Page 104 of Modern Romance November 2024 5-8

Her first instinct was to run to him—to somehow leap across the tables and rush to the man her heart desired.

Her second instinct was to run in the opposite direction. To flag down a taxi and race home. Because, yes, he made her feel strong—and yet somehow he weakened her too. She was terrified of capitulating...of agreeing to tonight, tomorrow, to a whole lifetime, even...

‘Sahir.’

She took a seat and tried not to meet his eyes, yet she felt the seductive pull of him flood every pore. She saw a beautifully wrapped gift by her plate and recognised what it was. She tried to ignore it.

Even as his raised hand told the waiter to wait for a moment she recalled the heat of his palm on her skin, the touch of his fingers... And not just the intimate touches, but the way that hand had held her own.

She met his eyes. Today, so many things had ended. And while she might not have wanted them to...

‘You haven’t opened your gift.’

She would have liked to be strong enough to refuse it, but amongst all her regrets was one that she had no memento of their time together.

It was wrapped in silk and tied with gold cord, but she saw it was the book of poems and she held it to her face and inhaled it, shivering with delight.

‘Thank you.’ She put it on the table, but then changed her mind and put it in her bag, along with the silk and the cord. ‘I don’t want to spill anything on it.’

‘Of course not.’

Violet put down the menu. ‘Can I say something?’

She couldn’t order and make it through a meal, just carry on eating, flirting, falling a little more under his spell.

She knew she was strong, but part of knowing your own strength was knowing your weakness—and Sahir would be hers for ever.

‘I don’t want to be your mistress.’

‘Violet...’

‘Please.’ She put up her hand now, just as he had done as he told the waiter he did not want any interruptions. ‘I knew you’d come. Maybe not today, but some day. But perhaps I’m being unjust. Maybe when you marry...’

She wanted him to be the man she wanted for herself.

The heat of the candle had her moving her hand, but he singed it with his fingers, and now she could touch him. She felt his lovely cheek and strong jaw.

‘I don’t steal.’

‘Violet, please can we not—?’

‘Please let me speak, Sahir.’ She was finding it hard enough to articulate. ‘I do have a compass, but not north and south... If I was your second wife, or whatever, it would be stealing. I believe a heart belongs to one person, and I couldn’t do that to another woman. It would be taking something that wasn’t mine, just because I want it, and it would hurt her. Anyway, I’m sick of being second best.’

He said nothing.

‘I think I should go,’ she said.

‘Dine with me.’

‘No.’ Violet shook her head. ‘Because then I’ll forget all my own rules and we’ll end up in bed. You know that. I know that...’ She glanced over to where Layla and Maaz sat. ‘They know that.’

‘Okay,’ he said. ‘Can I speak now? Uninterrupted?’

‘I won’t stay.’

‘You had your chance to speak,’ he said.

She glanced over and waved to Maaz and Layla. ‘Am I to be kidnapped again? Will they not let me leave?’

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