Obsidian Desire

-11-

It was a warm July afternoon, the air thick with the lingering heat of the day, though a gentle breeze offered some respite. The sky was a deepening shade of orange and pink, casting a golden hue over the bustling city.

Jayasvi, tired from the engagement ceremony, slowly got inside the hotel room. The weight of the heavy lehenga and the day's events weighed on her as she moved towards the bed, leaning against the bedrest. The air conditioner in the room was doing its job, keeping the room cool; otherwise, the heavy fabric of her lehenga would have made her faint from exhaustion.

She felt a strange mix of relief and melancholy as she sank into the plush bed, the cool sheets a welcome contrast to the warmth of the day. The engagement had been a whirlwind of emotions, and now, alone in her room, the reality of everything began to sink in.

Her cousin was asked to stay with her but she wanted to enjoy roaming in the lavish hotel and click pictures, Jayasvi didn't want to hold them back. Jayasvi remembered how their photo shoot happened. The photographer was asking them to look in each others eyes but she wasn't able to do that. At the end it came up as a picture with him looking down at her as he hugged her from behind while she was looking down. She could still feel his touch on her skin. Why would somebody want so intimate posses in their engagement? She wondered leaning back taking support. She wanted to remove the dress but was scared if somebody came to meet her, it would be trouble. And more than that, she was in love with this dress.

She moved towards the mirror looking at her reflection. It wasn't as bad as she thought. She wondered. Observing her reflection in the mirror. The Sheeshphool on her head made her feel like a real princess. She smiled slightly before twirling around to see the flair of the lehenga.

There was a knock on the door making her frown. Maybe it is her mother. She sighed walking slowly to the door. She hated the heels she was hearing, she will remove them now. She thought as she opened the door.

The door opened and she came across to Raghav standing in front of her. She took a deep breath taking in his appearance dressed in a long navy blue dress coat and pants with a diamond brooch on the coat. His leather shoes were completing his perfect authoritarian handsome look.

"Sir?", she whispered not expecting him here.

"Can I come inside?", he asked like a gentleman. It was his hotel. How could she deny? On top of that, what else could she do? She nodded her head as he entered inside closing the door behind him.

"Sir, do you want to talk about something", she asked when she was turned to the door feeling him hovering her. She gulped down clenching her thighs for a moment.

"Quit calling me sir, Jayasvi and I am serious this time", he spoke his face so close to her. She could smell his wooden cologne all over him making her look down breathing heavily. His voice was just so low yet heavy.

"What should I call you than?", she spoke in hesitation.

"Anything but not sir", he stated his face closer.

"Raghav?", she spoke out making him look at her intensely. Raghav is one of her crush from her favourite book that was the reason she never called him directly by his name. She always felt so shy remembering how the protagonist of her book used to dominate the female lead in bed and treat her like a queen in real life. She turned crimson thinking about it.

"I just thought you'll like me calling you by your name", she spoke justifying herself while looking down. Raghav's eyes traced her from head to toe. She wasn't doing well with how she looked with his patience which led him here to her room.

"You look enchanting", he spoke softly making her look up at him. Her eyes just looked so innocent and pure, it was like they were calling him to commit some sin.