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‘Your father—’
‘My father was a lonely man—’ Sariq’s voice held a warning ‘—who was determined to mourn my mother until the day he died. How he chose to relieve his bodily impulses is of little interest to me.’
‘My point is that these things can be arranged with a maximum of discretion.’
‘Daisy is discreet. There are three people who know about this, and it will stay that way.’
‘If either of your prospective brides were to find out...’
Sariq tightened one hand into a fist on top of his knee, keeping his gaze carefully focussed on the view beneath him. The White House was just a spec in the distance now, the day’s meetings concluded with success.
‘They won’t.’
‘I don’t need to tell you how important it is that your marriage settle any potential fallout from your father’s death.’
Now, Sariq turned his head slowly, pinning his advisor with a steely gaze. ‘No, you don’t. So let it go, Malik. This conversation is at an end.’
‘He’s protective of me, of the kingdom. I’ve known him since I was a boy.’
Daisy lifted a hand, running the voluminous bubbles between her fingers. The warm bath water lapped at her breasts and, beneath the surface, she brushed an ankle against his nakedness, heat shifting through her. Midnight had come and gone and yet both were wide awake, as though trying to cram everything into this—their last night together.
‘He won’t say anything?’
‘He’s more concerned you will,’ Sariq said with a shake of his head.
‘Me?’ Daisy’s brows shot up. ‘Why in the world...?’
‘For money.’ Sariq lifted his shoulders.
‘Who would pay me for that information?’
His eyes showed amusement. ‘Any number of tabloid outlets? Believe it or not, my love life is somewhat newsworthy.’
A shudder of revulsion moved down Daisy’s spine. ‘You can’t be serious?’
‘Unfortunately, I am. Malik feels this indiscretion could be disastrous for my country, and, in some ways, there’s truth in that.’
‘I’ll try not to take that personally.’
‘You shouldn’t. It’s not about you so much as it is the women I’m supposed to marry.’
She froze. ‘What?’
‘I’m not engaged,’ he reassured her quietly. ‘And I will marry only one. But there are two candidates, both daughters of the powerful families who would have, decades ago, made a claim for the throne. The thinking is that in marrying one of them, I will unify our country further, bonding powerful families, allaying any prospective civil uprising.’
She absorbed that thoughtfully. ‘Do you like these women?’
‘I’ve met them a handful of times; it’s hard to say.’
‘You took me to bed after meeting me only a handful of times,’ she pointed out.
‘Then I like them considerably less than I like you,’ he said, pushing some water towards her so it splashed to her chin.
She smiled back at him, but there was a heaviness inside her. ‘What if you’re not suited?’
‘It’s of little importance. The marriage is more about appearances than anything else.’
‘You don’t think you should care for your bride?’
