Between the Covers
Page 12
“Thank you. It’s still pretty new.”
“You’ll never get away from us now,” Lucien warned, his eyes twinkling. “You’ve been assimilated.”
“Like I’d ever have left anyway,” she scoffed.
Léo got up and came around the table to kiss her cheek. “I’m sorry if I sounded less than enthusiastic, Dani,” he said. “I am happy for you, if you’re happy. I was just surprised—but this is wonderful news.” He returned to his seat, and Dani beamed in relief. Across the table, Malik was smiling too.
“And that’s all the secrets we have,” he concluded.
“I think that’s enough for today.” Dani chuckled. “Unless anyone else has something they want to share?”
Ben pouted. “I’m not talking to you.”
“You got your way,” she protested. “Why are you so grumpy?”
“Because you’re supposed to tell me these things!”
“We may as well eat,” Malik said. “This conversation could go on for a while.”
Léo snorted, and Ben swung an ireful glare on him. Dani decided she should head this off before it got out of control.
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner, but it’s very new and we were still working it out. We both wanted to be together, but it’s a complicated situation and we had some reservations. You’re the first people to know.”
Ben sniffed, but then spoiled it by grinning. “I was right,” he crowed. “You two are perfect together, aren’t you? Hah!”
And he didn’t let it go until they’d finished eating.
Chapter Eleven
Malik sighed in satisfaction as he closed the document and shut down his laptop. His work for the day was officially done—target number of pages edited, word count met. His time was now completely his own, and he knew exactly what he wanted to do with it.
For the five weeks he and Dani had been together, things had been great. Fantastic, even. But a few days ago, he’d realized that he’d cheated her out of the early stages of their relationship. They’d never dated, just gone straight to living together. Didn’t she deserve to get dressed up and be taken out to a nice restaurant?
He’d been remiss.
Tonight, he’d fix that.
He’d made reservations at a small but excellent restaurant nearby. Ben had already taken Dani to his favorite restaurants in the area, but somehow they hadn’t yet made it to this place, for which Malik was grateful.
This morning over breakfast, he’d asked Dani to go on a date with him. She’d laughed, surprised, but when he’d explained, her dark gaze had gone all soft and gooey, and she’d kissed him until they both were breathless.
Then she’d declared she wanted a new outfit for their “first date” and called Ben, who’d whined about having to go shopping so loudly that Malik had heard him through the phone.
She’d gotten home about an hour ago, laden down with shopping bags and smiling brightly. For that smile alone, Malik wished he’d thought of this earlier. But it was foolish to dwell on the past, especially when he needed to get ready.
It was time to take his amazing girlfriend out on a date.
This was the best thing he’d done in years. Maybe ever. Dani’s face had been so soft and warm and happy all night. She was always beautiful, and she’d gone to a lot of trouble getting ready for the evening, but that wasn’t what made him unable to keep his eyes off her. It was the way she looked at him. Nobody had ever looked at him that way.
They hadn’t officially been together long, but they’d known each other a long time, counting all their incidental Skype conversations and secondhand interactions through Léo and Ben. He knew her, the person she was, and more importantly, he knew the person she was with him. And she knew him, more than anyone in the world except maybe Léo—but he was certain that would change in time. He didn’t need to pretend with her—didn’t need to be Malik al-Saud, society dilletante and darling of the tabloids, witty, charming, devil-may-care. He could just be Malik, who wrote books, loved his friends, liked to have fun, and avoided his father at all costs.
As they left the restaurant, he reached out and took her hand. She smiled at him in the way that made him feel warm inside, and suggested, “Let’s walk home.”
He raised a brow. He’d arranged for a car and driver for the evening, not wanting to be distracted by driving or finding parking. “Are you sure?”
Dani shrugged. “Yeah. It’s not far, and it’s a beautiful night.”
It was a beautiful night, perfect for lovers to stroll, but… “Can you manage in those shoes?” They were deliciously sexy concoctions of straps and stiletto heels, and he wanted to see her wearing only them later, not throwing them off the balcony as she cursed the day they’d been made.
“My feet will be sore,” she admitted, “but not crippled. It’s really only a few blocks, Malik.”
Conceding the point, he sent the driver away and they began their stroll home. It really wasn’t far at all, and if her feet got too sore, he could probably carry her. She might even find that romantic.
He laughed out loud. Not his practical Dani.
“What?” she asked, and when he told her, she laughed too. “Sorry, hon, I’d be so busy berating myself that I wouldn’t notice if it was romantic or not.” She squeezed his hand. “But the thought is lovely. Maybe we can role play it someday—me being the foolish damsel and you sweeping in to rescue me.”
Malik stopped dead in the street, took her by the shoulders, and kissed her soundly. “I love you,” he said, and they were the easiest words he’d ever said, felt more right than anything else in the world. “I love you because you’re clever, kind, beautiful, and the best person I’ve ever met. But also because you’ve never been a foolish damsel in your life and if you ever needed rescuing, you’d do it yourself and probably rescue your would-be rescuer right along with you.” He pulled a face. “I feel as though I’ve said ‘rescue’ too many times. If that were a sentence in one of my books, my editor would make me change it.”
