With each passing moment, the intensity heightened, making breathing a conscious effort in the midst of the intoxicating kiss and the gentle rain.
Ibrahim's hands, fueled by desire, ventured beneath Ava's shirt, untucking it from the confines of her jeans. The touch was tender yet determined. The sensation of fabric parting from skin and the gentle caress of raindrops created an electrifying contrast in her.
He slid her shirt slightly higher and a soft breeze swept across the rooftop. The breeze added an ethereal quality to the moment. His touch traced patterns on Ava's waist.
His hands, now on her bare waist underneath the fabric, introduced Ava to a realm of sensation she hadn't experienced before. It was like he was making an invisible masterpiece artwork there. The kiss, the caressing, it all became a kaleidoscope of emotions—too new to fully accept, yet undeniably beautiful to feel.
Ibrahim bended Ava's upper body over the railing without disrupting the rhythm of the kiss. Now her body arched backward over the railing and suspended in the air. Raindrops now seemed to strike Ava more intensely in this position.
Ibrahim, acutely aware of the risk, tightly gripped her to prevent any chance of her falling. And if not for Ibrahim's firm hold, she might have slipped from the roof. As fear tiptoed into her consciousness, Ava tightened her grip on Ibrahim's shoulder. Her body trembled in response to the juxtaposition of danger and desire. Her nails inadvertently pierced through his clothes into Ibrahim's skin, a silent expression of her anxiety and need for stability.
The daring position added an element of thrill to their encounter. Ava's body, delicately balanced, defied gravity with 40% of it hanging over the edge. The rooftop became a theater of contrasts—the wild abandon of the rain and the calculated restraint of Ibrahim's grip.
Ibrahim's kiss on Ava's lips deepened, revealing a hunger that had long simmered within him. He had craved the taste, the feel, the entirety of her lips against his. His obsession with her lips was evident— a culmination of long-awaited desire finally fulfilled.
As his hands journeyed beyond her waist, their upward path encountered the delicate fabric of Ava's bra. Ibrahim sought to unhook the bra, an act laden with the thrill of unveiling more of Ava.
However, Ava signaled a halt by biting his lips. In response to her unspoken cue, Ibrahim restrained himself from further exploration.
Finally breaking the kiss, Ibrahim adjusted their posture, allowing Ava to stand more upright against the railing. Both found themselves on the rain-soaked rooftop, their breaths mingling with the cool night air. The pouring rain acted as a natural curtain, shrouding them in a veil of secrecy, as if the world beyond the rooftop ceased to exist.
Ava was still clinging to Ibrahim's shoulder, felt a mix of emotions—exhilaration, fear, and a subtle acknowledgment of the uncharted territory they had just entered. Her hair was damp, clinging to her face, and raindrops adorned her eyelashes like glistening crystals. The raindrops continued to cascade around them, punctuating the silence that lingered between stolen breaths.
Ava, her grip on Ibrahim's shoulder loosening, let her fingers trail down to his chest. Her gaze shifted from Ibrahim's lips to his eyes, searching for something that words couldn't articulate.
Ibrahim's lips met her forehead gently, Ava closed her eyes, savoring the tenderness. His words lingered in the air—"This will be considered our first kiss, since you didn't interrupt."
The vulnerability of the moment struck Ava. She had allowed Ibrahim to kiss her, to take her to the edge of the rooftop, to challenge the boundaries that had defined their interactions. Her heart raced, not just from the kiss but from the realization that she had willingly stepped into uncharted territory.
She was really shivering under the rain. Her shirt clung to her body and the cold was seeping through her skin.
Without looking at him, she asked, "What would happen if I slipped from the roof?"
Ibrahim smirked and replied, "It would never happen, Baby Girl. I would not let it happen. By the way, how was the kiss?"
Caught in a moment of embarrassment, Ava struggled to find the right words. A flush of embarrassment spread across her cheeks. She needed to escape the situation. Ava attempted to go towards the door but Ibrahim smoothly blocked her path. He never missed to seize any moment.
