Page 129 of Deadly Betrayal

“Love is not an emotion that is very familiarto me.” He frowned and she smiled, squeezing his hand. “But when Isee or think of you, something tightens in my abdomen. When youhold me in your arms, I feel safe and happy. After Agha Khalid tookme away from the guesthouse, fromyou, I felt empty inside.Like I had lost a part of myself.” She closed her eyes for amoment, and Kaden held his breath. “I… I think that is love.”

With each word she spoke, the unbearableuncertainty that had been tying Kaden’s gut in knots lessened. Hefelt exactly the same way about her. He tugged her in for a kiss.As soon as her sweet soft lips touched his, Kaden was overcome bythe rightness of it all. She was his home. He couldn’t lose hernow.

Reluctantly, he pulled away. He had to finishthis before they were interrupted. “I know you did not marry yourfirst husband by choice, and Khalid is trying to force you too.” Helooked her straight in the eye. “I’m not Khalid.”

Her lips thinned and rolled inward. “You donot want to marry me?”

“No! I mean yes. I mean… Fuck!” Letting go ofher hand, he jumped up and paced in front of the short couch. “I’msaying this all wrong.”

Spinning on his heel, he wiped his sweatypalms on his pants, then lowered himself to one knee. He took bothher hands in his, ready to spill his guts if that’s what it wouldtake to convince her to come with him when he went back toCanada.

“I love you, honey. I want you with me, everyday. I want to grow old with you. I want us to be a family, withLaila and any children we may have.” He lowered his head to kissher hand. “But we can’t do that here. Are you prepared to leaveyour country? Your people?”

Tears splashed over her lashes. She satlooking at him, crying, but she didn’t utter a word. Not even asound. Oh God. Had he completely fucked this up?

“I really want to marry you, Azita. But…” Hefaltered. How the hell should he word this? If he said the wrongthing, said it the wrong way, she’d drop him flat on his ass. Whyhad no one ever told him that proposing to a woman was the scariestfucking thing he’d ever do?

Her brows rose.

He took a deep breath. Not that it helpedany. All it did was make him dizzy. “I don’t want you to feelforced. I don’t want you to accept my proposal because you have noother choice.” He swallowed and nodded, like it was some fuckingsubliminal message. She cast her eyes down. Christ, hewasscrewing this up.

Hurry up, just say it.

He cleared his throat. “So, I want you toknow that I’ll help you no matter what you decide.”

Great going, Kaden. That was the lamestproposal in the history of man.

Azita’s heart thundered in her chest, soloudly she could barely think above the roar in her ears. Kaden wasgiving her everything she’d ever wanted and far more than she’dever hoped. He’d bared his soul before her, and now, with his headbowed, he awaited a sword to fall and finish him off.

What other man in the world would have hadthe sensitivity to even consider that she might feel forced intomarrying him? Very few. Most, like Khalid, thought themselves fartoo big a prize to have doubts. But Kaden was different, special.She knew in her heart that as his wife, he’d always put her first,regardless of what Agha Khalid had tried to insinuate that awfulevening at the guesthouse in Kunduz.

Did she feel forced? Not for a minute. Shefelt blessed. Blessed that this incredible man wanted her. Thatshewas his first choice. She wet her lips and used a fingerto raise Kaden’s chin. “I believe you have a question for me?”

For a moment, his gaze reflected hisconfusion. Then he blinked. “Shit. I never asked you, did I?”

Azita grinned. “What is it you Americans say?I am all ears.”

As she’d hoped, he laughed. His soft goldeneyes glowed with love. “Azita, honey, would you do me theincredible honor of becoming my wife, the mother of my children,and the brightest light in my life?”

She threw her arms around him, her big blondAmerican—they’d fix the blond part as soon as possible—and huggedhim. “Yes, yes, I will. My heart is dancing. You have made me sohappy.”

He kissed her then, his tongue slippinginside her mouth, exploring, tasting, owning. Yes, she was his andalways would be. When they came up for air, both were panting. “Youdon’t feel forced in any way, right?” he asked.

She grinned at her fiancée, and her bellytrembled with anticipation just thinking the word. “Only in that Iwill have to force myself not to touch you in public. That will bea struggle.” Especially when he looked so handsome in his navytrousers and light blue dress shirt.

Leaning forward, he kissed her nose. “We haveto do it today, before anything else happens. We can get marriedagain in Canada to make it nice and legal…” He seemed to hesitate.“You know how things are here.”

Yes, she did. Legality was all too often anafterthought. But the question of urgency brought up another worry.“Who will marry us? Agha Khalid will not accept it if it is not anIslamic wedding.”

Kaden nodded. “I already spoke to the pastor,and Jake is reaching out to the localmullah.”

“Can themullahmarry us even thoughyou are not Muslim?”

“He will. If there’s one thing I’ve learned,it is that in Afghanistan, money can get you anything youwant.”

More than a little shocked, Azita asked, “Youwould bribe him?”

“Of course not.” A crooked smile graced hisface. “I’d make a donation to the mosque.”