by Collen Houck
“That’s not what I’m saying.”
“Then whatare you saying?”
“I’m saying…nothing!” I sputtered.
He smiled and narrowed his eyes at me. I felt like we were playing a game of chess, and I was losing. If he kept up this line of questioning, he was bound to catch me in a lie. I’m not a very good liar.
He sat back in his chair. “Fine. I’ll let you off the hook for now, but wewill talk about this later. Tigers are relentless once they set their minds to obtaining something. You won’t be able to evade me forever.”
Casually, I replied, “Don’t get your hopes up, Mr. Wonderful. Every hero has his Kryptonite, and you don’t intimidate me.” I twisted my napkin in my lap while he tracked my every move with his probing eyes. I felt stripped down, as if he could see into the very heart of me.
When the waitress came back, he smiled at her as she offered a smaller menu, probably featuring desserts. She leaned over him while I tapped my strappy shoe in frustration. He listened attentively to her; then, the two of them laughed again.
He spoke quietly, gesturing to me, and she looked my way, giggled, and then cleared all the plates quickly. He pulled out a wallet and handed her a credit card. She put her hand on his arm to ask him another question, and I couldn’t help myself. I kicked him under the table. He didn’t even blink or look at
me. He just reached his arm across the table, took my hand in his, and rubbed the back of it absentmindedly with his thumb as he answered her question. It was like my kick was a love tap to him.
It
only made him happier.
When she left, I narrowed my eyes at him and asked, “How did you get that card, and what were you saying to her about me?”
“Mr. Kadam gave me the card, and I told her that we would be having our dessert…later.”
I laughed facetiously. “You meanyou will be having dessert later byyourself this evening because I am done eating with you.”
He leaned across the candlelit table and said, “Who said anything abouteating , Kelsey?”
He must be joking! But, he looked completely serious.Great! There go the nervous butterflies again.
“Stop looking at me like that.”
“Like what?”
“Like you’re hunting me. I’m not an antelope.”
He laughed. “Ah, but the chase would be exquisite, and you would be a most succulent catch.”
“Stop it.”
“Am I making you nervous?”
“You could say that.”
I stood up abruptly as he was signing the receipt and started making my way toward the door. He was next to me in an instant.
He leaned over. “I’m not letting you escape, remember? Now, behave like a good date and let me walk you home. It’s the least you could do since you wouldn’t talk with me.”
“We talked.”
“Not about what I intended to talk about.”
“Fine. Get it over with. Say it now.”
“Nowis not the right time or the right place.”
He took my elbow and began to guide me out of the restaurant. I was acutely aware of him, and the thought that he was walking me back to my room and would most likely try to kiss me again sent shivers down my spine. For self-preservation purposes, I had to get away.
I tried to wrench my elbow out of his grasp, but he just held on more tightly.
I grumbled at him, “Stop using your tiger strength on me, Superman.”
“Am I hurting you?”
“No, but I’m not a puppet to be dragged around.”
He trailed his fingers down my arm and took my hand instead. “Then you play nice, and I will too.”
“Fine.”
He grinned. “Fine.”
I hissed back. “Fine!”
We walked to the elevator, and he pushed the button to my floor.
“How do you know what floor I’m on?”
“Because I’m on the same floor.”
I scowled. We got in the elevator, and a thought occurred to me.
I grinned lopsidedly and just a little bit evilly, “And umm… how exactly is that going to work for you in
themorning , Tiger?”
His hand slapped his chest in mock surprise. “Are you…worriedabout me, Kelsey?”
“No. I just don’t want Mr. Kadam to get in trouble for having a rather large pet.”
He sighed. “Don’t worry aboutme , Kells. I’ll just save an hour or so, so that I can get out of the hotel without a problem.”
“Hmm.”
The elevator door opened, and he walked me right up to my door.
“I guess there’s no point in asking how you knew which door belonged to me, huh, Tiger Nose?”
