Page 172 of The Redemption
A small battery indicator glows on the dashboard while rain continues to drum against the roof of the SUV. Raghav had switched off the engine nearly fifteen minutes ago to conserve fuel. The warmth the heater had left behind is fading fast, and despite the insulated cabin, the mountain chill is slowly creeping back inside. I pull my arms closer around myself and rub them repeatedly. I should have listened to Mom and carried an extra shawl.
The woollen sweater I’m wearing had felt perfectly warm while we were shopping. But now, it feels completely useless. A shiver runs through me. I turn slightly and look behind, Instantly, I regret it.
Raghav looks far too comfortable. The rear seat is almost fully reclined. One arm is folded beneath his head while the emergency blanket from his survival kit is draped over him. Half of it covers his body while the remaining half lies abandoned beside him, as if he’s deliberately left that space for me in case I change my mind.
What annoys me is that he appears to be asleep while I’m sitting here freezing to death. Almost a minute later, another shiver runs through me.
That’s it.
Forget my pride. Forget my annoyance. Forget the fact that sharing a backseat with Raghav sounds like a terrible idea. Right now, I need that blanket. Muttering under my breath, I unbuckle my seatbelt and attempt to climb into the backseat without getting out of the car.
Immediately, I realise this is much harder than it looks.
The gap between the seats is ridiculously narrow. My knee gets stuck halfway through, and my elbow bangs against the centre console. And invariably, I’m wrestling with the interior of a luxury SUV like an idiot.
The commotion wakes Raghav up, or maybe he was just pretending to be asleep. Ignoring him, I stubbornly keep going. I’m already halfway into the back when my foot suddenly slips.
“Oh—”
Before I can tumble face-first into the backseat, his strong arm wraps around my waist. Everything inside me stops. Literally everything. My breath… my thoughts… even my ability to function. Raghav steadies me effortlessly and pulls me the rest of the way towards him. The movement sends me straight into him.
The next second, I realise with horror that I’m sprawled across his lap. My palms press against his chest, while his hand remains firmly locked around my waist. That’s when I become painfully aware of just how close we are.
Everything else disappears. It’s just him. Justus. And the heat of his body beneath mine.
His gaze drops briefly to my lips before lifting again to meet my eyes. It’s the same intense look I saw earlier today when he told me I was his first kiss.A fact I’m still trying to process.
Ever since I was a teenager, I’ve had this silly fantasy of a stolen kiss in the backseat of a car. I don’t know why the idea always appealed to me. But tonight, as I find myself in the situation where such a moment feels dangerously possible, my heart races with anticipation. For the first time, those fantasies have a face. A visual. Of me and Raghav in the backseat, devouring each other’s lips.
Heat rushes into my cheeks.
For a few moments, neither of us moves. But before the fantasy can turn into a possibility, I come back to my senses.
“Move,” I mutter, pushing myself upright on his lap.
A corner of his mouth twitches. Without saying a word, he lets me go. I immediately shift to the space beside him, grab the abandoned half of the blanket, and wrap it tightly aroundmyself. The warmth hits me almost instantly, and I finally stop shivering.
Seeing this, Raghav turns his face away, settles deeper into the seat, and closes his eyes again.
Sleep is exactly what I need too.
But the problem is that I’m a sound sleeper. The moment I fall asleep, I’m gone. The world could practically collapse around me, and I would still be dreaming peacefully.
At the villa, this isn’t an issue. The bed is large enough for both of us. I can roll from one end to the other without disturbing anyone.
This, however, is an SUV. I have absolutely no idea what might happen once I fall asleep here. For all I know, I might end up leaning against his shoulder. Or worse, cuddling Raghav like he’s my favourite plush toy.
The thought makes me groan internally. Not that I can control it. Eventually, I stop overthinking and dial Mom to keep her informed of the situation. She answers the call immediately. I explain that Raghav and I are stuck on the mountain road because of the rains, although she already knows as Haider had informed her too.
“It might take a few hours,” I tell her. “But we’ll return as soon as the road is cleared. How are you feeling now?”
“Much better,” she says. “And you don’t need to worry about me. Esha is here.”
My eyebrows shoot up. “What?”
“Yes,” Mom continues. “She came shortly after you and Raghav left for the market.”
Relief washes over me.
