“I’ll be home soon,” Dev said.
“I made the mistake of telling my mother about the award ceremony,” Tina said, wincing at how she continued to babble on when she should end the phone call. “She watches all of them and she’s so excited. She thinks I need to make a good impression and wear a sari and hair extensions.”
“Forget the hair extensions,” Dev advised. “I’m beginning to like your short hair. You can’t hide behind it. But a sari...”
She groaned at how his voice deepened with pleasure. Tina made a face. “I hate wearing saris. You know that. I feel clumsy and swaddled in those things.”
“But you like it when I unwrap the sari and—”
Tina held her hand up as if she could stop him. “Enough!”
“Wear the sari.”
His gravelly voice made her skin tingle. “Goodbye, Dev.” She shut the phone off as the car pulled into her driveway.
She didn’t know what to do with this flirtatious Dev. He had been like that when they first met. He knew how to make her blush and how to coax a smile. And she remembered the gleam in his eyes when she flirted back. It had given her the courage to act a little bolder, knowing that it pleased him.
How could he tease her when the possibility of a baby was there? Tina’s mood darkened and she looked blankly out the window. How could he find happiness when the cycle of loss and devastation threatened to continue?
But then, how could she have sex with him every night? Dev made sure they used protection every time but that wasn’t the only thing she was worried about. The pull she had with Dev was getting stronger. How was she going to break that bond in five weeks if she kept making love with him?
* * *
An explosion of camera lights blinded Tina the moment Dev stepped out of the limousine and onto the red carpet. She heard the reporters yelling questions over the cheering crowd. Tina firmly held on to her smile as Dev reached out his hand. She grabbed on tight and stepped out of the car, praying her strapless pink evening gown stayed in place.
Dev released her hand and curved his arm around her waist as he waved to his fans. She wanted to curl into his body, rest her head against his tuxedo jacket and enjoy the possessive touch. She was proud to be at his side and for a moment, she felt he was just as proud to be with her.
“Dev! Dev!” A reporter with a microphone hurried to them. Tina had not been at an award ceremony before. She had never been nominated and she hadn’t been famous enough for invitation until she married. Unfortunately, Dev rarely attended these events because he was always on location. But Tina knew enough about red-carpet etiquette after watching countless award shows on television. Since it was her husband’s big night, she didn’t wear anything that would detract attention from him. She also knew to step away and let him conduct the interviews. As the supportive wife, she wasn’t there to share the spotlight.
She stepped out of his hold so he could do his job, but Dev had other ideas. He snagged her hand and laced his fingers with hers. He wasn’t going to let her out of his sight.
“Are those the Arjun jewels?”
Tina turned to see a television reporter standing close. The woman thrust a microphone in her face as she stared at the yellow gold necklace that spanned past Tina’s collarbone. The matching drop earrings were heavy and swayed with every move.
“Yes,” Tina said as she pressed her fingertips on the necklace, revealing the ornate ring that went with the set. “Dev asked me to wear them tonight.”
She had been stunned when Dev had presented the wide, flat jewelry box. She had heard about the Arjun jewels but never thought he would want her to wear them. Tina had been flustered and awkward when he helped her with the necklace. The gesture had almost felt like a sacred ritual. As if he was declaring to the whole world that she was his. His woman, his wife.
“And are you excited about tonight? This is your first award ceremony,” the reporter said in a clipped, almost rushed tone. “You missed quite a few in the last few months.”
Tina gritted her teeth. Now she understood why this woman had approached her instead of the big names. She was looking for a bigger story. An exclusive.
She wasn’t going to get one. The media worked hard to give the actors and actresses an image and then spent the rest of the time trying to tear it down. She was supposed to be beautiful and sexy, but chaste. Tina had broken that rule when she got pregnant before marrying Dev. She was supposed to be from the high echelons of society and hold on to Indian values. It didn’t help that she was from the slums.
It was expected that she showed no cracks in her marriage even though reporters were eager to point out any tension. When she miscarried, she hadn’t been able to show her distress or depression. Reality wasn’t allowed to touch Bollywood stars. Her world had crumbled but she’d had to act as if everything was fine.