“What the hell?!” I demanded, confronting Nadir as we stood in my old childhood bedroom.
The nostalgic room was almost exactly as I remembered, except for one detail: a bigger bed. My parents were shameless. Shameless, I tell you! They’d said, “What an incredible catch, Brianna,” and also, “He’s a good man, so don’t let him get away,” and then left me there with my jaw hanging open in shock!
“You lied to my parents and said we were actually engaged, didn’t you?!” I said, fuming. It made no sense otherwise. My parents had to have believed Nadir truly planned on marrying me.
Nadir, who’d made himself quite comfortable, answered simply, “Obviously.” The nerve! The man was just lounging around on the bed!
“Why?!” I asked. “Go clear things up with them right now!”
“I don’t see the problem here.”
“I’m literally looking at the problem!” There was only one bed, and it was his fault!
“One never knows how word might get out,” Nadir cautioned. “If we’re going to lie, we need to lie to everyone.”
“What manner of villainous thought process...” It reminded me of the culprit’s words in a suspense novel I’d read recently. “Also, what’s this about guards?”
“Guards are for guarding,” Nadir said flatly. “You’re my fiancée, and I’m a duke’s son. There are more risks involved. Something might happen to your family.”
Now that he mentioned it...he did have a point. “You’re right. Sorry I doubted you.”
“What do you mean, you doubted me?”
“I mean, I thought maybe you had them under surveillance...”
“What kind of monster do you think I am?” he asked with a sigh before pushing himself up. “Well, either way, I’m staying the night here.”
“You’re not leaving?”
“Negative,” he replied immediately.
“Right,” I mumbled, taking a seat on a nearby chair. “And you won’t do anything while we sleep?”
“I won’t.”
“Really? Truly? Seriously?”
“Really. Truly. Seriously.”
Instead of being reassured, I found myself annoyed at his confirmation. “Right. Of course. You wouldn’t be interested in the likes of me!” I grumbled, trying to hide my annoyance.
Nadir sighed deeply. I was the one who should’ve been sighing!
“By the way,” he said, still lounging on the bed, “this is the first time we’re sharing a bed, hmm?”
“What?!” Sharing a bed?! I very nearly fell out of my chair in shock.
Exasperated, Nadir stood and caught me. Before I could thank him, he scooped me up into his arms, then gently laid me down on the bed.
I didn’t even get the chance to fully appreciate being carried bridal-style for the first time in my life. Next thing I knew, I was on the bed, and Nadir had joined me. My brain was pure, confused mush.
“Wh-Wh-Wh—”
Seeing me unable to form coherent words, Nadir smiled. His face was closer to mine than I’d expected, and my heart did a little flip.
“We’ve already bathed, so all that’s left is to sleep,” he said. “Good night.”
“Oh, uh, um... Good night...?” I replied reflexively.
Nadir pulled a blanket over me. That was nice. Warm. Then he slipped under the covers too, presumably to sleep.
“Wait! Wait a second!” I said.
“Dammit,” he muttered. “Returned to your senses, have you?”
I’d almost gotten too caught up in the moment! This was unacceptable. Sharing a bed was absolutely out of the question! No way!
“I-I’ll sleep on the couch!” I offered.
“That’s no place for a woman to sleep,” Nadir remarked. Ugh! I didn’t want him to do this gentlemanly nonsense!
“Th-Then you should sleep on the couch!”
“And why in blazes would I do that with such a large bed available?” he asked, showing no intention of moving.
Why in blazes, he asked! Why indeed!
“We’re a grown man and woman, is why!” I snapped, my cheeks reddening.
Nadir grinned. “So what you’re saying is you see me as a real man.”
“Y-You very literally are a man!”
Nuh-uh. I was not backing down! It was unfathomable for an unmarried man and woman to share a bed!
“I-If the couch isn’t acceptable,” I ventured, “I’ll take the guest bedroom—”
“And if I allow my fiancée to sleep in the guest room, people will think we had a fight,” Nadir said.
“Ugh...”
He was right. Since my parents had specifically prepared a room with a large bed at Nadir’s behest, if their daughter suddenly chose to sleep in the guest bedroom, it would raise concerns. To them, Nadir was a wonderful fiancé, the man who had paid off their debt.
