by Kim Shaw
Kennedy studied his anguished expression, wanting to reach out and stroke away the lines on his face.
“I should not have taken his money,” Malik continued. “I know that now. It didn’t matter what the motivation behind it was. By taking it I became exactly what your father believed me to be.”
“Malik, he was wrong about you. I know you didn’t leave me for my father’s money, but because of it.”
“Kennedy, I love you so much it hurts me. I have never felt like this for anyone…about anything in my whole life, and I know I’ll never feel this way again. But I can’t ask you to go against your family. They love you, and I know that you would be miserable without them in your life.”
“Malik, are you as blind as I was? I love you too and I’m not going to live without you. Don’t you understand that this thing is bigger than my parents, bigger even than you and me separately? We can’t just let it die because some antiquated elitist rules say we shouldn’t be together. You are a greater man than any blue-blooded, aristocrat with a pedigree two miles long could be.”
Malik started to protest. All of the reasons why he shouldn’t love her and she shouldn’t love him coursed through his brain but not one of them was strong enough to suppress the knowledge that she completed him. Grasping the back of her head, his hand tangled in the soft flowing mane that had once been a place of refuge for him, he pulled her mouth to his. They were oblivious to the smiles and stares around them as they lost themselves in the wonder of their kiss.
“Well, it’s about damned time that you two got yourselves together,” Skyy chirped, interrupting their reunion. “That’s what I’m talking about. Now, break it up and, Malik, get back to work. You’ve got all these folks standing around here waiting for you to get this show on the road.”
The trio laughed. Kennedy introduced her best friend to her man, glad to finally be able to acknowledge to the world that she’d found a man who loved her for who she was and whom she respected as a man who stood for something other than material worth.
Kennedy was proud that she had finally come to know that she was not a person who allowed prejudice and preconceived notions about how people are and how they should be, to dictate her life or love. She had always wondered if she were, in fact, strong enough to step outside of the boundaries of her parents’ beliefs and her upbringing to love for the sake of love.
Finally, she knew that she was. Through Malik she had come to know herself and she was rewarded by the fact that she was a person who appreciated the beauty of all people, no matter where they came from or what their last name was.
Epilogue
One year later, Malik and Kennedy exchanged vows in the hills of the countryside of Sicily. Skyy and Salvatore, who were now officially engaged, themselves, served as their witnesses. The ladies wore simple white sundresses and the men, cotton pants and tops. The Daniels’ wish for them to have a country club wedding was denied, yet the couple acquiesced to allowing them to throw a huge reception at their estate when the newlyweds returned stateside. The gift and letter sent by them made Kennedy cry tears of joy for a change.
Malik had changed, as well, realizing that true love is worth fighting for, no matter who or what the opponent. He had allowed the Daniels to decide for him his worth as a man and as Kennedy’s partner, and almost rob him of the best thing that ever happened to him. As he danced that night under the stars with his new wife, Malik realized that Kennedy had forced him to become the man he’d always wanted to be.
Don’t miss more drama from
Kennedy’s baby sister as Madison Daniels
continues her wild ways, but finally meets
a man who can tame her in
FOREIGN AFFAIR
by Kim Shaw
Available in March 2008
ISBN: 978-1-4268-0561-5
SOUL CARESS
Copyright © 2007 by Kimberly Sharrock Shaw
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