Luv (Un)Arranged (Luv Shuv #3)

Chapter 24

24

Song: Chahoon Bhi To

- Karthik, Bombay Jashree

Kriti

A fter getting my hand squeezed at the school gate—what with all the children around—I met up with Meera, who waited for me at the entrance.

“Meera, I’m so nervous. Do I look okay?”

She smiled and led me to the staff room, where all the teachers sat. “You look perfect. Just like always.”

As we stepped inside the room, the hustle and bustle of the early morning school day enveloped me in its chaotic embrace. Teachers moved around getting their things together, a few staff members were busy looking for some books or materials, and some teachers were busy discussing an upcoming event.

It felt loud and chaotic and a little different than I was used to back home, but it was still similar.

It felt like coming home.

My eyes met Meera’s, and an understanding passed between us. She stepped closer with a small smile on her face and said, “It’s a little different from how we used to do things back home, but I know you’ll catch on. Now that you’re here, I’m going to feel like I never left Laxminagar. We’ll be just fine.”

And I felt that. I nodded my head. “We are going to be fine.”

Meera showed me her desk, and I left her to get settled to meet the principal. The school principal, Bhavna Panchal, was an older and experienced teacher. She must be in her seventies, but her gaze was sharp, her demeanor cutthroat, and power exuded from every word she spoke.

“Welcome to Lotus Crest School, Kriti.”

I sat across from her in her cabin. “Thank you, ma’am. I’m excited to be here.”

My heart thrummed with anticipation.

She removed her glasses and placed them on her desk, shuffling some papers around. “We are a very busy school. I don’t know how your days are scheduled in the school where you’re from, so I must warn you. Our methods of teaching the students are highly interactive. We encourage teachers to use creative methods to teach their subjects. The homework checking and grading of the exams are under a strict deadline. We don’t want the parents complaining about something so trivial. Under no circumstances do we permit verbal or physical abuse as a form of punishment. Is that clear, Mrs. Kriti?”

Her eyes were like lasers trying to fry my skin. “Yes, ma’am.”

“Good. I had thought I would start you with us by letting you shadow another teacher for a week. But I had a class teacher resign unexpectedly two weeks ago, so I hope you’re ready to step up. You’re experienced being a class teacher of ninth graders in your previous school, so managing a sixth-grade class shouldn’t be a hardship.”

What!! A class teacher? How? Easier? Sixth graders were the WORST. They were children but didn’t want to be treated that way. It was the grade when they learned the most in their life. The grading got tough. Crushes started developing.

Is it too late to quit? I wanted to ask. “Would this be in addition to teaching English and science to the eighth and ninth graders?”

“Obviously.”

Obviously. I tried very hard not to roll my eyes. “Any special requirements for a class teacher?”

She frowned in thought. “Hmm. They haven’t had a class teacher for two weeks now, so they might be a little unruly. A fair distribution of intelligent and struggling students, good and mischievous students. Try to find the right balance. Feel free to make friends. Be yourself. Students understand that and appreciate it more than you think.”

“Let’s begin, ma’am.”

I returned home from school around three in the afternoon. I had three missed calls from Aakar, one from Ria, one from my mother-in-law, five unread messages, and a pounding headache.

I’d had no time to even hold my phone throughout the day, let alone pick up any calls or messages. Meera and I had taken a taxi back since Aakar and Luke had dropped us off. And with the way my head pounded after the most hectic day of my teaching life, I needed a chai.

A strong ginger chai.

I entered the house quietly, a little afraid of the family’s reaction to my missed calls. I could’ve called back when I left, but I was so exhausted that I just couldn’t. Now I feel like I should’ve at least sent a text.

I removed my sandals in the foyer and went into the living room to find my mother-in-law and the aunties sprawled on the sofa, talking softly with a television serial playing in the background.

At my entry, everyone turned to look at me. My mother-in-law—I seriously needed to start addressing her as Maa in my mind—sat up from where she had lain down.

“Please, uh…Mummy, no need to get up on my account.”

“Oh, don’t worry, beta, we were just talking. I’m not tired. How was your day?”