He just looked at me in a way that turned my insides to jelly. Awareness of him shot through my limbs, and I could feel him standing close behind me watching, waiting. I put my key in the lock, and he moved
closer. My hand started shaking, and I couldn’t twist the key the right way. He took my hand and gently turned me around. He then put both hands on the door on either side of my head and leaned in close, pinning me against it. I trembled like a downy rabbit caught in the clutches of a wolf. The wolf came closer. He bent his head and began nuzzling my cheek. The problem was…Iwanted the wolf to devour me.
I began to get lost in the thick sultry fog that overtook me every time Ren put his hands on me.
So much for asking for permission.
He whispered warmly, “I can always tell where you are, Kelsey. You smell like…” he smiled, “like peaches and cream.”
I shivered and put my hands on his chest to push him away, but I ended up grabbing fistfuls of shirt and held on for dear life. He trailed kisses from my ear down my cheek and then pressed soft kisses along the
arch of my neck. I pulled him closer and turned my head so he could really kiss me. He smiled and ignored my invitation, moving instead to the other ear. He bit my earlobe lightly, moved from there to my
collarbone, and trailed kisses out to my shoulder. Then he lifted his head and brought his lips about one inch from mine and the only thought in my head was…more.
With a devastating smile, he reluctantly pulled away and said, “Thanks fordessert , Kelsey. Too badyou didn’t want any.” He lightly ran his fingers through the strands of my hair. “By the way, I forgot to mention that you lookbeautiful tonight.” He smiled again then turned and strolled off down the hall.
Tiny quakes vibrated through my hand like aftershocks following an earthquake. I couldn’t steady my hand as I twisted the key. I shoved open the door to my dark room, entered, and shakily closed it behind me. Leaning back against the door, I let the darkness envelop me.
CHAPTER 24
The next morning, I quickly packed up my things and waited for Mr. Kadam. I sat in the easy chair, nervously tapping my foot back and forth. Last night had convinced me that I needed to do something about Ren. His presence was devastating me. I knew that if I spent any more time with him, he would convince me to get serious with him, and I absolutelycould not allow that.
I would end up crushed. Oh, it would be great for a while. Really,really great. But, eventually, he would grow tired of me, or bored, or see a pretty young thing walk by, and that would be it. I’d be cast aside like last week’s rubbish. It would never last. He was a bronze Adonis, and I was a…a…well, I don’t knowwhat to call myself, but Iknew that I was no Helen of Troy. We’d never make it. I had to be realistic. I decided that when we got back to the house, he and I would have a woman-to-tiger talk.
Then, if he still wouldn’t give up, I’d just go home as Mr. Kadam had suggested. Maybe distance was what was needed. Maybe he just needed time apart from me to realize that this would be a mistake. With that resolve, I braced myself to see him again as we left the hotel.
I waited a long time for Mr. Kadam. I was almost ready to call his room, when finally, there was a knock at the door. Mr. Kadam stood there alone.
; “Are you ready, Miss Kelsey? I’m sorry that we’re getting such a late start.”
“It’s okay. Mr.Wonderful was probably taking his sweet time, right?”
“No, it was actually my fault this morning. I was busy with… paperwork.”
“Oh. Well, that’s alright. Don’t worry about it. What kind of paperwork?”
He smiled. “Nothing important. Did the staff bring you breakfast?”
I grinned. “Yes. Blueberry muffins and fruit. What about you?”
“Dhiren and I have already eaten as well.”
He held the door for me, and we walked out into an empty hallway. I pushed the button for the elevator, and I was just starting to relax when I heard a hotel room door close. Ren walked down the hall toward us. He’d purchased new clothes. I took a step back from the elevator and tried to avoid eye contact.
Crap. He looks like a runway model.
He wore a brand new pair of dark-indigo, purposely faded, urban destruction designer jeans. His shirt was a long-sleeved, buttoned-down, crisp, oxford-style and was obviously of high quality. It was blue with thin white stripes and matched his eyes perfectly. He’d rolled up the sleeves and left it untucked and
open at the collar. Of course, it was also an athletic cut, so it fit tightly to his muscular torso, which made
me suck in an involuntary breath in appreciation of his male splendor.
