Page 27 of Desert King's Forbidden Temptation

‘And the marriage is a powerful bargaining chip,’ he said. ‘After all, I’ve approached her, she must know I’m motivated to make this succeed. Therefore, she can leverage my interest to better her country’s circumstances.’

She was quiet, but her heart was not. It thumped and flipped and groaned at the painful, necessary conversation.

‘But perhaps she has miscalculated,’ he said after a beat. ‘Or perhaps you have. I know that your economy is almost bankrupt. By every metric, Ras Sarat is in a worsening position. It is not Elana’s fault—her advisors have failed her—but she has to shoulder the weight of that. She knows that, in contrast, Savisia is wealthy, powerful and prosperous. Our marriage would benefit Ras Sarat. Is that what she’s thinking?’

Eloise stared at him, lips parted. She shouldn’t have been surprised by his summation of matters—he was intelligent and his advisors were thorough. Of course he knew how bad things were in Ras Sarat. But somehow it felt as though the rug was being pulled from under her.

She chose her next words with care. ‘You seem to have pieced together Elana’s motivations, but what of yours?’

He was silent now, his chest moving with each breath he drew.

‘You want children, but surely these could be had by any woman of your acquaintance. Why seek out Elana?’

‘She is suitable.’

‘Suitable? What does that even mean?’

‘Born to this life.’

‘Why is that essential? Your mother was not a princess when she married your father.’

His eyes narrowed.

‘You’re not the only one who’s done their research.’

‘My mother was not royal, you’re right.’

‘And yet you feel you have to marry a princess?’

‘Are you trying to urge me to reconsider?’

‘I—’ She floundered, caught off guard by his question. After all, that’s exactly what she’d been inadvertently doing.

‘Is it because you doubt I can make your friend happy? Or because my marriage to her will makeyouunhappy?’

It was far, far too close to home. She blinked, feeling as though the earth was tipping under her feet. ‘Don’t be ridiculous. This is nothing to do with me.’

She wasn’t sure if he believed her, but he didn’t speak for a long time, only looked at her, and in that fragment of time, Eloise felt as if her entire soul was laid bare.

She didn’t like the feeling; her eyes flickered away.

‘We should go back to the palace.’

‘Why?’

‘Because it’s late.’

‘Or is it that you don’t want to have this conversation?’

Damn it. Damn him. She crossed her arms, her breath ragged. ‘I want my friend to be happy. I want this to be simple. I want...’ She stopped there. Too many things were on the tip of her tongue and none of them helpful to admit.

But even without speaking the words, they hummed in the air between them, flashes of need, imagery, memories, like little blades floating through the sky. She flinched as one impaled her, the feeling of his mouth on hers, a memory so clear and real that it could have been happening right then and there.

‘You’re right,’ he said, abruptly. ‘We should go back.’

It was like being tumbled off a cliff with no warning. She stared at him a long time, wondering what had changed, why he wasn’t standing his ground, but then he turned to move, and she had no choice but to follow him.

They walked to Bahira in silence, and when he lifted her onto the horse’s back, she almost sobbed at how desperate she was for his hands to hold her longer, to draw her against him in a proper embrace. He didn’t.

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