Page 7 of Not In Love

“Tia had a... moment at the birthday party.”

Before he could say more, her niece came running into the kitchen and threw her arms around Kash’s knees.

Chest tight, she bent down and picked Tia up. Locking her arms and legs tight around her, Tia clung to her. “Hey bachha,” Kash said, burying her face in Tia’s hair. The scent of lavender from her shampoo instantly calmed her.

Kash cast a look at Diego when Tia remained silent but he, of infinite patience, shook his head. Silently urging his daughter to speak up.

Finally, Tia loosened her grip. “My friend Sheena said there was an accident near her house.”

Tears crowded Kash’s throat. Fortunately, Tia had been too young to remember the details of the accident that stole her mother, but the word ‘accident’ continued to linger in her mind. Kash squeezed the girl’s slender frame and struggled against her own grief. “Baby, you know that Sheena lives like ten miles from here, yeah? As you saw, I was safe under the blankets, snoring away like our friend Patrick.”

Tia giggled at the mention of her favorite cartoon show. “You like him better than SpongeBob,” she said, switching gears like only a nine-year-old could.

“Of course I do. He lives under a rock, eats his friends’ food, and spends his days lolling around and playing. I aspire to be as content as Patrick Star.”

“You’re silly, Kash Aunty,” Tia said, wriggling out of her hold. Her eyes flickered to her dad and back. “I’m sorry for barging into your room.”

“It’s okay, baby,” Kash said. “Next time, just knock, yeah?”

Tia nodded. “Can I go ask Sam if he wants to play?”

“Only in their house,” they both shouted in unison.

Exhaling roughly, Kash turned to Diego. “She’s okay?”

“I think she is now. She begged to go back and check on you.” He gripped his neck, and the hesitation tugged at something in her. When he looked up, his brown eyes were solemn. “Earlier, I barely unlocked the door and got my shoes off when she ran past me. I called to let you know that we were on our way but?—”

“I turned off my phone,” Kash said, cheeks heating.

“Right, I’m sorry that we…disturbed you. I know you’ve been looking forward to the day off.”

“How do you know that?” she said, getting lost in the intensity of his gaze.

Diego looked as shocked as she felt at the personal ground she was skating into. That was no man’s land between them.

“Never mind. If she needs to see me, she needs to see me,” Kash said, opening the lid on one of the dishes and sniffing. Her stomach grumbled at the delicious pasta while her mind revolted at ceding a little more ground to the enemy.

He wasn’t her enemy, but God, the lines between them were blurring fast.

“You do know I’m capable of feeding her, right?”

“I like cooking for you two,” he said, with an ease that made her skin prickle.

Kash stared, mesmerized by his large hands.

He poured the chai into two cups, stirred powdered jaggery into one of them, and then brought the tray to the dining table as if it was the most natural thing in the world for him to serve her.

As if he belonged in her kitchen, her house, her life.

She wanted to protest but she wanted the chai, and she desperately wanted his company for a few minutes. Nothing but a basic human need, she reassured herself.

Curling her fingers around the cup, she inhaled deep. The smell of ginger and cardamom curled around her as she took a sip. “This is heaven,” she said, keeping her eyes down. “Again, thank you.”

Of course, her traitor eyes found something else to feast on.

The shadow of his defined pecs under the shirt. Those long, elegant fingers. That little notch at the base of his throat. The slight indent in his chin.

God, was she really storing snapshots of her niece’s dad for when she tried to get herself off next time? Heat crept up her neck.

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