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In her joy these last hours Rachel had managed to tuck reality aside. Now it had returned.
“Yes,” she said slowly. “I remember. You want Ethan.”
He nodded and drew her closer.
“At first he was all I wanted.”
“You said—you said you wouldn’t take him from me …”
“Sweetheart.” Karim cleared his throat. Framed her face with his hands, lifted it to his. “The answer to our problem is to see that it isn’t a problem at all.”
“But it is. I wish it weren’t, but—”
“I love you, habibi.”
His voice was gruff; his words were the most beautiful she’d ever heard. Tears stung her eyes. He kissed them away, then kissed her mouth, gently and tenderly.
“Rachel.” He took a deep breath. “I’ve lived my life alone. By choice. I—I don’t want to sound like one of those TV shows where people put their emotions on display.” He gave a small laugh. “Hell, there’ve been times I’ve been told I don’t have emotions.”
Rachel shook her head. “You’re a wonderful man,” she said fiercely, “with a heart as big as the world.”
“A heart you have awakened, habibi.” He kissed her again, his mouth soft against hers. “What I said … that I love you … I’ve never said those words before. Not to anyone.” He paused. “And I’ve never trusted anyone fully. Never—not since I was a little boy.” He smiled. “And then—and then I found you.”
Tears rose in Rachel’s eyes. This was it. She had to tell him the truth, no matter what the cost …
“Rachel.” Karim looked deep into her eyes. “Marry me. Become my wife. The mother to the children we will have together as you already are to Ethan, who I’ve come to love as my own, who I will adopt and give my name.”
Rachel began weeping.
“Rachel? Sweetheart, I adore you. I thought—I thought you felt the same—”
She flung her arms around his neck. Lifted herself to him. Kissed his mouth with all the love he had brought to her lonely heart.
“I love you,” she whispered, between kisses. “I love you, love you, love you—”
“Marry me,” Karim said.
No, a voice inside her whispered. Rachel, you mustn’t …
“Rachel?”
Rachel threw caution to the wind and said, “Yes.”
CHAPTER ELEVEN
WHO would have thought that busy, crowded, shark-eat-shark Manhattan could be a paradise for lovers?
Not Karim.
