Protecting the Desert Princess(61)

                ‘It was my pleasure.’

                She opened her eyes and knew she wanted to open her eyes to him every morning; it felt as if this was the way the world should be for ever, with Mikael on the pillow beside her.

                His eyes roamed her face and he took her hand. He had never wanted love and yet here it was now—and he was about to lose it.

                ‘Marry me?’

                She heard the words and they made her chest hurt. They made her eyes sting and they made her heart soar—and yet it plummeted in the next instant at the absolute impossibility of any future for them, so she answered him in the way that must serve them best.

                She laughed.

                ‘Layla…’ He would not be swayed. ‘I will sort it with your family. I will speak with your brother…’

                ‘Mikael, you would be bored without your cases.’

                ‘I mean marry me and live here,’ he said, and she sat up and hugged her knees to her chest.

                ‘Mikael, I live in a palace. As beautiful as your home is, do you really think I would want to give up my life?’

                He said nothing.

                ‘Will you give up your life and live in Ishla?’

                He took a breath. ‘If you let me speak with your family we can work out exactly what we want.’

                ‘You really think my father would entertain the idea?’ Again Layla laughed. ‘Of course not. And so it is time for me to return to my family. I told you that if you gave me one more night then I would return happy. Now I keep that promise to you.’

                Mikael sat as she headed to the bathroom. There was no request for assistance this time; in fact she closed the door.

                Layla stared at her reflection for a very long time, telling herself over and over that she could do this. Reminding herself that she was going back to a family whom she loved very much.

                Except on the other side of the door was a man she loved in a different way; he was there in her heart, and she felt right now as if that heart was breaking.

                She pulled on her silver dress and slippers and felt as if she was dressing for her own execution.

                Mikael!

                She wanted to scream his name, to plead for him to sort this, to go to bed now and wake up in a year in his arms to find out that it was all somehow over.

                Instead she pushed open the bathroom door.

                ‘Can you take me back to my family now?’ she said. ‘I want my father to know that I am okay.’

                Even the ocean was against them, for they slid through the water with rapid ease. Mikael wondered if there might be police waiting at his car—if their goodbye would take place right here—but as he approached, there his car was, as he had left it.

                Layla looked at the silver car that had caught her eye before she had even met him, and as they approached Mikael examined the huge scrape down its side and tried to tell himself his more ordered life could return soon.

                ‘I loved driving,’ she said as he opened the door and she slipped into the passenger seat. ‘I have done all the things on my list and more.’