Prita hadn’t known where to look and had blurted out, ‘I need to go to the loo’, and then spent the next few minutes trying hard to compose herself and think of how to respond, while desperately trying not to think about the hottest, sexiest kiss of her life, one that played in her mind over and over, and every night in her dreams making her wake all hot and sweaty and wanting some relief in the worst way.
Oh no. Now that image was in her head from her dreams last night. How was she going to face Flynn with that image in her head? This was just getting worse and worse.
She needed to grab hold of her anger. The anger she’d felt when Flynn had practically accused her of throwing herself at him and then making it perfectly clear that she was not someone he wanted to be with. Despite the fact she didn’t want to be with him either, it had been embarrassing and soul destroying, confidence knocking and anger-making. She tried to find a little of that anger now, but it had disappeared and hadn’t returned. How could it after he’d uttered those shattering words, ‘I still love my wife.’
Of course he did and she couldn’t hold it against him.
Maybe that’s what would make it okay now. Maybe there was nothing to worry about. He loved his wife and she didn’t want to be with him for a whole range of reasons that were her own and nobody else’s business. Yes. That utterance of his would be the saving grace.
‘Echem.’
She realised Cherry was still looking at her, waiting for an answer. What had she said? She couldn’t remember? Oh, yes, staying. She waved her hand and put on her doctor’s face. ‘I’ll be fine. You go. Have a wonderful night. I expect to hear all about it on Monday.’
‘Ooh, and won’t there be lots to tell. My Franky-boy certainly knows how to make me scream,’ Cherry said, waggling her eyebrows. ‘In fact, did I tell you about the time he—’
Prita stuck her hands in her ears. ‘Yes. Yes, you did and I’ve never been able to get that image out of my head. Those aren’t the kinds of details I was talking about. I could do without ever hearing those kinds of details again.’
‘Pity. You might learn a thing or two,’ Cherry said, chuckling, then she sobered. ‘Sorry, I forget what a sheltered upbringing you had.’
‘Sheltered?’
‘Yes. With you being brought up by your Indian relatives. I know how they shelter their girls. I’ve seen it in all those Bollywood movies.’
That was a stereotype she just couldn’t seem to live down. ‘You know, not all Indian families are like what you see in the movies. Besides, I did spend the first thirteen years of my life touring with my dad and his band.’
Cherry batted her eyes. ‘Oh my, your dad. Diarmuid Brennan. That must have been quite something.’
‘Yes. Yes, it was.’
‘Did I tell you that Frank and I first made out with your dad’s song, ‘Dark Rain’ in the background? Ooh, that song still makes me get all hot and bothered.’ She shivered, her cherry red locks moving across her shoulders. ‘Maybe tonight we’ll put it on again for old time’s sake. Frank knows it always gets my juices—’
‘Lalalalala not listening. Not listening,’ Prita said, sticking her fingers in her ears and shutting her eyes.
Cherry snorted. ‘See? Sheltered.’
She dropped her hands away from her ears and, ignoring that comment this time—she wasn’t going to tell Cherry just how sheltered she wasn’t—she said, ‘See you Monday.’
Cherry put her hands on her hips and cocked her head. ‘We need to get you some hot man action as well.’
‘Cherry. I’m perfectly content.’ At least she would be if she could stop having those hot and juicy dreams with Flynn in the starring role.
‘Content isn’t what you should be.’
Prita sighed and turned to the bed, pulling the paper covering down from the container on the wall. ‘I get enough of the match-making schtick from my family, which was why I left them and came here.’ A small lie that she was quite used to telling. It was astonishing how easily it tripped off her tongue.
Cherry raised her hands. ‘Enough said. It’s only that I worry about you.’
Prita stilled, the paper fluttering in her shaking hands. She cleared the massive frog that seemed to have lodged itself in her throat and made herself turn, a smile on her face despite the hot well of emotion roiling in her chest. ‘I know. But you don’t have to. Since Carter came into my life, I’ve never been happier.’
Cherry’s frown didn’t disappear as she said, ‘Yes, that little boy is special. You’re such a wonderful mother.’
‘Thank you. That means so much coming from you. And you know he loves you like a grandmother.’
Cherry blushed and looked away. ‘Yes, well, I love being his surrogate granny too—even though I’m far too young to be a grandmother. I’m not like Barb, popping them
