(A/N: Poof! I'm back! How many of you missed me? ☹️ I will be off again soon but until then, you'll get long long updates. I just hope they're worth the wait. Thanks a ton for being patient. Loads of love. Follow me on Twitter. Vote, comment and share.
Twitter: @torridtides.)

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Manik and I had escalated now. We were making out in the men's bathroom, yeah, just as disgusting as it sounds, with other men inside. I heard a cubicle unlock. I pushed Manik away gently. He made a neglected baby face and turned to see who'd come out. The man who had come out had his shirt unbuttoned, God knows why and how such people come to malls and more than me, Manik freaked out. He pressed his hand against my face, to block my vision as he screamed in the most adorable girlish voice he could. I started giggling and the man jumped, or that's what it seemed like.

"Can't you do that inside? Can't you see people are here?" Manik spat, disgusted by the standards he had.

"This is the men's washroom. Women aren't allowed." The man spoke in a deeper tone than Manik and it sounded creepy. Eww...

"Manik..." I tried to pull him along. He stood still. He hissed and turned to have a look at me.

"Kya? Nahi dekh sakti tum." He grumbled as he tapped his foot impatiently for that man to button up. I pinched his hand, hoping he'd scream like a girl again. He cried in pain.

"Oww... stop it, Nandu." He caged me behind him and I waited. The man was done and he was giving me awkward looks. Manik covered me as much as he could.

"Umm..."

"She's my wife and she's unwell. Any problem?" He pulled his sleeves up, releasing his hands from me and I had a small peek and the disgusting man. He looked drunk and strange. Bloody creep.

"Whatever!" He flapped as he left the room and Manik glared at the door for minutes even after the man left.

"Bola tha na maine. Kaha tha mat karo yeh sab." I pulled his arm and scolded as always. He just listened and lifted me in his arms.

"Chalo ab. We're leaving." Despite my protests, me hitting him, he took me out of the room.

"What? Why? We haven't got things for you." I complained, hoping he'd understand, only to realize he was worse.

"I don't need anything. Come." He wrapped his arm around me and dragged me out.

"But I haven't even tried anything out yet." Seriously, girls who go out to shop know exactly what I mean. We're so obsessed with buying more stuff for ourselves. The shopping part never ends.

"What do you need to try? We're done." He huffed restlessly. It was evident that he wanted to go back home and cut this shopping part for the day. I walked towards the store.

"I need to get stuff for you and some for me. You go outside and wait. I'll be back." I warned and stepped inside. He grabbed me by my hand, onto his chest.

"No need. I'll also come."

"To buy lingerie?" I poked his cheek in affection. His face changed to an ugly realization kinda face. He was just so cute.

"Oh." He paused for a while as he gaped at the Jockey board. "Umm... it doesn't matter."

"Chee. Shameless."

"What? They obviously know it's not for me!"

"Then why are you coming?"

"Just in case you need help?" He grinned uncomfortably. I giggled at the word 'help'.

"Opportunist." I slapped him playfully and he grabbed me with a jerk, to have my attention.

"It's called caring for your wife's needs, which obviously you women won't understand."

"Fine." I pressed my lips into a line and blinked at him.

"Baby..." He wrapped my body in his arms. "You're the cutest. I love you." He held my face and kissed my cheek as he nuzzled into my nape.

***

He pulled me into his arms, nuzzling into the blanket while securely holding me in his arms. He kissed me a couple of times as we came down from our high. We were in the confines of our bedroom, exhausted after a love-making session.

He brushed the hair off my face carefully, pecking me and holding me close to him. He knew how much I craved for physical contact after sex. Manik stretched uncomfortably as he tried to adjust. He was so tall, so masculine; every girl's dream. I slid up, resting my head over his arm, that lay stretched behind me. I gathered his hair in my hands. I was obsessed with it. Men with slightly long hair are attractive.

"Manik... agar humare beech koi aa jaata toh?" It was customary for me to ask such sentimental questions after such an intimate encounter.

"Koi nahi aayega, trust me." He spoke in a calm, serene voice. No matter how many times I would ask anything, he'd never sulk or get irritated.

"But agar..."

