Continental Divide (11 page)

“Hamid told me Heaven protested at first. In
fact for the entire first year of their marriage she refused to
come to meet his family.” He grinned. You’ve already met my
family.”

“And they don’t like me, thanks to you.”

“Did you expect me to allow you to go
through with your plans? You were trying to beguile my
cousins.”

“And instead I beguiled you, is that it?”
Tanya laughed and headed to the passenger side of the car.

A smile pulled at Imran as he watched the
sway of Tanya’s hips. He wondered what she would look like in a
lehenga
. He tilted his head. Sure she’d look good in a long
skirt but the tight jeans that hugged her derrière made him hard.
He didn’t know if the skirt would have that effect. He laughed
softly and proceeded to the driver’s side of the car. Once in, he
inhaled the smell of Tanya’s perfume, something exotic and spicy,
cinnabar, he thought. He wanted to kiss her. The thought pounded
through his brain as he started the engine ignoring that Heaven was
staring at them, the baby in her arms, a worried look on her face.
It was as though she thought he was kidnapping her friend. He was
doing nothing of the sort.

“Heaven, why are you so worried? You wanted
Tanya and I to like each other.” He couldn’t help but laugh as he
glanced quickly at Tanya. I know that you elicited help from Hamid.
But that’s to be expected.” He tapped on the steering wheel and
sought Tanya’s gaze before finishing with his cousin’s wife.

“It was a bit underhanded to use Fatima in
your plans though. So tell me please why you’re so worried.”

“Tanya’s not a toy and this isn’t a game.
You don’t have to go out with her to get back at me for trying to
set the two of you up.”

Imran's brow lifted. “Heaven, I am not
Hamid. My world does not stop when you speak. I wish to date your
friend because of me, not you. And since we’re both adults and do
not need your mothering, I would suggest taking Tsukama into the
house. It’s getting hot.”

Instead of waiting for any farther answers
from Heaven he turned the key in the ignition and drove off, the
sound of Tanya’s laughing making him glad he’d done so.

“Imran, I swear I have to give you your
props for that. Heaven looks likes she doesn’t know what hit her.
Thanks for giving me a chance to not be around those two for a day.
Dang, are she and Hamid always like this? I mean if they are, how
anyone can stand to be around them is a wonder. She’s school girl
goofy over Hamid.”

“He feels the same things for her.”

“I know but the two of them…yuck…yuck…
they’re sickening.”

“Have you ever been school girl goofy over a
man, Tanya?”

“No, and I have no plans on ever behaving
that way. Like I said, I’m not Heaven.”

“Good, I’m not interested in having Heaven,”
Imran said and grinned then he glanced over at her. “Are you not
happy that you came to visit Heaven?”

With a sigh Tanya thought of how best to
answer the question. Sure being with Heaven again was wonderful,
but her friend was a bit nauseating. She’d never been like that in
Chicago. She didn’t know if it was Pakistan, or having a baby. But
Heaven went around constantly with a dopey look on her face, her
eyes always searching for Hamid. And when he went to the clinic to
work Tanya saw her eyes sliding many times to the door, her ears
cocked for the sound of his voice. The only time Heaven appeared
not to be watching or listening for Hamid was when she was with the
baby. And even then her thoughts of her husband were felt because
she’d constantly croon to the baby, talking about,
his-daddy-this-and-his-daddy-that. It was a godsend that Imran had
invited her to accompany him as he went out to interview people and
visit places for research for the book he was writing.

“Yes, I’m happy to be here, but I thought it
would be like old times I guess. Heaven is much too busy with her
family to pay any attention to me. She’s trying but…”

Tanya shrugged her shoulder. “I wonder why
she wanted me to come so badly. We haven’t spent very much time
together, and she palmed me off on you almost from the moment I
arrived. Maybe she regretted asking me to come.”

“Maybe she wants you to be married with
babies. Hamid told me how much your visit has done to lift Heaven’s
spirits. I think she’s planned your wedding in her head, possibly
even your babies. I think maybe she’s so involved with that that
she’s forgotten to be just your friend.”

“Well, you can’t prove that by me. Thanks
for being so willing to show me Pakistan.”

