Arranged to Him

Paparazzi

The hotel was covered in white marble, from the floor to the ceiling, blinding in its own pristine way with a massive chandelier in the entryway that gave a definitive opulence and made its status known as expensive.

"Yes, indeed." Was all James said, getting in a lift that magically opened as he approached and had another uniformed man in it waiting.

"So many workers standing around doing nothing," I murmured, confused. James laughed but didn't comment.

"Good evening, Mr. Bramer." The man in the elevator said formally, pressing the button for our floor without being told.

"How does everyone here know your name? Why are all your friends outside taking pictures? Surely they could've been invited to the wedding?" I asked, earning myself a strange look from the worker.

"Have you been living under a rock?" He asked, shocked.

"Actually, an apartment," I said, very offended.

"Don't you have T.V.? You are married. How do you not know who he is?"

"I didn't give personal information during the courtship period. I have had enough experience with gold diggers to try another method." James explained, leaning on the elevator wall and patiently waiting for our floor, which seemed to be one of the highest.

"What's a gold digger? Do you normally date mine workers?" I asked, curious as I had never met a female one before.

"Anaya, do me a favor?" James asked with a sigh, running his hand into his hair as he did when annoyed.

"What?"

"Shut up." I huffed but was silent the rest of the ride, pouting instead at his refusal to explain anything to me.

When the elevator stopped, it let out directly into an apartment without a door. The apartment was massive and spanned a space more expansive than my old apartment building did in its entirety. There was a living room with a T.V. taller than I was, two large couches, and a massive kitchen area. I saw two doors and quietly checked them out to find huge beds with crisp white linens. I assumed it was a joint hostel, but we were the only ones there, and he threw his jacket off quite relaxedly, making himself at home as if he owned the space.

I carried my tattered bag around while I felt out of place in the modern white space filled with white marble that matched the extravagant entryway. The room was spectacular, but the view was breathtaking. The glittering lights from the city below sparkled into the distance, giving a view of the ancient city that I didn't even know was possible. I felt like I was on a mountain, looking down on the everyday people below.

The windows went from floor to ceiling, and I felt a bit sick looking out of them, so I ran in a rush to the bathroom, barely getting the door shut before throwing up repeatedly. I vowed to myself I would never touch alcohol again.

I brushed my teeth with the toothbrush the hotel left for us and sat on the marble tile for a while, catching my breath and trying not to panic now that I was sobering up.

This was not where I belonged. I was used to my tiny, cramped apartment filled with mold and a lifetime's worth of personal objects my family had collected. You could barely move from one space to the next. I felt suddenly dirty and wanted to shower, but I couldn't figure out how to turn the water on. Instead, I put on my pajamas from my bag. It was just a tank top and cotton pants, but there were holes in them, and I didn't feel comfortable even in them. He would judge me and mock me, undoubtedly.

When I finally got up the courage to leave the bathroom, he had also changed and was wearing grey sweatpants and a white shirt on the oversized couch, reading his phone, relaxed and drinking what looked like whisky, and eating some chocolate-covered strawberries from a cart that had been delivered while I was in the bathroom.

"I'm sorry for ruining the day. I won't drink anymore." I explained. He looked up and put his phone down, waving me to him.

"These are delicious, have one." He said, grabbing my hand and pulling me onto his lap with a smile, making sure I was as close as possible to him, looking at me dearly as if I was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.

"Never apologize. The world owes you an apology, not the other way around." He said, slowly tracing a finger down my face, his eyes grazing over me hungrily.

"Should we go to the bedroom for my wifely duties?" I asked, surprised he felt comfortable doing things before a giant window. He was confused at first but, after a moment, became shocked.

"Anaya, you have no wifely duties to me. We will not be sleeping together tonight. I barely know you." He said, shocked and a bit horrified at the idea.

"Am I not pleasing to you?" I asked, blushing, thinking of the beautiful women he must be used to dating.

"Of course you are."

"Are you gay?" He laughed and pulled me down against him, and I could feel that he was enjoying himself. I was sure I couldn't blush any worse, but he trailed his fingers up my shirt, tickling my sides ever so gently.

"When the time comes for your wifely duties, you will be ready. So ready, in fact, that you will be begging me to take you. There won't be an ounce of obligation to it, only pleasure." He told me flirtatiously, his brown eyes darkening dangerously. I was sure he was going to pull my shirt off entirely, but he seemed to control himself and instead pulled me in for another kiss.

This time, it started off softly, but his tongue licked my lips, and I let him deepen the kiss, curious and strangely enough enjoying myself. He led me, controlling every interaction and sending heat through my body that was addictive. I hummed and tried to follow his lead, but he pulled back, panting a bit and shaking his head.

"No, Anaya. I can control myself, but you must let me. I am only human and have half a mind to take you right here." He told me devilishly, his fingers that had been tickling me lightly now tightly gripping me, so I believed him. I wanted to explore him more and enjoyed the kissing, so I groaned, disappointed, making him chuckle.

"We have all the time in the world to explore each other, but for tonight, you need sleep." He said, standing up and picking me up with him. I let out a scream, shocked, but he seemed to have no trouble carrying me to one of the pristine white bedrooms and putting me in the bed gently.

"Good night, Ms. Bramer." He said teasingly, leaving me alone and shutting the door. I wanted to stay awake and replay the moment on the couch over and over again in my head, but too quickly, I was asleep, exhausted from the long day's events.