Her Helpmate

2. Cuddle me!

"What?" I coughed and stared at him nonplussed. Are my ears ringing?

"You heard me!" He replied, normally. His gaze was wandering between the swimming pool, windows, and ceiling. His eyes stayed on the small ventilator-like window that separated the big window from the ceiling. 

I have to strip! He means I should remove my dress.

"You don't mean it, I guess. Why should–"

"–Listen, Miss Mehra–"

"–Saira!" I corrected with gritted teeth. His head snapped at me.

"The room is catching fire faster than normal. There is no time to explain the escape plan so either you strip with your own will or let me do it." The only two-step difference between us was reduced to one when his foot took a step near to me. With fright, I stepped back, shaking my head.

"It's...it's not like however we are gonna die then why don't you take my advantage!" 

In a blink, he erased that distance again and clamped my bare shoulders with his rough and warm hands. I flinched with his touch, which went unnoticed by him. 

"We are not gonna die," he tried assuring me. His gaze was convincing and optimistic, "yet if I keep explaining to you, we might, so" his one hand shifted towards my back, "let me do it!" Then without any warning, he pulled the zipper down and dragged my gown down. With ease, my strap-less dress slipped off of my body and landed on the floor. Along with that my jaw dropped, and well my eyes turned saucer-shaped. Next, he grabbed me by my waist, lifted me then tossed me beside my crystal blue floor-length gown. 

Thankfully, I opted to wear a black mid-thigh corset that still hid my body treasures from him.  Until I regained my senses, I saw Shaurya take out his shirt and tie it to the neck area of my dress. Watching that I grasp him to make a rope-like thing. But watching him in a wife-beater, flattered me and again my senses got shut down. I got an urge to hold his bicep in my hands and squeeze. Well his chest, Uff! I am burning not because of fire. This Bodyguard is hot.  Goodness gracious on me and even my lungs as the smoke began suffocating me. 

He stood on a chair, then slid open the small window door–one above the large window. Next, he circled the cloth rope around the wooden plank, that separated the large window from the small one and tied a knot.

"At least tell me what are you doing!" He ignored me and tightened the next knot. 

He didn't reply but climbed down from the chair. Pushing the chair out of his way, he took a few steps back and again pulled it. I guess to check the strength. Once he got confirmed he eyed me, "Come!" he offered his one hand. I intermittently gazed at him, and the cloth rope, which was held by his other hand.

"First tell–"

"We have to swing and jump in that swimming pool" I glanced at the swimming pool he gestured to. Though the swimming pool was a couple of yards' distance from the building, it crawled my flesh imagining what if we slip and landed on the floor but the pool. And we are on the second floor. We may not lose our souls but a spinal injury can be acquired with lifelong bed rest.  With trepidation, I shook my head vigorously.

"No. No. No!"

He turned around glancing at the speed of the fire spreading. In a minute or two whole of the recreation room will catch fire, that was for sure. "Don't you trust me?"