The Sheikh's Bride of Convenience (Qazhar Sheikhs series Book 15)

by Cara Albany

  His lips were warm and soft. His embrace was firm and tempting. All thought of pushing Qazim away faded rapidly as she savored his embrace.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  Qazim lifted his head away from Grace and gazed into her beautiful blue eyes. Eyes that were filled with a bewildering mixture of emotion. He could see pleasure there and also confusion, even surprise.

  The kiss had been exquisite, something he'd been dreaming of every night during these past eight weeks.

  Now she was back in his arms. And she had come back to him like this.

  The news was incredible. The woman he held so carefully in his embrace was carrying his child.

  It was incredible.

  Qazim had never felt like this before. He felt stunned. He didn't care that Grace had witnessed the full force of his shock. He'd tried to disguise it, just like he'd tried to hide his need for Grace these past eight weeks. But, he was sure she'd understood just how forcefully this news had hit him.

  A baby!

  He was going to be a father!

  And with the most incredible woman he'd even known. Destiny could not have blessed him with any finer gift than this, he told himself. Fate had brought Grace into his life and had bestowed upon him the greatest honor a man could know.

  Qazim leaned back and glanced down at Grace's belly. Inside her there was life that they had both created in their moments of pure passion, pure connection. He felt a sense of awe as he looked at her. He was tempted to reach across and lay a gentle hand on her belly, but he restrained the urge.

  At this moment, all he wanted to know was whether Grace was okay. He needed to know what she was thinking about this. How she felt.

  Qazim glanced at Grace. "I'm so happy, Grace," he murmured.

  Her brows rose and her lips opened, as if she'd been surprised by those words. Had she expected some other kind of reaction? That he'd be unhappy? That he'd act indignant? That he'd refuse to believe her?

  But that wasn't going to happen. All he felt was complete and utter joy.

  "You are?" she asked in a quiet voice. She seemed surprised.

  "Of course. This is wonderful news."

  Grace glanced away from Qazim and pulled herself free of his embrace. He saw her swallow and she raised a hand to her chest, clearly trying to contain emotion.

  He wanted to reach out again, but he could see she was trying to come to terms with all of this.

  So was he!

  He gave her a few moments and then spoke again. "Aren't you happy about this?"

  Grace nodded, but she still didn't look at him. She still didn't say a word.

  Qazim shifted on the seat, feeling the sudden awkwardness between himself and Grace. He desperately needed to know what she really thought of this. But he was resolved not to pressure her in any way. Now wasn't the time for him to be insensitive and selfish.

  He needed to break the habit of a lifetime and think of the needs of another. He knew that wasn't going to come easily. But he had to try.

  Grace turned to Qazim. "Are you genuinely pleased about this, Qazim?" she asked. Her eyes were wide, seeking reassurance.

  Qazim took one of her hands. "I couldn't be more honored or joyful, Grace."

  He saw her expression change. The corners of her mouth creased with a slight smile. Was that relief?

  Qazim lifted her hand to his lips and tenderly kissed the back of her fingers. He lifted his brows. "You have granted me the greatest wish a man could ever hope for."

  He saw color flush her cheeks, and he heard her gasp almost inaudibly. She watched as he lavished kisses on her hand, all the while gazing up at her.

  She closed her eyes for a few moments. Perhaps she was thinking how she could respond to his reaction. Again, he wondered if she'd expected harshness, even arrogance from him. That simple thought made him feel a moment of shame that she could have even considered he'd react like that. Had that been the reason she'd left him? The hard, untamed parts of his character?

  All of that was going to change, he told himself. The reality of their child would force Qazim to change. He knew that, and he wondered if Grace also understood that.

  Qazim released her hand. "How do you feel?" he asked eagerly.

  She smiled at him. "I feel fine. It's still early days."

  "But you came to see the doctor," he continued. "Something must have prompted you to come."

  She shook her head. "I was just being cautious. It's a long trip back to America."

