by Cara Albany
Face him down.
Chapter Ten
It was one of the biggest gambles of his life, and he knew it.
Shahid stood at the balustrade of the balcony that faced onto the driveway of his palace, gazing out past the gardens which circled his home. Beyond, the distant desert sands shimmered in the afternoon sun.
Where was she? Why hadn't she already come?
He'd stood here for a long time and the impatience making his body tense was getting to be almost intolerable.
Would she come? Had his plan worked? He knew his sister had paid a visit to Aliyah this morning, knew that Nadyah would probably have relayed the message to Aliyah. The message he hoped would spur Aliyah to act.
Shahid knew it hadn't been exactly subtle. The hint that he hadn't been happy with the way he and Aliyah had parted yesterday. Had he overplayed his hand?
It was almost lunchtime, and she still hadn't arrived. He was wondering whether she would come at all, whether he had misjudged the whole situation.
He drew in a deep, calming breath, inhaling the sweet, fragrant aroma of flowers from the well-tended gardens just a few feet below him.
Shahid had known he hadn't had any other choice. He knew he'd needed some way to prompt her to come to him. If he managed to draw her into his domain, the place where he knew he stood the best chance to convince her just how strongly he felt about her, there was at least some hope he could break through the wall she'd built between them.
No. That wasn't the truth. The wall they'd both built between themselves.
Because, there was no doubt in his mind that, after their kiss at the beach, during the drive back to her home, Aliyah had put up a barrier between them. He'd seen it in her eyes, the dark hesitancy that had made anxiety form a hard knot in his middle. He'd felt it in the silence he'd endured while driving.
Just when he'd thought he'd been making progress, just as he'd started to believe that maybe some kind of hard-won victory was almost in his grasp, she'd snatched it away. And all it had taken was one look from Aliyah to convince him that she was pulling away from him.
Again.
He knew he couldn't allow that. There was too much at stake. He felt too much for Aliyah not to try, with everything in his power, to court her, to win her heart and to claim her forever.
Shahid gripped the cool stone of the balustrade, feeling the tension ripple through every nerve in his body.
If she decided not to come today, then he knew that he would have failed. That burned him so badly, as he considered what that would mean.
He knew she had been right about maintaining a facade for the benefit of Azim and Lucy. The last thing Shahid wanted was to spoil his brother's wedding. That was why it was imperative that he bring Aliyah to a place where they wouldn't be seen, where they could work out the madness of their passion without intruding on the happiness of his precious brother, Azim and the wonderful woman he was about to make his wife.
So, where was Aliyah? He gazed down the length of the driveway, hoping to see her car speeding toward the palace, but there was still no sign of her.
He knew she would have been too proud to simply pick up the phone and demand an answer from him. That wasn't the Aliyah he knew. The woman he treasured would want straight answers from Shahid. And she would want those face to face.
Had he done the right thing in planting the seeds of doubt? It had only taken one simple comment to Nadyah. One single phrase that he knew, in his heart, wasn't quite true. He'd felt bad even hinting at such a thing, but he'd been confident his sister would relay the message to Aliyah. He'd had no intention of going anywhere. Certainly not back to his old life. He was done with that. Thanks to Aliyah.
He'd done something very different. After speaking with Nadyah last night, he'd asked his brother, Zarif to come over for a while. They'd talked about a whole lot of things. There had even been mention of Aliyah, although Shahid had been careful what he'd said. It had felt good to talk with his brother, and the evening had passed quickly.
Then, after Zarif had left, Shahid had spent the rest of the night thinking about one person.
Aliyah.
He'd hardly slept, memories of their time at the beach tormenting him, making sleep impossible.
He sighed, thinking about what he'd done, what he had tried to engineer. The pretense would be worth it, if it meant she would come to him. Because, that was all he wanted, all he needed.
Then he saw something that made his heart quicken. He saw a flash of light in the far distance. Sunlight on glass or metal. And then he heard the roar of an engine. A blue car was speeding up the driveway.
