Chapter 18 Matured

Chapter 18

Baawli si preet mori…ab chaen kaise paaye

“Not tonight, you aren’t”

Asad couldn’t believe he had said that out loud and Zoya eyes rebelled to look into his.

She stepped over the fallen towel in a daze not exactly sure where she was heading, staring ahead, seeing nothing.

Her heart thudded audibly against her ribs and her breath got lost somewhere.

A hand on her wrist stopped her.

Did her skin suddenly burst into flames? She looked down to check.

He waited for her. To turn around. To let her set the pace.

When she didn’t, he stepped closer wrapping his arms around her, holding her against him.

The raindrops were a quiet roar of pleasure against the window. The sound of them was all that drummed in his head.

She felt his gaze on her as he circled her.

How did people do this? she idly wondered. To swallow the fears and insecurities, offer oneself so openly that they knew every secret, every spot, each vulnerability.

If it weren’t for the love that consumed her body, if it weren’t for Asad and his gentle waiting touch on hers– she’d never be able to do this. If her heart didn’t believe that he loved her as much as she loved him, she’d never be able to lift her eyes.

She stared back at him as her hand grazed the side of his face, his skin quivering under the assault of her long, smooth fingers.

She didn’t resist when he lifted her. Although his fingers dug into her thigh, he placed her incredibly softly on the bed. Deep, dark and appealing, his gaze arrested hers.

He let his hands trace the contours of her face – studying her, remembering her.

“Kiss me again” he heard her murmur and felt a rush of pure pleasure heave through him.

Lowering his head, he kissed her slow. It was a kiss of promise, of his love, of the happy days that were yet to come.

When did it change to fierceness, he didn’t know. When did she lose control, she didn’t know.

He sighed when she touched him, so she touched more.

His arms were strong around her, but his lips soft on her skin. He savoured slowly, carefully – until it wasn’t enough for both of them.

They wordlessly started to undress each other, their wet clothes falling on the ground. 

Mouth to mouth, skin to skin. He thought maybe it had meant to rain tonight, the thunder to bellow untamed, so their sighs could drown in its sound.

Passion coursed freely now. Procrastination departed.

She touched him openly, confidently, learned the muscle and form. He explored the curves and edges creating a mental map.

His skin was cool from the rain, his fingers wintry on her skin. But somehow, she burned everywhere he touched. Flesh heated and cooled, then heated again. Pain, pleasure and greed she had never known surged through her being.

He took his time even when she arched against him. With trembling breaths and quick moans, they took each other further.

Asad felt reality slipping away the moment he heard her breath his name… over and over.

As they broke all barriers, crossing lines past sanity, his mouth swooped down on hers and for the first time he let himself go. With the force of passion unleashed, his lips were urgent, demanding, hard.

Wild like the ocean, storms stirred through her. He swept her away with him.

xx

Dawn came crystal clear. She noticed when the sky began to lighten.

Zoya blinked to orient herself. She looked at her husband snoozing peacefully, his hair tickling her shoulder, his breath steady on her neck. His scent was mixed with hers, his body a weight on her. But she welcomed it with pleasure.

A drowsy feeling hummed ­– something between repletion, exhilaration, security and excitement. She couldn’t recall experiencing anything quite like it. Before she smoothed his hair, she smelled the lingering rain on his skin and remembered.

The memories were like a subliminal dream, a hypnotic trance.

She had been afraid…so afraid to expose her secrets, her hidden scars. But the moment his lips touched her skin, the insecurities flooded away.

Courage. A lot of it was put in her confession.

‘Wait! There’s something I haven’t told you’ she had stopped his hand tugging at her shirt.

‘What is it?’ His hand had curved against her cheek, he could see she was distressed.

Terror gripped her soul as soon as the shirt left her body; she couldn’t look him in the eye. She had all the time in the world, but she chose this very moment to tell him about it.

Zoya had cried and Asad had cried with her. 

‘You’re the most beautiful thing in my life’, he had whispered. Kissing her severed skin, he tranquilled her with soothing words ‘Aap iske saath bhi utni khubsurat hai’, ‘Aapko iske liye sharminda hone ki koi zarurat nahi’

Who knew? Her Akdu Ahmed Khan was the most romantic man walking the earth.

He hadn’t been kidding about the not sleeping. Her skin inflamed thinking of his unending ministrations.

Zoya looked at the clock. Had it been minutes? hours? She’d been so lost in her thoughts she didn’t even notice the sun rising. Its streaming rays felt hot on the bare skin of her back. 

She gave herself the luxury of cuddling closer before she shifted away from him, crawling out of bed.

Something tugged at her arm until she tumbled back, she found herself sprawled across his chest.

“Where do you think you are going?” he mumbled sleepily.

“Good morning to you too” she smiled

Asad opened his eyes to properly look at her. Should he have known that she’d be even more beautiful in the morning, her black hair fanned on his white pillow? Should he have known that the desire that shot through him yet again was unlike anything he’d ever felt?

There were no answers and if there were, his mind was too focused on the swell of her lips to focus.

“From the beginning of my life, I have been looking for your face
  but today I have seen it” he recited mesmerized.

 “Rumi” Zoya gasped, charmed.

“My heart has burned with passion and has searched forever
for this wondrous beauty that I now behold.” Asad continued

“I am ashamed to call this love human
and afraid of God to call it divine” Zoya interrupted

“Your effulgence has lit a fire in my heart
  and you have made radiant for me
  the earth and sky” they finished reciting the words together. 

Content, he held her tight against him. The tick of the clock mingled with their breathing was the only thing audible – before his wife broke the silence.

“I love you, Asad” Zoya breathed surprising herself with the words. She’d never said it in front of him, until now.

“I love you too, Mrs. Zoya Asad Ahmed Khan” he drawled, eyes misty, lips suddenly busy.

xx

Ok! So a few things. I have never written PG 13 stuff before so this is new to me. I hope it didn't come out too crazy. Not comfortable with graphic details so I thought I would take a different approach to this.

Also, much love  and thank you to everyone reading and taking time out to write. It means a lot :)

Your lovely words of appreciation make my day.

P.s. The poem included is called 'looking at your face' by Rumi