Devi glanced down at the paper in front of her as if it would hold the answer to whatever Leena had been discussing. They usually met early every Friday evening to plan the following week’s menu. Since Leena rarely had much time during the rest of the week, Devi enjoyed their one-on-ones together.
But today she just wanted to put her head down and take a nap. She hadn’t slept in a week.
As soon as work ended after ten, she raced home to find her men waiting. And who wanted to sleep once they touched her? She felt a burning need to make the most of every hour they had together, since they couldn’t really see each other during the day. Jace and Marcus were able to rearrange their appointments, but they still had to report in to work in the mornings, and Devi cooked during the lunch and dinner shifts, which pretty much eliminated the time when most normal people scheduled dates.
“I’m so sorry, Leena. I guess my mind’s just not in it.”
Leena rested her arms on the clutter-free desktop and linked her hands together. A slight frown wrinkled her brow. She squinted behind her fashionable dark-framed glasses. “Your mind hasn’t been on anything lately. Do you want to talk about it?”
Devi restrained the urge to squirm as if she faced the principal instead of a sister three years older than her. Leena and Rana were barely ten months apart, and the two of them couldn’t resist joining forces to play mother hen. In turn, she found it more difficult to hide things from them than she did from their mother.
She could just imagine the drama if she really spilled the beans. “Well, you see, Rana set me up with this pair of brothers who are really into threesomes. She thought it would loosen me up a bit. Boy howdy, did it! In fact, it loosened me up so much I agreed to have a two-week-long affair
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with them. I haven’t been sleeping because we fuck like rabbits all night long, and I’m upset now, because I just realized I’m falling in love with two men, and how is that possible? By the way, have you ever tried an inflatable butt plug? They’re awesome.”
Devi shuddered, picturing Leena’s head exploding, messing up her ruthlessly straightened hair and soiling the perfectly tailored power suit clinging to her athletic body. That would be before she castrated and killed Jace and Marcus. And maybe Rana, too, if she got in the way. Oh, and that porn shop where they had bought all those lovely toys? Burnt to a crisp. ’Cause her baby sister shouldn’t know anything about sex.
So instead, she said the expected thing. “Nope. Nothing’s wrong. You know, just one of those weeks.” She started to gather up her papers. “Are we finished? This menu looks good to me. You can put the specials page to print.”
Leena narrowed her eyes and sat back in her swivel chair. “Okay. So…” She turned this way and that. “Are you bringing anyone to the party tomorrow?”
Oh God, the party. She had almost forgotten Leena’s thirtieth birthday bash. Devi felt a pang she couldn’t bring Jace and Marcus. She’d love to see them interacting with her friends and family. There was no way she could do that, though. Both her sisters, her mother and various family and friends would be there. Maybe she could just introduce them as friends? Except then she’d have to watch assorted females try to cozy up to them. No, she’d just tell them she had a family thing and try to sneak back to her house as quick as she could. “Nope. No one.”
“You’re not seeing anyone?”
“Um, no.”
“Huh.” Leena stared at her hard before glancing away. “I could have sworn… So what’s with the new clothes?”
Devi glanced down at her new jeans and cobalt blue T-shirt. After their explosive encounter at the twin’s condo, she’d started out the next day by wearing one of her new outfits, and continued every day afterward. They were in effect the same clothes she always wore, but Jace had done an excellent job paying attention to cut, quality and color. Her new clothes fit her so much better and flattered her body instead of concealing it. Her confidence had built with every compliment and assessing glance she’d received in the past week. “It was just time for a change.”
“But no man?”
Devi didn’t speak.
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“Hmmm…okay. Well, anyway, I was thinking, Mama told me Auntie Preiti has her cousin’s nephew’s son from India visiting.” Leena’s tone was carefully casual. “Would you like me to invite him to the party?”
Devi blinked. “Are you turning into a matrimonial website now?”
“Of course not. It’s just that, well, he sounds really nice, and he’s a doctor…”
“And he needs a green card?” she asked dryly.
