Commanded by the Sheikh by Kate Hewitt

Author:Kate Hewitt
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2014-02-15T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER EIGHT

‘DON’T FAINT,’ AZIZ SAID, laughter lacing his voice, and Olivia shook her head as if to clear it. The dizziness still spiralled inside her, along with a thousand feelings. Shock. Hope. Fear. Joy.

‘I’m not going to faint,’ she said, and her voice sounded strange to her own ears. ‘I just can’t believe you said what you said.’

‘That I want to marry you?’

‘Yes.’

‘Well, I do.’

Still she just stared, shock making speech or even thought virtually impossible. Finally she found the sense to string some words together. ‘What about Queen Elena?’

‘She’s not here.’

‘You’re engaged to her, Aziz. Doesn’t that mean anything to you?’

The lightness left his face and his eyes and voice both turned steely. ‘Of course it does. But we became engaged because it was convenient for both of us. I have accepted the fact that I am not going to find her before the six weeks set out in my father’s will are up. Therefore I must find another bride.’

‘And you suppose I’ll do.’

‘I think,’ Aziz said, his voice dropping to a knowing murmur, ‘Based on the kiss we shared earlier today, you’ll more than just do, Olivia. There’s an attraction between us—’

‘That doesn’t mean I want to get married.’ Olivia swung away, her whole body trembling with the shock of Aziz’s proposal. Although, she acknowledged as she swallowed a near-hysterical laugh, he hadn’t actually asked. He’d just told her his intention.

‘I can’t believe you’d actually suggest such a thing,’ she muttered. ‘It’s crazy.’

‘I’ll admit, this whole situation has an element of madness to it. But needs must.’

‘For you.’ Olivia turned around, her body trembling, this time with indignation and even hurt. ‘Needs must for you, Aziz. But I have no need to get married. Unless—unless you’re going to threaten to fire me if—’

‘I told you before I’d never do that, Olivia.’ His voice was hard, but then his expression lightened as he offered her a wry smile. ‘I’m not the kind of man who resorts to coercion or bribery. I have better strategies than that.’

‘Which are?’

‘I simply intend to convince you of the benefits of marriage to me.’

‘The benefits,’ she repeated. Already she could imagine all too well just what some of those benefits might be: waking up next to Aziz every morning; sleeping in his arms every night; sating that wild need she’d felt for him in the garden again and again...

‘I think,’ he murmured, his smile turning sleepy, ‘Judging by your blush, you might be aware of some of them?’

‘Damn you,’ she choked, and turned away again, if only to hide her flushed cheeks.

‘Olivia.’ She felt his hand on her shoulder, the heat of his body behind hers. ‘I’m not trying to embarrass you. Trust me, the attraction we feel for one another, as unexpected as it might be for both of us, is something I certainly consider a benefit.’

‘You don’t marry someone just because you’re attracted to them,’ Olivia managed to get out. Her voice sounded suffocated.

‘No, of course not. But it’s better

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