Bakht- Pt 4

*****

Zoya took in small breaths. Her fist clenched the lehenga she wore, trying to calm down the havoc of thoughts in her mind. Not minutes after Samra had left, the door was turned open once again and came in her now husband.

The thought still felt like a surreal whisper at the back of her mind.

She heard him cough a few times, presumably as confused with what to do as she was. Zoya felt the bed space ahead of her dip and Haider cleared his throat once again- completely at a loss of words and highly clueless.

"Assalamu alaikum."

The start of the first conversation they might have. The first word spoken to each other.

Zoya inhaled anxiously and replied to him with a clipped tone. The slightly transparent dupatta showed the hesitant raise of his hands, probably wanting to lift the veil she had draped over her face- typical, but she wanted it to be that way.

"May I?"

A small smile tugged at her lips as she gave him a nod. Haider slowly lifted the dupatta up, clearly feeling out of place but as soon as her face came into view, he could blink and let his hands rest atop the edges of the flimsy material, beside her cheeks.

The weight of his stare made Zoya look up. The awkwardness in the air seemed to have dulled when their eyes met. His were wide, clearly swirling with disbelief and that simple emotion made Zoya doubt her attire and makeup.

Was it too bland?

Too bright?

Or simply-

"Masha'Allah."

She heard him whisper into the silence and the doubt drowned in the mirage of her erratic heartbeats. Her cheeks flushed a beautiful pink as she averted her gaze to her hands that were now clutching to each other, hoping to hide the tremors.

"I, ahm, this is for you."

Haider broke out of his reverie. The tip of his ears had been tinged with pink as he quickly retrieved a small box from his pocket. Trying to hide the nervousness in his stance, Haider offered the box to Zoya who took it with mild curiosity.

Glancing once at him, she slowly opened the box only to be left astounded at what waited for her inside it.

It was a rose-gold Swarovski watch with small diamonds encrusted around the frame. The band of it added more beauty to the material and Zoya had to stop herself from squealing.

"Ahm, my last flight was of Austria and this was all I could get. Mama ne kaha that you like watches so.. Agar pasand nahi aaya toh I can get-"

"Pasand nahi aaya? Are you serious? This is perfect!"

Zoya couldn't stop herself from gushing like she had been given the stars. Her watch collection had a brand new arrival- beautiful and one of its kind.

Seeing the look of relief that washed over Haider's face, a giggle left her lips and before she could comprehend what she was doing, Zoya kissed his cheeks in gratitude.

The realisation of the action came after it was done and the blush that seemed to have been put down came back but this time with a darker shade. Haider blinked in wonder. His fists were pressed against the mattress in order to not touch the skin that she had kissed, hoping to feel the warmth and reality of her lips on his cheek.

A bashful silence surrounded the two and Zoya mentally threw curses at herself and her excitement. Her eyes didn't remove themselves from the watch in fear of doing something more embarrassing. Hoping to disappear, she cleared her throat and closed the box, keeping it on the drawer beside the bed.

"M-main change kar lu?"

Her hesitant question was met with an amused smile and she almost lost her balance due to the dimple that appeared on his left cheek.

Haye Allah, her husband was handsome!

"You don't have to ask, Zoya. Go ahead."

She gave him a nod and quickly picked out an oversize hoodie and sweatpants to change into. She needed clothes that would provide her space to breathe while she was sleeping. Clothes that touched her skin- the ones that fit her perfectly- were labelled as tight by Zoya.

The woman survived on clothes at least 2 times the actual size of hers.

Removing the jewelleries and the make up took more than a few minutes and she finally sighed in relief once she was out of the washroom. Haider was nowhere in sight, most likely he went to another room to change the sherwani.

Running a hand through her tangled hair that she had left open, Zoya picked up the hair brush on the dressing table and quickly combed through the brown strands that seemed hell bent on making her cry with the way they stuck to each other like leeches.

"Ahh!"

She whined in pain when the knot wouldn't open. Frustration was clear in her gaze as she forced the brush roughly through her hair. A war was about to begin if they didn't let go of themselves soon.

"Woah, araam se."

She felt a pair of rough hands grabbing hers and an instant flinch was a reflex action at the unexpected touch. Her bewildered eyes met his concerned ones through the mirror. It was clear by the look on his face that he didn't appreciate the way she was torturing herself and her hair.

"I'll do it. Stay still."

