Page 23 of The Earl That Got Away (Sirens in Silk #2)

They thanked the doctor and went to find Nadine to share what they’d learned. “Auntie Majida should be brought from Castle Tremayne to be with Hind,” Naila told Hawk as they made their way to brief her sister.

“Must she?” Hawk asked. “Will she be a help or a hindrance?”

“I realize you are not fond of Auntie Majida, but she is wise and has a great deal of knowledge about traditional ways to treat injuries. Hind would benefit from her guidance and wisdom.”

“Wisdom?” The old lady was responsible for tearing them apart. “You think her wise?”

“Perhaps not in all things,” she said, tacitly acknowledging his point. “But her presence will be good for Hind. They are especially close because Auntie Majida is a childless widow and Hind grew up without a mother.”

“Very well. If that is what you want.” It hadn’t occurred to him that the termagant was capable of nurturing anyone. “I shall personally go to Castle Tremayne and bring her to be by Hind’s bedside. If you approve of this plan.”

“I do,” she said gratefully. “Thank you.”

They entered the sitting room to find Nadine, Ghassan and Kareem waiting for word of Hind’s condition. Naila briefed them on what the doctor had said.

“Since we are to remove to London tomorrow,” she concluded, “I propose that you all go on ahead. I’ll stay here to help Auntie Majida look after Hind.”

“She will be most fortunate to have you to look after her,” Kareem said warmly.

“It is thoughtful of you to offer to stay,” Ghassan added. “I think what you propose is the best plan of action.”

“Well, I don’t,” his wife retorted. “Why should Naila stay back instead of me?”

“Naila is good at nursing people,” her husband said. “You see how well she soothes the boys when they are ill.”

“You are all acting as if she is Florence Nightingale,” Nadine snapped. “I am the eldest sister. If anyone should stay behind to care for Hind, it should be me.”

“Come now, Nadine.” Ghassan barely suppressed a sigh. “Do you really want to look after Hind while she recuperates?”

“Well, of course, why shouldn’t I?” she said indignantly. “I am the only mother here.”

“Very well.” Naila relented. “While you remain here with Hind and Auntie Majida, I suppose the rest of us will travel on to London.”

“You are all welcome to stay here at Briar Hall throughout Miss Hind’s recovery,” Hawk told them. He didn’t relish the idea of being left with Nadine and the old aunt.

Besides, the thought of Naila leaving Briar Hall, never to return, cut through him like an ax.

“You are welcome to remain here,” Hawk told Naila as her party prepared to depart for London.

“That’s very kind,” Naila said to him. They were back to speaking politely now that the immediate crisis with Miss Hind was past. Even though he longed to ask her why she treasured his bracelet so much that she wore it every day, he decided it was best for his own sanity and survival to leave the matter alone.

The last thing he needed was to be entangled with her again in any way.

Besides, maybe her wearing the bracelet had nothing to do with old feelings. Perhaps she just liked the design. He’d never know. They both seemed to tacitly agree to leave the difficult questions unanswered, rather than excavate turbulent emotions that were best left buried.

“Raya will be expecting us,” Naila said. “I want to tell her about Hind’s injury in person.”

“You are welcome to return after you speak with Raya.”

“The entire Darwish clan can’t remain underfoot at Briar Hall until Hind recovers,” she said. “That could take weeks.”

He wouldn’t beg. “As you wish.” Besides, she was right. It was better— safer —for Naila to be away from him and Briar Hall.

“Thank you for agreeing to bring Auntie Majida here.”

“Of course.” He dreaded the journey but he would do it gladly. “I shall leave shortly after you all depart. Your sister will be with Miss Hind until I can bring your aunt back.”

Naila paused. “Just one more thing.”

“Yes?”

“Please keep in mind that Arab aunties can be a touch . . . um . . . dramatic.”

“I shall keep that in mind.”

“Hawk,” she began.

“Yes?” he asked.

“I want to tell you—” she stopped abruptly and Hawk saw that Kareem had joined them.

“My lord, Miss Darwish, I hope I am not interrupting,” he said.

“Not at all,” Hawk lied.

“Goodbye, my lord,” she said. “I wish you a pleasant journey.”

“But wait.” Hawk stepped toward her. “What were you going to say?”

She paused. “Nothing of great importance,” she finally answered. “Good day and thank you.”

When Hawk turned and left, Naila tried to pretend it didn’t matter.

She’d wanted him to know the full truth.

But maybe it was better to leave things as they were.

Taking a breath, she turned to Kareem. “Are you sure you won’t join us in London?

” Kareem’s aunt lived in the nearby village and he was going to visit her.

“I will be happy to see you there in a few weeks’ time,” he answered. “But it will be good to spend time with my aunt and cousins.”

The boys scrambled into the carriage, followed by their father.

“Very well. Enjoy your visit.” She climbed into the carriage, sitting beside Malik. Ghassan and his elder son, Abdallah, sat across from them.

As the boys chattered away, she stared out the window, watching Briar Hall get smaller and smaller.

