The tension between them was unsustainable, Lucy thought as she quickly explained, ‘I just tire easily.’
‘And must be hungry, I’m guessing.’
Before she could answer this, he tugged a bell pull on the wall. ‘And then a siesta, I think.’
‘Oh, no,’ Lucy protested. ‘I’m not staying that long.’
A discreet knock on the door heralded the arrival of a parade of stewards, carrying all sorts of tempting delicacies into the room. And she was starving.
Somehow eating made everything seem normal again, and the tension between them evaporated, leaving them free to discuss the future of their child. Tadj was keen that both cultures were given equal weight, and that they must both have a say in every decision.
‘A say?’ Lucy queried, worrying that her opinion might carry no weight. Tadj held all the financial cards, making it impossible for her to fight him through the courts.
‘Don’t look for trouble,’ he warned. ‘You’re the child’s mother, so of course your views will be listened to and implemented if we agree they’re beneficial. And, yes, I did use the word we,’ he confirmed.
This was a massive adjustment for Tadj, and he hadn’t finished surprising her yet. ‘What’s this?’ she asked as he handed her a document.
‘Read it and you’ll see.’
Tadj would uphold Lucy’s right to independence in deciding how best to mother her child. ‘You’re giving up all your rights,’ she said.
‘Because I trust you,’ he stated frankly.
Her heart clenched tight, but she had to be sure of his motives. ‘Does this mean you don’t want the responsibility?’
‘Quite the opposite. I intend to take a full part in the upbringing of our child, but it’s important that you feel secure. You mustn’t ever feel threatened at any point. Carry on working for as long as you feel able to—do everything that makes you you.’
She didn’t need anyone to tell her what this must have cost Tadj in time and effort when it came to changing things in Qalala, or how far he’d come in personal terms.
‘I just have one question,’ he said. ‘Do you trust me?’
This was such an important moment, crucial for Tadj, yet an image chose this moment to pop unhelpfully into her head. She had never imagined making such a vital pledge while heavily pregnant with grease around her mouth, having scoffed every bit of food in sight.
‘Lucy...?’
Turning away, she mopped her mouth with a napkin, which gave her chance to draw a deep, steadying breath. ‘Yes, I trust you,’ she said with absolute certainty. ‘I trust you with my life. And, more importantly, with the life of our child.’
‘Then, I have something to say.’
He sounded so formal now, more like the Emir than Tadj.
‘Can you say it after that siesta you mentioned?’
Tadj seemed surprised. ‘I’m not sure I can wait.’
She stared into his face and a quiver of arousal ran through her. ‘You could join me.’
‘If that’s what you want.’
He sounded so stern, but as he picked up her bag and coat she saw a look in his eyes she recognised. ‘It is what I want. We could share the bed?’
Tadj threw her a look that sent her senses into freefall. ‘How accommodating you can be.’
‘When the offer promises so much, why would I hesitate?’
‘Good news for me,’ he said dryly.
He was back. The man she’d fallen in love with was back. ‘What was it you wanted to say to me?’ she remembered as they left the room.
‘It can wait,’ he said, and, linking their fingers, he led her to his suite.
* * *
He’d barely shut the door, when he brought her into his arms and kissed her. ‘Marry me,’ he said while she was still gasping for breath.
‘Are you serious?’ Lucy exclaimed, taken completely by surprise.
‘What do you think this is?’ Tadj growled as he backed her towards the bed.
‘Evidence that you’re pleased to see me after all?’
He laughed, and with a new freedom, she thought as he demanded, ‘Can you be serious for a moment?’
‘If I must.’
‘I think you must.’
‘Marry me, and all this—’ he glanced around ‘—will be yours.’
‘I don’t want anything but you.’
But he didn’t appear to hear her. ‘The Blue Stone is only one of many assets I own across the world—take your pick.’
I choose you, she thought. The rest is unnecessary. I don’t need it. The type of riches he was describing were better suited to a princess, or an heiress, not a working single mother with no time on her hands to appreciate them. They should belong to a woman with expectations, and all Lucy wanted was love.
‘I’m sorry. I can’t marry you,’ she said. ‘I can’t allow you to do this, when we both know I bring nothing to Qalala’s benefit.’
