When they finally pulled apart, the old, sensible Khushi would’ve fled.
But that wary woman, evasive and recalcitrant with men, vanished the instant his lips touched hers. With that scintillating kiss he’d obliterated the last of her lingering resistance. She was craving adventure, looked like she’d finally got what she wanted. So what was she going to do about it?
Turn her back because he was gone in a week?
That was part of the attraction, the knowledge they couldn’t get in too deep, the fact he was transient and she couldn’t get too attached.
Less than seven days and he was gone.
She fully intended to make every moment count.
“Don’t worry, I’m not going to run.”
Relief flickered in his eyes, quickly masked by his roguish grin. “Wouldn’t be the first time. You did a fair impression of a bolt yesterday.”
“That was yesterday, today’s a new day.”
Her gaze drifted to his mouth, replaying every scintillating second of that kiss: the way his lips had moulded to hers, the way he’d gently teased entrance to her mouth, the way her body had ignited when his tongue first touched hers.
Her breathing grew ragged at the memory and when he made a low sound akin to a groan, she wrenched her gaze upward with difficulty, caught up in an erotic memory she’d never imagined let alone experienced.
“We need to swim. Pronto.”
Determined to try out her new, have-fun-in-the-moment side, she nodded. “Cooling off would be good right about now.”
His low laughter washed over her, more refreshing than any wave. “I think you know exactly how you affect me and are going to use it to my distinct disadvantage.”
“Me?”
She batted her eyelashes like a Bollywood heroine and his laughter increased.
“Come on. Last one into the water is a soggy Samosa.”
Joining in his laughter, she unzipped her sundress, slipped out of it and ran to the water’s edge, increasingly self-conscious in her ancient one-piece.
She swam at Colva Beach all the time—where Leela thought she was right now, having a swim before work—never caring how she looked compared to the tourists in their skimpy bikinis. But feeling Harrison’s hungry eyes on her, her skin prickling with awareness, made her wish she was more fashion conscious.
“The water’s great.”
He raced ahead, splashed through the shallows before hitting deeper water, diving under like a fish.
She followed him, sighing with pleasure as the warm Arabian Sea rose above her knees, her thighs…her head!
Panic flared as she was dragged under and she struggled, fighting her way to the surface only to find herself cradled against a naked chest, supported by strong arms.
“You rat!”
“You don’t mean that.”
He shook his head, sending sea spray over her, his smile wicked and unrepentant.
“I could’ve drowned!”
“Then I would’ve had to give you some more of that mouth-to-mouth we both enjoy so much.”
Heat flooded her cheeks and she placed her palms flat against his chest, shoved.
“Do you really want me to let you go?”
His smile faded, his expression scarily serious and she knew he was asking for answers she wasn’t ready to give, answers she’d never be ready to give.
With a toss of her dripping hair, a flirtatious smile she hoped she could pull off, she said, “Never,” filled with a false bravado, wondering what it would be like for an incredible man to make true on his promise and never let her go.
* * *
“Do you need anything else, Auntie?”
Leela shook her head, pulled the blanket covering her knees higher. “You go ahead, I’ll be fine.”
She didn’t sound fine. In fact, Leela sounded downright petulant at the thought of her going out for the third night in a row. Never mind that her aunt thought it was work the first few nights, Leela had been particularly churlish the last few days.
“I shouldn’t be too late.”
Unless Harrison bamboozled her with more of those soul-drugging kisses. She lost sense of time and place when he kissed her, could’ve been floating over the Taj Mahal for all she knew and had almost been late to work several times now. Usually, she wouldn’t stand for such frippery from the other housekeeping girls but with stars in her eyes and precious memories to sustain her, she’d mellowed.
People at work thought it was her promotion and she hadn’t enlightened them, waltzing through the day with a serene smile and loads of patience. No one knew about Harrison and she’d like to keep it that way, an illicit memory to treasure and savor and replay at will after he’d left. In a few short days.
“Who’s going to the movie with you?”
“One of the girls from work.”
Her quick look away was less than convincing as Leela’s shrewd stare traveled from her shoes to her hair.
“You look very nice. Going somewhere after the movie?”
“No.”
Every little white lie drove the dagger of guilt deeper, but there was no other way.
They didn’t talk of dreams or men or love in this house. Not since Byron had walked out the door and taken both their hearts with him.
Seemingly convinced, Leela picked up the remote control, flicked to her favorite American soap opera.
“Have a nice time, dear.”
Khushi was too busy rushing out the door to see her aunt’s shrewd stare follow her, knowing, watchful, tinged with pity.
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