An Innocent Crush ✓

54 | Protective much?

"I... um, can I get another kiss?" he asked, breathless while sucking his lower lip.

Kiara chuckled softly, placing both her arms playfully over his shoulders. Dhruv gazed at her, leaning in for a kiss. "Uh... no!" she exclaimed, hurriedly moving towards the dining table and taking a seat in one of the chairs.

"We're running a bit behind schedule," she chuckled, hastily taking a bite of her pancake. Swiftly, she grabbed the whipped cream, drizzling it over the pancake before taking another bite. Dhruv furrowed his brow slightly as he approached her, noticing a dab of cream at the corner of her mouth, tempting him to savor it.

He tenderly grasped the back of her neck, tilting her head up with care. Delicately, he licked off the cream from her lips and planted a gentle kiss after savoring it. "That's too sweet; I need to check my sugar levels today," he remarked with a playful wink. He then headed to his room to change, leaving a blushing Kiara behind.

“Ahhh! I'll…. I'll—”

“I'll kiss you again!” He shouted from the room, interrupting her words.

Kiara couldn't help but nibble on her lip at his words. Suddenly, she sprang up and playfully kicked the air in a burst of frustration, unintentionally turning it into a towel-dropping mishap.

"Oops!" she exclaimed, quickly picking it up and rewrapping herself. Glancing ahead, she noticed Dhruv standing by his room's door, "I forgot my tie," he muttered before swiftly re-entering his room.

"Aaa! Mmm…. Ajsjsjsj!" she produced a series of weird sounds, accompanied by an exaggerated crying face, before settling back into the chair with a hint of embarrassment.

Kiara watched as Shanvi donned her helmet. "Do you really have to go?" she asked.

“Yeah, it's very important,” Shanvi replied. She glanced at Kiara, then subtly looked at Dhruv in the distance, who was patiently waiting. She slowly turned back to Kiara with a smirk, "Just be a bit cautious with him, okay? Don't give in too easily… Keep him on his toes," she advised with a wink.

Kiara, with a hint of disappointment on her face, responded, "So, you won't be coming back today?" Shanvi sighed and reassured her, "I'll return by tomorrow, don't worry. Take care of yourself, okay? Bye," she said before starting her scooter.

“Bye!!”

She turned around and saw Dhruv approaching, a gentle smile lighting up his face. "Ready to go?" he asked, extending his hand. Kiara returned the smile, intertwining her fingers with his and replied, "Let's go!”

⚕️

After finishing their classes in the lab, Kiara and her fellow medical students stepped out. Kiara stretched her body and started removing her gloves. Suddenly, she heard a deep voice calling, "Ms. Tiwari!" Looking up, she saw Arjun approaching with a small smile.

"Dr. Mehra!" She swiftly removed her gloves and stood attentively in front of him. Her respectful demeanor caught Arjun's notice, causing his smile to shift into a smirk. "Was there something you needed?” she asked.

The innocence in her eyes stirred a desire in him to disrupt it, to shatter her sense of purity. He continued to gaze at her in silence, causing a slight unease with his intense stare. Unable to maintain eye contact, she quickly averted her eyes.

"Um... Dr. Mehra?"

"Yes, I came to check on the interns and also wanted to treat them. Many of them couldn't make it to my party..." he explained, swiftly transitioning his expression into a softer one.

"Wow! Thank you so much..." she exclaimed with excitement, a wide smile on her face. His eyes darkened slightly; he yearned to touch her, feel her, kiss her, and make her his.

"Will you come?"

"Who's coming, Arjun?" Dhruv interrupted, walking towards them with a gentle smile on his handsome face. He glanced at Kiara, blinked in silent greeting, and then looked back at Arjun.

"What invitation, Arjun?" He inquired once more. Arjun released a frustrated sigh but maintained a smile. "I'm treating the interns since they are a part of this hospital, aren't they?" He subtly mocked Dhruv's words.

Dhruv nodded in agreement. Arjun then turned to Kiara, saying, "I've organized a club for everyone. Since you're all still young, I thought we'd skip the usual boring parties," he chuckled.

"Dr. Mehra, you're young too!" Kiara exclaimed, smiling at him. Arjun's gaze held a desire, making Dhruv uneasy. Suddenly, a protective instinct for Kiara surged within Dhruv as he sensed something unsettling in Arjun's eyes.

He stepped forward, smiling at Arjun. "What about me, yaar? Are you not going to invite me?" he joked, his true motive concealed behind the jest— shielding Kiara from any unwanted attention.

Arjun locked eyes with Dhruv, his gaze intense enough to make someone wither on the spot. However, Dhruv met his stare with unwavering determination, maintaining the same intensity. Arjun eventually broke the eye contact, offering a smile. "Of course, you can come too, my friend.”

“Great, then I'll come too!”

“Hmm.”

Arjun cast a final glance at Kiara before departing. Kiara, in a slow movement, looked towards Dhruv's back and gently tugged on his coat, prompting him to turn towards her. "Were you jealous?" she teased, a small smile appearing on her face.

"Jealous? That's an understatement. I was more than just jealous. My cabin. Now!" he said firmly before heading to the elevator, leaving a stunned Kiara behind.

"What on earth? Why so attractive? Damn! You're in trouble, Kiara!" she muttered to herself before hastily heading towards the stairs.