Leena cast her a chiding glance. “Like that’s the only reason someone would want you?”
“No.” Jace and Marcus had taught her differently. “Why the sudden interest in my love life?” Were both of her sisters chatting with cupid lately?
“See, Mama, me and Rana were talking about it a couple of weeks ago, and we’re worried.
You haven’t dated anyone since Tarek.” She spit the name out as if it had a bad taste. “And we just want you to be happy. You’re not still hung up on him, are you?”
“Hell no. I got over him the minute our relationship ended.” That explained Rana’s motivation to introduce Devi to a ménage experience. Clearly Rana had interpreted the Big Three summit findings to mean Devi needed some sex in her life in order to demolish any lingering feelings for Tarek. Rana’s misplaced guilt over her part in the way Devi’s last relationship ended probably urged her to find the most pleasurable, fantasy-inducing, one-night stand she could.
Devi spared a moment of warmth for her oldest sister. Thank God she had introduced her to Jace and Marcus.
“…he’s just obtained a work visa, and you know how that works, it won’t be long before he’s here for good.”
Devi sighed. Meanwhile, it looked like her mother and Leena thought the best cure for her imaginary broken heart was to see her wed and bed. “You can invite him if you want, but I’m really not interested. Maybe Rana would like him?”
“Rana would chew him up and spit him out. Devi, it’s just that you’re so well suited for marriage and babies and forever.”
She had become angry when Marcus had said the same thing not even a week ago, but now she didn’t have it in her to protest. It was true. She liked being a part of a couple. Or at least, the right couple. Was there such a thing as being part of a few?
She stood from her chair. “I’m fine, okay? Besides, don’t you know the youngest daughter isn’t supposed to get married first?” she teased. “Everyone will think you and Rana are old maids.”
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Leena rolled her eyes. “I think we both know Rana has no intention of settling down.”
“What about you?” Devi asked curiously. “I mean you and Rahul have been together for like three years now.”
Leena laughed, but avoided eye contact. Not for the first time, Devi wondered if her sister wasn’t as happy in her relationship as she pretended to be. No great loss—Devi didn’t care much for Rahul, anyway. “Don’t you worry about me.” She shuffled some papers onto her already-clean desk. “By the way, I saw your note. You need next Thursday through Saturday off?”
“Um, yes, if that’s okay. I just need a couple of days for myself,” she added, before Leena could ask why.
Leena shrugged. “Yeah, that’s fine. I was going to tell you to take some time off anyway.”
“Great. So, I’d better get back to the kitchen. I guess you’re heading home soon?” Friday was Leena’s one official night off. Devi and Rana had practically had to browbeat her to accept even that much time to herself, but they were more than able to handle the busy night without her.
Since Leena, as manager and a certified workaholic, was often inside the restaurant before either of them even woke up, it was only fair.
“Oh. Yeah, in just a bit.”
“Okay. See you tomorrow.” Devi closed the door behind her and leaned against the wall, breathing a sigh of relief.
The dinner hour would be starting soon, so she would need to be front and center in a few.
Then just a couple more hours and she’d get to go home.
Home. Devi resisted the urge to do a quick jig. Despite her lack of sleep and the strain of the necessary subterfuge from her family and friends, she had never been happier.
The past few nights had flown by in a haze of sexual excess and personal discoveries. The sex was amazing, but Devi found the moments in between equally precious. Perhaps it was the sense of urgency around the whole thing, but she felt as though she knew more about them than she had ever learned about her previous boyfriends after months of dating. The more she discovered, the more she slapped her forehead for her stupid big talk of an affair with an expiration date.
Jace was easy, gentle and romantic. Easy to like, and easier to love. He soaked up any sign of affection and reciprocated it in a way that made her feel cherished and adored as never before.
Marcus was a tougher nut, but his rough edges called out to the dormant caregiver in her. His smiles were few and far between, so she often felt as though the sun had come out when she was 114
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able to tease one out of him. Twice she had even been able to coax a belly laugh out of him, and the look of surprise on his own face had squeezed a vise of tenderness around her heart. His affection was more gruff, but all the more intense for his reluctance to display it.