She moved a little and patted the sofa beside her.

I quickly and unceremoniously dropped myself on the sofa with a sigh. “Very, very tiring. They sort of made me the class teacher of a sixth-grade class.”

She frowned. “And that’s not a good thing?”

Right then, the main door of the house opened, and we heard shuffling of feet and laughter. In the next minute, Abhi and his friend Karan walked into the living room, bags slung over their shoulders. They were both done with college but were taking some classes for future studies.

Abhi’s eyes twinkled in delight. “Oho, the whole ladies’ party is gathered around?”

He quickly came and sat on the arm of the sofa right beside his mom and swung his arm around her shoulders.

Karan put his bag near the coffee table and sat on the floor right near Abhi.

These two seemed to be joined at the hip.

To Abhi, Maa said, “Kriti was just telling us about how the school made her a class teacher. She doesn’t seem to be too happy about it.”

Abhi frowned and turned to me. “Isn’t that a good thing, bhabhi?”

I smiled at him. “It’s a very good thing, responsibility-wise. I’ll be able to prove myself faster and get more work. So maybe grow myself faster. I would get my own class to manage, which is always wonderful. But that means a little more stress in the very beginning. I had hoped I would get some time to get used to living with a new family, new city, new school, and the way things work here. But it’s like being pushed into the deep end of the swimming pool.”

Aakar’s mom—just Mom—nodded along at my explanation. “Don’t you worry at all, beta. We’ll help you any way we can. And I know you can do it.”

She was so nice. And did she really mean it? Would she really understand if I got very busy? If I spent more time working at home too? Time would tell, but I still appreciated her support.

“Thank you, uhm, Mummy.”

She gave me a sweet smile, understanding clear in her eyes at how I struggled to call her Mummy.

Karan got up from where he sat and turned to us. “Anybody want some chai? I’m making some for myself. Auntie? Bhabhi?”

“Yes, please,” I said.

All the aunties also said yes.

“You won’t ask me?” Abhi asked.

Karan rolled his eyes. “You don’t like chai.”

“Doesn’t mean you can’t even offer it to me. Maybe I wanted to try it.”

Karan looked at Abhi’s—also my—mother and rolled his eyes at Abhi’s antics. He then shook his head and looked at Abhi. “Do you want some chai?”

Abhi leaned back against his mom and shook his head. “Nah. I don’t like it.”

Karan jumped on him, but Abhi was fast and moved over the sofa and ran toward the kitchen. Karan was right on his heels as he tried to grab his T-shirt.

Mom shook her head and smiled. “These two have always been like this.”

“They’ve been friends for long?”

At that, Radhika Kaki piped in, “Oh god, they’ve been like two peas in a pod since third grade.”

The aunties and Mom regaled me with stories of Abhi and Karan while we waited for the chai. Hopefully, my headache would go away once I had the chai. Otherwise, dinnertime and all the class planning would be hell.

Abhi brought in the tray full of chai cups, and Karan handed them out to each one of us. This time, both of them sat on the floor at the coffee table. I took the first sip, and bless Karan, he’d made it strong with a good amount of ginger.

Right then, the house phone rang. Since it was right beside me on the side table, I picked it up. “Hello?”

“Why haven’t you picked up any of my calls?” Aakar’s voice was sharp, laced with an edge of underlying panic. Shit, I should’ve called him back.

“Uh…I just got back home, and a lot of stuff happened at school, and I got really busy.”

“I’ve been calling for hours, Kriti. I was almost out the door and going to your school to find you.”

I couldn’t help but giggle at that. “No need to do that. I’m home and safe, and next time, I’ll keep you informed. We’re drinking chai right now, and then we’ll probably cook dinner. I’ll see you then?”

“Oh, you will see me tonight.”

This time, I absolutely did not look up at anyone around me but simply stared at the side table. “Umm hmm.”

“There’s someone around you?” His voice sounded calmer than before, almost playful.

“Yes.”

“Would you like me to tell you everything that I’m going to do to you tonight?”

I quickly cut the call. We did not need to be having this conversation right now.