"Arre bol raha hu na? Aisa kuch nahi hoga. Manik for Nandini, Nandini for Manik, forever and always." He grabbed me into his arms and pecked my head.

"I love you." I wrapped my arms around his waist and closed my eyes. It was serene. Me in his arms, engulfed so warmly, it felt like he was cocooning me. I felt so safe, so secure because I knew, he'd always have my back, no matter what.

"Neend aa rahi hai?" He pecked my forehead again. I laid down on his bicep.

"No. I'm just tired." I snuggled, pulling onto his tank top. He was clad in just his boxers and tank top and I was stripped to my lingerie. I gently brushed over my lipstick stains on his face, his neck and some of his chest.

"See how much stamina husbands need. Even after all the action, we're not tired. Wives just get exhausted by one act." He chuckled cockily. I frowned.

"Our climaxes are powerful, okay?"

"Really?" His smirk grew and I hid my face in his body.

"Don't tease me na?" He rolled over, pulling me over him. He pecked my nose and pulled my lip in between his teeth. After a bit of teasing, we were back to our usual selves. "Acchha... I have to get my leave records attested by the college department. Drop me off at college."

"I'll come along?"

"No, it's fine. I'll manage." He shook his head negatively, disapproving my request to go on my own.

"It's beyond 7 pm, Nandini. Nobody's a student anymore. I'll come."

"But..."

"Allow me to be a man, baby." He cooed.

"Alright." I sat up, and adjusted my hair. I grabbed my clothes off the floor. He slipped into an orange tee and some khaki shorts. His casual clothes had that touch of Manik in them. How I loved him. I rubbed the lipstick marks off his face as much as I could but he nudged.

"Kya hai? Rehne do na? Logo ko dekhne do, tum kitni innocent ho!" He tickled and I giggled. He securely held my waist, as always while he teased me. It was a tendency of his, to never keep his hands off me.

"That's rude. Come on, Manik. You are different and public is different na?" I held his face in between my fingers and leaned for a soft kiss on his lower lip. We stumbled into the elevator and he smirked naughtily, almost asking for my approval of something nasty. I slapped him, rubbed the remaining stains with my clothes and not-so-useful hands.

He drove us to college. Manik's car rides were so much fun, not to mention how much better bike rides were. Upon our arrival, he held my hand and helped me out.

"Oww... My legs hurt. These heels are irritating." I said, pulling them off my feet.

"Who is asking you to wear heels? Can't you dress according to the occasion?" His temper always fluctuated. He was either too happy, or too frustrated. It was never possible for him to behave normal with me. He would either become too lovesick or too cocky around me and even that depended on his mood.

"Women wear heels, especially short women. Okay? Ahh..." I clanked my heel to the ground and yelped, as I clung onto Manik, supporting myself. He instantly pulled me into him by my waist, ensuring I was safe in his arms. Within a matter of seconds, I was swept off the ground, with his arm under my knees and the other under my back.

"Manik, what are you doing?" I dabbed his chest. He adjusted me in his arms so that he could carry me.

"I'm helping you out. Now don't try to protest. It's going to hurt me." He knew he could play that trick on me and he did. In order to not hurt him, I laid quietly in his arms, hugging his neck to support some of my weight.

"How do you carry me so effortlessly?" I gawked and he smirked at me and he gripped me more securely. That's all you need a man to do for you. He needs to hold you as securely as he possibly can and that's it, no feeling can be better.

"Because I am strong, genius." He tapped the side of my forehead with his fingers very gently and playfully and I held onto him tighter to fight back.

"That's rude. I'm equally strong. See..." I flexed my so-called muscles and he laughed loudly, in a mocking tone.

"Yeah right."

"So I can also lift you na?"

"Can you?" He challenged and I raised my eyebrows in acceptance.

"I can. Put me down."

"No need. I can stay independent." He pressed my onto his body.

"That is, physically. I can stay emotionally independent." I flaunted. He sighed, like the usual Manik.

"I can't. Besides, why do you have to when I'm there for you?" He got me into Nyonika Mom's cabin and she was a little surprised to see us like that.

"Tum log, aise yahan?" Manik put me down carefully and I fetched my leave records to get them attested. She stamped the papers, once on each sheet and handed them back to me. "Main ghar lekar aa jaati na?"

