Chapter Forty-Seven: Escapades of Desire

If Nehmat loves you and you are her favourite, you have to be an absolute softie. Just now, 27-year-old Nehmat extended her arms towards her Paaji and said, "Paaji, piggyback ride to the living room, pleaseee."

Virat turned towards Nehmat with a shocked expression. "Nini, you are 27, not 7."

"So what?" Nehmat argued, pouting. "I'm still your little sister, and you promised you'd always spoil me." She gave him her best puppy-dog eyes, making it impossible for him to say no.

With a sigh and a smile, Virat bent down, allowing her to climb onto his back. "Alright, alright, hop on," he said, playfully rolling his eyes. Nehmat cheered and wrapped her arms around his neck.

As Virat walked through the vineyard with Nehmat on his back, their laughter rang out, making the vines seem to sway merrily in response. The sun cast a golden glow over the scene, adding to the magic of the moment. As they approached the end of the vineyard, they saw three smiling faces waiting for them.

However, one smile quickly turned into a pout. "Daddy, you never gave me those piggyback rides," Vamika complained, her little face scrunched up in disappointment.

Nehmat, smirking, teased, "You know, special people get special treatment." She stuck out her tongue playfully.

Vanika whined loudly, "Mumma!" She turned towards her mother with an exaggerated pout.

Nehmat narrowed her eyes and said, "Stop being fussy, Vamika. Count the number of times I gave you piggyback rides when you were too lazy to walk home from parks or school."

Vamika pouted even more, her eyes widening as she protested, "But that was different! I was just a little kid then!"

Virat chuckled, setting Nehmat down gently. "Alright, alright, let's not argue. Come here, Vamika." He scooped her up onto his back, making her giggle with delight.

"Yay! Thanks, Daddy!" Vamika cheered, wrapping her arms around his neck.

As they continued their walk back towards the house, Nehmat gave Anushka a knowing look. "See? She gets her way every time."

Va ika suddenly turned around, still clinging to her father's back, and said, "Nini, you got SG for piggyback rides while Daddy's all mine." She hugged Virat tightly, grinning mischievously.

Nehmat blushed at Vamika's words, feeling caught off guard. "You know too much, little one," she said, trying to play it off with a laugh. But her cheeks remained flushed, betraying her embarrassment.

Vamika giggled. "I just know the important stuff!"

Virat laughed, giving his daughter a little bounce. "Looks like we've got a smart one here."

As Anushka, Virat, and Vamika walked inside, Nehmat felt herself being pulled by Shubman against his chest. With a husky voice, he whispered near her ears, "You know, I can give you a piggyback ride orrrr you can..."

Before he could complete his sentence, she shushed him, "Shhh, you are dirty-minded," she chuckled, feeling a mixture of amusement and embarrassment.

Shubman leaned back slightly, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Just trying to offer some options, Neh."

Nehmat rolled her eyes playfully. "I think I can manage on my own, thank you very much."

Shubman brushed his lips against hers, his voice low and suggestive. "You know, you have a great terrace. Let's do something tonight, maybe have a little escapade there."

Nehmat widened her eyes in surprise, then punched him gently in the stomach. "Stop it, you pervert!" she laughed, though there was a hint of affection in her tone.

Shubman chuckled, wrapping his arm around her waist as they entered the house. "Just trying to spice things up, Nehmat."

She looked around to see that no one was around. Standing on her tiptoes, she pecked his lips a few times before whispering, "Well, a little desire is no harm then." Her voice was soft, carrying a hint of playful mischief.

Shubman grinned, his eyes sparkling with excitement. "I knew you couldn't resist," he teased, pulling her closer.

Nehmat rolled her eyes, but there was a smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "Just don't get too carried away, alright?"

Shubman nodded, his expression turning more serious as he looked into her eyes. "I promise, Nehmat. Tonight will be perfect."

As the day progressed into a young night, everyone headed to bed after a fun day of sitting around and playing board games. Evelyn and the twins had gone on vacation to London to meet her husband, leaving the five of them alone in the house. After bidding goodnight to her family, Nehmat Terrace moved towards where Shubman had hidden himself for the last hour.

