Arranged marriage : Married to an unknown man

Ariana

Xavier led me out of the hall where his car was parked and took keys of his white Lamborghini from the valet. How did the valet know that he was coming? Xavier opened the car door for me. I was about to sit when he positioned his hand on my head making me confused. I looked up at him, he didn’t say anything but bobbed his head, gesturing me to sit. When I sat then only I realized why he did that. He did that to secure my head from bumping into the car’s head.

He pulled the car out of the parking and drove home. The car ride was awkwardly silent, I sat on my seat looking out of the window and he kept his focus on driving. I wanted to ask him about Chris. Why he reacted that way in front of him? Why he snapped at him? I agree that I was scared by his penetrating and discomforting gaze but the way Xavier reacted made me feel like there was something else going on between them. I wanted to ask but I stayed quiet.

When we reached home, the first thing I did was, I sat on the couch in the living room and removed my heels, and sighed in relief. I felt so relieved. I closed my eyes and rested my head on top of the backrest of the couch.

“That much tired?” I jolted up straight when I heard Xavier’s voice from near me. He was standing near me, he had already removed his suit jacket. I immediately stood up from the couch feeling embarrassed by what I was doing.

“Why did you stand up? Sit down, your feet must be hurting.” He said with concern.

“Uh, umm, I…n…need water.” Saying that I ran into the kitchen. I poured water in a glass from the jar and started drinking it but stopped when I felt a presence behind me. When I turned around, I found Xavier standing close to me with his hands stuffed in his pant pockets, looking at me. Does he need something?

“You need something?” I looked at the glass in my hand and then looked up. “W.. Water?” I asked.

He didn’t speak a word. Without leaving my gaze, he reached for my glass, took it from my hand, and brought it to his lips. He started drinking water from my glass, making my heartbeat speed up. Why did he do that?

While trying to avert my eyes, my eyes landed on the silver chain tied on his wrist. Bracelet. He wore that! He wore the gift given by me. My heart fluttered. I couldn’t believe Xavier Knight wore the bracelet given by me.

I looked at him to make sure that I wasn’t dreaming. He’s real. He really wore that. Before my emotions could take over me, he placed the glass down on the countertop and took a step towards me. And as a reflex action, I took a step back but he didn’t stop. He took one more step towards me and I took one more back. I stepped back until my back hit the wall. He stopped mere inches away from me and placed his hands on both sides of my head on the wall, making me press myself more into the wall.

“Did I tell you how stunning you look tonight?” He said, looking deep into my eyes. His breath fanned my cheeks, sending pleasure down my spine. I gulped. Why was he saying that now? He must be lying otherwise he would have complimented me in the party itself when he was complimenting other women.

“Y.. you are.. lying.” I stuttered. I was bothered by his close proximity.

“Why would I lie about such a thing?” He frowned. I didn’t say anything but averted my eyes. I jerked when he cupped my chin between his thumb and index finger and coaxed me to look into his eyes.

“I won’t lie about that to you. You look magnificent and breathtaking in this dress tonight. You totally stood out from others. And your hair.” He touched my hair. “Your silky smooth hair added more shine to your beauty.”

“Why don’t you ever leave your hair open?” He asked softly.

“Because people say that my hair looks hideous,” I said, lowering my head. Why did I even tell him that? This will not matter to him. He again cupped my chin to make me look at him.

“Who are those people?” He asked with hardness in his tone. What happened to him all of a sudden?

“Scarlet and her friends.” Those words flew out of my mouth before I could stop them. His eyes immediately darkened with anger.

“Listen to me, Ariana. Scarlet was lying about that. She is jealous of your beauty and your beautiful hair which is why she made you feel low. And whatever she said about you in the past, forget all of that. You are not what she made you think. Get that? You are beautiful.” He said determinedly as if he knew me more than anyone else.

But one thing glued in my head-Scarlet lying to me-I never thought like that. Was Xavier saying right? Was she jealous of me? But why? I never said anything to her, never came in her way, I just remained in my own world without even bothering her or anyone else. Then why she always bullied me? Why she always called me with vile names?

“Do you get that?” He asked again. His face was just inches apart from mine, his lips almost touched mine. I nodded my head, trying to press my body in the wall.

“Good, because I don’t want you to ever think low of yourself.” Saying that he nuzzled his face in my neck making me gasp.

“Goodness, your scent is so soothing.” He mumbled, inhaling in my neck. My heart started drumming in my chest loudly. Heat instantly flared in my body.

“Wh.. what ar.. re y.. you doing?” I stuttered, my hands fisted on my side.

