“Cut it out,” Priya hissed under her breath. Being the youngest, Deepa had always gotten away with more, which explained why she had zero filters. “He’ll hear us.”
Deepa’s expression suddenly froze, her eyes going wide. Priya didn’t even have to turn around. She knew Ethan was standing behind her, glowing from his workout.
“He’ll hear what?” Ethan asked, peering over Priya’s shoulder.
Accepting the inevitable, Priya sighed and introduced him to her starstruck sibling. “Ethan, this is my sister Deepa, who currently looks like she’s forgotten how to function. She’s in her final year in college.”
“Deepa? No way! You were this tall when I last saw you,” Ethan said, using his hand to show her height.
“You remember me?” Deepa squealed. “I’ve loved you in literallyeverything!”
“Good to know I havesomesupporters in the family.” Ethan tilted his head toward Priya.
“Don’t let her fool you. I’ve been on Priya’s hit list for interrupting one of your movies, and let me tell you, she was ready to shred me to pieces,” Deepa revealed with a cheeky grin.
“Well, well.” Ethan aimed a teasing glance at Priya. “Seems I have the power to rile you up even when I’m not around.”
“Could you kindly cover up?” Priya replied, with a pointed look toward his chest. “Parading around in front of my baby sister. And you…” She turned her attention to Deepa. “Shouldn’t you be studying for finals?”
“I’m going, I’m going,” Deepa replied, rolling her eyes. She extended her hand to give Ethan a virtual high five, which he returned.
“Remember, you can’t tell anyone he’s here,” Priya reminded.
“Bucket list moment, and I have to keep it under wraps,” Deepa grumbled. “But my lips are sealed. Bye, Pri. Bye, Ethan. Keep those abs in top form until we speak again!”
Priya shook her head as her sister hung up.Only Deepa could get away with telling a movie star to keep his abs tight for her. Thinking Ethan had wandered off, Priya swiveled around, only to find her nose inches from his torso. The heat radiating from his skin made her feel like flames were licking at her senses. Her eyes traced his contours, down to the V that disappeared beneath the waistband of his shorts.
“Enjoying the view?” Ethan asked.
Priya pulled back and looked up at him. “While I can. It won’t be long before my mother’s fritters turn your abs intokhichdi.”
“What’s khichdi?”
“A soft, mushy mess.” Priya grinned. “Now, if you don’t mind, I need to finish configuring your internet settings.”
“Configure away. I’m going to hop in the shower while you work your magic.”
Left alone in the living room, Priya waited until she heard the shower running, then accessed the app she had installed earlier to control the lights in the coach house. Connecting it to the Wi-Fi network, she grouped the smart bulbs into patterns and sequences. Casting a quick glance at the bathroom door, she tested the system, turning the lights on and off from her phone. Satisfied with the trial run, she put her phone away and prepared to leave.
As she jotted down the Wi-Fi password for Ethan, he stepped out of the bathroom, towel barely hanging on, hair damp and slicked back. His jawline looked even more defined, and the droplets of water trailing down his chest didn’t help.
Priya froze, her pen hovering over the notepad.
“You’re all set,” she blurted, thrusting the paper toward him without daring to meet his eyes. “Here’s…uh…the password.” As their fingers grazed, Priya caught the fresh scent of soap on his skin.
“Thanks, Pri,” he said, grabbing his phone and entering the password.
The way he slipped into using her nickname felt effortless, like falling into step with each other again. An unexpected flush bloomed across Priya’s cheeks, the casual familiarity affecting her as if he had said something far more intimate.
“I’ll be on my way,” she said, gathering her things. Reaching for the door, she congratulated herself for successfully laying the groundwork for what was to come. Before she could leave, however, Ethan’s voice stopped her in her tracks.
“Wait a minute,” he said, glued to his phone.
Priya’s heart sank, her mind racing with the possibility of being discovered.
“Looks like I’ve got a delivery arriving today,” Ethan continued. “I put it in your name, so you’ll need to sign for it.”
“Of course.” Priya released her grip on her phone, the incriminating app burning like embers in her palm.
