Page 28 of Royally Promoted

Her breasts pushed against him and he stifled a groan of pure pleasure. He wanted this so badly, it was a physical ache. He’d never thought that desire could be so painful. He yearned to cup her sexy derriere in his hands; yearned to push beneath the baggy tee-shirt to feel the weight of her braless breasts; longed to strip her naked and take her right here where they stood.

He stepped back, but shakily. He stared down at her, breathing unevenly.

‘Lucy...’

She’d leapt back and was now staring back at him in utter horror.

‘No!’

‘This is my fault.’ He took the blame without reservation.

Lucy was in his country and it was up to him to protect her, not give in to some crazy urge to seduce her, even though he felt she had been more than up for the seduction. Looking at her, he could detect the flush of unrequited desire, desire that had temporarily got the better of them both.

‘It won’t happen again. You’re here, in a different country, and probably feeling a little vulnerable...’

In receipt of that lifebelt, Lucy’s mouth tightened and she folded her arms.

‘Don’t be ridiculous,’ she refuted angrily. ‘Don’t you dare think that I’m such a silly, impressionable woman that a little bit of hot weather and a change of scenery is going to somehow make me forget how to behave!’ She bristled. ‘I wanted you to kiss me and I enjoyed kissing you back. It was a mistake, yes, but the mistake lies with both of us.’

Malik nodded. He should have been surprised but he wasn’t because this was Lucy, defiantly proud and honest to a fault.

They understood one another. A mistake had been made and recognised for what it was—a mistake never to be repeated.

He was here to sort out his family affairs and to find himself a suitable bride. Still, he hesitated.

‘So, no more mention of this...?’

Lucy nodded and looked away. Her whole body was still on fire.

‘Consider it forgotten.’

CHAPTER SIX

‘SO, MALIK, EVERYTHING is in progress for you to meet some of the young ladies your father and I feel might be suitable choices for you.’

Having agreed to his arranged marriage, now that things were proceeding on that front, Malik couldn’t help but think that for someone to have compiled a list of possible women for him to meet in this day and age felt a little weird.

Yet, why should it? No reason; relationships that were fuelled by emotion ran far more of a risk of failure, when he thought about it. He’d had his brush with the emotional stuff and had reverted to what he knew, which was the partnership his parents had, one that had been arranged and had stayed the course.

His family was all very traditional. Marriages had been arranged for the majority of them to the best of his knowledge. He could have gone for the love option. His parents wouldn’t have objected. Only he knew the reason why he was content to let his head take the lead. And, if it pleased his parents in the process, then that was a bonus, even if it wouldn’t have been his primary objective.

‘Anyone on the list I might know?’

It was a little past four. Something had changed in the family dynamic and, despite the formality of the conversation, he was more relaxed with both his parents than he could remember being in a long time. Tea had been brought, mint tea served in ornate jade and golden glasses, and he was balancing the glass on his thigh.

‘Some, of course. A few attended the same school as you, although they would not have been in the same year. I have also spoken to a few of my own connections with some of our neighbours across the waters and your father and I have discussed possibilities.’

‘Possibilities...hmm. Tell me, how was it for you?’ He looked at them both. It was an impulsive, random question that suddenly felt important and his father was the first to smile.

‘I saw her...’ he shot Nadia a sideways look and made a so-so gesture with his hand ‘...and I thought, well, she will do.’

His mother laughed.

‘Your father has a very poor memory,’ she murmured, catching his gaze. ‘I was the one who decided that I might just as well accept what was on offer, even though I knew I might have to get him ship-shape and house-trained.’

‘So...what...? The arranged marriage was...?’ Malik was almost shocked.

‘It has worked well. That is what I will say.’

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