Her Desert Knight (13 page)

She stared at him. He must be about to propose marriage. What else would come with such dramatic foreshadowing? She’d have to say no, of course. They didn’t know each other well enough.

And she was far too deeply in love to make any kind of rational decision about it.

“Why did you give my father the land?” The question had burned in her brain since she’d seen the contract.

“I wanted to solve a problem.”

“But it wasn’t your problem. It was between your brother Salim and my father.” There was something so chivalrous about his attempt to bridge the divide between their two families. His efforts touched her deeply.

“It’s important to me that both of them are happy. I sincerely hope I’ll be able to make that happen.”

“I can’t believe you just gave it to him as a gift. It’s worth...I have no idea what it’s worth.” More than a million, for sure. She tried to rein in her enthusiasm. Quasar had done all this behind her back, without her knowledge or consent.

“It’s worth whatever someone is willing to pay for it.”

“I really don’t want to know what you were willing to pay for it.” A chill slithered down her spine. “Why did you give it to him?”

“Why do you think?” As usual he looked calm and rather pleased with himself. Which under the circumstances could be adorable or infuriating, or both.

“To buy his approval of you having a relationship with me.” No point in beating about the bush.

“I like the way you don’t mince words.” He squeezed her hands, which were either ice-cold, or boiling hot; she couldn’t really tell anymore.

“But what if I don’t want a relationship with you?” She tried to keep her voice steady while emotion threatened to close her throat. She wanted a relationship with him desperately. But not desperately enough to risk her independence, her self-esteem, her heart. “What if I feel a whole lot safer by myself?”

He frowned. “Dani, I won’t ever force you to do anything you don’t want to. I won’t ever boss you around or treat you with anything less than the utmost respect. We can have it written into the marriage contract, if you like.”

“Marriage?” Her voice emerged as a squeak. She’d seen this coming yet she still felt herself grow dizzy.

“I don’t want you to be my girlfriend, or to reluctantly accept a research grant from me. I love you. I want you to be my wife, my partner in life, my soul mate and the person I turn to every day to give and receive love and support.” He inhaled a shaky breath. “Say you will, Dani. Please say you will.”

She swallowed as conflicting emotions battled in her heart. “You just commanded me to say yes.”

Confusion darkened his eyes. “I didn’t mean it as a command. I was imploring you.”

“Beseeching me.” She giggled. Probably nerves. Quasar Al Mansur had just begged her to be his wife, and parted with millions to gain the privilege of asking her, and she had no idea what to say.

Of course her brain and body were screaming at her to agree.

Even though moments ago she’d been sure that she should calmly say no.

A weird shiver of excitement was rising from her toes, creeping up her limbs and torso and along her arms. Exciting possibilities unfolded before her—visions of a new life filled with love and hope and joy.

She
was
going to accept.

If this man loved her enough to do all this for her, it was worth the risk to take a leap of faith with him. “What was the question again? I’m not sure if you even asked me.”

“Dani Hassan, will you be my wife?”

“Yes.” She said it so fast it came out like a gasp. The sense of relief she felt afterward almost made her collapse in his arms. She’d made her decision and she knew in her heart that it was the right one.

He didn’t say anything at all. His gaze softened and he inhaled a slow and steady breath. “Thank you. I promise I’ll make you glad you married me.” His wide, confident mouth broadened back into a smile, then she lost sight of it as he leaned in and kissed her with more passion than she’d ever dared to dream of.

Epilogue

D
ani opened the front door, then stepped aside as the men burst into the house laughing and singing. Quasar led the way, followed by Dani's brothers, Khalid and Jalil, and Quasar's brothers, Elan and Salim. Her father brought up the rear in a rather dignified manner. “It's not easy to follow Omani wedding customs here in Boston,” Quasar explained to her with a kiss. “We're really supposed to play drums, fire shots into the air and drive from my house to yours flashing our lights and honking horns the whole way, but I don't want us all to get arrested for disturbing the peace.”

They'd decided to drive into Cambridge and cruise around MIT in a limo blasting the stereo instead.

“You should see the campus. It's awesome.” Khalid's eyes shone with excitement.

“I have seen it.” She grinned. “And if you don't want to stay in one of the MIT dorms you could come live with us while you're studying there.”

“Now, now.” Her dad smiled sheepishly. “Khalid has to get in first. An application to MIT is no laughing matter.”