  Qazim felt himself freeze. He peered at Grace. "What do you mean?"

  She tilted her head. "I'm going back tomorrow," she stated bluntly.

  Qazim frowned and shook his head. "But, you can't. Not now that we know about the baby."

  Her features tightened into a rigid mask. She peered at him. "What are you saying?" she asked slowly.

  Qazim leaned back and ran a hand through his hair. "You're not seriously thinking of leaving," he exclaimed, trying to control his voice. He felt his muscles tensing, sensed the sudden need to exert self-control.

  She looked puzzled. "Of course, I am."

  "But the child!" he snapped. He gestured toward her belly. "This changes everything. Surely you know that."

  Grace shook her head. "How?"

  Qazim gasped, incredulous. "Isn't it obvious. We are about to become parents."

  Grace frowned and folded her arms. "And?"

  Qazim swallowed and paused, trying to find the next words. He knew they had to be the correct words, given the circumstances. Perfect words. But, did he trust himself to say what needed to be said? The truth.

  And what was that, exactly?

  Even as he asked himself that, he knew there was only one option. And it did not include letting Grace leave him. Not again. Not now that they both had a child to consider.

  He could see she was still waiting. He saw her foot tapping and her gaze was steady.

  "This child will be my heir," Qazim said evenly. "He is the bond which connects us, now. He is what will always bind us together."

  Grace tilted her head and gazed at Qazim. "What are you talking about? We have no future, Qazim. Haven't you forgotten that?"

  He felt the blow of her words like a physical contact. He dragged in a calming breath, considering his next words carefully.

  "And the baby makes no difference?" he asked.

  He saw Grace flinch slightly at that question. She bit her lip, a gesture he'd always found oddly alluring.

  "Of course it makes a difference," she said. "I know that."

  There was a sharp edge to her voice now, he noticed. Any moment now she might snap at him, ask that he stop the car and let her out.

  Grace sighed. "What do you expect me to say, Qazim? That everything is just perfect now? That you and I can just carry on like before?"

  "By being together again?" he prompted.

  She scrunched her features sharply. "Did I say that?" she asked abruptly.

  He bit his tongue and paused before saying anything else. He knew what the solution was. Did Grace know? Or was she trying to avoid the obvious truth in all of this? What they should both agree to do.

  "Look, this is complicated," Grace said. "You know that as well as I do."

  Qazim shook his head firmly. "It's not complicated, at all." He leaned forward and gazed at Grace. "It's exactly as fate designed."

  "Fate?" she said giving him an incredulous look.

  Qazim nodded. "Of course," he replied. "Can't you see that? You and I belong together, Grace. We always have," he said.

  He saw her body stiffen at his words. "We don't belong together, Qazim." She glared at him. "Don't you remember? I walked out on you."

  Qazim tilted his head. "And I know why you did that."

  She sighed irritably. "You were suffocating me," she exclaimed.

  For a moment he was taken aback by the strength of that accusation.

  "Suffocated?" he asked disbelievingly.

  Grace leaned back against the seat and stretched out he
r legs, crossing her ankles. It was as if she'd backed herself into a corner and she had nowhere to go. As if she wanted to fend him off, prevent him from declaring the only sensible course of action open to them both, now that there was a baby to consider.

  For a moment, he thought she looked amazing, sitting there like that, her arms folded, her lips pouting. Defiant, as usual, Qazim realized. He wouldn't have expected anything else from Grace.

  "You can't tell me there was anything destined in any of this," she said peering at him.

  "I do," he replied emphatically.

  Grace snorted and shook her head. He saw her jaw tighten as she turned her head to look out of the window.

  Qazim moved closer. "Grace, habibti..." he started to say.

  "Don't call me that!" she snapped turning back to face him.

  He froze and gazed at her, seeing the color of fury on her cheeks.

  "I'm not your beloved, Qazim," she declared. "I never was, and you know it. I was just another one of you conquests."

