Head over Heels ☑️

Chapter 24 - Khushi

🎶 O My Friend - Happy Days

"Hnng..."

Khushi squirmed, frowning against the brightness filtering through her eyelids. She snuggled into the covers, wondering why the sheets felt so cool against her body. She ran a hand down her thigh and was surprised it met bare skin and not her salwar [loose-fitting trousers].

"Good morning," said a quiet voice full of amusement.

"Oh!" Khushi sat up and the covers slid down her bare form. She yelped and pulled them up to her chest, her eyes seeking him and found Arnav-ji by a coffee table. He smiled at her, pausing his fingers on the keyboard of his laptop.

"G'monning," she mumbled incoherently before clearing her throat. "Good morning, Arnav-ji."

Determined to escape the embarrassment, Khushi swung her legs off the bed and tried to stand—only to collapse ungracefully back onto the mattress.

Her thighs refused to cooperate, trembling from soreness she hadn't noticed until now.

Arnav-ji was by her side in an instant. "Khushi, are you okay?"

She exhaled sharply, the blush blooming across her face. "Yes," she managed, biting her lip as she shifted uncomfortably. Her muscles were sore, pulled in ways she had never experienced before.

"Bath," he said simply.

Before she could protest, Arnav-ji wound the sheets securely around her and scooped her effortlessly into his arms. Startled, she freed her hands and clasped them around his neck. Unable to resist, she leaned up and kissed him softly on the cheek. He grinned at her—a wide smile that stole her breath away.

"Oh, when did you prepare this? I could've just taken a shower," Khushi asked in surprise as he carried her into the bathroom. The square bathtub waited, filled to the brim with foamy bubbles of all sizes, the faint scent of lavender and eucalyptus hanging in the air.

"It's a salt bath. Trust me—it'll help," he said, setting her gently on the edge of the tub.

"The sheets!" she gasped, horrified.

He chuckled. "Don't worry about it. Just let me know if you need anything."

Her blush deepened. "Oh...okay," she murmured, hesitating. She stared up at him, chewing her bottom lip.

Arnav-ji arched his brow, his gaze darkening. "What? You want me to join you?"

"N-no!" she stammered, blushing furiously. "I mean...it's a pretty big tub."

"It wouldn't be prudent...if I did. You need rest."

Khushi nodded, her cheeks still flushed, as he pressed a tender kiss to her forehead and quietly exited the bathroom.

The moment he was gone, she let the sheets fall and eased herself into the warm water with a small groan. He had been right—the bath was blissful. The soothing warmth spread through her sore muscles, easing away the aches.

A giggle escaped her as she covered her face with soapy hands, her mind drifting back to the events of last night. She had been so fearful, so hesitant...and yet, it had been nothing like she imagined.

Her thoughts strayed to her sister for a fleeting moment. Maybe she could—No. This was hers alone. Some things, she realized, were too private to share, even with Ji-ji.

***

Khushi nervously shuffled her weight from one foot to the other. The life jacket encasing her upper body wasn't particularly tight, but she still clung to it as though her very survival depended on its snug fit. What they were about to do made her grip it all the more.