Amir didn’t pretend to misunderstand. ‘One day I will marry. At present, my kingdom has no heir. But there is no one who would be hurt by our affair.’
‘Paris and I are not a couple.’
Amir compressed his lips. ‘As I said, I believe, in the eyes of your brother, your union is a fait accompli.’
‘So what I want doesn’t matter?’
‘It matters. To me, it matters a great deal. I cannot speak on your brother’s behalf.’
So measured! So reasonable! She wanted to scream.
And yet, he was right—she’d already felt the pain of being the press’s latest object of fascination. For months she’d been hounded after her break up with Matthew. Anyone who’d known either of them had been pressed to give a ‘tell all’ interview. Private photographs had been found and shared in the articles. The invasion had been unbearable. It had been the catalyst for her departure to America.
Regardless of Paris, having an affair with the Sheikh of Ishkana would be huge news. Her people would hate it. Her brother might never forgive her.
She turned back to face him, regretting the concern she saw on his features, because she’d put it there with her silly reactions.
‘You’re right.’ She nodded firmly. ‘I’ll go in the West Gate.’
His eyes lingered on her face a moment longer, as if he was reassuring himself before pulling on the reins, starting the horse back on the path.
At the gate, he paused in the midst of a row of pomegranate trees.
‘Your schedule is busy tomorrow.’
‘I know.’
‘I won’t see you until the afternoon.’
‘At the tour of the masjid?’
‘Yes, I’ll be there too. But we won’t be alone.’ He cupped her face. ‘Tomorrow night, meet me in the forest. Do you remember the way?’
She nodded. ‘I think so.’
‘Good. Just come to the edges of it. I’ll be waiting.’
‘What time?’
He thought of his own schedule, and knew he would clear whatever he needed to be available. ‘I’ll be there from seven. Come when you can.’
Her heart was speeding. Seven o’clock felt like a lifetime away.
He climbed off the horse then reached up and took her hips in his powerful hands, lifting her easily off the back of the stallion. He held her clo
se, and everything that was primal and instinctive stirred to life inside her.
‘As soon as you can,’ he said with a smile, but there was a darkness to that—the overpowering need shifting through them.
‘I will.’
He kissed her—a light touch of his lips to hers—but it wasn’t enough for Johara. She needed more—she didn’t want to leave him. She lifted up, wrapping her arms around his neck, deepening the kiss, her body melded to his, and he made a thick noise in his throat as he held her tight to his body, kissing her back with the same hunger before pulling apart, wrenching himself free, breaking what was already becoming something neither could easily control.
They stared at one another for several seconds before a noise had her breaking away from him, moving quickly to the palace wall and pressing against it. He watched her for several beats before swinging onto his horse, pressing himself low to the neck and riding away.
Johara watched him go, her heart racing, her cheeks hurting from the ridiculous smile she couldn’t shake.
CHAPTER NINE