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The door slammed shut behind her, and Khalil’s breath hissed out.

Tarif swiftly raised his hands in admission of his guilt. “I am sorry, my brother. I wouldn’t have come in if I had known she was with you.”

He nodded curtly. “But from now on, knock.” Because even though the way Harper Griffiths avoided his gaze told him she didn’t want anything more to do with Khalil – she wasn’t going to have her way. He wouldn’t let her. When he said she was hers, he meant it.

Tarif claimed the seat across the couch. “Are congratulations in order?”

“It will be.”

The other sheikh raised an eyebrow. “But you’ve told her at least?”

Khalil grimaced.

Tarif was incredulous. “But you were already kissing her—-”

“I was...distracted.”

There was a moment of silence, and then his cousin started to laugh.

“Nothing about this is funny,” Khalil said stiffly.

Tarif didn’t even bother dignifying the words with an answer. Khalil wasn’t the Emir Sheikh simply because he was Prince Khalid’s only son. Tarif and his other cousins had only chosen to serve him because they knew no one loved their nation more than Khalil did. Khalil’s entire life had been about serving Ramil, and Tarif could not remember the last time his cousin had allowed anything to distract him from his duties—-

Until Harper Griffiths.

He had always privately thought that the American woman would make a good match for the king, and now Tarif had no doubts at all. Harper was good for Khalil, if only to remind his cousin that there was life beyond the dictates of the throne.

Glancing at the sheikh, he said conversationally, “I once told Altair that you must have such moments, too, but he didn’t believe me.”

Khalil frowned. “What moments?”

“Where you let dick win over your mind.”



















Chapter Three

“CAN’T I JUST STAY INmy room, please?” Harper stopped pacing the length of her father’s room to throw another desperate look at Howard. “I’m not the hero, anyway, so I don’t understand why Ineedto be here.”