to know that if she was uncomfortable with anything, she could tell him... as his wife, she could say anything... and as her husband, he could talk to her about it... there should be no hesitation... their relationship gave them right to express themselves freely in front of each other.

"Naina." His hand on her shoulder made her turn abruptly.

Since he was right behind, she bumped into his chest. Sameer held her waist, helping her to balance.

"Sorry, mera dhyaan kahin aur tha." She mumbled, stepping back a little.

"Kahan?" His question caught her off guard... her eyes shot up to his black ones.

"Bolo Naina... kya soch rahi thi tum?" He prodded.

"Nahi, kuch nahi." She averted her eyes.

He placed a finger under her chin, lifting her face to himself, "Kuch toh hai... par tum bata nahi rahi... dekho Naina, ab humein ek dusre se aise chupane ki zaroorat nahi hai... dil ki har baat bata deni chahiye... main bhi nahi chupana chahta... mere dil mein darr hai ki shayad tumhe achha nahi laga mera aise tumhe choona." His eyes darted to the point where he had left a mark... though it was not visible... he knew exactly where he had done it, taking care that it remains hidden under her dress.

He continued, "Agar aisa hai toh tum bol do... please yeh kabhi mat sochna ki pati hone ke naate tumhe meri saari baatein manna zaroori hai... main chahta hun main tumhari saari baatein maanu... agar tumhe kisi baat ka bura lage toh foran bata do... itna bharosa humein ek dusre pe hona chahiye ki hum ek dusre ki baat samajh sakein... rishta bandh jaane ka matlab bandhan nahi hota... apnapan hota hai... judna hota hai... humein sirf rishte mein bandhne ki wajah se nahi, apni marzi se ek dusre ko apnana hai... aur main nahi chahta ki tum kuch bhi aisa karne ke liye khud ko majboor samjho jiske liye tumhara dil nahi maanta."

Naina was taken aback... he had misunderstood her hesitation. And he was ready to step back again... giving her more time...

Her eyes pooled up.

Sameer saw the wet eyes. His heart slipped to the bottom of his stomach. Before he could speak, she cupped his face.

"Sameer, tum bilkul galat soch rahe ho... aisa kuch nahi hai... main bas soch rahi thi ki... ki... umm... matlab... " She was at loss of words again... bringing her hands down, twitching her fingers again.

Sameer was confused now... he had no idea what was happening... she was crying, but was not offended... she was ready to talk, but could not speak up...

"Jo bhi baat hai bolo na." He was getting worried.

She gulped, "Tum gussa mat karo."

"Main gussa nahi kar raha, Naina... mujhe fikr ho rahi hai tumhari... agar tum mere kareeb aane se pareshan nahi ho toh kyon ho... kya tumhe kahin dard ho raha hai ya koi aur takleef... main tumhe abhi doctor ke paas leke chalta hun... par pehle batao toh kya baat hai." He softened his tone.

"Tum... tumhe khud ko... rokne ki... matlab... kisi promise ke liye... tumhe kisi promise ki... matlab... tum agar kaho... " The words coming through her choked throat were hardly coherent.

He tried hard to decipher her mumbling, "Naina, tum kya keh rahi ho kuch samajh nahi aa raha... kis baat ka promise chahiye tumhe... achha theek hai... main promise karta hun... jo bhi ho uske liye... tumhari koi baat nahi talunga... ab theek hai?"

Her eyes widened in amazement... he had given a word to accept whatever she said... given an unconditional promise... not thinking even once whether he would like it or not... he had nothing on his mind except her comfort and happiness...

He took a step back to save both of them from a fall as she crashed into his chest, hugging him tight... the way she did when she was extremely pleased. He wrapped his arms around her, giving her the warmth she needed. She was not in any physical discomfort this much he could understand... so if she needed time to speak up, he would wait some more... but decided to make her come out with it before the end of the day.

Naina could hear his steady heart beat... her own had gone erratic the moment she tried to speak... she didn't know what to say to him.

"Chalo ab thoda padh lete hain jisse baad mein tumhe aisa na lage ki aaj kam syllabus kiya hai." He said in a soothing voice.

This time, she sat on the table with him. Stealing glances at Sameer, she could see how seriously he was revising the notes. Her mind was not into books though...

Sameer had been an average student in school... he never showed much interest in studies... but in college, only because she had insisted, he started to push himself... and had been consistently doing so... he had no pressure to perform well for any job or for his family or any other requirement... a degree was sufficient for him... but he scored a rank... for her... only because she wanted him to do well... she had been foremost in his mind...

"Naina, notes mere chehre pe likhe hain kya?" His voice resonated in her ears, making her jump.

"Kabse mujhe ghoor rahi ho... lagta hai tumhare iraade kuch nek nahi hain." He leaned towards her chair.

She turned scarlet... quickly looking down at the open books in front of her.

She did not experience any pain thankfully till dinnertime either. After a light dinner of dal and rice, four of them chatted for some time before going back to their rooms.

When Sameer picked up the towel to go for a shower, she stopped him.

"Main pehle change kar lun?" She asked hesitantly.

"Haan Naina, tum kar lo... mujhe koi jaldi nahi hai." He smiled.

She came out ten minutes later, dressed in her white kurta with patiala. Sameer was not in the room. She went in front of the mirror, looking at herself.

