“Aapki bhi to thi,”“It was your wedding, too,” I muttered.
His lips curved into a faint, knowing smile as he nodded.
“Are you okay now?” he asked gently. I lowered my gaze, keeping my expression quiet.“Is it still hurting?”
At the mention, a sharp ache flickered through my nipple, but I shook my head.
“No,” I murmured.
My eyes fell to his hand as it slid closer to my henna and mahavar-inked feet. His thumb brushed my toe rings, and a shiver ran up the back of my neck. A soft, uncontrollable smile tugged at my lips as my toes dug deeper into the mattress in response.
“Kunwar-sa,” I breathed.
He lifted his intense green gaze to meet mine.
“Hmm…” he hummed, and my chest tightened. My breath came faster as I noticed the soft glow of the lamps playing across one side of his face, highlighting the sharp line of his jaw and the curve of his lips.
“Wo humein lag raha hai ki…”“I think that…”
I could not make sense of the words. A sudden flutter of nerves ran through me as his hand traced lightly over my foot, tickling my anklets. I swallowed hard and lowered my gaze.
“Kaho,”“Say it,” he murmured slowly. I closed my eyes, trying to steady my racing heart.
I felt him lean closer to the side of my face, and instinctively, I tightened my fists over my skirt. I waited, holding my breath, yet his touch didn’t linger where I expected. Slowly, his finger slid from my foot to my chin. Gently, he lifted my face, guiding my eyes to meet his.
My heart stopped.
His green eyes, same as always, yet holding so much more, locked with mine. Sleepy, tender, and burning with emotion all at once. A strand of hair fell across his forehead, and I gulped, lowering my lashes.
My lips parted instinctively as he drew closer, and I inhaled sharply, ready for a kiss. But instead, he pressed a fleeting, soft peck to my nose.
“I love you, my dear wife,” he whispered.
His words wrapped around me like a warm breeze, coaxing a shy smile from my lips. Yet, beneath the joy, my chest fluttered with anticipation for what the night held. I opened my eyes and met his smile.
“Bhabhi-sa ne tang karne se mana kiya hai,”“Bhabhi-sa has asked me not to trouble you.” he added, reclining slightly behind me, propping on his elbow. I could feel the weight of his presence close to mine.
“Are you tired?” he asked softly. I blinked and shook my head.
“No,” I breathed.
He inhaled deeply. Slowly, carefully, his hand clenched the fabric of my dupatta at my back and drew it down, inch by inch. I closed my eyes, feeling a rush of shyness and thrill coursing through me. Changing in his presence had always been intimate, but this… this was entirely different.
The breeze brushed against my exposed skin, sending shivers down my spine. When his fingers brushed the base of my spine, goosebumps prickled my skin. My back arched as his knuckles traced gentle, teasing paths across me, and a timid smile escaped me.
“You look beautiful in red,” he murmured.
I couldn’t reply as the heat of his breath engulfed me, stirring a flutter in my chest. And when he pressed a soft kiss to the spot where he had once noted my mole, my heart surged, pounding fiercely in my ribcage.
As he deepened the kiss, my body tightened instinctively, arching inward, and I drew in a sharp breath. I slowly lowered my knees from my chest.
My jewellery chimed softly with even the slightest movement, making my nerves flutter. My dupatta slipped from my shoulder, and when I reached to pull it back into place, his hand closed gently around my wrist, stopping me.
“Koi aa na jaaye, Kunwar-sa,”“Someone might come, Kunwar-sa.” My voice trembled as his kiss at that sensitive spot sent shivers racing down my spine.
He didn’t answer. Instead, his lips travelled upward, coming to rest just an inch below the last tie of my blouse. I remembered there were six of them.
My breath hitched as his hand slipped from my wrist to my back. I felt his fingers curl around the loose end of the string.
