Beneath The Storm (Completed)

Chapter-37:Heartstrings & Pawprints

Inaara stepped out of the bathroom, her presence bringing with it the soft scent of jasmine and sandalwood.

Water droplets glistened on her skin, and her hair, dark and glossy, cascaded in thick waves down her back, reaching just below her hips.

She was wearing a simple baby pink suit, yet she looked as radiant as a freshly bloomed flower.

Atharv, seated on the bed with his iPad in hand, paused, feeling the air change around him.

The scent hit him first- a soft, delicate sweetness that pulled his attention away from his screen.

He looked up, his gaze fixed on Inaara.

She was at the dresser, gently parting her damp hair, preparing to apply sindoor.

Atharv's heart gave an unfamiliar lurch. She looked ethereal, like something out of a dream.

His eyes lingered on her long, wet hair- he had always been fascinated by it.

A secret desire he'd never dared act upon, restrained by the rigid boundaries he'd set for himself.

His mind reminded him of the rule he had imposed: this marriage was supposed to mean nothing to him.

Yet, in this moment, the distance he insisted on keeping felt like a chain around his own heart.

An impulsive idea sparked within him.

"Inaara," he called out suddenly, his voice more steady than he felt inside,

"There's something in your hair."

Inaara turned around, a hint of confusion on her face.

"Something in my hair? Where?"

He rose from the bed, his feet moving of their own accord.

"Let me check," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

She stood still as he closed the distance between them, her eyes searching his for a moment, trying to read his intent.

Atharv moved behind her, his breath quickening.

His hand reached out hesitantly, his fingers trembling as they brushed against the silkiness of her hair.

He leaned in ever so slightly, letting the intoxicating scent of jasmine envelop him.

"Jasmine," he murmured, almost to himself, as if the word itself held some kind of enchantment.

His hand trailed slowly from the top of her head to the very ends of her hair, his touch lingering, savoring the sensation.

He could feel the cool dampness against his skin, the softness wrapping around his fingers.

For a moment, the world seemed to narrow down to just this- the feel of her hair, the scent of her, the closeness that sent his heart racing in a way he could barely comprehend.

Inaara stood there, motionless, caught between confusion and something deeper, something unspoken that simmered in the silence.