Shorts: An IPKKND Collection

Nainital Reimagined: Part 2

Arnav

Khushi looked up at him, wide-eyed in fear, as he finished growling at her.

Damn, she looks good enough to eat.

She wore a bridal set in deep pink and orange, her sheer dupatta doing nothing to cover the many inches of perfect skin that showed between the blouse and the skirt. His fingers had yearned to caress that skin all afternoon. Hell, his lips had ached to taste it.

Arnav blinked at Khushi, trying to rein in his desire for her, as his groggy thoughts caught up to him. She was afraid, he realised, and not just of his anger. Wondering why it was so dark, he strode to the wall and flicked the light switches. Nothing happened.

Shit. We lost power ... she's afraid of the dark.

He went back to her, piecing together what must have happened as he slept. She was terrified.

"Khushi, it's okay," he allowed tenderness to seep into his tone, "I'm going to look for candles, okay?"

She nodded, hiccupping back a sob, as he stood and searched every drawer he could find. Finally, he found a single candle in the corner of the one of the cupboards.

And nothing to light it with.

He returned to the couch.

"There's a candle, but I don't have a way to light it. Is there anything else I can do?"

Khushi shook her head.

"Okay," he sighed, "At least ... go into the bedroom and sleep on the bed. I'll sleep out here."

"I can't sleep alone," her voice came, soft and vulnerable, "I haven't slept alone since ..."

All at once, he was back at the gazebo, listening to her tearful confession.

"I'm afraid of the dark. I'm afraid of fast cars. I'm afraid to sleep alone."

"Oh. What can I do then?"

"Will you ... will you stay with me?"

This is dangerous, his mind cautioned.

"Yes, of course," his lips ignored the warning, "but only if you sleep on the bed."

When she nodded, he guided her to the bedroom with a hand on her shoulder, trying to reassure her. Khushi sat on the edge of the bed and took off her earrings before sliding under the blankets, her eyes on him where he sat on a chair in the corner.

"Sleep," he urged her, "I'm right here."