His thumb traces the curve of my lower lip, lingering there. The gesture is so intimate that my entire body goes still.
“You... kneeling in front of me like this...” His gaze roams slowly over my face. “Hair tied up. Those lips slightly parted. Looking up at me the way you are...” A slow smile tugs at the corner of his mouth. “Princess... you have no idea what this look of yours is doing to me right now.”
F*ck!It would’ve been better if he hadn’t said a word, because now every sentence creates a vivid visual in my mind. An er*tic one. And how could it not? The way I’m kneeling… him standing right in front of me… my face inches away from his crotch… it’s enough to make any man lose all sense.
The silence between us stretches, feeling too intimate, too dangerously consuming, when there’s a knock at the door. The spell shatters instantly. Raghav’s hand falls away. Heat floods my cheeks as I quickly push myself to my feet. Without daring to look at him again, I turn and hurry towards the door, grateful for the interruption and desperately needing the distance.
I pull the door open and find Mom standing outside. For a second, she looks at me, then her gaze shifts over my shoulder. Behind me, Raghav is standing near the dresser with his back to us, dressed only in his sweatpants.
Mom’s eyes dart between the two of us, and I instantly know what she’s thinking. That she has probably interrupted something. Earlier, the very idea would have horrified her. But after everything she witnessed in Mumbai… the stolen glances, the lingering looks, the way Raghav and I held hands for longer than needed… perhaps it no longer surprises her.
She clears her throat awkwardly and turns to me again. Her hand rises to cup my cheek before touching my forehead.
“Siya, are you okay?” she asks, worried. “Why do you look so flushed? Do you have a fever or something?”
My eyes widen. I glance back at Raghav and catch him already looking our way. There is a small smirk on his face, and my cheeks grow even warmer.
I shoot him a quick look before turning back to Mom.
“No, Mom,” I say quickly. “I’m absolutely fine. What are you doing here?”
“Oh.” She blinks as if remembering why she came. “I came to call you for dinner.”
I nod. “Okay.”
Mom smiles. But before leaving, she looks pointedly at Raghav. “I’m waiting forbothof you at the dining table. Not just Siya.”
Raghav finally turns to face her. “You didn’t have to go to the trouble of cooking for me. I can eat at the resort. And why are you even cooking?” He becomes serious again. “Didn’t I tell you that you’re supposed to be resting? The chefs are there to cook for you.”
“I know that.” Mom waves away his concern. “I’ll eat what the chefs have prepared for me, but I made rajma chawal for the two of you. And I want both of you sitting at that table and eating it with me.”
She narrows her eyes slightly.
“So no excuses. No arguments. Both of you, downstairs now.”
For once, Raghav has nothing to say. A smile tugs at my lips as I notice how naturally Mom is including him, as if she’s already accepted him as a part of our little family here. And that makes me happy too.
The moment she disappears down the corridor, I shut the door, and silence settles over the room once again. I glance at Raghav but quickly look away, because I have no idea how to face him after what almost happened a few moments ago. Myface is still burning, and my heart is still behaving strangely. Without a word, I hurry past him and rush into the bathroom to get changed.
****************
Two hours later
We returned to the room a while ago after dinner, and now Raghav and I are lying on our respective sides of the bed. Mom’s rajma chawal has always been my favourite, and judging by the way Raghav had eaten, it might have become one of his favourites too. At one point, I even caught him licking a bit of rajma gravy off his finger when he thought no one was looking. Mom had seen it too, and the happiness on her face was impossible to miss.
Slowly, she’s opening up to him. The barriers between them are beginning to disappear, and she’s started to accept him as her son-in-law. Even so, I can tell he still isn’t entirely comfortable receiving that kind of affection. A part of him still believes Mom hasn’t fully accepted him yet. But I know he notices every small thing she does for him. And honestly, I think things are only going to get easier from here.For all three of us.
Turning onto my side, I look at him. “Oh, I forgot to tell you something.”
Raghav turns towards me.
“I need your help.”
“My help?” One of his eyebrow lifts in surprise.
I nod and then tell him everything. The conversation Esha and I had earlier. Esha finally admitting that she has feelings for Haider. I share every word with him.
By the time I finish, Raghav is staring at me as if I’ve lost it. “Esha and Haider?” he repeats in disbelief. “Are you out of your mind?”
