‘I suggest a week.’ His eyes held hers as if daring her to disagree. ‘A week where we’d be totally alone.’
Rosanna couldn’t help it, she shivered in pleasure at the prospect.
What was happening to her? This was totally outside her realm of experience, yet instead of being shocked or hesitant, she couldn’t wait.
Rosanna moistened her dry mouth with her tongue. ‘When?’
Salim’s attention lifted from her lips and she was thrilled to read arousal in his hooded eyes.
‘As soon as I can manage it. I’ll get Taqi onto it straight away. It will take a little time to reschedule everything and clear my diary so we can go away together.’
‘We’re going away?’
‘Definitely. We want absolute privacy for what I have in mind. Only one or two people whom I trust absolutely will be aware that we’re together. That way we can protect your reputation and not give rise to gossip.’ He paused. ‘Does that sound okay?’
More than okay. The fact that he wasn’t just considering the need to slake his desire, but aiming to protect her privacy, meant a lot.
In many ways Salim had the qualities Rosanna appreciated in a man. He was thoughtful as well as decisive and he cared about others. From what she’d gathered his decision to choose a bride was prompted by the need to allay others’ fears over the lack of an heir. He took his responsibilities seriously.
‘You think it will solve our problem?’
‘I do.’
‘Then,’ she admitted, ‘I think it’s a great idea.’
The only difficulty would be trying to keep up the appearance of professionalism in the meantime.
‘Excellent.’
He looked like a man who’d just sealed a great deal.
Suddenly Rosanna felt uncomfortable, sitting here, calculating how to have an affair. She wanted it yet at the same time she felt...
What do you expect? To be swept into his arms as if the world didn’t matter? To be wooed with promises of happy ever after?
Instantly a metal wall clanged down in her brain.
No more false promises. No more hazy romantic daydreams. This was the real world.
She slipped her hands from Salim’s and wrenched her gaze away too. She found herself looking down at her bright blue dress, discarded on the floor. She still had to find a way back to her room without anyone seeing her looking as if—
‘It’s time I left. I’ll get my clothes and go.’
As she watched a large hand covered hers. ‘Soon. But there’s something we need to do first.’
‘What’s that?’
Rosanna made the mistake of looking up. Her pulse stuttered as she read the heat in Salim’s expression and the curling smile on his lips.
‘We need to seal our deal.’ He paused, then lifted her hand, skimming his lips over her knuckles and watching as she tried and failed not to quiver. ‘After all, it could be days and days, not to mention long nights, before we’re alone again, Rosanna. I think we deserve a little indulgence now to keep us going. Don’t you?’
Salim leaned close, one hand on her shoulder, and she found herself lying on the bed looking up into that hard, handsome face, all thoughts of leaving disintegrating.
Beyond him a shaft of dying daylight hit a constellation of stars on that beautiful, indigo ceiling. A reminder that she was totally out of her depth, playing dangerous games with a powerful royal in a world she didn’t fully understand.
But none of that mattered as Salim undid the buttons on the shirt that covered her and straddled her hips. When his mouth found hers Rosanna sighed and clutched him close. Time enough to worry about it all later.
CHAPTER NINE