Prince Nadir's Secret Heir(78)

                ‘My pleasure. I hope you enjoyed the oasis. It’s one of my favourite spots.’

                ‘It was extraordinary and I don’t know why it isn’t already on everyone’s top ten tourist destinations. Really, Nadir, your ideas for turning it into an eco-resort are second to none.’

                ‘You are second to none, habibi. Now, please tell me you have changed your mind about us spending the night before our wedding alone.’

                Imogen pulled back and made a face. ‘I haven’t. You know it’s a tradition for the bride and groom to spend the evening apart and I want to start our marriage off on the right foot.’ And usually the bride spent it with her friends but Caro and Minh hadn’t been able to fly in until tomorrow so it was just going to be her and Nadeena once Nadir left. ‘But what about Zachim? I know you’re really worried about him now and if you want to postpone the wedding we can.’

                ‘No.’ He shook his head. ‘The council have turned it into a big deal so it’s important that our wedding goes ahead. I’ll find Zach.’

                ‘And if you don’t?’

                ‘I will.’

                He was always so confident. So sure.

                ‘Tell me, are you happy, habibi?’

                Imogen hesitated. Would she jinx herself by saying yes? Because she was happy. Happier than she had been in a long time. Deciding that was a silly superstition anyway, she nodded. ‘Yes, I am.’

                He kissed the tip of her nose and went to the cot to kiss his daughter, who lay sprawled asleep on her back, and Imogen wrapped her arms around herself and wondered if she had a right to feel so contented.

                ‘Goodnight.’

                Nadir gave her a searing kiss that nearly had her changing her mind about tradition but then he pulled away, briefly rested his forehead against hers and left.

                Imogen closed the door behind him and leant against it, which was when she realised that she was still wearing his keffiyah.

                Pulling it from her head, she clutched it to her chest as she remembered him winding it around her head to keep the sun from burning her. She sighed. Already she felt lonely without him and she told herself it was dangerous to want him so much. Dangerous to rely on him so much. But, try as she might, she couldn’t remove the grin from her face.

                Her phone beeped a text message and she smiled when she saw it was from Minh, telling her they would be arriving tomorrow around noon. Since the wedding wasn’t until the afternoon, that would give them time to catch up beforehand.

                When she had invited them she had been feeling as if her world was crashing down around her and she’d desperately needed their support.

                It had only been a couple of days ago that she’d felt that way and yet so much had happened since then it felt like months. Now she was glad they were coming, not so much for the support and friendship they would offer but because they would be sharing in what was going to be one of the happiest days of her life.

                Nerves fluttered in her stomach but she steadfastly refused to give into them and headed towards the shower.





                                      CHAPTER FOURTEEN

                NADIR HAD NEVER been one to suffer from nerves and yet today, his wedding day, he was as jumpy as a stock trader facing his first day on the floor.