“Exactly. He ruined my perfectly good mood, too. I’m thinking of getting a puppy, and the shelter that I volunteer at may have one for me.”

Ajay didn’t think she could have surprised him any more than she just had. “A puppy?”

“Yup. I’ve always wanted one. Just my dog and me.”

“Ugh, you’re the type to torture a poor pooch by dressing it up, aren’t you?”

“Of course,” she said with a laugh.

He asked her more questions about her future puppy, about her childhood, about her mother, and if she knew whether or not she wanted to go home and say goodbye. He’d have to revisit her confession about organized crime connections later.

“Want some more wine?” Ajay asked after they finished their meal. “Saffron Fields limited stock.”

“Yes. It’ll probably go great with dessert.” She dug into her tote bag and pulled out a Tupperware container.

“Is that . . . is that kheer?”

“It is. I told you I’d bring dessert. I just happened to have this in my office. Remember that housekeeper I told you about? Kaka made me a ton before he went back to India for a couple weeks.”

“You’ve just topped my masala chicken with rice pudding.”

Her smile was so arresting that Ajay had to turn away from her and busy himself with grabbing two spoons, otherwise he’d do something stupid like ask her to stay the night. Stay for the weekend. Stay for . . . well, however long she wanted.

And wasn’t that a scary thought? The back of his neck prickled with unease as he let it sink in.

He handed over a spoon, and they dug into the kheer together, taking sips of the wine between bites.

“Thank you,” she said when they’d practically polished off the container.

“For what?”

“For being a friend tonight.”

Her words rubbed against him like sandpaper. Hadn’t she just told him how she met her soon-to-be ex-husband? There was no way he was going to let her pull the same bullshit with him. “I’m not your friend, Raj.”

Her eyebrow raised delicately. “No?”

“No.” He reached out and cupped her chin, holding firm even as she pulled back. “Don’t you dare treat me like you treat that asshole, Robert, or put me in the same category as Mina. If we’re going to be involved, I want more than that. I think I’ve made that clear.”

“I’ll only give you what I’m ready to give, Ajay. And if that means friendship, then that’s what you’ll take.”

His anger began to boil, even as she pulled away from him. “I never thought you’d be a coward, Raj.”

“Excuse me?”

“You just unloaded. You’re regretting it. So now, to protect yourself, you’re trying to keep me at a safe distance.”