Page 20 of Driven By Desire
Nodding to them to go ahead, she stroked a hand gently down his back and kept up a steady stream of nonsense that had Krish giving her a surly ‘I know what you’re up to’ look. Until he realized exactly what was directly in his line of sight. Not knowing that the anti-allergy with its mild sedative effect had already been administered, he smiled a little loopily and snuggled happily into Max’s cleavage. She had the most distinctive fragrance. Motor oil with an underlying tinge of raspberries. He could get quite used to it.
Realising the injection tray was empty, Max looked up at the doctor who nodded reassuringly before turning to dismiss the nurse.
Looking over at her after the curtain closed, he smiled. “He’ll start feeling better in about half an hour or so. Let him sleep off the effects of the drugs and when he wakes, we’ll check him out to see that everything’s okay and send you guys home.”
“Thanks, Doctor.” Smiling, she kept her arms protectively curved around Krish’s now relaxed body.
“You’re welcome.” Pulling the curtain back, he stopped and looked over at her, “Max?”
Attention still focused on Krish who was now nuzzling her sleepily, she murmured an absentminded, “Hmmm?”
“I’m going to throw away the piece of paper with your phone number on it. Doesn’t seem like it will do me any good now.”
Laughing softly, Max nodded. “Might be best if you tore it up first.”
Smiling back, he gave her a half wave and left, shutting the curtain behind him.
Straightening, Max tried to rise only to find the arm around her waist tightening.
“Stay.” The groggy order had her settling back on the narrow bed as comfortably as she could. It was only as she lay back in the illusion of privacy offered by the curtained cubicle that it occurred to her. She’d managed to land him in the emergency room. Again!
CHAPTER 9
Oldhindisongs played softly from the phone resting on the wrought iron table. Max hummed to herself, even as she frowned over the part she was currently working on. Stopping abruptly in mid hum, she started to mutter to herself as she examined it more carefully. Kishore Kumar continued to croon melodically in the background unaware that he’d lost his previously captive audience.
“Do you always talk to yourself while you work?”
Startled out of her preoccupation, Max looked up to find Krish watching her. In cream coloured cargo shorts paired with a faded, well-worn open necked black t-shirt and ratty old sandals, he looked both relaxed and mouth wateringly delicious. Max put the part down carefully and got to her feet.
“We need to source another electrical fuel pump.”
“Okay.”
“We can bid for it online on Ebay and few other portals that I know of.”
“Okay.”
Wondering at the easy acceptance of the unexpected expenditure, Max said, “I can explain why.”
“Do you have to?”
The pained grimace that accompanied the question had Max grinning. “Don’t you want to know why I’m spending your money?”
“Max, I don’t even know what the hell an electrical fuel pump is. If you think it’s needed, go ahead and get one. You’re the expert.”
Warmth sliding through her at his finally easy acceptance of her expertise and knowledge, Max asked. “What are you going to do with it when it’s restored?”
“Hopefully, drive it. Probably on a Sunday when traffic is less. We have a farmhouse close by. The highway leading to it would make for a gorgeous, easy run. And someday, I’d like Pooja to have it.”
“Pooja? Not your brothers?”
After a beat of silence in which he ran his hand gently over the bonnet of the MG, he answered, “We have our memories. Even Adi, young as he was, remembers them. Pooja doesn’t. I can tell her about mom and dad. About how much they loved us. How we were the center of their world. How they always put us first. Before work, before their social life, even before each other. But I can’t give her those memories. I can’t make her remember.”
“So you’re giving her a piece of him.” Her heart softened and did a slow turn inside her as she watched him continue to slowly stroke the car. The soft glow of his memories softened and eased the lines of stress normally carved into them. The urge to reachout and wrap her arms around him wrapped its tentacles around her heart making her fists clench at her sides. Unsure of his reaction to that gesture and unwilling to let anything shatter the moment, Max kept her unruly hands to herself and leaned back against the table behind her and waited for him to continue.
“Of them.” Smiling softly, he looked up and over at her. “My dad courted my mom in this car. Did I ever tell you that?”
“No.” Immersed in stories he hadn’t thought of in ages, Krish barely heard her soft murmur.
