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EPILOGUE
One year later
‘KARIM, YOU HAVE to let me go, everyone is due to arrive in less than three hours and I’ve got a million and one things to do,’ Orla demanded, going for firm and getting giggly instead when her husband’s arms banded around her waist and he dragged her back into their four-poster bed. ‘And so do you!’ she shrieked, a shiver of excitement rippling through her body as he nuzzled the spot behind her ear he knew was guaranteed to melt every last one of her cognitive braincells.
‘Explain to me again,’ he murmured, nibbling kisses across her nape and sending more delicious shivers of sensation into her sex, ‘why we had to invite Zane and Raif and their wives and their five thousand children to Kildare on our wedding anniversary? When I wanted you all to myself?’ he added, still doing diabolical things to her neck.
‘Because it’s been eight months since we went to Rahim and Omari’s naming ceremony,’ she said, thinking of Raif and Kasia’s identical twin boys. ‘And four months since we saw them all in New York. And I miss them.’ The families had become friends of both her and Karim, treasured friends. Orla, particularly, had relied on the help and advice of Catherine and Kasia in the last year as she had adapted to her new role as the Queen of Zafar.
These days she and Karim divided their time between the desert kingdom, his house in London and their home in Kildare—which Karim had spent a small fortune bringing back to its former glory, just for her.
She placed a hand on her belly, except it wasn’t just them any more.
‘Plus I promised Kaliah we’d let her see the stud,’ she said breathlessly, attempting to squirm out of his arms as his focussed caresses had the shivers of excitement multiplying.
She really did have a ton of things to do.
But then he placed his hands on her breasts, plucking the nipples the way he knew she loved, and she flinched.
‘Hey?’ He let her go immediately, and turned her to face him, the playfulness abruptly gone. ‘Did I hurt you?’
‘It’s okay, Karim,’ she said, the concern on his face making her heart melt… As it did on a regular basis, every time he treated her as if she was the most precious thing in the world to him.
He swore under his breath and cradled her cheek. ‘Are you sure? You flinched…’ he said, the bone-deep concern in his eyes making her realise she was going to have to tell him her news. Sooner rather than later. ‘Was I too rough? I’m sorry.’
‘No, not at all… It’s just…’ She hesitated.
She’d wanted to prepare for this announcement. She still wasn’t quite over the shock of what she’d discovered yesterday morning herself. They hadn’t planned this. Had never even spoken about the possibility. Not yet anyway. Perhaps she should have paid more attention when she’d switched contraception, but she must have slipped up somehow. And so here they were.
And while she was sure he would probably be as excited as she was…probably…she really wasn’t sure if they were ready.
The last year had been one full of tumultuous choices and decisions, a huge adjustment for both of them. They’d had to make so many big changes already, Karim deciding to remain as King, in a constitutional capacity, while Zafar clawed its way back to full democracy and prosperity. The decision to come back to Kildare during the racing season and the job she had taken in charge of the stud when Carly had been headhunted by another stud… And, of course, the commitment they’d made to each other, to do whatever it took to make their marriage work.
This was going to be another massive change, and, as excited as she was about it on one level, she didn’t want it to threaten what they had worked so hard to achieve over the last year.
‘It’s just what?’ he said, dropping his hand to rest on her shoulder, the concern in his gaze intensifying. ‘What aren’t you telling me?’
She covered his hand with hers, forced a tremulous smile to her lips. ‘It’s just, my breasts are super-sensitive at the moment.’
‘Okay,’ he said, still looking concerned. And totally not getting it. ‘Are you unwell?’ he asked, the concern turning to worry.
‘No, I’m… I’m…’ Oh, for goodness’ sake, just tell him. ‘I’m pregnant,’ she blurted out, past the boulder of anxiety starting to strangle her.
‘You’re…’ His gaze darted down to her belly, her very flat belly, then back to her face. The flush of colour on his cheeks only added to the shock shadowing his eyes. ‘You’re… You’re going to have a baby?’ he managed. ‘My baby? Our baby?’
She nodded, blinking back tears now, the glazed wonder on his face making hope swell right past the anxiety and burst like a firework in her chest.
He’s not upset, he’s not unsure, he looks absolutely overjoyed.
She laughed as he rained kisses over her face, her hair, her body telling her how excited he was, how proud he was, how he couldn’t wait to meet their child…
Then he made love to her, so carefully, so tenderly, cherishing each sigh, each sob, each shiver, drawing out her pleasure until she had to beg him for release. And her heart filled with joy all over again. Everything was going to be wonderful.
Karim lay in the bed a little while later, the afterglow still echoing through his system while he stroked his wife’s hair.
‘It’s all right, Karim,’ she murmured sleepily beside him as she snuggled into his arms. ‘I still won’t break.’
You might not but I probably will.
