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)
“I have something to ask of you, malakti, and I need you to answer me honestly.”
And there it was, she thought. An order he’d leave her no choice but to obey—-
The sheikh cupped her chin. “What are you afraid of?”
Oh. It stunned her that he would notice her fears, and she couldn’t help hedging, muttering, “It’s unimportant.”
“Allow me to be the judge of that, qalifa.”
“But it’s really silly—-”
“Harper.” His voice was still soft, but underlying it was a note of command. “Speak of your trouble.”
“Oh, fine.” She knew she was being ungracious about it, but she didn’t care. “I’m just worried I’d end up embarrassing you this weekend.”
Silence.
And Harper felt hurt. “You think the same thing, too, don’t you?’
“No.”
“Ha!”
He shook his head. “Do you truly believe I could be so easily embarrassed?”
Her mouth opened and closed.
“Would you like me to do something about your fears? Would you like me to slay dragons for you?”
Harper didn’t know what to say. The simple, easy way out would have been to answer ‘yes’ – but did she really want that?
“Tell me, wife. What do you truly wish to achieve?”
“To make you proud.” A part of her had expected the sheikh to be pleased with her answer, with the way she was being more forthcoming than usual, but instead she was stunned to see disappointment flash in his eyes.
“You already make me proud, qalifa.”
“It’s n-not enough.” Harper found herself stammering, and she hated herself for it because she didn’t even know why she was doing it. “I want you to be prouder, so you’ll see I’m a good queen—-” But still the disappointment lingered in his gaze, and she bit her lip.
A moment later, the sheikh seemed to take her silence as the end of their conversation, and she didn’t protest when he made her turn around. He soaped her body and washed her hair, his touch painfully tender.
Before she knew it, the words were already out—-
“What exactly do you want from me?”
Her voice shook in frustration. Was he really blind to all the things she did for him, to the way she bent backwards to be a proper queen? She had lost count of the times she had swallowed her pride for him, had bitten her tongue so many times that if it had literally happened, she would’ve already punched holes in it. For this damn sheikh, she had gone to bed, her jaw aching from too much smiling and faking, and all of this was for the sake of pleasing him.
And it still wasn’t enough?
Tears began to prick her eyes as the silence continued between them, but when she made a move to stand up, the sheikh captured her wrist—-
“Let me go,” Harper snarled under her breath even as she fought back tears. Damn sheikh.
And still he kept pulling back, closer and closer—-
Until she felt his lips touch her bare shoulder.
“I trust you, malikta, to discover the answer on your own.”
Chapter Fourteen
The palace’s reception hall once again rang with the sound of gaiety and clinking glasses, with attendants going around to offer free-flowing champagne. And as was customary, the sheikh greeted his guests one by one, but now instead of his vassals flanking him it was Harper, his queen, who stood by his side.
As the guests extended their greetings to the sheikh and thanked the royal couple for the invitation, Harper only nodded and spoke when directly addressed. Otherwise, she kept her Mona Lisa smile in place while cursing the man beside her to perdition.
Why did he always have to answer her in installment, she fumed silently to herself. Why couldn’t the damn sheikh just give it to her straight instead of bullying her all the time? She wanted him to be proud of her. That was huge, coming from a commitment-phobe like her, and still it wasn’t enough.
What else did he want, dammit?
Lunch by the garden followed right after, and Harper strove to shove the sheikh’s irritating traits out of her mind and focus on her job. While the sheikh and his vassals did their rounds among the men, she did hers with the women and the children, doing her best to be approachable rather than her usual cranky self. After a few official events, she had realized for herself that the court tutor was right. People who she thought were snobs were usually just as socially awkward as she was, and one just had to take the first step of breaking the ice, and everything would be fine.
And because you’re the queen, no one will dare take the first step with you, her court tutor pointed out. So you must be the one to break the ice.
But I’m shy!
You’re not.
Socially awkward then!
I used to believe that, until I realized you’re just socially lazy. And her court tutor had glared at her. Which is why I’ll be watching you like a hawk this weekend.