Rafe stared at Zara, desperately wanting to believe her. He ached as if someone had reached inside and ripped out his heart. He could feel his life’s blood seeping away.
She was so beautiful he could barely look upon her. Yet he couldn’t turn away. When she smiled, he felt his heart crack.
“I love you,” she whispered. “I know I wasn’t supposed to. You kept warning me away. I know you’re afraid to settle down, so I’ll travel with you. We’ll create a future and a past that is ours alone. I’m not afraid.”
“Zara, you can’t.” He could barely speak the words.
“I have to. Without you, what’s the point? You’re all I’ve been waiting for.”
Pain ripped through him. The thick, angry barrier around his heart shattered and blew away. He gasped for breath, then pulled her to him. He touched her face, her hair, then ran his thumb across her mouth.
“Zara,” he breathed, and kissed her.
She kissed him back—with all her heart and soul. She clung to him as if she would never let go. He knew then that he had to believe her or lose her forever. That he was nothing without her. That he had finally found a safe place to belong.
“I love you,” he told her.
Tears spilled from her eyes. “I was kind of hoping you would say that.”
He brushed away the tears. “We don’t have to leave. I would never take you away from your family. You just found them.”
“I appreciate that, but if you need to be sure, I’ll go with you.”
“I’m sure,” he told her and, for the first time he could remember, he was. Light filled him. Love radiated from them both—he could feel it.
“This is all very nice,” Hassan said after clearing his throat. “However, now that you have declared yourselves, I must insist that you marry my daughter. You simply cannot make the Princess Zara your woman.”
The king had a point. Rafe took Zara’s hands in his. “I never thought I would love anyone, but I love you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Please do me the honor of marrying me.”
Zara’s entire being spilled over with happiness. While she would have done as she said and followed Rafe around the world if necessary, she would much prefer to marry him and make a home.
“Yes,” she said, kissing him. “I want to marry you and be with you for always. I love you, Rafe.”
Hassan pulled them apart. “All right, all right. Fine. So you want to marry my daughter. What makes you think I’ll say yes?”
Zara hugged her father. “Oh, Daddy, what else are you going to say?”
“Daddy,” he murmured. “Yes, it is better than father.” Hassan kissed her cheek. “I suppose you are right.” He glared at Rafe. “I’ll expect you to take care of her. She’s a member of the royal family.”
“I give you my word,” Rafe told him.
Hassan sighed. “This is not what I had planned,” he told his daughter. “You could have had a duke.”
“I’d rather have a sheik,” she said happily.
“I can see that. Then I must insist that you promise to wait a few months for the wedding. I want time to get to know you before this one whisks you away to the City of Thieves.”
She looked at Rafe who shrugged. “Seems reasonable. How long were you thinking?”
“A year,” Hassan said.
Rafe grinned. “Two months.”
“Six months.”
“Four months.”
“Done,” her father said. “Four months.” He drew his eyebrows together. “Four chaste months.”
“Not on a bet,” Rafe told him.
“I could still have you beheaded,” the king said conversationally.
Zara felt so happy, she thought she could fly. She slipped free of her father and cuddled up to Rafe. They were to be married. All her dreams had come true.
“There will be no beheading,” she told her father, then smiled at her fiancé. “That was my first royal pronouncement.”
“It was a good one,” he said and kissed her.
ISBN: 978-1-4268-0370-3
Copyright © 2007 Harlequin Books S.A.
The publisher acknowledges the copyright holders of the individual works as follows:
The Sheik’s Kidnapped Bride
Copyright © 2000 by Susan W. Macias
The Sheik’s Arranged Marriage
Copyright © 2000 by Susan W. Macias
The Sheik’s Secret Bride
Copyright © 2000 by Susan W. Macias
The Sheik and the Runaway Princess
Copyright © 2001 by Susan Macias-Redmond
The Sheik & the Virgin Princess
Copyright © 2002 by Susan Macias-Redmond
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The Desert Rogues Part 1 Page 102
