"I never said I was American, nor did I say I was Greek. You a.s.sumed those things because of my fluency in both languages, but like I told you I can speak several languages," he said fiercely. "So you were wrong about my nationality just like you were wrong about my age. As you can see I'm not an old old man after all, Johari. Most of my good days are far from being gone." man after all, Johari. Most of my good days are far from being gone."

He knew his words made her recall just what she'd said and in anger she tried pulling her hand away, but he only tightened his grip.

"I told you all my secrets regarding my upcoming marriage when the marriage was going to be to you," she said with hurt in her eyes. "You deliberately maneuvered me into bearing my soul. You were teaching me ways to please my future husband, who conveniently happened to be you. You played me well and I won't forgive you for doing so. There is no way I will marry you now."

A heavy frown settled on Rasheed's expression when he saw the tears forming in her eyes. "We are are getting married tonight, Johari." getting married tonight, Johari."

She crossed her arms over her chest. "No, we're not."

"Yes, we are."

She glared at him. "You can't make me."

He couldn't restrain his smile. "Yes, I can and I will. Have you forgotten that I have a knack when it comes to seduction? I will keep you in here and by the time I'm finished with you, you will agree to just about anything."

She narrowed her eyes. "My father and brother will not let you touch me."

A smile touched his lips. "Your father and brother are probably aware that I've already touched you. They knew I was going to use my resources to find you and they were told the moment you were found. So they know you were with me the entire time, the majority of those two weeks."

She s.n.a.t.c.hed away from him, livid. "Which means, considering your reputation with women and my naivete, that they knew I was in your bed."

"And with my full intent on marrying you, no matter what."

She threw up her hands. "Why? Why do you want to marry me when you know I will cause you nothing but trouble? I refuse to compete with your mistresses. I couldn't tolerate being with you knowing others have been with you, as well."

"So you've told me, several times, and that is something you don't have to worry about. There won't be anyone but you."

Johari rolled her eyes and nearly laughed out loud at the same time. "And you expect me to believe that?"

"Yes, I expect you to believe that and you can believe this, as well. I love you and I don't intend for any other man to have you or our baby."

He saw the stunned look on her face. "What did you just say?" she asked him in a shaky voice.

Rasheed had no problem repeating it. In fact he would shout it to the entire world if he had to. "I said that I love you, Johari, and I don't intend for any man to have you or our baby."

She lifted her chin. "That's not love. That's possession."

He couldn't help but grin. His future wife was a spitfire and there would not be a dull day around her. "Actually, it's both," he decided to clarify. "But love has the higher percentage. I, Rasheed Amin Valdemon, have never loved a woman until I fell in love with you. I had no desire to love one or a need to love one. But my need for you, my desire for you, Johari, leaves me vulnerable to things I've never experienced before."

Rasheed paused, knowing he had to make her not only understand but believe. "When I see you, I am filled with exceeding joy, happiness, so much it is staggering. And when I'm with you intimately, inside of you, making love to you, you pleasure me more so than any woman. That includes any woman before and there will be none after, because you've taken away my desire for any others. I only want you. I love you."

He could tell by the look in her eyes that she wanted to believe him but still wasn't fully convinced. Probably because of his past reputation with women, she couldn't imagine such a thing as being true. But he knew he had spoken the truth. She was the only woman he wanted. Now he understood what his good friend Jake Madaris meant when he'd said that although he hadn't been interested in having a wife, since marrying Diamond he couldn't imagine his life without her.

Rasheed could admit that he felt the same way about Johari. He couldn't imagine a life without her. He couldn't bear it if she was not by his side, in his bed, the mother of his babies. His queen.

He reached out and captured Johari's wrist and gently pulled her to him. "I am possessive with you so I know you will be possessive with me. I have no problem with that. In fact, I want exclusivity. Totally. I haven't touched another woman since meeting you and before I landed back in Mowaiti a few days ago, I had my secretary call my mistresses and dismiss them all. They are no longer needed. You are the only women I want, the only woman I need. During those days you were with me, you wrapped me in pleasure so tight I couldn't imagine having any other woman in my bed but you."

"Are you sure?" she asked, seemingly through a forced breath.

