Continental Divide by Dyanne Davis Page A

he would pursue her after all.
     

Chapter Five
    A lunch of tandoor chicken, cheese, bread,
fruit and bottled water filled the basket to overflowing. Imran
waited for Tanya. He couldn’t believe she had at last given up her
fruitless search for a millionaire. He would be her chosen husband
and he didn’t care how old fashioned it seemed. He wanted her and
she wanted him. Simple.
    “Where are we going?” Tanya looked
suspiciously at the basket Imran had just put into the trunk of his
car. “I thought you were taking me out to show me the country.”
    “That’s precisely what I’m doing.”
    “Looks like you’re planning a picnic.”
    “If I am what’s wrong with that?” He smiled.
“I just wanted to have food just in case.”
    “So where are we going?”
    “To get rid of some of your misconceptions.
You think that in Pakistan there is no love or passion, that we all
use matchmakers or family introductions. Sometimes it’s merely that
a man and woman see each other and fall madly in love. Sometimes
it’s just fate.”
    “Are you still trying to tell me that fate
put us together? Listen.” Tanya stopped and put her hand on her
hip. “I’m not Heaven and you’re not Hamid. I’m not a virgin who’s
waiting for the right guy. We may as well get that out and upfront.
If that’s what you think fate wants you to have then you’re looking
in the direction of the wrong woman. And I plan to return to
Chicago in a few weeks. You need to know that.”
    “Hamid told me Heaven protested at first. In
fact for the entire first year of their marriage she refused to
come to meet his family.” He grinned. You’ve already met my
family.”
    “And they don’t like me, thanks to you.”
    “Did you expect me to allow you to go
through with your plans? You were trying to beguile my
cousins.”
    “And instead I beguiled you, is that it?”
Tanya laughed and headed to the passenger side of the car.
    A smile pulled at Imran as he watched the
sway of Tanya’s hips. He wondered what she would look like in a lehenga . He tilted his head. Sure she’d look good in a long
skirt but the tight jeans that hugged her derrière made him hard.
He didn’t know if the skirt would have that effect. He laughed
softly and proceeded to the driver’s side of the car. Once in, he
inhaled the smell of Tanya’s perfume, something exotic and spicy,
cinnabar, he thought. He wanted to kiss her. The thought pounded
through his brain as he started the engine ignoring that Heaven was
staring at them, the baby in her arms, a worried look on her face.
It was as though she thought he was kidnapping her friend. He was
doing nothing of the sort.
    “Heaven, why are you so worried? You wanted
Tanya and I to like each other.” He couldn’t help but laugh as he
glanced quickly at Tanya. I know that you elicited help from Hamid.
But that’s to be expected.” He tapped on the steering wheel and
sought Tanya’s gaze before finishing with his cousin’s wife.
    “It was a bit underhanded to use Fatima in
your plans though. So tell me please why you’re so worried.”
    “Tanya’s not a toy and this isn’t a game.
You don’t have to go out with her to get back at me for trying to
set the two of you up.”
    Imran's brow lifted. “Heaven, I am not
Hamid. My world does not stop when you speak. I wish to date your
friend because of me, not you. And since we’re both adults and do
not need your mothering, I would suggest taking Tsukama into the
house. It’s getting hot.”
    Instead of waiting for any farther answers
from Heaven he turned the key in the ignition and drove off, the
sound of Tanya’s laughing making him glad he’d done so.
    “Imran, I swear I have to give you your
props for that. Heaven looks likes she doesn’t know what hit her.
Thanks for giving me a chance to not be around those two for a day.
Dang, are she and Hamid always like this? I mean if they are, how
anyone can stand to be around them is a wonder. She’s school