LITMIR.BIZ

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liked to have Malik’s love. At times, when he was laughing with Sam or talking with her, she felt as if she could glimpse, momentarily, that hidden part of him. The man beneath the cold, autocratic exterior, the boy he’d once been. He was still there, in those little glimpses, but was that enough? Was any of this enough or was she about to embark on a lifetime of loneliness and heartache?

      Inside, the palace was surprisingly airy and light. Refreshments had been laid out in a salon, and the three of them ate together, relaxing after the helicopter ride, until Sam was once again racing off, eager to explore.

      ‘Let me show you the delights of the palace,’ Malik entreated, and took Gracie by the hand as they went after Sam.

      The palace was as luxurious as the one in Teruk, with large rooms gilded in gold and jewels and amazing views from every window. Gracie didn’t think she’d ever tire of the sight of the snowy mountains thrusting proudly up to an achingly blue sky.

      ‘But I must show you the palace’s pièce de résistance,’ Malik said with a teasing smile, and he ushered Sam and Gracie to a set of double doors that led to the most incredible sight Gracie had ever seen.

      ‘Wow,’ Sam breathed, and Gracie could only echo him.

      ‘Wow. Is that...?’

      ‘A natural waterfall, yes.’

      The back of the palace had been built right into the mountain rock, and a natural waterfall poured into a set of swimming pools laid out on terraces, cascading into one another.

      ‘The water must be freezing,’ Gracie said, and Malik smiled.

      ‘The pools are heated.’

      They spent the next few hours swimming and relaxing by the pool, as any family might, and Gracie felt as if her heart were teetering, one moment filled with hope and happiness and then the next clenched in fear. She was afraid to want this too much. To hope too much, and for something that Malik had told her would never happen.

      Sam dared them both to stand under the icy waterfall, and, laughing, Gracie did so, shrieking as the freezing water fell about her. Then Malik grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the waterfall, to the other side, so the cascading water was a curtain shielding them from the world.

      Gracie looked around her in amazement; they were in a secret, rocky chamber, the roar of the waterfall the only sound. Then she caught sight of the look of blazing need in Malik’s eyes and any appreciation of her surroundings fell away in light of that shining certainty.

      ‘I want you,’ he growled. ‘So much I can hardly bear it.’

      Her heart rate tripped. ‘But you’ve barely touched me all week...’

      ‘And it just about killed me.’ Already he was pulling her towards him, her slick body sliding against his in a way that felt unbearably erotic.

      ‘Why did you stay away, then?’ Gracie breathed. Malik’s hands were everywhere, and yet she still couldn’t get enough.

      ‘Because I wanted our wedding night to be all the sweeter. But now I don’t think I can wait.’ And then his mouth was on hers, his tongue plundering its depths, his body thrusting against hers with delicious intent.

      Gracie sagged against the rock wall, helpless under Malik’s wonderful onslaught. One hand nudged aside her swimming costume, his fingers teasing the very centre of her so it felt as if lightning were racing through her veins, to accompany the thundering of her heart.

      Her nails bit into his arm as the overwhelming sensations cascaded through her, both sizzling and sweet.

      ‘Malik,’ she gasped out as his fingers moved even more intimately against her. Her hips rocked against his hand. ‘Malik...’

      ‘Mom!’ Sam’s voice came to them from beyond the protective wall of water. ‘Are you guys lost in there?’

      Yes, she was lost. And losing more of herself with every passing second. With a groan Gracie pulled away from Malik. ‘You can’t leave me like this.’

      The smile he gave her was full of sensual promise. ‘What if I make it up to you later?’

      She thrilled at his words, her body coming alive again just at the thought. ‘Do you mean that?’

      ‘I can’t last much longer without you,’ Malik admitted in a low voice. ‘I want you too much, Gracie.’

      Sam called again and reluctantly Gracie moved away from Malik. ‘I should go back to our son.’

      * * *

      Malik’s face softened. ‘I like hearing you say that.’

      ‘Say what?’

      ‘Our son. Not yours. Not mine. Ours.’

      His gaze held hers and Gracie’s heart started to beat hard again. Yes, Sam was theirs. She felt their shared responsibility, their partnership, more than ever now—for better or for worse. And she knew in that moment she would marry him—that she would fall into this adventure because it was the one she wanted. He was the one she wanted. She loved him, and she dared to hope that one day he might learn to love her back.

      ‘Tonight,’ Malik promised, his voice rough with longing, and Gracie nodded.

      ‘Tonight.’

      ‘What were you doing?’ Sam demanded as Gracie emerged from behind the waterfall, her heart still skittering around from her encounter with Malik.

      ‘There’s a little cave back there,’ Gracie said, and thankfully her voice sounded normal. ‘Malik showed it to me. You should see it.’

      ‘A cave? Cool!’ Sam dived under the water and Gracie sank onto the ledge of the pool. She needed a moment to recover. Her whole body was trembling with the aftershocks of Malik’s sure touch. She felt as if she might dissolve, trickle right into the pool in a puddle of need. She couldn’t wait for nightfall.

      From behind the waterfall she could hear Sam’s excited shout and the low rumble of Malik’s response. A few minutes later they emerged, dripping wet and grinning. Gracie didn’t think she’d ever tire of the sight of Malik in swimming trunks. His chest was a thing of glorious beauty, perfectly sculpted muscles tapering to narrow hips and powerful thighs. Malik caught her look and gave her an admonishing look back.

      ‘Keep looking at me like that and I will embarrass myself and you,’ he muttered as he passed by her, and Gracie couldn’t keep from grinning.

      A greedy sense of expectation had her practically dancing on her tiptoes all evening, as the three of them ate dinner in one of the palace’s more intimate dining rooms. Every secret, sliding look, every brush of Malik’s fingers had her whole body tingling in yearning response.

      The mood of anticipation continued as she tucked Sam into bed and then retired to her sumptuous bedroom down the hall. There was no harem in this remote palace, just a lovely room, the double bed on its own dais, the windows overlooking the stunning alpine vista.

      Gracie took a bath and then slipped into the one semi-sexy nightgown that she owned, a simple white silk sheath with lace straps. She’d bought it on a whim and never worn it—now she laughed at herself for bringing it to Alazar at all. Had she known this would happen? Had she hoped?

      And here she was, still hoping. It was ten o’clock at night and Malik still hadn’t come. Should she go find him? Dared she?

      As she was summoning up the courage to do just that, a soft knock sounded on the door. Gracie stilled, anchored to the floor. Another soft knock, and then she flew to the door and opened it.

      Malik stood there, looking devastatingly sexy in an off-white linen shirt open at the throat and a pair of loose trousers. His hair was slightly rumpled as if he’d run his hands through it and his mouth curved in a smile of deep appreciation, his eyes lightening to silver as his gaze flicked over Gracie.

      Suddenly she felt conscious of how little she was wearing. The cream

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