It was her. It could only be Aliyah, he told himself.
He felt a surge of excitement as he moved quickly away from the balcony. He had to get to the palace entrance, and fast.
He moved through the empty corridors of his palace, pausing only once to tell one of his servants to deliver drinks to one of the sitting rooms. Then, he was at the door, hesitating before opening the huge, ornately carved door. He drew in a deep breath and then pulled the door open, expecting to see Aliyah's car drawing up at the foot of the steps.
But, as he stepped out, he realized he'd misjudged the pace of her vehicle, because not only was the car already parked up, but Aliyah was racing up the steps toward him. The loose fabric of her white, cotton dress flowed around her petite body. His own body reacted instinctively to the sight of her fullness beneath the dress.
Her flat shoes slapped noisily against the marble steps. Her eyes flashed quickly to him, triggering a flush of heat in him.
"Aliyah. What a surprise," he said, feeling the hollowness of his words, but ignoring that sensation because it was just so good to see her.
She reached the top stair, and he could see she was slightly out of breath. He liked to see her aroused, even if he wasn't sure what she was going to say next. Something about those reddened cheeks, her chest rising with each breath made him feel transfixed looking at her.
She shook her head and peered at him, her eyes narrowing, her scrutiny penetrating him to the core.
"Really? A surprise?" she said, and he noted the light touch of acid in her voice.
"You should have told me you were coming, and I would have prepared some lunch."
Aliyah squinted at him. "You weren't expecting me?" she challenged.
Shahid took a step toward Aliyah, but the sudden glare she gave him made him halt immediately.
"Okay. Maybe I'm not that surprised," he admitted with a grin.
"I thought as much," she answered.
Shahid gestured inside the palace. "You want to come in?"
Aliyah sighed and peered at Shahid. "I can say what I need to say right here," she replied.
Shahid watched as she shifted a hip, propping one hand firmly against her side. She looked like she wasn't about to budge an inch.
Shahid smiled at Aliyah but she didn't respond, the fire in her eyes even brighter now that she'd decided to take a stand. Why was it that she looked so gorgeous when she was angry? Shahid felt a tingle of excitement. This was a new Aliyah, feisty and determined. One that he approved of mightily.
"What do you want to say to me?" he asked simply.
Aliyah ran a hand through her long, dark hair. It was another gesture that made him feel a shiver of delight. He saw her eyes narrow, watched as her lips pouted thoughtfully. Suddenly he wanted to close the distance between them, take her in his arms, and crash his lips down on hers. But he knew that if he did that, especially right at this moment, things might not go according to plan. It was better to allow Aliyah to let off some steam. She looked so indignant, almost enraged.
Aliyah glanced through the doors. "Do you have visitors?" she asked.
Shahid shook his head. "Just you and me. And the staff, but they're in a different part of the palace," he said glancing through the open door.
Aliyah ran her gaze across the front of the palace. "It's a nice place you've got here," she said.
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Was she just buying time? It certainly looked like she was still trying to weigh up her words.
"Nadyah came to visit me, this morning," she said eventually.
"Really. That's nice," he said, realizing he sounded awkward.
"She mentioned that you'd called last night," Aliyah continued.
Shahid just looked at Aliyah and made no comment. Aliyah shifted from side to side. Her dark eyes burrowed deep into him. There was so much emotion in those eyes, he told himself. It had been a long time since he'd seen a look like that in Aliyah's eyes.
"She told me that you and she talked for a while about what happened yesterday," Aliyah said.
"What? At Azim's?" he asked.
Aliyah scowled at him, and he tried to laugh but saw that she was serious. He stifled the laugh.
"The beach," he admitted.
"Yes, Shahid. The beach," Aliyah countered.
"I don't think I went into much detail," Shahid said slowly, watching Aliyah for a reaction.
Her brows furrowed. "I'd hope not," she exclaimed.
"Look, Aliyah. Let me explain," he started to say. Shahid took one step toward her, but the look she gave him made him halt.
