For the first time in his life, Nathan felt joy, and he felt complete. With the woman he loved with him, there was no place for fear.
Only love and utter happiness for the rest of his days.
EPILOGUE
One year later
HIS BREATH HITCHING in his throat, every inch of him thrumming with anticipation, Nathan turned around and froze.
With the blue sea and white sand as her background, Riya stilled beneath the arch that was decorated with sheer white lilies and cream-colored silk.
Her gaze met his, her mouth wreathed in a shy smile; she was waiting to see his reaction, he realized.
The red sheer silk sari she wore wound around her striking figure, baring her midriff, inviting his touch. When he had looked at the huge yard of the material and frowned a week ago, she had patiently and laughingly explained to him how it worked, and how much fun she was having with her aunt teaching her how to wear it.
And that she was learning it for him, she had said with a wink.
He was glad she did.
The silk draped over her left shoulder and hung behind her, hiding and showcasing her beautiful body. Her long hair flew in the breeze, but it was the glittering expression in her eyes that arrested him.
He couldn’t breathe when he remembered her tears when they’d learned that her father had passed away a few years before they’d tracked him down. He had held her all night, her pain as much as his. And the smile in her eyes, when he’d told her about the aunt his PI had located... the only blood relative of her father still alive.
All his wealth and power, he had truly appreciated it that day. For it had brought such happiness to the woman he loved.
He mouthed, I love you and tears shimmered in her gaze as she walked toward him.
* * *
Her heart racing as if toward some invisible goal, Riya rubbed her fingers over her face. She blew out a breath, a shadow of fear marring her perfect day.
Beneath the cliff on top of which the villa sat, the sea was dark blue, the horizon where the sky met the sea not visible. It was the most beautiful place she had ever seen.
The wedding on the beach had been her dream come true. Robert, Jackie and her aunt, and the staff from the estate, Riya had never felt more loved or cherished.
And in between all of it was the man she loved.
It had taken all these months for Nathan to believe that she truly wanted this—that she wouldn’t change her mind, that she would never stop loving him, that she would never let herself be driven by fear.
And now the truth she had realized just this morning.
Wrapping her arms around herself, she battled both excitement and fear.
She turned when the door of the main bedroom in the villa closed with a soft thud.
Nathan stood leaning against the door, and the raw heat in his eyes instantly sent an answering tremble through her. She wondered if she was betraying herself, if the small thing she had learned this morning was written on her face.
“I don’t want you to wear a sari again.”
“What?” She ran her hands over the silky folds, distracted by his expression. “You don’t like it?”
“As your husband, I command you not to wear it in public,” he added with a possessive glint in his eye, and she laughed.
“I’ve been waiting to say that since I saw you walking down toward me.”
He caught the edge that trailed over her shoulder with one hand and tugged hard. And the silky soft material came undone around her and ripped at her waist.
He tugged until Riya was caught in his arms.
“You look utterly gorgeous and scandalously sexy in it. And I don’t want any other man but me to see that.”
He buried his mouth in the curve of her neck, his hands settling around her bare midriff. “Nate, wait, I want to—”
“It’s all I’ve been wanting to do since I saw you, Riya. Please don’t deny me.”
Forgetting her own words, she pushed into him and sank her fingers in his hair.
As he whispered words that made her core pulse with spiraling need, his long fingers climbing up her midriff toward her breasts encased snugly in the blouse.
He groaned and pulled the hooks that held it together with a strong tug and Riya gasped as she heard the blouse rip at the hooks. With impatient fingers, he pushed the cups of her bra down.
She shuddered as his abrasive palms covered her breasts, the aching, tight nipples rasping against the roughness. Rubbing her buttocks against his hard body, Riya loosened the petticoat and let it pool at her feet.
His palms moved over her waist and then her thighs. When he picked her up and placed her on an exquisitely crafted sofa table, she laughed and gave herself over to the dark passion lighting up his eyes.
