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Chapter 71
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MARRYING MY BEST FRIEND'S FIANCEE Chapter 72
A small hand tugged at his arm, and he looked down to see a young boy gazing up at him."This is Damian," Leo said, with a benevolent smile. ‘I think he wants you to watch the show with him.’"I’m not here for the entertainment," Taylor said, intending to add, "I’m here to take Dianne home." But when he opened his mouth to say the words, he caught Damian’s eye and was rewarded with a smile that could melt the entire Arctic Circle.Somehow, Taylor allowed himself to be guided over to the floor by the child who, it was obvious, had Down syndrome. As he looked at the other faces, one thing was abundantly clear—every single one of these children was severely disabled. One other thing was clear, though, too: every single one of these children was enthralled with the performance Dianne was giving them.For a moment, she spotted him, and for a moment she faltered. When the balls fell out of her hand this time, there was nothing feigned about it.A girl who looked to be no more than eight and
MARRYING MY BEST FRIEND'S FIANCEE Chapter 73
Once back in the villa, the sun setting on the horizon, they proceeded for something to eat, wedging themselves on an outside table inches from the pavement.One thing Dianne had always appreciated about Taylor was his lack of snobbery when it came to food. His tastes were refined towards everything else, but he would happily wolf down anything put in front of him. When she’d suggested they eat here rather than the dinning, he’d shrugged his shoulders and agreed.Fancy food was something she’d had to get used to when they’d married, having been raised on a diet that consisted mostly of microwave meals or baked beans on toast. A chocolate bar or ice cream would have been their usual form of dessert.How simple everything was back then. Her mum had been young and naive but incredibly hardworking. She’d held down two jobs for as long as Dianne could remember but had always made sure she was home to have dinner with her only child. Half the time, she was unaware her daughter had skived of
MARRYING MY BEST FRIEND'S FIANCEE Chapter 74
He knew the answer even as her eyes shot back up at him and her cheeks tightened in on themselves. "No! I wanted to help. Solace daycare center has no assets and no back-up capital. I thought I had enough money left to pay for it all. All I could think was, let’s get this done, but I had it in my head that once it was completed I would get some kind of charity established and hand it all over so the center would always be guaranteed a home.’All along he’d made assumptions, but if his assumption that Charley was a gold-digger had been wrong—and today had only confirmed what his senses had been trying to tell him for weeks—what else was he wrong about?He reflected on all the lengths he'd gone to throughout his childhood and adolescence to impress his father, working so hard on his studies, often studying until the early hours, regularly declining invitations that took him away from his books, determined to be the top-ranked student in his private school. He’d succeeded in that aim, le
MARRYING MY BEST FRIEND'S FIANCEE Chapter 75
“Really?”You know the brief better than anyone. Think of it as PR. His name will help in the awareness drive we’re going for.’“There is that,” she conceded. This, on top of the fundraising cruise trip, would raise so much awareness and funds for the children that she felt like pinching herself to make sure it wasn’t all a dream.A thought crossed her mind. When at the end of the month are we meeting him?‘The last Wednesday.’‘Oh.’“Why?”The last Wednesday of August is for their outing. We’re planning on taking some of the kids on a boat ride to the Liberty Island.’“You’re taking the children on a boat cruise?”From the look on his face, she might have said they were taking the children to watch bare knuckle boxing.He eyed her thoughtfully. "Have you already got your name down to go?"‘Yes, but don’t worry, I wasn’t planning on stealing your helicopter again to get there.’You wouldn’t have had any luck if you did—my pilots now know not to take you anywhere without my express per
MARRYING MY BEST FRIEND'S FIANCEE Chapter 76
A lance of pain shot through her chest as she thought of him with another woman on his arm. She sucked in her breath, holding it tightly, waiting for the feeling to pass, as it always did, although it seemed to be taking longer and longer for it to pass as the days went by.She would not make the same mistakes as she had before.Mind-blowing sex did not equate to love. That was what had gotten her into trouble in the first place: mistaking the lust she’d felt for him for love; then, when love truly had come, it had been too late and she’d been trapped. Worse, she’d become a stranger to herself.But this time, she knew better.This time...Unless you want to come here and take me in my office...She’d told herself hell would freeze over before she made the first move. As if she would give herself willingly to the man who’d blackmailed her back into his bed.And yet...There would be no consequences if she walked away. Taylor would never back out of the centre, not now. She’d known that
MARRYING MY BEST FRIEND'S FIANCEE Chapter 77
Her mouth didn’t move from his as she worked at his belt, then unzipped him, with just a whisper of her lips touching him. He placed a hand on her waist, the warmth and softness of her skin deepening the burn in his loins.He didn’t think he’d ever been aroused so quickly and so deeply as he felt right now, or ever been as aware of the sound of his blood pumping.A sudden urgency rippled through him and he reached down to help tug his opened trousers and boxers down enough to free him. Immediately, she took hold of him.He inhaled deeply to stop the groan that wanted to escape.She breathed out in shallow pants. She guided him to her opening and sank down on him.His groan could not be suppressed this time, and as his mouth parted, she moaned into him, the sound of their pleasure muffled.She broke away from his mouth and raised herself, placing her hands on his shoulders to steady herself, then sank back down.With a hand on her back and the other on her hip, Taylor began to move wit
MARRYING MY BEST FRIEND'S FIANCEE Chapter 78
