Closer Than Before | 𝘾𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙡𝙚𝙩𝙚𝙙 ✅

Chapter 16: Her Sweet Treat ?

Radhika's POV:

As we finished our food, I stood up to clear the table, taking the dishes to the sink while Samar returned to his work on the laptop.

The quiet in the living room was calming, but I couldn’t ignore the slight chill in the air. I knew him well enough to know he’d get cold easily, and as much as I wanted to keep my heart steady, I couldn’t let him suffer for it.

“Samar,” I called out softly as I dried my hands on the dish towel. He looked up from his laptop, eyebrows raised. “After you finish your work, go sleep in the room, okay? It’s too cold out here.”

He hesitated, his eyes flicking from me to the living room around him, clearly torn. “I’m fine, Radhika. I don’t want to disturb you…”

“You won’t,” I insisted, meeting his gaze firmly. “Please, just go to the room. You’ll catch a cold if you stay out here.”

For a moment, he looked like he might argue, but then he sighed and gave me a small nod. “Alright. I’ll finish up soon.”

I offered him a brief smile before heading to the bedroom. It felt strange, this quiet concern between us, but also oddly comforting.

I grabbed my book from the bedside table and settled on the bed, hoping to distract myself from the thoughts swirling in my mind.

A few minutes later, Samar walked into the room, his work finished. Instead of lying down on the bed, he moved to the window and sat on the slab, staring out at the world outside. I watched him from the corner of my eye, pretending to be absorbed in my book.

The curtains were lightly billowing in the breeze, occasionally brushing against his face, and I could see the irritation slowly building in his expression.

He tried to move the curtains aside, but they kept flying back, tangling around his head. I couldn’t help it—a soft chuckle escaped me.

“Ek curtains sambhaal nahi paa rahe,” I teased, closing my book and getting up from the bed.

He glanced at me, half-annoyed and half-amused, as I moved toward him. I grabbed the curtains, our hands brushing against each other’s in the process.

The contact was electric, sending a jolt through me, and suddenly we were looking at each other, the air between us thickening with something unspoken.

His eyes locked onto mine, and for a moment, everything else faded away. I could see the way he was looking at me, his gaze intense and filled with something I couldn’t quite place.

My heart started to race, and I felt myself leaning in, drawn to him like a magnet. His breath mingled with mine, and I could almost feel the warmth of his lips before they touched mine.

But just as I was about to close the distance between us, I felt a sudden wetness between my legs, and I knew immediately what it was.

My heart sank as reality came crashing back. Not now, I thought desperately. Without a word, I stepped back, breaking the moment, and hurried to the bathroom.

Samar called after me, but I didn’t turn around. I closed the door behind me and leaned against it, trying to steady my breathing. A knock on the door brought me back to the present.

“Radhika, are you okay?” Samar’s voice was gentle, laced with concern.

“Y-Yeah, I’m fine,” I replied, trying to sound normal. But as I glanced around the bathroom, I realized with a sinking feeling that I hadn’t brought a pad with me. Great.