Haider's stern voice brought a pout on her face. It wasn't her fault that her hair was being nasty. They were rough in texture and often took time before they were fully tamed.

And if not, then they were bound to look like a disaster.

Zoya sat down on the dressing chair while he took his sweet time to patiently detangle each knot. At first, she narrowed her eyes at the way he was doing it all with such ease but by minutes, she sunk into the chair and placed her elbow on the table, her cheeks rested in between her palms as she stared at her husband in wonder.

"There. All done."

He gave a gentle pat to her head and a smile graced her lips at the proud look that was glistening in his eyes. They had spent a good 10 minutes on the task and now seeing her hair all done, she couldn't help but let a grin take over her lips.

"What's the secret, Mr. Haider?"

She questioned in a tone of that of a curious interviewer and Haider raised an eyebrow, amused at her tone and the change in her posture.

"Well, like you said Mrs. Haider, it's a secret."

Zoya bit her tongue to stop the stupid pink from covering cheeks. The pain might divert her attention but the way he addressed her, oh boy, her mind said- no distractions today, love.

With her skin dipped in a shade of deep red, she averted her gaze from his eyes and pretended to focus on her hair. The pretence would have lasted longer if not for the rough strands that were already set in a braid by him.

She felt him lean closer. Her back was to him when her cheeks felt the brush was a rough stubble. Her breath hitched at his sudden closeness. The shift in the air made it tough to think. A finger gripped her chin and raised her head. Her eyes clashed with his through the mirror- and it would've been a sin to ignore the way they assessed every inch of her face.

The eyes could've been mistaken for the purest silver one could find. The irises were clouded with a darker grey while the edging surface was almost surreal to look at.

Zoya found herself in awe at the shade. Never had she imagined that such a cold and tough colour could be coated with a warm aura like his.

"Must be tired. Let's sleep."

She blinked- once, twice and again to realise what had been said.

Haider quickly backed away from her. A conflicted look marred his features as he got in bed and closed his eyes. He had no control of what he had done. It felt as though something had possessed him to behave as such but why then didn't he feel guilty?

The lavender scent of hers tickled his senses. So fresh, so enticing. But amidst that scent of lavender, there was thick one of paints too. Her whole being, every inch of her skin held a remnant of the masterpieces she has created.

He was yet to see the magic she wields on empty canvases and could only hope that his turn to be blessed would soon arrive.

Zoya timidly lifted the comforter and got in beside him. Facing him, she watched as he pretended to sleep, his eyes were closed but even she could tell that his breathing was yet to turn to normal-

Just like hers.

His close proximity did things to her- things she had only read in fantasies. The flip of her heart, the silence of her thoughts, the raging blood and the wish for something she didn't know what.

She didn't let it show, but the disappointment that nothing had happened let her succumb to a restless sleep.

*****

Mornings, oh mornings, why do you knock on the doors of the sky so early?

The question was asked by Zoya every now and then. The sun was like a frenemy to her- neither a proper friend nor a lasting enemy.

Turning on her side, she hid herself more into the thick comforter, hoping to sleep for some more but her sleep sense had been deceived into shutting down. Groaning in annoyance, Zoya threw the material off herself and sat up straight with a frown.

Running a hand across her face, she bit back a yawn and looked to her side only to find it empty. The sheets felt cold to the touch and she could only tilt her head, confused as to where he had gone so early.

Not knowing any good thing that'd come with sitting like a homeless person on the bed, Zoya ran a hand through her hair that true to her assumptions had resorted to violence during the night. With a painful look on her face, she quickly decided to take a shower within which she might get a brewing headache.

Changing into a traditional burgundy suit, Zoya got out of the washroom, wiping her hair dry. Wet hair was something she loathed though the texture of her hair after a bath looked surreal at times but the moment they dried completely, it was a different talk.

She was still busy with the shenanigans of her hair when a sweaty Haider entered the room, his phone pressed next to his ears. Zoya stopped herself from scrunching her nose when he blatantly ignored her, threw the phone on the bed and entered the washroom.

Trying not to feel offended, she continued getting ready for the day with a scowl permanently etched on her face.

Not minutes later, did he appear again but this time bathed and clean. Zoya ignored him as he came to stand beside her, combing his hair and then sparing her a glance.

Haider kept the brush down and turned to face her fully. He stopped his lips from tugging into a smile when he saw the way her cheeks were puffed in annoyance he could presume and her eyes glared at her own reflection like it was her enemy.

