Sheikh's Baby Bombshell (4 page)

CHAPTER NINE

T
ALIB
PROWLED
THE
length of his study like a hyena housed in a hatbox. He was taking a chance. A
big
chance, but he was sure it would pay off. He would give Abby an hour or two to think things over. She would soon see she had no choice but to stay.

Of course she would stay.

He would not harbour the thought that she would leave. What woman in her right mind would? He could think of dozens of women who would happily trade places with her. He was no egotist, but wasn’t marrying a prince every girl’s dream?

He glanced at his watch for the thousandth time. Why was each minute crawling past like a snail on sedatives? He was jammed back on Pause. He wanted this sorted out.
Right now.

Talib came into the smaller of the two palace dining rooms to find his butler and chief housekeeper looking sheepish. ‘What’s going on?’ He flicked his gaze to the table, where only one place was set. ‘Where’s Abby?’

His housekeeper exchanged a look with the butler. ‘She’s gone, Your Highness. She left the palace two hours ago.’

Talib felt his chest seize. His scalp prickled. His stomach hollowed. His mind filled with images of her boarding a plane back to London. He pictured the plane lifting off and disappearing into the clouds, leaving no trace of her behind....

How had he not realised what she meant to him until now? Of course he loved her. He
adored
her. Her shyness, her understated beauty, her natural grace and elegance. He loved everything about her. He hadn’t expected falling in love would be something that happened
to
him, rather than a choice he made. But he had fallen irrevocably in love with Abby the night he met her. Their chance meeting had changed everything for him. He could not imagine his future without her at front and centre of it.

‘Gone?’ His voice sounded strangled. ‘Gone where? Why wasn’t I told?’

‘She asked us not to.’

He gave them a furious frown. ‘And you obeyed her? What is wrong with you?’

‘Beg pardon, sir, but we felt we were doing the right thing,’ the butler said. ‘She said she needed some time alone to think.’

Talib glared at them both. ‘She doesn’t need to get on a plane to London to think! You should’ve stopped her, for pity’s sake!’

‘She didn’t catch a plane to London,’ the butler said.

Talib stopped fuming and pacing. ‘What?’

‘She’s gone to the oasis,’ the housekeeper said. ‘She said it’s the only place she can be alone with you. I think that’s what she needs, sir. To be alone with you, just till she finds her feet.’

‘She’s at the oasis?’ Talib’s heart gave a leap inside his chest
.
She hasn’t left me?
She’s still here?
‘Then why the hell didn’t you say so?’

* * *

Abby stood out on the terrace and watched a shooting star fall all the way to the earth in a rolling ball of silver. She made a wish and closed her eyes and listened to the sounds of the desert: the whistling wind, the rustling of the date palm fronds, the trickle of the fountain near the pool, the hooting of an owl.

The tread of firm footsteps...

She swung around to see a tall dark figure standing at the French doors that led out to the terrace.

Her Tall Dark-Eyed Guy
.

‘Did you make a wish on that shooting star?’ Talib asked.

‘You saw it, too?’

‘It was a big one, wasn’t it?’ He came and stood in front of her. ‘Do you think it was big enough for two wishes?’

Abby looked up into his face. There was a hint of a smile playing about his mouth and his eyes were warm and tender. ‘What did you wish for?’

He stroked a finger down her cheek. ‘I wished that I could be better at expressing how I feel.’ He gave her a rueful smile. ‘I should’ve told you how I was feeling back at the palace when you told me you wanted to leave. But instead I said the opposite. I made it seem like I didn’t care at all, when nothing could be further from the truth.’

‘You care about me?’

He brought her closer. ‘I love you. I fell in love with you that night at the piano bar. I met your eyes, and
zap.
That was it. I was off the market. I was yours and have been ever since. It just took me a while to realise it.’

Abby smiled a wide joyous smile. ‘It was the same for me. I didn’t realise how quickly it could happen. I thought people were lying when they said they fell in love at first sight. But that’s exactly what happened when I met you.’

Talib stroked her cheek again. ‘I know it’s a lot to ask you to stay with me. You will gain a lot in being a royal bride, but I realise you will have to give up an awful lot, too. But I want you with me, Abby. I love you and can’t imagine being happy without you by my side.’

Abby’s heart felt as if it was going to explode with happiness. ‘I want to be with you. I can face just about anything now I know you love me. And if we can come here now and again to be alone that would be wonderful. It’s so peaceful here. So private and isolated.’

‘This will always be our special place,’ Talib said. ‘We can come here to get out of the spotlight whenever you feel the need.’

‘What about that hotel in London?’ she asked with a little twinkling smile. ‘Do you think we could go back there now and again?’

‘Of course.’ Talib kissed her lingeringly before finally raising his head to ask, ‘So, what did you wish for?’

Abby linked her arms around his neck and smiled. ‘You.’

* * * * *

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ISBN: 9781459253827

Copyright © 2013 by Melanie Milburne

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