Sameer could not move his gaze away. Naina stood right under his chin, her face slightly upturned because of his hold on the back of her head. Her eyes were shut, but her brows were creased, as if she was troubled by some thought.

As he wondered what must be on her mind, her eyes opened a bit and a nearly inaudible whisper escaped from her lips, 'Sabko mujhse dur rehna hai. Sab chale jaate hain. Ek ek karke sab chale gaye. Bas ek Nutty thi. Woh bhi mujhe akela chor ke chali gayi. Tum bhi jao. Ek saal baad nahi, abhi jao. Chale jao.'

Through her partially open eyes, he could sense the turmoil beneath the surface. The unspoken sorrow in her tone filled the space between them, weighing down on him like never before. Nothing he had ever experienced, or seen, evoked such an intense yearning in him... to wipe away every pain, to put an end to her misery, to make everything all right.

He reached out, his hand hovering in the air, unsure if he should touch her, unsure if he could offer any solace in the face of such profound distress. But then, he remembered that he didn't know her well enough to provide comfort with the right words or the perfect gesture. However, since only he was with her, he could offer silent support in the midst of the storm she was facing.

Gently, he wrapped an arm around her shoulder and nudged her towards the door, 'Main kahin nahi jaa raha. I'm here, with you. Ab tumhe sona chahiye. Subah jab better feel karogi tab ghar chalenge. Okay?'

As if she was waiting for such consolation, her shoulders dropped, and she bobbed her head heavily, 'Okay.'

The bedroom was warmer, because it was smaller and closed. Naina had put away the clothes in the empty cupboard, which was partially open. He could see the pile... and he could also see that she had failed to notice the fallen garment, which was still on the floor beside the bed. He looked away, edging Naina to the other side. He made her sit, then unfolded the blanket and asked her to sleep. Like an obedient child, Naina laid down on the pillow, shutting her eyes after murmuring a faint 'good night'.

Once he had covered her upto the neck with the thick blanket, Sameer couldn't help but smile. Naina was much more tolerable when she was drunk. He wished she agreed to everything he said when she was sober too. Or maybe... he should encourage her to drink more often. Shaking his head to let go of such silly idea, he walked around the bed to leave when the dainty black piece caught his eyes again.

He pursed his lips... it could not be left there. When Naina would see it in the morning, she would be extremely embarrassed. Knowing that he was in the same house, came to the room as well, she would know that he had seen it. Respecting the boundaries was one thing but he did not want to make the situation between them awkward. He glanced at Naina. She had her back to him, unmoving. Her breathing seemed to be steady.

Drawing in a long breath, he bent slowly, and picked up the garment between his index finger and thumb. Without looking at his hand, he quickly moved towards the cupboard and put it amongst the jumbled clothes that she had dumped in. Only after he left the room did he breathe again. Unkowingly, his eyes lowered to his hand. The feel of soft, satiny material still lingered on the tips of his fingers. It felt so... so feminine.

'Shut up... shut the hell up.' He hissed at his mind, furious at the direction it was taking. He tried hard to conjure up the image of Naina that he disliked... but all that appeared in his thought bubble was the girl clad in a strappy top that hugged her figure, ruffled hair, and hooded eyes. His throat felt dry. He quickly went to the sink in the kitchen and started to splash his face with cold water, till the sting on his skin was potent enough to clear his mind of everything... unaware that his rough splashing was making his wet sweatshirt even more drenched.

With a weary sigh, he walked out and dropped on the lone sofa. It had been a strange day, starting with the accidental encounter with that peculiar, rude couple at the hospital. The incident had affected Naina much more than what he had initially fathomed. He had an inkling that the couple were well known to Naina. It was possible that because of them, she had some deep rooted insecurity, or perhaps some bitter incident in the past that had left a mark on her psyche. Even in her inebriated state, the despair did not leave her. She was being goofy in between, but even the intoxication could not wipe away the memory of whatever was hurting her.