"What's there to explain, Shahid? You said it all when you left me at my parent's palace yesterday."
Shahid peered at Aliyah. "Remind me of what I said," he ordered.
"You know what you said," she replied. There was hurt in her voice now. He hadn't realized what he'd done the previous day had had such an effect on Aliyah. What was wrong with him, he demanded of himself. Had he totally misjudged Aliyah?
Aliyah sighed heavily. "Apparently, it didn't stop you from going back to your old ways, did it?"
"What are you talking about?" he asked sharply.
Aliyah gazed at Shahid sardonically. "I think you know what I'm talking about, Shahid," she said, a note of defiance in her voice now.
He moved a little closer to her, and this time she didn't give him that look. "Tell me, Aliyah," he said. "What have I done to upset you?"
"I'm not upset, Shahid," she replied. She narrowed her eyes. "What gave you that idea?" she retorted.
Shahid gazed intently at Aliyah. "It's just a feeling," he explained.
Aliyah rolled her eyes, and he saw her jaw tighten impatiently. "You know very well what I'm referring to," she said firmly. She paused and glanced away from him. He could see her features tighten as she obviously tried to control her emotions.
Finally, she looked back to him, her eyes filled with defiance. "Did you enjoy your little night out?" she demanded.
"When?" he asked.
Aliyah groaned. "Last night. When you were out with whoever you were with," Aliyah accused.
Shahid frowned, giving Aliyah the best confused look he could summon up. "I wasn't out last night," he replied.
"But..." he heard her say. He saw her mouth drop open slightly, and saw the surprised look on her face. Right now, he thought he'd never seen a more tempting expression on Aliyah's pretty face. Sensing victory, he added: "I was right here at home the entire night," he explained.
Aliyah's brows furrowed and he saw the momentary confusion in her eyes. She looked at him, a disbelieving expression on her face. "But, Nadyah told me that you said..." Her voice drifted off.
"What?"
"You were here?" she asked.
Shahid nodded. "I had a visitor," he said.
Her features were fixed into an expectant mask. She was desperately trying to control her reactions. He could see that now.
"Who?" she asked, and he could see the hesitation in her eyes, almost as if she really didn't want to know the answer to that question.
"Zarif came over to see me," Shahid said.
"Zarif?" Aliyah ejaculated. "What was he doing here?"
Shahid laughed. "He is my older brother," he said with a grin. "I suppose he is allowed to come visit me." Shahid matched Aliyah's gaze. "Isn't he?" he teased.
Aliyah dragged her gaze away from Shahid. He could see her trying to gather her thoughts, as if he'd caught her off guard.
"What's the matter," he asked. "You don't believe me?"
Aliyah looked at him and shook her head. "It's not that. Of course I believe you," she said.
"But, why did you tell Nadyah..." she started to say.
"I didn't tell her anything, really. I just mentioned that I might be seeing someone. Maybe Nadyah misunderstood me," he said.
"She didn't mention anything about Zarif," Aliyah said.
"You could always check with him, if you don't believe me," he said.
Aliyah frowned at Shahid as if she knew he'd gone one step too far in suggesting that she thought he'd been lying to her. "Don't be ridiculous, Shahid. I know you wouldn't lie about that," she said. Did she suspect that he was playing with her?
Shahid moved a step closer, almost to within touching distance. "I wouldn't lie to you, at all, Aliyah. I'd never do that," he murmured. "What we have is too special for that," he added in a soft voice.
Aliyah peered up into his eyes, as if searching for some hint of insincerity. But, he'd be damned if he was going to allow this moment to slip, he told himself. He gazed at Aliyah, willing every ounce of his strength into his eyes, desperate that she should believe him.
He saw her eyes flicker with emotion and then she looked away from him. Had she seen something that troubled her? Had he gone too far? But, he'd had no choice, he told himself. The fact that she was here, standing so close to him, was proof that he'd made the right choice. She'd come to him, and she'd listened to him. That was all the confirmation he needed.
