by Dyanne Davis
“And if she wasn’t?”
“And if she wasn’t she still would not be the woman I desired, though beautiful she’s much too tiny.” He hunched his shoulders. “I love my women big enough to…” he let it drop. “Now for the last time, do you want to stay in Lahore overnight?”
“Yes,” Tanya said shaking her head. Imran made her giddy crazy. She’d never before been jealous of Heaven. Well, not much anyway. But damn if Imran didn’t make her confront all her own issues. She’d have to admit that she wished it had been her Hamid had fallen heads over heels in love with. And yes, she wished that she had a husband worth millions to help her help her kids. None of that had even a tiny glimmer of happening now. And if the last five days of being around Heaven and Hamid was any indication of the fun they had planned for her, she would be bored out of her skull long before it was time to return home.
Imran was, as far as she could see, her link with having a good time. And the man could kiss like no body’s business. Now if they were in Chicago, she’d probably tell him to step the hell off. But she wasn’t in Chicago and for the next five weeks things were going to become pretty boring if she didn’t have Imran for company. She wondered what they’d see in Lahore, if the women were in the window as they were in Holland, at least she’d have a story to tell, she thought.
“Yes, Imran,” she said again. “I do want to tour the city.”
This time when his lips lowered over hers and his tongue found its way into her mouth she did nothing but wind her arms around his neck and enjoy the kiss, knowing there was only so far Imran would take a kiss in public.
When the kiss ended at last Imran touched her gently. “Tanya, I have never tasted a woman that was so wonderfully delicious. You make me burn from the inside out. It’s hard for me to maintain control,” he admitted. “But I do value your virtue and I will not risk it.” He glanced around. “Though this spot is very secluded and not many know of it. Still, there will be time for further exploration.” With a light kiss he inhaled her breath. “There will be a lot more time for exploration. That I can promise you.”
***
In Lahore, Tanya stared as they passed by the modern American looking Holiday Inn. They’d already checked into the Mirage and though clean and saying that it offered many amenities it didn’t.
“If you do not like The Mirage, Tanya, we can move over to The Holiday Inn.”
“What’s the price difference?”
Imran smiled. He liked Tanya’s honest direct approach. A man most likely would always know where he stood with her. But one could never be certain; after all she was still a woman. “The Mirage is thirty-three dollars per night and The Holiday Inn one hundred-thirty-five.” He watched her for a moment as she whistled between her teeth. “We can still make the switch if you’d like.” He stopped and grinned at her. “Or we could use the difference and go shopping and sight seeing.
“I thought you brought me here to see whores.”
For a moment their gaze met and held until Imran saw uncertainty in the depths of Tanya’s eyes. “Had I truly meant all of the nasty things I’ve said to you I would not now be attempting to make a good impression on you.” He didn’t see a change in her expression and sighed knowing he’d gone too far in his insults of her. “Tanya, I’m sorry for the things I said to you and for having hurt your feelings. I do not think you’re a whore.”
She smiled. “What are your thoughts about me?”
“I think you’re a very beautiful woman that I enjoy kissing immensely, one whom I’ve become quite attracted to. You’re always doing and saying such outrageous things, that…that…we… don’t have to see the whores. There are a lot of attractions I would like to show you. We could start with the beautiful Christian church.”
“There’s a Christian church in Pakistan?”
“And many other sights you will enjoy. I really do need to visit several places here for inclusion in my book.”
“This is really for research?”
He didn’t know how to answer that question until he saw the smile around her lips. “Yes, this trip is for gathering all kinds of information.”
I’d think we’ll need more than a night here then.”
Silence filled the interior of the car and lust permeated the air. “In that case I think we need to shop for clothes.” Tanya took a glance out of the window toward the hotel. “That is unless….”
“I have money, Imran. I can pay my share.”
"Not on this trip. Besides, I’m not penniless. I just chose to live a bit more frugally than the rest of my family. Still, I believe we can make this a nice trip. I think a few days of getting to know each other without Heaven’s constant clucking over us is just what we need.”
“A few days?” Tanya asked.
“At least three, don’t you think?”
“I’ll have to call Heaven and let her know what we’re doing.” Tanya couldn’t believe what they were about to do. She couldn’t help but laugh as she pulled her phone from her purse.
“After we shop for clothes what would you like to do?” Imran asked.
“I think we’d better find that Christian church so I can pray for strength,” she said laughing as she looked into his eyes. She pushed the button for Heaven’s number. “I think we’re both going to need some divine intervention on this trip.”
***
Tanya could barely wait to run from Imran’s car and into the house so she could tell her friend about the days she’s spent with Imran. When she spotted Heaven in the foyer she rushed to her and gave her a hug.
