Pyaar ki Takrar

Chapter 22: Stirring Hearts

The morning sun filtered through the curtains, casting a warm golden glow across the room. Twinkle stirred in bed, her eyes fluttering open slowly. For a moment, she was disoriented, the events of the past few days swirling in her mind. But then, as her gaze landed on the empty side of the bed, she realized she wasn’t alone in the room.

Kunj was standing by the window, his back to her, looking out into the garden. His tall frame was bathed in sunlight, making him appear almost ethereal. Twinkle blinked, trying to push away the sudden surge of emotions that came with seeing him like this. Why does he always have this effect on me?

She shifted in bed, pulling the blanket up as she stretched. "Good morning," she called out, her voice still thick with sleep.

Kunj turned around, a soft smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "Morning, sleepyhead."

Twinkle rolled her eyes but couldn’t help the small smile that crept onto her face. "Sleepyhead? Says the guy who never sleeps in."

Kunj shrugged casually, walking over to the bed and sitting down on the edge. "What can I say? Someone has to wake up early to make sure you don’t burn the house down."

Twinkle gasped in mock outrage, playfully swatting at his arm. "Excuse me! I’m not that bad."

Kunj chuckled, catching her wrist before she could pull away. His touch was gentle, yet it sent a spark through her. Their eyes met, and for a brief moment, the playful banter fell away, leaving behind an unspoken tension.

"Kunj…"

"Twinkle…" he murmured back, his voice softer now.

They stared at each other for what felt like an eternity, neither of them knowing what to say. But in that silence, something shifted between them. It was as if all the walls they had built around themselves, all the barriers of sarcasm and banter, were crumbling.

Twinkle’s heart raced as Kunj’s fingers brushed against hers, his touch feather-light but filled with something deeper. She swallowed hard, trying to keep her voice steady. "Kunj, we need to talk about—"

But before she could finish, Kunj leaned in, his face inches from hers. His breath was warm against her skin, and her pulse quickened. "Twinkle," he whispered, his voice low and husky, "I don’t want to talk right now."

Twinkle’s breath hitched as he gently cupped her face, his thumb tracing the line of her jaw. Her heart pounded in her chest as she looked into his eyes, seeing a softness there she hadn’t seen before.

"Kunj… what are you doing?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Kunj smiled, his eyes never leaving hers. "I don’t know," he admitted softly. "But I can’t stop myself."

And then, before Twinkle could protest or think, he closed the distance between them, pressing his lips to hers in a gentle, lingering kiss. It was soft, almost hesitant, as if he was giving her the chance to pull away if she wanted to.

But Twinkle didn’t pull away. Instead, she found herself melting into the kiss, her eyes fluttering shut as she let herself get lost in the moment. Her hands moved to his chest, feeling the steady beat of his heart beneath her fingertips.

Kunj’s hand slid into her hair, deepening the kiss as he pulled her closer. The world around them seemed to fade away, leaving only the two of them in that moment. There was no more banter, no more sarcasm—just the quiet, undeniable connection between them.

When they finally pulled apart, both of them were breathless. Twinkle’s cheeks were flushed, her heart racing as she looked up at Kunj, trying to process what had just happened.