Jacqui sucked in a stunned breath. ‘You love me?’ Her heart stuttered then sped to a gallop. She tried to sit back, to digest this, but his hand slid to the back of her neck, warm and compelling, keeping her close.
‘I don’t deserve you, not after the pain I caused us.’ He breathed deep, his chest expanding mightily. ‘But I love you, Jacqueline Fletcher. It took me less than a day after you’d left to realise my fatal mistake. I drove you away, not because I didn’t care but because I cared too much. I was too cowardly to face that.’
Jacqui blinked. She could read his expression now. It was open and clear. The light she saw there shone like a beacon in the grey that had shrouded her since she’d left him.
‘I admire you, habibti. I’m fascinated by you, more attracted than I’ve been to any woman—and I admit there have been a few in my past.’ A slashing gesture summarily dismissed them all.
‘I care about you. Your happiness is more important than my own. I’ve never felt that with any woman, but I want only good things for you. I want to spend my life cherishing you and building our lives together. If I hadn’t been a coward at Asada I’d have recognised it then.’ He shook his head. ‘I’d been too busy believing I could control my feelings, never guessing I’d loved you for weeks.’
‘You had?’ Jacqui was dazed, drinking in his words.
‘At least from the night you wore the silver dress.’ His eyes glittered with a heat that scorched her from her cheeks to her toes. ‘I told myself I was seducing you but all along it was you with your innocence and honesty and courage, seducing me.’ He smiled. ‘Or maybe it was even earlier. You were in my thoughts all the time.’
Jacqui told herself dreams couldn’t come true this easily.
‘But I’m not like the women on your list. I’m not aristocratic or—’
‘You’re the woman I want, Jacqueline. No list would do you justice.’
‘What about your parents? You said...’
Asim shook his head. ‘I said a lot of things. Most of it rubbish. How could I fear what we have together? We’re not my parents. You’re strong, courageous and loyal and I...’ He shrugged those broad shoulders. ‘I rely on you to teach me about love.’
Jacqui slipped one hand free and covered his, her heart swelling. ‘You’re already an expert, Asim. Your love for Samira and your grandmother is there for all to see.’
‘Does that mean you’ll have me? You forgive me?’ His voice, a gravel whisper, dragged like a rough caress across her skin.
‘Asim! Are you asking what I think you’re asking? Here on a Melbourne street corner?’ A bubble of hysterical laughter threatened, fed by shock.
‘Why not? Unless you’d prefer I got down on one knee. Is that how it’s done here?’
His chair scraped back on the pavement and Jacqui lunged forward, grabbing both his forearms.
‘You can’t be serious!’ She glanced around to see a crowd had gathered, barely held back by his bodyguards. Even the traffic seemed to have slowed and, sure enough, at least one cameraman had his lens trained on them.
‘I’ve never been more serious about anything in my life. I want you as my lover, my wife, my queen.’
‘But...’ Words failed her. Her heart was so full she felt like laughing and crying at the same time. And hugging Asim and never letting him go. ‘But you can’t propose here. Look at me: I’m wearing an old cardigan!’
Asim’s face broke into a smile that stole her breath all over again. ‘You’ll start a trend, my darling. All the fashionistas will want one in just that shade of brown.’
He stood, pulling her to her feet, his body sheltering her from the crowd.
‘Very well, I’ll take you somewhere more suitable and ask you to be my bride.’ His face sobered, his hold tightening. ‘On condition you promise to say yes.’
Jacqui stared up at the one man in the world she’d ever love and understood for the first time that phrase about your heart singing. Hers was doing it right now.
‘Jacqueline?’ Was that fear in Asim’s voice?
She lifted her palm to his face and sighed at the dear familiarity of him.
‘That can be arranged, Your Highness. On condition you take me somewhere very, very private. After this...’ she gestured to the thronged footpath ‘...I want you all to myself.’
Asim’s eyes glittered with a promise she’d never been able to resist and his mouth curved in a smile of pure satisfaction. Jacqui didn’t bother to protest when he scooped her into his arms and strode to the limousine waiting at the kerb.