Page 71 of The Rules of Playing with Fire

“No, why? No!” he said. “She’s…a friend.”

“Sure. She just looked at you the way Tara swoons over Sameer.”

“She did?” He turned to steal a glance at Saavi, who had found her way to the appetizers with Sona.

“Well, if you want to fool yourself and others, here’s my advice. Bridle the silly smile that’s reaching all the way to your eyes, Dr. Williams.”

He smiled again, the single dimple in his left cheek growing deeper. “I like her, Mir, but it’s complicated. And don’t tell Grant, not yet. He’ll scare her off like he does Len’s boyfriends.”

Len, Lenora, was Mike’s younger sister and the only person who had the guts to stand up to Grant. We were a family, and Grant cared about us more than he did for his real family. He had assumed the role of the big brother, always watching over us and looking out for us, and we let him.

“I’m glad he’s not here tonight,” Mike said. “Where is he anyway?”

“In London, I think. On business.”

“Probably acquiring another publishing company he doesn’t need.”

I shrugged. Grant’s latest weapon against his family was buying up dying publishing houses.

“What about Sona? Does Grant know about her?”

“Yes, the bastard showed up at my parents and asked her out right away.”

Mike laughed. “I bet he did. So, it’s real this time around?” he asked with his typical-Mikey kindness, throwing a quick glance at Sona.

“I’m afraid it is, but she isn’t there yet.”

“What does that mean?”

“Long story, best shared over scotch. Next weekend?”

“Sure thing,” Mike said, and I heard a smooth, sultry voice in the distance.

“Mihir.” I knew who it was even before I turned around to see her glamorous face.

“Hey, Anju,” I said as dispassionately as I could and turned my attention back to Mike.

“Uh-oh, she’s walking over. Brace yourself,” Mike cautioned.

Unfortunately, Sona and Saavi chose that exact moment to return with several different appetizers on small plates.

I quietly signaled Mike to get Saavi away from Anju’s prying eyes, and he promptly redirected her toward other acquaintances. Meanwhile, oblivious to Anju’s presence near us, Sona offered me a kabab dotted with a smooth green cilantro sauce. “Try this.”

“Looks delicious,” I said as I attempted to nudge her away, but not soon enough.

“Oh, so this is your latest toy.” Anju stepped closer, holding a feta and olive phyllo roll between her long fingers capped with bright nails.

Sona frowned. “Excuse me?”

“Ignore her,” I said softly to Sona. The grin on Anju’s face widened as Sona’s eyes flitted between us.

“Oh, don’t worry,” Anju said, leaning toward me. “I won’t divulge the dirty secrets of our sexscapades.” When I didn’t respond, she turned to Sona, her eyes filled with pure, vile delight. “Oh, I bet you have no idea about his wild side, darlin’—the one I got to see.”

“Walk away, Anju,” I warned, but she remained undeterred.

“When you dumped me, you thought you could do better, but she seems…quite ordinary,” Anju said with an evil smile.

I sneered. “You misremember. I believe it was you who declared you would find a better man.”

---