“Inhaling your enticing scent, what else?” He whispered and placed a soft kiss on my neck, making me shudder. Goosebumps erupted on my body.

“Y.. you are invading m.. my personal sp.. pace,” I said. My body began to tremble.

“Mmmm…I don’t think so.” He kissed my ear and slid his hand down my body. He suddenly circled my waist and started kissing my shoulders. My breathing became ragged.

“Xa.. Xavier.”

His head shot up with lightning speed and he looked deep into my eyes. His eyes were dark, showing desire.

“What did you say?” He asked, pulling me closer to him, removing every single millimeter distance between us. My hands automatically went up on his chest to make a little bit of distance I could.

“Y.. you are invading m.. my person..”

“After that, Ariana.” He groaned pulling me more closer to him. I bet now he could feel my loudly thumping heart because I surely could feel his heartbeat as my chest was pressed against his.

“W.. what?” I asked confusedly, looking into his eyes. What did I say and how could I remember anything in this situation? My mind was hazy, I already lost my thinking capability.

“My name, Ariana, say my name again.” He groaned again. Is he in some kind of pain?

“Say it!” He gripped my waist more tightly and brought his face closer to mine. I gasped as I felt something hard poking my lower abdomen. An unknown sensation quivered in my body making me giddy.

“Xavier.”

And before I could close my mouth, he pressed his lips on mine. He started kissing me, making me freeze in my position. My eyes went wide due to his sudden move. He moved his lips on mine so furiously, gripping me more tightly as I would run away.

With his other hand, he gripped the back of my neck, tilted it up, and deepened the kiss by plunging his tongue into my mouth. His kiss was full of fire which almost melted me into liquid. I curled my hands in a fist by gripping his shirt for support as my knees went weak and started trembling.

I couldn’t move, I couldn’t do anything because I wasn’t able to. I just stood frozen letting him do what he was doing. Because I didn’t know what to do.

After all, it was my first kiss that he… stole.

“Goodness, I wanted to do this for so long,” He said between the kiss. After moving his lips furiously, he slowed down but didn’t let go of my lips. He then kissed me softly and gently like I was some porcelain doll that would break if he put any further pressure. He caressed my lips with his lips gently, making that unknown sensation shoot like a fire inside me.

He kissed me, kissed me until I was out of breath. My heart kept skipping the beats to remind me that something new was happening with me. I don’t know for how long he kissed me but he let go of my lips when I was totally out of the air. Closing his eyes, he pressed his forehead against mine. We both were panting hard, gasping for air.

After regaining his breath, he opened his eyes and looked at me with admiration. Slowly lifting his hand, he caressed my lower lip with his thumb. I closed my eyes to calm my racing heart. But nothing happened, instead my heart started thumping more loudly.

“My name sounds so damn sexy coming out of your mouth.” He said, fanning his hot breath on my nose and mouth. I could feel my cheeks burning up.

“Open your eyes,” He ordered huskily. Instead of opening my eyes, I shut them more tightly.

“I think ‘open your eyes’ means to open them, not to shut them more tightly.” Amusement and playfulness were evident in his husky voice. But I didn’t budge, I didn’t open my eyes.

“You’re so stubborn. Okay fine, if you won’t open your eyes in the next second I’ll kiss you again.” His statement made my eyes shot open instantly.

“See? Was that hard?” He asked softly, playfulness not leaving his tone.

“Now that I got your attention, listen to me carefully. I waited for so long to hear my name from your mouth. And now, I want you to always call me by my name whether we are in the office or not. Get that?” He ordered huskily. But why? I was unable to speak, I just nodded my head and tried to wiggle out of his grip but he tightened his hold on me.

He smiled, gazing at my lips which made my breath hitch. I wanted to avert my eyes but couldn’t. My eyes stuck to his smile-coated lips. Goodness, his smile is so beautiful. Why doesn’t he smile more often? The smile looks good on him.

“Why didn’t you kiss me back?” He asked out of the blue, making me come back out of my dreamland. I looked into his eyes to see he was staring at me like he wanted to read me by my expressions. Heat instantly pooled up on my cheeks. Embarrassed about what I’d answer him, I again started wiggling to run away.

I slipped out of his grip and tried to run away but one tug on my wrist brought me back in the same position, that is, pressed against his chest with his hand around my waist.

“Where are you running to? You think you can evade from my grip without answering my question?” He cupped my chin with his other hand making me look into his eyes.

“Why?” He asked softly pinning his eyes with mine.

“I d… don’t know h. h.. how to k.. k.. kiss.” These words involuntarily slipped out of my mouth making me more embarrassed. His eyes went wide. I tried to avert my eyes but he put more pressure on my chin so that I could not do that.

