Read Online The Sheikh's Secret Bride by Leslie North - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Leslie North
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“I knew from the moment I spotted you in that service hallway that you were the woman I wanted for my bride. A woman who could help me run my company. A woman who could teach me to smile and laugh again.”
“The service hallway?” Janna couldn’t help but laugh. Figured she’d meet the man of her dreams in some hotel kitchen. She stepped closer to him, and cocked her head. “Why do you work so much, if you don’t enjoy it? And don’t give me that ‘escape’ crap again, either.”
Nassir took a deep breath and inched closer to her as well, his forearm brushing against her elbow. She shivered from the contact and he smiled. “When I broke my leg, that summer, the doctor’s weren’t sure the bones would heal properly because the fracture was so severe. That’s why they put me on total bed rest. There was a very good chance I’d never walk properly again.”
“Oh.” She reached out and placed her hand on his arm, squeezing reassuringly. “But everything turned out all right, yes?”
He shrugged. “At first, I felt quite sorry for myself. Then, of course, my father helped me realize I could direct my energies to other pursuits. In the end, I was proud of my academic accomplishments, but somewhere along the way, I stopped enjoying life.”
“You were only seven. That’s awfully young to become a cynic.”
“It was easier, I suppose, then dealing with my emotions. Until I met you. Then I realized I wanted to enjoy my life again. Not just for a night, or for a few hours, but every single day. Like you.”
“Well, you obviously have never seen me on a bad day.” She nudged his shoulder with hers. “After my mom’s accident, I had no choice but to grow up fast.”
Nassir took her hand on the railing and laced his fingers with hers. “What happened?”
“I basically took over for her, walking my siblings to school each day, helping them with their homework, doing the laundry, buying groceries. I basically became a mini-adult. But it’s okay. My philosophy has always been life is what we make it.”
“That is a good philosophy.” The heat in Nassir’s grin warmed her. “Your optimism is one of the things that drew me to you, Janna. Then you came here and I got to know you better and I knew that there was so much more to you than your sunny disposition. That you, too, had known real hardship and pain and sacrifice, and that I wanted to keep you close and protect you and give you all of the things in life that you deserve but have never had.” He faced her at last and stared down at her, his eyes full of fire and emotion. “It was wrong of me to hide my intentions, but I’m telling you now. I love being around you and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you marry me?”
Dazed, Janna blinked up at him. Yes, she’d fought her growing attraction to him these last few weeks. Yes, she’d even fancied herself in love with him once or twice or more, but this was all happening so fast. Could she dare trust her feelings for him so soon?
She gazed up at him, at his earnest expression and the desire in his eyes. She’d never had anyone pursue her like Nassir had, never had anyone who seemed so genuinely interested in making her happy. Perhaps there were worse things than a quick wedding and everything here seemed so perfect, so right. Caught up in the moment and the man, she nodded. “Okay. Yes. Yes, I will marry you, Nassir.”
“You will not regret this, Janna.” Nassir swept her into his arms and held her tight to his chest, tipping her chin up with his fingers to kiss her. His tongue licked her bottom lip, asking for permission to enter. When she parted her lips slightly, he surged forward, kissing her deeply until they were both breathless with need.
Janna finally, reluctantly, pulled away and whispered. “I want you.”
Nassir moved his lips along her jawline and nipped her earlobe, “Then you shall have me.”
Janna squeezed her arms tighter around his neck and kissed
“The service hallway?” Janna couldn’t help but laugh. Figured she’d meet the man of her dreams in some hotel kitchen. She stepped closer to him, and cocked her head. “Why do you work so much, if you don’t enjoy it? And don’t give me that ‘escape’ crap again, either.”
Nassir took a deep breath and inched closer to her as well, his forearm brushing against her elbow. She shivered from the contact and he smiled. “When I broke my leg, that summer, the doctor’s weren’t sure the bones would heal properly because the fracture was so severe. That’s why they put me on total bed rest. There was a very good chance I’d never walk properly again.”
“Oh.” She reached out and placed her hand on his arm, squeezing reassuringly. “But everything turned out all right, yes?”
He shrugged. “At first, I felt quite sorry for myself. Then, of course, my father helped me realize I could direct my energies to other pursuits. In the end, I was proud of my academic accomplishments, but somewhere along the way, I stopped enjoying life.”
“You were only seven. That’s awfully young to become a cynic.”
“It was easier, I suppose, then dealing with my emotions. Until I met you. Then I realized I wanted to enjoy my life again. Not just for a night, or for a few hours, but every single day. Like you.”
“Well, you obviously have never seen me on a bad day.” She nudged his shoulder with hers. “After my mom’s accident, I had no choice but to grow up fast.”
Nassir took her hand on the railing and laced his fingers with hers. “What happened?”
“I basically took over for her, walking my siblings to school each day, helping them with their homework, doing the laundry, buying groceries. I basically became a mini-adult. But it’s okay. My philosophy has always been life is what we make it.”
“That is a good philosophy.” The heat in Nassir’s grin warmed her. “Your optimism is one of the things that drew me to you, Janna. Then you came here and I got to know you better and I knew that there was so much more to you than your sunny disposition. That you, too, had known real hardship and pain and sacrifice, and that I wanted to keep you close and protect you and give you all of the things in life that you deserve but have never had.” He faced her at last and stared down at her, his eyes full of fire and emotion. “It was wrong of me to hide my intentions, but I’m telling you now. I love being around you and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you marry me?”
Dazed, Janna blinked up at him. Yes, she’d fought her growing attraction to him these last few weeks. Yes, she’d even fancied herself in love with him once or twice or more, but this was all happening so fast. Could she dare trust her feelings for him so soon?
She gazed up at him, at his earnest expression and the desire in his eyes. She’d never had anyone pursue her like Nassir had, never had anyone who seemed so genuinely interested in making her happy. Perhaps there were worse things than a quick wedding and everything here seemed so perfect, so right. Caught up in the moment and the man, she nodded. “Okay. Yes. Yes, I will marry you, Nassir.”
“You will not regret this, Janna.” Nassir swept her into his arms and held her tight to his chest, tipping her chin up with his fingers to kiss her. His tongue licked her bottom lip, asking for permission to enter. When she parted her lips slightly, he surged forward, kissing her deeply until they were both breathless with need.
Janna finally, reluctantly, pulled away and whispered. “I want you.”
Nassir moved his lips along her jawline and nipped her earlobe, “Then you shall have me.”
Janna squeezed her arms tighter around his neck and kissed
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