Hired to Wear the Sheikh's Ring Read online

  His arms pulled her to him, as much as the baby would allow, and he kissed her tenderly. The squeals of laughter increased and they looked out again to see Aaleyah getting carried away with the fun of the water as she too joined in the fun and they laughed, pressing their foreheads together.

  ‘We seem to have a habit of creating unplanned babies.’ His sexy voice was full of the memory of the passion they’d shared since that night in the desert.

  She blushed prettily and he kissed her lips softly, seductively, promising so much more once they were alone. Her heart soared high into the desert sky, swooping down to find the warm currents of air, and she knew that he had let her fly free that morning after the night of passion and love in the desert. She had been totally free to fly away but she’d chosen the man she loved—and always would.

  * * * * *

  Coming next month

  KIDNAPPED FOR HIS ROYAL DUTY

  Jane Porter

  Before they came to Jolie, Dal would have described Poppy as pretty, in a fresh, wholesome, no-nonsense sort of way with her thick, shoulder-length brown hair and large, brown eyes and a serious little chin.

  But as Poppy entered the dining room with its glossy white ceiling and dark purple walls, she looked anything but wholesome and no-nonsense.

  She was wearing a silk gown the color of cherries, delicately embroidered with silver threads, and instead of her usual ponytail or chignon, her dark hair was down, and long, elegant chandelier earrings dangled from her ears. As she walked, the semi-sheer kaftan molded to her curves.

  “It seems I’ve been keeping you waiting,” she said, her voice pitched lower than usual and slightly breathless. “Izba insisted on all this,” she added, gesturing up toward her face.

  At first Dal thought she was referring to the ornate silver earrings that were catching and reflecting the light, but once she was seated across from him he realized her eyes had been rimmed with kohl and her lips had been outlined and filled in with a soft plum-pink gloss. “You’re wearing makeup.”

  “Quite a lot of it, too.” She grimaced. “I tried to explain to Izba that this wasn’t me, but she’s very determined once she makes her mind up about something and apparently, dinner with you requires me to look like a tart.”

  Dal checked his smile. “You don’t look like a tart. Unless it’s the kind of tart one wants to eat.”

  Color flooded Poppy’s cheeks and she glanced away, suddenly shy, and he didn’t know if it was her shyness or the shimmering dress that clung to her, but he didn’t think any woman could be more beautiful, or desirable than Poppy right now. “You look lovely,” he said quietly. “But I don’t want you uncomfortable all through dinner. If you’d rather go remove the makeup I’m happy to wait.”

  She looked at him closely as if doubting his sincerity. “It’s fun to dress up, but I’m worried Izba has the wrong idea about me.”

  “And what is that?”

  “She seems to think you’re going to…marry…me.”

  Copyright ©2018 by Jane Porter

  Continue reading

  KIDNAPPED FOR HIS ROYAL DUTY

  Jane Porter

  Available next month

  www.millsandboon.co.uk

  About the Publisher

  Australia

  HarperCollins Publishers (Australia) Pty. Ltd.

  Level 13, 201 Elizabeth Street

  Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia

  http://www.harpercollins.com.au

  Canada

  HarperCollins Canada

  2 Bloor Street East - 20th Floor

  Toronto, ON, M4W, 1A8, Canada

  http://www.harpercollins.ca

  India

  HarperCollins India

  A 75, Sector 57

  Noida, Uttar Pradesh 201 301, India

  http://www.harpercollins.co.in

  New Zealand

  HarperCollins Publishers (New Zealand) Limited

  P.O. Box 1

  Auckland, New Zealand

  http://www.harpercollins.co.nz

  United Kingdom

  HarperCollins Publishers Ltd.

  1 London Bridge Street

  London SE1 9GF

  http://www.harpercollins.co.uk

  United States

  HarperCollins Publishers Inc.

  195 Broadway

  New York, NY 10007

  http://www.harpercollins.com