Silver Threshold

Stop it.

He's just a good friend. He trains me. We hang out sometimes. That's all.

That's what she'd told Ankit. That's the truth. Absolutely.

She closed her eyes.

She didn't think about Ankit.

THE NEXT DAY

When Isha woke up, it was already quite bright and sunny.

For a few seconds she didn't remember where she was. Then she did. She remembered it all - the bar, the couch, the movie...falling asleep next to Cooper, waking up to find his arm around her waist and...his hand on her ass.

Isha remembered the walk back to her bedroom and the argument with Ankit, his jealousy, and what she'd said to him to calm him down.

He's just a good friend. He trains me. We hang out sometimes. That's all.

She looked at the clock. 11:23 AM. Crap, it was almost noon!

Isha sat up, her head was killing her. The drinks from the previous night were definitely punishing her, she thought.

She looked down at the clothes she was wearing, peach-colored cotton pajama shorts and a thin top. No bra.

She turned to Ankit. He was face-down in the pillow, blankets pulled up to his ears. His breathing was deep and even. He was out cold.

She shook his shoulder. "Ankit."

Nothing.

"Ankit." She shook harder.

A muffled groan. He pulled the blanket higher.

She gave up. She was too hungover to try and wake him now. She got up, brushed her teeth, washed her face. She reached for the straightener on the counter, her hand moving on autopilot, the way it did every morning. Then she stopped.

Her curls were wild and unruly. The way they always were after a night of sleep, before she tamed them with her straightener. She stared at herself in the mirror, her fingers hovering near the straightener.

I kinda like the wild Isha. Cooper's voice echoed in her head.
She left her curls untouched.

She thought about the previous night...about the things she did with Cooper. And the things she was almost about to do.

She could see now, in the light of day, the alcohol out of her system, how stupid she was being.

Isha walked to the dresser and picked up her phone. Seven unread WhatsApp messages - her mother, Dhriti and even her mother-in-law.

'MEHENDI DESIGNS - PICK ONE URGENTLY'

'VENUE FINALIZE KAR DIYA HAI...CALL ME'

'INVITE THE AUSSIE GUY TO YOUR WEDDING' - that one was from Dhriti.

'BETA, HAVE YOU AND ANKIT DECIDED...MALDIVES OR SINGAPORE?'

Isha closed the app without reading the other messages. She was too hungover for all the decisions and the drama.

But she couldn't ignore the fact that the wedding was just a few months away.

She decided to get some coffee from the kitchen.

The apartment was quiet when she walked out. She headed for the kitchen. She needed water.

But then she saw Cooper in the kitchen.

Crap.

He was leaning against the counter, a glass of water in his hand. His hair was messy. His eyes were half-closed. He was wearing shorts and...a t-shirt, which was unusual for him in the mornings.

"Morning," he said.

"Morning." She pulled out and sat on a stool at the kitchen island. "How are you feeling?"

"Bit rough." He took a sip of water. "You?"

"Dying." She rested her chin on her hand. "Sorry I made you watch that movie. You were going to go to sleep like a good boy. I'm such a bad influence."

"Yes you are," Cooper laughed. "But I had a lot of fun, actually. Would love to do that again with you."

With you. Isha wondered why he said it that way.

She didn't say anything, just looked down at the counter, stared at the pattern in the marble.

Cooper looked at her. The shorts that ended mid-thigh, showing off her legs. Long, smooth and a light shade of brown. The thin top...clearly not wearing a bra inside. The outline of her nipples visible against the cotton.

No makeup. Her face was bare, still a little puffy from sleep, but there was something about it. Something natural. The kind of pretty

He noticed she hadn't straightened her hair, just let the curls do what they wanted.

He liked her like that.

Her eyes were still on the marble of the counter. Cooper's eyes moved over her body, slowly, taking his time. The way she looked right now, in the morning light, unguarded, vulnerable...

"You look good this morning," he said, trying to keep it casual.

She looked up, surprised. "I look terrible."

"You don't." His eyes held hers. "Trust me."

She smiled for a second and then looked away. Back to the marble, tracing the random pattern with her eyes.

"How's Ankit?" he asked.

She gestured toward the bedroom. "I think he JUST went to bed. He's going to be out like a light for several hours."

"Hope I didn't get you into any trouble with him?" Cooper said. "You know...us falling asleep on the couch."

"What?" Isha quickly replied. "No, no of course not." She paused. "He understands...it's just...we were both tired, we just fell asleep."

"Exactly."

"Anyway," Isha said, wanting to change the subject. "We probably shouldn't drink that much again. At least anytime soon. The hangover's killing me."

Cooper nodded. "Let's fix ourselves." He set down his glass and opened the refrigerator. "Fruit smoothie. Flush the sluggishness out."

"Tell me what to do, boss."

Isha and Cooper got into their familiar rhythm of working the kitchen together. Isha was glad to get busy, the tension was getting to be a bit too much.

They worked side by side. Cooper pulled out a cutting board, started slicing mangoes. Isha washed berries, peeled a banana. The kitchen filled with the smell of fresh fruit.

