Continental Divide (6 page)

“Heaven, you’re aware that I would do
anything for you. Your friend came to this country seeking a rich
husband. Even if her reasons are honorable, I am not who she’s
seeking and your hopes for that to change will not make it so. I’m
a writer. I have no money.”

“That may be true, but you’re an excellent
tour guide. Even Hamid has never heard of many of the places you’ve
taken us to. You’ve done so much research you’re better than the
guides who get paid to take tourists around. We both know that it’s
true, so don’t deny it. What better person to show Tanya around
Pakistan?”

Imran didn’t miss the way Heaven’s eyes took
on a mysterious glint. She was plotting a relationship between him
and her friend. Tanya would go home single. He wasn’t even in the
running and he was going to make sure that his cousins wouldn’t
fall for the woman’s manipulating ways. A smiled struggled to come
out, but Imran prevent it. At least Tanya was honest. He’d have to
give that to her. The smile he’d resisted came out. Tomorrow he
would come back and resume their fight.

“Imran, you didn’t answer my question. Will
you help us show Tanya the country?”

“I’ll think about it, Heaven. But for now I
think it’s time to say goodnight.” He walked away toward the
nursery as was his habit and leaned over the crib. He rubbed the
baby’s head asking for Allah’s blessing on the child. With a sigh
of longing he walked out at last and said goodnight to Heaven and
Hamid ignoring the way they were both smiling at him. “Come,
Fatima, I’ll take you home.”

***

“Heaven, Imran’s aware of what you’re trying
to do. You may as well give it up. Your little scheme isn’t going
to work."

Heaven turned from the door with a grin on
her face. She shook her head at Hamid’s telling her no. “What? I’m
not doing anything.”

“Except trying too hard to match Tanya and
Imran.”

“I didn’t do anything.”

“You gave Imran Tanya’s bio. You never told
me about Tanya’s desire to help build a community for orphans.”

“I told you every time she asked for a
donation. I never sent her money without asking you and telling you
what she wanted it for.”

Hamid shrugged. “I can’t say that I remember
all of those conversations. I do remember you kissing me while
asking and we both know when you kiss me, I can deny you
nothing.”

For the moment Heaven was soothed as she
moved into her husband’s arms. She wrapped her arms around his neck
and whispered in his ear. “Wouldn’t it be wonderful though if Tanya
and Imran fell in love? You’ll have to admit there was a spark
there. How many times have you seen Tanya speechless? These six
weeks are going to be fun.”

“I hope so. Tanya already has Fatima upset
with her. You do know that she’s the one that called Imran over
here. From what Imran said I gather he plans to make sure that
Tanya will not get one of my brothers to fall in love with
her.”

Heaven couldn’t help laughing. She doubled
over shaking her head as she did so. “Your sister should have been
an actress.”

“Heaven, tell me you didn’t ask Fatima to
help you in your crazy scheme,” Hamid scolded.

“All I did was get Imran over here before
Tanya had a chance to meet your brothers. There’s nothing wrong
with that.” She nibbled her husband’s lips as she ran her hands
down the side of his thighs. “For now let’s not worry about Tanya
and Imran. I think we can find better ways to spend our time.” When
the look in Hamid’s eyes changed to lust Heaven smiled and reached
for her husband’s hand. For now she could leave the matter. The
seed had been planted.

Chapter Four

The sunlight streaming through the windows
woke Tanya. She stayed in bed for a moment to adjust to the sounds
of the household to see if she could smell breakfast cooking. She
was hungry. Opening her bag she dumped the gifts for the baby on
the bed, grabbed for clean clothes and rushed into the bathroom to
shower and get ready for her first full day in Pakistan. She hoped
Imran kept his word. She’d dreamt of him the night before. As she
lathered her skin and rinsed off the suds she shivered as she
remembered the feels of Imran’s fingers on her body.

It was only a dream she tried to remind
herself and a dream more than likely brought on because she’d been
tired and had enjoyed fighting with him. And dare she think it?
Yes, she’d lost to him on her own turf and she very much wanted to
rectify that.

Dressed and ready to face anything Tanya
reached for the stack of gaily wrapped gifts and carried them out
of the room. She took in a deep breath. That was coffee she’d
smelled.
Thank God
, she thought, she needed her
caffeine.