“Who was it, beta?” Maa asked.

I tried very hard to remove every word that Aakar uttered from my memory and smiled at Mom. “Uh…just Aakar. I had forgotten to call him back, and he got worried.”

Maa shook her head with a smile. “He is like that. Always been the worrier of the family. And he did call before you arrived to ask us if you’d reached home. I completely forgot to remind you to call him back.”

“No worries. We’ll see him tonight,” I said, keeping a calm facade while my heart tried to beat out of my chest.

Aakar

Today was the first time that we’d been separated since getting married. And not knowing where she was had completely messed with my mind. It didn’t help that I’d suddenly remembered that this city, too, was an entirely new place for her. She could’ve been anywhere. Someone could’ve done something to her. And she wasn’t even picking up her phone. I’d gone mad with fury and concern. But mostly concern.

How could she be so careless? Didn’t she know I would be worried sick over her?

I walked into the bedroom later at night to find Kriti wearing her short and ridiculously sexy sleep dress while she was busy working on something at the desk. I’d stayed downstairs in the living room after dinner with Dad, Abhi, and the uncles when Kriti had quietly excused herself to get some work done.

I’d stayed downstairs for as long as I could to let her work. I knew she was swamped with more responsibility than she’d anticipated for her class, but she handled everything like a pro.

She stood bent over a large notebook, writing something down. So as not to disturb her, I asked quietly, “What’re you working on?”

She gasped and looked over her shoulder. “A little warning, Aakar. I’m preparing my class register so I can take attendance properly starting tomorrow.”

I went closer to her just because I could no longer stay away. She watched me walk closer and move behind her. She turned her head back down to the register, but not before I caught the shy smile that crossed her face.

I slowly bent my head and brought my lips closer to her shoulder, not touching her skin. She shivered and slowly arched her neck, subtly asking for my lips on her.

And because the concern, the fury, the frustration was still riding me hard, I tutted. “You’ve been a naughty girl today, wife. You remember what you did, don’t you?”

She moaned, and her fingers tightened around the pen she was holding. “Aakar, please.”

I moved my hand across her waist and pulled her closer to me so her entire back caressed my front. “You want my lips, jaan ?” Jaan means life.

She whimpered and moved her body against mine. “Yes. Oh god, you called me jaan.”

I clutched her hair in my fist and gently pulled it so she looked at me over her shoulder. I really needed her to listen to the next part. “That’s because you are . My jaan . My life . My wife .”

And I bit the exposed part of her shoulder, causing her to moan and arch her back against me. “Naughty girls get punished, wife, not kissed. Isn’t that right, teacher? Do you reward your students when they’ve been naughty?”

She clutched the edge of the desk where we were leaning, her body trying to get closer to mine. Her hips moved in a delicious rhythm against mine, and I’d never been harder in my life.

Arousal had my heart beating so hard I was sure she could hear it against hers. I pushed my cock against her deliciously lush backside, turning the desire into a bone-deep need. “You feel this, baby? See what you do to me?”

“More, Aakar. Please,” she cried out and bit her lip, trying to keep her voice low.

“Shh. You don’t want to make any more noise or mistakes, jaan, do you?”

She quickly shook her head, not uttering a sound.

And oh, what her compliance did to my cock. All my blood had rushed south, and all I wanted to do was get inside my wife and feel her all around me. I needed to know she was here and all mine.

I moved my hand lower from her waist and slowly dragged them to her hip, her soft curves fitting perfectly in my hands. I slowly pulled her dress higher and moved my hand under it to cup her between her legs.

Her hand shot back out to clutch at my sweatpants as she raised herself on her toes, trying to grind on my hand that was cupping her. “Aakar, move your hand. Please, give me something. Your finger. Your cock.”

“Such dirty words, wife. Do you know what I want to hear from these beautiful lips?”

She shook her head as she continued to grind against my hand. Her underwear was soaked, and the smell of her arousal had my cock leaking inside my sweatpants. “Tell me, please.”