“Just...don’t do anything,” I mumbled.
“What do you mean, ‘anything’?” he asked.
Ugh! Cheeky bastard! He knew what he was doing! I didn’t bother replying to his question and simply turned around. I could hear him chuckle behind me. Damn him for making fun of me!
“Good night!” I snapped.
“Good night.”
✦ ✦ ✦
Sleep was impossible, of course.
I could feel Nadir behind me, and my eyes stayed wide open. Winks were not caught. Sheep were not counted. Which, I mean—obviously. There was a man slumbering right next to me. How was I supposed to fall asleep under these circumstances? I wasn’t.
I wondered if Nadir was actually sleeping. My curiosity piqued, I pretended to turn over, just to steal a glance in his direction.
“Eep!”
He was awake. Our eyes met instantly.
“What’s the matter?” he said.
“Uh, nothing. Nothing,” I stammered, unable to admit that my thoughts had been too preoccupied with him to drift off.
“Can’t sleep?” he asked, scooting closer. We were already fairly close, and now the distance had turned even more intimate. My heart was thrumming.
His handsome features were only inches away. We were so close that I was sure he could feel my every breath. The thunder in my chest refused to still.
“Are you cold?” Nadir asked, weirdly. I wasn’t moving, so where had he gotten that idea?
And then he wrapped an arm around my back, pressing our bodies together.
Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeek!
The scream stayed in my head, but my body flushed all over.
“U-Um,” I stammered.
“Hmm?” Nadir wasn’t teasing me anymore. Now he just looked at me intently, waiting for me to say something.
“N-Nothing,” was all I managed as my cheeks burned bright red.
“I see,” he said as he gently lifted my head and slid an arm underneath.
Oh! He wanted me to use his arm as a pillow. Not in a million years had I thought this would happen, and my heart raced even quicker. Honestly, I’d always thought this was a dreamy gesture. The circumstances weren’t what I’d imagined, but this was indeed the very act I’d fantasized about. A bit rougher in reality than I’d pictured in my head, but something about it felt comforting, and I inadvertently let out a small, relieved sigh.
Nadir moved his hand to gently stroke my head. “Are you sleepy yet?”
“Mmh,” I mumbled, feeling his warmth as I began to drift off.
I was under the impression he was smiling softly at me. A weak smile played upon my own lips in turn.
As sleep began to claim me, I thought I felt a gentle touch on my forehead.
✦ ✦ ✦
I’d slept like a baby.
Unbelievable. How could I have slept so soundly given the circumstances? Also, what was I supposed to do now? I was still lying on Nadir’s arm. Had it not gone numb? Was he okay? Concerned, I tried to gently pull away without waking him, but before I had the chance to, his eyes slowly fluttered open.
“U-Um,” I mumbled. I was sure my face was visibly bright red now. At night, perhaps it had gone unnoticed, but it was morning now, and he could definitely tell what color my skin was.
“Already awake?” he asked. I nodded, and his arm tightened around me, pulling me into a hug. “Five more minutes.”
My heart was about to leap out of my throat. “N-Nadir!” I called out, unable to contain myself any longer.
He reluctantly loosened his grip and looked at me. “Was that too tight?” he asked, leaning in with concern.
“N-No, that’s not...” My heart was practically galloping now. Could he please not look at me in such an intoxicating fashion first thing in the morning?! “I-I’m going to die,” I stammered, pressing a hand to my chest.
At those words, Nadir bolted upright. A part of me mourned the loss of my arm pillow. “Are you feeling sick?!” he exclaimed, genuinely worried.
And my heart, of course, fluttered all over again. “N-No, I’m just...embarrassed,” I explained, my face likely red beyond belief.
Nadir let out a sigh of relief, then smiled. Wickedly. “Did my closeness have that effect on you?”
Ugh! This cretin! He’d been such a gentleman the night before!
“Yes! It did!” I snapped. “So let go!”
Seemingly satisfied with my response, Nadir released his grip. Goodness. My day had hardly begun and I was already drained.
In contrast with my exhaustion, Nadir sat up, looking fully refreshed. “Get me dressed.”
Really? Today, of all days? Give me a break...
He did not give me a break.