Page 62 of Twisted Deceit
“That sounds good.” She was excited about being with him in a new setting. The holy lands near the Kanwar region also had tents, but she had never been to one. They were considered safe havens for travelers to rest at night without fearing attack.
Aadhya blushed as Nakul held out his hand to help her out of the SUV shortly after. She wondered what he told his staff about making an overnight stop. Did he tell his staff it was as per his wife’s request?
She was somewhat embarrassed at what the staff thought but thrilled about him changing plans for her, at such short notice. Nakul stayed outside talking to security and he gestured for her to go inside. She stepped into the large tent and gasped. The exterior looked plain but on the inside the setup was pretty extravagant.
To one side a seating area with two sofas, area rugs, and curtains to separate the seating and the bedroom area. The large bed looked inviting; all she could think about was a bath and sleep. She walked over to the other side of the suite and saw the various fresh and dry fruits.
Food was the last thing on her mind, she wanted to get out of her outfit. Even if she had to use a bedsheet as her nightgown, that’s what she was going to. She looked through the shelf for an extra bed sheet and to her surprise there were plain white, linen cloths. Traditional pieces of clothing she had seen both men and women wear to the temple on certain occasions.
“Perfect,” she said reaching for a couple of the clothes and a towel. Her clothes were not dirty but she wasn’t accustomed to wearing a tight-fitting blouse for so long. She pushed open the door to what she thought was a bathroom and was amazed, yet again how much larger the space was inside. The tent from the outside was deceivingly small.
Aadhya was excited to see there was running water and buckets to fill for a bath and she could not ask for more in the middle of the desert. She could hear Nakul speak to his team right on the other side of the thin canvas wall of the tent. She went to stand by the window and from where she stood, Nakul was in her line of sight.
She looked away to scan the space just outside the tent through the window opening but her eyes returned to him. He was wearing a linen shirt and a pair of cotton slacks. The sun had set but there were lamps set out and even in that light, she took in his masculinity and his ruggedly attractive features.
She would never have enough of drinking in her husband’s stunning looks and kept up with her perusal. Moments passed and he nodded at his staff like he was done giving them instructions. And as if on impulse, he turned to look directly in her direction.
She shuddered in response to the intensity in his eyes, even in the dim light. She stood rooted to the window as he moved toward her. She kept his eyes on him as he walked past the door and came to stand on the other side of the tent, looking at her through the screen on the window.
No words were exchanged but the air between them was charged and neither looked away. She didn’t know how long she stood looking into his eyes, her heart banging away in her chest.
“Nakul sir, I brought the clothes and food you requested.” He looked away when a woman approached him.
“Thank you, would you please take them inside?” He looked at her for a brief moment before turning away to enter the tent.
Aadhya smiled at the woman who brought them a tray of food and a bag of what seemed to be clothes. She stood by the window as the woman placed the food on the table to the side and left. A strange anticipation was building inside her as she heard him enter the tent and shut the door. It was not her first time alone with him in a room, but the air around her seemed supercharged.
“What would you like to eat?” His voice was composed, but it was an odd question for him. He knew she wasn’t shy about food, yet he was asking her.
“No, I’m fine. I need to take a bath, though.” She stepped away from the window to check what they had in the bag the woman had dropped off. She noticed it was extras of the white linen cloths that she had already set aside to wear after a bath.
“Sure, go ahead. I’ll wash off after you do.” He was turned away from her as if he was avoiding her eyes.
Unsure of why she was feeling nervous around him, she rushed into the bathroom. She took some time to calm her raging heart before taking off her clothes. She undid the knots on the back of her blouse one by one and dusted off her clothes. She hung them on the hook before washing her body off with soap and water.
Shortly after, she stepped out of the bathroom, feeling weird about using the white fabric to cover her body. They were all rectangular pieces of cloth that she had to get creative about. She used one piece to create a makeshift halter top. A knot at the nape of her neck and another around her waist with her back left bare. Another piece of cloth wrapped around her waist like a skirt.
“The bathroom is all yours, Nakul.” She tried to sound chirpy, although the sound of her raging heart was deafening her. She only hoped he would not hear it drumming in her chest. She was glad and disappointed when he quickly went into the bathroom. It felt like he was preoccupied.
She sat on one of the chairs in the living room area and started flipping through a book on the table. She was glad he had closed all the windows as she heard the nighttime wind picking up outside.
Aadhya was on the edge and everything around her seemed elevated. Her senses were on high alert for the slightest sound, awareness growing by the minute. She took a deep breath, suppressing her surmounting need to be held by him. She had earlier reasoned that she would not distract him from what he was doing. If anything, she was going to help him stay focused. That meant she needed to not indulge in what she felt toward him.
Her back stiffened when she heard the bathroom door open. She was seated in a chair with her back to him. She chastised herself for not taking a spot where she didn’t have her bare back on display and one from where she could see him without turning her head.
With her heightened senses, she didn’t have to look at him to know what he was doing. It was as if she could feel his fingers dusting off the moisture in his hair. She could see the droplets of water splashing all over while other drops rolled down his bare chest. She suddenly remembered the injury on his back and turned to look in his direction.
A soft gasp escaped her when she found him looking straight at her. He didn’t avert his eyes even as she looked at him questionably. “How is the cut on your back?”
He chuckled. “I don’t know.”
As if that was her calling, she set aside the book and walked over to him. He looked irresistible with the white cloth wrapped around his waist. His body on display was beautiful with his tan skin glowing in the light from the lamps.
She walked slowly; her movement restricted by the fabric that was wrapped snugly around her legs. He did not move but stood facing her. When she got close, she tried to walk past him to look at his back, but he wouldn’t let her see it. He moved again when she tried to peek and laughed at the annoyed expression on her face.
“Not funny, Nakul.” She glared, unsure why he was avoiding showing her the injury.
He shook his head, his voice an octave lower. “Not at all. It’s beautiful.”
