‘It is, unfortunately, a necessity.’
A new thought struck her. ‘We’re not... Sam’s not in danger, is he? I mean, Alazar is a safe place?’ Why hadn’t she done an Internet search on it last night?
‘You will be completely safe at all times.’ Malik hesitated, and Gracie knew there was something else.
‘What?’ she demanded. ‘What are you not telling me?’
‘There has been some instability in the more remote regions of my country. Bedouin tribes warring as well as wishing for things to be more traditional. But it is peaceful now.’
‘Now? But it wasn’t?’
‘It will not concern you or Sam,’ Malik said smoothly. ‘I, along with my government, have worked hard these last few years to keep my country peaceful and help it to become modern.’
‘Oh.’ That all sounded rather important. ‘What kinds of things do you mean?’
He shrugged. ‘Developing a national healthcare system, increasing opportunities for education, trade agreements with the West. Some of the tribes do not like or want these things, but the people in the cities, such as the capital, Teruk, do. It is a balancing act.’ He took a step towards her, lowering his voice so Sam couldn’t overhear. ‘I look forward to showing both you and Sam my country. It is his heritage, after all. But I promise you, you will be safe at all times. That will be my highest priority.’ His gaze rested on hers, blazing with intent, and Gracie nodded, reassured.
‘Thank you.’ Maybe she needed to relax a little. Gracie let out the breath she hadn’t realised she was holding. She was in the middle of the most incredibly luxurious surroundings she’d ever been in. Maybe she needed to start enjoying the adventure Malik had given her, instead of assuming the worst.
‘Why don’t you come and explore the plane?’ Malik suggested. ‘We have a few moments before takeoff.’
‘Okay.’ Gracie nodded towards Sam, who was exploring the far side of the cabin. ‘When are you going to...?’
‘Soon.’ Malik rested his hand on her arm once more, and the same shivers raced through her body. Would she ever stop reacting to his touch? ‘Let’s get to know each other first. Relax a little bit.’
It made sense, even if she still felt keyed up. ‘All right.’
* * *
Malik felt as if he couldn’t trust the expression on his face as he walked behind Gracie and Sam. He felt an odd and unsettling mixture of elation and regret, both of them intense in the way they assailed him. He had just met his son. His son. Who looked just like him. Who seemed inquisitive and interesting and bright. Who seemed to accept all of this and, most important, him in one generous swoop of easy affection. Yet how would Sam react to the news that he was his father? The prospect of telling Sam the truth made Malik feel both overjoyed and afraid. After years of numbness, the emotion was almost too much to bear.
He caught Gracie frowning at him slightly, a look of concern in her eyes. Malik tried to smile, but his face felt stiff. His relaxed manner was nothing more than a façade, an act, because inside he felt as if he wanted to whoop or weep or both. He hadn’t expected to feel this rush of emotion, maybe even love, for a boy he’d never even seen before. The biological bonds were stronger than he’d expected. The role of father felt both strange and natural.
He felt the light touch of a hand on his, and he looked down to see Gracie squeezing his fingers, a tiny caress of support and understanding that affected him far too much. He managed a smile and with a small smile back she removed her hand. As soon as it was gone Malik missed it.
‘Wow,’ Sam exclaimed as they came into the media room. ‘That’s the biggest TV I’ve ever seen.’ He was soon asking Malik questions about everything, from how the satellite television worked to whether the plane adhered to international safety standards.
‘I believe it does,’ Malik answered solemnly before catching Gracie’s smiling gaze over Sam’s head. Suddenly he felt warm all over, not with simple lust for the woman whose touch he still remembered, but with happiness. It was such an unaccustomed feeling that it took him a moment to recognise it. He was enjoying himself. He hadn’t enjoyed himself this much in ten years...since he’d last been with Gracie.
‘He’s like this all the time,’ Gracie confided as Sam raced ahead to explore the next part of the jet. ‘Asking questions about everything.’
‘That is a good thing,’ Malik answered. ‘You have raised him well.’
Startled, Gracie glanced at him, a flush creeping over her face. ‘Well, thank you.’
‘You sound surprised.’
‘I suppose I’m not used to compliments.’
Malik frowned. ‘Why not?’
‘Well... I’m sort of known as “the Jones screw-up” back home.’ As if she felt she’d admitted too much, she let out a slightly forced laugh and looked away. ‘More of a joke than anything else, really, but it can still sting.’
Malik laid a staying hand on her arm. ‘Why would you be known as that?’ He realised he hated the idea of anyone putting Gracie down.
Sam was out of earshot in the small library. Malik waited, wanting to hear her confidence, to gain her trust, even if he hadn’t earned it yet. Even if he didn’t deserve it, considering how little he’d told her of his true plans.
‘It’s just that in a small town like Addison Heights, my situation was seen as...unfortunate,’ Gracie said at last.
‘Your situation?’
Wry exasperation lit her eyes as she looked up at him. ‘Malik, I came home from a backpacking trip through Europe pregnant with a stranger’s baby. I dropped out of university before I even had a chance to begin and have been scraping a living together ever since, while living above my parents’ garage. Yes, I’m seen as a screw-up. Not,’ she added fiercely, shaking off his arm, ‘that I regret anything. And I like my life. I like my job. I know you look down on it, but I wouldn’t change a bit of it. Sam is worth everything.’
‘Of course he is,’ Malik murmured. He felt a strange mixture of gratification and sadness for Gracie, for the little life she’d managed, through sheer strength of will and determination, to carve out for herself. But the mercenary part of him acknowledged that it would, perhaps, not be so difficult for her to leave it. ‘I’m sorry.’
‘None of it’s your fault. Well, besides the genes.’ She slid him a rueful smile. ‘Sam didn’t get his stubbornness or chronic ear infections from me.’
‘I might have contributed to those traits,’ Malik answered with a smile. ‘I was a rather sickly child.’
‘Good thing he looks like he’ll grow out of it,’ Gracie quipped. ‘I certainly wouldn’t call you sickly now.’
Her eyes dropped from his face and she did a quick once-over of his body that left Malik with a searing heat blazing through him. Gracie must have felt it, too, for her cheeks went pink and she looked away.
Desire swirled through his veins, a molten need he struggled to suppress. His attraction to Gracie was just as strong as it ever was, if not even stronger. Enforced celibacy during his time in the desert hadn’t helped.
Malik considered the matter as he and Gracie followed Sam to the library. Sex could complicate things, of course, especially for a woman, but if he and Gracie were to marry, they would have a normal union in that regard. He certainly didn’t intend to be celibate. A healthy, passionate marriage based on the bedrock of a shared child. It made sense...to him. And he would make sure it made sense to Gracie.
They spent a pleasant few minutes exploring the rest of the jet’s luxuries, ending up in the bedroom in the back with its