The Sheikh’s Forced Bride(30)

“Father, you are cursed with sons who are as strong as you are. We have your iron will, we have your pride, we have your short temper. We defy your orders because we would have our own lives. Would you really care more for us if we had no spines? If we simply bowed to your will even when we disagreed?”

The sultan said nothing, but he began to stroke his beard.

Khalid stepped closer to Casey. “I have this woman to thank for showing me the truth of this. I am your son—and it is because I am that I defy your orders and think for myself. In truth, I think you would be unhappy with anything less. You do not want a stupid man to become the next sultan.”

The sultan gave a rude snort and turned to Casey. “So you are the one I have to thank for turning my sons against me?”

Casey started to shake her head. Khalid opened his mouth to say something, but Casey shot him a look and suddenly he knew she would not thank him for stepping into this. She had something to settle here as much as he had.

“Turning them against you?” Casey pulled in a breath and seemed to struggle to calm her voice. “Haven’t you been pushing them? Testing them? Trying to see if you can bend them or break them? How much respect can you have for anyone who just rolls over and does what you want without putting up a fight? I think what you really want is to know your sons have become good men. You worry they will not be able to take on the responsibility of managing a country, or a business, or anything else. You worry so much that you hold back those responsibilities. I think you’ve been waiting for them to do just this—to show you they’re grown men who can manage their own lives and find their own wives.”

Khalid could see the spark in his father’s eyes—they had pushed him far enough for one day.

Before his father could say anything, Khalid grabbed Casey’s hand. “You must excuse us, Father. I do have my own wife to settle.” He pulled a protesting Casey from the room, but he glanced back and saw his father smiling and shaking his head.

Outside his father’s study, Casey jerked away. “Oh, no—you’re not going to start using your charm to—”

“You think I’m charming?” Khalid stepped closer to her.

She backed up a step. “I think you’re a man who has had too many women fall into your lap. You’re spoilt and you really are a little irresponsible…but that was a good thing you did back there, stepping into save your brother from being pushed into a marriage with a woman who is in love with someone else. I just don’t know why you couldn’t have told me what you were planning.”

“Perhaps for the same reason you could not tell me—we have not yet really learned to trust each other with our hearts.” He put his hands on her waist.

She turned her head to give him a sideways look. “Okay, I’m not so sure I’m all that comfortable with the talk about hearts. Is this yet another line of yours?”

“No, I have run out of lines. I have only the truth. Just as I gave my father the truth, I will tell you what is in my heart. This pretense engagement has become too real for me. I did not even see it until you pulled off the ring you gave me. Suddenly, I could see you walking away from me, and I knew if that happened I would lose you. I cannot. You are right—our night together did mean something. It meant I have fallen in love with a woman who is bold and independent, and whose courage shines like the sun. Casey, I did not think love could happen like this, blooming overnight like a desert flower. But it does—at least it has for me. This time I ask you to marry me. Marry me to make me a better man. Marry me so that the truth you seek and speak will always be close to me. Marry me because I love you.”

She swallowed hard and put her hands over his. “Khalid, I don’t…are we crazy? We’ve known each other what? A few days? A couple of weeks? This is…”

“Is what? Do you think more time will change how we feel? I know how much I ask of you. I cannot leave Sharjah, so you must leave your world if you join your life to mine. But I swear to you—I will not change my feelings for you. And I will not ask you to give up everything. There is no need for you to stop writing or to stop seeking your Pulitzer. But I want you with me..”

She shook her head. But she didn’t remove her hands from his. “What about your whole not wanting to get married?”

He took a deep breath. “What I wanted was to avoid marrying the wrong woman. I knew that today as I walked up to the woman I thought was Fadiyah and all I could think was that a merciful God would put have you waiting to wed me. I have spent so long avoiding things I do not want. But today, for the first time in my life I realized exactly what I do want—and it is you by my side. Please, will you marry me?”