Page 44 of Strictly Solo
“Don’t,” he said softly. “Don’t overthink this. Don’t regret it.”
Naina shook her head. She wouldn’t regret this ever but wondered when she hadn’t let anyone come this close to herever, how could she trust Ruhaan when what he was ready to offer her could never be permanent.
“We should go home.” She finally said with great reluctance and slid back into her own seat.
He agreed, still lost in his own world as he started the car engine again. Whatever happened here in the car, although he desired that, it wasn’t something he had expected so soon between them. But again, there was always something different about Naina that drove him out of control, and tonight was no different. The drive back was filled with a comfortable silence, their hands intertwined on the center console. Both knew they had started something insatiable tonight and only time would tell where it would lead them in future.
Chapter 12
The car came to a quiet halt in the driveway as they returned from their late-night drive. Naina stepped out of the car, still lost, her mind replaying every touch, every whisper, every heated kiss.
Ruhaan noticed her distraction and couldn’t help but smile. As they walked towards the main door, he couldn’t resist pulling her to him one last time. His arms wrapped around her waist, and he leaned in.
“That was the best moment of my life so far,” he murmured, his breath warm against her ear.
Naina rolled her eyes, trying to mask the flutter in her chest.
“You don’t have to lie, Ruhaan. You’ve had more… intense experiences with your other so-called girlfriends. I doubt what little we had between us tonight could be your best moment.”
His grip on her tightened slightly, and he looked deep into her eyes.
“I don’t have to lie to you. Why would you even think that? What happened tonight wasspecial, different and real.”
She reached up, placing a gentle hand on his chest, feeling the steady thump of his heartbeat beneath her fingers.
“That’s all I want,” she said softly, “for you to never lie to me. Even if what we have is casual, trust is important.”
Their moment was abruptly interrupted by the sound of footsteps approaching from inside the house. Naina quickly pulled away from Ruhaan’s embrace, her heart racing as theyboth turned towards the source of the noise. But it was too late. Standing in the doorway was Kaushalya. The shock on her face was quickly replaced by a look of fury as she took in the sight of them together, dressed for a night out at such an odd hour.
Naina didn’t know how to explain the situation, nor did she want to. Without a word, she quickly walked past Kaushalya, avoiding eye contact, and disappeared inside the house.
Ruhaan watched her go, then turned back to his mother, bracing himself for the confrontation he knew was coming. But instead of addressing her anger immediately, he walked up to Kaushalya and pulled her into a hug, trying to defuse the tension.
“Why are you still awake, Mom?” he asked, as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened.
Kaushalya stiffened in his embrace and pulled away, her eyes narrowing as she demanded, “What were you doing with Naina at this hour?”
He sighed inwardly, knowing his mother would never understand the complicated relationship between him and Naina. She had always been against him having any contact with Naina after their broken engagement, and now, seeing them together, her disapproval was palpable.
He met her gaze steadily though. “We were out, Mom. Naina needed to get some medicine because she had a headache, and I didn’t want her to go alone, so I drove her.”
Kaushalya’s eyes narrowed further, clearly unconvinced by his explanation. “At this hour? In the middle of the night?”
“It was important. I told you I couldn’t let her go by herself.”
But Kaushalya wasn’t buying it. Ruhaan, sensing that the conversation could quickly escalate, decided to cut it short.
He leaned in and kissed her cheek. “We’ll talk tomorrow, Mom. I’m exhausted and need to get some sleep.”
Without waiting for a response, he turned and headed towards his bedroom, leaving Kaushalya standing in the doorway, her suspicion and anger simmering beneath the surface. She watched him go, her mind racing with questions and doubts about what was really going on between her son and Naina. She had never approved of Naina’s presence in their lives, viewing her as a potential threat to their family’s stability. Seeing her son with Naina at this late hour, clearly having been out together, confirmed her worst fears.
She made a silent vow to put an end to whatever was developing between her son and Naina, convinced that she was protecting him from making a grave mistake.
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The next morning, Naina was in the kitchen, standing by the stove, lost in the memories of the previous night—the late-night drive, the heated kisses, the feel of Ruhaan’s hands on her skin. She could still feel the warmth of his touch lingering, and despite herself, a blush crept up her cheeks.
Just then, Suman walked into the kitchen, catching sight of her distant, dreamy expression.
