Jana rolled her eyes. Now that it was morning, she could see Anil clearly. He was currently sitting on the middle of the bed with his legs crossed, braiding Imani’s hair. And he was in his pajamas—which were thin athletic shorts and…
Holy crap—he wasn’t wearing a shirt. She’d slept next to him all night while he wastopless? How hadn’t she noticed that? Not just next to him, but literally in his arms. His chest hadn’t been touching her when they’d spooned, but still. There had been nothing between them all night but her thin T-shirt.
Jana hadn’t wanted to be sharing a bed with him at all, let alone sharing a bed with him while he was half-undressed. True, she’d seen him without a shirt when they’d been swimming the other day, but this was different.
Last night, she could have buried herself into his strong, warm chest to sleep like she had five years ago instead of just holding his hand on her waist. He could have wrapped his arms tightly around her, and she could have heard his voice through his chest. And this morning, when they almost kissed while watching the sunrise, they could have been skin to skin, and they—
“Daddy, can I wear my leaves dress today?”
“Sure thing. I’ll get it when I’m done with your hair.”
Jana was still staring at his bare chest, horrified. “You’re not wearing a shirt.”
One eyebrow rose. “Uh…I literally just woke up? Here, Mini—hold this.” He handed Imani the braid he’d been working on and hopped off the bed. After rummaging in his duffel bag a second, he pulled on a gray T-shirt, climbed back up behind Imani, and took her hair again.
Jana still couldn’t look away. He was completely focused on their daughter’s hair. Jana was mesmerized as he finished the first braid and started the second, first gently combing, then gathering small sections of hair and adding it to the French braid he was forming. When he was done, Imani wordlessly handed him a hair tie, which he wrapped around the thin end of the braid, twisting twice to secure it. Such delicate work for his big hands. The shirt he’d put on was thin—she could see his solid biceps and broad chest. She’d known Anil could braid Imani’s hair, of course. Imani had come home with perfect French braids after a week with her dad enough times. But Jana had never actuallyseenhim do it.
Attractive men braiding their four-year-old’s hair was an untapped market for calendar pictures. Ovaries would explode on sight.
It was getting hot in this tent. Jana scowled and turned to the door. She needed to get away from this little domestic tableau. “I’m leaving. See you at breakfast, Imani.”
Jana fumbled with the monkey lock but eventually was able to get the tent open and left quickly.
Mom was slipping on her shoes when Jana stepped inside the tent.
“Ah, there you are! I was just coming to see you. Do we have to take Imani to a doctor?”
Jana waved her hand. “No, no, she’s fine. She threw up last night, but she slept well, and she seems totally okay today. We’ll keep an eye on her, but I think it passed.”
“Oh, shukar. That’s good. Where is she?” Mom frowned. “Where did you sleep?”
Jana rummaged through her bag to get clothes. “Imani’s with Anil. They’re fine. Everything is fine. I’m just going to take a shower.”
“But where didyousleep?” Mom asked again.
Jana did not want to answer the question. She did not want to say she slept with Anil Malek’s arm around her. Or that he wasn’t wearing a shirt. Or that they weren’t sleeping at all early in the morning and were instead watching the most beautiful sunrise Jana had ever seen and maybe thinking about kissing. Or not thinking about it.
“Jana, where did you sleep?”
Jana turned to look at her mother. “I stayed with my daughter. She was sick.”
“Anil went somewhere else? With that other single man…Marco?”
“It’s Marc, and no. Anil stayed with Imani, too.”
“Beta! You can’t sleep in the same tent with him!” She put her hand to her forehead, scandalized. “What will they think of you? You are her mother—you should have stayed but sent Anil off somewhere else!”
Seriously? Was Mom really going all puritan now? First the bikini and now this?
Jana barely dated and certainly never spent the whole night with a man since moving home. She didn’t do anything that would give Mom a reason to judge. Since getting pregnant, at least.
“They’ll think a mother and father were staying with their sick child!” Jana snapped. “You’re the one telling everyone we’re friends!”
Mom smiled. “You’re right. It should be fine. I am so glad she’s okay…It’s so dangerous out there.”
Jana didn’t know what to say. She exhaled. She didn’t want to deal with this right now. She picked up her clothes. “I’m going to shower. I’ll see you at breakfast.”
***
