Page 58 of Bred By the Sheikh

“Thank you.”

“Drink some water.”

I raised an eyebrow.

“You were doing very well until that became an order.”

He paused.

“Would you please drink the water?”

“That’s better.”

I drank.

He sat beside me on the bed.

For a while, I drank with Tariq sitting beside me, and neither of us rushed to fill the quiet.

Eventually, I turned to him.

“You meant what you said at dinner.”

“Yes, I did.”

“About not wanting this to be temporary.”

“Yes, I meant that too.”

I traced one finger over the rim of my glass.

“I can’t promise you anything.”

“I didn’t ask you to.”

“My flight still leaves in three days.”

“I know.”

“You say that very calmly.”

“It doesn’t mean I like it.”

“What do you want me to say?”

“Nothing tonight that you don’t already know.”

My fingers tightened around the glass.

“And what do I already know?”

“You know that you wanted dinner.”

His attention lingered on my face.

“You wanted me.”

My cheeks warmed.