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“That doesn’t answer my question. Do you intend to marry someone for political reasons?”
He opened his mouth to speak, then closed it again. “It’s complicated, Sarah, as I said before.”
“I’m a quick learner. Tell me.”
“I cannot. I have my reasons. You have to trust me on this.”
“Trust? I’ve done nothingbuttrust, and from what I hear, I’m not so sure I should. Not only do I discover you’re to marry someone else, but the British Consul also tells me that my passport has been delayed because your vizier informed them I’d be forwarding them my birth certificate. I don’thavea birth certificate. And, not only that, but my application can’t be processed like anyone else’s because, apparently, I’m a person ‘of interest’. Whatever that means. Now tell me how you believe I can trust you when I can’t even trust your offices to get me a passport?”
“My country isn’t like yours, Sarah. It’s complicated.Everythingis complicated. The only thing thatisn’tcomplicated and that youcantrust is that I love you. And you honestly cannot think I don’t after the week we’ve had together.” He paused, opened up his hands helplessly. “Can you?”
She gnawed her lip and shook her head, trying to stop herself from throwing herself into his arms. All the evidence proved she couldn’t trust him. But she felt herself waver at the sight of his vulnerability and the love she could see clearly expressed in his eyes. If she’d had more experience with men, she might have turned away, but she didn’t. She was an innocent abroad, exactly as her grandfather had feared.
“I don’t know what to think. I have no idea what to believe, orwhoto believe anymore.”
“I hate seeing you this way. Tell me what I can do to make things right.”
“Explain why you all seem determined to keep me trapped here.”
“You’re not trapped. You’re free to go.”
“But I can’t go far without my passport, can I?”
“I hoped you wouldn’t want to.”
“I’d like to know I’m free to leave, whether I want to or not.”
“Of course you are.” He waved his hand. “All the rest is pure bureaucracy.”
“But there’s so much I don’t understand. How can I be sure of anything, even my own heart?”
Kadar took her hands in his. “Believe inus. I know it’s complicated, but my feelings for you are simple and true. I love you, Sarah. Let that be your anchor.”
She searched his eyes and saw no deception, only earnest sincerity and devotion. Her own feelings surged in response, that profound connection between them drowning her doubts. In that moment, looking into Kadar’s eyes, love felt like solid ground beneath her feet.
“I love you too,” she breathed. “I’m scared, but I want to trust in that, in us.”
Kadar leaned in and captured her lips in a searing kiss, his hands coming up to frame her face tenderly. Sarah melted into him, pouring all her love and longing into the kiss. The rest of the world fell away until there were only the two of them, bound by the strength of their feelings.
When they finally parted, both breathing heavily, Kadar rested his forehead against hers. “Come inside with me,habibti,” he murmured. “Let me show you the depth of my love.”
Sarah allowed him to draw her to her feet and lead her out of the garden. With every step she felt her resolve crystallizing. She would stand by Kadar and believe in their love, no matter what storms might come. In her heart, she knew it would be enough.
“Kadar,” she just said, her voice breaking, just as her heart was.
His arms enfolded her and he pressed her to his chest. “Sarah,habibti,” he said, his voice muffled as he kissed her hair. She shook her head, her forehead rubbing against his robe.
“Make love to me,” she whispered because she wanted no more words, only the proof of his body inside her, reassuring her that everything was all right.
He didn’t need asking twice. He took her hand and walked across the garden, taking a shortcut to his suite of rooms.
CHAPTER 16
The night had passed as their previous seven nights had passed. Full of passion and tenderness. But there was a difference. Sarah could feel it. And she knew Kadar could, too. The difference was there in the way he touched her, the way he looked at her, and the way he pleasured her. She couldn’t put a name to it, but he’d changed. There was almost a sadness, a regret, an appreciation which only comes when you know something is ending. But neither said anything because she knew that, deep down, neither of them wanted this to end. But unless she received a resolution to this mystery sometime soon, she knew she’d have to force it to a conclusion.
They’d passed the night in virtual silence. It seemed the only communication either of them was interested in was through their bodies. It was only later, when the shadows lengthened, and their breathing had returned to normal that they lay, her on her side, her head on his arm, while he lazily stroked her shoulder, that the words filled her mind once more, flooding her head with doubts.
But she didn’t express them, and slowly the stroking ceased and the words faded away to form inchoate dreams of yearning and sadness.
