An Arranged Affair

chapter 18 - play time

I looked at my reflection in the mirror, I had to admit that I looked good, and I prayed my hunch about the Balajis would pay off.

I had decided to wear a deep blue sari with a crystal stone work boarder that sparked in the light . Simmi's mother had worked her magic at the sewing machine and had sewn the pleats in place.

It was cheating , but it made wearing the sari so much easier to wear.

I had worn it low on my hips, bordering between being modest and scandalous. It accentuating my slim waist and had draped it over my left shoulder. The blouse was simple but hardly modest, with a few clips mid back and a string tie at the top, my back was almost completely bare.

I had left my hair out, showcasing my long thick jetblack hair, the red sindoor stained the part in my hair and my mangala sutra was the only jewellery I had chose to wear, apart from a pair of understated crystal earrings.

I had chosen deep red lipstick, kholed my eyes and mascaraed my lashes. It was very easy to overdo makeup in traditional dress and while tonight I wanted to get noticed, I didn't want to scream ' notice me".

Tonight I was going to make thing my own, well at least try.

And hopefully make a few connections of my own.

I heard him before I saw him, he was leaning on the doorway of the bathroom, watching me get ready.

' Oh Phillip, there you are, could you help tie up the stings?" I said , pulling hair aside. I tried to keep my voice light and airy, even though me heart was beating fast, like it did around him. I seemed to find myself in this situation with him quite a lot.

He stepped forward to me, closing he gap between us, and tied up the blouse stings.

'I thought Indian women were supposed to be very demure and modest" he said as he placed his hands on my shoulders, looking at me through my reflection on the mirror.

"Are you sure you want to wear this? I am pretty sure the other women will be wearing gowns and I am sure I have bought you quite a few. "

I shrugged his hands off my sholders.

" No, this is fine, besides, this is an appreciation of our culture. Anyone can wear a gown but not everyone can rock a sari."

I grabbed the tie that was slung around his neck and laced it into his collar, doing it up neatly, like I had done hundreds of times for my father, then walked to his cupboard and opened his cufflink draw, choosing a pair of gold ones with small embedded diamonds and put them into his sleeves, before helping him on with his jacket.

I grabbed my clutch and walked confidently out of the door, down the stairs to the foyer where I enjoyed the approving nod that Stanford gave me, leaving a shocked Phillip in our bedroom.

I had never been assertive with him and it had caught him off his guard.

I liked it, I liked the feeling of power it gave me.

It was time to get this show on the road. I wore my best poker face but my insides felt like jelly.

I sucked at playing poker.

Stanford was about to open the door of the car for me when Philips had shot out and reached for the car door first, taking my hand with his free one and helping me into the car, as elegant as the sari looked, it was extremely cumbersome to wear, especially for someone as inexperienced as me.

I was surprised to see that Phillip had chosen a two door black sports car today, I had thought Stanford would have driven us as he normally did, but as Phillip drove us along the way to the banquet, I swear I kept seeing him glance over at me, again and again even though I kept my eyes ahead and my hands in a death grip around my clutch in my purse.