Rasheed saw the ray of hope that glimmered in her eyes but she was still holding back. "I'm sure, Johari. I am positive. I want the type of marriage with you that will last forever." He reached out and placed her hand on his chest, right on his heart. "Every beat is for you and will be always. This has been the longest week but I knew I had to give you time to adjust to being back home before I stated my plea to your father. I have to marry you tonight, Johari. I can't live another single night without you."

His gaze burned into hers when he added, "You are my heart. You are my soul. You are my woman. You will be my queen. Please say that you will be."

More tears came into Johari's eyes, but Rasheed knew these were tears of happiness. She shifted her body to wrap her arms around his neck, held his gaze and said, "Yes, I will be your queen. I want to be your everything."

A satisfied smile touched Rasheed's lips. "You are already that, sweetheart."

And then he lowered his mouth, sank down into the pleasures he knew awaited him there. Her response was immediate, her pa.s.sion quick. He kissed her like a starving man. A man who needed this and her to survive. And she clung to him, returned his kiss with the same fire and pa.s.sion he was displaying. The same pleasure.

Reluctantly, he pulled his mouth back and smiled down at her. "Now you understand why I wanted to marry you tonight? If there was a bed in here you and I would definitely be in trouble. I can guarantee you that we would have fun."

She threw her head back and laughed and tightened her arms around him. "Oh, Monty. I love you so much. I will have plenty of fun as your wife."

He liked the sound of that. "So you are in agreement. We marry tonight to make things legal and then six months from now we have a huge celebration in Mowaiti and invite others."

She nodded. "Yes. The only problem with that is if I am pregnant now, I will be very much pregnant at our celebration. What will everyone think?"

"That I am a man who's found favor with Allah." He then lowered his head to reclaim her mouth once again.

Epilogue.

"Your wife is a very beautiful woman, Rasheed."

Rasheed smiled up at Jake Madaris. A number of his American friends and those he considered family had traveled to Mowaiti to attend his wedding celebration.

He followed Jake's gaze and saw Johari as she stood talking to Jake's wife, Diamond, his sister-in-law, Delaney, her friend Celine and several other women. Jake was right; Johari was beautiful and the six months since their wedding had been the best ever. She hadn't gotten pregnant during their New York adventure but she had awakened him that very morning with the news that they would be expecting their first child, so he had double the reasons to celebrate.

"Thanks, Jake, and you are right. She is very beautiful."

Rasheed continued to stare at her, thinking of all the happiness she had brought to him. All the wonderful moments they had shared. "Excuse me a moment, Jake. I need to grab my wife for a moment."

He moved in her direction, ignoring the interested looks other women were giving him. There was only one woman who had his heart, body and soul. And now she had his baby growing inside of her, as well.

Johari turned and smiled at Rasheed. She'd known he was headed her way. It was as if certain parts of her body were like radar and had honed in on him. Already she felt the tightening of her b.r.e.a.s.t.s and the sensitive nipples pressing against the fabric of her gown.

She studied him as he made his way toward her. Studied him and appreciated him as a man. He had the ability to steal any woman's breath away, just as he was doing now.

Instead of wearing his native garb, he was dressed as she had seen him that first night in New York in a business suit tailored to his body. Broad shoulders. Muscular arms. Firm thighs. Flat abs. She knew just what good shape he was in, both physically and mentally. And to think she had thought her life was doomed being promised to an old old man. She had to take power naps during the day just to keep up with him at night. man. She had to take power naps during the day just to keep up with him at night.

"May I steal my wife away from you ladies for a moment?" he asked the group of women when he finally reached her and placed his arms around her waist.

She felt him inconspicuously give her stomach a gentle rub in the process. Their eyes met and held and she knew what he'd done was his way of communicating with their child. They hadn't announced news of her pregnancy just yet, deciding to keep it to themselves, basking in the knowledge that together, with their love, they had made another human being.

Firmly holding her hands in his, he led her away toward an area where few people were standing, so they could converse privately. She looked at him as he gazed out at the crowd. "I see you have just as many American friends as I have," he said.

