Rebel Hard (Hard Play #2)(26)

He was still standing there on the sidewalk long minutes after she’d disappeared into the house, utterly befuddled about what he’d done that had earned him that kiss. Whatever it was, he had to figure it out quickly. Because he wasn’t about to lose a woman who looked at him that way, who touched him that way, who knew his secrets and hadn’t used them to hurt him.





15





The Male Point of View





Nayna went into work on Saturday to clear a few final things before she shut down for summer vacation. It felt strangely quiet after the emotional upheaval of the previous day, so she was glad to pull into her drive around three to see her grandmother and Mr. Hohepa heading off for a walk, Pixie happily nosing about in front of them. Aji wore a blue velour suit with white racing stripes while Mr. Hohepa wore tan slacks and a light blue polo shirt, the hat on his head rakishly perched and his cane a glossy black.

As if the two had coordinated their outfits.

Aji was chattering away animatedly to him, and every so often, he’d laugh a big belly laugh, his light brown skin glowing under the summer sunlight.

“Go, Aji.” Nayna smiled, but it didn’t last long—she spent most of the next two hours avoiding her parents’ attempts to question her about Raj. Going out into the garden to hide out on the swing, she stared up at a sky lit with summer sunshine, missing being held against a big, warm body and kissed with an erotic intensity that said Raj was focused on her and only her.

She shivered, thought about calling him, but no, the ball was strictly in his court now. Her lips quirked at the memory of the baffled look on his face after she’d kissed him last night. The poor baby hadn’t had any idea what he’d done. But the way he’d scowled and said that it was all about listening and being a good husband, that had hit every one of her romance-hungry buttons.

It had also chipped away at her walls.

The idea of a husband who listened and gave her what she needed… it was a seductive one. But could Raj give her freedom in the long term, or would the rules change over time? The idea of feeling trapped, of slowly suffocating all her life… No, Nayna couldn’t, wouldn’t do it. Raj had more than an uphill battle ahead of him—he was also fighting to push up a giant two-ton rock while engaging in that battle.

“Nayna!” her mother called out from the back door. “Come and get ready. We have to go to Pinky’s!”

“Coming!” Nayna called back, glad to have the distraction of the pre-wedding ceremony tonight. She knew her mother and grandmother had been attending wedding festivities throughout the week, including the ceremony where turmeric paste was rubbed all over the bride.

Nayna wondered if sophisticated “mineral water only” Pinky had enjoyed being turned yellow by gleeful aunties and cousins. Grinning, she walked into her bedroom and pulled out a vivid green sari with gold detailing that wasn’t so heavy that she couldn’t put it on by herself. The task of turning meters of fabric into an elegant ensemble was one in which Nayna was yet a novice.

ísa called mid-wrap, and Nayna ended up confessing that she’d kissed Raj. She simply couldn’t help herself around him. It was a sickness—and no, she didn’t want to be cured. Her heart pounded at the thought of how he’d tasted her with slow deliberation; her skin flushed. Hanging up the call with ísa before she gave away her current state, she took a couple of minutes to calm down before ensuring her makeup was up to scratch.

She decided to add gold eyeshadow and thicker mascara to jazz things up.

Last was the jewelry. Today she stuck with bangles that matched the gold in her sari as well as dangly gold earrings. At the last minute, she added a gold bindi.

As a single woman of a certain age, she had to go armored.

Yesterday at the Mehras, the assembled aunties had all squeezed her cheeks and told her she was a pretty girl. Then had come the questions about why she wasn’t married. “Youth won’t last forever” was the sage advice, after which they’d complimented her on her career.

Today Madhuri came to her rescue with one particularly insistent auntie who was crossing the line from nosy to hurtful. “I’m so sorry,” Madhuri said sweetly, “but my sari’s coming loose at the back and I need Nayna’s help.”

“You young girls.” A shake of the head. “Don’t you know how to use safety pins? You have to get the big strong ones. Go, go, fix it!”

After leading Nayna out of sight, Madhuri turned and winked at her. Her pale pink sari with white crystals on it was wrapped perfectly around her tall and voluptuous body. Nayna could tie a sari, but she’d need an hour and at least two boxes of safety pins to put on the slippery, heavy creation Madhuri was wearing. And even then she’d be scared she’d step on it and unravel the entire thing.

“Auntie Babita’s such an old bat.” Madhuri rolled her eyes. “Even her face is kinda batty looking, don’t you think?”

Nayna grinned because this was her slightly wicked older sister, and no matter what, Nayna loved her. “Now I’m going to think that every time I talk to her.” She hooked her arm through Madhuri’s. “Thanks for the rescue, Maddie.”

“What are sisters for?” Madhuri nudged her shoulder. “Ma told me about this Raj guy. He sounds hot.”