Page 64 of Strictly Solo
“Naina,” he said softly, stepping closer, “at least tonight... meet me at the terrace. I have something for you, and this might be our last night here.”
His eyes, full of a desperate sincerity, locked with hers. She could see the vulnerability behind his words, and for a brief moment, her resolve wavered.
After a pause, she nodded slightly. “I’ll come.”
His face lit up with a grin. “You better,” he teased, letting go of her saree and stepping back. He watched her walk away, but just as he was about to turn around, he caught sight of Rohit standing nearby, observing him with a knowing smirk.F*ck!
Chapter 18
Rohit approached Ruhaan with an all-too-knowing expression, having witnessed the moment between him and Naina. The way Ruhaan had tugged at Naina’s saree pallu, drawing her attention with that unmistakable intimacy, was impossible to miss.
“So?” Rohit started, “just a while ago, when I asked if there was anything going on between you and Naina, you were very quick to deny it. But after what I just saw? Well, let’s just say you’re not doing a great job of keeping that denial intact.”
Ruhaan rubbed his temples, knowing that this conversation was inevitable but still hoping to avoid it.
“Look,” Ruhaan sighed, “you’re only blaming me here, but didn’t you notice Naina was equally interested in the conversation? It’s not one-sided.”
Rohit rolled his eyes, crossing his arms over his chest.
“Naina is innocent. She’s dealing with a lot right now—her son, the family pressure, everything. You can’t just sweep in and—”
“I’m not a monster, Rohit,” Ruhaan cut him off, stepping closer to his friend and patting his chest lightly. “I’m not going to ruin her innocence, or her life. She’s safe with me. We both know what we’re doing.”
Rohit’s eyes narrowed as he questioned, “And what exactly are you bothdoing? Where is this leading? What’s the end game?”
For a moment, Ruhaan was silent, his lips pressing together as if contemplating his reply. He couldn’t tell Rohit that he and Naina had agreed to a casual relationship. It didn’t feel right. Not for Naina’s family, not for Rohit, who was part of that family too. But before Ruhaan could respond, Suman came rushing over, interrupting their conversation.
“Rohit, some guests want to meet you,” she said, smiling politely as she pulled him away.
Rohit shot Ruhaan a warning look before following Suman. Ruhaan silently thanked the stars for the timely distraction. His friend’s questions had gotten too close to the truth, and he wasn’t sure he was ready to confront that truth himself yet.
Turning around, his gaze instantly sought out Naina, and what he saw made his blood simmer. Naina was seated at a table with Raj and Neil. They looked comfortable, laughing softly over something Raj had said. Raj even casually placed a hand on the table beside Naina’s, far too close for Ruhaan’s liking.
Jealousy coursed through him like wildfire again. He couldn’t stand seeing Naina with Raj, especially when he knew how easily Raj could fit into her life. Raj was handsome, decent, and evidently good with Neil. But Ruhaan didn’t care.
That’s when Poonam appeared beside him, asking cheerfully, “Ruhaan, have you had lunch yet?”
An idea sparked in Ruhaan’s head. He smiled at her. “No. Let’s grab some food together.”
“Great,” she smiled back enthusiastically. “But we don’t have any vacant table at the moment.”
“I know just the spot,” he said before heading for the buffet counter.
Together, they filled their plates, and without waiting for an invitation, Ruhaan walked directly to Naina’s table.
“Hey,” Ruhaan said smoothly, “seems like all the other tables are occupied. Do you mind if we join you?”
Raj looked slightly taken aback, but being the polite man that he was, he nodded. “Sure, no problem.”
Ruhaan sat down next to Neil, who beamed up at him. “Ruhaan, sit here!” Neil patted the seat beside him, and Ruhaan smiled as he sat at that circular table, between Naina and Neil. Poonam took the seat next to Raj, much to Ruhaan’s silent relief.
As they settled in, Ruhaan turned his attention to Neil who was hardly eating and offered him some food from his own plate.
“Here, buddy. You’re not eating enough,” he said, feeding Neil a small piece of roti. Neil accepted it eagerly, the bond between the two clear as day.
Naina struggled to keep her emotions in check witnessing the two. As the lunch went on, Ruhaan got a chance to lean closer to Naina. Under the table, his hand gently sliding over Naina’s. She froze, her breath catching in her throat when his fingers intertwined with hers. She dared not look at him, but she could feel the possessiveness in his touch, as if he was telling her without words:I want you.
Poonam, oblivious to the undercurrent between Ruhaan and Naina, was chatting with Raj, laughing at his jokes and seemingly forming a bond. Ruhaan was only too happy to let Poonam entertain Raj, allowing him to focus entirely on Naina.