Tanya’s voice had a wistful sadness that
pulled at Imran’s heart. He’d waited long enough. A mile away from
Heaven’s prying eyes he pulled over beneath a grove of trees.
“Tanya, we should get certain things out of the way so we can enjoy
the day,” he said.

“What things?” Tanya answered with a snort
as she looked into his eyes. He had the most sensual lips and a
very strong face. He was indeed a handsome man albeit a man without
money.

“I want to kiss you.”

“And?”

“And I want you to give me permission.”

She laughed. What else could she do? She’d
never had a man ask for permission to kiss her before. Then of
course she’d never had a man declare fate had intended they be
together after hurling insults at her. Still she was game. What the
heck, she was on vacation. She was going home in a few weeks and
might as well have some fun if she could while she was here.

“Well?”

Tanya returned her attention to Imran.
“Sure, why not?” she answered at last and moved closer to him.
“Heaven told me that touching isn’t done that much in Pakistan, at
least not out in public. And here it is the sun is shining brightly
and you want to kiss me. Why?”

“Because you have the most luscious looking
lips and I want to taste them.” He saw her hesitate.

“I’m not looking to fall in love with you,
Imran.” She shrugged her shoulder. “I don’t mind kissing you
though.” Tanya ignored the look he gave and moved closer still.

His lips barely grazed hers as he used the
pad of one finger to feather her hair and run it down the side of
her face before cupping her chin. He was staring the entire time
into her eyes, gazing at her as though she were something most
precious. Tanya couldn’t take it any longer. She yanked his shirt
and pulled him the few inches to her. Then she smacked her lips
against his and plunged her tongue into his mouth. He pushed her
away and stared at her.

“What?” she asked.

“You’re much too forward. How many men have
you been with?”

“None of your damn business. How many women
have you been with? Look, you asked to kiss me, not the other way
around. I didn’t tell you that fate wanted us together. In fact I
told you I wanted one of Hamid’s brothers. So if you don’t like
that I took control of the kiss, tough.” He was back to pissing her
off. Did he have any idea how hot he’d made her with his gentle
caresses? She'd wanted to kiss him so she had. “Drive, Imran,” she
ordered.

“Not just yet.” His hand again captured her
chin and he lowered his lips to hers feathering her lips with the
tip of his tongue. He placed soft kisses from one corner to the
next. “I love the feel of your lips,” he admitted. “Open for me,”
he implored. “I want to taste you.”

“No. You complained before about me being
too forward.”

“Now I’m not complaining. Open for me,
Tanya.”

Damn if she didn’t want to kiss him so badly
that to not do so would be torture. She wanted to keep her lips
sealed. Instead she opened her mouth slightly and sucked in a
breath. The moment Imran’s tongue touched the inside of her mouth
flames of desire shot through her and she moaned.
Mother of
mercy,
she thought. Tanya had been with her share of men, but
none had ever made her feel like this, not from a kiss, not from a
touch, not from anything. Just then Imran pulled her closer and
deepened the kiss. He was gentle and she knew his kiss was a
getting to know you kiss, a— I want to learn the taste and texture
of your mouth.

Tanya had to admit it was much better than
what she’d done. She’d merely wanted him and had taken him. This
kiss was so sensual that she was melting. She wondered what the
protocol would be for them and where, if they did, would they make
love. She was a full grown woman with needs and her body was
telling her that she needed Imran. When he pulled away she was pure
liquid wanting the kiss to last, but she sighed and leaned back
into the leather seat of his SUV. “That was nice,” she
murmured.

“I like the way you taste,” Imran said
looking at her. “I’ve never tasted another woman who tasted quite
like you.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Tanya
snapped. “Are you saying you thought the kiss would be different
because I’m a sister?”

“You’re a silly woman. Every woman tastes
different and it’s never been because of their race, far from it.
I’ve been with many women of all races but there is always
something about each one that is the same, mixed in with their
difference.”

“You’re confusing.”

“Sorry,” Imran said. “I wasn’t trying to
confuse you. I’m just telling you that I have never kissed a woman
with your taste. There is something about you.”

“Good or bad?”

