Page 128 of Strictly Solo

An hour Later

After cleaning up and making loads of love on their wedding night, Ruhaan and Naina finally lay entwined in each other’s arms, their bodies still warm from their intimate encounter.She lay against his chest, her fingers lazily tracing invisible patterns over his skin. Ruhaan draped his arm securely around her waist,holding her close as if unwilling to let even a sliver of distance come between them.

“So, tell me about Neil’s study routine,” he murmured against her hair. “What do we need to focus on for his mid-terms?”

She chuckled at the unexpected question, tilting her head to look up at him. “You really want to talk about Neil’s studies right now?”

“Why not? His midterms are coming up, and I should know what I’m getting myself into.”

Naina nestled closer, resting her chin on his chest. “He studies after school for an hour, then takes a break. I make sure he revises everything before bed, especially in the last few days before exams. But Ruhaan, I must warn you—he’s a master of excuses. He will try every trick in the book to escape studying.”

“He does that?” Ruhaan chuckled.

“Oh, you have no idea,” Naina said, lifting her head to look at him. “He’s quite the negotiator when it comes to avoiding his books.”

He scoffed playfully. “Oh, trust me, I have my ways. I’ve been doing some research, you know.”

She lifted a brow. “Research?”

H grinned, rubbing the tip of his nose against hers. “I’ve been following parenting YouTube channels. They have these amazing techniques on how to be a good father. I even watched a whole segment on how to get kids to study without making it seem like a punishment.”

Naina burst into laughter, cupping his face. “You already are everything that he needs. You don’t need to upgrade your skills.” She pressed a gentle kiss to his jaw. “At this rate, you might even overshadow me… his mother.”

He pressed a lingering kiss on her lips, pulling her even closer. “Impossible. No one can replace his mother. But I can at least try to match you, right?”

Their lips met again in a sweet, lingering kiss again before Ruhaan pulled back with a thoughtful expression. “Speaking of which... if you haven’t decided on our honeymoon destination yet, would you mind if I planned it?”

Intrigued, Naina propped herself up on her elbow, resting her cheek against her palm. “Go on. I’m curious.”

“Disneyland,” he announced, watching her face light up. “And before you ask – yes, I want Neil to come with us. I know neither of us would be at peace leaving him behind.”

“What?” Her heart melted at his thoughtfulness. “Are you absolutely sure? It’s our honeymoon...”

He shrugged as if it were the most natural thing in the world. “Of course. He’s our son, Naina. And besides, you already had plans to take him to Disneyland someday, right? He too wants to go there. So why not now?”

“You think too much about us.” Her eyes shimmered with unshed tears of happiness.

Ruhaan cupped her face, brushing a gentle kiss over her forehead. “Why wouldn’t I? We’re a family now, sweetheart. What makes you and Neil happy makes me happy.”

“If that’s the case, can I make a small request? A tiny addition?”

Ruhaan tilted his head. “Addition?”

She traced her fingers over his jaw. “Can we take your mom too?”

Ruhaan blinked. “Mom?”

Naina nodded. “I’ve heard her say she hasn’t traveled anywhere in years. She needs a holiday too, Ruhaan. A break from everything. She deserves it.”

A slow, admiring grin spread across Ruhaan’s face. “God, I love you.” He brushed a kiss over her lips before adding, “Mom’s going to love this. Although…” He chuckled. “She’s going to deny it at first. She’ll come up with a hundred reasons why she shouldn’t go.”

“And if she doesn’t agree, we have Neil to convince her.”

Ruhaan burst into laughter. “Oh yes, that’s a foolproof plan. She can say no to me, she can say no to you, but she can never say no to Neil.”

They both dissolved into laughter.

He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and whispered into her hair, “It’s final then. After Neil’s midterm exams, we’re going to Disneyland.”