AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She saw his jaw tighten and his brows furrow. He paused, drawing in a deep breath. He nodded. "I understand how you feel, Grace," he said.
"Do you?" Grace retorted. "Really, Qazim? Do you really understand what this is all about? I don't think you do."
She saw a shadow of concern drift over his features. Why had she blurted those words out? All she had succeeded in doing was stirring up his curiosity. That was the last thing she needed, right now.
Grace took another few steps, and made it out the front doors into the sunshine. She felt the welcome warmth of her skin. He came right alongside her and she could see his limo parked a short distance away, the driver standing alongside the already open door.
Grace halted and glared at Qazim. "You think I'm going in that with you?"
Qazim simply nodded, saying nothing.
"No, Qazim."
He gazed steadily at her. "You still haven't told me why you were here."
Grace glared at him. "I wasn't aware it was any of your business."
He glanced away and she could see he was trying to maintain his calm. "Of course I'm concerned about you."
Grace tilted her head at him. "Don't try and pretend something you don't really believe, Qazim."
"I know you're planning on leaving tomorrow."
"So, what about it?" she said crossing her arms and staring defiantly at him.
"Maybe we should have a talk before you go," he said.
Grace shook her head. "I don't think that's a good idea. You've done a pretty good job of ignoring me these last few weeks."
"That was different. It was business." He moved closer, his gaze becoming suddenly more intense. "This is personal."
As he said those words, she felt emotion surge, her heart quickening again. She met his dark, challenging gaze with a defiance of her own.
Why did it have to be like this all the time with him? Why couldn't he have just stayed away? Then things could have been so much more simple.
Grace glanced around at the people passing by. Maybe he was right. This was no place for them to talk like this.
"Okay," she said. "You can take me back to my apartment. I've got things to do, if I'm going to be leaving tomorrow."
His brows lifted and she saw a hint of a smile at the corner of his mouth. Did he think he'd just won some kind of victory? It certainly looked like it.
Qazim reached out a hand, as if to take her elbow, but she took a step back and shook her head. She didn't want him touching her.
Not right now. Not like this.
Thoughts were still tumbling crazily inside her mind. She still hadn't worked out how she was going to handle this. She still didn't know how she was going to break the news to Qazim.
Grace walked alongside him to the limo. He waited while she stepped inside. She heard Qazim issue instruction to the driver and then he came inside the limo and sat beside her on the wide, soft leather seat. The driver closed the door. The sound of the door closing was soft and final.
Grace and Qazim exchanged glances. She felt suddenly awkward. Being alone with him, and so close like this for the first time since that night at his apartment, triggered long forgotten sensations. She tried to ignore how just sitting here next to him made her feel.
Then she felt the limo ease out into traffic and they started to make their way out onto one of the main routes that would take her home.
But that wasn't true. Home was thousands of miles away. It could have well have been on the other side of the moon, right now, as far as she was concerned. She was still in Qazhar.
Still by the sheikh's side.
It was almost as if the last few weeks hadn't happened. Almost as if they were about to pick up where they had left off.
