Jumal breathed a sigh of relief. The family boathouse and lake were about a mile or so away at the back of the main house. He remembered fishing there with Matt and his dad when he’d been visiting from university one summer and he couldn’t wait to get there.
“What? That’s it?” Matt gasped, the smile falling from his lips. “You’re letting him off that easy?”
“Oh hush up, you,” she admonished him, with a wave of her hand.
She turned back to Jumal, smiling warmly, and offered him a side plate and the wire rack. “Scone?”
***
The sun broke through the canopy of trees after he cantered the mile or so along the track to Melville Lake on the horse Matt had recommended. He prayed he’d just faced the hardest part of his visit but feared the worst was yet to come…
Jumal jumped down from the handsome stallion and secured the reins next to Pippa’s mare, which was already munching on the grass under the shade of a large oak tree at the side of the lake. Was it an omen that the mare didn’t even bother to look up at him?
He wasn’t sure if Pippa was unaware of his presence or choosing to ignore him, but he was grateful that she still sat on the wooden pier in the distance, her back to him, stroking the family Labrador, George, whilst throwing something to the resident ducks and ducklings. It gave him a chance to gather his thoughts and compose himself. He was never more aware that the next few minutes were going to be his most defining. He prayed that he wouldn’t be walking back to the mount having been immediately dismissed. He just needed her to let him speak…to convince her.
***
“Pippa?” Nothing.
He raked a hand through his hair and cursed lowly. Apparently she couldn’t even bring herself to speak to him, not even to shout and curse at him as he expected, deserved.
He moved in behind her and bent to put hand on her shoulder. He had things he needed to say to her and sighed when he once again felt the softness of her hair as it tumbled wildly over her shoulders. “Please, Pippa, I have—”
“Jesus Christ!!!” she screamed at him, holding her hand to her chest before grabbing at her iPod, now dangling precariously over the lake. Oops… “You scared the bejeezus out of me, Jumal. Idiot!” she shouted at him, grabbing the earphones from her ears and placing them and the iPod to one side.
“Sorry,” he mumbled sheepishly as he sat down next to her on the pier. Okay, so one minute in and she’d already cursed at him and called him an idiot. Undeterred, he discarded his loafers and took the small parcel from his back pocket in his shorts. “Peace offering,” he said, placing the tube next to her hip.
He watched as she slowly turned her head and picked up the tube, opening it suspiciously.
“Smarties. All orange Smarties,” she announced slowly in surprise as she opened it up. When he spotted her lips curl into a slight smile, Jumal finally allowed himself to take the breath he’d been holding for far too long—ever since she’d left Dubain actually. Maybe, just maybe, he dared to think…
“How did you—?”
He gave her a tight-lipped smile. “Lots and lots of tubes. The shopkeeper thought I was mad,” he confessed, but his cautious optimism was shot when she went to tip the tube into her mouth.
“Shit. No wait,” he warned, grabbing for her hand holding the tube.
“What the hell, Jumal?” she yelled. “I could have choked. You’re not honestly expecting me to share are you?” she asked mockingly.
“What? Erm, no, no, of course not. I just need to, erm, talk to you first.”
“Talk fast. You know how I feel about my chocolate. What the hell are you doing here?”
Bollocks he was making a real mess of this. It had all gone so differently in his mind.
“So who’s this?” he asked, nodding towards the poodle sitting next to George. “A new member of the Darling family?”
“Yep. That’s Mimi. Matt bought her as company for George. Something about him owing George a favour.”
“Hmm. So I spoke to Daniel Vincini.” He let his statement hang in the air.
“Oh yeah?”
“Yeah, he told me about your new position with his company. It’s an amazing opportunity for you. When do you start?”
After much inner debate, he’d decided to hold back from telling her about his new business with Vincini. Once today was over he’d know one way or the other whether there was even a need for her to know. She got the position on her own merit and through her own contacts and relationship with Ansari and Vincini. He didn’t want her to think that her achievement had anything to do with him, although no doubt she would assume his interference.
