Love Me Like You Do

chapter 6

Preeti and pushkar are setting on our dinning table. Shravan follows me into the living room.

Preeti : Hi sumo.

She hugs me, then holds me at arm's length so she can examine me. She frowns and turns to Shravan.

Preeti : Good morning, Shravan.

Shravan : "Miss Gill,"

he says in his stiff formal way.

Pushkar : Shravan , her name is Preeti.

Pushkar turned towards me.

Pushkar : Hi, you must be Ana.

He smiles, his blue eyes twinkling, and I like him immediately. He's obviously nothing like Shravan , but then they're adopted brothers.

Suman: Hi, pushkar.

I smile at him, and I'm aware that I'm biting my lip.

Pushkar : So awesome to meet you. Preeti's told me a lot about you.

Shravan: pushkar , find your shoes. Some of us have work to attend to.

Pushkar : Sure.

He turns to Preeti and pulls her into his arms and gives her a long lingering kiss. Jeez... get a room. I stare at my feet, embarrassed. I glance up at Shravan , and he's watching me intently. I narrow my eyes at him. Why can't you kiss me like that? Pushkar continues to kiss Preeti , sweeping her off her feet and dipping her in a dramatic hold so that her hair touches the ground as he kisses her hard.

Pushar: Laters, baby,

He grins. Preeti just melts. I've never seen her melt before, pushkar must be good. Shravan rolls his eyes and stares down at me, his expression unreadable, although maybe he's mildly amused. He tucks a stray strand of my hair that has worked its way free from my ponytail behind my ear. My breath hitches at the contact..

Shravan : Laters, baby,

He murmurs, and I have to laugh because it's so unlike him.

Shravan : I'll pick you up at eight.

He turns to leave, opening the front door and stepping out on to the porch. Pushkar follows him to the car but turns and blows Preeti another kiss, and I feel an unwelcome pang of jealousy.

Suman : pushkar seems really nice.

I laugh.

Preeti : No, no. We're starting with you. If you're seeing him again tonight, that means that something happened. Sumo?

Suman : No,

I snap irritably, hoping that will halt the questions. We head back into the apartment.

Suman : You obviously did, though.

I can't contain my envy. Preeti always manages to ensnare men. She is irresistible, beautiful, sexy, funny, forward... all the things that I'm
not. But her answering grin is infectious.

Preeti : And I'm seeing him again this evening.

She claps her hands and jumps up and down like a small child. She cannot contain her excitement and happiness, and I can't help but feel happy for her. A happy Preeti ... this is going to be interesting.

Suman : Shravan is taking me to Seattle this evening.

Preeti : Seattle?

Suman: Yes.