Vamika and Virat both tried to head towards the terrace once Anushka was in her room, but they were stopped by a firm hand. "You're coming to sleep."

Both of them whined while Virat reasoned, "We should have family time, you know. Come on, let's go."

"No," Anushka said firmly. "Let them have some time alone."

Vamika argued, "Mumma, Nini will have fun with us. Let us go!"

Anushka, with a stern expression, answered once more, "A no is a no. Come to bed, both of you."

Both of them gulped and nodded. Even though they trusted Shubman, their protective stance made them want to be near Nehmat 24/7.

Meanwhile, Nehmat entered the terrace, only to find Shubman tangled in lights. He was trying to arrange them near the swing for their date night, or perhaps you could call it a desire escapade.

Nehmat rolled her eyes at his clumsiness and moved forward to help him. "You've been entangling yourself for the last hour?"

Shubman pouted. "I wanted to set up a nice aesthetic for the night, but I ended up tangling myself. I mean, how do you even arrange these? It's tough," he complained like a child.

Nehmat chuckled, gently untangling the lights from around Shubman. "You're hopeless," she teased, her fingers deftly working through the knots. "But it's sweet that you tried."

Shubman sighed in relief as he was freed from the lights. "I just wanted everything to be perfect for you."

Nehmat set the lights aside and looked at him, her eyes filled with warmth. "Being with you is perfect. I don't need this setup. Your presence is enough for me."

Taking a deep breath, Shubman settled himself into a chair, feeling tired from the effort of untangling the lights. "You know, Nehmat, I love this... the feeling of being in love with you so much," he said, his voice soft with sincerity.

Blushing, Nehmat got up and settled herself onto Shubman's lap, wrapping her legs around his torso as he held her close. "Can I ask you something?" she inquired, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.

Tracing patterns on her waist, Shubman replied softly, "Anything, darling."

Gulping nervously, Nehmat asked, "From what I heard, before me, you didn't look for serious relationships. What changed for you with me?"

Shubman chuckled softly, squeezing her waist gently. "Maybe it was your loneliness that resonated with me," he admitted. "Even though you had people around to care for you, you wanted that one friend, one partner to... you know, find the right pain in your heart and cure it."

Resting her forehead against his, Nehmat closed her eyes, feeling overwhelmed with emotion. "I'm glad to the heavens above that I found you," she whispered. "Because the 24-year-old Nehmat before you would have always thought she would be lonely without friends."

As Shubman was about to continue speaking, the heavens roared with thunder, and the first few droplets of rain hit their lips, moistening their dry lips and offering a refreshing indication to quench their thirst. Shubman smiled, biting his lips gently. "Looks like heaven wants us to have our moment," he remarked, his voice barely audible over the sound of the thunder.

As the rain intensified, Shubman quickly removed his jacket and sheltered it above their heads, creating a makeshift canopy. Pulling Nehmat even closer, he brushed his lips against hers, the sensation sending shivers down their spines. "Love you, Nehmat Kohli," he whispered, his words mingling with the gentle patter of raindrops.

Their lips met in a passionate kiss, their connection seeming to make the thunder roar louder and bring the rain pouring down with renewed intensity. Together, they created an atmosphere of love, spreading it with the rain to wherever it reached.

Nehmat reached up and removed the jacket above their heads, allowing the rain to wet them, soaking their clothes and souls, and purifying any lingering negativity. As the rain poured down around them, Shubman's lips moved from hers to her throat, causing her to close her eyes in bliss. She licked her lips, savouring the moment and the sensation of his touch against her skin.

Both of them parted, now lying down on the swing as the rain continued its game around them. They lay there, still huffing from their little escapade of desire, looking at each other with contented smiles.

Burying his face in her chest, Shubman whispered as Nehmat ran her fingers through his wet hair, "We are leaving the day after tomorrow. I hope you come with us."

Her movements stopped as it felt like the bubble of their moment was broken, and they were brought back to reality.

Her tears welled up, mingling with the raindrops. "I can't leave everything here," Nehmat confessed softly, her voice filled with uncertainty and emotion.

