In Pursuit of His Wife(2)

Her fury began to escalate. "First of all, nothing ever existed between  myself and Mac, other than he was attempting to assist me in fooling my  father into believing I'd been compromised."

"He looked as if he would like to compromise you in earnest a few moments ago."

She refused to give credence to his suspicions. "Your imagination is  evidently running wild. And most important, I am not your property,  Sebastian. I will return when I decide to return. If I decide to  return."

"You're my wife. You belong with me."

At least he hadn't said she belonged to him, as if that were any  consolation. "I came here to gain some perspective and I am going to  stay until that is accomplished. You might as well climb back on the jet  and wait at home for word from me."

"I refuse to go until this issue is resolved."

Despite his stubborn attitude, Nasira began to notice how handsome he  looked and knew immediately she would lose her determination if he  stayed. Too much time had passed since they had made love-the one thing  that had always been right with their convenient marriage. Yet that had  been his decision, not hers. "At the very least I will be here until  Rafe and Violet's wedding at the end of the month."

"I'll wait as long as it takes."

She brought out the best argument to convince him to go-the shipping  business he owned and ran. "I cannot believe you would ignore your  duties and abandon the company for any length of time."

"I own the company. I can do what I please."

Such a frustrating man. "Do you have an answer for everything?"

He sent her a slow, easy smile. The smile he had given her all those  years ago from across a very crowded ballroom, as if they had been  thrust into a storybook scene. The smile that had convinced her to enter  into an arrangement to escape her father's clutches. "Have you had  dinner?"

No, and she had begun to feel the effects. "I have not, although Violet has prepared a meal."

"I'm certain she will understand if you would rather dine with your husband. We could continue our discussion then."

While Nasira took a moment to consider her options, the door swung open  again and out walked Rafe, her tall, dark, handsome overly-protective  brother.

He immediately eyed Sebastian with disapproval. "I see you did not follow my advice and remain in London, brother-in-law."

Sebastian looked equally miffed. "And when we spoke by phone two days  ago, I made it quite clear I would make that decision without your  interference."

Nasira stared at her husband before returning her attention to her  sibling. "Rafiq bin Saleed, why did you not tell me you spoke with  Sebastian?"

Rafe did not appear the least bit contrite. "You mentioned on numerous occasions you did not want to be disturbed by him."

"And he refused to allow me to speak with you when you ignored my calls to your cell," Sebastian added.

She despised it when men insisted she could not look after herself.  "You had no right to take the choice out of my hands, Rafe."

"It makes little difference now," Sebastian said. "I'm here and I intend to make the best of the situation."

She only wished she knew what else he intended. That information would  only be gained if she accepted his invitation to dine with him tonight.  "I'm going to accompany Sebastian to dinner. I will be gone an hour or  so."

"Do you believe that is wise, Nasira?" Rafe asked.

"We bloody believe that is none-"

"I can speak for myself, Sebastian. I am no longer your charge, Rafe. I  can take care of myself. Tell Violet I truly appreciate her  hospitality. We should go now, Sebastian, before I change my mind."

With that, Nasira followed Sebastian down the porch steps and when she  didn't immediately spot a sedan, she paused on the pavement. "How did  you arrive here?"

He nodded toward a shiny black truck at the end of the drive. "This is all they had available to rent at the airport."                       
       
           



       

Nasira covered her mouth to keep from laughing. "Oh, my. Can you handle that?"

He looked somewhat incensed over what he apparently considered an  insult to his masculinity. "Of course I can handle it. I made it here,  did I not?"

"All right," she said, and then continued toward the monstrosity.

Once there, Sebastian opened the passenger door and held out his hand. "Your cowboy chariot, madam. Let me assist you."

"I am almost six feet tall, Sebastian. I can manage climbing into a truck by myself."

"Only trying to be a gentleman, Sira."

The sound of his pet name for her stopped Nasira in her tracks. "Do you know how long it has been since you called me that?"

He winked. "Perhaps too long."

She had no clue where all the charm and machismo had been hiding.  Following the miscarriage, he had spent long hours at work and little  time with her. Perhaps he had turned a corner that would lead to change.  Only time would tell. In the interim, Nasira would remain cautiously  optimistic.

* * *

As they sat in the red booth in the Royal Diner, Sebastian found his  wife to be predictably cool. And as always, very beautiful. The white  cotton dress fit her to perfection, contrasting with her long, dark hair  draped over her slender shoulders. Since her departure, he'd spent many  a night in their bed, longing for her company. Since the loss of their  child, he'd spent most of his time avoiding her out of fear. Not fear of  her. Fear of losing her. Yet that was exactly what he had done by  pushing her away. A bloody self-fulfilling prophecy that he couldn't  explain without baring raw emotions.

Pushing the thoughts away, he turned his attention to the  plastic-covered menu and scanned the unpalatable selections. "What do  you recommend, Sira? The double cheeseburger or the fried catfish  plate?"

That earned him her smile. "I realize this place isn't exactly your cup of tea, but I find it charming."

"I find it overly quaint and a heart attack waiting to happen."

"They do have salads and I hear the grilled chicken is very good."

He closed the menu and set it aside. "I will make do with the limited choices."

"What are you having?"

A tremendous urge to kiss her. "I'm going to sample the steak. And you?"

She laid the red-checkered napkin in her lap. "Definitely a salad."

"You should eat something a bit heartier. You're too thin."

"I am the same weight as I was before I left London."

"I'm only concerned about you, Sira."

She sent him a skeptical look. "Oh really? Where was all this concern over the past six months?"

He didn't feel this was the time or the place to get into such a  serious subject, and thankfully a waitress arrived to interrupt their  conversation.

She patted her rather large blond hair, pulled a pencil from behind her  ear and a notepad from the pocket of the red apron. "Howdy. I'm Darla.  What can I get the two of you darlin's to drink? Maybe some sweet tea?"

He couldn't quite fathom these strange Texas customs. "I prefer to sweeten my tea myself. With sugar and milk."

"She means cold tea," Nasira said. "I will take a glass with lemon."

He needed something much stronger to make it through this evening. "Bring me ale."

The woman raised a painted eyebrow. "Ginger ale?"

Bloody hell. "Beer."

"Sebastian, I cannot drive that truck," Nasira said. "For that reason, I suggest you forego the ale."

She did have a point and in accordance with his plan, he needed to prove himself worthy of her company. "Water will be fine."

"With lemon?" Darla asked.

"Why not? If that is fine with my wife."

Nasira frowned. "Of course it is. And I would like a salad with the dressing on the side."

"She would also like the grilled chicken," Sebastian added despite  Nasira's disapproving look. "I'll have the rib eye. Make certain it's  cooked through."

Darla looked somewhat appalled. "You mean well done?"

"Precisely."

The waitress jotted down the order then gathered the menus. "You two aren't from around here, are you?"                       
       
           



       

Sebastian sent her a mock grin. "What gave us away?"

"The men around here order their meat rare." With that, Darla waddled away, muttering under her breath.

Nasira immediately turned a sharp gaze on him. "Why do you insist on doing that?"

He opted to play ignorant. "Doing what?"

"Ordering my meals for me. I am quite capable of deciding what and how much I eat."

"I've always ordered for you, Sira."