AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Grace turned and leaned on the marble balustrade, feeling the coolness of the stone against her skin.
She glanced toward the tables in the garden and saw Qazim. She felt a sudden shock, and immediately chided herself for that reaction to seeing her husband. But, it was a typical reaction, she realized.
She and Qazim had been living almost separate lives for a year now. Even though they'd existed beneath the same roof; even though they'd shared meals together; even though they'd shared special moments with Zarif. There was one shocking truth which Grace and Qazim had hidden from everyone.
She and Qazim had never shared one single night together.
Not once had they lain alongside each other; not once had they been alone at night in Grace's suite; not once had she even visited his suite for a single night.
Days together. Nights apart.
It had been an exquisite form of gentle torture, Grace told herself.
Separate lives. Separate beds.
She was sure it hadn't been any easier for Qazim. But, to be fair to him, there hadn't been even one moment during the last twelve months when he'd even tried to break his solemn vow to her.
The vow that had shocked her so much.
The vow to respect her wishes that their relationship be one without intimacy.
None.
Of course, during the early stages of her pregnancy, changes had taken place in Grace's body. Occasionally those changes had created urges to be near Qazim. Irrational, inconvenient impulses that she had fought hard to resist.
And she had succeeded in staying away from him. But, not without feeling a powerful sense of regret afterwards.
For his part, Qazim had behaved like the perfect gentleman. Whenever he and Grace had been together in public.
But she'd seen plenty of evidence in private of just how difficult it had been for him to keep his promise to her. To give her what she had demanded in her moment of irrational, impulsive madness.
No love-making.
No sex.
Qazim had demonstrated steely resolve in the face of that denial. There had been times when she'd seen the sheer power of his desire for Grace. And how he'd battled to maintain his self-control. She was sure it had been monumentally difficult for him.
And for her.
Grace swallowed, thinking how hard some of the last year had been. Of course, Qazim was every bit as handsome and tempting as he'd ever been. And that had just made thing worse. There had been plenty of moments when she'd wanted to reach out and touch him, kiss him, sink into his embrace.
But she had resisted. Completely.
Eventually, later in her pregnancy, all her attention had been taken up with the impending delivery of the baby. Nights had become a challenge, and the changes in her body had consumed her every waking moment.
But, all through those times, Qazim had done everything possible to make sure she was comfortable, well looked after.
Safe and well.
Nothing had been too much trouble for Qazim. And, so Grace had settled into life in the palace, awaiting the birth of their baby.
The delivery had been hard on Grace. But, that had been more than made up for by the joy of the arrival of Zarif.
Their son.
Qazim hadn't been able to disguise his pride, nor the sheer physical joy at having become a father to a bouncing baby boy.
His heir, was how he had described Zarif to Grace, during a quiet, whispered exchange soon after Zarif's birth.
