Read Online The Sheikh's American Baby (The Sheikh's Every Wish Book 5) by Holly Rayner - Free Book Online
Book: The Sheikh's American Baby (The Sheikh's Every Wish Book 5) by Holly Rayner
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Authors: Holly Rayner
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the truth of those few sentences, read on a dreary afternoon, finally hit home.
“They wanted to have many children,” Abdul said, drawing still closer. “My father told me that once, when I’d asked why I didn’t have more brothers and sisters in such a big house. He said they were going to have them, but they were both so young. They thought they had time.”
They walked along towards the palace, their steps now very slow and in sync.
“It’s a beautiful home you have,” she said, looking up at him. “But it is very big.”
He nodded, and then directed his glance forward, back at the building ahead.
They went in silence for a while.
“It’s good to speak,” he said eventually. “It’s good to be able to talk.”
The words were simple, but Lucie thought back to how she had felt talking to him all that day and all that night, and she knew exactly what he meant.
They were so close, now, she could have sworn she had taken his arm back by the entrance to the tunnel after all, were it not for the electric tension she felt between his skin and hers. They were so close, and yet, held so far apart by the impossibility of connection.
She couldn’t touch him. It would be inappropriate. It would be unacceptable. If it ever came out, she’d be a laughing stock. She’d never be taken seriously in her career if she was seen as the type of girl who fell for the rulers of the countries she worked in.
She knew all of these things, and frantically held on to them in her mind, afraid that, if she didn’t, they would evaporate and leave her with no reason to keep herself from reaching out and slipping her arm through his, the way he had offered just a few minutes ago.
But then she felt his touch, his fingers grazing her forearm. It was a thoughtless, accidental movement, and he withdrew immediately as she froze in her tracks. But it was too late. It was like he had sent an electric shock straight from his fingers to her heart, which had begun beating wildly and out of control. Her palms felt wet and her face felt hot.
People like him got what they wanted. They always did. They got the houses, and the fame, and the fortune. Things were easy for them. She could never have what she wanted. Not really. Not with him.
But she could kiss him, just this once.
She stepped forward, already in shock of the boldness of her own impending action. But the wheels were in motion and she could not stop them. She raised up onto the tips of her toes, and put her hands firmly on his shoulders, leaning her whole body forwards and bringing her lips to his.
The same electricity that had run through her with the touch of his fingers ran through her again, only so much more. Her mind was consumed with the white-hot electricity of the connection, and when she closed her eyes, she swore she could see fireworks behind them.
And then, like the ballast on a balloon, the gravity of her actions weighed on her and brought her back to earth. The mantra she’d been repeating just moments before began yelling in her ears. She mumbled something. An apology, she meant it to be. But she could barely hear over the thumping of her heart and her own sickening regret.
She turned sharply and began moving quickly towards the palace. She took the path in long, panicked strides, picking up speed and putting as much distance between her and the man she had embarrassed and wronged.
She couldn’t think. She couldn’t breathe. She’d never been the kind of girl to act thoughtlessly. She’d never been the kind to throw all good sense into the wind and ruin everything in one action.
And now she had.
“Lucie!”
She heard him, calling her name from somewhere far away, and ignored it.
“Lucie!”
Only he wasn’t so far away. His voice was in her ear.
She stopped short, startled. She stopped so quickly that he came tumbling into her. For a long moment, she
“They wanted to have many children,” Abdul said, drawing still closer. “My father told me that once, when I’d asked why I didn’t have more brothers and sisters in such a big house. He said they were going to have them, but they were both so young. They thought they had time.”
They walked along towards the palace, their steps now very slow and in sync.
“It’s a beautiful home you have,” she said, looking up at him. “But it is very big.”
He nodded, and then directed his glance forward, back at the building ahead.
They went in silence for a while.
“It’s good to speak,” he said eventually. “It’s good to be able to talk.”
The words were simple, but Lucie thought back to how she had felt talking to him all that day and all that night, and she knew exactly what he meant.
They were so close, now, she could have sworn she had taken his arm back by the entrance to the tunnel after all, were it not for the electric tension she felt between his skin and hers. They were so close, and yet, held so far apart by the impossibility of connection.
She couldn’t touch him. It would be inappropriate. It would be unacceptable. If it ever came out, she’d be a laughing stock. She’d never be taken seriously in her career if she was seen as the type of girl who fell for the rulers of the countries she worked in.
She knew all of these things, and frantically held on to them in her mind, afraid that, if she didn’t, they would evaporate and leave her with no reason to keep herself from reaching out and slipping her arm through his, the way he had offered just a few minutes ago.
But then she felt his touch, his fingers grazing her forearm. It was a thoughtless, accidental movement, and he withdrew immediately as she froze in her tracks. But it was too late. It was like he had sent an electric shock straight from his fingers to her heart, which had begun beating wildly and out of control. Her palms felt wet and her face felt hot.
People like him got what they wanted. They always did. They got the houses, and the fame, and the fortune. Things were easy for them. She could never have what she wanted. Not really. Not with him.
But she could kiss him, just this once.
She stepped forward, already in shock of the boldness of her own impending action. But the wheels were in motion and she could not stop them. She raised up onto the tips of her toes, and put her hands firmly on his shoulders, leaning her whole body forwards and bringing her lips to his.
The same electricity that had run through her with the touch of his fingers ran through her again, only so much more. Her mind was consumed with the white-hot electricity of the connection, and when she closed her eyes, she swore she could see fireworks behind them.
And then, like the ballast on a balloon, the gravity of her actions weighed on her and brought her back to earth. The mantra she’d been repeating just moments before began yelling in her ears. She mumbled something. An apology, she meant it to be. But she could barely hear over the thumping of her heart and her own sickening regret.
She turned sharply and began moving quickly towards the palace. She took the path in long, panicked strides, picking up speed and putting as much distance between her and the man she had embarrassed and wronged.
She couldn’t think. She couldn’t breathe. She’d never been the kind of girl to act thoughtlessly. She’d never been the kind to throw all good sense into the wind and ruin everything in one action.
And now she had.
“Lucie!”
She heard him, calling her name from somewhere far away, and ignored it.
“Lucie!”
Only he wasn’t so far away. His voice was in her ear.
She stopped short, startled. She stopped so quickly that he came tumbling into her. For a long moment, she
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