Of love , lust and lavender
Megha Nayar
I wake up to heady notes of lavender and that unmistakable whiff of illicit love . It is 3 am , the middle of a tempestuous night . I can hear thick sheets of rain pounding at the roof , and even with my sleep-addled brain I can guess that it has been pouring for a while . The windows have fogged . Outside , in the corridor , a steady drip-drip can be heard – it seems like the ceiling has given way somewhere . Where exactly am I , and what is this place I do not recognize ?
It takes me about a minute to come to terms . Oh yes , now I remember . I am in a town I have no business being in , with a man I have no business sleeping with .
I turn around lightly , careful not to let the bed creak . There he is , asleep like a baby , barely an arm away . I am tempted to reach out for his hand , to hold it in mine for the rest of the night . But my gaze halts at his peaceful brow . The frown that resides there all day has disappeared . His thin nose and determined lips have softened . Those wrinkles that show up whenever he flexes his face , which is very often , have been put to rest . He looks just so endearing under the glow of the lamp ! This man is a raging volcano when he is up and about , and that is perhaps why he looks so exquisite when he is at peace .
I inch closer to him till I can feel the warmth of his breath on my nose . The proximity is exhilarating . I plant a quiet kiss on his temple , lingering on , unwilling to let go . He might wake up and my moment will be lost , but his forehead feels warm and smells like an infant ’ s skin . The company of this man makes every transgression feel legitimate , every thrill well-deserved .
He stirs . I let go reluctantly , withdrawing just enough that we meet each other ’ s eyes . He senses the turbulence in my heart and as if in answer , pulls me closer . We weave our fingers together .
For a few minutes , I say nothing . The sensation of his hand in mine is magical . His embrace grows tighter by the minute , till we can get no closer .