How in the world am I going to be able to reject that? The world is so unfair. Seriously, it’s like turning Brad Pitt down for a date. The girl who could actually do it should win an award for idiot of the century.
I again quickly ran through my list of reasons for not being with Ren and said a few “He’s not for me’s.”
The good thing about seeing his mouthwatering self and watching him walk around like a regular person was that it tightened my resolve. Yes…it would be hard because he was so unbelievably attractive, but it was now even more obvious to me that we didn’t belong together.
As he joined us at the elevator, I shook my head and muttered under my breath, “Figures. The guy is a tiger for three hundred and fifty years and emerges from his curse with expensive taste and keen fashion sense too.Incredible .”
Mr. Kadam asked, “What was that, Miss Kelsey?”
“Nothing.”
Ren raised an eyebrow and smirked.He probably heard me. Stupid tiger hearing. The elevator doors opened. I stepped in and moved to the corner hoping to keep Mr. Kadam between the two of us, but apparently, Mr. Kadam wasn’t receiving the silent thoughts I was projecting furiously toward him and remained by the elevator buttons. Ren moved over next to me and stood too close. He looked me up and down slowly and gave me a knowing smile. We rode down the elevator in silence. When the doors opened, he stopped me, took the bag off my shoulder, and threw it over his, leaving me with nothing to carry. He walked ahead next to Mr. Kadam while I trailed along slowly behind, keeping distance between us and a wary eye on his tall frame.
When the valet brought the Jeep around, Ren stowed our bags in the back. He then came over to my side of the car and opened the door for me. He held out his hand to help me in the Jeep. When I ignored it, he took it anyway and squeezed it subtly. I pointedly frowned at his hand, obviously trying to indicate to him that I’d like it to be removed, but he just raised his eyebrow, challenging me to do something about it. I locked eyes with him in a silent war of wills. He won. I allowed him to help me in, sat down quickly, and started strapping on my seatbelt. He smirked at me, closed my door, and got in the back seat.
Mr. Kadam did enough talking for all three of us. He was so excited that Ren could be a man again. It must have been a great relief for him. In a way, Mr. Kadam was just as cursed as Ren and Kishan. He couldn’t have a life of his own. Focusing his time and attention on serving the brothers had become his only purpose in life. He was as much of a slave to the tigers as they were.
The thought occurred to me thatI was in danger of becoming a slave to a tiger as well.Hah! I’d probably like it too. I rolled my eyes at the thought.I disgust myself. I’m so darn weak! I was disconcerted to realize that I was just as susceptible to a pretty face as the next person. Although, I reasoned, Ren was much more than just a pretty face. Speaking of his pretty face, I peeked in the back seat and saw that he was a tiger again.
Whew! I hated the idea that all he’d have to do was crook his finger at me, beckon me to come to him, and I probably would. I’d come running right up to him, just like happy puppy trying to get attention from
its owner. I felt the connection, the love plant, for lack of a better word, swell inside me again. It was spreading deeper roots and my dog scenario morphed into a vision of me sitting happily at his feet in front
of a fireplace while he smiled and leaned over to…That’s it! No more! I’m going to talk it all out with him
when we get back and hope that we can still be friends.
This was pretty much my line of thought for the entire trip home. I’d daydream then stop and lecture myself and repeat my stubborn mantra. I tried to read, but I kept rereading the same paragraph over and over. Eventually, I gave up and napped a little. We finally got back late in the evening. I took one look at
Ren’s beautifully lit-up dream home and sighed deeply. It felt like home to me. It would be very hard for me to leave it when the time came, and I had a sinking feeling that the time would come very soon.
We went into the house, and Mr. Kadam carried my bags upstairs for me. He left me on my own, and I walked into my room, closed the door, and sank onto the down-filled comforter. I dragged a couple of plum pillows over to me and hugged them to myself while thinking abouthim again, of course. I couldn’t
seem to get him out of my mind.