“Good morning, Tanya.”

The deep sexy voice snuck up on her,
startling her, making her jump, dropping the presents in the
process. When she bent to pick them up, Imran was already on his
knees retrieving the packages. Reaching out at the same moment for
the last wrapped box, they both stopped their fingers inches apart.
Their eyes connected and they both smiled.

“What do you think would happen if we
touch?” Imran asked.

“I don’t know, but I’m wondering if I want
to take a chance on that right now.” Tanya’s eyes were focused on
his lips. They were slightly parted, moist, and looked so kissable
and dang it all, she wanted to kiss him. She didn’t know the man
but she sure wanted to kiss him. She found her body swaying, moving
toward him.
What the heck
, she wondered.

Imran moved barely an inch in Tanya’s
direction, their lips nearly touching. He searched her eyes and
found confusion. He could feel the heat from her body her unpainted
parted lips begged to be kissed to be suckled. She was a stranger
he couldn’t do that, it wasn’t proper. What if Heaven or Hamid
walked in right now? What of Fatima? Still he didn’t move. He
wanted to touch her to see if her skin was as soft as it looked.
His glance fell on the base of her throat at the tiny flutter he
found there. She was afraid. He brought his eyes back to meet hers
wondering what it was she was afraid of. He didn’t want her to be
afraid of him.

“Are you afraid of me, that I would take
advantage of you if fate were involved and gave us a jolt?” He
grinned. “Or are you worried that the jolt would be so strong that
it would waylay you from your plans of marrying a rich man?”

“You really are annoying, Imran.”

“But correct,” he said grasping her hand in
his own. “See, no electrical charge, no sign that fate has brought
us together. You’re free to do whatever it is you came to Pakistan
to do. You’re free to try and pursue one of the cousins.” He rose
bringing her gently up with his movement. “But be warned, Tanya. I
have every plan to prevent you from being successful with my
cousins. So, I do hope your tricks are many for we’ve been well
trained to the ways of women by some of the best courtesans in the
world.” He laughed at her surprised look. “Maybe while you’re here
you’ll allow me to show you where they plied their trade. Just in
case you’re interested.”

Oh hell no! He didn’t just call her a
prostitute. “Imran, you had better tell me and tell me quickly that
you didn’t mean what I think you meant by that remark.”

“What do you think I meant?”

“That I’m here to sell myself and you want
to show me a place where I can do it.”

Imran shrugged. “If you’re here with the
intent that you stated then yes that was what I meant.” He saw
anger burning in her eyes but he saw sadness also and softened his
reproach. He had pushed her too far. “Heaven asked me to show you
around the country. I’m a writer and I’ve done extensive research
on my country. If you’d like, I can show you things you’d never see
with Heaven and Hamid as your tour guides.”

“Like this place you think I belong?”

He held her gaze staring deeply into her
brown eyes. “Now there you have me wrong. I do not think you belong
there. I think you dishonor yourself with your plans, but some part
of me admires you and believe your plans are honorable.”

“That’s a contradiction.”

“I’m filled with contradictions.” He looked
down at their hands still joined. “And so are you,” he said. “By
the way I felt the tremble when we touched. It wasn’t a jolt of
electricity, but there was the tremble. Do I make you nervous?”

“A bit. But I felt your hand shake also,
just barely, but I still felt it.” Tanya dropped her hand. “So are
you here to fight with me today?”

“As I promised.”

“You went for the jugular.” Tanya hesitated
and bit on her lips. She rather liked the way Imran was gazing at
her, the warmth of his eyes making her feel soft and feminine. But
he’d also made her feel trashy. She didn’t want him to think she
was some kind of loose, immoral woman who’d jump into bed with any
man for the right price. She nearly groaned aloud. Was that how
she’d sounded like last night? No wonder Imran was insulting her as
he was.

“I don’t have sex for money, Imran.”

He lifted a brow but did not speak.

“I don’t. I’m not going to lie to you about
who I am. But I don’t have sex for money.”

“If you marry a man for his money then you
would be having sex for money.”

“I would be married.”

“I don’t see the difference.”

“I haven’t done it yet.”