‘You bring everything,’ Tadj argued fiercely. ‘You’re everything I’ve ever wanted and everything Qalala needs.’ Cupping her face in his hands, he stared deep into her eyes. ‘I’m bringing Qalala into the modern age, and with you at my side I can achieve that faster. And I know you don’t expect an easy ride.’
‘I never have,’ she said. ‘But marriage is a step too far. You don’t need to feel sorry for me.’
‘Sorry for you?’ he said. ‘I know what you’re capable of, which is why I’m asking you to be my wife.’
Lucy shook her head. ‘I love you too much to see you sacrifice everything for me.’
‘I don’t have to. If you love me, it’s enough.’ Tadj went on to explain how the constitution of Qalala had been amended to allow the Emir to marry a wife of his choosing, rather than accept a bride chosen by committee. ‘You do love me?’ he confirmed.
‘More than life itself,’ Lucy admitted with her customary bluntness.
They stared at each other, and then Tadj said, ‘So you’ll marry me.’
‘Is that any way to ask?’
The tension broke and they laughed.
‘Excuse me, my lady,’ he said, making her a mock bow. But as he got down on one knee, he made a fatal error. ‘As our marriage is already arranged, I should, I suppose, ask you formally.’
‘What?’ Lucy exclaimed, in no mood to hear anything more. ‘If our marriage is arranged, you’d better unarrange it.’
‘And have our child raised out of wedlock? Surely, you understand I can’t allow that.’
‘I don’t see that it makes any difference at all,’ Lucy said as he sprang up. ‘Our child will be brought up with love—what else matters? A child needs to feel loved, and secure and happy. Do you think it cares about a piece of paper?’
‘A royal child will be under scrutiny.’
‘True, but you could have asked me first—warned me that plans for our wedding were already under way. It is usual.’
‘Do you expect me to be patient now?’
‘You?’ she queried with a glimmer of grim humour. ‘No. But I do expect you to grant me an equal say over everything we do. That is what you promised.’
He should have paced things differently, given Lucy more warning and a better build-up to his proposal. He’d be there for her and their child whatever her answer now. But her answer had to be in the affirmative ‘This is the best,’ he said. ‘How can it be otherwise? Do you propose to live on the opposite side of the world?’
‘So your concern for appearances has driven this proposal?’ she exclaimed. ‘Silly me, when I thought you were in love and being romantic.’
‘I am being romantic,’ he blazed, or he was doing his best, anyway. ‘What about you and me? Don’t we deserve happiness?’
‘No one deserves happiness,’ she countered hotly. ‘It has to be earned. And never at th
e expense of anyone else.’
‘You can play the saint all you want,’ he exploded, ‘but please don’t expect me to do the same!’
Frustration was hammering at his brain and Lucy was equally heated. Grabbing him, she wrestled hard, rubbing her body against his in her passion. If this was fate, he was destined to get the best workout every single day of his life.
Fate had thrown them together, and now demanded action, Lucy thought as she ripped at Tadj’s clothes.
‘Slow—careful—don’t forget your condition,’ he insisted as she battled to get him naked.
‘I haven’t forgotten anything!’ she flared. Pregnancy had made her mad for sex, mad for him. Knowing pleasure was only a few deep thrusts away made her fiercer than ever.
‘No,’ Tadj said firmly. Standing back, he refastened his jeans. ‘Not here like this...’
Hormones snapping left her ready to scream he couldn’t frustrate her like this, but, scooping her up, he carried her to the bed. ‘Now,’ he murmured with that annoying half-smile of his tugging at one corner of his mouth. ‘Where were we?’
Stripping her efficiently, he positioned and controlled her buttocks with his big, slightly roughened hands, and then took her with the utmost care, but with the utmost thoroughness too, she was happy to report. One deep thrust with a sensational massaging motion of his hips at the end of it was all it took to tip her over the edge into screaming pleasure. While she responded in time to each powerful spasm, Tadj continued to move steadily, ensuring the next release was upon her before the first had even ended.
‘So, what’s your answer to my proposal?’ he demanded the moment she was quiet.