They had taught her so much about herself. She had never considered herself a sexual person, but she must have hit some prime she hadn’t realized, because she’d turned into a certified nympho. Perhaps it also had something to do with them, though. Never had she felt confident about her body. She had no problem parading around her house butt naked in the morning with sunshine streaming all around her. She saw herself through their eyes and felt like Miss Universe. For once in her life, she wasn’t someone’s baby sister or daughter or a good cook, she was a woman. And yeah, she might still get a bit of an ego trip that two such attractive men found her pretty, but now she was a bit more, well, proud that these particular men found her special, not just to have sex with, but to talk and laugh and eat with every free moment that they had. Because they were special.
They should be special together.
Argh.
She straightened, slapped the papers she held against her thigh and shook off the melancholy that had settled over her. She knew what she had been getting into. Marcus had made it very clear what he thought of a happily ever after. Just because she suddenly found herself with a ridiculous urge to enter into a real relationship with two men after only a week of knowing them didn’t make it a remotely plausible outcome. That sort of thing didn’t happen in the real world. She needed to get over it before she ruined what little time they had left.
She walked into the main dining room on her way to the kitchen and stopped dead, certain she had conjured up the man from her thoughts. Because there sat Jace at his usual table, perusing a menu. She looked around frantically, but didn’t see Rana. Had luck smiled on her? Was her sister on break or off messing around with someone else’s love life? In that case, she needed to get Jace out now before one of them gave away something they shouldn’t.
Without even being conscious of it, she flew to his table. “What are you doing here?” she whispered in a furious undertone.
With irritating calm, he put the menu down, looked up and smiled at her. “Hey, honey. I got done with work early, so I thought I would just pop on over and grab a bite here.”
She clenched the back of the chair opposite him. “Didn’t we discuss this?”
“Me, eating?”
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“
No
.”
“Getting done with work early?”
“Marcus is right, you are irritating.”
The teasing in his manner vanished when she blinked at the sudden sting of tears. “I wanted to see you. Is that a crime? I’m not going to strip you naked here.” He injected just enough hurt in his voice to make her feel like a royal bitch.
“No, of course it’s not a crime. I’m just—I’m trying to make this as easy as I can.” She must have sounded as bewildered as she felt, since he reached out to grab her hand and brought it to his lips, his gaze soft.
“All right, babe, you’re right. I’ve kind of had a rough day, and I needed to see you.” He gave her a halfhearted smile. “Just seeing you makes me feel better.”
Her heart fluttered at that announcement, while her common sense sounded its alarms.
People in affairs should not be seeking out their partners for comfort outside of the bedroom. Her common sense had always been a pushover though, and she heard herself ask, “What happened today?”
“It’s kind of a long story.” He rubbed her fingers between his. “You know that couple I was telling you about?”
Devi knew Jace handled more than his share of pro bono cases, much to his colleagues’
collective dismay. Devi didn’t think he would even consider turning someone in need away. He spoke of his clients as a whole with respect and compassion, and was definitely involved in their problems and lives.
As he detailed the setback the couple had endured that afternoon in court, she slipped into the seat next to him and watched the play of emotions on his face while she held his hands in silence.
He finished the story and they sat for a minute before he roused himself. “I’m sorry, I’m keeping you from work. I’ll get going…”
“No.” The fine thread of tension in his body had diminished, but she didn’t want him driving when he was still upset. She could deal with Rana. She hoped. “It’s fine, stay. I’ll take my dinner with you, ’kay?”
“Are you sure?”
“Sure.”
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Jace squeezed her fingers and leaned in to place a kiss on her lips. “Thanks,” he said hoarsely.
“Ahem.”
Devi looked up to find Leena standing next to the table, and suddenly became aware of the intimacy of their pose, their hands clasped, heads together, his thighs bracketing hers. She drew back and stood, but from her sister’s gimlet stare, knew it was too late.