Annika gave her cousin her best “duh” look, but the truth was that she was distracted—she couldn’t stop thinking about Daniel. He had kept his distance since their little fallout, presumably respecting her wishes. But thoughts of him kept finding their way into her mind. At least once a day, one of her students mentioned that fire truck. Even the bar seemed a bit empty without him to flirt with. And then there was her brother, FaceTiming her with his “Daniel is so awesome” commentary. She had rolled her eyes at him, but her heart had clung to every word Nilay said about Daniel.

Then there was that kiss, of course. She only continued to replay that moment fifty times a day.

“Oh, shit, Annika.” Naya squeezed Annika’s arm, even as a small smile crept onto her face. “You didn’t tell me he was coming.”

“Who?” Was it some guy Naya had been set up with? How was Annika supposed to keep track of a list that long? There were five hundred people coming to this wedding, so it was more than possible to be surprised by someone’s attendance. She narrowed her gaze at her cousin.

Naya let out a long breath. “Damn, but that man is fine.”

Annika started to spin around, but Naya tugged at her arm. “Turn slowly. Don’t make a scene.”

Annika turned slowly. Time seemed to slow down and her breath caught as she watched Daniel catch stares from every woman he walked past, regardless of their age. And who could blame them?

Daniel was wearing a simple emerald-green sherwani with fitted cream-colored bottoms and matching scarf, which he simply hung around his neck. The tunic fit him perfectly, moving and stretching with his muscles as he walked toward her. He was clearly oblivious of the attention he was getting, his gaze set only on her. What was he doing here? And where did he get that outfit?

As he got closer, she noted that the green of his eyes matched the green of the tunic, and when he smiled deeply enough to show both dimples, she had to inhale deeply to get oxygen to her brain, lest her knees go out from under her. Just as he was close enough for her speak to him, Nilay appeared by his side.

“Hey, Daniel! What are you doing here?”

Daniel spared Nilay a glance but answered while looking at Annika. “I’m on the bride’s side. Friends of my grandmother.”

Try as she might, Annika could not break the hold his gaze had on her. She was supposed to be pissed off at him, but right in this minute, she could not remember why. Everything around her fell away, her complete focus on those green eyes and the man they belonged to.