Shubman lifted his gaze in disbelief. "So, you don't want to come with us even after everything is sorted?" he asked, his voice tinged with disappointment and confusion.

Nehmat met Shubman's gaze, her eyes reflecting the conflict within her. "It's not that I don't want to," she began, her voice wavering slightly. "But this place... it's where I belong. I can't just leave everything behind, even if things are sorted." She paused, searching his eyes for understanding.

Shubman got up abruptly, burying his face in his hands to control his rising anger. He took a deep breath, trying to calm the storm of emotions raging within him.

Nehmat gulped nervously as she got up, reaching out to place her hand on Shubman's shoulder, which he shrugged off. "This is not how it's supposed to be. You have your people in India," he reminded her, his voice tinged with sadness.

Nehmat, now almost crying, said, "And this place sheltered me when those Indian people didn't care about me," her tears harshly pouring out.

Shubman looked up at her crying face, his heart breaking at the sight. Gently stroking her cheek, he pulled her into a long, tender kiss. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't force you into something," he murmured against her lips. "We have the whole day tomorrow. Decide what you want and let me know. The seat next to me back in India will be waiting."

As they held each other in the embrace, the rain continued to fall softly around them, the sound a soothing backdrop to their emotions. Nehmat buried her face in Shubman's chest, her tears slowly subsiding as she felt his comforting presence.

After a while, Shubman whispered, "Let's go inside and dry off."

As they reached their room and dried themselves off, Shubman turned around, only to have his breath hitch in his throat at the sight before him. They had known each other for so long, but never had he seen her in this way. There she was, in her sports bra, drying her hair, and wearing a fresh pair of joggers. Her casual attire accentuated her natural beauty in a way he had never noticed before.

For a moment, Shubman stood there, captivated by her presence. Then, clearing his throat, he averted his gaze, feeling a flush of heat rise to his cheeks. "Um, sorry, I didn't mean to intrude," he stammered, his eyes fixed on the floor.

As Shubman stood there, feeling his cheeks flush with embarrassment, Nehmat smirked and moved towards him, tossing the towel onto a nearby chair. Closing the distance between them, her hands began to dance lightly across his abs.

"Is something wrong, darling?" she asked teasingly, her brown eyes sparkling mischievously.

His throat went dry as he looked at the woman in front of him. With her wet, curly hair, captivating brown eyes, and casual attire that accentuated her curves, she had an undeniable allure. Despite standing just five feet tall, Nehmat possessed a power over him that could make him weak in the knees.

Shubman swallowed hard, trying to compose himself under Nehmat's gaze. He could feel his heart racing as her touch sent shivers down his spine.

"N-no, nothing's wrong," he managed to say, his voice slightly hoarse. "I just... wasn't expecting..." He trailed off, unable to find the right words to express the whirlwind of emotions swirling inside him.

Nehmat smiled knowingly, her fingers tracing light patterns on his chest. "Expecting what, Shub?" she whispered, her voice soft and inviting.

Shubman hesitated for a moment before finally meeting her gaze. "I wasn't expecting you to... look so beautiful," he admitted, his cheeks flushing even more at his confession.

Nehmat's smile widened, and she leaned in closer, her lips hovering just inches away from his. "Well, now that you know," she murmured, "what are you going to do about it?"

With a bold move, Shubman made Nehmat gasp as he picked her up and gently tossed her onto the bed. Their noses brushed against each other, the anticipation palpable in the air as Nehmat eagerly awaited his next move.

"Is my five feet shortie being bold, huh?" he teased, pinching her waist playfully.

Her one hand now under her head, giving him a full view, Nehmat smiled mischievously. "Maybe I am. So, what's the plan, Shubman?" she said, running her fingertips lightly over his lips.

Shubman smirked, dipping his head to her neck and giving her a gentle kiss. Nehmat's hands travelled to his back in anticipation, but what he did next caught her off guard. She playfully hit his back as he spoke.

"The plan is to get good sleep in your arms, Nehmat," he said, laughing.

Nehmat rolled her eyes, but couldn't suppress a smile at his playful response. "You and your cheesy plans," she teased, pulling him closer for another kiss, this time filled with warmth and affection.