“Heaven, you won’t believe it. I couldn’t believe it and I saw it. Here in a Moslem country, a red-light district.” Tanya put her hand over her mouth. “There was a lot more to Lahore than that though. It was like every few feet someone picked up these beautiful homes, palaces, and dropped them down in between little shacks, almost a part of the city. You can tell the very rich live there and then a few feet away abject poverty. It reminds you in a lot of ways of some of the neighborhoods in any inner city of American. But it was like a different Pakistan. Men and women held hands. They touched. I even saw a couple sitting under a tree kissing. It was fantastic. The hotel was very nice, not as nice as let’s say, a Hilton or even a Holiday Inn.” She stopped and giggled. “But it was nice and it was within Imran’s budget,” she finished.
“Slow down, Tann. Why the heck did Imran take you to a red-light district? And why didn’t he mention that he wanted you to stay all night? I was worried about you. If anything had happened to you…nothing happened right? Come on, you’re stalling why did he take you there?” Heaven’s rapid fire questions couldn’t stop the relief that her friend was alive and well. She sighed several times. “Talk, Tanya.”
The worried look on Heaven’s face made Tanya laugh. Having a baby had changed Heaven if she thought she could tell her when and with whom she could go. That was none of Heaven’s concern. She was a grown woman who didn’t have to explain herself to anyone, let alone a friend. But because she was so excited, this one time she would.
“I’m going to answer your questions because you’re my girl. But you had better seriously check yourself about the way you’re asking me for information. You’re behaving as though you think you’re my mother or my guardian. I couldn’t believe it when I called you from Lahore and you demanded that Imran return me home. Girl, are you crazy? Don’t ever do that again.”
“I’m sorry but I was worried. If anything had happened to you…you know me. I would have felt it was all my fault for trying to set you up with Imran. Maybe I was wrong about him. Did he try anything?”
“There you go getting all up in my business.” This time Tanya laughed. “If you thought he was the perfect man for me, you shouldn’t now be worrying.”
Heaven sighed again. “Are you ever going to tell me why Imran had to have you spend the night, correction three nights? When you called me, you said one night, and now you’re just getting back three days later
. Even Hamid was getting worried once you stopped answering your cell.” Heaven took a breath and tried to take it down a bit, but she’d had every right to worry.
“Tanya, you spent almost four days with Imran in Lahore. I just want to know why the heck he took you in the first place. I’ve been here way over a year and Hamid and I never stayed those many days.”
“Imran said he wanted to knock away some of my notions and besides he’s working on something for his books, some research. He took me with him to do his research.”
“Is that the only place he took you?” Heaven laughed
“It was the only place.” Tanya stopped and stared at her friend. “Maybe not. He took me on a journey inside myself. I love talking to him. He’s so straightforward that he just cut right through all the bull. I’ve never met anyone like him, man or woman.”
For a nanosecond Tanya wondered how her friend would react to her discovery, then gave a little shrug and decided to just go for it and tell her the truth. “You do know how jealous I am of you don’t you?”
“Tann.”
“No, Heaven, it’s okay. I’m jealous that you’re married to someone as wonderful as Hamid. I’m jealous that he adores the ground you walk on, that you gave up everything to come live here with him. I’ve never had anything like that and I wanted it. I didn’t know how much, but I do. And, I want to thank you for trying to knock some sense into me. I’ll still take care of Lettie’s kids, all six of them when the time comes. Maybe I won’t be able to give them all the things that I want. But I will be able to give them love. And I damn sure can make sure they get to stay together. I refuse to allow them to be farmed out to other relatives, or to end up in the system.”
Heaven gave Tanya a hug. “I’m so glad you’ve given up the idea of trying to find a millionaire. I’d hate to think when you went back to Chicago that you were still searching for a man to help you take care of the kids.”
“That’s over. I don’t know if I would have gone through with it in the first place, but for now it’s over. Besides, if I am needed to take care of Lettie’s kids, I can get assistance. And it doesn’t have to come from you and Hamid. You know I’m now a licensed foster care parent and even though I’m a relative, I can receive financial aid to help with the kids. It would not have been my first or even second choice. I wanted to do this without any help, but I won’t allow my pride to prevent me from using every means necessary to help those kids.” She sighed and closed her eyes in prayer. “I’m still praying for a miracle for Lettie though.”
“What about Imran? Do you have feelings for him?”
“For the next five weeks I do. He can kiss. Damn!” Tanya smiled, shook her head then covered her mouth. “He thinks I’m vulgar and should be more like you.”
“If he said that then screw him,” Heaven said. “You’re fine just as you are.”
Tanya laughed at Heaven’s defense of her, wondering that no one in Heaven’s new family had gotten so much as a ‘screw you’ from Heaven. It was one of her favorite terms when she was pissed. She continued grinning. Imran apparently had never seen Heaven when she was pissed. Just wait until he did. Wiping the tears of mirth from her eyes Tanya decided to answer Heaven’s question. “Listen, for the next five weeks I will try to clean up my act. I like Imran, and fight or not, we have good times together. I don’t think I want to give up his kisses just yet.”
“You’re going to change for a man?”
