Page 52 of Tiger's Dream
Alarm crossed Ana’s features. “But Sunil would never—” Quickly she cut off her words and bit her lip.
“What?” Nilima asked. “Who is Sunil? Your fiancé?”
Grimacing, Ana nodded while I looked up at the sky, wondering how she was going to pull off whatever she was trying to accomplish.
“What I mean is…I am not the type most men desire.”
Nilima really laughed this time. “You mean the tall, leggy, gorgeous type? Yeah, men hate that.”
“No. I do not speak of an outward appearance. As to that I do not care. When I say hard, I mean…I mean I am not gentle of tongue, or tender. I do not fuss over a man with heartening words as if I am watering him like a flower.”
“You don’t need to be that way. I’m very much like you in that regard. You’re right that it turns off a lot of men.”
“Turns off?” Ana asked.
Nilima waved a hand. “Makes them uninterested in pursuing a relationship.”
“I see. But you believe there might be a man somewhere who is turns on by frankness and honesty?”
“Turns on?” Nilima giggled and I snorted but quickly stifled it when Nilima glanced around. “Yes, I suppose I believe that,” she said.
“Where do you find such a man?” Ana asked.
“If I knew where to find one, I’d have caught one for myself by now.”
“Then how will you recognize such a man when you find him?” Ana asked, a sober expression on her face.
“Sometimes you don’t,” Nilima said sadly. “But I’m not here for a man anyway. I’m here for my friend Kelsey.”
“For a friend?”
Nilima smiled. “Yes. She’s got a rough road ahead. I thought it would help to ask the goddess’s blessing.”
“Right, the goddess.”
Anamika squeezed Nilima’s hand. “It was nice to meet you. I think the goddess will answer your supplication. Your friend will find the happiness she seeks.”
“You think so?”
“I am very certain.”
“I’m Nilima, by the way. It was nice to meet you.”
“And you.”
“I didn’t catch your name.”
“It’s Ana.”
I cut off a hiss and wrapped an arm around Ana’s waist when we were far enough away that Nilima couldn’t hear and rematerialized when we rounded a building. “What was that?” I demanded.
“What are you referring to?” she asked briskly.
“Telling her your name. Don’t you think she might remember that?”
“What if she does? Ana is a popular enough name, is it not?”
I folded my arms across my chest. “I suppose so.”