When they arrived at the plaza, where most of the action would be kicking off from, they were greeted by the manager, who led them straight up to the small roof terrace. From what Taylor could see, their spot was one of the only ones that allowed spectators to actually see what was unfolding.And what a sight it was. Tens of thousands of men, women and children were crammed into the plaza and the surrounding narrow streets. Many of the shop fronts and homes had been protected with huge plastic sheets. Scores of mostly young men were attempting to shimmy their way up a two-story pole with what looked like a hock of ham at the top, but he guessed it must be greased, for the men got no further than a couple of feet before sliding back down on top of each other, only to immediately try again.Chairs had been laid out for them; the terrace was safe enough for the kids to jump up and down with the excitement of it all.Never in his wildest dreams had Taylor imagined he would take a day off
MARRYING MY BEST FRIEND'S FIANCEE Chapter 79
“More wine?”Dianne blinked. She’d been a thousand miles away.She breathed deeply and fixed a smile on her face. “Go on, then. We might as well order our food too.” They’d been in the restaurant for an hour and still there was no sign of her dad. Neither did he answer his phone.“Are you sure?”She gazed back at the menu open on her lap. She didn’t want to look at Taylor or the sympathy radiating from him.He was only an hour late. For her dad, that was nothing. As a kid, she’d often spent whole days waiting for him to arrive.Definitely. The minute we order is the minute he’ll arrive,’ she said brightly. ‘You wait, he’ll be here any second.’Of course he will,’ Taylor agreed, with eyes that said he thought the total opposite.She snatched up her glass and downed the last of the red liquid. Forget bouquets of blackcurrant and cinnamon and whatever else it was reputed to have, the only attribute she cared for was its anaesthetic quality.She was an adult now, she reminded herself, and
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MARRYING MY BEST FRIEND'S FIANCEE Chapter 440
He moved suddenly, turned to her, and gripped her arms; she glimpsed the desperation in his eyes as he dragged her against his chest. "I will do whatever it takes to win you back, Kalila." "You are my wife, the love of my life, and I won’t let you go." His warm breath fanning the curls that framed her face, he pressed his lips to her temple, his eyes briefly closing as if in pain."I have told my father to name his brother Sulim as the interim ruler of Qubbah in the event of his dying before Hazem comes of age." Kate stared at him, shocked beyond words. "But... but why?" she finally stumbled.I thought that you were to rule until Hazem was older. "You are the King’s only son, and it is your duty." Ahsan shook his head. "My first duty is to my wife, and my father agrees." Even if he did not, I would still be here for you."Don't you understand, Kalila?" he asked urgently. "You are more important to me than Qubbah, my father, everything." You, me, and Hazem are a family, and the only thin
MARRYING MY BEST FRIEND'S FIANCEE Chapter 439
The still silence in the garden that followed his astounding statement was broken by the piercingly sweet song of a blackbird. Kate licked her suddenly dry lips, her heart beating so fast she was sure it would explode. "I don’t understand.""It’s quite simple." He sounded impatient and stared at her haughtily. But to her amazement, streaks of dull color highlighted his cheekbones, and his eyes veered from hers as if he were afraid to meet her gaze. "I love you, Kate."Her rebuttal was fierce and immediate. "No, you don’t.""I should have known you would want to argue about it, Kalila." A little of his tension left him, and his smile stole her breath."You don’t love me," she said again. It was probably some cruel trick, and she had more sense than to be fooled. "You married me for Hazem." You love Farrah. Malika said so.Malika said a lot of things, most of them untrue. Ahsan’s voice was suddenly harsh."But not the things she said about me," Kate said thickly. "My mother was a prosti
MARRYING MY BEST FRIEND'S FIANCEE Chapter 438
The blue sky was dotted with cotton wool clouds, and the warm breeze carried a scent of lavender and old-fashioned roses. There was no place on earth more beautiful than Ingledean on a spring day, Kate mused—except an oasis in the middle of the desert, where palm trees provided shade from the scorching sun and an azure pool glinted beneath a cloudless sky.She had been home for a month—although Ingledean no longer felt like home without Hazem. The image of his huge brown eyes and impish smile caused the familiar agonizing pain in her chest, and she bit down hard on her lip, tasted blood, and cursed the tears that slid unchecked down her face. She couldn’t cry forever. Somehow she was going to have to find the strength to move on, pick up the threads of her life, or maybe make a new one, far away from Ingledean and all its memories. But since she had left Qubbah, a terrible lassitude had settled on her, and she could not plan anything when the only two people she loved were far away on
MARRYING MY BEST FRIEND'S FIANCEE Chapter 437
In less than an hour, she was expected to attend the lavish dinner organized in honor of King Kabir’s recovery and his return as supreme ruler of Qubbah. And somehow she was going to have to do so without revealing that she was breaking up inside, which Kate acknowledged despairingly as she stared in the mirror at her paper-white face and red-rimmed eyes.When she first returned to the palace after her explosive confrontation with Malika, she locked herself in her dressing room and recalled, in stunned disbelief, everything the young Arab woman had told her. Could it be true? Had Ahsan always intended to divorce her once he’d gained custody of Hazem and marry his beautiful advisor?She did not know how long she’d sat there, but eventually her maid had knocked on the door and reminded her that it was time to prepare for the banquet. She should have made the excuse that she was ill—no one who saw her pallor would fail to believe her. But the steely backbone of pride that had seen her th
MARRYING MY BEST FRIEND'S FIANCEE Chapter 436
Despite the warmth of the early-evening sunshine, Kate shivered. "You’re talking nonsense," she said firmly, striving to sound confident despite the sudden lurch of her heart. She was perfectly aware of why Ahsan had married her, but he had given no hint that he wanted a divorce. Ahsan told me he was never engaged to you. She lifted her chin and glared at Malika, trying to ignore the sick feeling in the pit of her stomach."He wasn’t," Malika agreed, looking surprised. "I was engaged to Farhan; Ahsan was engaged to Farrah."The world seemed to tilt alarmingly for a few seconds, and Kate actually gripped the edge of the wall for support. Ahsan and Farrah! It couldn’t possibly be true, could it? "Jamila told me that Ahsan was in love with his fiancée," she said faintly. "She doesn’t know why the marriage didn’t take place."Malika gave a careless shrug. ‘Jamila knows. Everyone at the palace knows that Ahsan adored Farrah and that she eloped with his brother on the eve of their wedding.
