His Irresistible Darling - Sarah Randall Page 0,92
desk.
“Thanks for coming, Malik.” He gestured to the seat opposite as he added, “You’d better take a seat.”
Malik lowered himself into the chair slowly. “Bloody hell, Jumal. This sounds ominous.”
Jumal leaned forward in his chair and rested his chin on his steepled hands. He saw the precise moment Malik noticed the leather bracelet on his wrist and the brief knowing smile and nod before he said, “I have a proposal for you, Malik.”
Chapter Fourteen
“You’re gonna ask her to do what?!” Matt yelled at him, understandably shell-shocked by what Jumal had just told him and clearly still trying to deal with the fact that Jumal had feelings for his little sister. Apparently Pippa hadn’t told him anything about their time together in Dubain. Good sign or bad?
“I’m not here for your permission, Matt,” Jumal stated, holding his hands up to his friend. “Pippa will make her own decisions as ever but—” he took a deep breath “—I know how close you are to her after everything you two have been through. I’m simply telling you as a matter of courtesy. Not because I think we need your approval. Okay?”
“If you so much as hurt a hair on her head, Jumal, I swear I’ll take you down,” his friend promised grimly, his eyes darkened with genuine menace.
“Understood.”
“Hell,” Matt said, dropping his head and shaking it. “I can’t believe this has been going on and I didn’t know about it. I hope she kicks your sorry arse.”
“Again. Understood.”
His friend stared back at him, one arm crossed over this chest, the other rubbing at his chin. “Fine,” Matt eventually conceded, pushing away from the barn wall, a wicked smile on his face. “But there’s someone else you need to convince before you get anywhere near Pip, my friend.” Jumal followed Matt from the stables. Matt called back over his shoulder, “Oh and just for the record, she hasn’t come close to catching me yet with her broomstick.”
Jumal swallowed, knowing exactly who he was about to face… He’d stand a better chance with a firing squad.
“Now I hope you aren’t here to upset my girl, sonny,” the housekeeper challenged whilst wiping her hands on her bright apron. She’d turned on him immediately at his entrance into the kitchen with Matt, who now stood back behind the older woman, smiling cockily, arms crossed over his chest again. “I won’t have her crying any more,” she continued, now waving her finger at him for added emphasis. “She’s cried quite enough, thank you. There’ll be no more of that nonsense.” He watched in silence as she turned her back to him briefly and swatted Matt’s hand, which had reached for a home-baked scone set out on a wire rack. “Oh no you don’t. They’re still cooling.”
Jumal breathed a sigh of relief at the brief respite. This matriarch had always had the ability to bring men to their knees and make them feel like naughty schoolboys, caught with their hands in the sweetie jar before dinner.
He quickly dropped his smile at Matt’s obvious embarrassment at the chastisement as she returned her death-ray stare back on Jumal. She eyed him closely as he spotted the infamous broomstick behind her shoulder as Matt pointed it out, ominously, barely able to contain his laughter. Would she catch him?! he thought. Without a doubt, he conceded.
Then Jumal realised what Mrs H had said. Pip had been crying—over him? Sensations flooded his body. Was that hope he dared to allow himself to feel?
“No, Mrs Henderson. I promise you on my honour that I am not here to upset Pippa. I simply need to speak with her,” he assured her, reverently.
She continued to eye him suspiciously and Jumal had the crazy thought she might use that broom on him regardless. He’d yet to face such harsh scrutiny from any business mogul or government. The old woman was like a snarling lioness protecting her cubs from a rogue hyena. Enough time passed that Jumal shifted uneasily from foot to foot.
“Hmm.” She narrowed her wise eyes on him. “You’ve grown into a fine man, Jumal. You had such sadness around you when you used to visit. There’s a kinda lightness to you now and I know who’s given you that gift.” The woman pursed her lips before finally adding, “Okay.” She nodded, apparently satisfied with her decision. “She’s gone on down to the lake house with the dogs. Took her horse along too. Matt, saddle up a horse for him.”