  Qazim shook his head gravely. "That is where you are completely wrong, Grace." He shifted forward and rested a hand against the back of the seat. He was closer to her now, and he saw her gaze flicker hesitantly toward his hand.

  "You are my beloved," he continued undeterred. "And you always will be. When I said those words to you, I meant them."

  Qazim moved his hand closer to her. He caressed her loose locks of blonde hair which settled against the leather of the chair. Her hair felt soft against his skin. He wanted to lift it to his face, inhale the sweet scent of it, stir beautiful memories.

  Grace didn't move an inch. Qazim gazed into her eyes. "You must believe me, Grace. My life has been empty since you left."

  Grace arched a brow. "Why don't I believe that? You seemed happy enough at the meetings. In fact, you didn't come anywhere near me the whole time."

  Qazim shook his head. "I wanted to respect your wishes." Grace scoffed, but he continued. "You had made your choice, and I felt honor-bound to accept it."

  "Why is it always about honor, except when it comes to you getting want you want?"

  He narrowed his eyes at Grace. "Are you accusing me a of being a dishonorable man?"

  Grace hesitated before replying and then sighed heavily. "Of course not," she blurted out. "It's just that sometimes you talk like your brother. I sometime wonder if you aren't quite as modern as you like to think you are."

  Qazim stiffened. "I am nothing like my brother," he declared. "Riaz chose his life in the desert. And now he is happy with a wife. It appears to suit him well, although it isn't a life that I would favor."

  Grace glared at him. "So marriage isn't for you, then?"

  How could he answer that? That wasn't what he'd meant. Not at all. Qazim leaned forward.

  "On the contrary," he murmured. "In the circumstances, marriage seems like the only realistic option."

  Her lower lip moved and her mouth opened, an expression of shock and disbelief. He saw her gaze into his eyes, as if she was trying to tell if he was joking. Of course, he wasn't. He was being entirely serious.

  Grace squinted at Qazim. "What are you saying?"

  "I'm saying that the life we have created together deserves that we conduct ourselves with honor."

  "And?"

  Qazim shifted closer to Grace. "Marry me, Grace," he murmured.

  Her features froze into a disbelieving mask. Eyes widened and color drained from her face.

  He waited. All he could hear was the steady, quiet murmur of the limo's engine. All he could feel was the beating of his heart as he awaited her response.

  "What!" she gasped breathlessly.

  He lowered his head, his brows furrowing. She must not doubt that he was being entirely serious, he told himself.

  "Become my wife," he said. With a glance down the length of her body he added: "And we shall become a family." He could hardly believe he was saying such things to Grace. But he was, and he meant every word.

  "Qazim," she exclaimed. "Don't joke about this."

  "I'm being completely sincere," he replied. He took her hands, and he was sure he could feel them shaking slightly. This wasn't easy for her. And he wanted to take all the worry away from her, all the uncertainty she was undoubtedly feeling in this moment.

  "You expect me to become your wife?" she gasped. "Just like that?" she added with a dismissive sideways nod of her head.

  Qazim nodded. "It would be the greatest honor you could bestow upon me," he said.

  Grace scoffed and squinted at Qazim. "It is always about you. Everything is about you and your honor. Your status. Your life," she said wearily.

  He could hear the emotion in her voice. She shifted nervously away from him, loosening his grasp on her hands.

  Qazim shook his head. "I will do this," he said emphatically. His voice was a low growl, determined and steady.

  He wasn't going to take no for an answer. He wasn't going to be denied. Didn't she realize that?

  Qazim sighed and gazed at Grace. "All that matters to me is that you and the baby are happy and safe. Nothing else is important to me."

  Grace didn't look convinced. She rolled her eyes and shook her head.

  "The baby will be fine, Qazim," she retorted.

  "I have no doubt you will take the best care you can," he replied. "But the child, boy or girl, deserves the best in everything, don't you agree?"

  "And I will provide that," she replied. "That doesn't mean we have to be together, Qazim."

  Qazim paused a moment. "Are you refusing my proposal?"

