Her desert knight(32)

It would take some cunning.

* * *

Dani had been at her computer since lunchtime, typing letters. Buoyed  by her positive experience at the American school-from which a job offer  seemed almost certain-she'd decided to broaden her horizons. She'd  polished her resumé and written letters of introduction to five  different universities with art history or history programs that  featured a strong interest in Near Eastern art. She was putting the  final touches on them and intended to sleep on them and, if she were  still feeling bold enough, to email them out tomorrow morning. One of  them was to a department at Harvard. Unlikely as it seemed, she was  opening the door to going to Boston all by herself.

And all the activity kept her from thinking about Quasar, who had somehow engineered the return of her father's land.

She missed him so much that her belly ached. The urge to text him, just  to say hi, was almost irresistible. She yearned to hear his deep, rich  voice in her ear, even if it were only through her phone speaker. She  wanted to speak with him about her plans and get his opinion of her  letters. She craved his encouragement and support even as she told  herself she could get along fine without it.

He'd been true to his word and let her go. And right now she felt like a complete idiot for letting him.

"Dani!" Her brother's voice accompanied his sharp knock on her door. "Dad's calling you."

She frowned. Why didn't he just come get her? Why send her brother? "Coming."

She saved her document and closed it. She'd been so busy and wrapped up  in her plans she hadn't noticed it was nearly dinnertime. She washed  her hands and smoothed her hair and tried not to laugh-or cry-at her  lovelorn expression in the mirror. Two tiny dark smudges had formed  under her eyes, making her look like a mournful maiden from an ancient  miniature. Or a zombie. She sighed. Sooner or later she'd get over  Quasar and the dark rings would go away again. She probably just needed  more exercise.                       
       
           



       

"Dani, what's keeping you?" Her father's gruff voice startled her out  of rubbing her fingers on her face and pinching color into her cheeks.

"I'm on my way. What's the rush?"

"We have a visitor."

"Who?"

"Come here." Maybe her aunt Riya had stopped by to say hello.

She turned into the hallway, and saw a tall silhouette just inside the door. Her heart started to pound. It was Quasar.

"Hello, Dani." That familiar, rough yet smooth voice sent excitement coursing through her.

"Hello, Quasar." She tried to sound cool and noncommittal as her blood  heated several degrees. Why was he here? Should she be mad at him for  breaking his promise to stay away, or thrilled that he cared enough to  come back?

A broad smile widened her dad's mouth and his body language suggested  that Quasar was an old friend rather than a sworn enemy with undesirable  designs against his daughter. Apparently the priceless gift of  oceanfront property had earned him a place in her father's heart. Had he  done that for her?

"Come, Khalid and Jalil. Let's leave them in peace." Dani stared as her  father ushered her brothers out into the garden, leaving her and Quasar  alone in the house.

"What's going on?" She blinked, suddenly confused. She'd forgotten how  tall he was, and how broad his shoulders were. The sight of him, blue  eyes flashing, was enough to dazzle her completely.

"Dani." He took her hands, enveloping them in his. As usual, this  action had a disturbing effect on her entire body. "I know you told me  to stay away from you, and I did for as long as I could possibly stand.  Now I'm going to ask you something very important and I want you to  think carefully about your answer. What you say now will affect both of  our lives, one way or the other, so take your time."

She stared at him. He must be about to propose marriage. What else  would come with such dramatic foreshadowing? She'd have to say no, of  course. They didn't know each other well enough.

And she was far too deeply in love to make any kind of rational decision about it.

"Why did you give my father the land?" The question had burned in her brain since she'd seen the contract.

"I wanted to solve a problem."

"But it wasn't your problem. It was between your brother Salim and my  father." There was something so chivalrous about his attempt to bridge  the divide between their two families. His efforts touched her deeply.

"It's important to me that both of them are happy. I sincerely hope I'll be able to make that happen."

"I can't believe you just gave it to him as a gift. It's worth...I have  no idea what it's worth." More than a million, for sure. She tried to  rein in her enthusiasm. Quasar had done all this behind her back,  without her knowledge or consent.

"It's worth whatever someone is willing to pay for it."

"I really don't want to know what you were willing to pay for it." A  chill slithered down her spine. "Why did you give it to him?"

"Why do you think?" As usual he looked calm and rather pleased with  himself. Which under the circumstances could be adorable or infuriating,  or both.

"To buy his approval of you having a relationship with me." No point in beating about the bush.

"I like the way you don't mince words." He squeezed her hands, which  were either ice-cold, or boiling hot; she couldn't really tell anymore.

"But what if I don't want a relationship with you?" She tried to keep  her voice steady while emotion threatened to close her throat. She  wanted a relationship with him desperately. But not desperately enough  to risk her independence, her self-esteem, her heart. "What if I feel a  whole lot safer by myself?"

He frowned. "Dani, I won't ever force you to do anything you don't want  to. I won't ever boss you around or treat you with anything less than  the utmost respect. We can have it written into the marriage contract,  if you like."

"Marriage?" Her voice emerged as a squeak. She'd seen this coming yet she still felt herself grow dizzy.

"I don't want you to be my girlfriend, or to reluctantly accept a  research grant from me. I love you. I want you to be my wife, my partner  in life, my soul mate and the person I turn to every day to give and  receive love and support." He inhaled a shaky breath. "Say you will,  Dani. Please say you will."

She swallowed as conflicting emotions battled in her heart. "You just commanded me to say yes."

Confusion darkened his eyes. "I didn't mean it as a command. I was imploring you."                       
       
           



       

"Beseeching me." She giggled. Probably nerves. Quasar Al Mansur had  just begged her to be his wife, and parted with millions to gain the  privilege of asking her, and she had no idea what to say.

Of course her brain and body were screaming at her to agree.

Even though moments ago she'd been sure that she should calmly say no.

A weird shiver of excitement was rising from her toes, creeping up her  limbs and torso and along her arms. Exciting possibilities unfolded  before her-visions of a new life filled with love and hope and joy.

She was going to accept.

If this man loved her enough to do all this for her, it was worth the  risk to take a leap of faith with him. "What was the question again? I'm  not sure if you even asked me."

"Dani Hassan, will you be my wife?"

"Yes." She said it so fast it came out like a gasp. The sense of relief  she felt afterward almost made her collapse in his arms. She'd made her  decision and she knew in her heart that it was the right one.

He didn't say anything at all. His gaze softened and he inhaled a slow  and steady breath. "Thank you. I promise I'll make you glad you married  me." His wide, confident mouth broadened back into a smile, then she  lost sight of it as he leaned in and kissed her with more passion than  she'd ever dared to dream of.





      Epilogue

Dani opened the front door, then stepped aside as the men burst into  the house laughing and singing. Quasar led the way, followed by Dani's  brothers, Khalid and Jalil, and Quasar's brothers, Elan and Salim. Her  father brought up the rear in a rather dignified manner. "It's not easy  to follow Omani wedding customs here in Boston," Quasar explained to her  with a kiss. "We're really supposed to play drums, fire shots into the  air and drive from my house to yours flashing our lights and honking  horns the whole way, but I don't want us all to get arrested for  disturbing the peace."

They'd decided to drive into Cambridge and cruise around MIT in a limo blasting the stereo instead.