“Next spring. He’s looking for the right business premises in London and then wants to me start on the recruitment of personnel and get word out to the media channels.”
“So you’re free for the next six months or so. What are your plans?” he asked, nervously pushing his sunglasses to the top of his head, knowing what he was about to ask her in the next few minutes would potentially change his future for ever.
Kicking her feet slowly in the water she answered, “It would appear so. I’m going to help Ana set up a new website for the shop.” She shrugged. “After that I’m not sure, I’ll probably just help Matt at the stud farm.”
“Huh,” he mumbled as he kicked his feet in time with hers and berated himself inwardly for the delay in asking her. “So, er, do you feel like bumming around the world with me for six months then?” he asked shyly. Cool, Jumal, real cool. NOT. “I’m finally having my gap year. Do you feel like giving me that surfing lesson?”
“What?! Are you kidding?” she demanded, but not in a good way. Her kicking stopped. “You hurt me, Jumal, more than anyone has ever hurt me. More than Jimmy bloody Stears. Why would I want to spend any more time with you and likely get kicked in the heart again, huh? You just let me leave without even trying—” She waved her hand around, clearly frustrated at him, as she ran out of words and her body slumped.
It was all perfectly true. He had hurt her and there was no getting away from it, although he had no idea who the hell Jimmy bloody Stears was, but he still wanted to punch him for upsetting Pippa.
He hung his head in shame. “I’m so sorry, Pippa,” he offered feebly.
“So is that it? Six more months and then—” She waved her hand dismissively and shook her head. “Is that all I am to you?” She narrowed her eyes. “A short-term handy fling to fill up your strangely empty social diary?” She gave him a mirthless smile and added, “Well thanks, but no.”
“No wait, let me be clear,” he said, grabbing for her wrist and dropping his head. “Shit I’m making a complete mess of this.” He paused to take a deep breath before continuing. “That’s not it. I want more. I just didn’t want to scare you. I want you to be my wife, Pippa.” He jerked back at her sharp intake of breath. “Oh wait, no, first I meant to tell you that I love you.” He met her gaze as she now clutched her hand to her chest. “I love you, Pippa,” he repeated. “And I want to marry you not because it’s a mutually convenient and beneficial arrangement,” he emphasised, “but because I love you and I want you at my side for ever. I’ll always want you. I want to enjoy a life with you and our children. If you’ll have me—”
He glanced down for a few moments, steeling himself as he swallowed nervously. “But first, I need you to show me how to be a better man for you, how to live and just be…alive, how to have fun. I want to get carried away and completely lost on your coat-tails and never look back.” He bowed his head and shook it. “Before you, my whole life was empty, apart from my work and meeting the expectations forced upon me by my family and those that I put upon myself to succeed. To prove to my parents, that whilst they had never been able to have more children, I would be enough for them. I’d make them proud. But I let that need take over completely and whilst I may run a successful company—” he paused, dropping his head into his hands and raking one through his hair “—I don’t have a clue about really livi
ng and having fun. Our future five-year-old boy, or girl,” he quickly added, seeing the look on her face, “isn’t going to be impressed by Daddy’s ability to negotiate a contract. He wants him to play football or fly a kite or—” holding his hands up in mock surrender he quickly added “—she wants him to set up a proper teddy bears’ tea party.”
“Jumal—” she started, pitying him for sure. But he needed her to hear everything before she dismissed him.
“No wait,” he begged placing his hand over hers. “J-just let me get this out.” She nodded for him to continue and pulled her hand back to her lap, her eyes following, cast down towards the water. “Being with you over those last few months has shown me just how much I don’t know about life and living, how boring and dull and limited my entire existence was. I should have said things to you much earlier and I am so ashamed of my weakness. I will spend the rest of my life trying to make it up to you, if you’ll let me.”
