Chapter 6 #2
“I knew what I wanted last night. I needed to make sure I could wake up this morning and choose it when you weren’t standing in front of me.”
“And when you woke up?”
“You weren’t there.”
“I noticed.”
She shook her head.
“I called Amanda. I resigned. I accepted that my apartment is still going to exist without me inside it.”
“That’s generally how apartments work.”
Her mouth curved.
“I cried a little.”
I brushed my thumb beneath one of her eyes even though the tears were gone.
“I also realized I was more afraid of getting on that plane than I was of staying.”
I didn’t answer that.
There was nothing useful to add.
Chrissy looked toward the ring box.
Then she looked back at me.
“Oh.”
I released her only long enough to reach for it.
Her breath caught.
I opened the box.
The diamond caught the daylight.
Chrissy’s fingers curled against my shirt.
“I asked you for everything last night,” I said. “You’ve given me your answer.”
Her eyes filled.
I took the ring from the box.
Then I held it between us.
“Chrissy Campbell, will you marry me?”
A tear slipped down her cheek.
She smiled anyway.
“Yes, I will.”
The words were barely out before I slid the ring onto her finger.
It fit.
Of course it fit. Samir would’ve considered anything else a professional failure.
Chrissy stared at her hand.
“Oh my God.”
“Do you like it?”
She looked offended.
“Do I like it?”
“That was the question.”
“It’s beautiful.”
She turned her hand slightly.
The diamond flashed.
Then she looked at me.
“You knew my ring size.”
“I have staff.”
Her mouth fell open.
My mouth twitched.
“That’s not a romantic answer.”
“It’s an accurate one.”
“You’re supposed to say something mysterious about noticing my hands.”
“I notice your hands.”
Her cheeks pinkened.
“I’ve had them on my cock. I’m very familiar with them.”
She made a shocked sound and slapped my chest.
I caught her wrist and kissed the inside of it.
She inhaled sharply.
The ring glittered inches from my mouth.
I kissed her finger beneath it.
Chrissy went quiet.
“There,” I said. “Was that romantic enough?”
Her eyes shone.
“Almost.”
I pulled her against me again.
She kissed me first this time.
Goblin chose that moment to attack the hem of Chrissy’s trousers.
Chrissy jerked away.
“Goblin!”
I looked down.
The cat had both front paws around the loose linen near Chrissy’s ankle.
I shook my head.
“You’ve been engaged for less than a minute.”
“And already my future stepcat is ruining the moment.”
“Stepcat?”
Chrissy stared at me.
“What else am I supposed to call her?”
“She’s a cat.”
“That feels emotionally insufficient.”
Goblin bit the fabric lightly.
A household attendant hurried toward us.
“I’m sorry, Ms. Campbell.”
Chrissy bent and freed her trousers.
“It’s fine.”
Goblin looked up at her.
Chrissy pointed at the cat.
“You almost had me crying. Don’t make me reconsider custody.”
I picked up the ring box.
“You don’t have custody.”
Chrissy straightened.
“Excuse me?”
“She lives in my residence.”
“I found her.”
“I paid the veterinarian.”
“She chose me.”
“That’s debatable.”
Goblin rubbed against Chrissy’s ankle.
Chrissy folded her arms.
“I rest my case.”
I looked at the cat.
“Traitor.”
Chrissy laughed so hard she had to lean into me.
I wrapped an arm around her.
The attendant carried Goblin away before she could interfere further.
Chrissy watched her go.
Then she held up her left hand again.
“I’m engaged.”
“You certainly are.”
“To a sheikh.”
“You knew that part.”
“It sounds more unreasonable now.”
“You’ll adjust.”
She turned toward me.
“Are you going to be unbearable about this?”
“Yes.”
“I appreciate the warning.”
I kissed her temple.
“Have you eaten?”
Her expression changed.
“That was abrupt.”
“You’ve been on the phone all morning.”
“I had something earlier.”
“That isn’t an answer.”
She groaned.
“You and Amanda would be terrifying together.”
“I don’t intend to find out.”
“I ate toast.”
“That’s inadequate.”
“There it is.”
“What?”
“The royal decree about lunch.”
“Come eat.”
“You’re very lucky I just agreed to marry you.”
“I was thinking the same thing.”
***
That evening, the rooftop terrace belonged to us.
There were no presentation boards, gala staff, or table set for a formal dinner.
The terrace fans moved the hot night air around us. Low lights lined the planters, and the city spread below. The same pink bougainvillea Chrissy had stopped to admire on her first night in my home moved lightly in the air.
She noticed them immediately.
Of course she did.
“They’re still here.”
I stood behind her.
“They haven’t had reason to leave.”
She glanced back at me.
“Very funny.”
Chrissy wore the sapphire silk dress from our first dinner. She’d chosen it again herself.
When she turned, the ring caught the terrace light.
I wanted to see it on her while I fucked her.
The thought hardened my cock immediately.
Her gaze dropped.
Then she looked up again.
“You’re looking at me like that.”
“Like what?”
“Like you’re about to become extremely pleased with the engagement.”
“I already am.”
“That wasn’t what I meant.”
“I understood.”
She walked toward me.
“You behaved yourself all afternoon.”
