Page 10 of Knot So Romantic

“Oh, of course!” Elena exclaims. “You’re the one he couldn’t stop talking about after he came back from the wedding.”

My heart skips a beat at the thought. Really? I look up at Neel, shocked by the revelation.

A look of bewilderment flashes across Neel’s face. “That’s not what happened!”

“But you did seem quite distracted,” she snickers.

“I’m going to get you for this.” He makes a grab for her arm, but she twists out of his way. He lets her go and turns to me, apologetic. “She loves making fun of me.”

I stifle a laugh. “You seem like an easy target.”

His eyes shine, and for a moment, I think he might reach for my arm just as he did with his sister. Instead, he clears his throat and lets my comment slide, as though he’s well-practiced in dealing with this sort of teasing. “You women have a way of reading too much into a man’s thoughts,” he says gruffly.

He’s included me in the group of women who tease him? Heat rises to my cheeks, and I palm my hands over my face.

“But I’m going to let that go,” he adds, a hint of a challenge in his voice.

“Sure, if that’s what you prefer?” I say, meeting his gaze head-on.

A smile tugs at his lips. I find myself wanting to explore this playful side of him further. Just then, a throat clears behind us.

Elena smiles at us knowingly. “Now, if you two have finished your little verbal sparring match, what’s next on the agenda?”

I chuckle and shrug my shoulders, fiddling with the dress on the last mannequin that fell over because suddenly, my hands don’t know where to go. I feel Neel’s stare, but I don’t meet his eyes. “How about we take some measurements for your dress?” I ask Elena, eager to shift the focus back to the task at hand.

Just then, Rohit tugs at my sleeve. “Can I show Neel my new train set?”

I hadn’t realized the child was still around. I glance at Neel to gauge his reaction. Rohit rarely interacts with customers, so this request surprises me. However, I’d hate to disappoint Rohit if Neel declines.

Neel beats me to a response. “Yes, please. Lead the way,” he says, much to Rohit’s delight. He eagerly guides Neel to his special corner in the next room.

I retrieve the tape to take Elena’s measurements. After we’re done, Elena takes a seat, and Manjula gets her a cold drink. “Such a sweet gentleman,” she says of Neel, who’s still engrossed in playing with Rohit.

“Thank you! Neel loves kids,” Elena says. “So does Dilip, my fiancé,” she adds, smiling and blushing. “I wanted to bring him along for the selections, too, but I wanted to keep it a surprise until Neel saw it first.”

“Except I don’t know a thing about colors or designs,” Neel remarks, returning without Rohit, who I presume is now happily playing by himself.

“Neel claims he doesn’t know a thing about fashion,” Elena explains, “but he’s a wizard with numbers and the mastermind behind the best real estate deals in town.”

His eyes soften with a hint of amusement. “I can handle property deals, but wedding dresses? That’s a bit out of my league.”

“Well, if I ever need advice on real estate, I know who to ask,” I say. “But for now, what do you think of this?” I show him the fabric Elena loved, genuinely curious about his opinion.

Neel examines it, his fingers gently tracing the material. “It’s not my usual area of expertise, but I can see the quality. And the color is lovely indeed,” he says with a slight smile. “I think Elena would look beautiful in this.” He looks at Elena affectionately.

His genuine enthusiasm and love for his sister warm my heart. It’s clear he’s here for her, fashion expertise or not.

“Neel, what about your kurta?” Elena suddenly asks. “We can ask Kavita to take your measurements, too.”

My heart skips a beat at the suggestion. The idea of moving around Neel with my tape measure, taking his measurements, while he stands still and watches me…it’s almost too much to imagine. Just standing next to him now makes the air crackle with electricity. It’s embarrassing how just the thought of being near him affects me.

I quickly shake my head, trying to dismiss those thoughts.

Neel declines. “I’ll think about it,” he says. “There’s plenty of time left.”

An involuntary sigh escapes me at his words, and I instinctively clasp a hand over my mouth, horrified by my reaction.

“You okay?” Neel asks, his brow furrowed with concern.