Chapter 50 #3
Without a word, he gently took her hand and pulled her onto his lap. She settled there with surprising ease. His arm rested securely around her waist. He tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
"Agar tum chahti ho main kuch karun..." he murmured softly, "...toh seedha bol diya karo, jaan."
(If you want me to do something... then just tell me, love.)
"Mujhse chhupane ki kya zarurat hai?", Safiya nodded, not able to find the correct words to tell him.
(Why hide it from me?)
"Because you'll make fun of me.", He immediately shook his head, "I won't."
"You will.", she said, her resolve stronger yet she refused to meet his eyes.
"I won't.", Holding her chin gently between his fingers, he tilted her face upward before placing a lingering kiss against her forehead.
"I promise.", She narrowed her eyes suspiciously, "You absolutely will.", Chuckling quietly, he pulled her a little closer until there wasn't any distance left between them.
" Tell me.", Safiya looked into his eyes for exactly one second before looking away again. Her fingers nervously twisted the.edge of his shirt.
"Ek condition hai..." she mumbled. He brushed his thumb over her cheek.
(There's one condition...)
"Hmm?", She pointed a warning finger at him.
"Aap hasenge nahi.", Before she could continue, he gently caught her finger and kissed its tip. She gasped, withdrawing her finger.
(You are not allowed to laugh.)
"Main nahi hasunga.", he smiled, kissing the corner of her lips this time.
(I won't laugh.)
"Ab batao...", He leaned closer until their foreheads almost touched.
" Now tell me... what do I have to do? ", his breath fanned against her face, her eyes dropping to his lips as she tried not to kiss him.
"It's just... something I've wanted to do ever since high school," Safiya admitted with an awkward shrug, rubbing the back of her neck. "Adira brought it up out of nowhere and I...", Her voice trailed off. Zaviyar looked at her as though the solution was painfully obvious.
"Then you should've told me.", Safiya bit the inside of her cheek. She would deal with Adira later. This was entirely her fault.
She had never mentioned it because how was she supposed to? It was a silly little couple's trend she'd secretly wanted to try for years. The words had always died in her throat whenever she'd imagined asking him.
Trying to save herself, she folded her arms and said with complete confidence,
"You won't be able to do it.", the silence that followed was immediate.
Safiya slowly lifted her gaze. The relaxed expression on Zaviyar's face had disappeared.
His brows had drawn together ever so slightly, his jaw had locked and there was a dangerous sort of determination sitting quietly in his eyes.
Her heart sank.
Oh, no.
She knew that look, "Zaviyar...", she spoke his name softly.
"Let's do it.", His reply came without hesitation. Safiya squeezed her eyes shut. She had done this to herself.
"You're taking this personally," she muttered, clutching the fabric of his T-shirt with both fists as though physically stopping him might somehow work.
"I'm not.", His answer was calm.
"You are.", She narrowed her eyes suspiciously, studying his face, "I know that expression.", He simply ignored her accusation.
Instead, he gently caught both her wrists and eased her hands away from his shirt before helping her stand.
"Go," he said, giving her shoulder a light nudge. "Wear something you'd actually like.", Safiya stared at him in disbelief.
"You're impossible.", a slow grin tugged at the corner of his lips. He reached forward and lightly tapped the tip of her nose.
"And yet," he murmured, "you're still standing here... in my arms.", She clicked her fingers dramatically before giving him an exaggerated smile.
"Unfortunately.", His grin widened, "Safiya."
Just hearing his warning tone made her even more stubborn. She threw both hands into the air.
"Fine!", She spun around and marched toward the wardrobe while he watched her go with an expression that was far too satisfied for her liking. He then checked himself out in the mirror.
He studied his reflection for a long moment.
Decent.
But decent wasn't enough if he wanted to catch his wife's attention.
After a moment's hesitation, he reached for the moisturizer on her dressing table and rubbed a small amount over his face before running a hand through his hair. Borrowing her hair dryer, he spent the next few minutes taming the unruly strands until they sat just the way he wanted.
He changed into a fitted black compression T-shirt that hugged every contour of his broad shoulders and sculpted torso.
A month ago, he accidentally discovered that his wife had a soft spot for men who looked like they lived in the gym.
Fortunately, he already had the foundation. Years of wrestling in his village had gifted him a naturally muscular physique. But after learning about her preference, he had started training at the gym with unwavering discipline, pushing himself harder every single day.
