Page 73 of The Unwanted Husband
“What’s the schedule for today?” She decided to be the one to break the silence. Irrespective of what happened between them, they still had a charade to keep up with.
He held her gaze for a long moment before shrugging lightly. “Whatever you want to do.”
His tone and body language were borderline annoying and something snapped inside her. “How can it be what I want? I’m not the one who is going to be here to take care of the kids.”
Something flickered in his eyes. “Let’s go have lunch with the family.”
“Okay,” she said, shy of yelling at him and added, “And I don’t need any pills. I’m on long-term birth control.”
Why she had to mention the part at the end she had no idea. She grabbed the first dress hung on the closet and zoomed past him in the doorway not wanting to be anywhere near him.
Shortly after, she stepped out of the shower. She could hear him right outside the bathroom, talking to someone. She looked for inner wear in one of the dressers inside the bathroom like they had been in her room. To her relief, they were neatly arranged.
“Crap.” She realized the outfit she chose in a hurry was a traditional dress that was midriff baring. And just as she was going to step out of the bathroom to switch costumes, she paused when she heard other voices. Only female voices.
She swore under her breath when she heard his sisters’ voices. No matter how annoyed she was with him or vice versa they still had a charade to keep up with. She stared at herself, the tight-fitting blouse and the skirt she had on with a good portion of her midriff being shown. In spite of wearing these outfits the past few days she didn’t know how to drape the scarf.
Isha gave it a few tries and knew she was not going to do a good job. Maybe she could just stay inside and wait for them to leave and ask one of the staff to help. Just as that thought passed through her, another idea sparked in her mind.
She had no idea how he could help but she didn’t want any of his sisters to help. Especially Aravinda, she didn’t want her to think she didn’t know how to handle a traditional outfit.
Ashok was dressed in his usual work clothes, a pair of pressed khakis with a button-down shirt. His hair seemed slightly damp from the shower. His expression was still cold even as he listened to his sisters talk amongst themselves.
As if he sensed her eyes on him, he looked at her and she saw his expression warm up as he looked at her through the sheer curtain.
He excused himself from his sisters and walked toward her.
“Sorry Isha,” Amuktha said and added, “Didn’t mean to disturb you guys but mom said the three of us have to invite you guys to lunch formally.”
“Thank you,” Isha chirped and added, “I will be right out as soon as my husband helps out with my outfit.”
Ashok’s gaze met hers when he pushed aside the curtain, and for a split second, she thought she saw something flicker in his dark eyes. And just like that it was gone in a flash.
Unsure of what was going on in his mind and unable to bear the suspense of it, and as if to make his cold front break, she unwrapped the fabric and stood in front of him. Her chest strutted out, shoulders square and her stomach sucked in.
To her utter shock there was no change in his expression or his breathing. When in the past she had noticed how hissy his breath had gotten when they were close or he laid eyes on her in a traditional outfit.
“I’m not sure how to drape this as per the island traditions.” The local style wasn’t too different from a regular saree drape but it had an endless fabric look to it.
Like he was unaffected by the way she stood and her proximity, he stood in front of her. It was torturous for her to not see a reaction from him and hard for her not to show it.
“Why don’t you try a diff outfit?” His tone was cold.
“No.” She held out the fabric to him. “Hold this edge and I can figure it out.”
Isha remembered what he had said about how she looked like a sea goddess at her brother’s wedding. There was a certain wrap she had on that covered one side of her body while it fully exposed her other side.
She hadn’t worn an outfit like that in years and if it was time now, then it had to be it. She gave him instructions as she pleated and wrapped the scarf and when it was his task to tuck the peats in the back she knew it would be torturous for her, but she refused to show any of it, especially when he had the Arctic Tundra on.
She held her breath, closed her eyes tightly and shut down every sensation that threatened to roar inside her in response to how close he was. She only hoped Ashok didn’t notice how rampant her heart beat was and how much she craved his touch.
Moments passed and she could feel him move behind her and there was no missing the way her body trembled in response to his fingers grazing her bare skin.
She was still reeling from the moment of sheer emotions when she heard him walk away from her telling her she had ten minutes before they left for lunch.
Shortly after, she walked next to him toward the large family dining area. She didn’t realize they were close to their destination until Ashok reached out and took her hand in his.
Great! When it’s show time, does he want to touch her?
