The Sheik's Dangerous Lover Page 0,18
was so scared. He’d tiptoed around their feelings, their future and he’d almost lost her. If his guards hadn’t stepped into her suite right after she’d left, just five more minutes, and she might have left the palace. All because she was too stubborn and confused to deal with their feelings for each other. “I love you, damn it! So get a grip and stop fighting this!”
She froze, her eyes wide with his words. “You love me?” she asked in a small voice.
“Of course I love you. I’ve loved you since that first night when you yelled at me for being in the wrong place!”
She laughed, but it sounded more like a hiccup. “Then why do you have all those other women here?” she demanded, her tone rising once again.
Malik rolled his eyes. “Because you told me to invite others here! Are you telling me that this is all because you’re jealous?”
“Absolutely not!” she gasped.
“I was under the impression that you were still too nervous about venturing into a relationship with me. What’s this all about, Shanelle?” he demanded. “Explain this to me so I can understand.”
She sniffed and looked up at the ceiling. “I don’t want to marry you!”
“You love me!” he came right back.
She shrugged. “Maybe, but that’s not really the point, is it?”
He sighed, letting her hands drop down to her waist but he didn’t release her. “Shanelle, if love between a husband and wife isn’t the issue, please tell me what is.” He leaned down, placing his forehead against hers. “What’s the problem here?”
She pushed away from him, irritated that he was fixing everything she was worried about. “I don’t love you and you don’t love me. It takes months of knowing someone before we can really love each other. But you don’t have time for that! You’re in some silly, crazy rush to get married and I’m just some convenient woman who just happens to be sexually compatible with you.”
He growled and pulled her against him, showing her physically what she did to his body. “We’re more than just sexually compatible, Shanelle. And don’t you dare tell me what I feel for you. Nor will I allow you to deny your feelings for me. It might take some people months, but we both knew how we felt almost instantly.”
Shanelle thought about denying it one more time, but what was the point? She did love him. She didn’t understand that love, but it was there every time they spoke to one another. And when they kissed…yes, it was there in his kisses, in the way he touched her.
“Okay then, I can’t do it. I don’t want to give up my whole life, my career.”
“Why would you need to give up anything? I thought you wanted to be a lawyer.”
She looked up at him, furious for being so obtuse. “I do want to be a lawyer. I want to help people and make their lives better by fighting for them. I want the bad guys to go to jail and the good guys to win. How am I supposed to do that when I’m your wife?”
Malik rolled his eyes, suddenly understanding more about her. And now that he understood the big issue, he was just that much more in love with her. “Shanelle, do you hear what you’re saying? You want to help the people who are helpless. What better way to do that than to help me rule Kanaan? There are so many people out there who need our help. The big guys and the little guys. And the little women and children. You can help shape the laws, ensure that they are enforced. As my wife, you and I are in the best position to bring about change in so many areas.”
Shanelle listened to his words and wondered if it were true. “Will you truly listen to me when I disagree?” she asked, doubt filling her voice.
He chuckled and pulled her back into his arms. “Isn’t that what you’ve already started doing this week? We’ve had some pretty intense arguments.”
“Yes, but they’ve all been good spirited.”
“Are you saying that we’ll genuinely fight about issues in the future?” he asked with amusement.
“Yes,” she replied. “I can guarantee that I won’t agree with everything you say.”
He laughed and rolled his eyes. “I know that. I’ve already experienced your disagreement. And it wasn’t too bad.”
She laughed as well. “Oh, you think you’re getting off that easily?” she asked.
He lifted her up into his arms and kissed her. “Does this mean you’re going to stop pushing me away and we can announce our engagement?” he asked, but he didn’t give her a chance to answer him. Instead, his mouth covered hers and he kissed her until she was clinging to him, her body on fire for whatever he had in mind.
“Would I be able to stop you?’ she asked saucily.
He chuckled. “Probably not. But I guess I’ll have to take you to bed until the wedding, just to make sure you don’t try and sneak out.”
She lifted her arms and wrapped them around his neck, smiling with secret invitation. “I think that would be a very good idea. I can be very sneaky.”
“Hmm…” he said. A moment later, he lifted her up, tossing her over his shoulder as he carried her back down the hallway.
Shanelle knew she should be horrified that he was treating her so abominably, but since he was heading right back to her suite, she didn’t really care. She was in love and she was thrilled with the future. For the first time in a long time, she was genuinely excited about what was to come.