Page 13 of The Sheikh’s Christmas Baby

“Maybe I’m seeing someone.”

A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. “Julia told me that you weren’t. She said that Arella’s father wasn’t around anymore.”

“That’s not the point,” she said looking away. “Maybe your people did lie to me, and maybe my father lied to you, too, but that doesn’t change what happened or how it made me feel. After that, things changed. I’m not the same woman I was four years ago. I’m more realistic now. Besides, the circumstances surrounding our relationship then haven’t changed. Your family, your people, obviously didn’t want me around, and I’m not the same infatuated girl who tried to chase after you, thinking love could fix everything.”

“If I had known, I would have put a stop to it. My family and my people don’t control me, Kristy. What if it’s more than infatuation?”

“It’s not,” she said firmly. “Now, you can either join me on this walk as a guest, or you can go back to the lodge.”

“You’re not even going to give us a chance?”

“I did, Kashif. Look what happened.” Without bothering to wait for an answer, she gripped her basket and walked away.

Her words said one thing, but her eyes and that kiss said something entirely different. He wasn’t going to give up without a fight.

Besides, Kashif liked a challenge.

Whistling softly to himself, he followed behind her, more determined than ever to break through her resolve and reach her heart again.

8

Kristy could still taste him, and it stirred up feelings that she wished had remained buried. How did he expect her to react? Did he seriously think that he’d tell her that he still cared and she’d just fall back into his arms? She’d spent four years protecting herself. Even if she did want to let him in, she didn’t know how to do it. If she were honest with herself, he was the reason why she hadn’t been interested in dating anyone since. She told herself it was because of Arella, but she knew better. No one could compare.

The kiss complicated things. It was bad enough that her body still reacted to him, but the touch of his lips had made her weak in the knees. She wanted nothing more than to cling to him while he erased four years of hurt and loneliness, but she couldn’t. Wouldn’t.

“I think we owe it to ourselves to at least talk about it,” he said quietly as he dropped a few items in her basket. His tone of voice had her dropping her gaze rather than risk looking him in the eyes. When she looked down at the basket, she saw four perfectly shaped pine cones.

Clearly, he wasn’t going to let it go. “Kashif, you’re still chasing an adventure, but there isn’t one here for you. I’m not the same young girl I was then. I’m a single mother running a farm a million miles away from your country. A country thatyouare going to be running very soon. We had our moment, and it didn’t work out. If we were being honest with each other, we would admit that it wouldn’t have worked out anyway, even without the outside interference.”

“I’m not going anywhere, Kristy. If you think that it’s not going to work, then you’re going to have to prove it to me, because I’m not convinced.”

“What?” she snorted. “You think we can simply pick up where we left off?”

“Why not?” he asked seductively. “Think of it as an experiment. If you truly think there’s nothing between us other than lust and infatuation, what do you have to lose?”

Her heart pounded in her chest as she stared at him, slack-jawed. Was he seriously proposing what she thought he was proposing?

“You think that I’m going to sleep with you again?”

“I want to be able to talk to you without arguing. I want to touch you without you moving away. I want to kiss you, Kristy.”

“I know what that will lead to,” she whispered.

“Then you don’t deny that the attraction is there?”

Oh boy. Suddenly, the air around them grew heavy. She fiddled with her basket and tried to remember how to walk. One foot in front of the other. “It’s not like you got uglier while you were gone,” she muttered dryly. “A fact I take great offense to.”

Kashif grinned. “Sorry not to make it easy for you. Give us a try, Kristy. Afterward, if you still don’t think that it’s going to work, I’ll walk away and never bother you again.”

He clearly thought the challenge was going to work out in his favor, but she saw something completely different.

Since the birth of her daughter, she’d been on a few dates and kissed a few men, but none of them sparked the same fire in her that Kashif did. She hadn’t been in another man’s bed since Kashif, and it showed. Her mind might be screaming no, but her traitorous body wanted desperately to take him up on his offer.

Why shouldn’t she have a little fun? It wasn’t like she was going into this blind. She already knew what it would be like when he walked away, and this time, she’d be prepared for it. Why not enjoy him this time the same way that he’d enjoyed her?

“Okay.”

The word was out of her mouth before she could stop it, and Kashif turned to her in surprise. “Really?” He eyed her suspiciously. “Am I missing something?”

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