I'm right here

Chapter 7 - "Look at your face"

Suddenly, he pulled away, both of them breathing heavily. She gazed at him, her husband, her 'dreamboat' as Shruthi had playfully called him. He was flawless, and she knew she was completely and utterly in love.

Faisal was consumed by panic. Why had he let his self-control slip away? They had only just gotten married earlier today. He knew she desired it, but would she still want it if she knew the whole truth? Wouldn't she have preferred him to love her before sharing their first kiss?

Memories of Fiza crept into his mind, how she allowed him to kiss her and hold her close, yet she had never kissed him back, leaving him feeling hollow afterward. But Asfia had kissed him back, and it had filled him with an unfamiliar sense of being wanted.

Once more, Fiza had invaded his thoughts on his wedding night. This was why he shouldn't have kissed Asfia.

Asfia couldn't help but wonder why Faisal seemed so distressed. Had it been that terrible? In those initial moments, or perhaps mere seconds (who could tell?), time had felt suspended, and she had simply allowed herself to immerse in the sensation of his kiss. And then she had instinctively sucked on his lower lip. Was that even a thing?

"Was it not..." she began, grappling with a storm of emotions. She swallowed hard, noticing he wasn't meeting her gaze. She reached out to tug at his shirt, the fully undone buttons momentarily diverting her attention.

Faisal finally raised his eyes to meet hers, berating himself for his overthinking. "No, it was perfect," he replied earnestly. She beamed at him and her smile drew the corners of his lips up as well.

"Would you like to shower first?" Faisal asked with a hint of a mischievous smile, then decided to playfully tease her, "or shall we conserve water and shower together?"

Asfia blushed at his remark. He certainly had a way of rendering her speechless, but she wasn't going to let him off the hook so easily. "Well, considering the water shortage and the lack of rain lately," she replied, forcing herself to maintain a straight face, though a mischievous glint danced in her eyes. She was playing with fire, but what was the worst that could happen?

Faisal, on the other hand, was taken aback. His eyes widened, and his eyebrows shot up to his hairline. "Oh!" he managed to utter, nothing else coming out. He wasn't prepared for this, and he wondered if she truly was.

As he stared at her in stunned silence, she burst into laughter.

"Look at your face!" She laughed heartily, clutching her stomach. Faisal grinned. She certainly kept him on his toes, but he wasn't about to let her win this round. Determined, he removed his shirt, and her laughter abruptly ceased. Her expression shifted to one of anticipation, mixed with a hint of fear.

Stepping closer, his body lightly brushing against hers, he gently lifted her face with both hands. Their eyes met, and he whispered, "Look at your face..." It had been intended as a playful remark, but he felt her tug at him once more. This was dangerous territory. He knew he had to kiss her; after all, he already had. His brain ceased to function, finding no reason to hold back. With a swift motion, he pressed his lips against hers, swallowing her gasp. The kiss grew more urgent, and she responded by kissing him back, alternating between sucking his upper and lower lips. He wasn't quite sure what she was doing, but he liked it.

He wanted to deepen their kiss, explore her mouth further, but his brain finally sounded a warning. Enough for today. With great effort, he pulled back, and they both stood there, breathless.

"Shall we head to the shower, then?" Faisal suggested playfully. Asfia responded with a playful punch. "Oh, please. You go first; it will take me forever to remove all of this. Plus, I need to take off my makeup."