She couldn't help but smile. She had met the Madarises, the family that had made her husband an honorary member of their clan. He had told her why and she had been proud of how he had helped to save Christy Madaris Maxwell's life. She had met the woman earlier, along with her husband, Alex, and thought they were a beautiful couple. Rasheed would be taking her for a visit to Jake Madaris's ranch in a few months, where Jake and Diamond would host a party in their honor. She was looking forward to meeting Corinthians Avery and her husband, Trevor. Corinthians was the woman Rasheed credited as the person responsible for determining the location of oil in Mowaiti.

She then glanced over at the group Rasheed was speaking of specifically, the ones she considered as her her American family, the Westmorelands. A number had flown in to share in the celebration. They had become her family when Jamal had married Delaney and she adored each and every one of them. American family, the Westmorelands. A number had flown in to share in the celebration. They had become her family when Jamal had married Delaney and she adored each and every one of them.

She then looked up at her husband and smiled. "Now we have reason to visit the United States every chance we get, Monty. And who knows, when our daughter gets older, she may decide she wants to go to school there."

She laughed at the expression that appeared on his face at the thought of that happening, especially if their daughter was as rebellious as she had been.

"Our son son can attend school there, but forget the thought of any daughter of mine doing so. She might want to pull something like you did." can attend school there, but forget the thought of any daughter of mine doing so. She might want to pull something like you did."

He leaned over and placed a kiss on her lips and then said, "Come on, I want to show you something."

Taking her hand again, he led her away from the crowd and through a beautifully landscaped area not far from the palace. She'd always thought the grounds of her family's estates were beautiful until she had seen the palace where Rasheed lived. In addition to the palace, there were several surrounding villas, all breathtaking. She had lived here close to six months and she still hadn't seen it all.

Rasheed stopped her in front of a beautiful two-story villa with a picket fence. The grounds were immaculate. He turned her to face him. "This is my wedding gift to you, sweetheart. It's within walking distance of the palace and someplace you can come when you want privacy and solitude. To read, knit, write and whatever else you want to do."

He leaned closer and whispered, "It's also the place I will visit with you on occasion to make babies."

She couldn't help the smile that touched her lips. He had presented her with her very own private castle. She reached out and gave him a hug. "Thank you, Monty. It is more than I expected."

He chuckled. "I hope not, because there is more."

Her eyes widened. "More?"

"Yes. Let's go inside and see."

He opened the gate and they walked inside and she could tell that the villa had recently been renovated. Everything looked new and fresh and then when he opened the door to let her inside, the sight before her nearly took her breath away. The villa was huge, s.p.a.cious and...she thought, fit for a queen and her king. A beautiful romantic hideaway to make babies.

"So what do you think?"

She glanced around. The furniture and the decor were simply elegant. So much so that it nearly brought tears to her eyes. She could see herself spending her time here. "It is beautiful, Monty. Thank you."

She leaned up to thank him but he pulled back. "Don't thank me yet. There is more."

She raised a brow. "More?"

He smiled. "Yes. Something that will be kept here at this villa for you to enjoy whenever you want."

He then led her through the front portion of the house to the bedroom and stood back. Not knowing what to expect, she glanced at her husband bemusedly before surveying the room. And then she saw what he intended for her to see in front of the fireplace.

"Copper!"

She raced across the room to her puppy the moment he saw her. Dropping to her knees, she removed him from the crate and hugged him until she remembered he was so small and she couldn't hug him so tight. Tears she couldn't contain streamed down her face. She had missed him so and wondered how often she would see him. She and Monty had visited him once on their trip to the States and it had been hard telling him goodbye again.

Johari turned eyes to her husband as she placed her dog back in the crate. She stood when Rasheed crossed the room to join her. She wondered if he had any idea how happy she was at that moment.

"But how? Why?" she asked, looking up into his face with what she knew was love and deep appreciation shining in her eyes.

He held her by the waist and pulled her to him and, just before capturing her mouth with his, he leaned down and whispered, "Because, sweetheart, you are are worth it." worth it."

Books by Brenda Jackson

Kimani Romance

*Solid Soul

*Night Heat

*Beyond Temptation

*Risky Pleasures

In Bed with the Boss

*Irresistible Forces

Just Deserts

The Object of His Protection

Temperatures Rising