Their lovemaking was swift, desperate, coated with the awareness that they were now joined in the holiest of bonds, exalted by the promises they had made to each other. Sweat cooling on her forehead, she leaned her head against his chest, the superfast rhythm of his heart comforting under her palms.
She kissed the taut skin of his pectorals, breathing in the musky scent of him.
“You always do that,” he said, his words a gravelly rasp against her senses.
Looking up, she smiled, her arms still around him. “What do you mean?”
He pushed sweaty tendrils of hair that stuck to her forehead. “Check my heart. Every time after we make love, you put your face to my chest as though you want to—”
Shaking her head, she put her fingers over his mouth. “I’m sorry, I didn’t even realize that I did that. I didn’t mean to make you feel—”
He laughed and swallowed the rest of her words in a sizzling kiss. “These last few months have been the happiest of my life. Every day, I can’t imagine this is my life. I can’t believe that I walked away from this. If you hadn’t fought for me, for our love...” He sighed against her mouth, a shudder racking through him. “I love you, Riya. I love that you’ll forever be mine and I yours.”
An ache rose in Riya’s throat at his words. Her gorgeous, powerful man never let a day pass without telling her how much he loved her, without showing her how precious she was to him. But they were both still so new to this. He was only now getting used to having her around after living alone for so long.
Underneath that easy humor, there was still a self-sufficiency that wouldn’t leave so easily. But he made an effort for her and Riya was so glad for it.
Hiding her face in his chest, Riya gathered the courage to say the words. “Nathan, I have to tell you something.”
“What is it, butterfly?”
“I realized yesterday that...I...we’ve been traveling so much and I lost track of...”
He lifted her chin, his gaze curious. “What’s bothering you?”
“I took a pregnancy test this morning, and it’s... I’m pregnant, Nate.”
Shock flitted in his eyes, cycled to concern. “I don’t know what to say.”
Riya felt the happiness of her day pop.
“Riya, I know this isn’t what we had planned. I mean, we didn’t really even plan anything, did we? But, my little butterfly, that’s how you came into my life, didn’t you?” He tugged her toward him and hugged her so tight that Riya thought she would break under the avalanche of his love. Yet when he spoke, there was a restraint in his voice. “I know it’s scary when we’re so new to each other. I know that having a child is a huge thing, but, Riya—”
Riya pushed at his shoulders and studied his gaze. He was holding back his reaction for her. She pulled his hands to her stomach and spoke past the raw ache in her throat.
“Please, Nate. Will you be honest with me about this?”
He nodded and clasped her cheek. “It’s the perfect gift you could have given me today. You’ll have me every step of the way. You—”
And that was when Riya understood. And she laughed and hugged him tight, kissed his face. Looked into his beautiful blue gaze.
“Nathan, you and I made this. We created this with our love. Can you imagine anything more beautiful or wonderful in this world? It’s true I’m afraid, I’m nowhere near ready or equipped to be a mom, but if you’re with me, I can do anything. Tell me you want this just as much as I do. Tell me you want this baby.”
Tears pooled in his beautiful blue gaze and he kissed her again. Now it was he who trembled and Riya hugged him hard to herself. “I do want this, Riya. I’ll always want anything you bring into my life, butterfly.”
* * * * *
Read on for an extract from CLAIMED BY THE SHEIKH by Rachael Thomas.
PROLOGUE
THIS WAS THE MOMENT Amber had been looking forward to. Her wedding day. Her new husband, Prince Kazim Al Amed of Barazbin, was powerful and, despite her nerves, Amber wanted their first night together to be perfect. He might be the man her father had chosen for her to marry, but she’d given her heart to him the moment they’d first met. His reputation preceded him and she intended to hide her virginal innocence by playing the role of seductress to perfection.
As soon as they’d left the wedding feast things had changed, had gone wrong. His warm smile had disappeared and he stood in their suite, anger clouding his handsome face.
‘I have no wish for this marriage.’ He almost had to force the word ‘marriage’ out. ‘There is no need to change your life.’