Promises to Forever

Chapter 8

“Experts on romance say for a happy marriage there has to be more than a passionate love. For a lasting union, they insist, there must be a genuine liking for each other. Which, in my book, is a good definition for friendship.” – Marilyn Monroe

Marriage is full of many ups and downs, adventures, and incredible memories with the person you love. Every couple that’s been married for a significant amount of time is always asked the same question: What’s the secret to a happy marriage? There’s the traditional advice like “never go to bed angry,” and the classic reminder that marriage requires compromise. But in order to live happily ever after, your marriage must be a happy one, filled with the kind of deep passion and radical acceptance that cultivates a blissful bond between two people.

It was the first day, to be more precise, the first night of Manik and Nandini’s honeymoon. So, Nandini thought of taking her revenge after Manik teased the hell out of her when she was talking to their families. According to her plan, she managed to trick Manik and tied his hands. Now she was waiting to accomplish her plan successfully even though she knows when it's Manik Malhotra in front of you, you can't win easily. He has the power to turn the game to his side any moment.

She needed to be careful.....

Manik was losing his sanity as he felt her soft touches on him. His senses were betraying him as only Nandini started running through his veins and she was occupying all his senses. He clutched his hands in a fist on his back and clenched his jaw tightly to hold back the urge in him of just throwing Nandini on the bed and making love to her till the time both of them aren’t drained out. But he knew today there’s a long way to go.

Nandini could see the changes in his expression and she knew what exactly must be roaming in his mind. Because it’s not every day when Manik Malhotra reaches the verge of losing his sanity. She mentally patted her back for achieving that. 

He failed to control himself any longer and he badly wanted to hold her. “Nandini, it’s enough. Please open my hands now.” His eyes were pleading, which was melting Nandini. It was getting difficult for her too to stop herself from going close to him completely. His eyes were hypnotizing her and she was already giving in.

“What will you do, if I untie your hand?” Nandini asked in a trance. Her eyes were locked with his. She was still standing that close to Manik that she could feel his warm breaths were tickling her senses and she was happily giving in to him.

Manik bent a little down and traced his dry lips from her ear to her neck and placed a wet kiss there. Now Nandini clutched the collar of his shirt more tightly in her grip that she feared it might tear and her eyes went shut automatically. “Tell me what do you want me to do?” He whispered in a witty tone and nuzzled his nose there in her neck.

“Manik….” This time it was Nandini who moaned just feeling the proximity between them even though he couldn’t hold her. 

This is the effect Manik Malhotra has on Nandini Manik Malhotra.

Nandini’s eyes were closed like Manik’s. He was rubbing his stubble filled cheeks with her soft ones making her feel ticklish. She was loving the tickling sensation which was running through her consciousness.

“Tell me, Nandini. I am waiting for your answer.” Manik again asked in the same husky tone. He was placing feather like kisses all over her neck. Nandini’s breath was going heavy.

Nandini opened her eyes with a jerk as she came back to her senses. She was about to move back but before that only Manik fused their lips together for a soul searing kiss. He was sucking her lower lips. Nandini took a second to realize what was happening. Later she too started responding in the same way. The kiss was filled with intensity.

“Ummmm……” Nandini moaned as Manik tried to deepen the kiss. Her hands went around his neck pulling him close to her.

They lost the count of time for how long they both were kissing. None of them were ready to pull apart.

But……

They broke the kiss when they felt they couldn’t breathe anymore and Nandini took a step backwards creating a little negligible gap between her and Manik. Both of them were breathing heavily due to the long passionate kiss, they just shared. Manik was the first one to get back to his senses. He calmed his breath but Nandini was still panting hard and fighting to get her normal breaths back.

Manik was staring at her red face. Not only her cheeks, he could see her ears too have turned red which was clearly saying how much shy she was feeling. He let her take her own time and he kept on staring at her face. ‘I can watch her like this for my entire life. Her site can never bore me, in other words her serene site gives me some unsaid peace. How can someone look so cute and hot at the same time? Maybe because when a cute girl tries to look hot, she looks cuter. Maybe.’ He was thinking in mind , still having his eyes on his wife.

Nandini opened her eyes when she felt she could breathe normally. But all the while, she could sense the continuous lascivious gaze on her and she didn’t need to open her eyes to know who is the owner of those looks. She could feel those gaze even standing in the middle of thousands of people. Because it’s different. Those looks are different from all the looks which have been on me for my entire life. They made her feel safe and protected, also gives her the peach which she always wanted.

As she slowly opened her eyes, her eyes met with Manik’s love filled eyes. She bit her lower lip trying to suppress her blush in which she was failing terribly. She didn’t want to end it so soon but her subconscious wasn’t helping much. She was losing it already in front of him.

