Page 37

“I am terrified.”
Her brown eyes narrowed at me while I tried to hide my smile and chuckled when she threw a pillow at my face. “Is that how you treat your wife, Sultan?” She mocked me in a playful tone.
Sitting down on the other side of the bed, with a lot of space between us, I asked, “Then how should I treat my wife, Sultana?”
I didn’t mean to suggest seducing her, but the way her eyes lit up, I knew she understood.
“You should… you should have…” Nasrin’s words stuttered, echoing in the room.
I leaned on my hands, my eyes pinned on hers. I whispered, “I should have what, my wife?”
She swallowed, my eyes fleeting to the bob of her throat on her slender neck. I resisted the urge to lean closer and lick the soft skin. “You should have tried to kiss me. We are married and…”
My eyes widened hearing her words. “Kiss you? You asked—no, you ordered me not to touch you.”
Her frown deepened. “Well, you could have asked me if you wanted to… or not. It doesn’t matter. I am exhausted.”
I was confused by her behavior. She wanted me to kiss her? But she was exhausted and sleepy—
“Do you seriously think that these pillows will stop me from touching you?” I deadpanned at the trail of the pillows in the center of the bed.
Nasrin rolled her eyes. “No, Sultan. These pillows are for both of us. Do not cross them or I will…”
I smirked, “You will?”
“I will challenge you to a duel.”
“You know how to wield a sword?”
“You learn a thing or two when you have three brothers.”
I suppose that was true. Even Zara knew the basics of fighting, which we taught her for her own protection.
She slid under the blankets. The pillows separating us. I followed along, staring at the center of the golden fabric, and asked, “What else do you enjoy?”
“I enjoy horse riding and cooking. I make the world’s bestkunafah,” she said proudly, her eyes bright when she smiled at me. She had told me it was her favorite sweet.
“Will you cookkunafahfor me?”
“Only if you behave.”
I flicked her forehead. “You are being mean. Depraving the Sultan of Azmia from the world’s bestkunafah.”
She touched her forehead and scoffed, “You will not die if you don’t have mykunafah, Zain.”
I whispered to myself, “I might as well.”
Before I could ask her more about her interests, I noticed she had fallen asleep. Her face so serene and calm as she slept peacefully beside me. I played with the ends of her long hair and remembered to take her horse riding the next evening.
And maybe resolve her complaint of not kissing her.
* * *
I sighedand grabbed the soft skin tighter, my hands trailing over the warm body, pulling it closer. I smiled to myself, burying my nose in the sweet scent of jasmine.
Wait… jasmine? Warm body? Soft skin?
My eyes opened and landed on the person sleeping beside me. Nasrin. My cheeks heated when the warm sunlight fell on her sleeping body, caressing her bare, glowing, tanned skin.