She got out of bed and headed towards the only door in the room which turned out to be a bathroom.
She felt relieved when she saw the mirror lining a quarter of one wall with an assortment of bottles arranged neatly on the lavishly decorated wall cabinet next to it. Or is the cabinet built into the wall? She can't even tell. She has never seen such grandeur in a simple bathroom before. But before her curiosity got the best of her, she decided to be grateful that it's there. She couldnt help but lament the fact that it looks a thousand times better than the bedroom. What do you even call a man who favors his bathroom to his own bedroom?
"Have you ever been to the Sultanate?" she heard him ask. It was loud enough for her to hear him from the toilet. But calm enough to maintain his air of dignity. Aairah pouted. Even his shout is graceful, she complained to herself.
She removed the alkyabba and let her eyes roam over the sorry excuse for a nightgown. Aairah never liked sexy things. So it goes without saying that she prefers warm cotton two piece nightwear with polka dots or multicolored stripes. It feels more like sleeping wear. She would prefer plain colored baggy clothes otherwise.
But this one is made from the sheerest fabric she has ever come across. In fact, it didn't give the illusion of modesty. At all. Her breasts look scandalized by her advertisement of them. Her hips looks to be standing stiffly behind the sorry coat of the nightwear, as if having their personal pity party. O! Ni ya su! Am I supposed to let him see me like this?
Aairah did not relish anyone seeing her nudity. She is afraid that she didn't have what it takes to deliver anyway. But the thought of herself in another wave of scandal, bringing her future children into it, she didn't relish the thought. It doesn't bear thinking about.
It was way better if she braved a few minutes of torturous activity. It will be far better than a lifetime of regret.
She thinks she heard him say something else but could not remember hearing what. He did ask her about the Sultanate. Who even wants to go there? She wondered why he asked in the first place.
Aairah has already decided the nightgown is scandalous enough. So she steeled her heart to go out in it.
Aairah remembered the walk her friend is referring to. She closed her eyes and let herself walk slowly in a languid manner that she hopes looks fatal in a good and not bad way. It makes her feel like a clown.
When she reentered the room, all she is hearing is the ringing in her ears and the drumming of her heart against her poor ribcage. She focused all her attention into trying to push the nervous energy away.
"Sultan Yunus Taha..." He raised himself from his lying position on the mattress. His legs dangled from the side of the bed and half of his body was previously lying down. If he knew what he would be seeing, he wouldn't have sat down. For the first time in his life, he felt his brain cells freeze. It has entered a dangerous territory called 'delete all'
He forgot what he was about to say. His eyes roamed her body against his wishes. She is so abominably beautiful. If he had a fantasy wife, she would look just like her..
Heat rose around him, consuming him. His thoughts conjured all the days of yearning and fearing and wanting, desiring and aching..
He wanted so badly to give her what she wanted. Her dignity. But he couldn't do it, right? He couldn't give into lust. It is love he needed when he wanted her as his own. How can he settle for less, so early in the marriage?
He tried to picture something unpleasant. But he couldn't. She has his nerves into a tight knot. She fried his brain signals and turned his mind into a blank mask. If he moved, he knew he has lost.
So he stayed rooted, fighting the attraction and failing miserably.
The damn girl didn't seem to realize her effect on him. She went to the only chest of drawers in the room and hopped on it. She placed one slender leg over the other and sat in a provocative manner. Her chest is out, her head tilted to the right to show her elegant slender neck. Her hair fell like a waterfall on her right shoulder. It is full and dark and long. And he has never known there could be hair so shiny except it was being advertised on a shampoo product..
"Suppose I am in love with you" she sounded thoughtful, tapping her finger on her chin.
If he wasn't so far gone in his haze of lust, he would've noted the catch in her voice, the faint sound and tone exposing her fear and nerves. But he didn't. Her voice seemed like the most beautiful melody ever created. It sounded normal to him. Perfectly, undeniably sexy...
"Would you have preferred I kiss you or.." She looked up at him, lowering her lashes sluggishly until her eyes seem like a piece of nature itself that stole his breath away.
"Or would you prefer I h-hug you or.." She let out a sigh. "Or touch you?" She asked more softly now that she didbt like the way her voice stuttered.
When he didn't reply. She said "marriage is so hard wallah"
"It's bad enough I k-know nothing. But to think I'll have to resort t-to watching blue films to jolt the primitive instinct sound cruel. But I guess I'll have to.."
The word 'blue film' seem to register in one part of his brain.
"...read erotic novels to get the full picture since my own groom cannot lecture me" she sighed. She was so afraid to look at him. If this damnable attraction feels more than she can bear, she would collapse from strain.
"Erotic...?" He whispered in a confused voice she did not know he possessed. And that was when she caught the breathless quality of his voice, the husky edge, Aairah wanted to shout in relief. At least he isn't indifferent to her.
Since he won't talk, she decided to take matters into her own hand. She jumped from the chest, her bosom jingled in the process and producing a much undesirable tightness in a certain person, on a certain area. But it still wasn't enough to make him cross that invisible red line he had drawn before she was brought into his chambers.
He didn't know when she arrived in front of him. But she was there in an instant, overwhelming his senses. He was powerless to react. She has besieged his very soul and conquered him.
Aairah raised on her tiptoes and placed a kiss, not on his lips, but around the upper area of his collarbone. He positively vibrated from the touch. And that, at least, snapped his defenses.
Aairah won.
She was thinking about her ridiculous attempt at flirting and cursing herself for being so stupid. I should've been more honest in my behavior. I should've been able to quell the nervousness. I should've...
Her lips felt something warm. The scent of his cologne wafted into her nostrils, straight into her brain cell. How odd. But she felt lightheaded. She felt his lips graze hers in a manner that sent excited messages throughout her body. But he didn't try to invade her mouth with a deeper kiss. He sucked on the smooth contours of her lips just once. She wished she could summon the strength to kiss him back. She wished she could wrap her arms around him and kiss him senseless. She wanted to dare him to hold unto the belief that she wasn't good enough. Alas! Her body grew weak and she cannot strain her nerves any longer.
The last thing she remembered is how nice it felt to have his warmth like a cocoon wrapping all around her with a dreamlike ease. And her last thought was that..
What rotten luck!