Happy New Year (IPKKND Secret Romance #1) (aka Our Secret)

Interlude: Arnav

They'd come together, finally, after Aakash and Payal's wedding had been fixed. It'd started, as it always did between them, with stolen glances and private meetings. They'd danced around their feelings, wary of a misstep so soon after their respective engagements had broken, but the pull between them had grown and shifted until it was undeniable.

Their fingers would brush as Arnav helped her into his car in the morning, their eyes would lock before they stepped into Shantivan, and they would share countless moments during the day as Khushi organized the wedding and he worked from home.

Then, one rainy, miserable afternoon a few weeks ago, Khushi had brought him tea as he worked on his laptop, mumbling how he must be cold. Her concern had touched him and when Arnav had noticed her shivering, he'd offered his jacket. Khushi had stood silent and still as he'd placed it on her shoulders, her eyes closing as its warmth – from his body – had seeped into her.

"It feels like you're holding me," she'd murmured absently, her voice vibrating with longing and desire, and his control had shattered.

It had taken him two seconds to take her in his arms, another three to back her against the wall of his bedroom, and then he was sweeping the hair from her face, cradling her head in his hands. A moment's hesitation as he'd waited for permission, his fingers tangled in her hair, and then a soft press of his lips against hers when she'd met his eyes briefly. Then, a struggle to rein himself in as she'd gasped, unwittingly inviting him to deepen the kiss.

Instead, they'd embraced, holding each other until voices from downstairs had brought them back to reality. He'd asked her to make excuses and leave early, saying that they needed to talk.

Arnav had driven to the hilltop - their hilltop, he liked to think, even though they'd brought their siblings together here – and they'd talked. It'd been hard, months of denying their feelings hadn't easily given way to honest conversation, but they'd managed. They'd planned to tell their families immediately but changed their minds when they realized the news would jeopardize Akash and Payal's wedding.

They'd agreed to wait, promising that they wouldn't slip as they had that afternoon. Their resolve had lasted all of fifteen minutes, until they reached her home. Khushi had sat silently in his car even after he'd unbuckled the seatbelt for her – she always had trouble with it – only turning to look at him when Arnav had insisted that she explain what was on her mind.

"I'm ... I'm scared. On Diwali, you ... you ..."