Chapter 7: The "Only One Suite" Glitch
[System Notification: Warning! Forced Proximity Level: CRITICAL]
The farmhouse in Lonavala was breathtaking—all glass walls, infinity pools, and creeping ivy. But as we stood at the reception desk, the "Business Trip" hit a major snag.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Malhotra," the receptionist said, clicking her tongue. "Because of the sudden monsoon festival, our system overbooked. We don't have three rooms. We only have the Executive Signature Suite... and a small servant's quarters in the back."
Ananya's eyes widened. She looked at the servant's quarters—which looked suspiciously like a shed—and then at her designer suitcase.
"I'll take the shed!" I blurted out, my heart hammering. The "Executive Suite" sounded way too much like a setting for a romance novel I wasn't prepared to live.
"Don't be ridiculous, Meera," Ishaan said, his voice smooth as dark chocolate. He slid his credit card across the counter. "Ananya, you take the servant's quarters—wait, no, that's mean. Ananya, you take the secondary bedroom in the suite. Meera and I will... figure it out."
"Figure it out?" I hissed as we walked toward the suite. "Ishaan, 'figuring it out' usually involves someone sleeping on a floor that costs five thousand rupees a night!"
The Room Reveal
We entered the suite. It was a masterpiece of modern architecture—and a nightmare for my sanity. There was a massive, king-sized bed draped in white linen, a glass-walled shower (why are they always glass?!), and a balcony overlooking the misty valley.
"There's a couch," Ishaan noted, though he looked at the velvet sofa which was barely five feet long. He looked back at his own six-foot-two frame.
"You're a doctor. You need your sleep for 'saving lives' or whatever," I muttered, avoiding his gaze. "I'll take the couch."
"Meera." He stepped into my personal space, his shadow looming over me. The scent of the Lonavala rain clinging to his jacket was making me dizzy. "Stop trying to be a martyr. We've shared a bed before."
"We were seven, Ishaan! We were watching Pokémon!"
"And now we're adults," he said, his voice dropping an octave. He reached out, his fingers catching a loose thread on my sleeve, pulling me just an inch closer. "Does that make it more dangerous?"
Badump. Badump.
The tension was so thick I could practically see the [Heart fluttering] captions floating in the air.
"I'm going to... check on Ananya," I stammered, turning so fast I tripped over the edge of the plush carpet.
I braced for the floor, but instead, I felt a strong arm wrap around my waist, pulling me back against a solid, warm chest. I could feel his heartbeat through the thin fabric of his black tee—steady, rhythmic, and heavy.
"Careful, Meeru," he whispered against the back of my neck, his breath ghosting over my skin. "I might not be there to catch you every time you fall... but I'm certainly going to try."
[Author's Note: THE CLIFFHANGER! 😱 W&W is heating up! Will Meera survive a whole night in the same room as her childhood crush? Or will the "NDA Lie" be the least of her worries?]