  "Your proposal? Is that what it is? Really?" she snapped.

  "I'm offering the child the best chance in life. If that means we should marry, then so be it," he declared.

  "What kind of marriage is that going to be?"

  Qazim shrugged. "That depends."

  "On what?"

  "It depends on whether you and I can come together for the benefit of the child. And whether we can put aside any differences we have. For the child's sake."

  Grace stared at him for a few moments. "You're offering me a marriage of convenience. That's it, isn't it?"

  Was that what he was offering Grace? Merely an arrangement like so many others he'd seen. He knew couples, even some friends who had married out of obligation or family pressure. It wasn't always love that brought men and women together. Was his relationship with Grace like all the others?

  Even as he asked that question of himself, he knew the answer. Of course it wasn't. His feelings for Grace hadn't changed. Not even after she'd walked out on him.

  And, if theirs was a marriage of convenience, what would it be like. He'd seen enough of those types of marriages to know what it might mean.

  Coldness. Formality. Living separate lives.

  No.

  It wouldn't be like that with Grace. He could feel that in his spirit. Things wouldn't be like that. Not between them both.

  "What do you expect me to say, Qazim?" she said interrupting his thoughts. "Thank you, Sheikh. I'll take that marriage offer of yours since I don't have many other options?" She looked angry now, and he felt sad that that was the case.

  Qazim shook his head. "Grace, you know I am completely sincere about this."

  Grace frowned. "That's the problem, Qazim. I don't know if you are serious. Maybe this is all some strange, old-fashioned game for you. Maybe this happens all the time in your country. Marriages of convenience went out of fashion a long time ago, in case you hadn't noticed."

  "Not in my country," he replied shaking his head.

  Grace sighed loudly. He saw her peer out of the window, temporarily lost in thought. Would she make a decision? There wasn't much time left. If she went on that plane tomorrow he would probably never see her again. That thought triggered a mixture of anxiety and frustration in him.

  "I can't make that decision, right now," Grace announced. She dragged a hand through her hair and shook her head. "No way can I give you an answer to that."

&nbs
p; She looked bewildered, completely at a loss.

  Qazim knew they would be arriving at her apartment soon. The last thing she would allow would be for him to go up to the apartment and talk this over. She'd need time on her own to think it over.

  "Are you still planning to leave tomorrow?" he asked trying to contain the sense of urgency he felt.

  "I don't know," she replied. She turned away from him and lapsed into a thoughtful silence.

  Strangely that gave him some encouragement. The mere fact that she was willing to think about his proposal gave him hope.

  Because he had just proposed to her, hadn't he? He'd asked Grace to become his wife, even of it was possibly for a limited time and with conditions attached. That fact amazed him, even as he watched her closely, trying to judge her mood, attempting to predict what she would say.

  He could hardly think about what it would mean if she were to agree. What would his life be like? For one thing, he would be a father and the head of a family. That would completely change his life.

  Other members of his family, his parents, his brothers would probably be astonished. Marriage would have been the last thing they would have expected of Qazim. Although he had to admit there had been more than a few hints in recent months, subtle little questions about who he was seeing.

  He'd deal with their reactions when the time came, he told himself.

  The limo drew up in front of the twenty storey block of apartments. The driver opened the door and Qazim stepped out, extending a hand to assist Grace. He walked alongside her to the entrance of the apartment block.

  She halted and gazed at him. "You sure know how to confuse a gal," Grace said with a tired smile and began fishing in her bag for her keys.

  Qazim advanced toward her and she looked intently at him. He took hold of her elbow, and he noticed she did nothing to push him away. She looked pale and he considered suggesting he accompany her upstairs, but then thought better of it.

  "Are you going to be okay?" he asked.

  Grace nodded quickly and emphatically as if pushing away his concern. "Of course," she replied sharply and shrugged. "I mean, today has just been like any other day. Find out I'm pregnant and receive a proposal of marriage. What's not to like about all of that."