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Epilogue
One year later
“You heard the man husband, kiss your bride.” She laughed, happy green eyes smiling up at him.
On their wedding day. His lips curled into a smile which seemed to be their permanent state lately. “Pucker up sweetheart.” He captured her laugh with his kiss, running his tongue back and forth across her lips before she let him in and, hot damn, she tasted like cinnamon candy and Abby. His Abby. He sucked on her tongue and she moaned before pushing at his chest. “What?”
“The whole country is watching,” she admonished, looking up and smiling at the crowd of onlookers that included Shelly and Nisha, her new in-laws, her parents and thousands of people she’d met over the past eight months. “Behave.”
“I’m just letting them know how much I want you so they don’t worry,” he teased and pressed another kiss, more chaste this time, “about future heirs, you know.” He winked and she laughed as he knew she would. Making her laugh had become one of his favorite past times, and a much needed hobby given the hectic year he’d had slowly stepping into his father’s shoes.
“You really are incorrigible underneath all that stiff upper lip royal stuff.” She laughed when he raised an ebony brow her way.
“You mean the stuff you’re now a part of?”
“Oh hush,” she told him as they walked back up the aisle inside the civil gardens situated inside the palace. This place was magnificent but she was enthralled with nothing more than her husband. Watching him take his position as Sheikh had been amazing. Inspiring. His coronation had been held just weeks after she’d become an official resident of Kaza’ah and he’d been breathtaking in his red and gold jacket, complete with epaulets and medals from his service in the royal army. Watching him take the throne had been the perfect Christmas present. Her own would be held in just a few days. “Do we have time?”
“You’re the bride, of course we do.” He pulled her through the gardens until they were at a small building. “This is one of the small guest cottages but there is a sink, a toilet and a fridge.”
“Oh good, I’m so thirsty!” She sucked down nearly a full bottle of water with a smile. “I just need a minute before we go back.”
“Overwhelming?”
She shook her head because it wasn’t. It was…everything. “No but I know the receiving line will be eternal and I don’t want to be grumpy in front of the people. Now I won’t be.” Her grin stretched from one side of her face to the other and he stole another kiss.
“Every girl in the country is vying for a spot in the science and engineering programs thanks to you, I think they’d forgive a bit of grumpiness.”
“I don’t want to be grumpy today. I want to be all sweet and happy and glowing and crap.” She laughed at his inability to fight his own laughter. “You’re not supposed to laugh at your wife.”
Then he lost it completely, doubled over with laughter. “We’re laughing together,” he said with an emphasis on the last word.
“Come on, I want to get in line early so I can kick off these amazing but stupid shoes.”
His look darkened. “You can put them back on later.” He couldn’t wait to retire to their rooms and have her as his wife.
Her breath hitched but she nodded, lips slightly parted with arousal. “Deal.”
***
The receiving line took forever just as everyone had warned but without those beautiful but completely impossible shoes Abby felt good. She felt right. Most of all, she was comfortable. Well as comfortable as a woman could be when she was keeping a secret from her husband of just two hours. It wouldn’t be a secret for long, but they had to get through the seeming endless line of people.
“Your language skills are improving,” he told her with a kiss to her cheek.
“Really? I always feel like I’m butchering it.” It hadn’t been easy but just as Sadiq promised, everyone had been eager to help. Literally everyone. Wherever she went speaking on the importance of girls and women choosing careers in the math and science fields, people would help her and correct her. All because in one interview she said she hoped to learn through immersion.
“Nah. Besides everyone else wants to speak English with you anyway that’s really why they help.” She laughed and he tugged her into his side as they accepted congratulations and well wishes from people for another hour.
“Wow. So many people to congratulate me on marrying you. You must be a big deal.” He chuckled and she let it wash over her for a moment, warming her to her soul.
“Nah they just don’t realize that I’m the lucky one. Come on, time to get changed.”
She happily followed him through the maze of the gardens and then the palace where all the guests would reconvene in an hour for the reception. Apparently there were receptions going on around the country to celebrate the Sheikh finding his bride. “I have something for you,” she told him as soon as they were in their suite of rooms. Though unlike the men and women before them, they actually shared a bedroom.
“I have something for you too,” he grinned and tore open the buttons on his dress shirt.
“Me first,” she pushed, placing the box in his hands.
He opened the box and pull the cufflinks from their cradle, holding them in his palm. “I love them. What is that gem?”
This was it.“It’s amethyst which as you know is the official gem of Kaza’ah but it is also something else.” She took a deep breath and blew it out and looked him straight in the eyes. “It is the birthstone of our first child.”
He froze and then in an instant he was gathering her close and kissing her long and hard, and hungrily. Soon they were tearing at each other’s clothes the same way they had this morning. And so many mornings since she moved into the palace. “I’m really going to be a father?”
She nodded, pressing kisses to every inch of his chest, his abs. “The best father ever.”
He smiled but his eyes were dark and intense. Filled with desire. “My baby is growing inside you,” he growled and sank to his knees before her, gently rubbing his hand over her bare stomach. He looked up at her with a mischievous smile. “Best wedding present ever.”
She looked down at him, eyes burning with affection as her fingers danced through his hair. “Best vacation ever.”
THE END
