can stand it—until we run out of days.”
Laila looked into his eyes. The fierce, dark eyes that had captivated her that night in the garden and captivated her still. “I accept.”
He kissed her, long and deep, and the rest of the world fell away. There was only Zayid. Just how it was meant to be.
18
Zayid waited outside Laila’s dressing room like a teenager on his first date. He felt giddy, almost overexcited, and when Laila emerged dressed in a deep purple gown that brushed the floor and caught the light in its gold stitching, he caught his breath. This woman was his wife. For the rest of his days. And she carried his child—his child. Zayid had never allowed himself to think of becoming a father, except in the abstract. He’d known all his life that his first duty would be to Raihan.
He’d been so wrong.
His first duty would be to Laila and their child, always.
“How do I look?” she asked with a cheeky smile, turning slowly so he could get the full effect of the dress.
“Good enough to devour. I could take you to bed this instant.”
“Oh, not with all the work the team did.” She smiled, radiant. Her dark hair was a spill of curls down her back, and her green eyes flashed mischievously behind expert makeup. “They did this for King Fahd, not for you.”
“Ha. It’s all for me, and you know it.” Zayid pulled her in close, pressing a kiss to her temple. “Escort me to dinner, would you?”
“I would.”
Laila’s eyes sparkled on the way to the reception. “Do you have some plan up your sleeve you haven’t told me about?”
“Nothing you’d disapprove of, I promise,” she said innocently.
He didn’t have time to press her—they were at the grand dining room, and he stepped through the door with the most beautiful woman in the kingdom on his arm. King Fahd, stone faced as always, cracked a smile when he saw Laila and lifted his chin. Zayid went to him—as a king and honored guest, they would have the first conversation of the evening. Zayid opened his mouth to greet Fahd. But Fahd got there first.
“Prince Zayid. Princess Laila,” he said. “Many thanks for the invitation.” His gaze shifted entirely to Laila. “I’ve brought you a gift as a sign of those thanks.” Fahd signaled to someone off to the side, and one of his staff members came forward with a small framed painting. “An original Al-Khahat, but this one more suited to your personal tastes.”
Laila let go of Zayid’s arm and put her hand to her heart. She took her time studying the painting, which was—Zayid had to admit—utterly perfect for Laila. The canvas held a still-life of pottery on a shelf, so lifelike Zayid almost believed he could reach out and take the pots in his hands.
Laila looked directly into King Fahd’s eyes. “This is a wonderful gift. I’ll treasure it always.” Then an impish light came to her eyes. “But you’re not the only one who brought a gift. I hope you’ll accept mine in turn.” She turned around and wriggled her fingers—come here.
There came Maha, carrying an exquisite vase. Round, with a handle and a narrow spout—Zayid recognized it as a traditional water-carrying vessel. He snapped his own mouth shut. Laila took the vase from Maha, stood tall in front of Fahd, and offered it to him, turning it slightly so he could see all its features.
“I made this myself,” she said. “Purple and black, to symbolize your country. The water vessel, to symbolize the wisdom of you and your people. And naturally, I created this vessel at the start of the full moon.”
Fahd had to be as shocked as Zayid was. The water vessel was a revered symbol to Fahd’s people, and starting important royal projects at the beginning of the full moon was a tradition both of their countries had shared since ancient times. Was Fahd blushing? Zayid couldn’t tell, but he saw an emotional gleam in his eyes as he took the vessel carefully in both hands.
“Thank you, Princess,” he said gruffly. “This will be kept in a place of honor.”
The gift giving set the tone for the rest of the evening, and the intimate dinner—a party of only twenty—filled the room with more laughter and small talk than Zayid had seen in the palace in years. Years.
He felt almost drunk from how well it had gone when he and Laila made their way slowly through the palace halls after