Where the Lotus Flowers Grow (13 page)

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, I’m sure.”

In slow, circular motions, she lathered my face with shaving cream. I tried not to breathe too hard when she ran the straight-edged razor against my throat. Her strokes were sure and swift. Her plump breasts were very close to my mouth. The scent of spiced vanilla drifted toward me. I did my level best not to think about how erotic this was.

“I may have missed a few spots, but you can wash your face now.”

By the time I emerged from the bathroom, freshly shaven and myself again, she had arranged fresh linens on the bed and aired out the room. Her lips parted in surprise as she gave me the once-over.

“Was I a cranky patient?”

“Never.”

“I am very grateful to you. You have healing hands.”

She waived away my compliment. “It was the least I could do.” She gestured to the table, set up with several dishes. My stomach grumbled at the sight.

“I ordered food for you. I’m sure you’re hungry.”

“Starved.” But food wasn’t going to quench all my cravings. That much I knew.

“I should go now.”

“Stay. Eat.” When had I turned into Monosyllabic Man?

I pulled out a chair for her. She took her place across from me. The meal was simple fare of shredded chicken, bland potatoes,
naan
, and fruit. Mary said I should start slow, since I’d only had broth for the past few days. We shared a plate since she’d ordered only for me.

She told me about everything I’d missed. The doctor’s visits. Prabhat’s constant checking. Manny helping me to the toilet because I was too stubborn for a bedpan, thank God. I had no recollection of any of it. I only remembered her voice, the massages, and the cloth beads she ran her fingers over. And that night when I took her wrist and rubbed the scar etched over her veins.

Although her smile was bright, full of relief, she looked so tired. The tight braid she usually wore hung loose, many strands escaping the band. Darkness circled her eyes.

“Were you here the whole time?”

She swallowed a chunk of mango. “Practically. I left to bathe and get something to eat.”

I looked around the room. No cot had been brought in. “Where did you sleep?”

“Sometimes on the chair next to the bed or on the floor. You’d get up at all different times, so I wanted to be close in case you needed me.”

What kind of bastard let a woman sleep on the floor? The hard wood of the chair had to be even worse.

“You look exhausted.”

“I’ll sleep tonight.”

“Sleep now.”

She shook her head, cupping her mouth as the yawn escaped. “There is too much noise and traffic in the employee quarters at this time.”

“Sleep here on the bed.”

She arched a brow as if the suggestion was crazy. “I couldn’t.”

I rubbed her arms. “Let me watch over you for a while.”

She looked unsure. I took her hand and led her to the bed. I turned down the covers for her. “Mary. You’re exhausted. That’s my fault. Please let me do this little thing for you.”

To my relief, she slid into the bed. “Okay. Just a nap.”

“Shall I fetch you some water?”

She shook her head. “What will you do?”

“I have a million emails to occupy me. Just sleep now. As long as you need.”

She flipped over on her stomach, her face turned toward me. I ran my hand down her spine, settling on the dip in her lower back. She had a very nice dip. Emails could wait, right? “I’m not as versed on the fine art of massage as you. But if you’d like, I’ll do my best.”

“I’d like.”

I rubbed her back and shoulders, feeling the tension in them. She moaned softly as my hands kneaded her. God, that fucking beautiful moan.

“You gave me many rubdowns over the last few days, didn’t you?”

“You remember?”

“Yes.”

“They help with circulation. I didn’t want your muscles to atrophy.”

The fan above us blew a strand of hair against her face. She pushed it out of the way impatiently, but it refused to yield. I tucked it behind her ear.

“It’s better, thank you,” she said.

Crossing the room, I fetched my laptop. I took her place on the chair, which was more decorative than comfortable. I couldn’t imagine her sleeping in it. Yet, hadn’t I woken up several times to see her in this very spot? Guilt and regret plagued me. The illness had robbed me of all consideration.

I rested my feet against the bed frame and opened up my laptop. Emails filled the screen. I focused on the most important ones of the lot. I shot off replies to Stephen and Moneypenny with an update on my status. Stephen sent another back immediately, asking if I was coming home. That would make sense, wouldn’t it? I should cancel the rest of the trip and leave. Yet, I still wanted to finish what I’d started. I peered over the top of the screen. She had closed her eyes, her breaths soft and steady.

