"Honey, do you want to go upstairs now?" Armaan's voice stopped her in her tracks as he appeared next to her suddenly, looking incredibly handsome in his wedding outfit. A black brocade jacket with silver embroidery matched with a white, silk shirt and black trousers.
"In a minute," she replied, giving him a strange look. He had been very convincing in his role of devoted groom so far but nobody else was within hearing distance so there was no need for him to keep up the act.
He stepped forward then and raised an arm to place it next to her on the stone pillar she had been leaning against, standing far too close for her comfort. "You look ravishing in that dress by the way," he told her, his tone dripping with sensuality. "I can't wait to take it off you."
"What is wrong with you?" she snapped at him before casting a worried glance towards Hamza who was now watching them both intently.
"Wrong? There's nothing wrong with me telling my wife how much I'm looking forward to our wedding night," was Armaan's casual reply. "My gorgeous, tempting and absolutely delicious-."
When she opened her mouth to tell him off, he chose that exact moment to lower his head and place a firm kiss on her parted lips. Jasmine gasped into his mouth before placing her hands on his chest to push him away.
"Careful, honey," he whispered to her. "We've got so many eyes on us. It wouldn't do to show them you're already getting tired of your husband."
Why are you doing this? she wanted to ask but before she could say a word, he shifted away from her, gave her an angelic smile and said, "I'll wait for you upstairs."
He walked away as though whatever had happened between them was no big deal whereas she felt a chill run down her spine when she gazed back at Hamza and noticed his closed-off expression. She knew that look. Nothing she said or did in that moment was going to get through to him. And it was all Armaan Qureshi's fault.
~~~~
"Okay, what the hell, Qureshi?!"
"Sshhh. Keep your voice down."
He was sitting on the bed in his room watching a soccer game on TV as if that was way more interesting than whatever she had to say.
"Armaan, what was that downstairs? Why did you do that?" she asked, walking towards him swiftly.
Armaan didn't look at her as he spoke. "He needed to know you were mine."
She gave him an incredulous look. "Excuse me? I am not yours. I never will be, do you hear me? I don't know what you were thinking acting like that with me when you knew Hamza was right there but you ruined everything!"
To her disbelief, he smiled tightly and his eyes gleamed with satisfaction. "Good," was his heartfelt response.
She didn't understand what his game was anymore. None of it made sense. Sure he was attracted to her but that was not a good enough reason to actually marry her. Why would he choose to hurt her this way?
Armaan finally looked her way as she stood there feeling lost and helpless and his gaze softened slightly.
"You look very beautiful tonight."
She glared at him and shook her head in disbelief, marvelling at his casual attitude when her world was crumbling all around her. Armaan got up to approach her slowly and when he reached out to touch her hair, she flinched.
It did not deter him. His voice dripped with suppressed passion and tenderness when he spoke. "Jasmine. I told you I will make it up to you for taking your virginity in the way that I did," he said softly. "Let me make love to you properly. Forget about him. It's our night. Let's just...look forward to a beautiful life together."
She narrowed her eyes at him. Then slowly, she started removing her adornments one by one. He pursed his lips as he watched her taunt him by her abrupt carrying out of a task that he had wanted to savor.
Unscrewing her earrings, she threw them carelessly on the bedside table. "You did this on purpose," she said angrily as she unfastened the diamond necklace from around her neck and let it fall on the same table.
His eyes followed her every movement painfully. "Did what, Jasmine?"
"You fucked up my relationship with him just because you couldn't handle the fact that I didn't want you anymore," she countered, her eyes glinting. Removing all her bangles, she scattered them on the rug.
He frowned at her. "Jas-"
"Why, Armaan?" she interrupted as she pulled at the strings that held the back of her dress in place. They came loose and she shrugged out of it hastily, stepping out of her dress and not even bothering to pick it up or put it away nicely.
She wore only a navy blue silk camisole and God help him, stockings and a garter belt.
"Shit," he cursed softly, his cock rising so unexpectedly at the sexy sight in front of him that he was forced to sit down on the bed because all the blood seemed to drain from his head.
"Was taking advantage of my weakness once not enough for you?" she demanded to know and he felt her weight on the bed.
He closed his eyes as his desire increased tenfold. Then her question cut through the thick cloud of lust surrounding him and he twisted around to glare at her.
"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?" he snapped at her. "I didn't take advantage of you, Jasmine. I tried so hard to resist you that night. It took all of my strength and it still wasn't enough.
