Gambling With the Crown(75)

                But then the man halted in front of a door flanked by two tall guards with swords that she was positive weren’t just ceremonial. After a quick conversation, her escort turned to her. “Are you prepared, Your Highness?”

                Emily blinked. He’d called her that three times now, but she was no longer Kadir’s wife. It was a mistake, but one that rattled her. “Prepared for what?”

                “To appear before the council.”

                “The council?”

                He didn’t answer, just flung the door wide and stood back so Emily could enter. Her legs trembled as she stood in the entry to the grand room, but she told herself it was no worse than attending meetings with Kadir in his other life. She’d often sat off to one side and listened to people fight over business while she took notes. How could this be any worse?

                She went into the room and ground to a halt as she realized this wasn’t a small meeting. The entire council ringed the room on a dais, their faces stern and unfriendly. Emily swallowed. But then a man stood up at the far end of the room and her eyes flew to him.

                Kadir.

                He looked magnificent in a black dishdasha trimmed in gold. Around his waist was a wide belt with a ceremonial dagger and on his head he wore a white kaffiyeh held in place with a golden igal. Her heart throbbed with love and relief at the sight of him—and, yes, annoyance. She wanted to go to him, but she knew she could not. She remained where she was and waited for someone to tell her what the hell was going on.

                Kadir stepped off the dais and came toward her and the trembling in her legs grew stronger. His face was hard and dark and beloved. He was remote and handsome and she reminded herself that she had faced this situation many times before as his PA. She’d stood beside him and not shown an iota of emotion. She could certainly do so now, even if her heart cried out for him.

                “Your Majesty,” she said, dropping her chin when he strode up to her. The council could not fail to approve of that, she decided.

                “Emily.” He reached out, and then he was tilting her chin up until she had to look at him. His eyes were softer than before and she swallowed.

                “Why am I here?” Her voice was a whisper because she could not manage anything more.

                He took her hand and lifted it to his lips, and her body sizzled with that simple touch. “Because I need you.”





                                      CHAPTER FOURTEEN

                EMILY SWALLOWED AND warned herself sternly not to read anything into this. Kadir had said he needed her many times over their four years together. Usually he needed her to take notes, make calls, reschedule meetings. Last night he’d needed her in a different way, and while her body melted at the memory of everything they’d done together, she would not allow herself to be weak now when she’d been strong for so long.

                “Surely you have people who can take notes for you.”

                His grin was unexpected and her heart skipped a beat. “This is why I love you, Emily. You say things to me that no one else would. You make me laugh.”

                Emily’s lungs refused to fill for a long moment. “Please don’t say those words to me. I’m in no place to take them as a joke right now.”

                He frowned. “I am doing this badly, then. They were not meant as a joke.”