Page 36 of My Arabian Billionaire

And ithurt.

So, somuch.

A tear escaped, its wet trail burning her skin, and mortification ate her alive.

“If you’ve changed your mind,” she snarled, “thenjust---”

He cut her off, his voice quiet as he spoke her name. “Harper.” And as she broke off, trembling, staring at him in mute hurt and anger, the sheikh’s arms opened.

“I missed you,” he said so very simply.

And before she knew it, she was already crying, running to hisarms –

His arms closed around her, and everything was alright again.

Khalil’s hand actually shook as he stroked her back. “I’m sorry.”

As she hid her face against his chest, she whispered, “Did you change yourmind?”

“Yes.” She flinched, and his arms tightened around her. “You misunderstand. It’s not the way you think. I want to marry you. That’s never changed. But seeing you now, knowing what you’ve gone through and how it can only get worse – it made me realize just how much you will suffer if you marryme.”

Cupping her face, he made her look up at him, saying grimly, “Being my wife and queen won’t be a walk in the park, qalifa, especially for someone likeyou.”

She stiffened. “Because I’m a commoner?”

He shook his head. “Because no matter how you try to pretend it’s not so, you have the softest heart, Harper Griffiths. And people are bound to break it again and again when you marry me.” His chest heaved. “So knowing that - will you still marryme?”

Fear of the unknown squeezed her heart, but more than that she felt…joy, and with it came a certain kind of knowledge, of intuition – this was what she was meant to do, for better or for worse. And so she whispered, “It’s what I came here todo.”

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