Stepping in front of her, he teased, "Why are you feeling so shy? You might really kill me with your blush."
Still avoiding eye contact, she murmured, "I'm..... I'm not blushing." She couldn't bring herself to look at Ibrahim, especially after the intimate kiss.
Sensing her discomfort, Ibrahim pulled her into an unexpected hug. And Ava found herself surprised. The unexpected warmth of his embrace beneath the rain created a unique moment.
Looking up, she found Ibrahim already gazing down at her. His fingers gently ran through her damp hair, a subtle yet intimate gesture. The touch of his fingers, combined with the raindrops cascading down, made Ava's scalp tingle. Ibrahim's actions held a tender intimacy, adding an extra layer to the complexities of their evolving connection.
Ava, her gaze locked with Ibrahim's. Questioning herself, Ava couldn't comprehend why Ibrahim's simple gesture felt so intimate. She was internally fighting a battle against the burgeoning desires Ibrahim had ignited. It was like she became a battlefield.
She wondered, Why is he doing this to her? The resistance against the emotions he was awakening within her became harder to maintain....it was really hard.
The guards she had meticulously built around her heart to avoid falling for Ibrahim were being tested. Ibrahim's touch became elements in a story that seemed to be writing itself, leaving Ava entangled in the mysterious threads of a connection she was both drawn to and wary of.
Ibrahim whispered, "We'll leave early morning."
Ava came into the reality. She furrowed her brows because she couldn't understand his words.
Ibrahim teased, "Did you forget about our weekend getaway?"
Blinking in bewilderment, Ava sought more details. "Where are we going?"
Ibrahim unveiled, "Malacca."
.....
Elara sat cross-legged on his bed, a multitude of lipstick shades spread out around him like a vibrant palette. He had his phone in hand, watching a lipstick shade swatches video. Elara, a police officer with zero makeup knowledge, was on a mission to choose the perfect lipstick shade for Farah.
"This is more challenging than I thought," Elara mumbled to himself, pausing the video to scrutinize the shades in front of him. He shuffled through them, holding each up to the light as if decoding some secret language of colors.
"Okay, so we have nudes, pinks, reds, and what's this? Plum?" Elara pondered, squinting at a particularly deep shade. He had dived into the world of makeup categories, trying to discern the nuances between each color family.
As Elara delved into the virtual world of beauty tutorials, he found himself learning about terms like "cool undertones" and "warm hues." He scratched his head, "Okay, so cool undertones complement certain shades, while warm undertones work better with others. This seems like a complex art. How do people do this every day?"
He picked up a shade and held it against the screen to compare. "This looks like a nice one, right?" he asked no one in particular. Without waiting for an answer, he added, "I should probably check if it complements her skin tone. Farah deserves the best. I'll learn the whole makeup dictionary if I have to."
The video continued, and Elara's curiosity grew. "Berry Bliss, now that sounds delicious. But would Farah like it? Does she even like berries?" He furrowed his brow, deep in contemplation.
He grabbed another lipstick labeled 'Berry Bliss' and studied it intently. "Maybe I should ask her if she likes berries. But what if she thinks I'm being weird?" Elara sighed.
The video moved on to deeper tones, showcasing rich plums and deep reds. Elara muttered, "Burgundy, wine, merlot – are these lipstick shades or a menu at a fancy restaurant?" He chuckled at his own analogy.
After going through several videos, Elara started to discern the subtle differences between shades. He even made a few notes on which colors might complement Farah's skin tone. "Maybe a subtle nude or a rosy pink? Does she like bold or more natural looks?"
...
He used to be a lone wolf, but love turned him into a devoted companion.
Every day, he discovered joy in making her smile, even in the smallest gestures.
Her happiness became his mission, and he found purpose in the little things.
He transformed from a self-focused individual to someone eager to share every joy with her.
The man who once avoided commitment now embraced it willingly for the sake of love.
His world shifted as he learned that making her happy brought a fulfillment he never knew.
In love, he became a better version of himself, driven by a desire to create moments of happiness.