He stretched his back, trying to find a comfortable position on the narrow sofa. The soaked front of his sweatshirt stuck to his chest, making him shudder. The house was cooler, since it had been unoccupied for last few weeks. He was sure if he remained in the wet shirt, he would catch cold by morning. Naina was already asleep. He pulled the sweatshirt over his head and spread it on the table, hoping it would dry up by morning. To warm himself, he started to walk in the room, rubbing his hands. He had been doing so for about five minutes when a faint rustling sound made him freeze to the spot. His eyes darted to the main door, which was locked. With slow steps, he reached the door and placed his ear to it... was someone trying to break in, knowing that the owner was away? The sound turned more faint, indicating that he had moved away from it. He craned his neck, focusing on the direction.

It was coming from the bedroom, for sure.

His heart jumped to his mouth. Could there be some animal in there, which had sneaked in and Naina had failed to notice it? Or was it a thief? Whatever it was, Naina could be in danger. He dashed to the bedroom, but stopped at the door. He did not want to alert the unexpected intruder. Before he could get a chance to peak in, a sharp crackling sound resonated in the silent house, making him jump. Without wasting another second, he burst open the door. The sight that greeted him made him freeze on the spot.

Sitting cross legged on the bed with a packet of 'chakli', Naina was munching on the spiral snack, making crunching noises. She bit into it, and the crackling sound echoed again.

'Yeh kya kar rahi ho tum?' He spat out in exasperation.

Startled, she looked up, her eyes open wide. Slowly, she chewed what was in her mouth before replying, 'Chakli kha rahi hun.'

'Woh mujhe bhi dikh raha hai. Lekin iss waqt kyon? Tumhe sone ko bola tha na.' He took a few steps towards the bed.

'Bhookh lagi hai.' She stated in simple words, 'Nutty ke drawer mein mila yeh packet. Lekin maine toh bohot dheere dheere dhundha tha. Tumhe kaise pata chala?'

He let out an exhale. She must have skipped dinner. Well, he had too... because of her. Even he was hungry.

As if she could hear his stomach rumble, Naina offered a piece, 'Tum bhi khao. Tumhe bhi bhookh lagi hogi.'

The sight of food did flare up his hunger. He extended his hand to take the chakli, but Naina pulled back her hand and patted beside her. He hesitated for a moment, then perched on the edge of the bed before taking the inviting snack. As they both munched into the savoury chakli, the sound filled the silence of the room, making Sameer smile at the scenario he had assumed because of such harmless crackle.

'Kitna shor karti hai yeh chakli. Awaaz sunkar mujhe laga tumhare room mein koi ghus aaya hai.' He stated, as he took another bite.

Hunching her shoulders, Naina giggled, 'Nutty mujhe tang karne ke liye rakhti hai. Jab main uske saath bahar nahi jaati toh woh bhi mujhe sone nahi deti. Maine uski baat nahi maani isliye mujhe chidane ke liye katar katar karke khaati rehti hai.'

Sameer could easily imagine Natasha doing such childish things. He was also glad to see the warmth in Naina's eyes at the mention of her friend.

It was a safe topic so he asked, 'Natasha... I mean, Nutty, tumhari best friend hai?'

'Nahi.' Naina did not take even a second to answer, 'Woh meri only friend hai. Baaki toh... umm... baaki sab Nutty ke friends hain. Sabko uska friend banna hota hai, kyonki woh bohot cute hai na.'

'Aur tum?' The words were out before he could stop himself.

She shrugged, speaking matter of factly, 'Main toh Naina hun. Aur kuch bhi nahi hun. Kisi ke liye nahi. Bas Nutty hai jo abhi bhi meri friend hai. Tab bhi thi jab papa aur bhaiya ne...'

Suddenly, she started to cough. Squeezing her eyes shut, she rubbed her chest, gasping for breath as she coughed. And then, before Sameer could stop her, she picked the glass from side table and drained the left over wine in one go. The moment she brought the glass down, a hiccup erupted from her.

She let out a chuckle, 'Lagta hai... Nutty... Nutty meri jaan... mujhe yaad kar rahi hai. Usey call karti hun.' Clumsily, she started to look for her phone.

Sameer rolled his eyes, 'Bas yehi baaki reh gaya tha. Isse pehle ki koi aur drama shuru karey isey sone ke liye force karna hoga.'

'Naina, ab tum so jao.' He insisted, pulling the blanket over her legs, 'Nutty bhi so gayi hogi. Kal baat karna.'

'Naiii.' She grabbed his arm, her tone defiant, 'Mujje Nutty ko... usko batana hai... Nutty jo bolegi... main wohi karungi. Tumhara order...' She blinked hard at him, '...nahi manungi. Tum khadoos ho.'

