Page 27 of Strictly Solo
She rolled her eyes. “I have a hundred reasons why we can’t be friends, and the topmost one is that you are a playboy and my ex-fiancé. That’s enough to keep me at a sufficient distance from you.”
Anger flashed in his eyes as the conversation clearly was not going in the direction he had hoped. He opened his mouth to argue when suddenly Suman stepped onto the terrace.
“Naina?” Suman called out. Her eyes widened slightly as she took in the scene before her, realizing she had interrupted what appeared to be a private conversation. “Sorry, you can continue,” she added hastily, turning to leave.
Naina seized the opportunity. “No, Suman, we are done. In fact, we were done with each other a long time ago.”
Ruhaan gritted his teeth reading the double meaning behind her words. The realization that she didn’t even want to extend a cordial relationship stung, fueling his frustration.
Suman sensed the tension and addressed Ruhaan what she was here for. “Ruhaan, Poonam was looking for you.”
The mention of Poonam’s name was like a match to gasoline. Naina’s eyes flashed with renewed fury, while Ruhaan inwardly cursed the unfortunate timing of this information.
As Suman retreated downstairs passing that information, Naina turned back to Ruhaan again.
“You must see Poonam right away. Maybe she needs your help again with her back doris. Who better than you can fix those for her?”
Before he could respond, she spun on her heel and strode towards the stairs, leaving him standing alone on the terrace in fury. He had hoped this conversation would clear the air between them, but instead, it seemed to have widened the chasm. The mention of Poonam had derailed everything, and he cursed the circumstances that had led to this misunderstanding.
Back at the party, guests continued to mingle, oblivious to the drama unfolding above them. Poonam scanned the crowd, her eyes searching for Ruhaan. Naina saw her and purposely stopped by her.
“Poonam, are you looking for Ruhaan?” she asked.
“Yes, I am. You know where he is?”
“Of course I do. I saw him on the terrace just minutes ago.”
“Oh great,” Poonam grinned. “I’ll go see him there. Thanks.”
As Poonam left, Naina suddenly felt the need to look at the terrace and there he was,Ruhaan Singh, glaring at her for purposely pushing Poonam towards him. She didn’t care and hurried back to where her family was.
**************
Next Morning
Ruhaan stumbled into the room, his head pounding from a restless night filled with thoughts of Naina and their heated exchange on the terrace. He had never pursued a woman with such fervor before, and the realization that he craved Naina’s attention despite knowing he might never be‘her type’left him feeling frustrated. All he wanted was a strong cup of coffee to ease his aching head.
As he entered the kitchen, the sight before him made him pause again. Naina stood at the stove, effortlessly flipping small pancakes, likely for the children. She wore a simple pink churidar, her hair tied back in a loose bun with a few wayward strands tickling her exposed neck and cheek.
The sight of her in this domestic setting made him admire her for longer than he should have. It was just like the vision he had while talking to Rohit the other day—coming home from work to find Naina and Neil in a warm, homely atmosphere. Watching her cook with such ease and love made him want to walk over, slide his arms around her thin waist, and place an open-mouthed kiss on her neck until she begged for more.
“Hi, Ruhaan.” Poonam’s voice shattered his reverie, also alerting Naina to his presence. Reluctantly tearing his gaze from Naina, he turned to Poonam.
“Hi,” he said. “Where are the others? The house seems quiet.”
Poonam smiled brightly. “The older folks have gone to the temple for some puja. A few of us stayed back to watch the kids.”
He nodded, vaguely recalling Rohit and Suman mentioning something about it.
“I badly need coffee,” he muttered.
Poonam’s eyes lit up. “Oh, I can make one for you!” she offered eagerly.
His gaze flickered to Naina, catching a fleeting expression of surprise and what might have been jealousy cross her face. Deciding to play along, he smiled at Poonam. “Thanks. It’s nice to know there’s someone in this house who actually thinks about and cares for me.”
Poonam batted her eyelashes before turning to the coffee maker, while Naina continued making pancakes, her movements slightly more rigid than before. Ruhaan leaned against the counter, his attention fixed on Naina even as Poonam chattered animatedly beside him, her words barely registering in his mind.
As Poonam finished brewing the coffee and began pouring it into a mug, Neil came barreling into the kitchen, engrossed in some game. Before anyone could react, he collided withPoonam, sending the mug crashing to the floor. Miraculously, the hot liquid didn’t splash on anyone, but the sound of breaking ceramic shattered the morning calm.
