9 I Love You

Baragaon- Present Day

"I had decided that day that I would live, for what ever it was worth, I would live," he said passionately, looking at Shivani. "I want to show you something," he stated, holding her hand and walking her to his studio.

Shivani stopped after a few paces. "The house... we haven't locked it," she said, looking back worried.

Mrityunjay walked back up to her and cupped her face with his wide palm. Looking into her eyes and her very soul, he said with all the sincerity he could muster, "My most precious and valuable treasure is right here in front of me. I don't care what happens to the things in that house."

Shivani knew Mrityunjay meant each and every word he had uttered. She felt hot and cold all at the same time and wondered when she had experienced such sensations last. He turned around and holding her hand in a firm grip, led her to the cottage in the woods.

As they entered his studio, Shivani looked all around, her head swimming with feelings she had no words to describe. She saw herself through his eyes and was discovering how beautiful she was. On his canvas and through his paint strokes he had brought every feature in her face alive. There was no corner in that cabin, which did not reflect a beautiful part of her face or herself. Her eyes, her lips , her cheek bones, the small black mark on her upper lip. ‘Was she really this beautiful?’ wondered Shivani.

"What is this place? What have you been doing these past 3 years? How did you survive?" she asked in a barrage of questions.

"I paint, sell my paintings online and make money. Saanvi helps me get the paintings to the courier company. No one sees me, I see nobody," he said flatly.

"I think she's in love with you," declared Shivani, observing him closely.

"She's a fool, to fall in love with a jinxed man like me. My heart is taken, for now and for my next lifetime too," he replied, coming over to her, his gaze intent on her.

Shivani felt her nerve ends tingling at his words. As she turned around, she found him kneeling in front of her. With the weight of all the emotions running through her heart, Shivani looked at the one man who she belonged to. He held her hands, pressing his lips into them, every muscle in his body straining to restrain the tears that threatened to spill.

"I am very sorry Shivani... for every thing - for forcing you to marry me, for treating you the way I did, for falling in love with you, for allowing you to get close to me, for destroying your cheerful life, for assuming that you were gone, for not coming back."

She knew just how hard it was for Mrityunjay to do what he was doing. Usually wary of expressing himself, Mrityunjay was quiet and reserved, which often resulted in people assuming him to be arrogant and egoistic. But the truth was, he was afraid of rejection and his arrogance was just a self defence mechanism.

She pulled him up, shedding his tears from her eyes. He pulled her close, breathing in her scent and feeling her warm body against his hard one. "Please, don't go away, I ..." he beseeched her, his eyes pleading for understanding.

Mrityunjay had never, ever told Shivani the three words that would have confessed his love for her... never. It was just assumed, that he loved her. His actions were more than proof. But never had he used those three words. This was the closest he had come to professing his love for her.

Shivani did not know how she could deal with this. She was not the kind of person who would run away from her responsibilities. And staying back in Baragaon was not an option, when there were so many people in Mumbai whose hopes depended on them. Yet, how could she deny Mrityunjay?

"We have been married for 4 years now and not once have you told me how much you love me," remarked Shivani, looking into his eyes. Only inches separated them from each other now.

Mrityunjay listened to every word she spoke intently. "And if I told you that, do you promise to stay back?" he asked hopefully, in a low, husky voice.

Shivani looked on in anticipation, as the air around them became tense with nervous energy.

Mrityunjay knotted his brows at her silence. "Why don't I show you exactly how I feel about you?" he murmured, as his lips caressed hers casually. Shivani's heart shuddered in her chest, as if it would explode. As his lips traced lines of fire across her face, she went willingly into his embrace.

He caught her close to him, his heart pounding as ferociously as her’s. As her hands came around him in a tight embrace, he deepened his kiss. As the moments melted away, he taught her the true meaning of love. There were no words, but only needs. Shivani shuddered as Mrityunjay unleashed his full passions on her. His need was met by her’s, as two souls united their bodies in a duel of love.