5| Inayaat

🪷 Aankhiyan na roye,

Tae jaage na soye,

Tae taa umr jeete rahein 🪷

"Ranbir?" Harleen called for her husband as she knocked on the door of his study and then opened the door.

It had been six months since they got married in that small Gurudwara in the small village nearby. After being introduced to his family, Harleen and Ranbir got officially married in a big celebration. Her side of the family was also invited who weren't the least bit happy for the couple, but since the Randhawas were such an influential family, they could hardly raise objection on anything that was happening. Harleen was formally introduced to everyone, and it didn't took the couple time to settle into the life of a newly married one.

They have developed a sweet routine of their own. Harleen had gelled well with her in-laws. She bonded a lot with her sister-in-law over books and movies. She was a temple going person so that helped her bond with her parents-in-law as well.

Ranbir continued his work as a businessman and a politician, but there were some changes in his schedule as well. He was firm on getting back home at a reasonable hour so that he can have dinner with his beautiful wife every night. Harleen would prepare dishes, he liked and learned the traditions that went around in the family. Everyone in the Randhawa household were happy about the new addition to their small family. Ranbir's parents often jokingly said that they couldn't have found a better girl than Harleen for Ranbir, even if they would've searched themselves.

The couple had grown a lot closer in the span of six months as well. Harleen had gotten way more comfortable with Ranbir's presence. She had never really been close to any man in her life, so it took her some time to adjust to the proximity that she had started to share with her husband, but the pure relationship between them eased all the tensions she had, and she now trusted Ranbir with herself completely.

"Tumhe knock karne ki koi zarurat nahi, Harleen." Ranbir said as he looked up from the document he was previously reading.

You don't need to knock, Harleen.

She nodded and walked towards his desk and completely ignoring his presence, she stood in front of the big open bookshelf that was present behind him.

Harleen was found of books. She was happily surprised when she found out that Ranbir liked reading as well, and since she did not have a favourite genre, she started borrowing a couple books from Ranbir's study and reading it in her downtime. When he noticed this habit of his wife, he started filling the bookshelf with books of many different genres for her.

He even bought books he wouldn't usually read, but knew that it might peak interest in Harleen. So hence every genre of books were present in the big, open bookshelf. Ranbir had even gone a step ahead and installed another large bookshelf in the left corner of his study, which can be filled by more books for his wife to read in the future.

Harleen kept the book she had just finished back from where she pulled it out a week ago and now was looking for a new book. She was going through the books' name getting more confused by the second. There were so many books that she hadn't read yet but couldn't decide which one should be her next.

As she was busy scanning through the names on the spines of the books, she felt two familiar muscular arms wrap around her waist from behind. She was pulled to her husband's strong chest as she kept her hands around his own.

"Shikan kyu hai tumhare khoobsurat chehra par?" Ranbir asked, drawing invisible patterns around her waist.

Why are your eyebrows furrowed?

"Samajh nahi aa raha konsi kitab padhu." She innocently said with a confused voice.

I can't decide what book do I wanna read next.

"Bas itni si baat. Ye lo." He said as he pulled a book out of the bookshelf and handed it to her.

That's it. Here, take this.

"Aapne padhi hai yeh? Acchi hai?" She asked as she examined the book before placing it on a nearby shelf.

Have you read it? Is it good?

"Haa sohniyo." He replied shortly.

Yes sweetheart.

"Theek hai. To next mai yehi padhungi." She said with excitement.

Okay then. I shall read this one next.

"Mai dekh raha hu, tum aaj kal mujhse zyada in kitaabon par dhyan deti ho." Her husband complained. His mouth was right next to her ears, his heavy breath hit her uncovered neck and a slight shiver ran down her spine.

I've observed that you're giving more attention to these books as compared to me, these days.

"Aisi baat nahi hai." She said in a hush voice. His proximity affects her so much. A quote of blush had covered her milky white cheeks. Ranbir couldn't stop himself from placing a sweet kiss on her neck.

That's not the case.

"Accha? Mujhe to nahi lagta." He said as he turned her around in his arms.

Yeah? I don't think so.

"Aap mere liye sabse zyada ahem hai." She said as she kept a hand on his chest, just above his beating heart.

You're of most importance to me.

"Hayee Harleen. Maar hi dalogi apni iss maasumiyat se mujhe." Ranbir said as he kept a hand on his heart, above hers.

Oh Harleen, you'll kill me someday with this innocence of yours.

"Aisa mat boliye." She said with furrowed eyebrows in an attempt to scold him.

Don't say such things.

"Uff... meri biwi ki saadgi." He said and dipped his head to place a small kiss on her cheek.

Oh... my wife's simplicity.

She kept a hand on his cheek and gave him a smile. Ranbir couldn't control his urge to kiss her and so he did. He cupped the back of her head and met his lips with hers. He tightened the hold on her waist as he felt her hands move to his hair.

He picked her up, not breaking the kiss and placed her on top of his desk. She tilted her head up due to the height difference between them. He had to pull away shortly though cause she was running out of breath. He then attacked her exposed neck with kisses.