He risked looking over at her but her eyes were still cast downward. “You’ve made me feel things and question everything I stood for and I was angry at what I discovered, never at you,” he assured her, “just me. I didn’t want to admit to a lot of things. I guess I preferred to stay ignorant until you slapped me about the head, both literally and figuratively speaking,” he added, with a short laugh, “and made me finally wake up and face the boring, mundane reality of my existence. Because it wasn’t a life, Pippa. My life only started when you fell into it, grabbed it by the neck and blew away the cobwebs, teasing me senseless in the process. You remember that day on the helicopter?” He turned to look at her. “Pippa?”
He watched her slowly nod in confirmation. He shook his head and took a deep breath as he recalled her words months ago as she’d overcome her fear and looked out of the helicopter window.
Feeling brave? he’d teased and then, after a long pause during which he’d thought she was either ignoring him or thinking of a witty retort she’d floored him with her response.
Only with you.
“That was the day for me. The day I fell hook, line and sinker for you. Before then, of course I wanted you, as every single male would. I’d never been able to deny that, although admittedly I tried for a while, but from that day, my priorities shifted and you became everything to me. When you told me that you only felt brave with me—” he paused and shook his head gently. “Please give me that chance again. Be brave again, Pippa. Please, just say yes. You are everything I want. Don’t make me go on without you,” he begged, finally reaching for her hand and praying that she didn’t drag it away. “Please believe that you are it for me.”
Pippa finally looked over at him, but he couldn’t tell what the hell she was thinking behind her dark sunglasses. Did she think he was a complete lunatic? Had she already met someone else and was just sitting there deciding the best way to break his heart and punish him?
“You finished?” she asked, getting straight to the point as ever, pushing her glasses to the top of her head.
He couldn’t think. He certainly hadn’t anticipated her curt response to his completely honest, heartfelt declarations, which bore no resemblance to the articulate speech he’d practised on his jet. Did she want him to leave now?
“Er, yes,” he fumbled, cursing inwardly. Did she want more from him? What else could he have said to convince her to let him back in her life? Maybe he should’ve been on his knees. He would gladly do it. Was she just going to dismiss him and tell him to leave her the hell alone without giving him the chance to redeem himself? He knew he deserved her punishment and he cursed silently again. Could he even leave her? Make his body get up from this pier, surrounded once again by her enchanting scent, and leave her sitting with her legs dangling in the cool waters, get back on the horse he’d borrowed from Matt and leave her, for ever?
He clenched a fist, hating the uncontrollable fear and panic swelling throughout his body. He wasn’t even sure he could move at this moment in time. Maybe she’d be the one to leave and he’d just stay here as darkness descended and Matt eventually turned up looking for his lost horse. In any other circumstances, he’d have to laugh at the situation. He’d wanted to feel again. Well guess what? He was feeling scared. Absolutely petrified.
“Jumal,” she said gently, turning to him and taking his face in her hands to plant a quick, chaste kiss on his lips before she pulled back and whispered, “You’re forgiven.” She dropped her hands and shrugged. “I love you. I’ve loved you for the last nine years but if there was ever any doubt, you clinched it with the Smarties. Oh and yes, I’ll marry you—” she paused and held up her index finger “—if you’re a good student. Not wishing to put a downer on our day, but what about your parents, your father? What are they going to say? It doesn’t bother me. I want you regardless, but will you be okay with them being unhappy with me as your future wife?” Her concern for him humbled him.
“I’ve already spoken to my parents. My mother already loves you—right from the moment she saw you in your sundress covered in oil and grease. She said you reminded her of herself when she was a young woman. She insisted that I bring you back to Dubain shortly to see her—” He paused.
“And your father?” she asked nervously. “I’m guessing he didn’t share your mother’s opinion.” He could tell that she was anxious about his response and he was pleased that he wouldn’t have to lie.
