The Daily Grind #2
‘I’m sorry for hurting you, Jai. I’m so sorry,’ I cried.
‘I wish I could undo it. I wish I’d never said yes to her.
I wish I’d been honest from the beginning …
I wish I’d done things differently.’ With each word, the regret etched deeper, carving itself onto my bones.
‘I know my actions didn’t show it, but I’ve always wanted the best for you.
I’ve always been on your side. I swear it. ’
I leaned forward, unlocking my phone and placing it in front of him. ‘Check my phone. Every text I’ve sent her is there. I can testify in court if you’d like. Just … please forgive me.’
His gaze stayed on me, searching, hurting, but softer than ever.
The anger was gone. The edge was gone.
What remained was a soft afterglow. Tired, yet hopeful.
And in that moment, I felt the faintest shift in the air. Forgiveness, fragile but real, mingling with budding warmth.
Footsteps approached, and a server appeared. He set down a bowl of two rasgullas and left.
The café didn’t even have it on the menu. But the half-bashful, half-certain smile on Jai’s face told me he had somehow got them to serve it. ‘To starting over,’ he said.
My vision blurred again. A sob tore through my throat, and I covered my face with my hands as I cried.
The next moment, I was crushed against a hard chest, and two strong arms engulfed me, steady and comforting. ‘We’ll get through this, Ananya,’ he murmured.
I nodded, trying to steady myself. ‘Let’s start over.’
We sat there for a while, slowly eating our rasgullas.
The storm had passed. The silence that followed wasn’t empty; it was shy and tentative. More peaceful than anything I’d experienced in months.
When we finally stepped outside, the sky was bruised pink and black. The streetlights had come on. Jai’s hand brushed against mine as we walked.
A sudden tingle spread at the nape of my neck.
He opened the back door of his car, and I slid in.
As he always did, Jai dropped me off at home. I lived only fifteen minutes away. And after almost two weeks apart, I burned for him in a way I couldn’t control.
So, when Dilip pulled up by my building, I turned to Jai. ‘Do you want to come up? For some chai?’
A small smile curled his lips as he nodded.
As we made our way upstairs, our hands brushed again. Our eyes collided. The air grew thicker with tense energy.
I unlocked the door and pushed it open.
It was too quiet for Rhea to be home. We have the place to ourselves.
I set my bag down.
Jai crossed the threshold, and the door swung shut behind him.
For a moment, we just looked at each other.
The weight of the last two weeks collapsed. The sound of our breathing filled the room, and my heart slammed against my ribs. My eyes dropped to his lips.
The next thing I knew, Jai’s hand grabbed the back of my neck, and his mouth claimed mine.
All thoughts disintegrated. A current pulsed through me, alive and insistent, bringing my body to life. I’d fantasised about this moment over a million times in the last two weeks. I never thought it would actually happen.
In his arms again, I felt a relief that ached softly through me. It felt like coming home.
My hands clutched his shirt, bringing him closer.
I wanted him close. I wanted to crawl under his skin, to erase the distance between us molecule by molecule.
He must’ve had the same idea because his hand slid down the curve of my back and settled on my hip.
His fingers dug into my flesh as he pulled me flush against him.
It felt like I had been set ablaze. Nothing existed except the press of him, my erratic pulse and my hunger for Jai.
His tongue tangled with mine, and a moan escaped my throat. He tasted of rasgullas, desire and something uniquely his.
And I. Was. Addicted.
My skin buzzed. My ache deepened. This wasn’t a kiss; it was everything broken being stitched together. It was the promise of forgiveness. Healing. A new beginning.
‘Fuck, Ananya,’ he rasped. ‘I missed this. I missed you.’
A tremor ran through me. My breath caught halfway. ‘I missed you too.’ My voice was thick with emotion. ‘So much.’
I leaned in and kissed him again, slow and deep. His fingers threaded through my hair.
When we broke apart, our foreheads rested against each other’s, breaths uneven. His thumb traced the corner of my mouth. ‘These few days without you were like a lifetime in hell. You are my joy, Ananya. My whole life,’ he murmured. ‘I love you.’
A delicate shiver slipped down my spine. I was full to the brim with everything I felt for him. Even after all the chaos and the heartbreak, he loved me.
‘Jai,’ I whispered, my voice trembling. ‘I love you too. More than I’ve ever loved anything.’
His mouth was on mine again, deeper, firmer this time. I melted.
Our breaths mingled as Jai caressed my jaw. ‘Please, just … don’t break my heart,’ he said softly.
My eyes burned faintly, and I shook my head. ‘Never. Never again.’
He pressed his lips against mine again. My eyes slid shut.
Finally, everything was alright again.
The kiss deepened, his hand gliding lower, drawing me closer until I could feel the steady beat of his heart, the hardness between his legs. A moan caught in my throat.
Then, he lifted me. I let out a half-squeal, my arms circling his shoulders and legs wrapping around his waist.
Jai carried me to my bedroom. ‘I’ve got you, baby.’