The Sheikh's Kidnapped Bride (The Sharqi Sheikhs Series Book 3) by Leslie North Page B

My guilt never went away.”
    “That’s because the guilt wasn’t yours to begin with,” she told him softly, watching him pace across the white plush carpet. She’d missed him terribly and was happy to see him moving on with his life.
    Mahil returned to her side and took her hands in his own, looking down into her eyes, “You are much like my sister in many ways. Your will to survive is strong. As a boy, many times I wanted to give up. To join one of the gangs as a means to survive, but Lyla wouldn’t let me. She would bring me to the library to show me pictures and we would dream of a better life.”
    “Is that why you have so many books?”
    Smiling, “Yes. Lyla had learned to read thanks to a kind volunteer at the library and she taught me. She was fascinated with books.”
    “What did she like to read?”
    “Anything with a happy ending.” Mahil smiled as he said it. “These last two months have been miserable and I won’t let my past ruin our future anymore.”
    “Our future?”
    “Yes. I can’t survive without you, Cara.”
    Carolyn felt her heart skip a beat as those words left his mouth. She’d thought about this moment for two months – dreamed of seeing him again. But how could she trust him again?
    “I missed you terribly. I thought about coming here and kidnapping you again.”
    “You did?” she asked in wonder, a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.
    “I did. Ahmed talked me out of it. He said I’d been lucky the first time, and spending the rest of my life barred from entering your country was not how I should prove I’d changed.”
    “So, I still don’t understand. How did the teddy bear end up being part of the auction?”
    “I arranged for the auction to take place. It was a good strategic move for Al-Sarid and our people, and it gave me a perfect opportunity to see you again. I knew about your jewelry business and how well it was doing.”
    “Did you know that I was asked just this week to recreate some Middle Eastern design pieces?” she asked, suspicion growing in her mind.
    “Guilty. I visited the boutique owner and she fell in love with our story. She offered to help steer you in this direction and I couldn’t refuse her.”
    Carolyn smiled at him, squeezing his hands, “I’m glad you didn’t. I almost didn’t come here tonight. Did you have a back-up plan?”
    Mahil looked guilty and then nodded, “I intended to ignore Ahmed and kidnap you a second time.”
    Carolyn laughed and threw herself into his arms, “I might not have minded at all.”
    Mahil hugged her close before tipping her head up and kissing her tenderly, putting everything he felt for her into his kiss. “I missed you.”
    Carolyn returned his kiss and then told him, “I missed you too. Were you responsible for all of the advertisements that kept showing up everywhere I went?”
    “Guilty again. I finally found a way to put my mass advertising classes to use.” He chuckled and then sobered, “I wanted to see you again but I knew I didn’t deserve a second chance with you.”
    “Everyone deserves a second chance, Mahil. Especially you.”
    Mahil looked deeply into her eyes and then kissed her again. “I love you, Carolyn Michaels. If it weren’t for you, I don’t know that I would have ever stopped feeling guilty for what happened with Lyla. I know that no matter what I do, I can never have a second chance to get things right for her. But I truly want a second chance with you.”
    “I love you too,” Carolyn wrapped her arms around his neck. “And I want that as well.”
    “Besides, it seems that I now owe you a date night,” he told her as she looked at him quizzically.
    “I don’t understand.”
    “The highest bid for the teddy bear also gets to have dinner with a sheik,” he told her, as she laughed.
    “What would you have done if I wasn’t the highest bidder?”
    “Shrugging his shoulders, “I was really hoping not to have to think about that; not when my dreams are of