“Good.”
“What’s the matter brother?” Rehaj called, his tone taunting. “Afraid to get your butt whooped in front of your wife?”
Snickers rang out from the other family members and Feraz laughed. He’d played his share of basketball in college and could hold his own with the best of them. It wasn’t fear of losing that held him back, it was not wanting to leave the woman beside him.
“Oh, I’d like to see you play,” his wife said, the sparkle returning to her pretty green eyes. “I do love a man who owns the court.”
“Really?” Feraz gave her an odd look. Roxanne was surprising him again. Last time he’d seen her in the States, he’d had tickets to a Knicks game and offered to take her. She’d acted like he’d offered her a raging case of Ebola instead of a night out with the NBA. One more change that he welcomed, but those lingering questions still remained. Perhaps it would do him good to work out some energy and tension on the court, then later they could talk. At his wife’s nod, his grin widened. “Fine, brothers. But the only two who are returning to their spouses defeated will be you guys. Meet you outside in half an hour.”
The rest of his family took off while he helped Roxanne from her seat then slowly walked her back toward their private quarters.
“Hey,” she stopped him in the foyer between their suites with a hand on his arm. “I wanted to thank you for being so supportive through all this. I know things haven’t been easy between us in the past, but I want you to know that I really want to try to make this as easy as possible for our children’s sake.”
Feraz cupped her cheek again, unable to stop himself from touching her. Truthfully, he’d wanted to touch her like this again since he’d kissed her on the plane. His pulse thudded hard in his chest and heat spiraled outward through his extremities. He wanted her, more than he’d ever wanted anything in his life. But he wouldn’t take her, not yet. Not until she came to him of her own free will. Yes, they were married, but he’d had enough of chasing after her when she didn’t want him in return. If he and Roxanne made love again, it would be because she wanted it as much as he did. He stroked his thumbs over her velvety skin, her high cheekbones. “Only for the children’s sake, rohi?”
She swallowed hard, inching closer to him, so that her heat and her sweet perfume surrounded him, driving the need within him higher. “I…I…”
Her pupils dilated and her lips parted and time seemed to slow as Roxanne leaned closer. Feraz’s mouth tingled, awaiting her kiss. So close, so…
“Oh, my apologies, sir.” Abdul’s knock on the door had them both separating fast. “Your brothers sent me to tell you they are ready on the basketball court at the north end of the palace.”
“Right. Thank you,” Feraz said, his voice
sounding tight to his own ears. He waited until his prim and proper secretary left, then glanced over at Roxanne who was obviously fighting back laughter. “You are my wife and yet I feel like a naughty schoolboy caught in the broom closet with a girl.”
Roxanne cracked up, giggling. “I know. How embarrassing.”
Her lilting laughter sparkled around him like diamonds and Feraz fell a little more under her spell. He slowly backed toward his side of the foyer and the door to his suite. “I’ll, uh, just change then. Meet you back here in ten minutes?”
“Sounds good,” Roxanne said, backing slowly toward her own door, as if loathe to lose sight of him. “Can’t wait.”
“Me neither.” Feraz smiled and raised his hand, even though he’d see her again shortly. Giddy anticipation welled inside him as they finally went into their separate suites and he headed for his bedroom. He’d not felt this excited for a woman since he’d met his wife two years ago. To have those feelings return now? Well, Feraz was going to take that as a sign that he was on the right path with his wife at long last.
* * *
“Go for it!” Isabella yelled from the sidelines as Feraz rushed passed his two brothers for an impressive slam dunk. She loved the game. She’d played for her team in high school and they’d gone all the way to the state championships. Plus, it felt good to be up and around and active again. Her energy was finally rebounding after the jet lag and shock of finding out she was carrying not one, but two babies inside her. No wonder her uterus felt like a trampoline these days. She whooped and hollered as Feraz scored another three points then plunked back down on her seat between Jess and Cala. Their mother, Zuhra, had stayed back inside the palace, claiming she was too busy getting ready for her grandchildren to spend time playing games outside.
Isabella had been beyond shocked to have the woman hug her back in the theater. Shocked and grateful. She hadn’t realized how much she missed being in Zuhra’s good graces until she hadn’t been. Isabella knew going into this that relations between Roxanne and her mother-in-law were strained, at best, but that hadn’t stopped Isabella from forming a strong friendship with the woman. They had a lot in common. They were both strong and caring and loved to read. And they both had sacrificed much to keep their families together. When she’d first met Zuhra on her first trip to Djeva when Roxanne and Feraz had gotten together, they’d formed an instant bond of skepticism over the budding relationship. They’d continued to write each other periodically over the past two years as well, mostly exchanging intel about Feraz and Roxanne and their goings-on. Isabella had loved those letters, loved getting a peek inside a life of luxury and loving family that she never thought she’d get to experience herself. But now, here she was, right smack in the middle of it all and loving every minute of it.
Feraz scored another basket and his sisters cheered enthusiastically while his brothers’ wives booed and laughed. Feraz gave Isabella a wink and a grin and her heart flipped with joy.
In truth, she was loving every minute with him too.
Loving him, period.
The realization sent her tummy nosediving and her spirits soaring.
Despite all the reasons why she shouldn’t, all the reasons it was such a very bad idea, all the reasons why it could never, ever work, Isabella had fallen head over heels in love with Feraz.
If she was honest with herself, she’d always loved him, from the first moment she’d seen him walking toward them on the beach two years ago, but she’d never let herself acknowledge it because her sister had first dibs. Now, though, there was nothing standing in the way of her feelings.
Nothing except a lie.
A lie so awful it could destroy everything.
Isabella exhaled slowly and gripped the edge of her seat, her head spinning. She should tell Feraz what was going on right away and try to explain why she’d done what she’d done, why she’d deceived him. Her stomach clenched. No. She couldn’t do that. Not yet. If he knew the truth he’d never forgive her, and she’d lose all the progress she’d made for her children, all the money for her mother’s treatment. She’d lose him, before she’d ever really even had him.
“What was that you said again, Raheem?” Feraz joked as he and the other two men walked over to the sidelines, their game over. “Who’s embarrassed in front of his wife now, eh?”