Page 55 of Strictly Solo
Naina noticed the shift and couldn’t help but feel a small thrill at the thought of him being jealous. As a guest called Suman, she left. Naina and Ruhaan were now alone behind a pillar. She crossed her arms over her chest, tilting her head playfully.
“What happened to ‘I never get jealous’?” she asked. “Don’t tell me all that jaw clench was for nothing.”
Realizing he had been caught, Ruhaan tried to cover. “My tooth is aching,” he said, forcing his jaw to relax. “I clenched it to suppress the pain.”
Naina burst out laughing and playfully patted his chest. “Make a better excuse next time.”
She was about to turn and walk away when he caught her wrist and pulled her back to him, pressing her flush against his chest. They were hidden from view behind the pillar, yet Naina quickly glanced around, relieved that no one could see them. She could feel his breath on her skin as he leaned closer.
“I don’t know about jealousy,” Ruhaan said, “but I find myself utterly captivated by everything about you these days. Especially that innocent smile of yours.”
His fingers brushed her lips softly, then trailed down her neck and across her shoulder. Naina’s breath caught in herthroat and her skin tingled where he touched her. His hand slid lower, teasing the soft curves of her breasts before finally resting on her waist, exposed by the saree. A soft moan threatened to escape her lips as she fought to maintain control.
“Ruhaan... stop...” she whispered breathlessly, though the plea lacked any real force.
He leaned in even closer, his lips brushing her ear. “You don’t really want me to stop.”
Yes, she didn’t.Her body betrayed her as she leaned into him, letting her fingers clutch the fabric of his sherwani.
“I’m serious,” she breathed, but even she wasn’t sure what she was serious about anymore. All she could think about was the way his hands made her feel, the warmth spreading through her body as his touch set her aflame.
His fingers continued their slow, tantalizing path, his thumb brushing the edge of her saree, dangerously close to places that would make her lose all control.
“Ruhaan. We can’t... not here.”
He nodded, understanding the unspoken boundaries, but his eyes never left hers. “Meet me on the terrace tonight,” he said, echoing his earlier request.
“Not before Neil sleeps,” Naina replied, her eyes darting towards her son across the room. She took a deep breath before continuing, “I can’t stay with you for long on the terrace. Just a few minutes because if Neil wakes up in the middle of the night and doesn’t see me in the room, he’ll get scared.”
Ruhaan’s brow furrowed as he considered her words but he nodded in understanding. “Of course,” he said softly. “Do you and Neil co-sleep even at your home back in Mumbai?”
Naina shook her head. “No, we don’t. He has his own room there, and he sleeps in it. But here, since we’ve only been assigned one room because of all the guests, we’re sharing.” She shrugged. “It’s not ideal, but we make do.”
Ruhaan nodded again, his eyes drifting over to where Neil stood. Suddenly, his expression changed, concern etching itself across his features. “Is that his third ice cream?” he asked, his voice tinged with worry.
Before Naina could respond, he let out a groan. “I warned him not to have more than two,” he muttered, more to himself than to Naina. “Let me go check on him,” he said before quickly making his way across the room towards Neil.
Naina stood frozen, stunned by what she had just witnessed. She watched as Ruhaan approached Neil, kneeling down to the boy’s level. The sight of Ruhaan being so protective, so paternal towards Neil, struck a chord deep within her. It was as if Ruhaan was unknowingly becoming the father figure that Neil had always craved but never had.
Until now, apart from Naina herself, no one had ever shown such instinctive protectiveness towards her son. Seeing Ruhaan step into this role so naturally, felt right. As if a missing piece of their little family had finally slotted into place.
She observed the interaction between them with rapt attention. Ruhaan gently pulled Neil closer, speaking to him in a low voice. Neil’s face scrunched up into a pout, clearly disappointed at having his treat cut short. But Ruhaan’s words seemed to work their magic. After a moment, Neil’s expression cleared, and he gave Ruhaan a solemn nod and a thumbs-up.
Ruhaan’s face broke into a warm smile. He reached out, carefully adjusting Neil’s spiked hair before letting the boy run off to play with his friends again.
It was clear to Naina that Neil was becoming an integral part of Ruhaan’s life, just as Ruhaan was becoming an essential figure in theirs.
It was as if the universe had conspired to bring them together, filling a void in both their lives that Naina hadn’t even realized existed until now. But this thought terrified her. Couldshe really allow herself to hope for this kind of happiness? To dream of a future where the three of them were a proper family?
****************
Later at night
Ruhaan was in his mother’s room, rummaging through her things to help her find her special bangles for the Kundras’ anniversary event tomorrow. Kaushalya had developed a habit of misplacing her belongings, and Ruhaan had become accustomed to assisting her. He had long since accepted this as his role, the one family member who seemed to know exactly where his mother kept all her prized possessions.
He moved methodically through the room, his hands expertly sorting through various bags and pouches.
“Here it is,” he finally announced, triumphantly holding up a small box he had extracted from a makeup pouch nestled deep within a red trolley bag. The bangles gleamed in the soft light of the room, before he handed them over to his mother.