"God, that movie was terrible," Isha said as she was scooping strawberries into the blender. "No wonder we both fell asleep."

"It was objectively bad." Cooper was cutting a mango in half, scooping out the flesh. "The twist made zero sense. And the acting. What was that dialogue..."

"Oh yeah...what that old guy said," Isha laughed. "My heart is a..."

"...a prisoner of your love!" Cooper and Isha finished the dialogue at the same time, both laughing.

"And she just accepted it!" Cooper shook his head. "No notes. No questions. Just 'okay, I love you too.'"

They both laughed.

Cooper had a piece of mango in his hand. He'd just cut it, a small chunk, golden and ripe.

He held it out to her.

"Try this. Tell me if it's sweet enough."

Isha leaned forward. As she did, the neckline of her thin cotton top shifted. Cooper could see the hint of cleavage, her breasts pressing against the fabric, her nipples poking through.

Her face came closer, her lips parting, her mouth opening to take the fruit from his fingers. Her tongue brushed against his thumb as she pulled the mango into her mouth.

Cooper felt something stir in him. Watching her lean toward him like that, her mouth open, taking something from his hand, her tongue touching his fingers.

It was such a small thing. But something about the way she looked in that moment...wild hair, no makeup, her mouth closing around his fingers...made him want to...

Isha chewed, swallowed. The mango was sweet, the juice running down her chin.

Then she realized what she'd done. Why did I do that?

Cooper's hand was still raised. His thumb was wet where her lips had touched it. He was looking at her. Not at her eyes. At her mouth.

She became aware of the juice on her chin. She reached up to wipe it, and his eyes tracked the movement...the back of her hand against her skin, the way her lips were still slightly parted, still glistening.

Neither of them said anything. The silence stretched for two seconds.

She looked away first.

"It's good," she said. Her voice was too high. "The mango is good."

He lowered his hand. "Good."

Isha went back to making the smoothie. She added yogurt and honey to the blender.

What was that? Why did I take it from his hand like that?

It's okay...it's just a mango. It doesn't mean anything.

Then why is my heart racing?

Cooper picked up another piece of mango from the cutting board. He held it out to her.

"Another?"

Isha looked at his hand. At the mango between his fingers.

She looked into his eyes.

"I can feed myself, you know." She kept her voice light, a slight smile appearing on her face.

"Never said you couldn't." He didn't lower his hand. "Just offering."

"I have hands." She held one up, wiggling her fingers. "Fully functional."

"Clearly." His eyes moved to her fingers, then back to her face. "Since you just used them to...what, eat directly from my fingers?"

The teasing in his voice was unmistakable. She felt her cheeks warm.

"That was just...it was..I was just being polite," Isha said, grinning. "You were holding it out...I didn't want to be rude."

"Just being polite, huh?" Cooper chuckled. "Polite Isha, always doing the proper thing?"

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Are you making fun of me?"

"Wouldn't dream of it." He was still holding the mango out. Still smiling. "So...polite Isha. Want another?"

She kept her eyes on him. Slowly, she leaned forward, brought her face close to his fingers, as if she'd take it into her mouth again.

Cooper didn't realize it but he was holding his breath.

But instead of taking it into her mouth again, Isha just flashed a smile and picked up another piece from the cutting board and put it into her mouth, and stepped back.

Cooper's was rendered speechless, his mouth open. "Now THAT was rude."

Isha shrugged. They both laughed.

When the smoothie was made, he poured two glasses. They stood at the counter, drinking, chatting. The cold sweetness helped. The sluggishness was already receding.

"Let's skip the workout today," Cooper said. "But we should do the sauna. Flush out the alcohol properly."

Sauna. Alone with him, again. After everything that happened.

I should say no."

Say no.

"Sure, that sounds good."

They finished their smoothies and walked to their own rooms to change.

---

Isha changed into a towel. Ankit was still sleeping, snoring lightly.

When she walked into the sauna, Cooper was already seated on the bench, his towel spread across his lap. Covering himself, but barely. She was used to it by now.

She sat down across from him. Her shoulders were bare. Her legs were bare. Her towel covered her from chest to mid-thigh. Nothing else.

Soon, the heat enveloped her. She could feel it on her shoulders, her arms, her thighs and between her legs. Sweat formed almost immediately.

She rolled her head, wincing. "My neck hurts," she said. "I must've slept funny on the couch yesterday."

Cooper didn't ask. He stood up, moved to her bench while holding the towel against his groin and sat down next to her.

Isha froze.

The bench was narrow. His thigh was inches from hers. He was holding the towel in his lap, his parts hidden behind it. But that was all that was hidden. His chest, his shoulders, his arms...all bare. All too close.

He's right next to me. There's barely any space between us.

"Turn around," he said.

She hesitated.

Should I? Is this okay?

She slowly turned her back to him. His hands landed on her shoulders.

His palms were warm from the sauna, warmer than her skin. They felt nice. His thumbs pressed into the muscle at the base of her neck.

It's just a massage. He's just helping. Yes. Isha's brain was running a mile a second.