“You don’t know how to kiss?” He asked shockingly. I felt ashamed of myself for not knowing how to kiss.

“That means I am your first kiss?” He asked with amusement sparkling in his eyes. No words came out of my mouth, instead, my face burned up making my cheeks turn red and I lowered my head due to embarrassment.

He suddenly embraced me into a tight hug, burying his face in the crook of my neck and mine in his neck by putting his hand on the back of my neck.

“Goodness, Ariana you don’t know how special you made me feel by saying that. I know I’m being a jerk for saying I’m glad to be your first kiss but I really feel special.” He mumbled into my neck, showering kisses there, making my body pool up with heating desire. I suppressed the moan which was about to leave my mouth. When I realized what I was doing I started wiggling in his arms.

“Stay steady. Let me imprint and seal this moment in my heart.” He mumbled, holding me steady which made me stop wiggling.

After a few minutes of keeping me in his embrace, he let go of his hands around me and cupped my face with both his hands.

“I am honored to hear that I’m your first kiss. I know you are not my first kiss but I assure you that from now on you’ll be my only one.” He said with determination and kissed my forehead. I didn’t know what he said was true or not but somewhere inside I felt special. My cheeks burned and I bet they must be of darkest red color right now.

“I like the color of your cheeks when you blush. You look so adorable.” He said, playfully pinching both of my cheeks.

To save myself from fainting out of embarrassment, I pushed him softly and ran away. I didn’t care if I was wearing a long dress which could make me stumble on my steps, I just ran and I didn’t stop until I reached my room. Shutting the door I rested my back on the door, breathing hard. My legs trembled so I sat on my bed.

“Eeeeeeeeeeeeeee” I squealed, burying my face into my hands. I couldn’t control myself from smiling. I touched my lips with my fingers to recall the most special moment. I could still feel his lips on mine. I slumped back on my bed, grabbed a fluffy pillow, and hugged it tightly.

What did just happen? Xavier kissed me? I got kissed for the first time in my life that too by my husband.

Tonight I learned what a kiss feels like. A kiss on lips makes you feel special, important and wanted. It leaves a jittery feeling inside you, shoots a tickling sensation in your body.

The way he kissed me, he melted me in his arms, build up desire, and sensation inside me that I never felt before. His kiss awakened all my dreams, secrets, and wishes which had been sleeping deep inside me which never came alive for any reason. But his one kiss… just one kiss awakened them like fire. In just one kiss he took me to whole another world.

His arms around me when he embraced me felt like a lock of safety. Safety that no one ever gave me before. His lock of arms was like a promise that he would never let anything happen to me.

The way he held my face in his warm hands and looked at me with admiration showed care.

And when he kissed my forehead and pronounced those promising words showed respect.

Safety, Care, and respect, the things I was yearning for all my life. I got them in just a single moment. In just one kiss, Xavier gave me all of that.

It was just love that was left but I didn’t care about that. I was happy with what I had and what I received tonight.

But there was a voice in my head asking questions.

“Is that all true? What if it’s all sham? What if it’s just a dream? What if he kissed me just because he was longing for it? What if he didn’t feel anything like I was feeling? What if whatever he said is not true? What if it’s just me who thinks there’s the deep meaning of that kiss? What if he has already forgotten about the kiss?”

I argued back to the voice in my head who was questioning me,

“But he said I’ll be only one from now on. He promised me. I don’t know him much but I know him enough that he never makes fake promises. His eyes said that all, his smile said that all. I don’t need to even ask him for that. And he wore the bracelet I gave him that means I mean at least something to him. Like he means more than something to me. And I won’t deny the fact that I have started liking him.”

“But what if..?” That stupid voice in my head again spoke.

“Shut up, shut up, shut up. Just go away and don’t play with my head. Let me cherish the moments I am living in, let me cherish the things I am receiving. For the first time in life, let me be greedy, let me be selfish, let me live for myself. Let me ask for things I never asked before. Let me experience things that I never experienced before. I don’t care if it’s all sham, I don’t care if it’ll not last for long. May it be only for some time but let me live a little. I am not asking for money, luxuries, or…love, I am just asking for safety, care, and respect. Let me have them, let me hold them till I can. Let me hold to the one person from whom I am getting them.”

Shutting my inner voice, I got up from my bed to change into something more comfortable to sleep.

After changing and washing every single particle of makeup away from my face I lie down in my bed. I snuggled into the warmness of the duvet and closed my eyes with only one thought in my mind.

I like Xavier.