“Very good. I like it.” He lowered his eyes
and ran a finger over her lips. “I like it so much that I’d very
much like to kiss you again.” This time he didn’t ask permission
just leaned down and kissed her applying a bit more pressure this
time suckling her tongue caressing her jaw line as he did so. He
heard her soft moan and continued, only stopping when he remembered
they’d been parked under the trees long enough. He didn’t want to
expose Tanya to more prying eyes and the wagging tongue of gossips.
She was going to be someone very special in his life, and he wanted
to make sure that she was welcomed in his family and his country.
He ran a hand down her spine allowing the tips of his fingers to
briefly come in contact with the firm globes of her encased behind.
He heard her moan and barely suppressed a moan himself. He
swallowed determined to bring his desire under control. He pulled
away, giving a lazy smile and a small kiss on her lips, nibbling a
little, at last sighing since neither the desire nor erection would
be tamed.” I think we need to go.”

Was he crazy? Tanya tried to adjust to the
loss of his kisses. She glanced out the window over Imran’s
shoulder reminding herself that she was not in America. She didn’t
know everything there was to know about Pakistan, but she sure
hadn’t come to the country to get arrested in a Moslem nation for
kissing. Imran was right. It was time for them to drive. There
would be more kisses later, a lot more kisses. Now was the time for
talk, anything to get them away from the talk of kissing.

“Where are we going today? We’ve been to the
nuclear power plant, the army college and the McDonald’s with
Heaven and Hamid."

“To the city of Lahore. I want to show you
the contrast in things. First I will take you to the Badshahi
Mosque and Herra Mandi. I thought you’d like to see it.”

“Heaven and Hamid already took me to the
mosque.”

“I know but this trip will be different. We
are going for a very different reason. Tell me, Tanya, what did you
think of the mosque?”

“I thought it was very beautiful, it looked
like a palace with the beautiful pink tiles all over it. I guess I
can see why Heaven has fallen in love with your country.”

“It’s not the country Heaven loves, it’s
Hamid. Her love for him is truly powerful. I want one day to have
that same kind of love. It’s hard to find a woman who will honor
your dreams, especially a woman who’s determined to have her own,
one who never wants to be school girl goofy over a man.” He moved
his hand to the right in order to touch her. Then he ran a finger
down her hand and scraped the palm lightly.

“I believe I want a woman to be
school-girl-goofy over me. I have never envied my cousins anything
until now. I envy the love Heaven and Hamid have for each other. I
want that. I want it very much.” His words caught and his voice had
grown husky with his wants and desires. He was pushing much too
hard and too soon. They had time. They had five weeks.

“What are you thinking,” he whispered
softly.

“That you are indeed a writer. You’re
writing this beautiful fairytale in your mind. Is your book going
to include a fairytale, Imran?”

“Only if the things I now want come true. I
do not write fiction.”

“So how long have you wanted what Heaven and
Hamid have?” Tanya tried to ignore the way her heart was pounding,
the way his fingers entwined with hers. And she definitely tried to
ignore that she wanted to rip her clothing from her body, make
Imran stop the car and rip his away also, and have her way with
him.

“How long have I wanted these things?” Imran
repeated the question she’d asked. “How many days have you been
here?” he smiled. “That’s how long I’ve wanted them.”

It was high time to steer the conversation
to safer ground, Tanya thought as she decided to ask Imran again
where he was taking her. “I hope you’re taking me to a mall. I
wouldn’t mind doing some shopping. I have to buy gifts for my
friends back in Chicago.”

“Where we’re going is not exactly a mall.
But there are many things there for sale.”

Tanya was giving him a look like she knew
exactly what he was up to. He couldn’t help but laugh. It seemed
that since he’d met her he’d done nothing but laugh. “Herra Mandi
is a bazaar of diamonds.”

“We’re going to buy diamonds?”

Imran frowned at the glitter in Tanya’s
eyes. The mention of diamonds had intrigued her and brought out
that greedy gold-digging side of her. The look annoyed him and he
decided to tell her in a different playful manner than he’d
intended. Herra Mandi doesn’t sell diamonds. It’s Pakistan’s oldest
red light district.” He watched as Tanya's mouth fell open.