Page 41 of Strictly Solo

Before she could continue venting her frustration with gentle pats against his chest he caught her wrists and pulled her close, their bodies pressing together in the moonlit garden.

“I wanted to see how desperate you’d get for me, Naina,” he teased. “Because, believe me, you can’t measure my desperation for you these days. I just thought we should be on the same page before we go any further.”

She clenched her jaw, trying to mask the blush creeping up her cheeks.

“This is fun for you, isn’t it? I hate you,” she snapped, though her words lacked the bite she intended.

Ruhaan’s grin softened. “And I love every bit of seeing you like this.”

The playful banter between them faded as they gazed at each other, the night suddenly feeling still and intimate. He cupped her face, drawing her closer as he leaned in for a kiss. But she quickly placed her hands on his chest, stopping him just inches from her lips.

“No kissing tonight,” she declared, trying to regain control. “Not after you made me wait so long. And now, let’s go before someone catches us out here.”

She turned to walk toward the car, but Ruhaan wasn’t done yet. He swiftly grabbed her hand and pulled her back to him, making her gasp as their bodies collided once more. His hands returned to her face, and his gaze locked onto hers with a smoldering intensity.

“Don’t make rules you can’t resist breaking,” he whispered, his lips hovering just above hers. “I have a strong intuition that by the end of this night, we’re going to do a lot more than just kissing.”

She swallowed, trying to maintain her composure, but the heat in his gaze was too overwhelming.

“Keep dreaming,” she replied.

His smirk widened, sensing her internal struggle. He knew she wanted him just as much as he wanted her, and that only fueled his desire. But instead of pushing her further, he decided to let her lead for now.

“Let’s go,” he said, finally releasing her and gesturing toward the car.

He opened the passenger door for her with a flourish, and once she was settled, he got in and started the engine. Naina felt a flutter of nervousness in her stomach.

“So where exactly are we going?” she asked, trying to keep her voice casual.

Ruhaan just grinned and put the car in gear. “It’s a surprise. You’ll see when we get there.”

They drove in comfortable silence for a while, the streets empty and peaceful at this late hour. She stole glances of him, admiring the strong line of his jaw and the way his hair fell across his forehead, but quickly looked away when he caught her staring.

“See something you like?” Ruhaan teased.

“Just making sure you’re keeping your eyes on the road,” she retorted primly.

“Liar.”

As they left the city behind and entered more rural areas, her curiosity got the better of her.

“Seriously, Ruhaan, where are we going? We’ve been driving for almost an hour now.”

“Patience,” he replied, reaching over to give her hand a gentle squeeze. “We’re almost there.”

A few minutes later, he turned off the main road onto a narrow dirt track that wound its way up a steep hillside. Naina gripped the door handle tightly as the car bounced and jostled over the uneven terrain.

Finally, they emerged into a small clearing at the top of the hill where he parked the car and turned to Naina with a triumphant grin.

“We’re here!”

She looked around in confusion. There didn’t seem to be anything particularly special about the spot — just trees and grass and... Her breath caught in her throat as she stepped out of the car and saw the view spread out before them.

The entire city lay sprawled below, a glittering tapestry of lights stretching as far as the eye could see. It was breathtakingly beautiful.

“Oh, Ruhaan,” she breathed. “It’s amazing.”

He came up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist and resting his chin on her shoulder.