He called on a superhuman will-power and unwillingly started to pry away his mouth from hers. 'Uhunnmmmnnnooo' came an instant unintelligible dazed protest from her, and a feeble attempt to hold him back , making every shred of Shivaay's self control go for a toss then and there.

He again dipped his head to kiss his innocent nymph who was hell bent on making things difficult for him, and crushed her into himself some more, if that was even possible. Anika was becoming more confident with each passing second and Shivaay's hands were becoming more comfortable on her body. Roaming, pressing and squeezing. When they broke the lip contact for acutely essential oxygen, Shivaay rested his head on the crook of her neck inhaling her scent, and in a spur of the moment he bit her there, unable to ignore the enticing soft silky skin, making her groan, more in pleasure than in pain.  

that brought Shivaay back from his heaven within a second. He yanked himself away from Anika's pliant body, running his hand through his hair, still high on their first intimate proximity and at the same time angry at himself for the loss of self control.

Anika felt a push and then a vaccume, where there was warmth and loving caress a moment before. She tried to open her heavy eyelids to investigate the reason of this sudden change in scenario and found a very agitated looking Shivaay running his hands through his thick mane staring at the floor. 

It took her a while to gather her senses to make sense of what was happening, and like a high speed car it hit her. They were kissing. 

SHE WAS KISSING SHIVAAY !!!!!!!!

 And he had pushed her back as she was not letting him go. Her hand flew to her mouth and eyes widened at the realization of her wantonness. That particular moment Anika wanted the earth to open and swallow her alive, because her legs felt heavier than stone and refused to budge even a centimeter, no matter how hard she wanted to run away right now. She closed her eyes, readying herself to face embarrassment and blurted an instant apology before SHIVAAY  says anything.

ANIKA : 'I ... Sor ... sorry' she stammered pulling all her energy.

Shivaay's eyes came back from the floor to the trembling girl standing before him. She looked dazed and ... panicked? Her swollen lips just said sorry, did they? Shivaay could not help but stare the red mark on her neck, which had crashed their intimacy, and then he looked into those eyes which were conveying something , what he hoped was not regret.

ANIKA : 'I .. did... not.. know ... what happened. I am not like that. I am sorry' she again said .

SHIVAAY : 'Like WHAT?' 

 he bellowed. 

Journey from controlling the urge to kiss her again to reigning in bubbling anger happened in a snap. Trust this girl to take everything in the wrong sense. She is sorry for their first ever kiss. Great ...... JUST GREAT !!!!!!!!

SHIVAAY : 'Listen Anika , I am NOT....' 

 he continued menacingly, but was cut in by Anika who was lost in her own turmoil.

ANIKA : 'I just did not realize. It was .. I don't know. My upbringing was not ... but ... I do have values in me. I'll not cross my limits. Trust me, it'll not happen again. Sorry' 

 she rapidly said in a single breath and urged her legs to take her away before the tears start spilling out.

As she started to flee the scene of passion, two strong arms held her from her waist, and next instant her back crashed into the hard form of Shivaay . He turned her in his embrace, just enough to see her expressive eyes, the windows to her heart.

SHIVAAY : 'Are you saying sorry because YOU kissed me?' 

 he asked trying to digest how her weird mind works .

She nodded lowering her head . Tears now making an appearance at the corner of her eyes. Her innocence filled his heart with a tenderness he never knew he possessed.

SHIVAAY : Well. I kissed you first. So technically that should be my line'

 he put his finger under her chin, urging her to look up .

She looked hopefully at him. He does not think she is loose moral kind of girl?

SHIVAAY : We are engaged. You know that, right?'

 he continued feeling light suddenly, finding no regret in those eyes, only questions.

She nodded lightly, then a little more determinedly.

SHIVAAY : 'So people who are engaged are allowed to kiss each other without saying sorry' he explained as if talking to a 4 year old and not his fiance.

ANIKA : 'Really? Is it okay to ... I mean before marriage?' 

 she could not bring herself to say the word, dying of shyness in the embrace of  SHIVAAY  she had wildly kissed just moments before.

SHIVAAY : Yes, I am your fiance. In fact it would have been weird if you would have NOT kissed me back. That would have been bad, like really bad' 

 he smirked, revealing in the blush on her face and innocence in her questions .

'Oh' she muttered and contemplated the new found fact.

SHIVAAY : You know we are going to marry soon. And kisses and hugs and more are a part and parcel of married life'

 he did not want to make her more uncomfortable than she already was, so he kept his terminology decent.

ANIKA : 'I know. I just don't want you to think like other people that because of my upbringing I might have no morals. That I don't understand my limits before marriage. In fact I have never ever ... kissed before' 

 she said trying to express her fears .

SHIVAAY : I can guess that this is your first kiss. And even if it was not your first time, it wouldn't have mattered to me' he assured her. 

SHIVAAY : And why would I want to share custody of the kids with you if I doubt your value system' he stated.

