Continental Divide by Dyanne Davis Read Free Book Online

right
now.”
    “Would you like for me to return tomorrow
and continue this?”
    There was a twinkle in his eyes, but he
wasn’t smiling. Tanya wondered if he was serious. If he was she was
definitely going to take him up on this. She hadn’t expected the
fight to go more than three rounds. Now it looked like it would be
at least a ten round match. So far she’d not won a single round and
that wasn’t going to continue. But right now, she needed some
rest.
    “You know what, Imran? I would love for you
to come back tomorrow." She stretched and faked a yawn. "I'm too
tired to fight at the moment. I have to take a long bubble bath,”
she said slowly and gave him a look watching as he swallowed. Bingo , she thought. Score one point for the American. “Let’s
continue this tomorrow.” She walked quickly toward the room that
would be hers for the remainder of her stay. She almost ran not
wanting Imran to take a parting shot and take away her small
victory.
    Imran laughed and shook his head. “Then
tomorrow it shall be.” Once again the flutter filled his chest and
he looked downward, then at Tanya’s retreating back. He liked
her.

    ***

    Imran turned from clearing away the dishes
as Hamid and Heaven came back into the room. “Your friend went to
bed,” he said.
    “Who won?” Heaven asked.
    Imran smiled but didn’t answer for a moment.
Then he said, “There was no contest.”
    “Ha. You two sounded like it to us,” Heaven
pointed out. “Could it be fate is once again working in the Ahmed
family?”
    “I have no such belief in fate and I have no
intention of doing anything to get your friend to notice me.
Besides, your friend is here looking for a millionaire. That I am
not. Could you please tell me why that would matter so much to
her?”
    “Tanya’s not as bad as she appears. She’s
rough around the edges but she’s a good person. She’s a social
worker and she always wants to find a way to take care of the
children she works with. She’s always saying if she had the money
she would build homes and put loving parents in them to take care
of the children. She’s even working with a private organization in
one of the Chicago suburbs to do just that. They have actually
already purchased land for a village and they’ve built one home.
They’re trying to raise money to build and fund the other homes and
to take care of the families.
    “So, she’s not a gold digger?”
    “No, she’s not. She doesn’t want the money
for herself. From the moment she found out Hamid has money she’s
been hitting us up for donations for some of the children in foster
care.”
    “But she doesn’t even like children. She
doesn’t like your son.”
    “Please, she’s fronting.” Heaven flicked her
hand in a dismissive fashion.
    “Pardon?”
    “Acting, pretending,” Heaven explained. “She
loves kids. She just has to play it hard, you know. She doesn’t
remain in the lives of the kids she helps. So she can’t become
attached. As for my baby, I know all of my friends were a little
hurt that I didn’t name one of them as godparent. We haven’t talked
about it yet. But I’m sure she’s trying to pay me back for
that.”
    “Are you sure she really likes your
son?”
    “I’m sure.” Heaven paused and tilted her
head to peer at Imran. “Why are you so worried that Tanya likes
kids? Is fate talking to you?”
    Imran looked over Heaven’s head─a very easy
thing to do and grinned at Hamid. “Don’t play matchmaker, Heaven.
Your friend is not my type and for that matter neither is she my
cousins’ type. She will go home disappointed, I’m afraid.”
    “But at least she can have a nice time while
in Pakistan. She loves to party and frankly you’re the party
animal. Hamid and I rarely leave the house so we’re a little out of
touch.” Heaven gave Hamid a sly glance then turned all of her charm
on Imran. “I just thought of a great idea. This would be perfect.
Imran, would you do me the biggest favor,