Page 13 of Sheikh's Pregnant Fiancée

“Then update your laws! And hand me a towel!”

She did her best to cover herself and shut off the water at the same time while Jarah found a towel and handed it to her. “I knocked on the door. When you didn’t answer and I saw the door wasn’t locked, I decided to come in and wait. You should lock the door.”

“Believe me, from here on out, I will. For the record, when you wait for someone, you do it in the living room. Not in the bathroom when that person is showering!” Furious, she managed to get the towel around her. There was no way of climbing out gracefully, so she held the towel up as tightly as possible and stepped out.

“I’ve already seen you naked,” he pointed out casually.

“You had permission then. You don’t have permission now, and don’t you dare tell me that some old law gives you permission to see anyone you want naked. I will scream.”

“There probably is, but we’re a progressive ruling family. It’s nice to see you’ve pulled yourself out of your earlier panic.”

“Because I’m mad. You’re still acting like an asshole,” she grumbled. The way he was smirking at her made her want to tear her hair out. “Please leave so I can get dressed.”

“And give you a chance to run out on me again? I think not. Name one good reason you don’t want to marry me.”

Was he serious? “I don’t know you.”

“I’d argue and say that you know me rather intimately, but I can see that’s not where you’re coming from. Arranged marriages happen all the time and are very successful.”

“Yes well, in arranged marriages, there is no deception about who the other person is, now is there, Your Majesty?”

“It’s Your Highness, and I did not lie. I never told you that I wasn’t Jarah Ramzi. You didn’t ask.”

“Who asks that?” She tried to leave the bathroom, but he blocked her way.

“Aubrey, we are a peaceful kingdom, but a royal child born out of wedlock is a bastard, and even in this day and age, that will mean something. You will be without the protection of the palace, and our enemies are still numerous. Refusing to marry me will put this child in danger,” he told her quietly.

Closing her eyes, she tried to picture the child growing inside her. She’d seen the graphics. There was a reason she was calling it a kidney bean. Plus, it helped her handle the news better. A kidney bean was easier than a fetus.

Jarah’s words made sense. A child of any important person was in danger, and Jarah would be king. That made this child a princess or a prince.

“We don’t have to tell anyone,” she whispered. It was a futile attempt, of course. Secrets rarely stayed secrets for long. She could never put the child in danger. At least Jarah was willing to protect it.

“I can’t live like that.” He paused. “I will buy your grandmother’s vineyard. You can manage it from afar, and in return, you will agree to tell my family that we have been seeing each other in secret and we will wed.”

Her eyes popped open, and she stared up at him.

“Deal.”

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