“Then maybe you should rethink your plans. I
don’t think you’ll be able to handle the results. You don’t like
the comparisons that I’ve made and we’re here alone in this room.
I’ve not shouted the words at you or said them in anger yet they
hurt you.” He stared hard at her. “I know of your dreams, Tanya.
But you will kill your soul if you pursue it. Then what use will a
fulfilled soulless dream be?”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about,
Imran. I didn’t come to sell myself. I came to fall in love.” She
ignored his raised brow and his smirk. “I came to see if one of
Hamid’s brothers would fall in love with me. I’ll admit to that,”
she said softly, not liking the bitter taste in her mouth. “I don’t
see what’s wrong with that. You said you know of my dreams. If you
did you wouldn’t continue looking at me like that.”

“I’m sorry if my looking at you makes you
uncomfortable. If I’m staring at you it’s because I find you
interesting.” He stopped, his lips curved into a smile. “You’re a
brave, woman. You’re honest with others but not yourself. I believe
you want love as much as you want to give a stable home to these
wards of your. You’re afraid to admit it because you believe it
will make you appear weak. Could it be possible that you’d feel
guilty for having love when those you want to help need so much of
you? You come to Pakistan and behave badly in case the people here
don’t like you. You play it tough to insulate yourself from the
world. Hamid told me that Heaven had done much the same thing. I
suppose that as a woman you feel the need to do this. Maybe it’s as
an American woman.”

“How do you think you know so much about me?
You only met me last night. We fought. I wasn’t at my best and now
this morning we’re fighting again. You don’t know me, Imran. How do
you think you can judge me?”

“Judging?” he stopped and cocked his head.
Was that what I was doing
? He shook his head as though to
clear it of something. “I’m sorry if that’s what you thought I was
doing. I was merely pointing out my observations. Remember, I told
you I’m a writer. That’s what we writers do. We observe, we study
humans and we write about it. You speak volumes without talking.
It’s all there in your eyes. I see your pain, your anger, your
sadness and your need for love, your great need for love,” he said
softly. “Someone has hurt you deeply. Perhaps you’ll tell me of it.
I’d like for us to be friends.”

“I thought you came to continue the
fighting.”

“Not today,” he laughed. “No, today I’d
enjoy learning more about you, about the children that you care
for. I want to observe you with my cousin’s child and see which is
the real you, the gold digging American or the concerned social
worker.” He gave one last smile and walked toward the kitchen.

“Wait up,” Tanya yelled. This wasn’t going
well at all. How the heck did he think he was going to just put her
on trial? And who did he think he was to say it or to intend to do
it? She didn’t give a darn what he thought. Imran stopped walking
so abruptly that she walked into his back and her stomach clenched.
She moaned softly as her body came in contact with his. A moment of
burning hell fire heat zapped her right in her private area and she
had to stumble back. She fought off a breath and coughed to cover
up her frustration. If she’d had even water to drink she’d swear
she was drugged. That was how she was feeling—disoriented and hot,
very hot. Her eyes met Imran’s and for a long moment they stared.
She was too close to him, everything about him screamed out
masculine, overpowering male. He smiled slowly making her breath
catch in her throat. When she saw him swallow she went weak. What
the hell?

Coffee
, Imran repeated the word over
and over to himself. Heaven and Hamid had asked him if he’d make
coffee for Tanya and then bring her to their clinic. What they
hadn’t asked him to do was to stand there and devour her with his
eyes. Maybe it was the conversation he’d had a moment ago with
Tanya about fate and feeling a jolt when he touched her that was
almost making his toes curl now. He wasn’t sure but he was sure
that he wasn’t standing as close to her as he wanted. He could feel
the heat from her body. He could smell the tantalizing scent of
pure woman mixed with some kind of fragrance she’d used in her
bath.

The ever increasing tightening in his groin
became almost unbearable as he remembered how he’d heard her
running her shower and an image of her naked, wet and luscious came
to him, an image that he’d not bothered to erase. And now as he
stood so close to her that the image returned and he could now
count the lashes in her eyelids as they fanned her soft skin. He
was fighting a shudder of desire, pure and simple. As much as he
shouldn’t, as much as everything that was right and sane in his
world was screaming at him that it would be wrong, there was
something in her that called to a primal part in him. His erection
jerked.
A very primal part
.