Dani laughed, but it was a wet sound, and when she leaned up to kiss him, there were tears on her cheeks. “I love you,” she murmured.
Everything in him relaxed. Tension drained away. All was right with the world. Dani loved him.
They stood there in the street, kissing, not caring who saw them, for a long time.
“Let’s go home,” Dani whispered finally, running her hands over his chest through his shirt. “You can carry me from the front door to the bed.”
Malik had never considered himself old-fashioned, but something primitive in him fired at the thought of carrying his woman to their bed. It must have shown on his face, because she chuckled. He grabbed her hand and tugged her along.
“Let’s go faster.”
“I don’t want to.” Even to his own ears, he sounded like a petulant child.
Dani sighed. She’d been incredibly patient, but he could tell it was starting to wear thin.
“Malik, not packing doesn’t mean you don’t have to go. It just means you won’t have clean underwear, a toothbrush, or anything appropriate to wear to the wedding when you get there.”
He bit back a smile, not done yet with his sulk. He was due to leave early the next morning. The wedding wasn’t for several days yet, but Aunt Miryam had insisted he travel with them, and he really hadn’t been able to think of a reason not to that wouldn’t offend his entire family. Besides, he did want to see Houria and spend a little time with her before she got married. He was staying a few days after the wedding, also, but she wouldn’t be around then. It would be good to see his mother and sisters and his oldest brother, who was a good man. His other brother, not so much.
“Come on,” Dani coaxed. “The sooner you pack, the sooner it will be done and we can do other things.” Her look was very direct, and parts of Malik stood to attention.
“Fine.” He heaved himself out of his chair. “But those other things had better be good.”
“Are you saying ther
e are times when they’re not good?” She followed him out of the office and down the hall to their bedroom.
“No,” Malik said immediately, because he was no fool. Anyway, it was true. “I just mean there had better be extra goodness.”
Dani sat in the armchair in the dressing room and watched him get out his overnight bag and garment bag. “I think some extra goodness can be arranged. We’re both going to need it to tide us over until you get back.”
For the hundredth time in the past month, he wondered if he should bring her with him, and for the hundredth time, he reminded himself why it was a bad idea.
“Stop that,” she said softly. “We’ve talked about this. Our relationship is still pretty new, and there’s enough strain between you and your father without springing me on him at a big family event. Your mother will be busy with the wedding and doesn’t need the distraction of meeting her son’s girlfriend. And the whole situation is made more complicated because I’m Ben’s friend. There will be plenty of opportunities for me to meet your family. Now is not the right time.”
She knew him so well. He sighed and dumped some underwear into his bag. “I just don’t want to be away from you.”
“It’s only a week,” she consoled, “and we both have phones. We can talk every day.”
“Text me,” he demanded, and she raised an eyebrow.
“Bossy much?”
“Text me, please.” Even to him, it didn’t sound less like an order, and she snorted.
“I can text you. I probably would have anyway. Is there anything in particular you want me to say?” The mock sweetness of her tone warned him that he’d better answer that carefully.
“Whatever you want. You always know what to say.” He ducked as she threw a balled-up pair of socks at him. Where had they even come from? He kept his socks across the room from the armchair.
“It’s going to be fine, Malik,” she said, getting up and coming over to kiss him briefly. “You’ll have fun. It’s a party, after all. Just don’t let your dad get to you, and you’ll be back here before you know it.”
She wandered out into the bedroom, and Malik wished he had her confidence.
Five days later, Dani was struggling to hold back an appreciative moan when the trill of a phone sounded from the other room. She ignored it and took another bite of the luscious steak Léo had grilled. Dinner with her bestie and his boyfriend had been an inspired idea. The apartment had felt so lonely since Malik left—she had tons of work to keep her busy, Malik called every day, and they texted frequently, but she still missed him like crazy.
The phone stopped, then immediately began again. Neither Ben nor Léo reacted—they’d long since designated dinner a phone-free time—and she could tell from the ringtone that it wasn’t hers, so she wasn’t worried.
Until it started ringing for a third time.
That couldn’t be good.
She exchanged glances with Ben, who put down his glass and said to Léo, “Maybe you should check that.”
Léo, already looking in the direction of the living room, stood and crossed to the door in three quick strides. A moment later, they heard him answer the call.
“I hope it’s not bad news,” Dani said, her dinner suddenly less appealing. She’d learned to fear such calls during Gran’s illness.
Ben forced a smile. “It’s probably not. You know people can be rude and impatient.” But his gaze was on the doorway, and a moment later, Léo appeared, phone to his ear, face ashen.
Malik.
For a second, Dani couldn’t breathe. It felt like her chest was being compressed by a vise grip. Blood roared through her ears, and that was what forced her to seize back control of her body—she couldn’t hear what Léo was saying.
She sucked in a breath, and as air rushed to her lungs, gasped, “Malik?”
