The Sheik's Unexpected Bride

“Here goes nothing!” She squared her shoulders and stepped purposefully around the corner of the plane’s cabin and…!

He was there! Tasim was standing at the bottom of the stairs! Good grief, the man looked handsome!

Slowly, she descended the stairs, hoping

that he couldn’t tell how nervous she was. When she reached the tarmac, Luna found she couldn’t take her eyes from him. Had he been this tall two months ago? Surely not!

“Luna!” he groaned, and pulled her into his arms. “Damn, you look beautiful!”

Luna sobbed, burying her face against his neck. “Did you charm me for political expediency?” she demanded, blurting out the question she needed answered the most.

Tasim pulled back, peering into her eyes. “What?”

Luna wiped her tears away, glancing nervously at the guards surrounding them. Both her team as well as his stood at attention, all looking outward instead of in at them.

“Luna, what did you say?”

Blinking, she wiped impatiently at the tears streaming down her cheeks. “Did you….” she stammered for a moment, and tried again, “Did you charm me for political expediency?” She didn’t give him a chance to answer. “I know that I was horrible at first. But it wasn’t because I didn’t like Ella. I liked her. A lot! In fact, I love her like a sister now. And I wasn’t angry that she was marrying my brother. I was sad that my brother and I wouldn’t be the team that we used to be. But I know that he loves Ella so much and I’m so happy for them both. But I just–”

His lips brushed against hers, silencing her stream of words. When he lifted his head, his hands were still on her waist, holding her still. “You thought I’d tricked you that weekend.” He pulled her close, holding her to his chest. “I didn’t trick you, Luna. I fell in love with you!” His arms tightened and his fingers dove into her hair. “I wasn’t a fan at first. I thought you were a spoiled brat. But watching you, I also knew that I wanted you.” He sighed, his breath blowing wisps of her hair. “I couldn’t believe how much I wanted you.”

She sniffed, feeling better, but not completely. “Just wanted me?”

He laughed, pulling back so that he could look into her eyes. “That’s what I told myself. Just lust.” He shook his head. “But it was a lie. I knew over ice cream.” He took her hands in his. “So, you thought that I was just charming you that weekend.”

“Well, I guess.”

“What made you think that? What did I do?”

Luna’s tears welled up again, the pain of those overheard words washing over her. “You didn’t do anything. I was just…” she sighed, her shoulders drooping. “I messed up, Tasim. And I’m so sorry!” Looking into his eyes, she tried to convey her regret. “I…heard someone say that you’d charmed a…bitch. And you had that ‘bitch’ eating out of the palm of your hand.”

He cupped her face, his thumb stroking her cheekbone. “I have no idea what you overheard, but I’d never use those words about you, Luna! Never! I fell in love with you that weekend. I know it sounds crazy. Falling in love over a weekend sounds ridiculous. But…I can’t help it. I love you. And I’ve missed you!” He kissed her more lingeringly. “When I heard that you were flying here, I was hoping that you might feel the same way. Or that you, at least, missed me.”

“I have missed you! I really do! That’s why I couldn’t respond to your messages, Tasim. Because the words, I’d heard them, and I was too hurt.” She blinked through her tears and sighed. “I’m so sorry! I messed up so badly and I…!”

“Stop!” he whispered, kissing her again. And again! When he finally straightened up, he hugged her close again. “Let’s get out of here. We need some privacy for this conversation.”

Luna agreed and he took her hand, leading her towards the long line of limousines and SUVs waiting for them. As soon as they ducked into the back, Luna was accosted by one of the ugliest dogs she’d ever seen. But her sweetly eager expression and adorable brown eyes greeted her with immediate affection.

“Peter, no,” Tasim ordered in a firm, but not unkind tone.

“This is Peter?” Luna asked, extending her hand so that the dog could smell her scent. When the dog licked her, Luna reached out and scratched her ears. “You’re a sweet girl, aren’t you?”

“Yes, this is Peter,” Tasim explained, rubbing the dog’s rough back. Peter’s tail wagged and, as the limousine moved forward, Peter leaned against Tasim’s legs. Luna noticed that Tasim held the dog steady, balancing the canine so that she wouldn’t fall and get hurt.

“Peter is the dog that you charmed,” Luna exclaimed, awe and happiness making her a little light-headed. “Ella explained what the comment meant.”

“What comment?” Tasim asked.

She sighed, leaning back against the cushions of the limousine and closing her eyes in embarrassment. When she opened them again, Luna found she couldn’t look at Tasim as she explained.

At the end of her story, Luna finally looked up, noticing his hand holding hers. “Can you forgive me?” she asked, her voice shaking a little.

His answer was to pull her onto his lap and kiss her. Luna wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back with all the love she felt for the man.

He straightened and gave her a squeeze. “I’ll tell you what: I’ll forgive you, if you agree to marry me.”

That was a shocking stipulation. “Marry you?”