I realized that it was late, and I figured that I should try to get some rest, so I forced myself to stop agonizing over my choice and brushed my teeth and changed into my pajamas. I carefully took Fanindra out of my backpack and picked up a small pillow. Placing the pillow on the nightstand, I arranged Fanindra’s hard, coiled body as comfortably as I could with her head facing the nice view of the pool. If I
were a frozen snake, that would be what I’d like to look at.
Next, I took out the gada and the Golden Fruit. Wrapping the Golden Fruit in a soft towel, I put it and the gada in my dresser drawer. Looking at the fruit, I realized that I was hungry. I wanted a midnight snack, but I was too lazy to go downstairs to get one. I tucked the fruit in the drawer. I’d have to remember to ask Mr. Kadam to lock up the Fruit and the gada with Ren’s family seal, wherever that was. We needed to be sure it was safe.
As I crawled into bed, I noticed a small plate of crackers and cheese with sliced apples on the nightstand. I hadn’t noticed it before.Huh. Mr. Kadam must have snuck the plate in when I was in the bathroom. Grateful for his thoughtfulness, I ate my snack and then turned out the lights. Sleep wouldn’t come. My mind wouldn’t let me rest. I was afraid to face Ren the next day. I was afraid that I couldn’t say what needed to be said. I finally drifted off at about four in the morning and slept till noon.
I took my time getting up the next morning. I knew I was avoidinghim and the discussion that needed to happen, but I didn’t care. I took my time showering and dressing. By the time I mustered the courage to go downstairs, my stomach was grumbling with hunger pains. I crept down the stairs and heard someone puttering in the kitchen. I stood at the bottom of the steps and listened long enough to figure out that there
was only one person in there.Ah, Mr. Kadam must be making lunch. Maybe Ren is sleeping somewhere
, I thought hopefully.
Relieved, I turned the corner and was just about to greet Mr. Kadam when, to my dismay, I found Ren, all alone, trying to make a sandwich. He had sandwich fixings spread all over the kitchen. Every vegetable in the refrigerator and almost every condiment were set out. He was standing there, deep in thought, trying to figure out if he should use ketchup or chili sauce on his turkey and eggplant sandwich.
He wore one of Mr. Kadam’s aprons, and it was smeared with mustard. Despite my attempt to be quiet, I giggled.
He smiled but kept his attention on his sandwich. “I heard you get up. Took your sweet time coming downstairs. I thought you might be hungry and came down to make you a sandwich.”
I laughed acerbically, “Ugh, not one of those. I’ll take a peanut butter.”
“Okay. Umm…which one of these jars is peanut butter?”
He pointed to a group of condiments. He’d separated all the bottles, placing the ones labeled in English to one side and keeping everything else near him.
Bemused, I approached him. “You can’t read English, can you?”
He scowled. “No. I can read about fifteen other languages and speak about thirty, but I can’t figure out what these bottles are.”
I smirked at him. “If yousmelled it, you’d probably figure it out, Tiger Nose.”
He looked at me, grinned, then set down both bottles, walked over to me, and kissed me right on the mouth.
“See? That’s why I need to have you around. I need a smart girlfriend.”
He went back to his sandwich and started opening bottles and smelling them.
I sputtered, “Ren!I amnot your girlfriend!”
He just grinned at me in response, located the peanut butter, and made me the thickest peanut butter sandwich I’d ever seen. I took one bite and couldn’t open my mouth. “Weenn, hobouutssomme mlkk uff datte?”
He laughed. “What?”
“Ilkk, illlkk!” I mimed drinking something.
“Oh,milk ! Okay, hold on a sec.”
He had to open every cupboard in the kitchen to locate a cup, and, naturally, they were in the last cupboard he chose. He poured me a frothy glass, and I drained half of it immediately to clear the sticky peanut butter out of my mouth. Pulling the slices of bread apart, I chose the one with the least amount of peanut butter, folded it in half, and ate that instead.
Ren sat down across from me with the biggest, strangest looking sandwich on the planet and dug in.
I blinked at it and laughed. “You’re eating a Dagwood.”
He chewed and swallowed. “What do you mean?”