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And they were the actions of a man who loved her more than he loved himself.

Emotions clogged her throat, and Harper quickly looked away before she started shouting the words.

I love you. I love you. I love you!

To hell with pride. To hell with their marriage of convenience. To hell with everything.

She was in love with him, he was in love with her, and for this she would take the risk of saying it first.

Her heart slammed against her chest and her body trembled, but Harper refused to let her nervousness change her mind. She was going to tell him she loved him. In fact, she would tell him as soon as she could be close enough to whisper the words to his ear.

And so she promised this to herself, not realizing that the next time they were together, the sheikh would end up breaking her heart.



















Chapter Sixteen

SUNDAY MORNING SHOWEREDthe desert kingdom of Ramil with sunlight, and for the second day of the sheikh’s birthday celebration, a lavish breakfast spread had been prepared in the safari hall, a long, glass tunnel that also served as the palace’s direct connection to the sheikh’s private wildlife preserve. Here, guests were able to dine while enjoying the sight of the sheikh’s beloved pets. There were lions and jaguars and even a small herd of elephants that the guests glimpsed in the distance. At the end of the tunnel was another enclosure, this time an indoor jungle paradise in which exotic species lived – rare snakes wrapped around tree branches, huge camel spiders crawling swiftly on the sand, while Egyptian uromastyx flicked their tails languidly atop large boulders.

It made a breathtaking sight, one Harper usually enjoyed immensely. But right now, she just wanted to see the sheikh.

She had fallen asleep by the time he had returned to their room and was gone by the time she woke up. If not for the note he had left by her bedside table, she wouldn’t even have known he had been there at all.

And as for the note—-

Thank you for being the queen we need you to be.

Your proud husband,

Khalil

Her cheeks flushed at the mere thought of it, and she hastily ducked her head before the guests could see her face.Damn sheikh.He wasn’t supposed to bethatsweet. Or at least he shouldn’t be if he knew he’d be cooped up in his office for the rest of the day.

Her phone suddenly buzzed, and her heart swayed giddily, knowing that it could only be him.

Khalil:Miss me?

Harper:No comment. Everything okay there?