MARRYING MY BEST FRIEND'S FIANCEE Chapter 435
He was suddenly aware that the children had finished their dance and everyone was waiting for his response. Kate had turned her head to him, frowning at his inattention, and he quickly clapped his hands in applause. Once the dancers had filed out of the marquee, his personal assistant Zaid appeared at his side and informed him that a group of local potters had brought their best work for his gracious inspection. Stifling a sigh, he led the royal party out into the blazing sunshine.The garden party continued all afternoon, and Ahsan was not in the best of moods when he strode back to the palace. He suddenly realized that he was too far ahead and slowed his pace, waiting for Kate to catch up with him. He frowned when he noted how pale she looked beneath her wide-brimmed hat. She made no attempt to speed up, and the dejected droop of her shoulders fueled his impatience."I appreciate that an afternoon spent admiring traditional crafts and customs is not likely to top your list of exciti
MARRYING MY BEST FRIEND'S FIANCEE Chapter 434
Her feet briefly touched the floor, and he spun her around, tugged her zip down her spine, and removed her dress before she had time to catch her breath. Her bra went the same way before he lifted her again and threw her onto the bed as if she were a rag doll, his eyes glittering with a mixture of anger and sexual hunger that made Kate’s stomach dip."At night, I’m happy to give you all the attention you could possibly want," he growled, his shoes, trousers, and shirt hitting the floor with barely controlled savagery until he stood in his silk boxers. "This is the only bed you’ll ever sleep in." The boxers joined the rest of his clothes, revealing his powerful, unashamedly aroused body in all its glory. "But I wouldn’t bank on sleeping for many hours yet."Kate stared up at him, her breath coming in shallow gasps as she struggled to control the wild excitement that was pounding through her veins. She was conscious that she was wearing nothing but a pair of tiny lace pants and the pric
MARRYING MY BEST FRIEND'S FIANCEE Chapter 433
Clearly embarrassed, Aaliyah determinedly changed the subject to Hazem and how fast he was growing. But although Kate smiled and made token conversation, her mind was whirling. If Malika’s family had expected her to marry Ahsan, was she the woman he had been engaged to years ago—the woman Jamila had said he had loved? But, if so, why had they not married? It didn’t make sense, and she brooded miserably as she stared at Ahsan. He was smiling at Malika and clearly enjoying her company. Perhaps they had argued and broken off their engagement. Was he now regretting his lost chance to marry a beautiful, clever Arab girl who would have made him the perfect wife?From that moment on, the party became a blur of faces and stilted conversation with people she had never met before. She was sure they viewed her as an oddity, with her pale skin and vivid hair—and her glaring lack of sophistication. But until his father had recovered, Ahsan was king, and one of her wifely duties outside of the bedr
MARRYING MY BEST FRIEND'S FIANCEE Chapter 432
As Ahsan had predicted, his team of advisors was waiting for him when they arrived back at the palace. Even on the journey across the desert, he’d had his mobile phone clamped to his ear, and Kate had sat silently beside him, lost in her thoughts. The honeymoon was over, and he had made it abundantly clear that he now saw her role as his wife as a walk-on part—or perhaps a lie-down part, she thought bitterly. But what had she expected? She had married him for Hazem, and he had married her for sex, and they had each gotten what they wanted.At least she had Hazem, she told herself later that evening, when she tucked the toddler into bed. She had missed him desperately, and his evident delight that she was back was a comforting balm to her raw emotions. She was Ahsan’s wife, a member of the Royal Family of Qubbah, and no one could ever take him away from her now.But as she prepared for the state banquet, her insecurities returned, and she felt sick with nerves. She had been horrified w