He placed butterfly kisses down the length of her slender neck till he reached the base of it. As he traveled further down, the neckline of her kurti was proving to be a hindrance to him. He pulled it down a bit and a sharp intake of breath from his wife was heard.

He sucked on a particular spot on her chest and carefully bit her there. A gasp left her mouth as his teeth penetrated her skin. He continued sucking on the area and now he was for sure gonna leave a mark. After he tortured the spot for a minute, he pulled away and noticed how a hickey had started to form there. He placed a chaste kiss on it and looked up at his wife's face.

She had her eyebrows furrowed.

"Maine mana kiya tha ke koi nishan mat banayega. Ise chupana bada mushkil kaam hai." She said as she lightly touched her now red skin. The dark hue was a sharp contrast against her milky white skin and that was the reason of it being so noticeable.

I've asked you not to leave any marks. It's a difficult task to hide them.

"Mai kya karu biwi sahiba, aap karibe hoti hai to mujhse control nahi hota. Aur ye to bas trailer hai. Ek baar haat lago bas aap aaj raat ko. Aise sau nishan nahi diye to mere naam Ranbir Singh Randhawa nahi." He started his sentence teasingly but ended it on an arrogant note.

What can I do, madam wifey. Whenever you are close to me I just cannot control myself, and this is just the trailer. Wait till I get my hands on you tonight. I'm for sure going to give you at least hundred of such marks.

"Aap bahot besharam hai, Randhawa Sahab." Harleen said as her eyes widened and her previously pink cheeks were now completely red.

You're shameless, Mr. Randhawa.

"Jaisa bhi hu, tumhara hu." He said as he once again dipped his head down to capture her lips in his.

However am I, I'm yours.

.

.

.

"Harleen?" Harleen heard her mother-in-law's voice. She closed her book and descended downstairs. She walked into the living room and her eyes widened slightly at the sight in front of her.

Ranbir was standing there with a bruised arm, cut on his forehead, tattered knuckles and a small cut on his bottom lip from where he was bleeding.

"Ranbir? Ye kya ho gaya?" She asked as she rushed towards her husband.

What happened?

"Tune pehli baar dekha hai isliye chaunk gayi hai. Iska hamesha ka hai. Ladai karke aaya si, haur ki." Her mother-in-law said in a causal voice. She was bothered by her son's bruises but was also used to it by now.

You are surprised because you have seen this for the first time. It's a regular thing for him. He was involved in a fight.

Harleen lightly touched his bruised arm and immediately pulled her hand away before she could hurt him.

"Isse uppar leja aur marham patti karde. Mai haldi wala doodh bhijwati hu." Ranbir's mother instructed Harleen.

Take him upstairs and provide him with first aid. I'll send some turmeric milk for him.

"Jee." Harleen replied as she threw a disappointed look towards her husband.

Yes.

She started walking towards their room with a silent Ranbir following her. She walked straight into the washroom and pulled out a first-aid box from the basin cabinet.

She silently signaled Ranbir to stand in front of her. She grabbed his bruised hand and examined it. Talking a cotton ball, she added some disinfectant onto it. She held his hand and started dabbing the cotton across his bruised knuckles.

"Gussa ho?" He asked but was met with just silence from her side.

Are you angry at me?

"Harleen? Bolo na, gussa ho?" He asked as he grabbed her chin.

Answer me, are you angry?

"Gussa nahi bas nirash hu. Kyu ladai karte hai aap?" She asked as she completed dressing his hand.

I'm not angry, just disappointed. Why do you engage in a fight?

"Are ek baat par behas ho gayi thi. Ab se nahi karunga bas." He said as he offered her a smile.

There was an argument over a small thing. I won't do it from now.

She stood on her top toes to reach his forehead where he had a cut as well. Seeing her struggle, he picked her up by her waist and made her sit on the basin platform.

"Thank you." She said timidly.

"Of course. Ab meri biwi itni choti si hai to mujhe uski madad to karni hi padegina." He deliberately teased her to ease the previous tension between them. He kept both his palms on the platform and caged her in, leaning nearer to her face.

Now if my wife is so small, I'll have to do things to help her.

"Mai choti nahi hu, aap hi bas kuch zyada hi lambe hai." She said with puffed cheeks. She was of average height which is 5'5 but her husband stood tall at 5'11.

I'm not small, it's just that you're just too tall.

Ranbir couldn't help but chuckle at her sentence. He cupped her face and bought her near to capture her lips in a kiss. As soon as their lips met, a sound escaped his mouth. His lip was bruised and it ached on their contact. Harleen pulled away and giggled at that.

"Do din tak no kisses. Apko lagi hai." She said as she applied a soothing balm on his bruised lip.

No kisses for two days. You are injured.

"Kya musibat hai. Ek choti si ladai ki saza itni badi!" He grumbled lowly but due to their proximity, she overhead him.

What the hell. Such a big punishment for such a small fight!

Harleen threw her head back and laughed out loud at this. She lightly kissed her husband's cheek and continued attending to his injuries.

~ x ~

Aren't they the cutest?