One Hot Desert Night(26)

       
           



       

* * *

"Wake up, Sunshine. It's happening!"

Sunny pried her eyes open, glanced at Piper then remembered Rayad's  late-night visit. She turned her head to see only an empty space beside  her, and for once she appreciated his habit of sneaking off without  waking her.

She sat up against the headboard and yawned. "Okay, Pookie. What's got your drawers in a wad this morning?"

"Maysa's in labor. Actually, she's been in labor all night. The doctor says it should be any time now."

"Why aren't you at the hospital?"

Piper rolled her eyes. "She's not in the hospital. She's in her suite.  Apparently, tradition dictates that a future king is born at the palace,  barring any emergency."

Of all the archaic practices, this had to top the list. "What if she has to have a C-section?"

Piper plopped down on the end of the bed. "According to Rafiq, they've  prepared for that and have a makeshift operating room set up in the  basement and an ambulance standing by. But it looks like she's going to  deliver without any problems."

Sunny threw the covers aside, thankful she'd put on a T-shirt last  night, and that she didn't find any obvious evidence of Rayad's  presence. "I'll take a quick shower and join you."

"Meet me upstairs in the family sitting room," Piper said on her way to  the door. "But hurry. I want you to be there when they bring the baby  out. No one knows if it's a boy or a girl."

"I bet it's one or the other," Sunny called to her sister, but the snide comment clearly feel on deaf ears.

As much as she liked Rafiq and Maysa, she wasn't in the mood to  celebrate a birth. But the prospect of seeing Rayad again drove her from  the bed to complete her morning routine. Provided he actually showed  up.

* * *

He did not want to be there, yet family loyalty overrode his wants and  desires. He had been watching the clock for well over an hour, when he  had not been thinking about his night with Sunny.

As if those memories had come to life, she appeared in the doorway,  dressed in the flowing blue caftan he had purchased for her in the  village and a pair of gold sandals. She looked as beautiful as she had  the first time he had seen her standing beneath the palace portico. Her  blond hair curled around her slender shoulders, bringing to mind the  times he had kissed her there. He took a visual journey across her face,  his gaze coming to rest on her lips to find her smile was absent. He  was to blame for that, as well as the sadness in her eyes.

Following the lead of the rest of the men present in the room, Rayad  came to his feet, battling the urge to go to her and kiss her soundly.  For that reason, he thought it best to avoid her at all costs.

As unwelcome fate would have it, she crossed the room and claimed the  chair next to his. "Did you finally get some sleep?" she asked with a  smile.

"Some," he muttered. "And you?"

"Same here. Are you okay?"

He recognized the referral to his emotional breakdown, a subject he did not wish to broach. "I am ready to return to my duties."

"Of course you are."

The venom in her tone filled him with regret, and the wish that he could  be the man who would grant her every desire. An impossible undertaking.

When the conversation ceased, Rayad grabbed a magazine from the side  table and pretended to read. The room remained abuzz with speculation  over the child's gender, creating an atmosphere that hindered his  concentration. Having Sunny so close did not help his predicament,  either.

If only he could find an excuse to leave before the birth, yet that  would be too obvious. If only the queen would get on with it.

"Ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention please."

Rayad glanced up from the magazine to see the balding, bespectacled  Deeb, the palace's executive assistant, standing in the entry. The man  cleared his throat twice before he garnered everyone's attention.

"It is with great pride, and the parents' blessing, that I present to  you Bajul's newest royal son, Prince Ahmed ibn Rafiq Mehdi."

A son. Rayad froze the moment Rafiq walked into the room, the infant  cradled in his arms. All the memories he had tried so mightily to keep  at bay came rushing in on him. The crowd gathered around the newborn  thwarted any escape, and he realized Sunny was at the forefront of the  celebration.

"May I hold him?" he heard her ask, and Rafiq granted her request,  though Rayad found that odd since she was not a blood relative.

He also found it odd that she seemed to be approaching him, her gaze  unwavering. He was completely astonished when she arrived and handed him  the child. "This is what it's all about, Rayad. This new baby is a sign  that life does go on even during the darkest of times."                       
       
           



       

He looked down on the sleeping child and remembered, not with bitterness  and regret, but with wonder. He silently welcomed this boy into the  world and prayed that no harm would ever come to him. Yet when the pain  of remembrance became too great, he intended to hand him back to Sunny,  and found her gone.

And there he stood, holding a child that was not his, and with little hope of ever having another.





 Ten

Sunny wasn't surprised when Rayad stormed into the suite, primed for a  confrontation. That had been her plan all along. A chance to implement  Sunny's Last Stand.

"You had no right or cause to put me through such agony," he said, his voice teeming with fury.

She kept right on packing her toiletries, as if he'd told her he  appreciated the gesture. "Like it or not, you needed a wake-up call."

He strode across the room and stood at the foot of the bed, hands fisted  at his sides like he wanted to throw a punch. "That is not for you to  decide."

She afforded him only a brief glance before resuming her preparation for  departure. "Someone had to do it, Rayad, and it might as well be me."

"I resent your intrusion."

After zipping the carry-on, she calmly picked it up from the bench and  then set it on the floor with the larger bag. Only then did she give him  her full attention. "As of tomorrow, I'll be out of here and out of  your life for good."

"Where are you going?"

Funny, he sounded almost disappointed. "Back to Atlanta then back to work."

"Why so soon?"

"I'd think that would be obvious. This palace isn't big enough for the  both of us. As long as you're here, I can't get over you, and that is  unacceptable. But before I go, I have a few things I need to say."

He took the chair in the corner, crossed his slack-covered legs like a  gentleman, and said, "Please. Be my guest. That should allow me time to  calm enough not to say something I will later regret."

She chose the bedpost spot that he'd recently vacated to give it her  best effort before giving up. "First, I sincerely didn't mean to hurt  you today by handing you the baby. I only wanted to force you to realize  that life renews itself, if only you'll let it. My mistake."

He streaked a hand over his jaw. "We have been through this before."

"Secondly," she continued. "I love you, Rayad. More than you will ever  know. But I won't stay another minute and watch you die inside a little  more each day because you can't forgive yourself."

He uncrossed his legs and lowered his head. "I do not merit forgiveness."

She went to him, knelt down and laid her hands on his thighs. "Yes, you  do. And someday you'll wake up alone and realize you've missed out on a  future full of happiness and love. Do you really want to face that, or  would you rather spend your days with a woman who both loves and accepts  you unconditionally?"

He took her hands, came to his feet while simultaneously pulling her  into his arms. They embraced for several moments before he let her go  and sought her eyes. "I do not understand what you see in me, Sunny, nor  do I understand how you so readily accepted my many transgressions. I  am honored to have met such a remarkable woman."

There it was-the inevitable goodbye. She refused to shed a tear, even  though they threatened to make an appearance. She'd rather part on good  terms and a smile, which she gave him. "I'm not so remarkable, Rayad.  I'm just your average girl who hopes to one day find a guy who loves her  like crazy."

"I wish that could be me. Since it cannot, I have no doubt you will find a man who better deserves you."

Hard for her to imagine that now that she'd found the best. Too bad he  didn't realize it. "Thanks for the optimistic outlook on my future  partner, and most important, for giving me back my confidence."

"It was always there, Sunny. You did not need my assistance, only  minimal prodding. Rest assured I would not take back those moments with  you, and our lovemaking meant more to me than you realize."