I snapped the laptop closed. I found my pack and took out the yellow legal pad. With a dull pencil, I sketched her. Definitely not my medium of choice, but when I was in the presence of my greatest inspiration, I’d take anything I could. Hell, I’d use a bloody chisel and rock right now.

I’d just drawn her outline when her eyes fluttered open.

“Why aren’t you sleeping, love?”

Love? Where had that come from?
I didn’t know, but I also didn’t regret it.

Her eyes widened for a second before she graced me with a smile. “What are you drawing?”

Just the most beautiful creature I’d ever seen.
“You. You seem to have woken something I thought was long dead.”

She crooked her arm and leaned her head against it. “I will buy this one, too.”

“Will you?”

“I want all of them. Then I will have an exhibition featuring your work. I’ll become very wealthy when all the pieces sell.”

“Your ambitions are misguided.”

“Not ambition…faith. Faith in you, Liam. You’ll see how rich I am, and then you’ll know exactly how talented you are. I’ll prove it to you.”

I lost my focus with her words. I was a successful businessman who made multi-million- dollar deals every day. I had every luxury at my disposal. This girl…this girl who had so little had given me so much.

I glanced at the bracelet encircling her wrist.
Why did you hurt yourself, Mary?
I wanted to fix it, to make that hurt go away. Hell, to turn back time and make her world whole. “Are you still leaving?” I asked.

She adjusted the bracelet on her wrist, a flicker of emotion crossed her face. “You remember our conversation?”

I wondered how many I’d forgotten. “You said you’d given your notice. That’s my fault.”

“It’s the best thing for me. I was rooted to this place, afraid of leaving and loathing my life at the same time.”

“When are you leaving?”

“Now that you’re well, I’ll go in a few days’ time.”

“Where?”

She shrugged. “I don’t know.”

“How can you be cavalier? Are you just going to hop on a train to somewhere? To nowhere?”

She laughed as if I was being ridiculous. “That’s the beauty of having no one. You never have to leave a forwarding address. I speak perfect English. I’ll take your suggestion and get a job at one of the outsourcing companies.”

“I don’t suppose you’d be open to staying in touch? I have connections. I can help you find suitable work.”

“I think it’s better for both of us if we part ways completely.” She stared at me. “Don’t look so sad, Liam. I’m sure we’ll talk again someday.”

“How can you know that?”

“When you have a problem with your software or you need to order a new something digital.” She cleared her throat. “I’m going to be Lola from Seattle.” Her voice inflected a very bad southern accent.

My laughter echoed through the room. “You sure you’re not from Alabama, Lola?”

“I suppose I’ll have to work on my geography. Surely, they’ll train me in such things.”

I focused back on my drawing, trying to capture the way the light illuminated her hair. She stretched and yawned.

“Go to sleep, Mary.”

“Will you keep drawing when you’re back in the States?”

“Paint is my preferred medium.”

“Painting then.”

“Maybe.”

A sleepy smile brightened her face. I wasn’t sure which I wanted more, to capture it on paper or just enjoy it. Did she know she sliced me deeper than a knife? Pierced through my very heart.

“There is a scandal circulating the hotel about us.”

I looked up from the sketch. “Yeah? What are people saying?”

“That you weren’t ill at all. We were having a sexual liaison.”

“For four days? That’s impressive stamina, even for me.”

“The rumor is you have a very large appetite.” She laughed, but I could not join her.

“I was very stupid to ask you to stay. You divulged your secret because of me and destroyed your reputation.”

“Are you joking? I don’t care what they think. There was nowhere else I’d rather be.”

Me either, Mary.
I stifled a yawn.

“You’re tired, too,” she said.

“I’ll be fine.” The shower had done me in. My muscles ached from the little physical activity.

“The medicines make you tired. You need to rest, too, Liam.”

“I’ve slept enough.”

She shifted to the far side of the bed. “There’s enough room for both of us.” She patted the area next to her. “Come.”

If I got in that bed, I just might…come.

But never had an invitation been so inviting.

