Perhaps he had been cold also.
Whenever she pictured their marriage, she had never pictured this part. She’d spent plenty of time imagining how they would look together in public and what they would achieve politically but not given much thought to the private moments.
She held her breath when Tariq stirred, his arms curling around her, drawing her closer until every inch of her back was pressed against every inch of his chest.
Breathe.
She probably should have exited the bed, saving them both from embarrassment. But that’s not what she did. She knew the exact moment he woke, because his body tensed. He was supposed to withdraw his arm, but he didn’t.
Neither of them moved.
He likely thought she was still asleep. Perhaps he wanted to try the moment on, like she had.
Summoning her bravery, she turned to face him, moving slowly so she wouldn’t scare him away. His grip loosened, but his arm remained around her. He watched her with a relaxed expression.
‘Are you warm enough?’ he asked, his voice rough with sleep.
Aisha was hot and cold all at once. ‘Yes.’
His gaze never left hers. ‘Good.’ He shifted slightly, but not enough to break the strange, fragile moment. His hold on her wasn’t possessive, just present.
Aisha studied his face in the soft light. He looked different without his usual frown. Younger, maybe. Less like someone carrying the weight of a dynasty.
‘Have you ever imagined what it would be like?’ she asked.
He frowned. ‘It?’
‘Waking up together.’
He considered the question for a moment. ‘I figured we would sleep separately.’
‘Oh.’
‘My parents have always slept in separate quarters.’ He searched her eyes. ‘But something tells me yours didn’t.’
‘Never.’ She found a smile. ‘Of course, this is Gruisea, so we’ll do things the Gruisean way.’
He was silent a moment. ‘I wouldn’t mind doing some things the Avanid way.’
She felt herself melting. Tentatively, she reached up and brushed her fingers along his stubbly cheek, studying the tiny details of his face. Tariq didn’t pull away. Instead, he leaned into her touch. She traced the line of his jaw, his skin warm against her fingertips. Never had she touched a man in such an intimate way. When his gaze moved to her lips, she felt her stomach dip.
‘Are you going to kiss me?’ she asked, needing to know if she was reading the situation correctly.
His throat bobbed. ‘I’m definitely thinking about it.’
Her curiosity outweighed her fear of an unwanted vision. So far, so good. She tilted her head up slightly, an invitation. One he accepted. He closed the distance between them, his lips brushing hers. Gentle, hesitant. Her eyes sank shut of their own accord as a new kind of warmth washed over her, and she moved closer to him. He responded by deepening the kiss.
Aisha inhaled sharply as all the heat gathered. Her fingers curled into the fabric of his sirwal, and?—
A knock at the door sent her scrambling away from him. Tariq caught her by the elbow just before she fell off the bed. They stared at each other, breathing fast.
‘One moment,’ Tariq called out to the person at the door. He dragged a hand through his hair as he exited the bed, then threw his clothes on.
Aisha got out of bed also, walking over to the table and standing awkwardly next to it, as if she had spent the night in that very spot. She touched her lips, which still tingled.
When Tariq opened the door, Kaidon was standing there. The guard looked from him to Aisha, and his mouth tugged up at the corners.
‘Well, good morning,’ he said, a coy edge to his voice.