“We all know Khalid is a genius.” Quasar ruffled Khalid's hair. “And MIT will be lucky to get him.”

White flowers ornamented almost every surface in the elegant brownstone. It was wonderful to see the place filled with life, even with noise and too many people trying to use the bathrooms at the same time. What a difference from the hushed and somber atmosphere at her first wedding, which her friends had warned her against and her cousins were forbidden to attend.

All the ladies had their hands hennaed the night before, another Omani tradition she'd skipped over last time. She expressed her admiration for the women, and Quasar came up behind her and gave her a kiss. “You look stunning.”

It was the first time he'd seen her long white gown—even Omani brides usually wore white these days—with pearl beads sewn into swirling patterns on the skirt. Strapless and cut low in the back, it made her feel daring and sexy as well as beautiful.

She'd been so sure she'd never feel that way again, until she found Quasar reading the one book she wanted in her favorite bookstore. “It's so strange that I had to go back to Oman to find you.”

“And that I had to go back to Oman to find you.” He kissed her softly on the lips, then led her through the house and out into the decorated garden. The leafy canopy of old oak and maple trees filtered the bright afternoon sunshine. A white pavilion, decked with flowers, was set up for the imam to perform the brief marriage ceremony.

She couldn't believe how involved Quasar had been in planning the wedding. He really seemed to want to discuss every detail, even though he was in the middle of a deal big enough to make the front page of the
Financial Times
.

Salim, always one to take charge, moved through the gathered crowd, ushering them out into the garden. Celia and Sara organized the children around the pavilion with baskets of flower petals to toss at the moment the marriage became official.

“Where's my shawl? I don't think the imam wants to see my bare shoulders.” Dani bit her lip and grinned mischievously.

“I put it under the pavilion so you'd have it when you needed it,” answered Quasar. “Let me get it for you.”

“What have you done to my brother?” asked Salim. “I don't remember him being thoughtful.”

“He seems determined to prove to me that I'm making the right choice by marrying him.”

“Determination is a core Al Mansur trait.” Elan walked up, carrying little Hannah, whose eyes glittered with freshly dried tears. Fortunately her face also glowed with a dazzling smile. “It's particularly exasperating during the toddler years. But it's one of the things that makes us so loveable.”

Quasar returned and draped the silky white chiffon carefully over her shoulders and hair. “See, you can be both traditional and modern at the same time.”

“And American and Omani.” She winked. They'd found a live band composed of Harvard students who swore they could play both traditional Omani music and classic rock. Just watching them try promised to be fun.

“The Al Mansur family is officially global,” Sara chimed in.

“Speaking of the Al Mansur family, when do you plan to add to the lineage?” Celia moved next to Dani. “I think it's quite miraculous that Dani managed to get all the way to her wedding vows without getting pregnant.”

“Or did she?” Sara raised a brow.

Dani laughed. “No plus signs on the pregnancy test for me. I've just started my job at the Harvard Art Museum Research Center and I'm hoping to travel to their ongoing excavation in Sardis next year. Besides, Quasar and I intend to enjoy each other for a while before we add to our family.” She loved that he hadn't put any pressure on her at all to have children yet. They had plenty of time for that.

Quasar took her hand and they walked together along the stone path toward the pavilion where they'd be joined in marriage. Tears welled inside her, but this time they were tears of happiness.

* * * * *

If you liked Dani and Quasar's story, don't miss how his brothers met and fell in love with their soul mates in these novels from
USA TODAY
bestselling author Jennifer Lewis:

THE BOSS'S DEMAND
THE DESERT PRINCE

All available now from Harlequin Desire!
Keep reading for a special excerpt from THE SECRET AFFAIR by Brenda Jackson.

Ten years ago one devastating night changed everything for Austin, Hunter and Alex. Now they must each play their part in the revenge against the one man who ruined it all.

Austin Treffen has the plan… Hunter has the money… Alex has the power!

Read each of their stories in the captivating Fifth Avenue trilogy,
only from Harlequin Presents:

Avenge Me
by Maisey Yates
(June 2014)
Scandalize Me
by Caitlin Crews
(July 2014)
Expose Me
by Kate Hewitt
(August 2014)

And don't miss the Fifth Avenue prequel that started it all,
Take Me,
by Maisey Yates!

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