If muscles were what made her heart skip a beat. Then he would become the very definition of the man she couldn't look away from.
The moment she walked out, his eyes almost fell out of his sockets. She had changed into a simple black knee-length dress she genuinely loved wearing. Her hair fell neatly over her shoulders in soft waves, and she had touched up her makeup just enough to make herself feel confident.
He shut his mouth, swallowing the words that had almost escaped him.
'can we make this later',he thought watching her from behind as she gave herself one last glance in the mirror.
The moment she turned around, her eyes landed on him. They widened.
A slow, bashful smile spread across her lips as she walked over to him. Resting both hands on his shoulders, she looked up at him mischievously.
"Main kuch karungi... lekin aap gussa nahi honge.", He nodded without a second thought.
The very next moment, he let out a startled gasp as she placed both of her hands on his chest and gave his chest a squeeze. She burst into giggles.
"I've always wanted to do that.", His eyes went wide as he instinctively covered his chest.
"A-aap bohot hi zyada... besharam hain,", Zaviyar muttered, his ears burning. She folded her arms across her chest, arching an eyebrow.
"Oh, really? Did I complain yesterday when you literally had my boobs in your mouth?", His confidence vanished instantly. He awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck, avoiding her gaze.
A victorious smirk tugged at her lips.
"Yeah that's what I thought so," she said with a soft scoff.
" Now come here. ", she grabbed his hand and pulled him, while he happily followed her. She stood in front of the full-length mirror with Safiya's phone balanced against a stack of books.
Meanwhile, Zaviyar stood behind her. He looked unfairly handsome without even trying. Safiya inhaled deeply before turning around to inspect him.
"Alright," she began, slipping into her serious lawyer mode. "First problem...", She pointed toward him.
"You're too tall.", He blinked. "I can't help that.", he said towering over her.
"I know, Complan ke Brand ambassador", She sighed dramatically.
"So you'll have to sit.", Without arguing, he lowered himself onto the bed, behind her. Safiya looked down. Then, looked back at him.
"...You're still taller than me.", Even while sitting, he somehow managed to loom over her. She shook her head.
This man...
"Now," she continued, lifting one finger as though briefing a client before court, "you have exactly one job."
"You saw the video, so all you have to do is move your hands ", He nodded obediently.
Like an overgrown puppy waiting for instructions.
Safiya couldn't help smiling. She reached behind herself, took hold of both his wrists, and slowly guided his arms around her waist until his hands rested lightly against her stomach.
"There.", She adjusted his hands once more, and placed them on her hips, "Perfect.", Picking up her phone, she pressed the timer.
"I'm recording.", she said.
The music started. Safiya began swaying exactly as she practiced.
Their movemnet was smooth. Just then his hand accidentally bumped straight into her chin. Safiya burst into laughter so suddenly that she had to bend forward, clutching her stomach.
"I can't-", She couldn't even finish the sentence. Zaviyar looked thoroughly offended.
"You moved too slowly.", Her laughter only grew louder.
"I did not!", he grew defensive, "You did.", she said deleting the video because eshe looked too rigid.
"I absolutely did not.", He folded his arms across his chest, "I was waiting."
"No, you weren't.", She wiped a tear from the corner of her eye.
"You started moving before I even did.", he complained, "I didn't.", she argued.
"You did.", he nodded, absolutely firm. She turned around to face him properly before demonstrating the movement herself.
"Look.", She slowly moved her hips from side to side. "You wait.", She pointed toward him.
"Then your hands around with me.", She repeated the movement again, "According to the movement of my hips."
Understanding finally flickered across his face, "I know."
"You clearly don't.", she shook her head, " Accept it bruh. You literally moved before I started. "
"I was anticipating.", Safiya stared at him for a long moment, "...That is not how it works."
For the first time, the corners of his lips twitched, "Again."
She blinked, "You're serious?"
"Again.", There wasn't a trace of hesitation in his voice. Safiya tried very hard not to smile. It was strangely adorable watching a man who negotiated matters of an entire village without blinking become this determined over a fifteen-second social media trend.
The poor man was mentally memorising choreography when all he actually had to do was move his hands. This time, the music started again.
Safiya followed every beat perfectly. Zaviyar concentrated so intensely that a small line appeared between his brows.