She just smiled in response to his declaration , his trust on her, a smile reaching her heart and reflecting in her eyes.

SHIVAAY : Anika, about earlier. I am sorry. Not the kiss, before that. I should have informed you' 

 he hesitantly added after a few seconds .

ANIKA : ' SHIVAAY  can we talk about all this in morning? You should sleep now and a sorry is not going to suffice for your behavior. We need to talk at length' 

 she said with a new found authority, separating herself from his hold.

SHIVAAY : Okay

 he replied smiling, liking this ANIKA , his ANIKA .

She turned to leave for her room, but was stopped by a hold on her wrist by SHIVAAY. She turned to find that the smile was now replaced by a serious expression on his face.

SHIVAAY : 'Who are the 'other people' who think that you have no morals?' 

 he asked in no nonsense tone. It did not miss his notice when she had mentioned that, and he needed an answer for THAT, NOW.

ANIKA gulped. 

ANIKA (self thought) : 'Did I say that other people think I have no morals? Damn you Anika' she cursed her carelessness in her mind . 

SHIVAAY : 'Except unwanted apologies you have decided to not give me any answers today, is it?' 

 he looked at her, knowing that she is trying to come up with some random excuse.

ANIKA : 'Umm ... People in general think that kids in orphanages don't have a proper upbringing' she did come up with an excuse.

SHIVAAY : 'And you think I am one such person who will think that, if you kiss me back' 

 he looked at her dead panned .

ANIKA : 'NO. Not at all' she denied at lightening speed. '

ANIKA (SELF THOUGHT) : Where the hell is this conversation going? Anika , you have messed up. Now Shivaay is not going to let it go' 

 she slapped herself mentally.

SHIVAAY : 'Then? Who thinks that?' 

 he really had no intention to let it go .

ANIKA : 'Nobody.  SHIVAAY  can we please talk about it in morning. I am already drained by your disappearing act. I want to sleep'

 she knew if she said that SHE wants to sleep he can not possibly force her to stay up and clarify stuff, being the gentleman he was.

SHIVAAY : 'This discussion is not over Anika . Good Night' 

 he pecked her forehead as if it was a regular occurrence, and left for his room.

He knew that she was buying time. But he did not want to argue with her after THE awesomest kiss of his life.  he trusted himself to get this particular detail out of her soon. Nobody puts such demeaning crap in his fiance's mind and gets away with it. He was not SSO for nothing,  not even Anika can hide something from him which he desires to know, but here he'll have to give her space for she is his fiance and not some business associate .

And right now, he had decided to cut himself some slack and bask in the feel of HIS sexy and sweet fiance's first kiss to him .

..........x...........x..............

Anika's mind too refused to dwell on the last part of their conversation, and dragged itself to her FIRST PROPER kiss. How could she even kiss him when she does not know how to kiss? But she did, didn't she? 

In fact Shivaay tried to stop it, but she clung on to him, she buried her face into the pillow at the thought 'God, what happened to me there?' It was like Shivaay was some kind of magnet pulling her towards himself. 

She could still feel his lips on hers, his tongue caressing her untouched senses, his hands roaming intimately over her arms and back. Does everyone do it like this? Shivaay said its okay, engaged people kiss, didn't he? Thoughts of their kiss did not leave Khushi in her dreams either, and she woke up with a huge smile on her face.

Shivaay was on the moon when he looked back realized that Anika accepted the kiss as a natural progression of their relationship, just like she had promised. He loved the way her body responded to his, like a house on fire. And no hesitancy or awkwardness on her part after he explained that it was normal for them to kiss, made his heart swell at the amount of trust she places in him, not questioning his motives. And the most important thing that this mutual kiss proved was that Khushi is willing in this relationship, and DAKSH might just be a friend to her, giving his doubts a rest. 

 that's what mattered, for Daksh can go on thinking whatever he pleases for all he cares. This realization gave immense peace to his burning heart, and he felt alive after like ages. Anika was HIS, and SHE had no issues with that. Now all he had to do was to keep her happy, something he was already planning on. Sleep that night was one of the best Shivaay had ever had, and he woke up feeling a strange happiness inside himself.

..........x.............x..............

Next morning however, was a different case altogether for his lady love. The KISS had in all its reality dawned on her and was creating havoc on her mind.

 Whereas Shivaay was determined to enjoy his courtship now,  Anika had started having strange sensations in her heart. The idea of seeing Shivaay after last night was filling her stomach with fluttering butterflies. She had no freaking clue how she survived last night, but right now amnesia for her and her fiance looked like a lucrative proposition. That was the only way she can get over it. Because consciously behaving like nothing happened, and acting like she does not understand where they stand now was not an option now, for she knew that they had taken a huge step ahead last night in their relationship. But then how to act now was her big dilemma.

By the time Shivaay arrived at the breakfast table, Anika's usual bright smile had turned into a silly one and had stuck on her face , and her heart was playing tricks on her by making her VERY nervous in his presence, God only knows why.

