Page 190 of Glass Jawed

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And now her hand is flirting dangerously close to the waistband of my pajamas.

Fuuuck.

I look around in a panic. Thankfully, everyone’s focused on the newlyweds. No one’s watching us.

I gently, desperately, grab her hand just as it brushes the drawstring.

Nope. Not today.

“Oh-Kay!”

I sit up and carefully ease her upright, gripping her shoulders.

“Rise and shine, sleepyhead.”

Her eyes flutter open, blinking around in slow confusion. Then she looks at me. Still frowning. Stilladorable.

“You up?” I ask, fighting a laugh. “Water?”

She nods slowly, eyes half-closed.God, she’s cute as hell.

I pass her the paper cup, praying she doesn’t remember what she just said.

But me?

Yeah, I’llneverforget it.

Between sips, she rests the cup in her lap and glances around, eyes still heavy with sleep.

I lift both hands and gently brush a few loose strands of hair away from her face.

Suddenly, her eyes fly open wide. She grabs my hand—aggressively—and stares at it like I’ve betrayed her.

Ohhh. She finally saw it.

I chuckle as she inspects my left palm, her fingers tracing the still-fresh henna. The stain is light, but clear as day—tucked inside a minimalist swirly design is one bold word:

Rohi

Large. Centered.Undeniable.

Her lower lip trembles.

I bring the back of my other hand to her cheek. “You found theLV, didn’t you? You idiot,” she whispers.

“Youridiot,” I murmur back with a soft grin. “C’mon. We can cry later. Right now, you’ve gotta say bye to Ishika, yeah?”

She looks up at me, eyes shimmering. “I love you,” she says softly, her mouth wobbling as she tries to contain the tears.

“I love you too,” I whisper. “So,somuch.”

She looks like a toddler trying not to have a meltdown, which only makes me love her more.

“Sweetheart,” I say gently, “vidai. Everyone’s leaving. Want me to help you up?”

She nods, still pouting.

“You’re so fucking cute,” I say without thinking.

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