Sheikh's Scandal(33)

And because of that love, Hena Amari had built Gene Chatsfield up in her head to be a man very different than the one he was in reality.

“While that love may have been misplaced, your mother’s love for you was not. You were undoubtedly the most important person in her life.”

“She sacrificed so much for me and she never once threw it back in my face.”

“A truly astonishing woman.”

“Yes, she was.”

“I think, perhaps, her daughter is a great deal like her.”

Liyah wasn’t sure how true that was, but if she could share her mother’s strength and willingness to sacrifice for others, she would count herself very blessed.

“You have already shown how deep your well of integrity goes,” Sayed remarked.

“How so?”

“Many women would have tried to capitalize on what happened last night. You’ve done nothing but try to help me mitigate any possible negative consequences.”

Liyah couldn’t believe how much better she felt about everything that had happened since her mother’s death after talking with Sayed. “Thank you.”

“No thanks needed. We all need a friend now and again.”

“Do you have friends? People you can trust enough to talk to?”

“I have my parents and Yusuf. Perhaps Bilal will become one now that he will be back in Zeena Sahra.”

“That is a short list.” Even with his cousin added to it.

“Trust for a man in my position cannot be offered on a whim.”

She could well imagine. Last night would not have helped with that, either. “I’m sorry.”

“For?”

“Last night.”

“I am not.” He shrugged. “I should be, but I enjoyed it too much to allow for genuine regret.”

He sounded like he thought that was a terrible weakness.

“You’re awfully hard on yourself.”

“My father says I feel the weight of the world on my shoulders.”

“Not carry?”

“No. He insists I do not need to carry the burden of responsibility that I do, but one day soon, I will rule in his place when I was never meant to do so. For his sake and that of my brother, I can offer nothing less than everything to my country.”

A brother’s death in childhood would have been devastating to any child, but for Sayed and the way it changed the course of his life? Even more so.

Looking into eyes filled with gravity to match his declarations, Liyah felt a twinge of emotion she refused to call love. “Maybe you are a little awe-inspiring, anyway.”

“I am glad you think so.” He grinned, the expression so unguarded it took her breath away.





CHAPTER TEN


“SO GENE CHATSFIELD was your mother’s lover?” Sayed asked, sounding pretty sure of her answer.

“Yes.”

“I imagine he has reasons for his distrustful attitude,” Sayed said mildly.

She still frowned. “But I wasn’t lying to him.”

“You and I know that, but he did not.”

Sayed’s belief in her honesty helped soothe the sting of her father’s blatant rejection and hurtful accusations.

“He didn’t even remember what she looked like,” Liyah said, still unable to grasp that particular reality.

How could he have forgotten such a special, wonderful woman?

“It sounds like he was in a bad place in his life when they met,” Sayed said, as if reading Liyah’s thoughts.

“That doesn’t excuse him seducing an innocent young woman and then forgetting about her as if she never mattered.”

“Many errors in judgment cannot be excused, but that does not mean they can never be forgiven.”

“So, you’re going to forgive Tahira?”

“Eventually,” he said, shocking Liyah. “But probably not until everything her defection has caused has been dealt with, and in a way that is not to the detriment of my people.”

“Wow, you really are some kind of amazing.” Though she had no doubt he meant his caveat for forgiveness one hundred percent.

He looked pleased by her declaration. “I have very good parents.”

“I think your basic core has a lot to do with it, as well.”

Sayed shrugged. “Perhaps, but even in that I must acknowledge the gift of good DNA.”

She reached out and touched his face. She simply couldn’t help herself.

He stilled, making no move to dislodge her hand. “What?”

“I just wanted to reassure myself you’re real.”

“I am flesh and blood like the next man.”

“Emir.”

“With you, I prefer to be a man only.”

“Is that possible?” Her heart responded to the man, but her head reminded her that the emir was way out of her league.


“Right now, in this moment, it is.”

Neither broke eye contact as the attendant cleared their dinner detritus from the table.

“Did you know there is a small bedroom in the back of the plane?” he asked when the attendant had moved away. “It is a necessary luxury for those times when travel and sleep schedules do not coincide.”

Goose bumps were traveling up her arm from the circling of his thumb against her palm. “Um, that’s nice?”