AllFreeNovel
Share Us
It’s all he says, but the meaning is clear.
No more excuses.
Tonight, we’ll share a bed.
Chapter 8
Zahir
SHE WAS SILENT IN the car beside me, her face purposefully angled from mine, her hands clasped in her lap. Everything about her body language screamed a silent warning. Don’t touch me. Don’t even look at me.
I don’t touch, but I do find myself looking at her, wondering how she’s feeling about this trip – the prospect of returning to a region of the country in which she spent years of her young life.
Amy was only six when her father was exiled. It’s plausible that, as she said, she doesn’t remember anything of this province, and yet I didn’t completely believe her. There was a look of nostalgia that crossed her features when I’d asked her about coming here, returning.
The plane lurches a little and a movement catches my eye. I turn to see Amy gripping the handles of her seat, her skin paler than usual.
“It’s always turbulent over the mountains.”
Her eyes are wide but she nods, doing her best not to show that she’s scared.
I expel a sigh of frustration, her determination to ignore the chemistry between us something I am at war with. I know how easy it would be to prove her a liar. One well-placed touch and she’d incinerate in my arms, begging me for more, just as she had in the caves. But that’s not enough. I want her to come to me of her own volition. I want her to admit to herself – and me – that she’s ready for our marriage to develop. Only then will our partnership make sense. She has to grow up and define the marriage she wants – and I know she does want what I do, even if she wishes she didn’t.
The plane steadies and she relaxes, her breasts moving as she draws in deep breath after deep breath, making a visible effort to calm herself.
“You’re a nervous flyer.”
She swallows. “I don’t fly often.” Her lips twist in a grimace. “At least, I didn’t until recently. I guess this is just part of your life but for me, every bump might as well be the beginning of the end.”
Sympathy is an unexpected current in my blood. “My fleet of aircraft are maintained to the highest standard. You have nothing to worry about.”
She laughs, the sound drawing me to her. I ball my hand into a tight fist and rest it in my lap, trying to focus on something other than my body’s desire to comfort her in the only way I can think of.
“That’s simplistic. Even with a brand-new airplane, flying is still a high-risk activity.”
“There are many activities considerably higher in risk.”
She looks away from me. “Maybe, but this one is new to me.”
“You’ll get used to it.”
She turns to face me, her eyes wide, and the double entendre strikes home. “Yes, you’ll get used to everything about being my wife. In time.”
Her nod is slow, a concession I hadn’t expected. Her hands fidget in her lap, nervously.
“What will we be doing today?”
“I have meetings scheduled with several of the regional heads. It is important that you join me for at least one of these.”
“So that I can be seen?” She arches a look at me and I wonder at the hint of betrayal in her features, a sense of displeasure.
I tilt my head regardless, showing agreement. “For the rest of the time, you may do what you wish. Explore Thakirt, meet with the people. Aliya will ensure you return to the residence by nightfall – when a dinner is to be held in our honour.”
She lowers her eyes, making it impossible for me to see their sparkling depths – and more so to intuit what she’s thinking. “Fine.” Her response is tight lipped. I tell myself I don’t care. There are more important things to focus on than my wife – it’s vital that I remember that.
Amy
I’m in love.
