Prem poured a third finger. “And the last is for friendship that includes pani puri competitions, scavenger hunts, and your search to find you your true love.”
“I’ll drink to that,” Kareena said with a laugh. She tilted the glass back, and this time the burn wasn’t nearly as abrasive in her throat. Her head felt a little lighter, her skin warmer.
Prem took the glass from her when she finished and set the bottle and discarded tumblers on the coffee table. He returned to her side and brushed his fingers against the back of her hands at her sides. “Okay. Make your first move, Rina, honey.”
“What? What do you mean?”
Prem grinned in the dim glow of his overhead lighting. “I’ve known you long enough to understand that you like things a certain way. I’m not going to screw it up by taking control and letting you be a passenger on this ride. You have to ask for what you want.”
She wanted to just tell him to take the lead. Judging by the look on his face, he knew exactly what to do. But then again, when would she ever have an opportunity like this to play doctor?
Her mind raced even as her thighs clenched and panties dampened with anticipation. Kareena said the first words that came to mind. “Do you have condoms?”
He was leaning in, his eyes fixed on her mouth. When his eyebrows jumped, she had to wonder if she was killing the mood.
“I do.”
Kareena nodded. “Okay, good. I mean, I’m clean, and it’s been a long time, but I still prefer a condom.”
“Of course.” Prem ran his index finger over the curve of her jaw. Their height difference was more pronounced now that she wasn’t in heels, and it felt like he was surrounding her, with his wideset shoulders and thick arms that seemed to capture her even though they were barely touching.
“Prem?”
“Mm-hmm?”
“I’ve read romance novels since I was in high school, and so many of the heroines are ashamed when they don’t have sex after four months, and I’m, like, is that the scale I have to go by? It’s been a lot longer than four months for me, so by romance standards, I’m screwed.”
“You will be,” he said. She jumped when his fingertips scraped down the side of her neck, and his calloused rough skin raised goose bumps.
Holy cow.
She shoved her glasses up her nose. “Wh-what do we do now?” she whispered.
“Tell me what you want, Rina, honey. I promise I’ll make it good.”
His mouth was inches from hers, and her face felt warm. The base of her spine tingled. It was now or never. “Kiss me then. The way that you did in my shed. The way you kissed me at the bar. And the promise of what you made me in the car before we started driving here.”
Prem stepped closer, his body inches from hers. Her breath caught. The soft pad of his thumb traced over her cheek and touched the corner of her mouth.
“No corner kisses,” Kareena whispered. “Kiss me, mouth to mouth.”
She froze. “Wait, that came out wrong. Like mouth to mouth, but not as if you were doing CPR, because you’re a doctor and I’m sure that’s the first thing that popped into your mind when I said that—”
He swooped in, wrapping his arms around her waist, tugging her against his hard chest, and kissed her. Her brain completely melted just like it had the last two times.
It always feels like magic.
Kareena wrapped her arms around his neck and hesitantly opened her lips. He did the same, giving her just enough space to slip her tongue over his.
This was Prem, and he smelled delicious. He felt delicious.
He groaned, and ran his hands over her back, until he was cupping her butt. It was her turn to groan.
She didn’t know how long they stood there, in front of the windows, sipping from each other’s mouths, but the more they kissed, slowly, deeply, the more Kareena eased closer to Prem, enjoying the feel of him, burning under the slow exploration of his tongue and lips.
Then he pulled away.
“Wh-at?” she said with a gasp. She was breathing fast. “What happened?”
Prem took Kareena’s glasses again and tossed them on the coffee table.
“My glasses . . . gah!”
He tossed her over his shoulder in a firefighter’s grip and carried her through his apartment.
In her life she had never been tossed over someone’s shoulder. She didn’t think anyone could do something like that. But Prem kept walking like he was on a stroll with a handful of daises instead a hand full of—
“Ass!” she shouted, as the sting on her left cheek sent shock waves straight to her groin. “Prem, you just smacked my ass.”