Page 65 of The Unwanted Husband
“I can’t,” she whispered.
All hell broke loose and the next instant, their lips crashed together with a desperation that surprised them both.It wasn’t gentle or tentative. It was a mix of hunger and high urgency, like they’d been starving for this moment without realizing it. The moment was fueled by pure desire.
Her hands fisted in his shirt, pulling him closer as he deepened the kiss, one hand tangling in her hair while the other gripped her waist. She could taste the salt air on his lips, feel the roughness of his stubble against her skin, and it made her head spin in the best possible way.
He kissed her like he’d been thinking about it for weeks, like he’d been holding himself back until this moment when all his restraint finally snapped. She responded with equal fervor, her body arching into his as months of built-up tension exploded between them.
When they finally broke apart, both breathing hard, his forehead pressed against hers. His eyes were dark with want. His pupils dilated in the moonlight. They had no words for each other. She processed the situation as his thumb traced her swollen bottom lip. She had to fight the need to go in for another kiss.
“Ashok…I—” she was suddenly embarrassed about the whole situation. She breathed back, but her hands had found their way to his chest, feeling the rapid beat of his heart beneath her palms.
For a moment that stretched like eternity, they teetered on the edge of surrender. The night, the isolation, the intimacy of being alone together in the vast ocean and it had all conspired to break down their resolve. She could feel the tension in his body, the way he was fighting every instinct, just as she was fighting hers not to go in for another kiss.
“We need to stop doing this,” she managed to say, though her voice was barely a whisper. She looked away. “It’s a bad idea.”
“Bad idea,” he agreed, and with what seemed like enormous effort, he pulled back slightly, though his hands remained on her face. “Just a few more hours.”
They stayed that way for several heartbeats, breathing hard, foreheads touching, both trembling with the effort of restraint. The boat suddenly felt too small, too intimate, rocking gently in the endless sea, charged with a tension that made the air itself seem to shimmer.
“We should...we should talk about something else,” she said finally, though she made no move to put distance between them. She only hoped he didn’t notice how she orgasmed to his mere touch.
“Sue,” he said, but his eyes were still locked on her lips.
It took several more minutes before they managed to separate, both of them slightly shaken by the intensity of what had almost happened. They spent the rest of the night sitting further apart, the charged moment hanging between them like a promise of what tomorrow would bring.
The final hours were the hardest, not just because of exhaustion, but because of the awareness that hummed between them. They played word games, shared memories, and when all else failed, they simply watched the stars wheel overhead, both acutely conscious of every point of contact, every shared breath. The ocean stretched endlessly around them, a living witness to their restraint and their devotion.
Just when she thought she couldn’t keep her eyes open another moment, a thin line of gold appeared over the horizon. Dawn was breaking, painting the sky in soft pastels that reflected on the calm water. She could see the outline of the islands in the distance.
“Finally,” she breathed, feeling a surge of triumph that temporarily banished her exhaustion.
He pulled her into his arms, both of them laughing with relief and accomplishment, though the embrace was careful, controlled. “We did it,” he said, pressing his forehead against hers. “The ocean has blessed us. Now you’re truly ready to be my wife.”
As he raised the sail to guide them back to shore, she watched the sun rise fully over the paradise that would be her home. The exhaustion was overwhelming, but so was the sense of achievement.
CHAPTER 23
The wedding event was thankfully pushed to the evening time, giving her time to catch up on sleep. She was knocked out for the entire day. She got up only when she was woken up by a group of women to dress her for the ceremony. She was led to the bathroom and they bathed her in water infused with flower petals and sacred herbs that made her skin tingle with their potency. They offered her a warm liquid that tingled her inside.
There was soft chanting of the island’s women as they worked on getting her ready. The dressing ritual took hours. They layered her in silk of various colors, deep ocean blues that shifted to green in the light, gold like the sun setting over the lagoon, and coral pink that matched the reefs around the island.
The soft fabric felt alive against her skin, woven with threads that caught every ray of light. Her hair was braided with jasmine and small shells, while intricate patterns were painted on her hands and feet with a red liquid.
The jewelry was unlike anything she had seen. It was not the polished gold she was familiar with, but pieces that seemed to grow from the sea itself. Pearls cascaded down her chest, while bracelets of twisted silver and coral adorned her wrists. The headpiece was the most extraordinary. A delicate tiara of silver branches that mimicked the reefs, set with stones that captured the light like the ocean.
Throughout the preparation, she felt calm, somewhere suspended between dream and reality. The island women spoke in hushed tones about the significance of each element, how the colors honored the sea goddess, how the patterns would protect her new marriage, how the pearls would bring fertility and wisdom. She absorbed it all like a sponge, her mind struggling toprocess the magnitude of what was happening and somewhere feeling guilty about the charade.
This is the right thing to do, she thought to herself.
The women continued to sing what seemed to be the ritualistic melody even as they escorted out of her room. They led her along a path scattered with flower petals to the sacred grove where the ceremony would take place. The trees formed a natural cathedral, their branches draped with garlands of island flowers, while the ground beneath was carpeted with woven mats in intricate geometric patterns.
As she approached, the sound hit her like a wave. Hundreds of voices raised in harmonious celebration, the ancient wedding songs of the islands echoing through the grove. Music seemed to come from everywhere at once. The drums that were carved from palm wood beating in complex rhythms that matched the beat of the ocean. The wooden flutes created melodies that soared like birds, and stringed instruments she couldn’t name produced sounds that seemed to capture the very essence of the wind.
She gasped at the sight that greeted her. The entire community had gathered there and not just his extended family, but every soul from the surrounding islands. Fishermen stood beside their boats pulled up on the beach, their weathered faces bright with celebration. Children perched in the lower branches of trees, eyes wide with wonder. Elder women sat in places of honor, their silver hair adorned with flowers, their voices joining the ancient chants to bless the union.
The chieftain’s family occupied a special section near the ceremonial circle, and she could see his mother beaming with pride, his father standing tall with the dignity of his position. But it was his sisters who truly took her breath away. Aravinda, the elder sister who had been so watchful and suspicious, wastransformed. She was draped in silk the color of sunset, with gold jewelry that caught the dappled sunlight filtering through the trees. Her hair was woven with strings of tiny white flowers that cascaded over one shoulder, and intricate henna patterns climbed her arms like delicate vines. Despite her previous reservations, there was something in her eyes now that looked almost like pride, or perhaps acceptance.
Amuktha looked dazzling in a baby pink outfit and Sasikala looked radiant beside her, wearing vibrant turquoise silk that brought out the warmth in her skin. She had opted for a more playful style, with small bells woven into her hair that chimed softly when she moved, and silver anklets that caught the light as she swayed to the music. Their smiles were brilliant and unguarded, and they kept stealing glances at the bride with obvious delight.
