Carrying the Sheikh's Heir(76)
“When Mostafa called to say you were missing, I thought I was about to relive that moment when I lost Daria and our son. And I was terrified, but not because of what happened in the past and how much it hurt.”
He pulled in a deep breath, his nostrils flaring. “I was terrified because it could happen again, and it would hurt just as much this time as the last. It would hurt because of you, Sheridan.”
Tears filled her eyes then, but she shook her head and wished she could plug her ears. Because the beautiful words didn’t mean what she so desperately wished they meant. They couldn’t. Could they?
“Don’t say that, Rashid. Don’t say things like that to me when you intend to marry someone else someday.”
He held her hard against him and she could feel his heart beating strong and fast. “I don’t intend to marry anyone else, habibti. I said the council wishes it. I even agreed to it because it made political sense, but I am the king and I can change my mind. And I have changed my mind, Sheridan. I don’t want any woman but you. I won’t have any woman in my bed but you. You’re all I need. You and our children.”
Sheridan’s fingers curled into his damp clothes as she squeezed her eyes tight shut and held on. It was as if she’d suddenly gotten onto a crazy merry-go-round and she couldn’t get off. She was dizzy with the feelings ricocheting through her and confused about what was happening.
She pushed away from him until she could see his eyes. “What does this mean, Rashid? I need you to say it plainly. I need to understand.”
He pushed the damp hair off her face. He looked so serious. So worried. “It means that I tried to harden my heart against you, but I failed. It means that I’m terrified about you carrying two babies, and that as much as I might like to spank you right now for what you did tonight, I’d much rather fall to my knees and worship your body and thank Allah that you are mine. It means that I love you, Sheridan, though I tried not to. I’m finished with running from this thing between us.”
The lump in her throat was huge. “This thing between us?”
He laughed softly. “Have you not noticed? It’s incendiary. I touch you, you touch me, and the room goes up in flame. But it’s not just sex, Sheridan. I’ve had sex before, and it doesn’t feel quite like that. With you, I can’t get enough. Not just of sex, but of you. When I’m not with you, I want to be. And when I am with you, I want to be closer. I know you feel these things, too. You would have to in order to put up with me these past few weeks.”
She smoothed her hand over his chest. “Oh, Rashid, just when I think you can’t say anything else that surprises me, you say this. I thought it was just me who couldn’t get enough. I thought I was weak where you were concerned and I kept telling myself I needed to be stronger, that I should tell you no. But I couldn’t.”
“You haven’t said you love me, habibti.” He ran his fingers over her cheek. “And you don’t have to. I already know. And if I had any doubts before, the fact you risked your life to come out here because of a rumor would have erased them all. I’m still angry with you for this, by the way. You should have called me.”
“I wasn’t sure you wouldn’t run away from the question. I had to see your eyes.”
He sighed. “Yes, I understand. But never do this again. If you had perished out there—” He swallowed hard. “I would have perished with you, Sheridan. Do you understand that? I would have perished, too.”
Tears slid down her cheeks again, only this time she felt free enough to lean forward and kiss him. He was hers, really hers, and she wasn’t hiding her feelings another moment. He caught her to him again and kissed her until she was on fire. She was no longer cold, but burning up from the inside out, her entire being filled with flame.