Dil ke Karib (Early Acess Ch 14)

🎉 Guess who’s back with new chapters!

🛎️ New to Nandini and Rajeev’s world? No worries! Catch up on Dil ke Karib (Chapters 1–13) on my website before diving in. Her story is just getting started… 💔✨

🔥 Don’t miss:
Married to My Brother-in-Law, In Love with His Brother — dropping Mon–Fri at 9 PM
Dil ke Karib — continuing Mon–Fri at 9 AM

✨ Two stories. Two time slots. One unforgettable journey.

Now, let’s dive back into the latest chapter… 👇

******

The room was dim, bathed in the soft, flickering glow of a lone lantern that swayed gently with the evening breeze, casting dancing shadows on the worn walls. Outside, the night stretched silent and vast, but inside, the air trembled with the weight of unspoken truths, finally poised to surface.

Nandini perched on the edge of the bed, fingers twisting the hem of her saree. Her chest tightened; words tangled stubbornly in her throat. How do I say what I’ve kept buried for so long? she wondered, the silence pressing down like a weight. She longed to bare her heart, to reach him—but the right words slipped away like shadows at dusk.

Rajeev stood by the window, moonlight casting his silhouette sharp and still. Inside, his mind wrestled fiercely with the growing distance between them—a wall built from years of silence and fears too stubborn to name. He wanted to bridge it, to speak, but something older held him captive.

“Ji,” she said softly, voice steadier than she felt as her fingers loosened their grip on the saree hem, “you're my husband. You should not sleep on the floor. Please… sleep on the bed from now on.”
Her words trembled like fragile glass—tentative, yet resolute.

Rajeev didn’t turn immediately, but the weight of her plea settled inside him—a quiet warmth amid the cold space he’d made. A faint sigh escaped him, the tension in his shoulders easing as if a long-held breath was released. The glass in his hand trembled, mirroring his racing heart, then slipped from his fingers, shattering the silence with a delicate, sharp chime that echoed between them. His breath hitched, vulnerability suddenly exposed beneath his stoic facade.

“Won’t… won’t you find it uncomfortable? To share a bed with me?” His voice cracked, the vulnerability slipping through like a fragile thread, betraying the tangled fears beneath—the unknown of closeness after so much guarded distance.

She smiled, gentle and steady, reaching out to clasp his hand—a lifeline. “I think… we can both get used to it,” she whispered, and relief rippled through him like the soft tide of a long-awaited calm.

Rajeev’s eyes searched hers—surprise, hesitation, and something tender stirring beneath his stoic mask. He took a small step toward the bed, silently conceding to the fragile hope blossoming between them.

Nandini rose and began smoothing the blanket, fluffing the pillows. She worked with quiet care, her hands steady but her mind racing with hope and fear. As she bent to tuck the sheet under the mattress, her foot slipped abruptly on the cold, damp floor—the splash of spilled water chilling her unexpectedly. Her breath caught, heart pounding as time seemed to stretch and slow.

Before he could fully react, she tumbled forward, and his arms closed around her—strong, steady, an unspoken promise of safety. His kurta, torn from earlier strain, brushed against her cheek, warm and real. Her heartbeat thundered loud in her ears as she met his dark, searching gaze.

Inside, Rajeev felt a surge of protectiveness, a fierce tenderness he hadn’t fully acknowledged until this moment. Their breaths mingled, a fragile bridge between two worlds.

Their eyes met. She tried to stand, but her already twisted ankle gave out beneath her, causing her to fall back into his arms. Her lips met his in a soft, hesitant brush—a fleeting touch charged with everything unsaid. The world narrowed to that single heartbeat, their breaths mingling, their hearts thrumming in tandem as time slipped away between them.

The kiss was brief and accidental—but electric. It held all the questions and promises they hadn’t dared to speak aloud.

She pulled back, cheeks flushed, breath trembling. Rajeev’s eyes softened, a quiet promise shimmering in their depths. For once, he allowed himself to believe this was a beginning, not an ending.

“Sleep on the bed,” she whispered.

He nodded, a smile ghosting his lips. “I will.”

They lay side by side, backs turned yet bodies close, the fragile warmth between them speaking volumes beyond words. Still, shadows of the past clung quietly—a silent reminder that this fragile beginning was only the first step on a long, uncertain path.

Both Rajeev and Nandini touched their lips, still tingling from their earlier kiss—a lingering reminder of the intimacy they had shared accidentally. A feeling of contentment washed over them, knowing their unspoken bond would carry them through whatever challenges lay ahead.

******

Author’s Note 💭

Hey, beautiful humans! 💛

Okay, did you feel that?? That accidental, electric, damn-they-kissed moment? 🔥🔥 I’m still swooning over here! Sometimes, the best sparks come when you least expect them — like a slipped ankle and a surprise embrace. Talk about chemistry!

This chapter was all about breaking down walls — the kind that silence hearts and keep people at arm’s length. Rajeev and Nandini are tiptoeing on that fine line between “I don’t want to admit this” and “Okay, maybe this is something real.” And honestly? I’m here for it.

👉 What do you think — was that a game-changing kiss or just the beginning of the slow burn?
👉 Are they finally ready to turn those backs into full-on cuddles?
👉 And seriously, who else is nervously waiting to see what happens next?

Drop your thoughts below or slide into my DMs — I read every single one and love hearing from you! 💌

Until next time, keep those hearts open and those lips ready... you never know when the next spark will fly. 😉

— Shaar Shree