“I finally took your wise advice and spoke to him. Told him I was no longer towing the family line and whilst I will respect him as my father, I needed him to respect me and my decisions.” Jumal dropped his head and shook it at the memory of their unique conversation. They had both shouted and the row had got heated at times, but fundamentally they both agreed that the future of Dubain was a priority and for that to happen Jumal needed to be happy in his personal life as much as his work life. He needed balance, and more importantly, he needed a break. He needed the time alone with Pippa, if she’d have him, but even if she had dismissed him without a backward glance, Jumal had already made a decision that things needed to change in his life. If they didn’t, the resentment he felt towards his father would continue to grow and affect not only his future but also Dubain’s. To his utter shock, his father had conceded and agreed that he had pushed Jumal to act out his own plans and desires for his country’s future, knowing that he wouldn’t be able to see them to fruition simply because of his age.
“He actually went further than I had ever expected and offered to take back the position of sheik temporarily and give any assistance that Malik might need in running the company whilst I was away.”
“Wow, a complete one-eighty then. You don’t think he’ll mind if I call him Tay, do you?” she joked, the most beautiful smile lighting up her face. “The bracelet suits you by the way,” she commented, nodding at his wrist and lowering her finger to trace it. Opposites. His brain flickered back to the night the contrast in their skin colour had thrown that word out at him and he’d worried that it was a metaphor for their whole relationship. Now? They were opposites. Perfectly matched opposites.
“So, you ready for lesson one?” she asked, tilting her head to the side.
He nodded back like a dopey idiot. She never failed to surprise him—she loved him! Had loved him for years! He swallowed deeply. And she’d just agreed to marry him—eventually—but he would have to bide his time and be patient. He could do patient. For Pippa, he would do anything.
She quickly jumped up. “Great. Lesson one,” she continued, stripping off her clothes, “Letting go of your inhibitions.”
Jumal watched dumbfounded as items of clothing began to fall to the pier at his side—sunglasses, barely legal shorts, strappy T-shirt, and oh yes, he gulped, there went the knickers. Ah the black and purple ones—his favourites. Bra? He thought looking up at her nakedness, swallowing. Oh, so no bra. He licked his lips and shielded his eyes from the low afternoon sun and slowly ran his eyes up her gloriously naked body. Heat flooded his groin. She was a vision. No, he corrected, a goddess�
�standing above him, the sun acting like a halo surrounding her body.
“Outdoor sex?” he enquired hopefully, smirking up at her, still shielding his eyes with one hand whilst reaching with the other to run a finger up her bare, smooth leg. “Think I’m gonna like this lesson, Miss Darling,” he added eagerly with a roguish grin.
She tsked at him before jumping back from his touch, slapping his hand away painlessly and setting off running down the wooden pier, performing a perfect swan dive into the cool deep waters of the lake.
Jumal grinned widely as she broke back up from beneath the surface. A flock of startled ducks took off in flight. She brushed back her long hair from her shoulders and waved at him. “Skinny-dipping one-oh-one,” she shouted, flipping onto her back and starting to float, gently kicking her legs.
He chuckled as he bent down to pick up the tube of Smarties, placing it carefully under her messy pile of clothes. Losing the flawless, two-carat blue diamond—the exact colour of her eyes, which he’d hidden in it, wouldn’t be a good start to their long engagement. He’d let her find it safely later and choose whether she wanted to wear it on her finger or on a delicate chain around her neck—without the risk of choking on the exquisitely rare gem this time!
Looking over at the French poodle and Labrador still cuddled up together on the pier, he made a clicking noise with his tongue. “Whatta you say, you two? You up for a swim?”
George lifted his sleepy head and panted. Mimi ignored him as Pip shouted playfully, “I’m getting cold, Jumal! If you aren’t in here warming me up in ten seconds you’re gonna fail your first lesson!”
No doubt disturbed by the noise, Mimi stood up, stretched and gave them both a look indicating that she thought them both to be idiots before trotting over towards the Scandinavian-style wooden lake house.
His Irresistible Darling Page 23