Rebel Hard (Hard Play #2)(98)

His jaw got tense in that way it did when he was battling strong emotions.

Rising up on tiptoe, she kissed that jaw. “I love you too.”

He didn’t say it then. He said it when they were alone and he was inside her and he was holding her in his arms and her breath was lost. “I love you, Nayna. You could break my heart into a million pieces.”

Eyes hot, she wrapped herself around him as tightly as she could and just held on. And knew she’d have to show her love to him always. He was so strong, Raj, but he had this wound inside him. She didn’t know if she could heal it, but she was damn well going to try. “You’re mine, Raj, and I’m not letting go. Ever.”

They came together tangled in a kiss.





50





Husband and Wife





Not long after that, they came together as husband and wife.

This time it was ísa who fussed around Nayna, checking that her dupatta was fixed perfectly over the simple coil of her hair—simple, that is, but for the strands of gold she’d had put in. The gold glittered through the fine gauze of her bridal dupatta.

Madhuri had nearly died of cheerful jealousy.

Edging the light gold dupatta was a band of gold embroidery. Her skirt was a deep pink with intricate gold embroidery, her fitted top matched—complete with borders at the bottoms and at the edges of the short sleeves.

Her jewelry was the same that Madhuri had worn—their mother’s and grandmothers’ pieces, along with additions that were gifts from Madhuri and ísa. And Raj’s ring on her finger. All things that meant something to her.

“You look like an Indian princess,” ísa whispered, her eyes dancing.

They both laughed at the memory of the seven teaspoons of sugar with which she’d punished Raj. “He keeps threatening to get me back for that.”

“Nayna, meri bitia.” Placing a hand on her head, her grandmother gave her one last kiss before walking out to make her way to her seat at the front table—right next to Mr. Hohepa.

Nayna’s parents told everyone he was Aji’s good friend. The “youngsters’” bemusement caused the two elders huge amounts of glee.

“Girls, it’s almost time.” Nayna’s mother bustled in, resplendent in a deep aquamarine sari with white beading. She fixed Nayna’s necklace, then turned to make sure ísa’s dupatta was securely pinned.

Her best friend was dressed in a half sari, the color a redhead-flattering vivid purple accented with blues, golds, and even a strip of green on the hem of the skirt. The dupatta, which picked up the accent colors, was made of netting and tucked in a way that complimented ísa’s curvy form. She wore jewelry matched to the outfit, and hidden under her long skirt were pretty heeled sandals. Mehndi designs marked her palms.

Madhuri bustled in then, gorgeous in vibrant yellow. “Come on, ísa, it’s time!” She grabbed ísa’s hand, but Nayna’s best friend turned around to smile at her one more time.

“I’m so happy for you, Nayna.”

Then the music was playing and Madhuri and ísa and the other younger members of the family were dancing down the open-air aisle under the soft darkness of dusk, all of them laughing as they pulled off an upbeat Bollywood dance number that had the guests on their feet, singing and dancing along. Someone whistled and a friend of Raj’s beat out a rhythm on a tabla set up in one corner for just this purpose.

Children ran out from the crowd to join in, and were joyously welcomed.

Aditi, on the groom’s side, technically shouldn’t have been in the group, but she was the one who’d choreographed the entire thing after Nayna told her what she wanted—and no way was she about to miss the big event. And this was Nayna and Raj’s wedding, with their rules. Dressed in an outfit of shimmering cobalt blue edged with intricate silver, her dupatta silver with a lacy silver pattern, Raj’s baby sister danced down alongside the others.

Madhuri had learned the steps while in her lounge in London, while several of Nayna’s Fiji-resident cousins had got together at an aunt’s house to do the same.

The rehearsal yesterday’d had them all in hysterics, but they were in fine form today.

Nayna, able to see them from her hiding spot, grinned. Yes, this was her and Raj’s wedding, nothing solemn or stiff about it.

Her parents paraded far more elegantly up the aisle, both with huge smiles on their faces.

Raj’s family—Aditi excepted—was already with him on the wedding pavilion built on the grass of the huge piece of land they’d managed to borrow thanks to Raj’s friendship with the owner. It was gorgeous, with mature trees all around the edges. Huge wooden buckets overflowing with cheerful flowers dotted the landscape, and fairy lights strung across the area created a twinkling ceiling.

The wedding pavilion was raised so all their guests could see the ceremony. Rather than glitz, they’d gone for wild and joyous. The structure was a creamy white, but waterfalls of colorful silk fabric dropped from the roof in fairytale abundance to tumble over the edges of the pavilion. Velvet-covered cushions and a thick Turkish rug finished off the decadent space.

People sat at tables dressed with more bright silks and centerpieces that were a spill of floral joy. The small sparkly bags filled with snacks to tide people over through the beginning of the ceremony had been Madhuri’s idea. Wait staff would soon begin circulating with more substantial eats.