Chapter 11
Joran lifted one of his sons into his arms. He finally knew their names; Rafi and Laith. But he had no idea which one was which.
“Are you going to tell me your name?” he asked playfully, lifting the baby in the air.
“Rafi and Laith, eh?” Khal asked, cracking a smile as he scooped up the other twin.
Both babies looked as if they were considering screaming. They were used to their mother caring for them and these new faces were obviously unfamiliar. But they didn’t start crying. They just…took it all in.
“I think that one is Rafi,” Tasha replied, leaning against her husband’s arm and gazing down at the adorable baby boy.
“Why?” Marianna asked, peering over Joran’s shoulder at the baby in his arms. “They look exactly alike.”
Raj took a long swallow of his coffee as he leaned back in the leather chair. “Are they identical or fraternal twins?” he asked.
Joran shot a baffled glance at his younger brother. “No idea,” he replied, then focused back on the tiny bundle in his arms. “Don’t much care either.”
“Going to be important to the line of succession,” Marianna pointed out.
Tasha and Khal glanced at each other, sharing a secret, knowing smile. Raj caught the look and sat up straighter. “What aren’t you telling us?” he demanded, a slow smile growing on his handsome features.
Tasha beamed, stroking the baby’s fluffy, dark hair. “We might be expecting,” she told the group.
“ Might be?” Marianna asked, her eyes eager. “Am I going to be an aunt again?”
“You could be,” Khal replied, bouncing the baby in his arms when it looked like the infant was going to object. “We’re waiting a few more weeks before we take a test.”
Raj was grinning openly now. “Because of the insanity that will ensue if you announce Tasha could be carrying the next ruler of our country?”
Tasha cringed, her hand covering her stomach protectively. “Don’t say things like that,” she hissed, then smiled at the infant again. “I’m only five days late. And we’re not going to burden our child with responsibilities that they may or may not want.”
Khal glanced at his brothers over his wife’s head, silently alerting Raj and Joran that an argument had already been had over the line of succession. Obviously, that was a contentious discussion.
Joran lifted his son higher, tickling his stomach. “You’re not intimidated by us, are you?” he soothed.
That’s when an unexpected thud came from the next room. Tila jerked open the bedroom door, practically falling into the living area. She was bleary eyed from sleep.
Joran immediately shoved the baby into Marianna’s arms and stood up.
“What’s wrong?” he demanded, hurrying over to Tila.
She shoved a hand through her messy hair, looking around. It wasn’t until she spotted her tiny sons that she breathed a sigh of relief.
“Nothing,” she whispered, still trying to come down off of the wash of terror when her babies hadn’t been beside her when she woke. “I just…I was confused when I woke up.” She looked around, embarrassed by all of the attention. Even her babies were staring at her.
“Rafi and Laith are fine,” Joran assured her. “They have been with me the entire time you’ve been sleeping.”
She looked up at him, obviously working to calm herself. “How long did I sleep?”
He glanced at his watch. “About five hours.”
She sighed, shaking her head. “I don’t think I’ve slept that long since I brought them home from the hospital.” She stepped forward, then stopped, looking down at her wrinkled sweatpants and tee-shirt, then around at the other people in the room. Everyone was still staring at her, but what she noticed were the beautiful, sophisticated clothes they wore while Tila was painfully aware of the baby barf that had dried on her shoulder. “I should…!” She pointed behind her in the general direction of the bathroom. “I should get cleaned up.”
“Why don’t you take a long, hot shower? There are clothes in the dressing room to the right of the bathroom.” He kissed the top of her head. “Take your time. We won’t go anywhere.”
Tila bit her lip, not sure. But in the end, she felt too dirty and dingy to do anything other than shower. “Fine. I’ll…just be a few minutes.”