I'll Love You Longer Than Forever

Chapter Twenty One

The next morning, Riddhima woke up surrounded by warmth.

Armaan's arms were wrapped snuggly around her, his face buried in her neck and their legs tangled together. Her own arms were around his waist and her head was resting on his chest, listening to the steady beating of his heart.

She smiled and snuggled closer. The movement caused Armaan to stir, his arms tightening around her as if he was afraid that she would go away.

Riddhima shook her head at that thought. As she was capable of staying away from him, she snorted at the thought.

She lay like that for a long time, enjoying their closeness and basking in his warmth and love.

Armaan opened his eyes to the most beautiful thing in his world. He was sleeping with his arms around Riddhima, the two of them pressing into each other. She was already awake and looking up at him with so much warmth and love and... in a way only she looked at him, the look that made him feel like the luckiest man on earth.

"Good morning," he whispered, afraid that the noise would ruin the moment.

"Good morning," she whispered back.

He smiled and leaned in to kiss her. She pressed her lips to his and their lips moved together in the softest brushes.

"I love you," she whispered, when they let go.

"I love you, too," he replied.

"Ab kaisa lag raha hai?" he asked her sometime later, the two of them still wrapped up together.

"Armaan, choti si chot hai, main theek hu," she replied.

"Koi choti chot nahi hai. Hospital mein ho na tum?" he asked rhetorically.

"Armaan, Dr. Kirti ne kal kaha tha, sirf precaution ke liye mujhe observation mein rakha hai. Main bilkul theek hu," she replied.

Armaan nodded petulantly.

"Tum itni fikr mat kiya karo. Har baat mein tum itni tension le lete ho. Agar aisa hi karoge na, toh yeh saare baal bohot jaldi safed ho jaayenge," she told him, trying to make a joke.

"Riddhima, har baat mein mazaak karna zaruri nahi hai," he told her, his voice taut.

"Armaan? Kya hua? Tum aise kyu keh rahe ho? Main toh sirf tumhe..." she trailed off, not knowing what to say.

Armaan shook his head remorsefully at the pleading tone in her voice.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, burying his face in her neck.

"It's okay. Batao mujhe, kya hua?"

He shook his head slightly, indicating that he didn't want to talk about it.

"Armaan, kya hua? Mujhe nahi bataoge?"

"Kuch nahi hua hai, Jaan. Tum bas aise choti baat lekar baith gayi ho."

"Armaan, agar nahi bataana chaahte toh theek hai. Kamse kam aise jhooth toh mat bolo."

"Main jhooth nahi bol raha, Basket. Bas thoda thak gaya hu, isliye..."