Pre note- 

Longer Chapter Than Usual, Make Time! ;)

Epilogue

[ Anika ]

I sat on the bed flipping through the magazines. I had found them lying on the side table downstairs. He settled beside me, and was typing away on his phone. Having finished his task he looked at me, I did not look up.

"What's this?" 

"Pass time!" I giggled. "Omg, look at this,who even makes this hairstyle. It's like carrying a bird's nest around with you " I showed him the picture of the model laughing. "These magazines I tell you."

Soon we were both engrossed into the magazine making remarks and laughing. One page brought an awkward silence between us. "Compatibility Test - Know your partner better."the heading said.

I looked at him. "Let's try this." He almost coughed. "Are you insane? This is stupidity."

"Shivaay please. It's going to be so much fun. " I had actually glimpsed at the following content and had immediately decided that it would be a better way to know him.

"Alright. If you say so." He sat up straight.

I sat up straight keeping the magazine on the pillow.

"Alright, so Round 1 give yourself points out of ten." I announced scanning through the small paragraph.

"How emotional are you?"

"7-8 out of ten." Said he itching his head animatedly.

"8-9 for me." He smiled as I said that.

"How bad is your anger?"

"9 I guess!" Said he. Woah added to the important mental list. With P.S. saying never make him angry.

He snapped me out of my thoughts."what happened? "

"No, I was just..

" Don't get worked up, I won't get angry at you." He chuckled.

I looked down, hopefully. "For me 7-8 I guess."

"How Ambitious are you?"

"8" said he. I could bet it was a nine.

"8" said I immediately.

"How Sexy do you think you are?"My expression froze after reading that. 

" 8-9." He answered confidently, just as he had answered previous. No way, a full ten.

Eight would be a little too much. Nine wasn't an option. Seven was a tad bit less. "7-8" I answered and went on reading what was next without des

"Your favorite scent?"

He moved a little, "Fruity, Vanilla!" He answered.

I wondered what amused him. "Coffee!" I said in the blink of an eye. I loved the aroma of coffee! Though I preferred tea to coffee. He seemed to be in much joyous mood suddenly. I blinked.

"Now we start answering for each other. " I said aloud reading the next short paragraph. The above was warm up I guess.

"Three words to describe your spouse?"

"You go first this time."

"Alright ." I said. Oh, I wished in the previous round I had gone first. Not playing spoilsport I went first. "Gentleman, wicked mind." Said I looking at him in the eyes. His eyes suddenly dazzled. Damn! I was totally seduced by that look.

I was excited to know how he would describe me.

"Umm. A charming riddle."

"That's two!" I objected. "A isn't going to be counted."

"Oh, come on."

"Whatever!"

"His or her favorite color?"

"Black!" I made a guess. He wore black shirts, black shoes, black suits and drank black coffee. Black should be his favorite!

"Right!" He said amused.

I sat up excitedly.

"Ahh...it's difficult to guess your favorite color, you wear almost all colors. " 

I frowned. "Guess one!"

"I bet you like the rainbow!"

I laughed, "I do like the rainbow, but I have a color I love."

"Red?"

"Wrong "

"Blue!" 

He gave me a little more than a smiling look. I loved the color of his eyes.

"His or her favorite cuisine!"

That was easy. We spoke only about that during our lunch dates. Alright eliminate the date. 

"Italian!" I said immediately.

"Chinese!" He smiled.

"How attractive do you find your spouse?"

"I am not answering that. I think we should sleep." I suggested.

"No. You are answering that. I think we should continue !" He said taking the magazine.

"Shivaay!" I said trying to take the magazine back. Clearly failing. "It's late we should sleep"

"Anika, come on. Besides neither I am sleepy nor you. Answer. How attractive on a scale of ten. You can say two or three I won't get angry promise." 

OH, this man was having so much funNot that I wasn't. Ten, I wanted to scream in his ears. "Eight!" I said but. Minus one to not grow his man ego and minus another for my sake. 

"Nine!" He answered. I looked at him. His look was anything but descent was my guess. But, I couldn't judge him. I did a happy dance Nine! He found me attractive. Or wait was he just playing a safe husband?

"How bold is your spouse?" He read.

"Shivaay let's...." This was growing very embarrassing. Before I could complete my sentence, he answered.

"Nine!"

I blinked at him. No way, Seven or eight would be the apt score. Not Nine. Maybe because he wasn't bold he thought I was. Oh, I should give my brain some rest and just sleep. Though sleep would mean only more exercise to it, because there was no way I wouldn't think about this amusing time we had.

"Your answer?"

"Six." I said without thinking about it. He made a face that made me regret. I should have lied a little.

"What turns him/her on?" He continued.

I blinked growing awkward. "Enough. Let's sleep."

"Come on Anika, make a guess." He said amused.

"I don't know." I said quietly, arranging the pillows.

"Alright, the next."

"How often do you kiss? This has options. Very rarely. Some times. Very often. All the time"

I stared at him. Guess my mouth was slightly open by shock. So I gaped at him. "Shivaay, good night."

"Anika, second or third, I m confused?" 

"Shivaay, stop it. " I took the magazine. "We should sleep."

When  I turned after placing the magazine on the side table at my side of the bed. I was confused. He was closer and before I knew he kissed me. Oh, his loving mouth. I kissed him back, placing my hands on the side of his face. He deepened the kiss, his tongue creating havoc in my mouth. Soon I was lying and he was on top of me. We were kissing like crazy. Touches, gentle ones at first, seductive ones next and finally sinful ones. I was reduced to a puddle. I pulled away from his mouth when I felt I could no longer breathe. His breath fanned my neck. 