“I had calls.”
“You canceled half of them.”
“I had better things to do.”
“Such as?”
“Have lunch with my fiancée.”
Her mouth curved.
“You like saying that.”
“I do.”
She stopped close enough that her breasts brushed my chest when she inhaled.
I put one hand at her waist.
Chrissy looked down at the ring.
Then she looked back at me.
“I missed my flight.”
“You did.”
“I also canceled the airport car myself.”
“I’m glad you did.”
“Farah looked surprised.”
“She hides surprise well.”
“She really does.”
Chrissy slid both hands over my chest.
“Do you know what I kept thinking after I did it?”
“What?”
“That I wasn’t visiting anymore.”
My hand tightened at her waist.
“You’re not.”
Her blue eyes held mine.
“This is my home too now.”
“Yes.”
Her voice softened.
“And someday our child’s.”
My cock went painfully hard.
Chrissy felt the reaction against her.
Her lips parted.
“That still works on you.”
“You know it does.”
“I like knowing.”
I cupped the back of her neck.
“Say it again.”
Her cheeks flushed.
“You want me to say we’re going to have children?”
“Yes.”
A smile touched her mouth.
“We’re going to have children.”
My fingers tightened once.
Chrissy watched my face.
“And this time I’m not saying it just to make you crazy in bed.”
“You’re doing that anyway.”
She laughed softly.
“I mean it.”
“I believe you.”
“I want your baby, Tariq.”
I drew a rough breath.
“I want our family.”
I pulled her into a kiss.
She opened immediately beneath my mouth.
Chrissy slid her hands into my hair and pressed herself against me.
I didn’t stop until her breathing changed.
Then I pulled back.
Her eyes opened.
“What?”
“Say it to me again.”
“You heard me.”
“Not enough.”
Her skin pinkened along her throat.
I touched the ring on her finger.
“This changes what those words mean.”
“That’s why I’m saying them.”
“You wanted the fantasy before.”
“Yes.”
I moved my hand down her back.
“Tell me what tonight means.”
Chrissy held my gaze.
“I don’t want a condom.”
My cock throbbed.
She continued.
“Come inside me, and if we make a baby tonight, I’ll be happy.”
I pulled her closer.
“You’re sure?”
Her cheeks went brighter.
“I’ve never been more sure.”
I kissed her hard enough that she made a breathless sound into my mouth.
Chrissy gripped my shoulders.
I walked her backward toward the cushioned seating near the sheltered end of the terrace.
She grinned when the backs of her legs met the edge.
“You’ve had a plan.”
“I’ve had several.”
“That sounds dangerous.”
“It’s been a productive week.”
She pulled me down by the front of my shirt.
I let her pull me down into another kiss.
Then I turned her and sat, bringing her onto my lap sideways.
Chrissy blinked.
“That’s surprisingly civilized.”
“Give me a minute.”
Her grin vanished into a gasp when I slid one hand beneath the hem of her dress.
I traced the inside of her thigh.
She opened her legs for me.
“You look fucking beautiful with your legs open for me.”
Her breathing caught.
I kissed her throat.
“You like hearing me say that.”
“Yes.”
My fingers moved higher.
Her silk underwear was already damp.
I stroked over the fabric.
Chrissy’s hand closed around my shoulder.
“Tariq, stop teasing me.”
“Where do you want my hand?”
“On my clit.”
“That’s clearer.”
“You knew what I meant.”
“I did.”
She shifted impatiently against my hand.
“Please do it.”
I moved the fabric aside.
My fingers slid through her wet pussy.
Chrissy moaned.
“There.”
I stroked her clit slowly.
Her hips moved.
“That feels good.”
“I can tell.”
“You’re arrogant.”
“You’re soaking my hand.”
“That doesn’t mean you have to announce it.”
“It means I’m going to enjoy it.”
I circled her clit again.
She pushed into my touch.
Her head tipped against my shoulder.
I kissed beneath her ear while my fingers worked her.
The city glittered beyond the terrace.
Chrissy’s ring pressed against the back of my neck when she pulled me closer.
I felt the cool edge of it every time her hand moved.
That nearly finished me before I’d even taken my clothes off.
Her thighs tightened around my wrist.
“Don’t stop.”
“I’m not stopping.”
I slipped one finger inside her.
She gasped.
I slid in a second finger.
Chrissy opened wider.
“Oh God.”
I curled them slowly while my thumb returned to her clit.
Chrissy jerked.
“Like that?”
“Yes.”
I repeated it.
She made a broken little sound.
I kissed her mouth.
“Let me feel you come around my fingers.”
“I’m close.”
“I can feel it.”
Her fingers dug into my neck.
I increased the pressure on her clit and worked my fingers inside her.
Chrissy cried out.
Her pussy clenched hard around my fingers.
I kept touching her through the orgasm.
Her thighs shook.
She buried her face against my neck.
“That’s it.”
She came again in smaller pulses before her body finally softened.
I withdrew my hand slowly.
Chrissy stared at me.
“You’re still fully dressed.”
“So are you.”
“That’s objectively false.”
I looked at the dress still covering nearly all of her.
“You’re making a generous interpretation.”
She laughed breathlessly.