She stepped forward now, her anger stoked.
‘You built me up. You gave me confidence to be myself—with you, and with other people. You actually made me believe in myself, and believe that I had something valuable to offer. That I was more than just Lady Vivienne’s awkward daughter.’
‘And you are,’ he said quietly. ‘Way more. You’re a wonderful woman. You’re everything to me. I’m only sorry it took me this long to say these words to you.’
‘You built me up and then you threw me down. You treated me worse than my mother ever did. Because she’s oblivious. But you knew what you were doing. And as long as you got out without anything sticking that was all that mattered.’
He closed his eyes, screwed them up, and though it hurt her to see it, she’d had to say it—had to tell him straight.
‘I’ll spend the rest of my life making it up to you,’ he said.
And when she looked again into those eyes the blue blazed with an honesty, an integrity that she felt deep within. There was no mask. There was no façade. There was nothing but the living, breathing truth and goodness and beauty of this man.
As if a rock had rolled away from her path, as if the day had suddenly brightened with colours she had never seen, as if her whole life had fallen into place, she realised that her future was right here in this moment—ripe and ready for her to make a choice.
‘And how do you propose to do that?’ she said, unable to disguise the softening in her voice.
He smiled, and a tiny hint of a single dimple appeared. ‘Are you leading the witness with that question?’
She smiled too, trying to hold her emotions inside as joy began a sing-song chorus from within.
‘Would you object if I was?’
His smile deepened. His eyes crinkled. She saw two dimples. He stepped closer. And then he kneeled before her.
Lucie’s hand flew to her chest as she gasped.
‘Princess—Lucie. Love of my life. Will you marry me? Will you promise never to leave me? Will you let me love you and cherish you for ever? Because I will.’
Her head began to nod, her eyes began to stream, and the words she had never dared imagine she would say sang from her lips.
‘I will. Oh, yes, I will.’
He stood, scooped her into his arms. He kissed her long and hard, and with every fibre of her being she kissed him back, loved him back.
Her eyes found his, her body melted into his, and her world righted itself on its axis.
‘Your mother should be told. Before we go to this wedding.’
‘She should, yes. Shall we...?’
With one final kiss he scooped her under his arm and turned them around. Their outline was one form against the beautiful clear day. And above them the hot, bright summer sun spilled light across the bay.
* * * * *
EXCLUSIVE EXTRACT
Persuading plain Jane to marry him was easy enough – but Shiekh Zayed Al Zawba hadn’t bargained on the irresistible curves hidden under her clothes, or that she is deliciously untouched. When Jane begins to tempt him beyond his wildest dreams, leaving their marriage unconsummated becomes impossible. . .
Read on for a sneak preview of
THE SHEIKH’S BOUGHT WIFE
It was difficult to be distant when your body seemed to have developed a stubborn will of its own. When she found herself wanting to push her aching breasts against Zayed’s powerful chest as he caught her in his arms for the traditional first dance between bride and groom. As it was, she could barely think straight and wasn’t it the most infuriating thing in the world that he immediately seemed to pick up on that?
‘You seem to be having trouble breathing, dear wife,’ he murmured as he moved her to the center of the marble dance floor.
‘The dress is very tight.’
‘I’d noticed.’ He twirled her around, holding her back a little. ‘It looks very well on you.’
She forced a tight smile but she didn’t relax. ‘Thank you.’
‘Or maybe it is the excitement of having me this close to you which is making you pant like a little kitten?’
‘You’re annoying me, rather than exciting me. And I do wish you’d stop trying to get underneath my skin.’
‘Don’t you like people getting underneath your skin, Jane?’
‘No,’ she said honestly. ‘I don’t.’
‘Why not?’
She met the blaze of his ebony eyes and suppressed a shiver. ‘Does everything have to have a reason?’
‘In my experience, yes.’ There was a pause. ‘Has a man hurt you in the past?’
This was her chance to tell him yes—even though the very idea that someone had got that close to her was laughable.
Zayed had already guessed she might be a virgin, but that didn’t even come close to her shameful lack of experience.
Trying to ignore the way his groin was brushing against her as he edged her closer, she glanced up at him, her cheeks burning. ‘I refuse to answer that on the grounds that I might incriminate myself. Tell me instead, do you always insist on interrogating women when you’re dancing with them?’
‘No. I don’t,’ he said simply. ‘But then I’ve never had a bride before and I’ve never danced with a woman who was so determined not to give anything of herself away.’
‘And that’s the only reason you want to know,’ she said quietly. ‘Because you like a challenge.’
‘All men like a challenge, Jane.’ His black eyes gleamed. ‘Haven’t you learned that by now?’
She didn’t answer—because how was she qualified to answer any questions about what men did or didn’t like?
Don’t miss
THE SHEIKH’S BOUGHT WIFE
by Sharon Kendrick
Available May 2017
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Copyright © 2017 Harlequin Books S.A.
ISBN: 978-1-474-05234-4
THE ARGENTINIAN’S VIRGIN CONQUEST
© 2017 Bella Frances
Published in Great Britain 2017
by Mills & Boon, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF
All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, locations and incidents are purely fictional and bear no relationship to any real life individuals, living or dead, or to any actual places, business establishments, locations, events or incidents. Any resemblance is entirely coincidental.
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The Argentinian's Virgin Conquest Page 16
