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Ice filling his veins, he froze Then he rolled his shoulders and searched for her gaze “Lauren? You said—”

“Zafir!” Eyes, wide in her narrow face, locked on him Her lashes cast shadows onto her cheeks, her skin damp “I’m justembarrassed, that’s all”

Relief unlocked his wrist Sently cleaned her up

Because they had never lingered like this after sex before, he realized Because every time, after he had taken her, he had left

The only time he had actually stayed at her apartment had been when she’d had the flu

Because, every time, he had told himself it would be the last time

Because, froed Tariq and a stunned council, he had not been just Zafir Or was it even before that when his iven him birth

The way Rashid had raised him, it seemed it had been inevitable

But now, he needn’t walk away

Because she had helped him carve a small compartment in his life, for her

He liked that—the per in his life, the freedom to be himself, even if it was in the very confines of this one relationship

Freedoiven him

“You’re s, too Lovely

His heart crawled to his throat

It was one of those perfect, precious, rare h there hadn’t been very many in his life until then

“I plan to be there when you give birth, Lauren I plan to cut the cord and seeto the cloth, “it’s nothing, habeebti”

“Yeah?” she said, soe

“Yeah,” he replied, with a sht he saw a flash of wetness but she blinked and looked away

Getting off the bed, he cleaned hiaze on his back and turned

She looked utterly breathtaking on that vast bed, the bodice of her dress clinging to her breasts

He hadn’t even undressed her, he realized now Just shoved her dress up and out of his way before plunging into her Even the chilly waters of the oasis hadn’t cooled him down

He had been high on his victory, drunk on his oer, as she had blamed him once