"College ke kaam college mein hi karna hai." Manik explained in a matured manner as he lifted me again on the way back.

"No, it's gonna hurt."

"Men can lift their girls. Plus your husband is super strong. Bas yahi kami hai ki voh workout nahi karta aajkal. If I'll lift you everyday and walk na, then voh bhi teek ho jaayega." He smiled childishly. I pecked his neck softly in affection.

"Why do you care for me so much?" I whispered, in awe at such perfection in a man.

"I don't know. Actually, I feel the other way around. I feel I don't shower enough love on you." He pressed sadly. I clung onto him tighter.

"Manik, you are one in a million." I pressed my lips onto his rugged cheek for a little kiss.

"And you are one in the heart of that million." I blushed and hit him.

"Oh come on, I am not that loved by anyone."

"You are. My love for you can compensate million haters." He spoke, intently looking into my eyes.

"I'm so lucky, Manik. So lucky." I whispered as I mumbled to myself about how much he meant to me. He walked me down to the parking and on the way, I spotted the canteen.

"Manik, I am hungry." I pointed at the canteen and he carried me there. He put me down after me throwing some tantrums. He ordered a samosa for me and coffee for the two of us. We grabbed a table for ourselves and he watched me as I munched away. In the distant vicinity, Manik spotted a guy just casually looking at us and that was it.

He stormed out of his seat, grabbed the guy's collar and began to get violent.

"How dare you look at her like that, huh? What do you think? I'll let you go just like that, after mentally harassing my wife?" He pulled the guy into a fight and I tossed the coffee away, to save that poor guy.

"But..." Manik grabbed his jaw aggressively. I ran and pressed his bicep gently.

"Manik, please..."

"No. He has no right to look at you like that. Bloody bastard. Son of a..." He shrugged me off and got a better grip of him.

"Manik..."

"I didn't..." Manik blew a shot across his face. All that came from me was a sharp gasp.

"Manik, please, leave him." I pleaded. He passed a look at me and loosened his hold. The poor guy pleaded for his life and ran away.

"Idiot." He spat at the guy and I pulled him along to a light source.

"Kya zarurat thi ladne ki? Humesha ladte rehte ho." I scolded, brushing his cheeks lightly, to trace any bruises. His lip was slowly bleeding.

"Tumhare liye jo bhi karta hu, sahi karta hu main." He pulled his sleeves, adjusting them above his elbows. I rubbed his lip carefully, to examine the scar; only to be shrugged away by him, clicking his lips disapproving any pain or sympathy.

"Sahi ka matlab pata hai? This is not what you call right." I pointed at his lip and his sudden outburst for no particular reason.

"I can take it, anything for you." He smirked, rubbing the stream of blood off. I pulled his shirt to make him bend a little. I carefully placed my lips over his, trying to soothe the wound with whatever I could. I ran my tongue over the bruise gently, trying to heal it my way.

"But this fight was unnecessary. What if he was innocent. Look, you don't have to..." I spoke against his lips.

"Let me na? You can stay independent, I know. You like to be like that, I know; but we're a couple now. We need to be there for each other. SOMETIMES, letting me take control isn't going to do any harm, is it? Who else will I serve apart from you?" He grabbed me by my waist, my chest slightly pressed onto his body.

"You anyways take control na, Manik?" I stated in a as-a-matter-of-fact tone and Manik's eyes shot up at mine. A small smirk played along my lips and he gently slapped me.

"Don't talk dirty, Nandini." He frowned as he pulled me into himself, cuddling and kissing me under the stars.

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(So did you like it? Tell me 'cause I've spent tons of 10 minutes all November penning this down for you 🙈 I hope you like it and sorry if it's a bit disconnected from the previous chapter. Honeymoon track coming up! 🙌 Also, I'd love to connect with you all. Check me out on Twitter: @torridtides.
And for the fellow Wattpaders, I have a question! 🙈
Question of the chapter: Would you choose a perverted guy who's hot, or a decent guy who's really average?
No sexism, no judging. Just for the sake of this story 🙈 Let me know in the comments below. Tons of love.)