Leila jerked awake. The back of her hand went over her eyes to shield the light pouring in through the opened window. Kelvin noticed and closed the curtains. He returned to the bed with a glass of water and a pill.
She frowned at his hand. "Take this, you will feel better." Leila sat up and collected the pill, her throat bobbed as she swallowed and Kelvin looked away. He was remembering the softness of her lips, her body pressed into his while he changed her. Fuck. "Leila?"
Her lashes fluttered, she puckered her lips and made a sound that made Kelvin shoot out of the bed before he lost control. Underneath her robe, there was nothing. His hands itched to touch her delicate body, explore every inch of her femininity.
With his back to her, he asked, "What happened last night?" The Leila he found knocking on the door of the restroom was someone else. A disoriented drunk. Kelvin shoved his hand into his pocket to hide his growing bulge. He wanted her. With slow, deliberate precision, he turned to his wife. "Your phone was switched off."
Amara didn't know where she was and he had not thought to ask for the names of the girls. He had been too relieved to find out she would be spending the day with females instead of Mike.
Where was the Mike guy anyway?
He requested to leave early and Kelvin was all too pleased to grant him his request. The man was supposed to leave by ten, Leila left the room a few minutes before ten so he had been worried she would bump into him. And last night, Leila came up with the most ludicrous accusations. Even called him a liar.
"Yeah." She was on her feet now. He followed her. He was still worried. "We were playing poker. Sorry I was late." He waited for more, any mention of last night's incident. But she said nothing. Her smile caught him off guard, he stepped back like the smile was a weapon. "Kev, why are you looking at me like that?"
Kelvin pinched the bridge of his nose. "Ah. Nothing. Was worried, that's all." He was more than worried. His worries only abated after CCTV footage from the hotel showed her leaving Lily's room. It hadn't occurred to him to check the cameras until Amara mentioned it. He owed her one for her fast thinking. Leila stalked into the bathroom and he followed. "Did you have fun?"
Leila opened her mouth to say something but didn't, she spurted toothpaste onto the brush and shrugged.
Kelvin was losing his temper. "Leila!"
"Yeah, we had fun." She spat into the sink. "And guess what I found?" She was brushing faster now and Kelvin feared she would hurt herself. Her hand closed around the faucet. "The hotel doesn't have a garden."
Guilt curled his insides and he cringed at her tone. The flowers were a last minute thought to accompany his apology. He sent Amara to get them but Leila was fast asleep before it came. Kelvin stopped behind her and a warning flashed in her eyes when he touched her shoulder. She had every right to be pissed at him for lying.
"You're right," he said. "The hotel doesn't have a garden. I asked Amara to buy me the flowers." After Leila walked out on him, he realised the absurdity of his words. He couldn't stop her from doing what she wanted. It would only create a rift between them. But he wasn't one to openly admit his faults. "I apologise for lying about it. Is that all?"
Kelvin knew there was more. And it had to do with Mike but he didn't know why she would think to attack him for another man's sake. He fired Samantha after watching that video. It didn't matter if Leila threw the first punch, she was his wife and he would protect her first.
He breathed in her scent and relaxed. She smelt like him, her husband.
Leila's face softened but the lines remained on her forehead. Her eyes connected with his in the mirror. She was done brushing but she held the brush to her chest. Kelvin wanted to kiss her.
"Did you fire Mike?" she asked. Kelvin didn't like the concern he heard in his wife's voice. But he shook his head. "Well, he left."
And he was glad about that. Leila should only be concerned about her husband.
"Yes. He had a family emergency."
Her lips puckered, if she didn't have her back to him, he might have kissed her. He pinched himself to push those thoughts out of his mind. He promised not to do anything without her permission. If he had to wait weeks, months before consummating the marriage he would. But he was hoping it wouldn't take that long.
"I thought you fired him because you saw me talking to him yesterday." Her brown eyes fell on him. Kelvin lost himself in them for a minute. How would it feel to be in love with her and loved by her? There was no point trying to find out. She didn't want to love him. "I was drunk last night," she spoke again. "Wasn't I?"
"Nothing too bad," Kelvin replied. The Persian rug would disagree. But he already changed it so Leila wouldn't notice. "I'll send breakfast up, is that okay?"
