He studied her with dark concern. “Those trees are some of the most beautiful I have ever seen. And yet I destroyed one. For the sake of destruction. I tested my power against it, and felled it. It took me over a week. I crept out every night, and worked until the first light of dawn was breaking over the Allan ranges. Finally, it succumbed. I learned one of the most important lessons of my life that day.”
She swallowed, not quite sure why her emotions were rioting all over the place. “I don’t understand. What lesson?”
His accent became thicker when he was concentrating. “My father was furious. But he knew that no anger could punish me more than my own regrets would. I had ruined something irreplaceable. I had destroyed something of untold value. I swore that day I would never be so reckless again.”
The story, told by someone as breathtakingly macho as this man, made her pulse thready. “I still don’t …”
He groaned, crushing her to him and kissing her in one movement. “How do you not see?” His mouth devoured hers, sending shockwaves of pleasure rioting through her body. “I’m not going to ruin you.”
She pulled away from him, confusion making her face pale. “I don’t understand, I’m sorry.” She lifted her trembling fingers to her lips. They were swollen by his passion.
“I wanted to meet you. To be sure.”
“You did meet me. Yesterday.”
His lips lifted. “Yes. But you haven’t met me.”
“I … haven’t?”
He stood abruptly, his dark eyes glinting in his face as he looked down at her. “I am Khalid ash-Hareth, and you are to be my wife.”
The remainder of Khalid and Sally’s story is available on amazon.
BOOKS BY CLARE CONNELLY
SINGLE TITLES – all 99c
Marrying Her Enemy
The Velasco Lovechild
The Sultan’s Reluctant Princess
The Sultan’s Virgin Bride
The Sheikh’s Arranged Marriage
In the Hands of the Sheikh
One Night with the Sheikh
The Sheikh’s Virgin Hostage
To the Highest Bidder
The Greek Tycoon’s Forbidden Affair
Bought by the Sheikh
The Billionaire’s Christmas Revenge
Tempted by the Billionaire
The Tycoon’s Christmas Captive
His Loving Deception
A Second Chance at Love
The Sheikh’s Christmas Mistress
Love in the Fast Lane
The Medici Mistress
The Tycoon’s Virgin Mistress
All She Wants for Christmas
The Italian Billionaire’s Betrayal
A Bed of Broken Promises
Raising the Soldier’s Son
The Italian’s Innocent Bride
Seducing the Spaniard
At the Sheikh’s Command
Seduced by the Italian Tycoon
COMPENDIUMS – $2.99
Casacelli Brides
Mediterranean Tycoons
Desert Rulers
Billionaire Bad Boys
Bound to the Sheikh: An ancient debt. A deathbed promise. A marriage of duty and obligation. Desire too strong to control. Page 18