Naina was up early, out of habit. Sameer was still asleep, lying on his back... his one hand was on his stomach... other one sprawled on the side where she laid, quietly feeling the steady rhythm of his heart under her hand on his heart.
Sameer had given her what she could never imagine in her life... the boy she fell in love with at first sight... the boy who caused her pain for two years, and a heartbreak at the end of school... the boy who came back to her life when she had given up hope... the boy who turned her plain, simple life into a whirlwind of love, romance and absolute bliss... the boy who taught her how to express herself... the boy who gave her the confidence to face the world...
The boy who was now her man... her husband.
She raised herself and kissed his jaw, feeling the tickle of his day old stubble. She rested her chin on fisted hand, lying on her stomach... and observed the pattern of the growth... the entire upper lip area was filled with it but under the lower lip, the hair covered just a small patch, leaving the skin around it clear, spreading like a fountain when it reached the chin... she was surprised... somehow, she had always felt that his entire lower face was covered with it... the bottom part of the cheek was slightly darker but more growth was on the jawline... a slim patch curved from the edges of upper lip and joined the dark patch on the chin on both sides...
She tilted her head, wondering how a couple of days of this growth made him even more irresistible...
Leaning, she brought her mouth close to his chin again when he turned his face towards her... and her lips brushed his lips instead...
"Kitni meethi good morning bolti ho yaar tum." His heavy, sleep ridden voice made her heart flip.
"Hmm... tum uthe hue the?" She moved to lift herself.
His arm came around her back, pinning her to the bed, "Itni der se kya dekh rahi thi?" He grasped her waist tight.
She shook her head, "Kuch nahi... bas soch rahi thi tumhe uthaun ya nahi."
"Jhooth... tumhari aankhen bata rahi hain ki tum khoyi hui thi... bolo na... kis cheez pe itna pyaar aa raha tha tumhe subah subah?" His deep voice was doing things to her heart.
She looked into his heavy lidded eyes, leaned and kissed his chin, "Yeh dekh rahi thi."
"Uff, exam se peecha choota toh tumhara dhyaan ab iss pe aa gaya. Jaan, kabhi toh mujh pe bhi dhyan do." He pouted.
She leaned again, giving soft kisses on his forehead, eyes, bridge of the nose, part of cheeks devoid of hair.
"Ab theek hai?" She asked innocently once she was done.
"Ab toh kuch bhi theek nahi hai." He whispered hoarsely, pulling her down to get a taste of her lips.
The doorbell interrupted his plans.
"Lagta hai kaam wali bai aa gayi... hato, main dekhti hun... nahi toh bua dadi ko uthna padega." She slipped out of his hold, tying her hair in a bun.
Sameer turned and buried his head in the pillow, muttering to himself, "Sab pyaar ke dushman hain."
Naina prepared tea for everyone, taking it to Phulla bua's room. She placed one cup for Sameer in a tray and took it to their room.
"Sameer, tum chai pi lo tab tak main naha leti hun... breakfast ke baad humein jaana hai na Rahul ke ghar." She placed the tray on the side table and turned to get her clothes.
"Naina, suno na... tum bhi baitho na thodi der paas mein." He held her hand.
"Arre baba, tumhare paas hi toh thi itni der se... ab jaane do... bua dadi aa jayengi toh fir se chedengi." She pulled at her hand.