She would likely never see Hawk’s estate again.

And who knew when, or if, she might encounter Hawk once more.

It was for the best if she did not see him in the future.

That was the only way to truly put him in the past. She wondered if he was thrilled to have more time in Hind’s company without the entire family about.

But there’d been that glimmer of something between them after Hind’s accident. He’d almost been tender with her. A part of her seemed to even sense his admiration. How would Hawk react if he knew the full story?

“Auntie Naila, do you want to play a word game with us?” Malik asked.

“Hmm?” she said absently.

“A word game,” Abdallah said. “Will you play?”

“Of course I want to play,” she said. “Who gets to start?”

She turned away from Briar Hall and tried to ignore the heaviness bearing down on her heart.

After Naila’s party departed, Hawk went up to the roof to check on the repairs before departing for Castle Tremayne to retrieve Naila’s aunt.

He came in through the landing and paused, staring up in the direction of the tower room, the chamber Naila had stayed in.

What would she have said to him if Kareem hadn’t interrupted?

He wasn’t sure. It just felt like they had unfinished business.

Their interactions after Hind’s accident kindled a tenderness in him.

But now that he’d had a moment to reflect on the matter, he decided it was probably wiser to leave those emotions unexplored.

Still, he went up the stairs and strode into the Orange Room. Joan came in behind him.

“My apologies, my lord,” the maid said uncomfortably. “I didn’t realize you were in here. I’ve come to clean the Orange Room now that the guests have gone.”

He should leave Joan to her work, but the pull to spend a moment alone in the chamber where Naila had slept just hours ago over overwhelmed him. “There are some things I need to check in here, if you could return later.”

“Yes, my lord.” If Joan thought his request was odd, she gave no indication.

After she closed the door behind her, Hawk stood in the middle of the chamber and inhaled deeply. He could still feel Naila’s presence in this space, the slightest trace of her unique scent, soap and warm skin and notes of something indescribable that was unique to her.

Yearning overwhelmed him. He wanted her as badly as he had eight years ago.

Perhaps even more so, which he hadn’t thought possible.

The bed linens were still in disarray from where she’d slept.

He touched the linens and was unaccountably disappointed to find they were, naturally, no longer warm from her body.

What did she wear when she slept? Was her night rail sheer enough to reveal her considerable physical assets? Sitting on the bed, he closed his eyes, envisioning those sweet round globes tipped with caramel nipples. He could still taste them, could still feel their pertness against his tongue.

He laid back, engulfing himself with her scent. His cock thickened and lengthened. No woman had ever aroused him as completely as Naila. Even now, after all these years. She didn’t even have to be physically present to get him hard.

Unbuttoning the flap of his trousers, he imagined touching her body, the breasts so abundant that one of his hands couldn’t contain one beautiful swell. He freed his cock, wrapping his fingers around it.

What a present you are , he’d said to her as he’d cupped one large tit with both hands, before sucking her beautiful swollen nipple into his mouth.

She’d bucked her hips and cried out when he put his mouth to her.

Naila’s reactions during lovemaking were just as bold and free as the young woman he’d fallen deeply, and irretrievably, in love with.

He worked his cock in firm strokes, his thoughts recalling the sway of plush hips, the softness of her belly, the saucy smile that hinted of heaven. Since Naila, he’d only favored women with abundant bodies.

Being with her was like being with more of a woman; everything was amplified, bigger tits and a more generous ass.

But the best thing about making love to Naila was feeling so close to her, as if they were inseparable, and being immersed in all of that softness and warmth.

His strokes accelerated along his cock as he remembered touching her intimately, feeling Naila’s juices on his fingers, tasting her against his skin.

Tension shot up the backs of his legs and rocketed through him. The tension snapped, an exquisite relief flooded him. Hawk cried out Naila’s name as he came, a guttural outburst, just as he spasmed and spilled himself onto the bed linens.

He lay there for several minutes, breathing hard, his heart pumping, a sense of euphoria engulfing his arms and legs, his torso, every part of him. His wits slowly returned. What a mess he was in. He’d been obsessed with her all along, even when he’d pretended to put her in the past.

He realized now that, even in her absence, Naila had been the driving force behind many of his actions.

He built his properties into model estates because he was still trying to prove himself worthy of her.

He’d never married because he couldn’t get Naila out of his system.

But she was the path to ruin. Loving Naila had the power to destroy him. Again.

She was returning to America in a matter of weeks. Or she would marry one of her kind. Kareem was obviously sniffing after her and she seemed to return his interest. The family certainly supported the match. His hand fisted.

The thought of the architect with Naila made him want to annihilate everything in his path. He forced himself to unclench his fist. He needed to shake his Naila obsession once and for all. But how?

He rose to clean up and make himself presentable before leaving the chamber, shutting the door firmly behind him. He passed Joan as he trotted down the steps. “Please clean the tower chamber as thoroughly as possible,” he instructed.

He longed to erase all traces of Naila from Briar Hall. If only a thorough cleaning could wipe her from his mind. And from his body’s memory of her.