“I thought we were picking up Neel and the human rights lawyer,” he said.

“Bipasha,” Nisha said as they slid into traffic. “Neel and she are meeting us there.”

“Bipasha. That’s a lovely name,” Naina said, buckling herself in, attempting to insert a smile into her voice.

The Banana Tree was Vansh’s favorite Malaysian place. It had the best roti parathas in the Bay. Sam, the owner, who was Nisha’s friend, greeted them at the door and led them to a private booth in the very back. Naina threw another warning glare at Vansh, but it was more wary than anything else. This charade Nisha had trapped them in was exhausting.

It was obvious that Naina didn’t want him sitting next to her, which made other things obvious too. How hard it was to keep their hands off each other. Even without realizing it, she kept angling her body close to him even as she tried to hold herself away. The sense that he was in over his head had taken root inside him weeks ago, and it had been growing and growing. Now it pushed all the way out and took over completely.

In the end, the exhaustion in Naina’s eyes got to him and he backed off. He stood there letting everyone move and settle around the table. Neel was already seated next to his cousin, and between all the introductions and hugs, Vansh found himself seated between Ashna and the cousin. What the hell was her name again?

“Oh,” Ashna said. “Didn’t the two of you need to look at something in the car?” She got up and changed places with Naina, and now Vansh found himself between the cousin and Naina.

“That wasn’t necessary,” Naina said. “We can really look at it tomorrow.” But the fact that he hadn’t forced his way next to her made her soften.

For the next half hour, Naina and Vansh filled everyone in on the project as they ordered and poured enough wine into their systems that Naina relaxed.

Not touching you when you’re this close is killing me. Maybe he shouldn’t have texted her, but he did. “Sorry, our lawyer just sent the agenda for a meeting,” he said as he looked down at his phone.

“Did she? Excuse me,” Naina said politely, picking up her phone, and swallowed as she read his text. Good, because if we survive this I’m going to kill you anyway, she texted back, but her leg moved and touched his.

He smiled. Do I get a last wish?

You only ever want one thing.

Damn straight.

She was trying hard not to smile, but she didn’t respond.

Ever thought what it would be like to come at a table filled with people?

He felt the heat on her face with his entire body. As though she were pressed against his bare skin.