"You've never been good at being coy, jeegar-am," Rookheeya said, tiring of Nadir's game. "Just tell me what you bought me!"
"A token of my affection, moosh-moosh-am," Nadir insisted. "That is your only hint."
They stood on the terrace, which looked out onto their beautiful garden. Persian gardens were quite a sight to behold, with their fragrant flowers and flourishing fountains, but they were nothing compared to the breathless delight upon Rookheeya's face, the little crease between her brows as she tried to figure out what it was that Nadir had brought her back from Tehran. He was forever bringing her gifts from the capital – whether it was a box of exotic sweets or a jeweled necklace hardly mattered, for truly, when the gift was as heartfelt as those Nadir bestowed upon Rookheeya, it was the thought that counted.
It didn't lessen the thrill of the guessing game.
"Is it a new pair of earrings?" she guessed. "I told you not to bother yourself with finding jewelry this trip, Nadir…"
"It's not jewelry at all, moosh-moosh-am," he said, stressing the pet name a second time. "Do you give up yet?"
"Yes, fine," Rookheeya said. "If it isn't jewelry, a book, sweets, or some kind of game, I don't know what it is!"
Nadir's smile deepened and he shook his head. His wife was clever – cleverer than him by far – but for once, it seemed he had outsmarted her. He brought the present forward, holding it out for her to take. It was a figurine that fit neatly in the palm of Nadir's hand, made of delicate, blue glass. It had big ears and a long tail that curved and came to a neat point. Rookheeya laughed delightedly as she took the glass mouse from Nadir's hands to hold it in hers.
"It's a little mouse!" she said.
"Yes," Nadir said. "A little mousy mouse for my little mousy mouse."
"That's why you kept calling me moosh-moosh! And here I thought you were just overcome with affection for me."
Nadir laughed and closed the remaining gap between them, cupping Rookheeya's chin in his hand.
"I am always overcome with affection for you," he told her before claiming her lips with his in a hungry, happy kiss.
He had missed her while away at court – he always did. How could he not? She kissed him back with the same, fierce passion that was something more than the civil tenderness Nadir had witnessed between his own parents. This kind of love came once in a lifetime and he had truly been heaven-blessed that Rookheeya loved him as much as he loved her. The kiss ended and Rookheeya smiled slyly at Nadir.
"I shall keep this somewhere special," she said. "Perhaps you can come to my quarters and help me pick out a place to put this little fellow…"
Only Rookheeya could make putting away presents sound like the most sensual of invitations. Nadir's smile became a crooked grin and he took her free hand, kissed it, and followed her with all of a young lover's eager excitement.