“A promise, wife. I want you to promise me that you’ll keep me informed if you’ll be late. You are new to the city, and I won’t be able to handle something happening to you under my watch. You’re mine. And I take care of what’s mine. Do you understand me, wife?”

She whimpered and nodded. “Yes, I understand.”

With my other hand, I pulled her dress up from behind and pushed my sweatpant-clad cock between her cheeks. “Do you promise, jaan?”

Without warning, she spun to face me, then held my face in her hands and looked me straight in the eyes. “I promise to keep you informed if and when I’m running late or going somewhere. But not because I’m under your watch . But because you care. Because I’m yours. Do you understand me, husband?”

And I kissed her like a savage. I crushed my mouth against hers as I grabbed a handful of her ass and lifted her in my arms. She squealed in surprise and clutched my hair, moving her hips against my cock that was ready to bust in my underwear.

She had me so fucking hard I couldn’t even think straight. Especially the way she called me husband.

I dropped her on the bed and laid myself between her legs, grinding against her.

“You make me crazy, baby,” I said, moving my lips against her neck. Just like she’d wanted earlier, I placed my hungry lips on her neck and sucked. Hard enough to leave a few marks.

She latched onto my neck to suppress her moans, and it only turned me on further. My body all but went into overdrive, moving against her, trying to get inside her without having to remove her underwear or my clothes.

Kriti pushed my sweats down to my thighs, freeing my aching cock, and gave it a slight tug. I groaned into her neck and couldn’t help but push myself into her fist. “Fuck, jaan, stop. Otherwise, it’s going to be over way too soon.”

“I don’t care. Just get inside me, Aakar.” She quickly put me right at her entrance and moved her leg around my hip so the tip of my cock slipped inside her.

I clutched her leg and tugged it tighter around me. “Hold on, baby.”

Fuck. Condom.

I quickly pulled out of her, making her whimper. “Shh…baby. We forgot a condom.”

Quickly, I grabbed it from my nightstand drawer and put it on. All the while, Kriti squirmed under me, running her fingers in the hair on my chest, then moving them lower to outline my abs.

I pushed myself inside her in a single stroke. Her back arched off the bed as her nails dug into my back, causing a sharp sting of pain that only added to the heart-stopping pleasure racing down my spine.

Kriti’s eyes closed, and she arched her neck in pleasure. I held her neck and brushed my lips against her. “Open your eyes, jaan. Watch your husband fuck you.”

She bit her lip to stop her moans and opened her eyes. They were dark with lust, her pupils dilated, and tears shone at the corners.

My thrusts turned harder, causing her to whimper in my neck.

“Harder, Aakar,” she managed to utter from between her clenched teeth.

And I obeyed. I held her by the throat, careful not to stop her airflow but just enough for her to know that I was in control right now. With my other hand, I clutched the back of her thigh tightly, leaving a few fingertip marks as I pounded into her.

Her whimpers and moans against my throat only managed to turn me feral.

I was so close to coming, but I needed to see my wife shatter on my cock.

I bent down and sucked her nipples, lightly grazing my teeth around them. She grabbed me at the back of my hair and pulled me deeper, arching her back for more. I sucked deeper as she moved her hips, causing me to go deeper. The pleasure coursed through my body, making my vision blur.

“I’m coming, I’m coming, Aakar.” The bite of her nails digging into my back turned sharper, and I swallowed down her moans as her back arched, her feet dug into my ass, and she squeezed my cock like a vise.

I growled, and my hips jerked in an uncontrollable, punishing rhythm as I followed after her, waves of ecstasy crashing through my body.

I slowed the movement of my hips as we rode our high, and I simply stared at my wife as she came. She took my breath away.

Her sweat-soaked hair, the red bite marks on her breasts and neck, and her disheveled hair had me almost hard again.

I bent down and kissed her softly on the lips as we caught our breath. “Next time, you pick up my call.”

She kissed me on the cheek as she ran her hands down my back and slapped my ass. “Yes, sir.”

I growled into her neck and bit her sharply, making her laugh, which had me ready to go for a second round.

And I showed my wife how I needed her, how I wanted her, how I could not stop obsessing over her again and again.