Vikram grimly paced off the distance to his place as they made their way along the trail. Vikram couldn’t, in good conscience, leave Ahana to hobble along on her own, but holding on to her like this hadn’t been the brightest idea he’d ever had.
Ahana fit against his side perfectly, her slight frame hiding a strength he couldn’t help but admire. Her ankle looked terrible, but she didn’t whine or complain. In fact, if he hadn’t offered to help her, Vikram knew Ahana would have continued on her way without asking for assistance.
Vikram had to remind himself for the tenth time that Ahana was an nurse, which meant she was off-limits. Permanently.
Knowing that Tammy Sha was the one who’d run her off the trail made him grit his teeth in anger. Ahana was right, the kid was a young boy, but he suspected that there wouldn’t be much the police could do about it now.
“Vikram? Is something wrong?” Ahana asked.
Vikram glanced down in surprise. “No, why?”
“Your arm around my waist is getting tighter and tighter,” Ahana admitted. “You might want to lighten up a bit.”
Vikram mentally smacked himself. “Sorry about that,” Vikram said, relaxing his grip. “I was getting mad thinking about Tammy Sha. How’s your ankle holding up?”
“Just peachy,” Ahana said in a wry tone. “I’m trying to take heart in the fact that your house is slowly getting closer.”
“We’ll be there soon, and then you can relax,” Vikram promised. His modest, wood-sided A-frame overlooking the lake was his private sanctuary, and while Vikram wasn’t accustomed to having women over, it wasn’t as if he could drag Ahana all the way to town on foot. Vikram knew Ahana lived in the same apartment complex that Meenakshi Verma and several of the other staff lived in because Vikram overheard the nurses comparing notes one day about an exceptionally noisy neighbor. “Your home looks very rustic,” Ahana said as they finally approached the driveway. Only ninety more feet to go. “Somehow I expected something more...flashy.”
“Flashy?” Vikram grasped his chest as if wounded. “Do I really look like the type that goes for flashy?”
Ahana chuckled. “No, but doctors generally live a much higher lifestyle than the rest of us.”
Vikram hid a stab of disappointment regarding her observation. Was she like so many of the other nurses? The ones who set their sights on marrying a doctor? And when they didn’t get what they wanted, stooped so low as to tell lies, not caring that they destroyed a man’s reputation?
“It’s so beautiful,” Vikram murmured. “You must love the peace and quiet.”
“I do,” Vikram agreed, refusing to waste any time thinking about Rubika. She was out of his life, for good as his second girlfriend and now Ahana is his new girlfriend. Three more feet and they were up to his front stoop. “Can you navigate the step all right? Or should I carry you?”
“I can do it,” Ahana responded quickly.
Vikram held the door open for her, and Ahana limped inside, heading for the closest chair. “Thanks,” Ahana said with a sigh. “Feels good to sit down for a moment. I hate to ask for any more favors, but I’d appreciate a ride home.”