 It had never happened to her before, not even when she had a crush on him. That time she wanted to grab his attention,  right now she wants to disappear, away from his loving gaze, or a hearty smile directed at her.  to pile on to her worries, her eyes to limb co-ordination had gone haywire in his presence today. 

She was behaving way clumsy even by below normal standards. Even Adit Adya carry themselves better than how she was faring on the breakfast table today. To top all of that, she was stealing glances at him like a fool, when she could look directly at his face, but no, discreet glances was what her mind was hell bent on. And HE, he was smiling, sitting, eating, doing everything so calmly, like last night never happened. Also, she could bet on her life that Shivaay had smirked more than once at her stupidities. 

ANIKA (SELF THOUGHT) : 'Oh God! Why did you not make me a little like him?' 

 she cringed helplessly .

If Anika was by any chance counting on returning to normal after Shivaay left for office, it did not work out that way as he decided to work from home that day. And to add to her woes, she was asked to come to his room whenever she was free.

 SHIVAAY : Come in Anika . You don't have to knock every time, this is your room too'

he said in response to her knock, flustering her some more. 

ANIKA : 'Ji you wanted to talk' 

 she replied while twisting the end of her duppatta mercilessly .

SHIVAAY : 'Are you planning to stand there all the while we talk?' 

 he asked reclining back on the recliner, his eyes amused at her nervousness .

The walk from the door to the edge of the bed, under SHIVAAY 's scrutiny, felt as unnerving as modelling on a ramp with a thousand spectators .

SHIVAAY : 'Are you okay ANIKA ?' 

 he could not help but poke, looking at all-in-control Anika so haphazard today . Actually, he was secretly liking that the kiss had still not worn out of her system .

ANIKA : 'Of course' 

 she replied still butchering her duppatta .

SHIVAAY :'So where were we last night'

 he ambiguously started .

Her eyes shot up and were ready to burst out of their sockets. She could not believe his audacity to bring 'all that' up, and that too so casually .

SHIVAAY : 'What? You said we will talk in morning. About ... my drive and you telling me about other people'

 he finished innocently, suppressing a laugh that was bubbling in his throat at her reaction.

ANIKA : 'Oh ... Okay' 

 she closed her eyes, today was definitely not her day, she sighed.

SHIVAAY : 'So you were going to tell me who told you all that upbringing crap' 

 he said sobering up.

ANIKA : 'I told you nobody. That's how orphans are perceived' 

 she was not going to tell on pathetic DAKSH'S family. They are not even worth that.

SHIVAAY : 'Are you sure?' 

 he knew so well that she was lying .

ANIKA  : 'Yes' s

he looked down at the floor, not able to meet his eyes .

SHIVAAY : 'You can tell me whenever you are comfortable'

 he said softly, understanding her predicament .

ANIKA : 'I will' 

 she said, confirming his doubt that someone has indeed insulted her, and that too recently.

SHIVAAY : 'I am always here whenever you want to talk' 

 he gave an open offer, furiously thinking who could have done so .

Anika  nodded. Happy that he is there, nothing else, just that he is there for her. Always.

.................x..................x....................

Though Anika was in no state of hold a wining argument against SHIVAAY today, she did manage to extract a few promises from him, because he was being very co-operative with her. He promised that he will not leave home without informing her, he will keep her updated if he has to stay out late at night and most important he will always answer her calls, no matter what.

Things had changed in their relationship, and both felt it this time. Shivaay could feel Anika's willing acceptance of him as her life partner, making his life livable again  And Anika could feel the relationship shift from that of concerns and responsibilities for each other to absolute rights over each other . 

Breaking physical boundaries last night, had helped them cross a few emotional ones too. Today the way he had authoritatively inquired about what was troubling her, and expected her to come to him whenever she is ready, gave Anika a renewed sense of belonging with him .  she realized that he was the only person on the face of this earth with whom she will share her humiliation, if she ever does. That one kiss had helped them cross the fence of friendship into the zone of would-be-betrothed man and woman .

She knew he will always be the temperamental Shivaay Singh Oberoi , but he was also comforting, flirty and protective with her, and she was so looking forward to a life time with him. Is this is the feeling that people call as Love? 

But then she love other people too, and it did not feel like THIS. This time, there is a need for his approval of her feelings. Like if he does not approve of her feelings, her life will have no value, and the mere thought made her heart hurt. She knew it was long in the making, but her encounter with Daksh's family and his sudden disappearance, have made her clearly see him for what he has become to her now, an anchor of her sanity, the center of her universe.

If this is how love feels like, then she sure is falling hard and fast in love with her fiance, she realized making her heart skip a beat.

.................X..............X..............

PHEWWWWWW finally the part hope you all like it !!!!!!
eagerly waiting for your comments do share your thoughts !!!!!

HAPPY READING GUYS !!!!!!!!