Shahid reached out and placed his hand on her bare arm. She looked up at him, and he saw her cheeks flush slightly as she felt his tender touch. She didn't even try to move her arm away from him, and that realization prompted him to move even closer. He inhaled the sweet scent of her perfume, as intoxicating as ever.
Then he leaned forward, closing the final distance between them and placed his lips gently upon hers. He heard her breath quicken and, for a moment, he thought she was going to push him away. But then he felt her head lift, and her lips opened slightly. The taste of her mouth was delicious.
When he probed her mouth with his tongue, he heard a low moan from her, and then he took her by the shoulders, crushing her soft body against him. He felt her hands on his shoulders, and then they were entwined in each other as he wrapped his arms around her.
Sensation coursed through his body as they kissed. With each moment that passed she seemed to soften even more against him. He realized that he was experiencing an almost physical sense of relief as he kissed her. Relief that she was back where she belonged. In his arms.
They kissed for a long time, and it felt as if the world had suddenly become less important, and all that mattered now was them, here together at the entrance to his domain. It felt exquisite to hold her like this.
Until this moment, he hadn't realized the strength and urgency of his need for her. But, holding her against him, with his lips caressing hers, tasting her sweetness, feeling her warmth against him, made him feel the reality of what they had together. He knew he would do anything to win her heart; knew that it wasn't going to be easy, but that he would do whatever it took to possess Aliyah's heart.
When their lips parted, he gazed down into the depths of her shining, moist gaze. She looked up at him and, for the first time since she'd arrived, he was sure he could see a hint of the familiar happiness in her eyes. Her skin was flushed with visible desire, and her breathing was soft.
All the tension seemed to have drained out of her body as a result of the kiss. Her body was nestled against his. Right now, he never wanted to let her go.
He could see that her previous doubts had faded away. The truth was a great cleansing force, he told himself. He would always be truthful with this amazing woman, always be faithful, always honor her with his every action.
Shahid smiled at Aliyah. "You want to come in? I can have some lunch br
ought, if you want."
Aliyah gazed into his eyes and he instantly saw that she was weighing up his suggestion. He'd expected her to agree, but maybe he'd gotten ahead of himself.
Her eyes flickered from side to side, and her lips pouted. Then she shook her head. "Maybe not right now, Shahid," she said.
He lifted his brows inquiringly at her. "You're not hungry?" he asked.
Aliyah eased away from him, and he released her. She smiled at him. "I've got some things to do."
"Really?" he said disbelievingly.
Aliyah nodded. "That wedding won't organize itself," she replied.
Shahid shrugged. "I guess not."
Aliyah glanced down toward her car. "I best be going."
Shahid watched as she stepped away from him. She looked back at him. "I'll call you, Shahid," she said.
She was leaving him, he told himself. Even after the way they had just kissed, she was still determined not to submit to temptation?
"Is that a promise?" he asked.
Aliyah smiled at him. "You know it is," she admitted.
"I'll hold you to that, Aliyah. You know that, don't you?"
Aliyah gazed at him, and he saw the certainty in her eyes. "Oh, yes, Shahid. I know you'll hold me to that."
It wasn't over, he told himself. Even though she was resisting coming into the palace, even though she was walking away from him, he knew it wasn't over between them.
"Bye," she said casually. She waved at him and started down the stairs.
He watched her get into the car and drive away. She'd come to him, exactly as he'd hoped. But, in the process she'd given him a message. Loud and clear. It wasn't going to be easy to win Aliyah's heart.
Chapter Eleven
That had been just about the most difficult thing she'd ever done in her life, Aliyah told herself as she steered the car out through the gates of Shahid's palace.
Every nerve in her body still quivered with desire as she clutched the steering wheel and headed down the road that stretched out across the desert. She squinted as the sun shone brightly through the windscreen. What had she just done? She sighed in frustration as she thought of what might have happened if she'd accepted Shahid's invitation.
