Aren't These Clothes Mine?

Aranya was exhausted!

More than the physical exertion of organising a Diwali party, it was mentally and emotionally tiring to maintain peace and normality in their current family situation!

Living amicably with her husband's ex and her five year old daughter alongwith with inlaws and grand-in laws was not her idea of an ideal family environment.

She was ready to chuck Jasmine to the wolves (to her mom-in-law especially) and be done with her!

Battling her loved ones and her heart daily, was taking a serious toll on her!

She just wanted some peace and quiet. But what she needed most was to crawl in her husband's arms and stay there forever!

But that also was proving to be difficult these days.

Poor guy himself was getting pulled in multiple directions in the name of duty and expectations. Her heart ached for him.

But forget consoling, the two of them hadn’t had a second to even talk to each other properly since Jasmine and her daughter had started living with them.

Amidst all this, their hormones and personal desires had had to take a back seat for the time being!

Her cupboard too was reflecting the turmoil in her personal life. Everything was messed up. And no matter how much she tried, she couldn’t find a single matching pair of pajamas!

She was so tired she was practically falling asleep standing up. Aranya was just contemplating sleeping in as is when she spied Nikhil's favourite sleeping tee and track neatly folded on the bed among the folded laundry.

On impulse she picked it up and brought it close to her.

It smelled of him; a heady mixture of love, laughter, lightness, trust, acceptance, and his own personal scent.

Without a second thought, Aranya took her husband's night clothes and went into the washroom to change.

Just then Nikhil walked into their room.

He was exhausted!

He only wanted to close his eyes and forget the world outside his bedroom door for a few hours.

But what he wanted the most was to relax in the calming and loving presence of his wife. He wanted to absorb her into his being, make her a part of him in such a manner that no one could separate them, ever!

His need for her was no longer just physical but spiritual. Every atom of his being was calling out for her touch!

So what he needed the most right now was to see her and hug her. Every breath without her presence was feeling tortured.

Nikhil was just about to call out to her when the washroom door opened.

And there stood Aranya, surrounded by the steam of the hot shower and the fragrance of the citrus shower gel he particularly preferred.

Her thick long hair were damp and sticking to her nape and curling along her forehead and in front of her ears in wild abandon.

The water droplets were slowly and lovingly drawing a wet trail down her spine, translucening her t-shirt on the way and moulding the soft material to her beautiful body, as if in an effort to seduce him out of his mind.

Her t-shirt..

The breath that had suspended in Nikhil’s throat watching his wife’s appearance, left his lungs in a whoosh, when he noticed the clothes his dear wifey was wearing!

More precisely, his clothes!

Aranya had noticed Nikhil the moment she had stepped out of the washroom. How could she not? He was always on her radar, day or night, 24X7, eating or sleeping. He was that much a part of her!

The look in his eyes and his changed breathing had altered the atmosphere of the room and the temperature of her body in a second.

The tiredness and sleepiness of moments ago had vanished completely, leaving only predatory alertness and molten heat behind!

Her composure was already in tatters when with a sinful smirk on those hot-dreams inspiring lips, a raised eyebrow, and naughty determination, Nikhil decided to saunter close to her.

Even if she had wanted to, Aranya had nowhere to retreat, trapped as she was, within her husband’s gleaming eyes.

Invading her personal space completely, Nikhil braced his arm on the wall above Aranya’s head, trapping her completely between his burning hot body and the cold wall.

He lifted his right hand and gently tucked a damp and errant curl behind her ear.

Aranya could hear her heart thump loudly and wondered if Nikhil could hear it too! Her head was swimming, her eyelids felt heavy, and she was pretty sure she would have to re-learn how to breathe!

The previously gentle hands were now tracing a deliberate path past Aranya’s ear to her damp nape and caressing her collarbone while purposely inching slowly towards her heaving chest.

Aranya’s heartbeat was now so loud and fast she was amazed how the people outside hadn’t heard it yet!

Her husband’s closeness, his touch, and his unblinking concentration on her was turning her insides into liquid fire.

She was trying very hard to maintain a semblance of dignity against this sensory attack when Nikhil lifted his eyelids to stare at her with his dark chocolatey eyes. As if her weakness for all things chocolatey were not enough, there was devilish merriment dancing in its depths.

With marked intent, Nikhil hooked his finger in her t-shirt and pulled her even more close to him, if that was even possible!

Bending his mouth close to her ear he seductively whispered, “Wifey, aren’t these clothes mine?”