"Now, what could be the reason for such an expression?"

He gave a gentle tap to the tip of her nose and Zoya tried not to melt at his touch.

Had the heat of summer gotten into her head?

Zoya breathed in deeply and applied a little lip balm on her lips that were having a few cracks due to the changing weather that never did any good to her health or skin.

Once fully ready, she made the mistake to look at her husband and a shriek left her lips when she found him standing in just a towel wrapped around his torso.

Blazing heat like that of the sun took over her cheeks as she gaped at him dumbstruck.

"Y-yeh a-aap- kapde pehne please!"

She yelped and turned her back to him. Her palms on instinct covered her eyes as she mumbled a string of 'Astaghfirullah' under her breath. Her cheeks could've been mistaken for crimson while her heart being the shameless being that it was, had been beating erratically in her chest.

A chuckle was heard from him and she felt a hand on her head before feeling the loss of his warmth. Peeking slightly through the gaps of her finger, she found him walking into the closet but his bare back made her squeal in embarrassment once again and she hurriedly closed her eyes again.

Zoya heard a few things being moved here and there before it was all silent. She stood still, her eyes still closed and her face covered by her palms.

"I'm decent now."

A gasp of horror escaped her lips when his voice sounded right next to her ears. His breath brushed the nape of her neck, making her want to recoil but at the same time, lean more into the warmth he was exuding.

She felt his hands removing her palms from her face. Her eyes were still closed and him standing so close wasn't helping.

"Ab toh dekh lo."

His voice a low whisper, expectant and waiting.

Taking in a shaky breath, Zoya acted against her instincts. Her eyes pried themselves open and she found herself at a loss of thoughts when his face was inches away from hers. His breath mingled with hers. So warm, so uneven, so impatient.

Haider didn't know if he had gotten lucky or his eyes were playing tricks on him. A secret had been etched in his heart and mind, one that wasn't meant to be said out loud but for how long could it be kept buried?

His eyes kissed every inch of her skin. His gaze had never betrayed him as such as when she was in front of him.

"You look like a dream, jaan."

His words did make Zoya feel as though she was dreaming. Her eyes stared unblinkingly into his. The greys were getting covered with dark clouds, making Zoya wonder if what she was seeing was true.

One of his hands let go of her palm and hesitantly caressed her cheek, wondering and hoping that she was in front of him. Zoya seemed to be getting hold of what was going through his mind and a smile tugged at her lips. She leaned into his touch and Haider never knew a satisfaction so great.

The distance between them bugged Haider, even if it was just a few feet. He leaned in, dangerously close to Zoya's face. The smile she wore dissolved into nothingness. His touch, his scent, his closeness, all made her dizzy.

"May I?"

She didn't know what he was asking but still felt herself give a nod. She saw him gulp and the unknown wish that had crept into her heart seemed to finally sigh in bliss when it was fulfilled.

His lips met hers in a poised manner, as though one was touching a deity- with caution and the slightest bit of hesitancy. Zoya felt him pull away as soon as their lips touched but before she could say something, he had taken her lips as his captive once again.

Haider needed to know it wasn't an illusion. That indeed, she had allowed him to touch her- to feel her in a way no one else ever would.

Zoya felt herself being pushed behind, her back pressed against the dressing table while he ravaged her lips. His hands had moved and were gripping her waist firmly, holding her in place as he took the taste of the sweetest of flowers one could come across in a lifetime.

Her scent of lavender seemed to be getting sweeter, the scars of paint etched on her skin made him want to paint her in colours of his own. In his name, in his thoughts, in his touches.

Dizziness ramped against Zoya's thoughts. Her head seemed to be getting lighter while her body refused to let go of his hold. Her hands found their way to the nape of his neck, giving them a sultry caress and she smiled when she felt him shudder.

Her smile didn't last long when she felt him bite her lips in response to her teasing. Zoya swallowed down a cry when he pulled her even closer. The fervour in the air surrounded the two like a never ending need, not letting them pull away nor stop the raging of the blood that wanted more.

And it would all have turned into something far more intense if not for the unsophisticated bangings on the door and Sameera's yellings.

"Bhai!"

**********

Did I do that? Yes, I did. Do I feel guilty? Nope, not at all... hehehehe

Anyways, my apologies for the late update. I was busy completing another one of my book and now that it's done, all my attention will be on Mehr-o-Mah...

Which indirectly means- that there'll be more frequent updates!!...

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