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Authors: Leena Varghese
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longer than her arms. She seemed to have a wardrobe full of clothes larger than her size.
Shutting the laptop he began to turn away, when she moved and would have fallen off the couch if he hadn’t lunged forward to hold her. She curled up into a ball and shivered, cuddling into the sofa with his arm still under her.
This was a stupid idea, Armaan thought with a scowl.“Zara!” He tried to shake her awake but she was sound asleep, though she seemed to be digging into the sofa. He touched her forehead and realized that she was running a mild fever.
“Zara!” he called more firmly but to no avail. She must be cold, he thought, suddenly concerned at the way she trembled. He removed his arm gently from under her and switched off the AC. When he returned, she was still sleeping soundly. There was no other way but to pick her up and lay her on the bed.
Armaan hesitated and then picked her up in his arms. She was incredibly soft! Her hair trailed around them and her arm fell away. For moments, he stood rooted with her in his arms without a clue as to what had hit him. Gritting his teeth at his own folly, he walked with her cushioned against his chest and laid her on the bed. She was still fast asleep, hardly moving, when he covered her with the sheet. With a little sigh, her lips parted. Armaan was mesmerized. He leaned over her with his elbows on either side of her shoulders. She looked so … sweet when she slept. Gone was the steely look. Nor was there any anger that could mar those symmetrical features in disharmony.
Her lips were full and inviting and he felt the pull. Tentatively he raised a finger to her bottom lip and traced a moist line on its plump softness. He bent slowly, his eyes only on her parted lips, giving in to heady temptation at last. He was only a hungry breath away from her mouth when Zara stirred. He drew back immediately, furious with himself. What was wrong with him?
Zara felt a warm weight on her thigh and hip. Herthroat was parched and she opened her eyes to see Armaan leaning over her with a startling look. His face was drawn into a harsh mask of disapproval. She struggled up into a sitting position.
“You …” she said in a sleepy voice.
“Do you make it a habit to sleep anywhere that takes your fancy? You almost fell off the sofa and I had to carry you here.”
“How kind …” she croaked, in a dry whisper, wishing she could sound stern.
“Are you unwell? You have a fever.”
“Yeah … well … actually I have a headache.”
“You should take some medication, before you spread it to others!”
“It is just a headache and not some incurable, contagious disease!”
Armaan handed her an analgesic for the fever with a glass of water which she took from his hand as if he were offering her hemlock. She drank the water thirstily and turned away pummeling the pillows with her fists before sinking into them. The lights were switched off. In the darkness, she heard the rustling of the bedcovers and then silence prevailed. Zara felt herself tremble when she felt his broad back against hers. Why was he sleeping so close? She realized it was her fault as she was sleeping right in the middle of the bed. She shivered again at the thought of being in his arms. Oh why hadn’t she been awake! It was mortifying to be in need of any help from him.
On second thoughts, she would have probably yelled at him if she had woken up while she was being carried.She sighed, acutely aware of his solid back against hers. It was comfortingly toasty near him. She was chilled in spite of the hot weather and decided not to move away as that would only make it conspicuous. He did not seem too bothered by her closeness. Perhaps he was asleep already. She fell asleep strangely contented.
Unable to move away, Armaan suffered a sudden, burning desire to turn around and take her into his arms. The thought of how she had curled into his arms when he had held her remained etched on his mind. He had almost kissed
Shutting the laptop he began to turn away, when she moved and would have fallen off the couch if he hadn’t lunged forward to hold her. She curled up into a ball and shivered, cuddling into the sofa with his arm still under her.
This was a stupid idea, Armaan thought with a scowl.“Zara!” He tried to shake her awake but she was sound asleep, though she seemed to be digging into the sofa. He touched her forehead and realized that she was running a mild fever.
“Zara!” he called more firmly but to no avail. She must be cold, he thought, suddenly concerned at the way she trembled. He removed his arm gently from under her and switched off the AC. When he returned, she was still sleeping soundly. There was no other way but to pick her up and lay her on the bed.
Armaan hesitated and then picked her up in his arms. She was incredibly soft! Her hair trailed around them and her arm fell away. For moments, he stood rooted with her in his arms without a clue as to what had hit him. Gritting his teeth at his own folly, he walked with her cushioned against his chest and laid her on the bed. She was still fast asleep, hardly moving, when he covered her with the sheet. With a little sigh, her lips parted. Armaan was mesmerized. He leaned over her with his elbows on either side of her shoulders. She looked so … sweet when she slept. Gone was the steely look. Nor was there any anger that could mar those symmetrical features in disharmony.
Her lips were full and inviting and he felt the pull. Tentatively he raised a finger to her bottom lip and traced a moist line on its plump softness. He bent slowly, his eyes only on her parted lips, giving in to heady temptation at last. He was only a hungry breath away from her mouth when Zara stirred. He drew back immediately, furious with himself. What was wrong with him?
Zara felt a warm weight on her thigh and hip. Herthroat was parched and she opened her eyes to see Armaan leaning over her with a startling look. His face was drawn into a harsh mask of disapproval. She struggled up into a sitting position.
“You …” she said in a sleepy voice.
“Do you make it a habit to sleep anywhere that takes your fancy? You almost fell off the sofa and I had to carry you here.”
“How kind …” she croaked, in a dry whisper, wishing she could sound stern.
“Are you unwell? You have a fever.”
“Yeah … well … actually I have a headache.”
“You should take some medication, before you spread it to others!”
“It is just a headache and not some incurable, contagious disease!”
Armaan handed her an analgesic for the fever with a glass of water which she took from his hand as if he were offering her hemlock. She drank the water thirstily and turned away pummeling the pillows with her fists before sinking into them. The lights were switched off. In the darkness, she heard the rustling of the bedcovers and then silence prevailed. Zara felt herself tremble when she felt his broad back against hers. Why was he sleeping so close? She realized it was her fault as she was sleeping right in the middle of the bed. She shivered again at the thought of being in his arms. Oh why hadn’t she been awake! It was mortifying to be in need of any help from him.
On second thoughts, she would have probably yelled at him if she had woken up while she was being carried.She sighed, acutely aware of his solid back against hers. It was comfortingly toasty near him. She was chilled in spite of the hot weather and decided not to move away as that would only make it conspicuous. He did not seem too bothered by her closeness. Perhaps he was asleep already. She fell asleep strangely contented.
Unable to move away, Armaan suffered a sudden, burning desire to turn around and take her into his arms. The thought of how she had curled into his arms when he had held her remained etched on his mind. He had almost kissed
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