Léo’s eyes shot to her, and he shook his head. Ben grabbed her hand and squeezed as she fought back stupid tears of relief.
She forced herself to pay attention, because even if Malik was okay, something was making Léo look like that, and she was likely going to need to be a supportive friend. But Léo was mostly just listening now, occasionally agreeing, until finally he said goodbye and ended the call.
He stared at the phone for a long moment before raising his gaze to look at them. “Uncle died.”
Ben immediately stood and went to him, while Dani struggled to process.
“Uncle… you mean Malik’s father?” Fuck.
Léo nodded, following blindly as Ben ushered him into a chair. “It’s… surreal. He had a massive heart attack. Just… keeled over at the dinner table.” He shook his head. “I feel… guilty. I don’t—didn’t ever really… like him. I should have tried harder. Been more respectful.”
“You were always respectful of him,” Ben said quietly. “That’s why we’re not there now. It’s okay that you didn’t like him.” He went and got Léo some water, then asked, “Do I need to arrange a flight for us?”
Léo sipped and shook his head. “No, Gabriel said he’s already arranged it. I need to call Malik, but….”
Malik.
Dani yanked herself out of her shock. Poor Malik. He and his father had never got on, but still… losing a parent was not something that could just be brushed aside. Should she call him before Léo did? She wanted to, but… Léo was his best friend. The two of them were inseparable. If she had just lost her dad, who would she want to speak to? Ben or Malik?
Both, she decided. And if Malik were there with her, she’d turn right to him. But if a call was necessary… probably Ben first, just because he’d known her dad for so long.
Standing, she went and got her phone and sent Malik a text.
I’m so sorry. I love you. Call me when you can. <3
Then she went back into the dining room and said to Léo, “I know it’s really hard, but you should call him now. He’ll need to speak with you.” In fact, she was kind of surprised he hadn’t called Léo already. He was probably busy with his mother. She looked at Ben. “Why don’t you get some things packed?” she suggested. “I’ll clear up in the kitchen.”
Ben smiled gratefully as Léo picked up his phone and tapped the screen, and Dani began stacking their plates.
When she came out of the kitchen twenty minutes later, Léo and Ben were in the living room, talking quietly. Léo turned to look at her as she entered.
“You should call him,” he said immediately. “He was… not himself on the phone. I think it might do him good to hear from you. He said you texted.”
Her heart sank, and she chided herself for it. So what if he hadn’t replied to her text. His father had just died.
“And then you need to go pack a bag,” Ben said.
“The plane will be ready within the hour,” Léo added.
Nodding, Dani lifted her phone and went out to the terrace for privacy, tapping the contacts and bringing up Malik’s name. Her hand shook slightly as she lifted it to her ear, and again she blinked back tears. Why was she being such an emotional sap? She’d never even met Malik’s father, and what she did know about him, she didn’t like.
The phone rang, and rang again, then again. She was just beginning to think it might go to voicemail and wondering if she should leave a message or if that would be weird—what could she say, after all?—when the call connected.
And Malik’s deep voice sounded in her ear.
“Hello, Dani.”
After the initial rush of relief at hearing his voice, she frowned. He sounded… formal.
“Hey,” she said, pushing down her reservations. For God’s sake, the man had just lost his father. He was probably in shock. “I’m so sorry, Malik. Are you— What do you need?”
“Thank you,” he said, again in that oddly distant tone. “There is nothing. Are you well?”
She paused. Am I well? “Uh… yeah. I’m… fine. Worried about you, to be honest,” she said bluntly.
“Don’t worry, I am as well as can be expected.”
“Well, I’ll see for myself in a little while. I’ve just got to grab some things, and then we’ll be on our way.” Did she even have anything with her that was appropriate for a funeral? What were the customs for Muslim funerals, anyway? She’d need to ask Léo to give her a crash course, or maybe she could google it.
“No.”
She was so focused on whether she had anything suitable to wear that she almost missed the soft word.
“No, what?” she asked. He didn’t want her to grab some things? It wasn’t like she’d miss her flight—five minutes more or less wouldn’t make a difference, and she needed her stuff. She wasn’t likely to have time to shop for essentials when they arrived.
“No, you shouldn’t come.”
It took her several long seconds to make sense of that. Her brain, already shocked once that evening, just didn’t want to process it.
And then it hurt. A lot.
He’s just lost his father, she reminded herself. But shouldn’t that mean he wanted her there for support?
This is not about you.
It felt like it was about her. She loved him. If the situation were reversed, she would want him to come. Hell, when she’d lost her gran, he had come—and they hadn’t been more than friends then.
“I…. Um. You… don’t want me to come?”
There was a muffled sound from the doorway, and Dani turned to see Ben there, a shocked expression on his face. Swiftly, he shook his head in apology and retreated inside—no doubt to tell Léo of this latest development.
“My mother doesn’t know about you… us. I don’t think this is the right time to tell her,” Malik explained, still in that stiff voice that was so unlike him.
Relief rushed through her so fast that her knees weakened and she had to sit in one of the chairs at the patio table.