The Desert King's Blackmailed Bride

Polly simply laughed, knowing that Ellie had never been in love. Nothing came between Ellie and the medical career she adored. But Polly had never had that burning ambition for a career and her wants and needs were satisfied by her family circle and her public role as the Queen of Dharia. She was always very busy, particularly since the birth of their son a year earlier. They had a nanny to help with Karim’s care but both Polly and Rashad spent a great deal of time with their son. Polly wanted Karim to know how much he was loved and Rashad was determined to play a daily part in his child’s routine.

‘It’s so beautiful here,’ Ellie remarked dreamily, contemplating the star-shaped pool into which water flowed endlessly. Lush trees and luxuriant foliage softened the carved stone arches and pillars of the palace walls that surrounded the courtyard. ‘You saw this place first, didn’t you? Maybe that’s why you fell for Rashad.’

‘You are such a cynic, Ellie,’ Rashad declared with amusement as he joined them.

Karim loosed a yell and crawled at speed across the tiles to greet his father. Rashad chuckled and bent down to scoop up the little boy and kiss him with an unashamed love that touched Polly’s heart. The man she had married had slowly learned to loosen up and show his true colours. His passion in bed was now equally matched by the depth of his affection. He said that she had changed him but Polly believed he had changed himself. He was happy now and it showed in the ease of his brilliant smile and the burnished glow of his dark eyes.

‘Well, was it the palace that cast a spell over you…or me?’ Rashad teased, gazing down at his wife as she moved to his side.

‘If you two are going to turn all lovey-dovey, I’m going upstairs for a shower,’ Ellie announced in a deflating tone.

‘Lovey-dovey?’ Rashad queried, walking Polly out of the courtyard with an arm draped round her shoulder and Karim tucked below the other.

‘Drippy…mushy,’ she translated. ‘Ellie hates that stuff.’

‘Are we…drippy?’ Rashad enquired with a pained look.

‘Probably sometimes,’ she said fondly. ‘Who cares as long as we’re happy?’

‘I am not drippy,’ Rashad proclaimed with distaste as Polly removed Karim from his arms and settled their son in his cot for his nap.

Karim howled as if he had been abandoned in the street and Rashad hovered worriedly.

‘He’s fine. He always does that. He’s just like you, very resilient and he tries it on sometimes. Don’t let him think you’re going to lift him again,’ Polly warned as she dragged Rashad out of the nursery again.

‘Tough love…right?’ Rashad guessed, wincing as Karim kept on crying.

‘Wait,’ Polly instructed in the corridor.

When he was deprived of an audience, the crying stopped and their son began to talk to himself quite happily.

Rashad smiled, much relieved by the development.

‘Yeah, you’re really drippy!’ Polly teased with satisfaction, walking into their bedroom.

‘I’m not. I’m a concerned parent who doesn’t like to hear my child cry,’ Rashad argued.

‘And I’m what? The evil mother who left him to cry?’

‘No, you’re the wonderful wife who is giving me an hour of alone time with you before dinner,’ Rashad said with a wicked grin as he began stripping off his clothes with alacrity. ‘This is yet another reason why I love you so much.’

Polly ran appreciative fingers up over his rock-hard abdomen and watched his muscles ripple, dry-mouthed with admiration. ‘I’m greedy… I always make time for you.’

He crushed her lips beneath his with a heady moan of pleasure. ‘You taste so good, habibti.’

Her body was sparking like a fizzing firework, eager for the ignition point of his. No, they hadn’t lost their passion for each other. Admittedly her pregnancy had slowed them down a bit in the final months but she had rediscovered her energy after Karim’s birth and the nanny had helped by doing the night feeds. They rolled across the bed kissing and exchanging sounds of mutual love and longing and, as always, it was amazing. They lay together afterwards, wrapped in each other and temporary satiety.

Rashad ran his fingers through her hair, stared down at her peaceful face with true devotion in his gaze. ‘You really are the best thing that ever happened to me,’ he told her gruffly. ‘When I wake up in the morning and see you beside me, my heart lifts and I feel that I can cope with anything.’

‘I love you too,’ Polly whispered with shining eyes.

And he kissed her again and dinner was served late and Ellie gave her sister a withering glance.

‘And you looked at me when I said you were like teenagers?’ she quipped.

‘Wait until you fall in love,’ Polly urged.

‘Not going to happen. I’m too sensible,’ her sister assured her confidently.