Serendipitous Saturation ✔ [Completed]

Chapter 8 - Reservations

He wasn't sure how he hadn't stopped walking immediately by her side as she'd uttered the words, how he'd contorted his expression into thoughtfulness instead of panic. Because panic was the overriding emotion he felt at her request. First his mother had brought the topic up. It had been easy to derail her and had told her the truth that Riddhima hadn't mentioned meeting his daughter. It was easier to have left the ball in Riddhima’s court, to only have to consider the idea when pushed into it.

But now she had, it changed everything, effectively fast-forwarding their relationship more than he was sure he was ready for. Or that she was, come to that. He felt something for her deeply but was he ready for that massive step into unchartered territory? Was his daughter?

"Ah, you'd like that?" he asked, desperately playing for time to get his head around the idea. "Really? You think it's time for that already?"

His tone was obviously not as controlled as he thought it was as she stopped and frowned at him. But then Riddhima Gujral was a fine detective and reading people was her business too. She wasn't as good as him at it, obviously, but he'd been trained in that field since he was Aadhya’s age. She'd had to wait until police academy before she learnt some of the tricks involved.

"You don't, quite obviously," she stated. Her voice remained calm but she couldn't disguise the upset in it. Not to him, anyway.

"Okay, that's fine, I get it," she added quickly, resuming her walk towards the car, her pace quicker than before.

He breathed out. He could let this go. And so would she. She'd be unsettled for a few minutes, maybe more, but by the time they were back at the hotel he'd be able to distract her with some searing kisses...perhaps more than that. He'd revisit the subject further down the line, of course. He just didn't need to discuss it more now, he told himself.

He watched her hips sway in front of him, the back of her dress whip up as a breeze uncovered more alabaster skin and hit him like a provocative slap in the face. If a walk could be both determined and hurt then she had it perfected to a T. He breathed out. Time to stop stalling and grow up, a voice inside told him that sounded remarkably like his mother's. Damn that woman.

"Riddhima, wait," he called after her, increasing his pace. But she didn't slow down and was waiting to get into the car when he made it there, her eyes set on the door handle. "Jeez, woman, you should take up the 100 metres," he said, drawing a long breath.

She ignored his comment and pulled at the handle. Then she relaxed her face into a smile that never made it to her eyes. "Come on, slowcoach, let's go," she said with too much chirpiness.

She really was a terrible actress. "Let's talk about what you said first," he said softly, catching her eyes.

Colour spread to her cheeks. She sighed, "Look, don't worry about it. Really. I understand. I-I know it's be a big deal to you who you allow into her life. If you're not ready, you're not ready. Let's forget I mentioned it and just enjoy our night."

She was giving him an out. But taking it now would make him feel like a coward. He'd been one for years, now was the time to be brave.

"It's not that I don't want you to meet her," he said. "It's just...well, you're right. I'm protective of her. Overly protective, most probably. And things are going so great between you and I at the minute as they stand-"

"You're afraid of me meeting her would change that."

He nodded. "I am."

"I see." Her tone was fractionally glacial.

Well played, Paddy, you dumbass, a mocking voice told him that sounded just like his father's. If these voices kept up like they were today, he'd need to check himself in for a MRI.