Page 29 of Shadow Warrior
“And would you like breakfast in bed?” she asked, shooting him an arch look.
He grinned. “You are the total best. But not till noon. We’ll probably sleep in.”
God, he was laying it on thick. Wouldn’t it be better to save the show for his grandmother?
The clip of heels pulled my attention away from Kash’s beautiful smirking mouth to across the dining room, where a slender female with hazel eyes and long dark hair was making her way toward us. Kash shoved back his chair and stood, a wide grin spreading across his face at the sight of the woman.
Something twisted inside me, green and ugly. Fuck that, no way was I jealous. The heat of Monica’s gaze had me sitting up straighter.
“Karishma!” Kash strode toward her and gathered her into a hug that lifted her off her feet.
When he released her, she tipped her head up to his with a cheeky smile. “Well, look at you, all grown up.”
He chuckled. “And you get more beautiful every time I see you.”
Like seriously? Fake girlfriend here.
Kash must have realized his faux pas because he quickly sobered and turned to me. “Karishma, this is Indigo, my girlfriend.”
There was no hesitation. He said it as if he meant it. As if it were a fact.
Karishma smiled warmly at me. “Indigo Justice?” She planted her hands on her hips. “Why are you looking at me as if you don’t know me?”
Kash looked from Karishma to me and then back again.
I shook my head. “What?”
She walked closer, and her scent hit me—cinnamon toast. A memory surged to the surface of my mind. A swing set, and two older girls pushing me. Laughter … Joy. My cousin Kat’s face as I swung toward her and then another face with bright hazel eyes and a smiling mouth.
“Can we keep her?” it said.
“No, I wish we could,” Kat said. “I swear Uncle and Aunt don’t do anything fun with her.”
I blinked and looked up at Karishma. “You’re Kat’s friend.”
Karishma’s smile widened. “We met several times when you came over to Kat’s with your parents. It’s been a long time.”
There was a lump in my throat, a residue of the memory, one of the only warm memories from my childhood.
“Yeah, it has.”
“And you’re one of us.” She held out her arms. “I kinda feel like that warrants a hug.”
I didn’t do hugs, not really, but I found myself on my feet regardless, and then Karishma had her arms around me. Her cinnamon toast aroma filled my head, bringing tears to my eyes as all the happy memories, so few and far between, washed over me. I blinked back the tears, but not before Kash locked gazes with me over Karishma’s shoulder, not before I saw the empathy in his eyes.
I pulled away and ducked my head. “Good to see you again.”
“Karishma is the new head weaver at headquarters.” There was no denying the pride in Monica’s voice. “A most worthy position bringing the Raj family much prestige.”
“Why, thank you.” Karishma pulled out a chair and sat next to me.
“Do you remember how Kash would moon after you when he was younger?” Monica asked Karishma.
Karishma wrinkled her nose. “Was that mooning? I call it stalking.”
Kash chuckled. “You were my first crush.”
“And much too old for you.”
