The Sheikh's Forbidden Tryst - A Sheikh Romance (Princes of the Middle East Book 2) by Rayner Holly & Hunter Lara

Author:Rayner, Holly & Hunter, Lara [Rayner, Holly]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Published: 2019-07-01T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Thirteen

Khabib

After going so high up in the air, it only made sense to return to sea level. The sequel to the helicopter ride was a gondola ride. When we arrived by the water’s edge and the little mustached man paddled the long pointy boat up to us, Lucy turned to gape at me.

“You have got to be kidding me.”

“Oh, sorry…that boat’s not for us. Awkward.”

As her face fell, I took her in my arms.

“I thought you wanted me to kid you.”

In exasperation, she threw her head back.

“Khabib!”

I let her go and kissed her cheek.

“Okay, okay, I’m taking you on a gondola ride, Lucy Morrison. For real.”

“And if I refuse?”

I tapped her nose and took her hand.

“Aw, you’re cute when you think you have a choice.”

Lucy stuck out her tongue at me and I swept her up in my arms again, depositing her in the gondola. Then, I got in myself.

Our boatman, Jules, was an expert navigator, not to mention pretty well stocked, too. Only a few minutes into our trip, he offered us wine and chocolate. So, as Lucy and I munched little bars of dark chocolate and sipped on red wine, we looked out at the skyline of Los Angeles.

Instead of the sight of all the lights filling me with loneliness, as it so often did, I found myself in awe of the beauty of the city. Lucy too, was taking it in with a quiet expression I couldn’t quite place.

“What are you thinking about?”

She shrugged, nestled herself into me further.

“I don’t know, lots of things, I guess. You?”

“I’m thinking that I want to introduce you to my family. My parents, really.”

Lucy stiffened and sat up.

“What’s the matter?”

She shook her head, looking away.

“Khabib, I thought you said that you were going to give me some time.”

“I know, I know, but Lucy, I don’t know how much longer I can keep how I feel about you a secret. It’s too hard. You touch everything in my life, everything. I can’t think of one thing that hasn’t brightened since you came into my life.”

Still, she wasn’t looking at me.

“It’s the same for me, but Khabib, you promised. It isn’t just about us, remember—there are other people involved.”

“I know, I just…I’m sorry, it just slipped out. How about I break the news to them slowly, starting now, while you get your end in order?”

She shook her head and jumped back so rapidly that the whole gondola rocked back and forth with the motion.

“No—Khabib, I mean it. You cannot tell your parents. Do you understand me? Not yet. I have to do something first.”

Lucy’s whole face was red, her eyes wild. I’d never seen her like this.

When I gingerly gave her a pat on the back, she only shook her head again.

“I mean it, Khabib. Promise me. Promise me you’ll do as you’ve said.”

Under her insistent gaze, I nodded wordlessly. Nodding herself, she took a deep breath before releasing the tension in her body, sinking back into me.

For my part, however, I couldn’t relax.

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