'Tum bhi kam nahi ho.' Frustrated, he pulled back his arm with a jerk.

Unable to balance herself, Naina stumbled towards him. The force made Sameer topple back on the bed... with Naina over him. His breath got stuck in his throat as he felt the softness of her body pressed against the hard plane of his bare chest. Only then, he became aware of his shirtless state, something Naina seemed to be oblivious about... besides a lot of other things.

Their proximity did not fluster her, rather, she giggled, resting her chin on his chest, 'Dekha, gir gaye na. Jo khadoos hota hai uske saath hi aisa hota hai.'

A dam seemed to burst within him... an onslaught of sensations, too fierce to ignore, consuming every fibre of his being. The intimacy of the situation was electrifying, jolting him with shockwaves. His skin singed at every point of contact, his pulse thundering recklessly in his ears. Her warm breath against his skin was flaring up a torrent of feelings inside him, while sending shivers through his entire body. The raw currents of attraction swirled him in a whirlpool of possibilities, shaking the foundation of all that was carefully planned and noted in the file he had nurtured over the years... the file, that did not match with Naina in any manner.

The alarm in his mind sought his attention desperately, urging him to maintain a semblance of control... because it was Naina. He should not react to her in this manner... it was wrong. It defied the boundaries they had agreed upon. But he had no control over the sensations that overwhelmed him, the thoughts that threatened to overcome his resistance... especially when he was getting to know how warm she was, how good she smelt, how soft she felt against him. Her body, aligned perfectly with his, sent him reeling. Perhaps, the reaction was so intense because he had never been this close to a woman before.

Her slurry voice, soft as a caress, fell in his ears, 'Mujhe neend aa rahi hai. Main so jaun?'

He merely hummed, feeling the way her body moved with the rumble of his chest. He was about to lift her off himself, when she shocked him again... by placing her head on his chest and shutting her eyes. He groaned inwardly. This wasn't helping. He needed distance, distance from her.

'Naina.' He tapped her arm with one finger.

There was no movement, nor any answer. Was she already asleep? Her hands lay beside him on the bed, while her weight on him turned marginally heavier. Sameer was left with no option. He placed one hand behind her head and other on her lower back, then slowly turned to his side to put her on the bed. After straightening her arm, he adjusted her neck on the pillow. Before he could remove his hand from under her head, Naina turned, and his palm was buried under her. He gasped, shaking her shoulder gently to free his hand. She did not budge. Sameer let out a swoosh of desperate exhale, pulling harder. In response, she clutched onto his wrist and mumbled something, slipping into a comfortable stupor next second.

A new conflict surged through him, whether to honour the agreements between them and forcefully move away from Naina, or to provide her the warmth she was seeking in her troubled situation. She had come to this house to feel the presence of her only friend. The alcohol in her system had blurred her ability to discern. But she needed solace, this much was evident in the desperation of her grip.

Unable to tear himself away from this vulnerable side of hers that he was witnessing for the first time, Sameer leaned against the headrest, staying close to her. A while later, she shivered. He swiftly covered her with the blanket. The warm cocoon of the fluffy material felt comforting when it touched his bare skin. Sameer shifted a little, adjusting a corner of the blanket over himself. Within a few minutes, tiredness and lack of sleep from previous night dulled his senses, and he drifted into slumber.

As the soft lights of dawn filtered into the room through the gaps in curtains, Sameer was awakened by the feeling of warmth on one side of body, and a deep chill hitting him on the other. It took him a few moments to recognise the different surroundings, the unfamiliar comfort. Sometime during the night, he had slipped into the welcoming snugness of blanket and pillow. As the fog of sleep cleared, trickling in consciousness, his eyes flitted to the source of conflicting sensations.

On his right, the blanket had been pulled away, leaving his bare upper body open to bear the onslaught of coolness of lingering winter day. While on the left, a gentle weight was pressed against him, breathing softly into his neck. Naina was nestled against him, her face nudged into his shoulder, her face turned towards his chin. With slightly parted lips, her rhythmic breathing conveyed that she was still deep asleep. This unexpected closeness was as endearing as it was scary, setting off the warning bells in his mind. He needed to get away, yet, he could not deny that she felt wonderful against him. The beating of his heart confirmed the fact, loud and clear, that every fibre of his body resonated with the rhythm of her breath.