I couldn’t refuse an opportunity to be close to her. I was good, though. I laid on my back, keeping a gap between us. I looked up at the ceiling, all the while feeling the heat of her gaze on me. It didn’t matter. I wasn’t in the best shape. I doubted I could give her the pleasure she deserved. In fact, I doubted she even wanted me to. It was concern, not lust, that had elicited the invitation. I sucked a harsh breath through my teeth. “Go to sleep, Mary.”

“Okay.”

But she didn’t. She shifted around restlessly. She hit the pillow with her fist. She rolled all over the damn bed.

“What the hell is wrong?”

“This bed is too soft. I think you misunderstood me. I’m used to sleeping on the ground. I should probably go.”

“Please stay with me. Just a little while longer.” I hated the desperation in my own voice. But I could see in her pained expression, she was fighting something, too.

She sat up, running a hand through her messy hair. “Will you do something for me, Liam?”

I cupped her chin. “Anything, love.”

“It’s a strange request.”

“Fitting, since you’re a strange girl. What is it? Don’t keep me in suspense.”

“Will you hold me? Just hold me for a bit?”

“It would be my honor.” I patted my chest. “Come here.”

She leaned her head against my chest. “Yes, this will do very well.” Her breath softened.

Her body curled around me. I stroked her hair. My erection stretched against the fabric of my shorts.
Down boy, you already got your fix in the shower.
But it would not be silenced. “Since we’re already the subject of a scandal, perhaps we should rid the good people of idle gossip and give them something real. You’re no longer my subordinate.” I would have said we were equals, but that would be a lie. Clearly, she was my better.

She tilted her head up. “I want to.”

“I am sensing a contraction in that sentence.”

“Liam, how can I explain this to you?”

“I don’t know, but I really wish you’d fucking take a stab at it.” Poor choice of words.

“You’re like…
Sidr
, honey to me.”

“It all makes sense now.”

“It does?”

“No, it sounds fucking ridiculous. What is cedar honey?”

“Sidr. Sid—har.” She rolled her tongue on the syllables. “It’s this rare and expensive honey harvested in Yemen. Do you know who Constance Dakata is?”

“The celebrity chief? Yes, I know her. Why the hell bring her into this conversation? I’m really not into three ways.”

“Stop being naughty. I’m trying to explain this really difficult thing to you. Listen.”

“Yes, sir.”

Her mouth twitched, fighting the smile. “She did this around-the-world special about a year ago. When she visited Jaipur, she stayed at our hotel. She filmed her show from our kitchen.”

I was aware of that. Stephen had set it all up. It turned out to be great publicity for us.

“India was her last stop. She made some traditional Indian dishes. But she did a very special dish…a dessert. The cake combined flavors from each country she visited. I was lucky enough to watch the production. Then she poured this honey over the cake. It was slow-poured sunshine. I never tasted it, yet I was already addicted to it. Silly, right?”

“Not silly at all.” Hell, she’d just described the way I felt about her.

“Chef Dakata said it was the most sinful and decadent ingredient she had ever come across. Afterwards, I was tasked with cleaning the kitchen. There was still some honey left in the cup she’d used.”

“And you tried it?”

The crimson blush swept over her skin. “I licked the cup, Liam. Licked it clean.”

“I take it you were disappointed after all the hype?” The analogy cut harder than a rusty knife.

“The very opposite. I’ve never tasted anything so delicious in my entire life.”

“I’m not following what this has to do with…”

She put her finger against my mouth. “In the months that followed, I found myself craving it again. I’ve never been a huge fan of sweets, but I purchased many just to recreate the feeling of honey melting on my tongue. Nothing compared, nothing even came close to it.”

Was she trying to kill me?
All her story was doing was turning me on. It took every fucking ounce of strength not to lick her…cup.

“I really need you to get to the point. Get there now.”

“Don’t you see, Liam? It would have been wiser to have never tasted it. I couldn’t crave what I didn’t know. Even now, I have a crazy hunger for it. Not hunger, thirst. Like it’s the only thing that can quench me. Yet, if I were able to obtain a jar, it wouldn’t be enough. Do you understand?”

It did make perfect sense. But unlike her, I could not rationalize it. I wanted the honey too much to think how bitter my life would be once the taste dissolved. “Yes.”