Vikram woke up to his wife’s soft snores, his arm under his wife’s neck, which was probably sore now, and the other loosely draped around her waist, on her skin, where her shirt had ridden up, while his wife’s hand rested on his chest, his legs locking hers’ in between his.
Vikram brushed a disturbing strand away, blocking his view, his wife’s face. She looked too tempting to leave alone. He looked at the time.
Six fifteen.
Too early to wake up, even on a week day.
He contemplated between letting her sleep and kissing her.
At the end, he decided with kissing her softly.
He pecked her lips softly, a feather light touch.
Keerthi blinked her eyes open, when she felt something on her lips.
Dammit, she woke up. Vikram resolved to kiss Keerthi softer the next day.
“What are you doing?”, Keerthi asked her husband, as she looked at him suspiciously.
Was he seriously kissing her while she was asleep, Keerthi thought , amused.
“Nothing really”, Vikram shrugged,”But I have plans of doing something now though.”
“Oh. Is it?”, Keerthi teased her husband.
“Yes”, Vikram nodded, as he flexed his elbow, placing his head on his hand.
“And what is it that something?”, Keerthi teased.
Vikram was amused at his wife’s behaviour. It was refreshing.
“Do you really want to know Mrs. Rathore?”
“I do, Mr. Rathore”, Keerthi smirked, patting his chest,”But you see, I am busy right now, so your plans will have to wait.”
Saying so, Keerthi jumped from the bed, giving a smug smile to her husband.
Vikram shook his head, flexing his left arm, as he massaged his shoulder.
Keerthi walked out of the washroom, dressed in her denim shirt and black pants.
Vikram enjoyed watching his wife dolling herself up. It was a sight he could get used to watching.
Keerthi felt shy at Vikram’s continuous staring, whom she could see in the mirror’s reflection.
“What?”, She asked, when it was becoming too much for her to handle.
“I didn’t say anything”, Vikram raised his hands, lips twitching.
Keerthi huffed, turning towards the mirror, continuing her daily routine.
It was only when she picked her lip balm that she heard her husband again.
“No point applying it now. You’ll have to reapply it later anyway”, Vikram shrugged.
Keerthi blushed,”And how are you so sure of that?”, She asked, though she followed her husband’s advice and placed the lip balm in her bag.
Vikram raised a brow, walking towards his wife.
Keerthi wiggled when her husband held her from behind, his arms going around her waist.
“Vikram”, Keerthi scolded,”I am already dressed.”
“You think people don’t kiss if they are dressed?”, Vikram looked at her in the mirror.
Keerthi blushed, looking down.
“Where has all your confidence gone now?”, Vikram teased, squeezing Keerthi’s waist, making her jump.
“Vikram”, Keerthi chides.
“Okay fine”, Vikram places a kiss on his wife’s neck, and turns her face to the side, pecking the corner of her mouth.
Keerthi’s face flames when he frees her of his hold, counting from one to ten to get her heartbeat and breaths under control.
**
Keerthi sighs, discreetly checking her husband out who was wearing a Blue shirt, hugging his chest, black pants and a black tie with a blazer hanging around his elbow.
She had such a handsome husband.
Keerthi blushed at her thoughts, mixing Vikram’s coffee as she glanced at him from the kitchen.
Vikram gobbles down his breakfast, sipping on his coffee , as he converses animatedly with his brother and father.
He takes his blazer and laptop in his hand as he walks towards the entrance, as he looks at his wife behind him.
Vikram quickly looks around. His father and brother had already left for work, and his mother was in the garden.
He pulled his wife towards him.
Keerthi places her hands on Vikram’s chest, startled at his move, as she looks around, hoping no one was around.
“Vikram”, Keerthi hisses,”Leave me. What if someo–”
Keerthi gets cut off when a warm pair of lips meet hers. She smiles shyly into the kiss, feeling butterflies in her stomach as their tongues mold into each others. Vikram pulls his wife closer, his hand on her waist, cursing his laptop in the other hand, as he sucks onto the corner of her mouth, his tongue teasing the inside of it.
“Vikram”, Keerthi pulled away, feeling light headed,”We are in the living.”
“Your fault you didn’t let me kiss you in our room”, Vikram grinned.
Keerthi gives him a blank look.
“Just kidding. I would have kissed you either way.”
Keerthi shakes her head, silently following her husband outside.
Vikram stops at Keerthi’s car,”Bye”, he places another kiss on Keerthi’s mouth.
“Bye”, Keerthi says breathlessly.
Keerthi had a stupid smile all the way to her office, remembering the moments with her husband, bringing a blush to her face.
**
“Fine. Book the tickets for tonight”, Vikram snapped at his PA,”I will let you know about the return date later on.”
His impromptu trip to Mumbai scheduled the same night, the client wanting the meeting very the next day.
Vikram couldn’t delay his flight even if he wanted to.
“Sir, there’s only the 6:45 flight available”, his PA said.
Vikram glanced at the time on his phone.
4:09.
“Fine. Book that.”
It would have been easier for him to take his private jet. But curse his luck, his pilot was sick.
He had no choice but travel business class now.
He swore loudly, as he thought about how he didn’t even have time to change and pack a few clothes. It wasn’t an issue though. He could always shop.
Vikram knew why he was being restless. He wanted to see his wife’s face before leaving for a day or three. He sulked at the missed chance of kissing her Bye.
Vikram quickly typed a message to his brother, forwarding the same to his father, mother and wife.
Right now, he didn’t have the time to call. He was already running late. He decided he would call them on the way. He quickly shut his laptop as he booked a Cab, finding it useless and waste of time to call his driver when he was already running late.
**
Keerthi blinked at the message on her phone.
Going to Mumbai tonight. Meeting. Will be back in a day or two.
She reread the message at least five times.
She dialled Vikram’s number, waiting for him to pick the call as it rang. She threw her phone away in irritation when he cut her call.
Vikram was proofreading the presentation when his wife had called, disconnecting it for the time being since he was busy.
Keerthi sulked as she reached home, walking into her room to freshen up.
She went downstairs, quietly having her food.
“Vikram must have reached by now, right?”, Sakshi asked, glancing at the time.
Eight Fifty.
“Yeah. He had called after he landed”, Vinod answered.
Keerthi’s mood took another non sedive. He had called his dad to let him know his whereabouts while he cut her call?
Granted, she could never compare herself to his father. In fact it was wrong to do so.
She herself couldn’t compare Vikram with one of her parents’. Keerthi shunned such thoughts quickly. He had informed his father. It was enough. Period.
But he could have at least left a message, she thought.
Keerthi silently retired to her room, missing Vikram instantly.
She didn’t know she was capable of missing someone apart from her parents.
It felt good.
But bad. She sighed , as she went to change.
Keerthi contemplated calling Vikram, but her ego didn’t allow her to. He had cut her call once already. She glanced at the time.
Eleven twenty.
He must be asleep, Keerthi mumbled to herself, as she closed her eyes.