It's Complicated

Nine

The door opened slowly, and Ashwin sat up on the bed. She entered in silence, clutching a tall glass of milk in her hand. The vermillion at the middle part of her hair and thick yellow thalli around her neck invoked a surreal feeling in him. She was truly, fully all his. A smile formed on his face as she walked closer with her eyes turned down, holding the glass out to him.

"Enna pakka mattiya ma?"

She shook her head shyly.

He chuckled, and took the glass. She stood still as he drank, her usual jittery movements suppressed.

After he was finished he looked her up and down, a vision in her dark green saree and gold jewelry.

He pulled her to his lap, earning a small gasp as she placed her hands on his chest.

"Ivlo naal illatha vekkam ippo full ah vanthuruko?"

She blushed, a pink shade forming on her cheeks. He let his hand caress her face, slowly running his thumb over her lip.

She sighed.

"Ennaku etho puthu feeling irruku. Bayam la illa. Excited thaan."

She finally looked at him, desire heavy in her eyes.

"Intha bangles konjum vailikuthu. Kalti vidamudiyuma mama?"

Oh god. That one word pushed him to the very edge of his control.

Patience, patience he told himself as he slid the bangles off. He gently turned her palm around, admiring the mehendi that had AK written with floral designs around it.

She lowered her head to his chest, resting in the crook of his neck. He breathed in the jasmine scent wafting from the flowers in her hair, the heady mood lilting and rising with every second. Her curves were pressing into him, with her soft feminity contrasting his broad strong frame. He squeezed her waist and she let out a high whimper, shifting in his hold. He groaned, dark thoughts growing in him.

"You're mine. You're all mine, Sivaangi."

Ashwin jolted awake gasping for air, his chest heaving. He reached for his water bottle, his mind spinning in circles. What the hell was that dream. Where did that come from.

He turned to see his clock and saw it was 6:00 am, one hour before he had planned to get up. No way he could sleep again after that. He walked to his bathroom, and splashed cold water on his face, staring at his reflection.

This had to be the weirdest way to start a day, especially this particular day. He had meetings all day, then he had to pick up Sivaangi at night to go to the Fujiyama restaurant opening. He didn't want to think about what, how or why that dream occurred. He just had to get those images out of his head immediately. He grabbed his phone and noticed a text from Kavya, a good morning message with a calming mediation exercise video attached. Perfect timing, he thought to himself as he clicked play.

14 hours later:

Binni opened the gate with a huge grin.

"Vanga, vanga eppadi irrukinga Ashwin?"

He smiled politely.

"Nalla irruken aunty, neenga?"

"Romba nallaruken pa, ulla vanga. Coffee, tea ethathu?"

"Paravala na okay thaan."

"Ava innum ready agura, ungulaku theriyum ava eppadi nu."

"No problem aunty, neriya time irruku."