"Aaj tujhe bolna hi padega... kam se kam uske man se yeh darr toh nikalna hi hoga ki tujhe uski kisi bhi baat ka bura lagta hai... aaj keh de Naina." She said with determination, speaking to her reflection.

"Haan, aaj kisi tarah usse yeh ahsaas dilana hoga ki tune usse pati sirf court mein kiye hue sign ki wajah se nahi apne dil se maana hai... poori tarah se... aur kya... aakhir itne saalon se usse pyar karti hai... ab kisliye darna jab chachaji ne khud shaadi karwaai hai... unhone khud yahan rehne ki ijazat di hai." She questioned the image in front of her.

"Nahin... ab main Sameer se saaf saaf keh dungi ki yeh bandhan nahi hai mere liye... humara rishta toh janmon ka hai... isse zyada apna kuch ho hi nahi sakta... aur jo apna hai usse apnane mein kaisi jhijhak...  haan, aaj toh bol hi dungi ki mujhe bhi intezar hai uss pal ka... main bhi kho jaana chahti hun usmein... main bhi mehsoos karna chahti hun woh khushi jiske liye hum kab se khud ko roke hur hain... ab yeh doori mujhse bhi bardaasht nahi hoti." She braced herself to clarify everything to him.

Tying her hair in a low bun, she went to bed, wondering where Sameer had gone.

"Naina, ho gaya tumhara... ab main jaun?" He stepped into the room... from the balcony.

She turned to her side sharply, startled at his voice. He was in the balcony... she thought he was away... not in the room... had he heard anything... the dresser was right next to the balcony door...

"Aaj mujhe maarne ka iraada hai kya, madam? Aise dekh rahi ho shaam se jaise kha hi jaogi." He winked, giving a lopsided smile at her speechless state.

"Na... nahi... woh main... maine socha tum bahar ho." She swallowed.

"Bahar hi tha... balcony mein... badi achhi hawa chal rahi hai... tum aake dekho." He pointed behind with his thumb.

"Nahi, mujhe... mujhe neend aa rahi hai... tum naha lo." She looked away.

Sameer went for his shower. She kept sitting nervously, thinking how to say it to him.

When he came out of the washroom, Naina was still sitting with her knees folded... biting into the chocolate... her eyes having a lost look.

He put out the towel, brushed his hair and went to join her.

"Akele hi saari kha logi?" He shifted close to her.

She came out of her thoughts, realising she had eaten more than half of it. She offered the bar to him.

"Aise nahi khaani mujhe." He shook his head.

"Toh?" She raised her brows.

He leaned, pecking the side of her lips that had some chocolate stuck to it.

Naina drew in a sharp breath. His sudden action made all butterflies flutter together in her stomach... also the nervousness of talking to him was back, making sweat beads form on her forehead.

"Aur kha sakta hun ya nahi?" His intense eyes did not move from her.

"Sameer, main tumse... mujhe kuch... tumhe kuch... " She stuttered, putting the half eaten bar aside.

His lips caught her in a heated kiss without warning. Her words got muffled in the demands of his mouth. She felt her body melt in his arms... the pain in her belly was not the one she had since last two days... his hands on her back moved differently... evoking a burning sensation in her... she felt a tug at the back of her head... and the hair went cascading down her waist. His arms tightened, bringing her closer... her curves moulded into his hard chest. He pressed the small of her back, angling her to fit against his form perfectly... deepening the kiss even more.

The heat surged through her entire body... her hands on his back felt lifeless with the throbbing that rocked her...

When he raised his head to breathe, she felt a sudden loss... an emptiness... the need to feel him overtaking the need to breathe...

"Naina, aaj mujhe kisi se jalan ho rahi hai." His heavy, rough voice made her open her eyes.

He was looking into her eyes... their noses touching, his breath on her lips as he spoke.

Her eyes conveyed the question when words failed her.

"Tum biwi meri ho aur dil ki baatein aaine se karti ho."

Naina stopped breathing...

He had heard... everything...

Sameer saw the display of changing emotions in her eyes... from deep desire to questioning to surprise and now shock that was turning into embarrassment.

With one hand around her waist, he pulled her closer, bringing her face to his level... with the other he gently tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Mujhse keh sakti thi na." His soft whisper made her tremble.

His fingers threaded through her hair, "Aur main soch raha tha meri biwi darr rahi hai mujhse... Naina, ek baar kaho mere saamne... kya sach mein tumhe koi aitraaz nahi hai... kya sach mein tum taiyar ho... bina kisi darr ya majboori ke?"

The time had come to shed her inhibitions and tell him what she wanted to say...

She lifted her eyes to look at him... lowering them again as courage failed her... she had to say it without seeing his face, without drowning into those black pools of raw passion.

"Sameer, main... maine soch liya hai... tum... tum pati ho mere... aur jitna tumhe pyar hai mujhse utna hi main bhi tumse karti hun... tum... tumhe... mujhe... matlab tum aisa mat socha karo ki mujhe bura laga... aisa kuch nahi hai... haan, thodi ghabrahat hai... par tum pe bharosa hai... isliye tumhe khud ko kisi promise se bandh ke rakhne ki zaroorat nahi hai... mujhe... mujhe kisi baat se problem nahi hai." Her fingers played with the edge of her kurta as she said everything in one go, her eyes too heavy to look up.

I'll be starting evening updates again from today. Do check out the next part in the evening. It will be given daily. However, if, due to some reason, I'm not able to post some day, I'll give prior information.
Happy reading.