Caught between the varied emotions, he finally let the sanity kick in, and tried to untangle himself without waking her. The movement, however, shattered his plan.

First thing Naina felt in the morning was a thumping sound echoing in her ear. She stirred, patting around her with closed eyes. Her hand did not encounter the flatness of mattress, or the creases of blanket. It felt the smoothness and warmth of... skin, undulation of something that felt like... a body. Her eyes flew open. Snuggling into Sameer, she was looking right into his dark eyes. The shock was evident in hers as they widened into saucers, when they met with the other pair, just a flicker away.

She sat up with a jerk, looking around to understand the situation. It did not make sense. She was alone here last night. Then how? How did Sameer end up in her bed? What made her cling to him in such an intimate way? Why was he...

A loud gasp of shock escaped her as she noticed his bare body, left to her view after the blanket was completely pulled away when she got up suddenly. Her throat felt dry.

This... this did not look good.

When she spoke, each word took an immense effort to form, filled with apprehension and fear, 'Yeh... yeh sab kya hai? Tum... kaise... kab... is tarah...?'

Sameer dragged himself up against the backrest, amused by the way her eyes widened in alarm, her voice echoing with a mix of horror and disbelief at the thought of what might have happened during the night. He watched as her imagination seemed to run wild, her expressions shifting rapidly from confusion to incredulity. After what she made him go through last night, he deserved a few moments of fun.

'Tumne hi toh bulaya tha.' He shrugged lazily, 'Ab wife kuch kahe toh husband manaa kaise kar sakta hai.'

'Maine?' She gulped, unable to recall when she did so, 'Kya kaha maine?'

'Haan.' Appearing comfortable in his shirtless state, he crossed his arms, a smirk playing on his lips, 'Aakhir tumne accept kar hi liya ki main tumhara husband hun. Iss dil ko kahan pataa tha yeh din itni jaldi ayega.'

The colour on her face drained, 'K... kya matlab? Kya... kya kiya maine?'

Suddenly, he leaned ahead, waving a finger between the two of them, 'Bhool gayi? Dekhkar kya lagta hai?'

Aghast, Naina's eyes lowered to his chest, then flicked to herself. Another gasp left her mouth as she saw her nightsuit.

'Nahi... aisa... aisa nahi ho sakta.' She stuttered, 'It's... impossible.'

A sly smile lingering on his lips, Sameer pointed at the almost empty wine bottle behind her. Naina turned sharply to follow his gaze. Her hands flew to her face, covering her mouth, to stifle the rising panic within her. The thought of consuming nearly an entire bottle of wine, coupled with the uncertainty of what might have transpired afterward sent shivers down her spine.

Her fear ascended sharply, her eyes stinging with unshed tears as she pleaded, 'Please... please tell me ki... jo main soch rahi hun... ' Her words trailed off as she struggled to articulate her thoughts, her mind clearly racing with different possibilities, each more outlandish than the other.

'What do you think?' His voice mellowed down, seeing the dampness in her eyes.

'I don't remember anything," she muttered, her voice trembling with a mixture of fear and self-reproach, 'Mujhe nahi pata... mujhe sach mein nahi pata.'

Sitting up on folded knees, Sameer said gently, reaching out to place a reassuring hand on her shoulder, 'Naina, I'm kidding. Kuch nahi hua. Kuch bhi nahi. I promise.'

Her eyes stinging with the weight of uncertainty, she met his gaze hesitantly, 'Toh fir... hum aise... yeh sab... HOW?'

Sameer explained the whole situation to her, not leaving anything out. He also told her the reason for his shirtless presence in the bed. Naina was visibly shaken, and mortified.

'It's okay Naina.' He tried to ease her worries and dispel any lingering doubts, 'Main bas mazaak kar raha tha. Tum nashe mein thi main nahi. Mujhe pataa hai hamare contract mein kya likha hai. Hum apni hadd hamesha yaad rakhenge.'

She closed her eyes for a moment, processing everything in her mind, before looking back at him sharply, 'Dubara kabhi asisa mazaak mat karna.'

A long one 😊
Sorry for the delay though, I got late in getting up, today being a holiday

Next update on Tuesday