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‘You’ve been pregnant?’
He looked startled for a moment, before his mouth curved in a smile. It was the first genuine full smile she’d seen on his face. And it floored Niesha completely.
‘No, that is a privilege you will enjoy on your own.’
Smooth.
So smooth, she felt a little of her agitation drift away. And when he meshed his fingers with hers and drew her head onto his shoulder, she went with her insides melting, her heart pounding and her head telling her she was just ten kinds of fool for leaving herself wide open for further heartache.
* * *
‘Niesha. Wake up.’
The low, deeply voiced command tickled the shell of her ear.
With a small shiver, she blinked awake, and realised she was draped all over Zufar.
She jumped but didn’t get very far as the arm clamped around her tightened. She raised her gaze, about to murmur an apology for falling asleep on him, when she noticed where they were. ‘We’re at the airport?’
‘Yes. You fell asleep in the car. After we drove around Paris for two hours I thought it best to come straight to the airport.’
‘I’ve been asleep for two hours?’
Tawny eyes gleamed at her. ‘Clearly you needed the rest.’
The thought that he’d driven around with her even though she’d fallen asleep shouldn’t have touched her, not after the stern warning her head had issued her heart.
And yet, she found herself softening against him, the decadent desire to melt into his warmth sucking at her. She told herself she would only give in for a minute. Or two.
When his gaze dropped to her mouth, she added one more.
But the kiss she yearned for never came.
Without taking his eyes from her, he gave a casual flick of his wrist, and the door was thrown open, ending the private moment that only she had wanted more of, it seemed.
Zufar stepped out, and held out a courteous hand for her.
Niesha placed her hand in his, struggling to reconcile the man who’d driven around the streets of Paris just so she could take a nap with the man who had clearly seen her invitation and declined it.
The baby.
Of course, it was all to do with the baby. How could she have forgotten?
At the first opportunity, she drew her hand from his, vowing never to repeat her mistake. Besides, with her future in turmoil, the earlier she learned to stand on her own two feet, the better.
She ignored the sharp look he sent her and hurried to board the plane.
For the duration of the flight, she stayed in the bedroom with her tablet for company. By the time they landed in Khalia, she’d devoured everything she could find on her family. And shed a few tears along the way.
Zufar scrutinised her face as they stepped out of the plane but didn’t comment. The ride to the palace was also conducted in silence, but when they approached their bedroom, she couldn’t hold back any more.
‘So what happens now?’
‘Once we have irrefutable confirmation, my special council will meet with yours and we’ll take it from there.’
It wasn’t what she’d wanted to know, but discussing their bedroom arrangements when two kingdoms stood to be plunged into uncertainty felt trivial.
‘What do you mean, take it from there?’
