Chapter 3 #2
Ruhaan chuckled, understanding dawning on him. “Who waits till 10 to go to swim? Well, then it’s about time you learned. Your mom won’t have to worry anymore because you are already a big boy.”
With gentle guidance, Ruhaan helped Neil into the pool, ensuring he wore a safety tube around his waist. As the boy tentatively explored the water, Ruhaan kept a watchful eye, offering encouragement and support whenever needed.
Their laughter and splashing echoed through the air, and within no time it caught Naina’s attention. She emerged at the pool area, her eyes widening in horror as she took in the scene before her.
“Neil!” she cried, rushing towards the pool. “Get out of there this instant!”
“Mom, I’m loving this.” Neil ignored his mother’s pleas, giggling as Ruhaan playfully splashed water in his direction.
Naina’s frustration mounted, her fear for her son’s safety overriding any sense of reason. “If you don’t come out right now, I’ll have to get in there and drag you out myself!”
Ruhaan this time couldn’t help but laugh at her empty threat. “Go ahead, Naina. The water’s perfect.”
Naina’s gaze narrowed as she fixed her sights on Ruhaan. “This is all happening because of you. You’re spoiling my son. He’s turning against me and my principles.”
Ruhaan sighed. “It’s just swimming, Naina. Where do your principles come into play? He wants to learn. What’s the harm? Plus, he’s learning from the best – me! So, you chill and watch us from there, okay?”
Anger flashed across her features as she shook her head vehemently. “That’s exactly my fear. He’s learning from you, who’s not just the best at swimming but a lot more things which I don’t want my son to imbibe as he grows.”
Before she could complete her statement, Naina’s foot slipped on the wet tiles, and she careened forward, her arms flailing helplessly as she plunged into the pool with a tremendous splash.
“Help!” she screamed, panic gripping her as she struggled to keep herself afloat. The water seemed to swallow her whole, her limbs thrashing in desperation as the fear of drowning consumed her.
In an instant, Ruhaan was by her side, his strong arms encircling her waist as he pulled her to the surface. Gasping for air, Naina clung to him, her body trembling from the shock of the fall and the sudden, overwhelming proximity to the man she had been trying so hard to avoid.
Their eyes locked. Naina felt a familiar heat ignite within her, a flame she thought had long since been extinguished. Ruhaan’s gaze burned into her, while his lips curled into a tantalizing smirk.
Instinctively, her arms tightened around him, her fingers digging into the hard planes of his back as she clung to him for dear life.
As Ruhaan’s muscular frame pressed against her, the heat of his bare skin seared through the thin fabric of her clothing, igniting a fire that licked at her very core.
Suddenly her breath caught in her throat as she became acutely aware of Ruhaan’s state of undress.
Clad only in a pair of swimming shorts, the water did little to conceal the hard lines of his body.
She felt a rush of heat course through her as his toned physique brushed against her lower body. Gently.
Desire swirled within her. Call it fear or longing, but whatever it was, it left her dizzy and breathless. This time he pulled her flush against him, their faces mere inches apart.
“I got you,” he whispered tormentingly close to her lips, regarding her with his smoldering intensity.
Her own resolve wavered as her lips parted involuntarily, drawn to Ruhaan’s mouth, those tantalizing lips that had once tasted the sweetness of her own. The urge to close the distance between them, to surrender to this searing passion that crackled, was almost overwhelming.
Neil’s chuckle seeing his mom ending up in pool herself made her come back to reality.
“Help Neil first,” she whispered.
Ruhaan shook his head, his grip on her tightening ever so slightly. “Neil is fine. He’s not going to drown. And I won’t let you drown, either.”
With those words, he pulled her further closer. Time seemed to slow as he leaned in, his breath hot against her skin, his lips mere inches from hers.
“I didn’t know water makes you look so hot,” Ruhaan mumbled. “And so f*cking kissable, Naina.”
Ruhaan’s bold words jolted her back to reality. The spell that had enveloped them shattered in an instant.
She tried to pull away, her hands pushing against his chest, but his grip remained strong. Thrashing in the water, she attempted to create distance between them, but her struggles only seemed to bring their bodies closer together.
“Leave me,” she warned him and he did.
Just then, once again, Naina lost her footing, slipping beneath the surface of the water. Her mouth opened in a silent scream as the cool liquid enveloped her, threatening to pull her under.
“Help,” she gasped for air, pressing her body flush against Ruhaan’s again as he held her afloat.
“You decide what you want,” Ruhaan teased. “To help you or to leave you here in the pool?”
“Help... Help me... please...” she cried.
Her legs instinctively wrapped around his torso, clinging to him like a lifeline. Ruhaan hadn’t expected that. His own body was treacherously aching by their closeness.
Still keeping his grin intact, he cradled Naina in his arms as if she were a precious bride.
Her head lolled against his shoulder, as Ruhaan firmly carried her towards the edge of the pool.
With a gentle heave, he lifted her out of the water and onto the tiled bank, ensuring she was safely out of harm’s way.
Naina sat there, drenched from head to toe, her clothes clinging to her body in a way that left little to the imagination. She stared at Ruhaan who had turned his attention to Neil, carefully helping the young boy out of the pool, although Neil was enjoying every bit of his time in the pool.
As soon as Neil’s feet touched the ground, Naina snatched a towel from Ruhaan’s outstretched hand, angrily patting her son dry.
“Next time you do things without my permission, Neil, I’m not going to talk to you,” she scolded.
Neil pouted, his eyes downcast as he murmured an apology. “Sorry, Mom.”
Before Naina could respond, he planted a quick kiss on her cheek and scurried off, disappearing into the villa.
“Neil, wait.” She called after him, her brow furrowed with worry. “I haven’t dried your hair yet. You’ll catch a cold.”
But her pleas fell on deaf ears as Neil continued on his way, leaving Naina alone with Ruhaan once more.
Seizing the opportunity, Ruhaan plopped down on the pool chair Neil had vacated, leaning back with a mischievous grin. Before Naina could protest, he reached out and tugged her hand, guiding the towel towards his damp hair.
“Even I can catch a cold...” he murmured suggestively.
Naina recoiled and pushing him away she flung the towel in his face.
“I’ll send your mom to do that,” she retorted, her cheeks flushed with annoyance.
Ruhaan chuckled. “Naina...” he called out as she turned to leave. “I swear, if I catch a cold, you’ll regret it. Come back here.”
She whirled around once only to glare at him and then stormed off, her damp footprints trailing behind her as she disappeared into the villa.
Ruhaan leaned back, a satisfied grin playing on his lips.
He knew he was getting under her skin, chipping away at her defenses with each playful jab and flirtatious remark.
It was only a matter of time before Naina succumbed to the undeniable chemistry that still simmered between them, and he couldn’t wait to see how their little time here would unfold.