The Rules of Playing with Fire: An Opposites Attract Contemporary Romance (The Dallas Connection Book 2) by Varsha Chitnis

Author:Varsha Chitnis [Chitnis, Varsha]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2024-08-19T00:00:00+00:00

SONA

The Haldi ceremony was an intimate affair, with just the immediate family and close friends in attendance. Sameer’s cousins and I helped Tara don her floral necklace, earrings, and bracelets. The bright pink and yellow flowers complimented the yellow lehenga Tara had chosen in keeping with the occasion.

When Sameer emerged in a yellow kurta and white leggings, the couple was seated under the pergola. Gone were the colorful flowers from last night. The space now glowed with yellow and white ones, with shades of green and pink thrown in for contrast.

The ceremony began with Tara’s mother blessing her with a ghee diya. Then, with the fragrant turmeric-sandalwood paste on mango leaves, she placed it on Tara’s feet, knees, elbows, and shoulders, ending at the head, a ritual that would be performed in reverse after the wedding. Sameer’s mother went next, going through the same motions with her son, with some changes added in per their customs. Aunties and cousins followed. On Tara’s insistence, her mother started a Marathi song traditionally sung during Haldi. The act gained quick popularity, and Sameer’s family broke into traditional Haldi songs in Hindi and Punjabi.

The aunties then encouraged the couple to smear some of the magical paste on their unmarried cousins and friends in the hopes that they’d get hitched soon. I was the first one Tara grabbed.

“Here’s hoping you find true love and the happily ever after you deserve,” she whispered as she smeared my cheeks with the yellow paste. Mihir’s mother, who was right beside us, patted my back and placed a loving hand on my head in blessing.

“Don’t spare him,” she said to Sameer as Mihir tried to escape the scene.

“I thought he wasn’t the marrying type,” Sameer jeered as he caught Mihir’s wrist and smeared a splash across his cheek and forehead.

“What can I say? A mother can always hope,” Sneha aunty said, pulling out a naughty smile. “I have a feeling things are about to change.”

Mihir and I, of course, kept our eyes off each other and stayed as far away as we could manage. No use fueling the fire when we wanted no one to detect the smoke.

After helping Tara out of the floral jewelry and escorting her to her room to shower and change, I helped Riya in her room. When I finally retreated to mine, I found Mihir standing shirtless near the bed.

“Are you out of your mind? What are you doing here?” I whispered, shutting the door behind me with haste.

He grinned. “Waiting for you.”

“Topless in the room of a respectable, unmarried woman?” I teased. “You’re a very bad man, aren’t you?”

“Oh, you have no idea.”

He wrapped his large arms around me. “You look like a bride with henna on your hands and that haldi on your cheeks.”

My heart tumbled but I giggled.

“What?”

“It’s the way you say haldi in your American accent. Haldi,” I imitated him.

“You know you’ll be paying for every little infraction, babe.”

“Infraction?”

“Indeed, my wayward lover who likes to slip out of my arms.”

I smiled impishly and brushed my lips against his.

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