She smiled. "Yes, please. Thanks."
Kelvin stepped out of the room but returned almost immediately. He leaned on the door, watching Leila watch herself. She was glaring at her black robe with gold embroidered on the collar. He dressed her in his robe.
Did she remember kissing him? Moaning his name when he placed her under the shower to clean her up? He would gladly welcome a repeat of that night.
"I don't think you like this place very much," he said.
Leila jumped, her hands tightened around the robe. "I don't think so too." Her eyes lowered, she bit her lips and Kelvin stifled a grunt. "Did you change me?"
Her tone was polite. He wasn't sure what best to reply. "What do you remember?"
Leila's answer would determine how much he would divulge to her. If she didn't remember the kiss, he wouldn't remind her. The bath and kiss would be his memories to keep. But he wanted a real, sober kiss.
"Err... I left Lily's room, someone carried me. That was you?" He nodded. "Thanks. I'm not very good with alcohol. It leaves this blank in my brain so I stay away."
"It's alright. I'm glad I was there to help." He meant those words with every fibre in his being. His words earned him a small smile. He wished it was bigger, that he was the only man she smiled at. "You should request for a leave. Ask Sarah for a leave."
From his findings, he discovered Leila had never taken the yearly leave given to all staff. She worked round the clock for the whole twelve months. Kelvin left the room before she had a chance to argue. He rang Amara to send them breakfast and exited the room.
Outside the room, he paced the corridor. His palms were sweaty, his heart galloped like a crazed horse. He flattened his palms on the wall and tried to calm himself but the image of Leila's naked body teased him. He should have called Amara to help instead of doing it himself, now he couldn't get Leila out of his mind.
"Sir?"
The hotel attendant's hand was poised for a knock that never happened at Kelvin's frown. Kelvin thanked him and took over the trolley with their breakfast. He knocked once to warn Leila. The living room was empty so he went ahead to set up breakfast.
Breakfast was a big meal. Two people couldn't finish the food. This thought lingered in his mind as he crossed over to the bedroom. Through the crack in the door, Kelvin could see Leila.
Her back was bare except for the bra and jeans. Her creamy skin begged for his touch but he slipped his hands into his pockets.
He knocked, muttering an apology when she held a shirt to her chest. He knew what lay beneath the black lace bra. He remembered how her pink nipples puckered in response to his touch when his fingers brushed them by mistake last night. Kelvin wanted to touch her when she wasn't under the influence of an alcohol. He wanted to master her body, follow the rhythm of her moans and breathing to each touch.
"Breakfast is ready," he said.
Leila's smile was tight, she turned her back to him and pulled on the shirt. He wished she was wearing his shirt.
"I'll be out in a bit."
Kelvin locked the door behind him. The television was off but he switched it on so he had something to focus on. Still, he had troubles focusing on the news. His body wanted Leila. His mind wanted Leila. Throwing caution to the air, Kelvin jumped to his feet but stopped at the sight of his beautiful wife walking towards him.
Leila paused. They stared at each other without any of them saying a word. He motioned to the food, she tiptoed to him and took her seat on the opposite side. Kelvin smiled at this, Leila dished their foods but they didn't start on it.
It was as if they were waiting for the first person to act on this subtle attraction between them. Without a doubt, it wouldn't be Kelvin. But he would jump on the chance if Leila so much as showed a sign.
Lipgloss coated Leila's lips, when she tilted her head, the light caught it and her lips shimmered. There was a twitch in his groin. Not again.
"We should eat."
"Kev?"
His fork hung mid-air. Leila's hand shook as she offered him a thin bracelet. "What's that?" he asked. Kelvin didn't use jewelleries outside wristwatches, he considered them too feminine and an unnecessary extravagance. Leila took her first bite from the omelette. "Is that for me?"
"Yeah." Pink dots appeared on her cheeks. "You are always getting me flowers and trying to do stuff for me so I have to give you something too."
Kelvin was besides himself with laughter. "There's no need for that, Leila." His eyes shone with mirth and he dipped his fork into the bowl of diced yam. "It's what couples do. They do stuff for each other all the time."
"So you will take it?"