Manik watched her every expression with utter concentration as if they were the only thing that existed on the Earth. Her blushing face was already making him crazy but when she bit her lower lip, it was like the last pin in the coffin. He couldn’t hold himself back anymore. He almost shouted. “Stop.” He stood straight.

Nandini looked at him being surprised not getting what he was trying to say. His sudden scream made her startled a bit. She frowned. “What?”

“Don’t do this.” He sounded serious even though Nandini failed to get his words. Manik understood that seeing her face. He let out a deep sigh. “Just don’t bite your lips, Nandini. It’s my work.” Manik whispered looking into her eyes directly and then moved his gaze to her lips. His voice held so much intensity that Nandini felt she would faint there any moment. His voice had that kind of audacity.

Nandini started blushing once again hearing her husband. She managed to let the reddish shade fade away from his cheeks with a lot of difficulty. But how can she forget that the person in front of her had so much control over her that he could make her blush anytime with his mere gaze and she could do nothing to stop him. She never had any control over his effects on her nor she wants to have. 

“Shh….” Nandini placed a finger on her lips after gathering herself back. “Don’t say anything more, Manik.” She took a deep breath. “Now only you will hear.”

Manik raised one eyebrow in amusement. “Really?” He asked.

Nandini nodded her head cutely which almost made him chuckle. 

In between, Manik was trying to open his hands from behind and he managed to make the knot a little loose. Now he was waiting for it to open completely.

Nandini passed Manik a flirty smile and again took a step near Manik. She placed her one hand over his cheek and caressed it softly. Manik pecked on her palm as it went near his lips. Nandini shivered, feeling his touch. Manik felt that too and a bright smile covered his face. 

“You know you look hotter with this beard?” Nandini said as she moved her face near his and rubbed them together. She moved back and again looked at his face whose eyes were already on her. “Never shave them completely. I love them on you.” Her voice was filled with huskiness. 

Manik was surprised with her bold move. Because it’s the first time she has been so vocal about her liking for his appearance. She never told him anything like this before, not that he didn’t like it. He actually loved it. He always loves it when she shows her rights to him.

Her hands were cupping his face. She was caressing the place slowly. Manik was loving the feeling.

“So, you are accepting that you find me hot?” Manik asked naughtily, raising his eyebrows.

Nandini blushed in response.

Manik couldn’t help chuckling seeing her face. He didn’t want to make her feel embarrassed, so he changed the topic. “Do you remember what I had said in the forest when we had gone there for camp? I have told you what you have to do to make me do anything.” Manik asked smilingly.

Nandini nodded her head with a smile to die for covering her face. “I have to smile for you.”

Manik nodded. “You have to just give me your precious smile and I am all yours.” He said with the same smile.

"You are the only reason of my every smile, hero. No one has ever made me feel the way you do to me." Nandini gave him his favorite smile and Manik could feel his heart was already melting. “Never trim your stubble completely, hero. I love them.”

Manik nodded his head without any objection. “As you say, princess. I am not trimming them completely ever again.” He didn’t have to think twice over it. He can also die for her one smile and here she is asking for such a small thing.

Nandini’s smile grew wider. She could feel her cheeks hurting. She didn’t wait any longer and directly jumped over him, taking him in a hug. It took Manik a little off guard as he stumbled a little with the sudden force but he somehow balanced himself. It was definitely difficult for him as his hands were still tied and he was not able to hold her. On top of that, her touches weren’t helping at all. He was losing his senses bit by bit with her mere closeness. 

“If you keep standing like this, then I can't assure you of the consequences, Nandini. Don’t make it difficult for both of us.” Manik whispered in her ear as her face was hidden in his neck.

Nandini's lips curved into a smile on his neck. Manik couldn’t see it but he could definitely feel it. “Let’s see.” She uttered huskily and bit his earlobe standing on her toe.

“Nandini…..” Manik groaned her name once again and she enjoyed it.

Nandini started placing soft wet kisses all over his neck. She opened the buttons of his shirt still kissing his neck. First two buttons of his shirt were already open making it easier for her. She managed to open all the buttons. Then she moved to his abs.

At first, she traced them with her finger. “Nandini…” Manik’s eyes were closed. “Stop, please.” He pleaded.

But Nandini continued her job. Soon her fingers were replaced by her lips.

Suddenly………

“You know it’s never fifty-fifty in a marriage. It’s always seventy-thirty, or sixty-forty. Someone falls in love first. Someone puts someone else up on a pedestal. Someone works very hard to keep things rolling smoothly; someone else sails along for the ride.” —Jodi Picoult

I hope you all enjoyed the part. Do comment your favorite scene. Next chapter after 10+ votes.

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