“You did,” Tanya said reminding Heaven of her own choices. She walked away. “Maybe I finally found a man that has my nose open, one I want to change for. But hell, what can I say. Joke. Imran had better take me as I am or forget it.”
She came back, gave Heaven a high five and hugged her friend. “I’m glad the two of us are finally going to get to spend some time alone. I swear I was getting sick and tired of looking at you and Hamid making love in front of my face when I wasn’t getting any.”
“We haven’t done that.”
“Please! Every time the two of you look at each other it’s like you’re making love. And I need to get home for real or go crazy over here. If you don’t want me attacking your husband then you’d better send him to work for longer hours. If I’m not getting any, the least you could do for a friend is kick your husband out of your bed so you won’t be getting any either.”
“No way is that going to happen,” Heaven laughed.
“Well, could you at least stop looking at him like he’s the greatest thing God ever created?”
“How can I when he is one of the two greatest things God ever created? Don’t forget Tsukama.”
“How can I forget that beautiful baby with…”she leaned to the side and peered around the room then covered her mouth and whispered so that only Heaven could hear her. “How could I forget the beautiful baby whose mama gave him such an unorthodox name?” She laughed and jumped away from Heaven.
“You know there is Imran,” Heaven countered.
“Oh there is that alright.” Tanya sighed. “But I’m keeping my head, Heaven. We can only be together for a minute. I don’t have time to go losing my head and my heart.”
“But?”
“But, he sure is fine and he sure can make my body sing with nothing more than a kiss or a touch. Imran and I know in a few weeks I’m going home. That’s that. Though I do plan to enjoy him while I’m here.”
When Fatima came out with Tsukama in her arms Tanya knew there was one more thing she needed to do, make amends with Hamid’s sister. She smiled at Heaven and walked toward Fatima. There was no time like the present to start acting like she had some sense.
***
Time was winding down. Tanya didn’t want to admit it but she was going to really miss Imran. So far she’d managed not to go to bed with him, just a lot of kisses and heavy breathing. He hadn’t pushed and for that she was eternally grateful. She knew if he pushed she’d say yes. But it would be more than a bad idea to have sex with a man that she would never see again.
She had to remember that she was going home and Imran was staying in Pakistan. She still had to return to her babies, check on them and make sure they were all doing well. Guilt moved in. She’d not called Lettie since she’d been in Pakistan. And no, she hadn’t forgotten her. She just had wanted to have some fun; pretend that she didn’t have as many worries as she did. Even if Imran had a notion, and he didn’t, to come to America, she couldn’t very well saddle him with that type of responsibility. He had even less money than she did.
Tanya thought over her options as she sat waiting for him. Heaven had been a bit disappointed when she’d refused to go shopping for gifts for their friends with her and Hamid. Even if Heaven wasn’t so goofy over Hamid they were bringing the baby shopping and Tanya knew what that meant. They wouldn’t even notice if she were being gored by a bull in the streets. Besides, Imran had called and asked if he could come over and now she found herself thinking about him, sighing at the impossibility of a long term relationship between them.
When Imran came into the house all thoughts of what they couldn’t have vanished. She did want him if only for the next few days. If fate had brought them together as he thought, then she hoped it would make Imran open his mouth about making love to her before it was too late, before she went home. That was the one thing she wasn’t going to do no matter how much she might want him. He already thought she was crass. She had no intention of having him think she was a horny tramp. Horny yes, tramp no.
Imran stood across the room watching Tanya, wondering what she’d been thinking about. She’d had such a pensive look on her face. He'd noticed as their gazes connected a light from within lit her eyes and her skin glowed as though on fire. The flutter was back in his chest making him smile. He gave her a look, staring long into her eyes and at last he moved toward her, his gaze fixed on her lips. Her lips were the most luscious things he’d ever tasted. He wanted more, needed more. Standing in front of her he leaned down and gave her a smile asking for permission by light
ing feathering her bottom lip with the tip of his tongue. Her slight answering nod was all that he needed. He kissed her long and deep.
“I would love to make love to you,” he whispered. “I want to feel the way we move together, to touch you in your most secret places, to have you touch me. We are adults. If we both wish this I don’t see any reason why we can’t.”
“Try there is nothing between us.”
“Nothing more than wanting, lust, attraction,” Imran answered.
“I’m leaving in a week.”
“And yet you’ll be in Pakistan for another seven days.”
There was logic somewhere in what Imran was saying. Tanya did like him that much she would admit. And they’d come close so many times that it seemed just plain dumb not to. If they had been anywhere else in the world they would have already hit the sheets. But then again, maybe not. Imran had a way of annoying the hell out of her. One moment he’d have her wanting to rip her clothes off her body then tear away his, and the next he’d have her wanting to send him home. He wasn’t what she’d thought he was at all. She wondered if she went to bed with him if he would think she was cheap. She would be back in America what would she care? There was another little or not so little thing. She was curious to know what the courtesans had taught him. She wanted to find out if it was all just bragging.