“Because. You’re born to rule a country.”
“My brother is Sheikh.”
“Yes. But that doesn’t change the fact that you spent your life learning to be a ruler.” A frown formed on her features. He ached to wipe it away. “This is … different for you. It’s a novelty. But I can’t see how that won’t fade.”
“You have so little faith in your appeal?”
“To a man like you? Absolutely.”
He propped up on one elbow. “You are the most captivating woman I have ever known. And believe me, I have known many.”
“Gee, thanks,” she muttered.
His laugh was soft. “I am saying that no woman I have been with before can compare to you. You are unique. Beautiful inside and out.”
“Thank you,” she whispered, wishing she could believe it.
“I am happy to conceal the nature of our relationship from Jordan,” he said thoughtfully. “But not that there is a relationship. I want to see more of you. And him. I want to come here often, not just after nine o’clock at night. I want you to come to my apartment, too.”
“He’ll know …”
“He’s five years old,” Ra’if reminded her. “He is not to know that we’re not just very good friends.”
“That doesn’t solve the problem of him getting attached to you,” she said gently. “And I won’t gamble with his heart like that.”
Okay. So she didn’t trust him yet. Definitely not enough to tell her the whole sordid truth of his background. “Why don’t you decide day by day?” He said finally, knowing it was her place to control the boundaries as they related to her son. “Just take it as fact that I want to be in your life as much as you are willing to let me.” And just the way he said it, Melinda knew what such consideration cost him. How foreign it must be for a man who had been born as a King to defer to her wishes. And that made her appreciate it all the more.
Her smile was so bright it shimmered like gold dust. “Okay.”
“What else?” He prompted.
“Well,” she thought long and hard, and when she spoke, her words were tinged with shy confession. “We’re not just about sex.”
His laugh was a rumble. “I am glad to hear you concur.”
“But I don’t think we should get ahead of ourselves. I think it’s better … I’d feel better … if we just keep things light. This is all really new and Jordan’s isn’t the only heart I don’t want to gamble.”
She definitely didn’t trust him. Yet.
And he could work on that.
“Fine by me,” he smiled encouragingly. “Anything else?”
Melinda shook her head and sighed. It was confusing and tenuous and new and scary, but maybe – just maybe – everything was going to work out for her, just this once.
CHAPTER NINE
“I’m starting to think this isn’t fair,” she murmured, the hint of a smile pulling at her lips.
“Oh?”
“Yeah.”
“Why is that?”
She studied the board, and their hands of cash and grimaced. “There seems to be a pretty unequitable split of funds, here.”
“I warned you. I’m a Monopoly fiend.”