"God, you're tight," he said.

She couldn't respond. His hands were moving now, pressing into her neck and shoulder muscles. His thumbs were tracing the line from the base of her skill to where her shoulders met her collarbones.

His technique was good. Better than good. His thumbs found the exact points of tension and pressed.

His hands moved again. Not just pressing, but sliding across her shoulder blades, his fingers tracing along her collarbones.

He's just helping with my neck. This is normal.

But her body wasn't responding normally. Her skin prickled with goosebumps despite the heat. And she could feel her nipples harden against her towel. Isha pressed her thighs together instinctively to manage the ache between her legs.

His fingers kept doing what they were doing. But Isha was far from relaxed. In fact, to her horror, she felt herself getting wet. Not from the sauna. Not from the sweat. But from his hands. From the pressure. From the way his palms moved over her shoulders, and back up to her neck.

Every touch was sending a pulse of heat through her, somewhere deep in her belly.

She tried to focus on something else. The wood beneath her. The heat in the air. Anything.

But his hands kept moving. His fingers worked a particularly tight knot at the base of her skull, and she felt the tension release.

A moan slipped out. Involuntary. Before she could stop it.

It was a small sound, but in the quiet of the sauna, it felt loud.

Cooper's hands paused, just for a second. They were both aware of what that sound meant.

Isha didn't dare say anything, she was way too embarrassed. Cooper's fingers started again. His thumbs pressed into her neck one more time, one long slow stroke.

But this time Isha's shoulders tensed under his hands. She shifted forward, just slightly...putting distance between his palms and her skin.

"That's...I...I'm good for now, Cooper." Her voice was quiet. Almost a whisper.

He stopped. His hands fell to his sides.

She was facing forward, not looking at him...not yet. Her cheeks were flushed. Her breathing was uneven.

"Sorry." His voice was steady. "Just trying to help."

She nodded, still not looking at him. Her fingers gripped the edge of the bench as she turned.

"Yes of course. Um...thanks for that. It's just...the neck." She touched her shoulder, then dropped her hand. "It's feeling better."

She didn't say anything else. She was still unable to look at him directly.

They sat in silence. The heat pressed against them. Sweat ran down her neck, her back, between her breasts. She could feel her nipples against the towel, still hard.

Suddenly the fifteen minute timer beeped. She immediately stood up.

"I'm done," she said.

"Same." He stood as well.

"Bye, Cooper."

She walked out of the sauna without looking at him, without waiting for a response. She went straight to her room. Ankit was still asleep, still face-down, still snoring.

She grabbed her clothes and headed to the bathroom. Locked the door behind her.

She turned on the shower. Cold. Stepped under the water. She let it run over her face, her neck, her shoulders.

And only then did she allow herself to think.

What the hell am I doing?

This is wrong.

The massage. His hands on me.

Stop.

The water from the shower kept running over her body. Down her face, her shoulders, her breasts, traveling down between the legs.

She focused on the water, flowing down there. Isha's hand automatically moved down, her fingers found her clit.

She was already wet. Not just from the shower. From the sauna. From his hands on her neck.

She rubbed in slow circles. Her other hand pressed against the tile wall. The water ran down her back.

What would it feel like?

She thought about what it would feel like to have his hands on more than her neck and shoulders.

What if his hands slid down her back, gripping her hips. What if he put his hands on her ass, like he did on the sofa the previous night.

Isha pushed two fingers inside herself, she was wet. The walls of her vagina gripped her fingers tightly as she moved them in and out, her thumb still circling her clit.

She imagined it was him. His hands. His fingers instead of her own.

She pictured him above her. His blue-grey eyes looking down at her. His broad shoulders, his muscular arms around her. She imagined him leaning down, his mouth coming close to her ear and whispering something to her.

What if it was not just his fingers inside her...what if it was him .

Isha's hips bucked against her hand. She fucked herself faster, her fingers sliding in and out, her thumb pressing hard on her clit. The water ran over her face. She bit her lip to keep from making noise.

His hands. His cock. Him inside me.

Not Ankit. Him.

The contrast of their bodies flashed in her mind. Cooper - large, muscular, white against Ankit's smaller, softer, darker body.

The sensation was building in her.

Another scene flashed in her mind...Cooper holding her in his arms. They were both naked. His hands were on her ass, squeezing. His lips closing in on hers.

Her orgasm hit her fast and hard. Her legs shook. She had to grip the wall with her free hand to stay standing. A small sound escaped her lips...something between a gasp and a moan.

She stood under the water, breathing hard. Her mind was blank now, no more flashes of anything. Just a warmth deep inside her.

I just masturbated thinking about Cooper.

I came thinking about another man. While Ankit slept in the next room.

Isha turned off the water, and took her towel from the hook.

It was just thoughts. Everyone has thoughts. That's not the same as doing something.

She dried herself, slowly. Still thinking, still bargaining.

As long as I don't cross that line. As long as I don't actually...

Tomorrow, she'd be back in the gym. Back in the sauna. Back next to Cooper.

She knew that. And she wasn't going to change it.

END