Total pages in book: 53
Estimated words: 50149 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 251(@200wpm)___ 201(@250wpm)___ 167(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 50149 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 251(@200wpm)___ 201(@250wpm)___ 167(@300wpm)
A resounding applause followed the end of Harper’s speech, and she flashed an awkward smile before quickly turning away to blink back tears. God, but why was she so quick to cry these days? Either there was something wrong with Ramil’s air or it was an inevitable occupational hazard of being queen.
“You did good,” Altair said as they headed out of the embassy.
“Hmph.”
Altair smiled. Although he hadn’t spent as much time with Harper as Khalil had over the years, he was not unfamiliar with her contrary ways, and this, he knew, was simply her way of hiding her embarrassment.
When they got back to the palace, the first thing she saw was the Emir Sheikh, waiting for her by the steps. He was dressed in a white thobe, his dark hair covered by his headdress, and oh, how her heart raced at the sight of him.
As soon as she stepped out of the car, the sheikh opened his arms, and she flew into his embrace like a homing bird.
“You made me proud today, my Harper.”
“Hmph.”
But the sheikh only smiled. “You are cute when you’re embarrassed.”
She immediately pulled away. “No, I’m not.”
But the sheikh was already speaking to his cousin, thanking Altair for accompanying Harper to the embassy. And then they were walking away, the sheikh holding her hand, and she bit her lip hard. Gaaah. He was just holding her hand, and it was already making her heart beat so.
How shallow could she get?
Harper was perplexed when she realized they were heading to his office. “Do we have a meeting?” These days, those were the only times that the sheikh allowed himself to be in her company.
“No.”
Harper’s confusion deepened even as she allowed the sheikh to usher her inside. As the door closed behind her, she turned around, asking, “Then why—-mmph.”
The sheikh had captured her mouth in a deep, hard kiss, and when she got over her shock she eagerly kissed him back, her arms going around him just as he swept her up in his arms. She expected the sheikh to bring her to the couch, but instead she found herself being laid on his desk, her legs dangling on the edge.
Harper immediately sat up as the sheikh reached for the hem of her abaya. “What are you doing?” Her voice had turned into a squeak as the sheikh pushed her abaya, together with the dress underneath it, all the way up to her waist.
After, the sheikh glanced at her. “Your reward.”
“My what?”
A second later, the sheikh went down on her.
Oh. My. God.
She immediately fell back against the desk.
What. A. Reward.
She had no idea how he had known that this was what she wanted, but she wasn’t complaining. Harper felt his tongue stroke her against the wet cotton, and her entire body shuddered. Definitely not complaining.
Chapter Ten
The day of the wedding dawned bright and clear, just one day shy from Khalil’s one-hundredth day reign as king. Everyone who had been invited came to attend the event, with a record number of foreign leaders showing up, all of them curious to see firsthand what Ramil’s new queen was like.
Even the sheikh’s sort-of ex Sapphire had accepted the invitation and came with her rockstar husband and too-cute son in tow.
Normally, having to rub elbows with such figures would have worried her to death, but Harper had more pressing thoughts in mind. That would happen follow the reception, and when it was time to go, Harper was a quivering mass of nerves. Although her white sleeping robe covered her from head to toe, she still felt terribly exposed.
Some of her anxiety must have communicated itself to the sheikh as the moment she reached his side, pale-faced and trembling, the sheikh asked right away, “Are you certain of this?”
No. Of course not. How can one be certain of this?
But instead, she lifted her chin and forced herself to smile brightly. “A promise is a promise is a promise.”
His lips twitched. “Your love for redundancy is delightful as ever, qalifa, but...” He paused. “That doesn’t answer my question.” He took her hand, and his brows pleated. “Your hand is cold.”
“That’s n-normal.”
“Not when you live in a desert.”
Oh. Right.
“There is still time to change your mind,” the sheikh began.
Harper shook her head vehemently. “No. I promised, okay? And there’s no point to us marrying if we don’t do this so—-” She took a deep breath before saying in a rush, “Can we please just get it over with before I lose my guts and change my mind?”
There was a moment of silence – and then the sheikh tightened his grip on her hand, saying simply, “Thank you.”
They walked in silence from there, the sheikh leading her down a maze of hallways, and her heart swayed harder and harder with every step they took.
Oh my God, it was really happening.