I looked at him. If desire had form it would look like his face right now. 

"Anika?"he said softly, grazing his lips on the skin on my neck. " Do you want to take this further? "

God! Was he insane, we were almost making out with clothes on and he was asking that. This gentleman was driving me crazy.

I pulled him down, his eyes directly above mine. "I have accepted you as my husband."

He muttered something and left butterfly kisses all over my face to my neck. Reaching my collarbone he bit it. I gasped. Not so gentle after all.His husky voice seduced my ears, "And I want to make you my wife in all ways!" 

Oh, something twisted in my heart. I was growing madly in love with him. 

He was desperate and I loved it. I yearned for him.

"Shivaay, " I finally got the courage to speak between our kisses. "It's my first!"

He smiled proudly, "mine too!" 

I felt color rising up my cheeks.

 "Stop me when you get uncomfortable."

"I trust you!" I said immediately. He kissed my forehead.

* * * *

I woke up with aching limbs. Now where was he? I wondered looking around. Did I eat him up last night? Chuckling at my thoughts I turned to look at the clock." What! Nine! Hell!" The minute I had said that in the very same he entered inside the room laughing. He had probably heard my shocked mutterings. 

"Good morning."

"Good morning!" I smiled back at him. He was already, ready. "What's that?" I asked as he extended a small brown paper bag to me. 

"Ah,thought you might need them after last night, some ointments." He smiled.

My lips curved up immediately. I had to tell him how much I loved him! "Thanks!" I said softly. He stepped forward and kissed my  forehead. "Will see you downstairs!"

* * *

As I walked down the stairs I saw him gazing at me. I had taken care to wear a black saree, one of the plain formal ones. I had applied some extra body lotion. But, the moment his eyes met mine, my confidence grew weak in it's knees. Don't look at him and walk if you don't desire to miss a step and trip. I told myself as I walked down.

* * * 

[ Shivaay ]

My eyes couldn't leave her. She looked so pretty in that black sarree, her raven black hair slightly wet and left loose. She greeted everyone and hugged my mother. Took blessings from dad, greeted Om and walked over to the chair beside mine. I felt fingers running on my left shoulder all along to the right. She quickly settled on her chair like nothing happened. She was boldness personified. I looked at Omkara from the corner of my eyes. Thank God he hadn't noticed, he was too busy texting.

I slipped my right feet towards her. I hadn't had to travel much for her left traveled towards mine. I stared at her amused. She blushed slightly. As our legs tangled, fought and tickled, we broke into inevitable laughter. Everyone looked at us amused we silently pulled back our feet focussing on the breakfast. We named it a joke. She was quick in diverting the topic. Om looked at me wit curious eyes. I narrowed mine at him in return.

Strangely we did not speak throughout the drive. It was only when the cat came to a halt she looked towards me, and broke the spell bound silence. "Ahh, I wanted to tell you something." She started fidgeting with the rose in her hand.

* * *

[ Anika ]

"I do not know whether it's too early or too late, right time or not, but, I ..." Damn, the sentence got awkward. Let's get to the point. "I Love You Shivaay!" I said looking at him. Strangely my hand outstretched itself. He took the rose from my hand. Which century was this? Anyways, these roses played such an essential part just like these drives to office so this was best place and way. These drives and roses were things that made us express little affections and helped our relationship grow .

I wasn't expecting any specific reply or anything of that sort. But he pulled me for a kiss. A gentle, slow consuming kiss. He broke apart smiling. I felt heat waves move to my face. 

"Wait there is more, I said. " he looked pleasantly surprised.

"I be loved you from the first time I saw you!"

"At your parental home?" He asked surprised.

"No before that." I smiled slowly, admiring the surprise on his face. 

"Before that?"

"At Neha's wedding. That was two weeks before the day you all came to see me. Remember, Your dad introduced me to you as his college friend's daughter. "

He thought for a minute. "Oh, was that you? The woman with long hair dressed in a red lehenga?"

"Yup. Had longer hair then and chubbier cheeks!" I said giggling.

"You like me since then?" He asked surprised. 

I shrugged. "Now don't make it awkward for me. I never thought that day that I 'd ever see you again or neither wished to, but see where we are today!"

"I am not going to now, but I will tease you our entire life with it!" He giggled. I hit him playfully.

I wasn't going to ask but I did, "You want say anything else?" 

"What do you think I meant when I kissed you? Certainly not a I hate you!" His eyes shone.

My cheeks heated up. He could have said it directly, but anyway I loved his way. 

He sat back on his seat, when I turned to leave the car. 

"Anika?"

"Huh" I turned to him at once.

"Did I tell you , you look a little more sexy in that black saree? "

I smiled, I was sure my cheeks were red by now. 

"Did I tell you. You look even more dashing in that blue shirt?"

He smiled.

"Umm. Shivaay, why did you have two cups of coffee today?" I teased him. Certainly a wrong idea,  forhis reply got me tongue tied.

"The same reason why you applied extra of your vanilla lotion!" 

I blushed profusely, and bent over to his side pecking his lips. "See you soon! Have a great day!"

As I walked down the pathway, the leaves danced, the sun smiled and  my heart hummed. Him and me were Serendipity at it's best.

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The End

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I have renamed this story to , "The Gentleman Who Seduced My Heart!"

Hope you enjoyed this as much as I enjoyed writing it or perhaps more.

Signing off,

-Anami!

💜

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