He’s twelve, he reminded himself as he moved away from Nimr, easing his way through the crowd, hopefully unobtrusively but heading for his fiancée nonetheless.
‘We’ll have to lead the way into dinner,’ he said when he arrived, taking Marni’s arm in a possessive grasp. ‘It’s the way things are done.’
‘Oh, but dinner won’t be for ages,’ Karim told him, ‘and there must be people you have to see.’
‘People Marni has to meet as well,’ Gaz said firmly, at the same time telling himself he couldn’t possibly be jealous of a twelve year old boy.
He was leading Marni towards Ismah’s husband when two youngish men swerved into their path—Nimr’s youngest brothers, unmarried as yet and more than a little wild. He introduced Marni and was pleased at their manners, although, as they moved away, Marni smiled and said, ‘The wild ones of the family?’
The effect of the smile left him floundering to catch up with the question, and he had to find an echo of it in his head before it made sense.
‘What makes you ask?’
Even that was a stalling tactic—he was still trying to come to grips with why a smile would stir his blood and have his body thinking about ravishment.
Marriage or distance—they were the only two options—and hadn’t he promised he wouldn’t rush her into marriage?
Well, not actually promised…
Although marriage hadn’t been an issue when he’d asked her to pretend to the betrothal!
‘They look like young men who are constantly seeking amusement—the kind that usually leads to trouble. I’ve met young men like them staying as guests at the hotel, young men with too much money and too much time on their hands, always looking for what they call fun but which often translates into something illegal.’
He heard the words but his mind was still following his body down the sex trail so he took little notice, although the word ‘hotel’ registered enough to give him the glimmer of an idea.
‘Will you give me your grandfather’s phone number? I should have asked before. I must phone him to—’
Marni giggled.
‘To ask for my hand in marriage? Oh, really, Gaz! That is so old-fashioned. Besides, he is in hospital. Nelson emailed this afternoon to say the operation will be within the next few days.’
The giggle—such an inconsequential thing—had further activated the inappropriate desire he was feeling, but the idea was even better now. Out there, in Australia, anything might happen…
‘Then we should fly out right away. You will want to be there when he has the operation and I can stay in the hotel so I don’t put your Mr Nelson out at all.’
Pale eyes looked up at him, no mirth in them now, only fear and sorrow.
‘He definitely doesn’t want me there, Gaz,’ she said softly. ‘That’s the main reason I’m over here. He’s a proud man and doesn’t want me to see him all weak and tied to tubes in the ICU, or have me around while he’s recovering. I promised him I’d stay away.’
‘But you’ll be riven with worry and concern and feel helpless because you’re so far away.’
She tried a smile but it wavered with apprehension and he wondered if the response that burned through his body might not be more than lust.
‘I’ll just have to deal with it, won’t I?’ she said, the smile getting better. ‘I promised! Besides, I’d be just as helpless there! I know he’s in the best possible hands.’
‘Ghazi, you must not monopolise your betrothed in this manner!’
Alima had appeared and before he could object, she whisked Marni away.
He’d drive her back to Tasnim’s later! At least that way they could kiss.
But wouldn’t kisses make the longing worse, the desire stronger?
Maybe putting some distance between them would be better…
Marni allowed herself to be led through the crowd, introduced to this one and that, realising Gaz had been right, she’d never remember all the names. Meena would be easy. She was very like Tasnim in looks.
‘We are full sisters,’ the pretty woman explained, ‘the daughters of our father’s third wife, the one before Ghazi’s mother.’
‘I was just thinking I’ll never remember everyone’s names and now you’re making me realise I’ll have to remember relationships as well.’
Meena touched her softly on the arm.
‘Do not worry. It will come to you in time. For the moment, it is more than enough for us all that Ghazi is happy—that he has found the right woman to love.’
The ‘love’ word had its almost predictable effect in Marni’s chest, but she was getting used to it so ignored it, reminding Meena instead that it wasn’t love but an arrangement made by her father.