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I promise not to bother you again...if you promise you’ll always find a reason to smile.
Anisah was almost tempted to treat the whole thing like a joke and pretend she hadn’t heard him right. Excuse me? Say that again, Your Highness? Did you actually let something else overrule your ego and that thing between your legs for once?
Oh, if only she could say such things.
If only she could be so rude.
If only.
But she would not be herself if she had said any of those things, and so an almost helpless sort of laughter started to bubble in Anisah’s throat as defeat became imminently uncertain. She had begged him not to be funny, so the cursed man had chosen to be nice instead, which was a thousand times worse.
She thought of the way they had been circling each other for so many weeks now, sometimes like knights in a joust, other times like a couple about to dance a waltz. Every instance had been as dangerous as it was exciting, with twists and turns that forced them to come into contact, often too close for comfort, so cursedly close there was no way not to see through each other’s souls.
In the course of their swordplay, in the middle of their dance – she didn’t really know how or when exactly it had happened; all she knew was that for such a long time now, the sheikh had ceased being a one-dimensional symbol of her fears.
Tarif Al-Atassi, with his blazing charm and gorgeous looks, his penchant for getting into scandals and overstepping the bounds of tradition and propriety, represented disruption, chaos, and all the things that could undermine the proper and peaceful life she had so painstakingly built for herself and Hyacinth.
And yet...somewhere down the road, she had ceased to care that he was so. Somewhere along the way, he had become something else – something more, and now, with just how every fight and every dance had to end – it was time for Anisah to make a decision.
Did she want to fight and dance with him again?
As her gaze slowly lifted to the sheikh’s, a part of her hoped against hope that he wouldn’t force her to choose. It was cowardly and shameful, but oh, she wished he would simply tell her he had changed his mind and he was not letting her go, after all.
But when the sheikh finally spoke, his soft, polite tone was everything she did not want to hear. “I suppose it’s pointless to ask what your decision is.”
More than anything else, it was that voice of his which told her he was letting her go – and all because he wanted to see her smile? Her fists clenched under the table at the thought. Say yes, Anisah. Let him leave. End it here. But instead she heard herself ask, “Why would you even ask for such a thing?”
“The hell if I know.”
His words were a mixture of irritation and self-disgust, as if the sheikh himself couldn’t believe he had made such a suggestion, and Anisah’s hands flew to her mouth in an effort to prevent hysterical laughter from spilling out. You and me both, Your Highness.
He started to stand, and she let him. He started to turn away, and she let him. But then he started to walk away, and that was her undoing.
“Where are you going, Your Highness?”
Tarif slowly turned to face her again, lip curled in contemptuous disbelief. “Where do you think?” he snarled. And what the hell did she think she was playing? Had his pursuit of her gone to her fucking head and made Anisah think she could toy with him like he was a fucking –
“I h-haven’t even given you an answer yet.”
The sound of her stammering was so damn rare it had the sheikh frowning. It was not like her at all, and he found himself wondering again if perhaps this was just a game to her. “I don’t need to stay behind to hear it, anisdi. I’m not some wimp who’d expire from lack of closure.”
“I k-know that.” Anisah tried to placate the sheikh even as she fought off a nervous smile at the sheikh’s disgusted tone.
“Good. Then if you’ll excuse me—-”
“But Your Highness—-”
“Maehdina, anisdi,” the sheikh apologized coolly, “but I do not see any point in continuing this conversation.” But as soon as he swung back, he heard her speak.
“Even if it’s to tell you I want you to stay?”
Tarif stiffened.
“I was never the selfish type, Your Highness, but I guess it’s your bad influence rubbing off—-” Her voice ended in a gasp at the speed in which the sheikh had abruptly turned to face her.
“What the hell are you saying?” Tarif growled. “And I want a fucking straight answer this time.”
“Or what?” she challenged unthinkingly and stiffened when she saw the way the sheikh’s eyes flashed.
