in love with her then it’s a different story.”
Their horses were happy to reach level ground. Elan launched into a spirited description of the newest Arab mare on his ranch back in Nevada. “Women aren’t like mares, little brother.” Elan pulled up his horse and stared at him again. “They don’t like being told what to do. They need to make up their own minds.”
“I suppose you’re right.” Of course he didn’t love Dani. He barely knew her. They had great chemistry, no doubt. Unbelievable sex, hell yes. Interesting conversation, for sure. Enjoyable companionship, yes indeed. But love? He didn’t even know what that was.
“Then don’t approach her father. If you do, he’ll think you’re serious. And if you don’t love her, you’re not serious. Shall we gallop on this flat land?”
“Sure.” His mind whirred with confusion as he urged his horse faster, until the gray mane was flying in his face. Why were matters of the heart so much more complicated than corporate affairs? Since coming to Oman he’d already come up with three viable new business plans, each of which excited him equally. On the other hand, there was only one woman on his mind.
“Race you there!” Elan called back, pointing to a lone frankincense tree in the desert.
Whipped on by his own competitive instincts, Quasar charged forward until they were neck and neck, their powerful horses speeding across the desert, hooves tapping out a quiet drumbeat on the sandy soil. Pursuing Dani was all wrong. He didn’t want to hurt her again after what she’d suffered in her marriage.
When his horse passed Elan’s, Quasar let out a yell into the desert air. A whoop of triumph that also contained a howl of frustration at the situation he found himself in with Dani. The sex they shared was insane. He could talk to her about anything. He craved her company when he wasn’t with her. And everyone, including her, thought he should stay away from her.
So why did he want to ignore them all and take matters into his own hands?
* * *
“Good news, my darling.” Dani’s father arrived home that evening in an uncharacteristically festive mood. She didn’t remember ever hearing him call her
darling
before. It struck a note of alarm in her heart.
“What, Dad?” She took his briefcase and put it in its place under the hall table.
“Samir Al Kabisi came to my office today.” He was beaming. Dani froze. This was the man who’d told her he was still potent so her needs would not go unmet. “He made a generous offer for your hand in marriage and you’ll be happy to hear that I accepted.”
“What?” She knew the custom of
mahr
, in which the husband offered a certain sum of money to his bride. It was a tenet of Islam intended to protect women by making sure they had money of their own in case they needed it. But these days it was customary for the man to make his offer of marriage to the woman herself, not her father, wasn’t it? And how could her father possibly accept without asking her? Her heart pounded and her breathing grew unsteady. “I’m not marrying him.”
“Don’t be foolish, Dani.” Her father’s cheerful expression had barely altered. “It’s an excellent offer and he’s a good man. He owns his own firm and could comfortably retire tomorrow if he wanted. He’s the chief supplier of nuts and rivets in the gulf region.”
“But I’m not in love with him.” Her voice was shaky. She knew her father couldn’t make her marry this man, but her refusal was bound to cause a rift between them.
“Love grows. It’s a silly modern fashion to try to fall in love before you’re committed.”
“I’ll never love him. He’s too old. I’d make him unhappy as well as myself.”
Her father’s expression darkened. “Daniyah, I’ve been very indulgent with you since your unfortunate return home. You tried to do everything your own way once, and the results were disastrous.”
She didn’t deny it.
“Now it’s time
Their horses were happy to reach level ground. Elan launched into a spirited description of the newest Arab mare on his ranch back in Nevada. “Women aren’t like mares, little brother.” Elan pulled up his horse and stared at him again. “They don’t like being told what to do. They need to make up their own minds.”
“I suppose you’re right.” Of course he didn’t love Dani. He barely knew her. They had great chemistry, no doubt. Unbelievable sex, hell yes. Interesting conversation, for sure. Enjoyable companionship, yes indeed. But love? He didn’t even know what that was.
“Then don’t approach her father. If you do, he’ll think you’re serious. And if you don’t love her, you’re not serious. Shall we gallop on this flat land?”
“Sure.” His mind whirred with confusion as he urged his horse faster, until the gray mane was flying in his face. Why were matters of the heart so much more complicated than corporate affairs? Since coming to Oman he’d already come up with three viable new business plans, each of which excited him equally. On the other hand, there was only one woman on his mind.
“Race you there!” Elan called back, pointing to a lone frankincense tree in the desert.
Whipped on by his own competitive instincts, Quasar charged forward until they were neck and neck, their powerful horses speeding across the desert, hooves tapping out a quiet drumbeat on the sandy soil. Pursuing Dani was all wrong. He didn’t want to hurt her again after what she’d suffered in her marriage.
When his horse passed Elan’s, Quasar let out a yell into the desert air. A whoop of triumph that also contained a howl of frustration at the situation he found himself in with Dani. The sex they shared was insane. He could talk to her about anything. He craved her company when he wasn’t with her. And everyone, including her, thought he should stay away from her.
So why did he want to ignore them all and take matters into his own hands?
* * *
“Good news, my darling.” Dani’s father arrived home that evening in an uncharacteristically festive mood. She didn’t remember ever hearing him call her
darling
before. It struck a note of alarm in her heart.
“What, Dad?” She took his briefcase and put it in its place under the hall table.
“Samir Al Kabisi came to my office today.” He was beaming. Dani froze. This was the man who’d told her he was still potent so her needs would not go unmet. “He made a generous offer for your hand in marriage and you’ll be happy to hear that I accepted.”
“What?” She knew the custom of
mahr
, in which the husband offered a certain sum of money to his bride. It was a tenet of Islam intended to protect women by making sure they had money of their own in case they needed it. But these days it was customary for the man to make his offer of marriage to the woman herself, not her father, wasn’t it? And how could her father possibly accept without asking her? Her heart pounded and her breathing grew unsteady. “I’m not marrying him.”
“Don’t be foolish, Dani.” Her father’s cheerful expression had barely altered. “It’s an excellent offer and he’s a good man. He owns his own firm and could comfortably retire tomorrow if he wanted. He’s the chief supplier of nuts and rivets in the gulf region.”
“But I’m not in love with him.” Her voice was shaky. She knew her father couldn’t make her marry this man, but her refusal was bound to cause a rift between them.
“Love grows. It’s a silly modern fashion to try to fall in love before you’re committed.”
“I’ll never love him. He’s too old. I’d make him unhappy as well as myself.”
Her father’s expression darkened. “Daniyah, I’ve been very indulgent with you since your unfortunate return home. You tried to do everything your own way once, and the results were disastrous.”
She didn’t deny it.
“Now it’s time
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