Page 63 of Prince of Her Heart
She opened her mouth, but again, he touched her lips with that same thumb.
“And don’t even try to deny it,” he warned with a slow grin.“I know you love me too.”
She squinted at him.“A little cocky, aren’t you?”
“Stacy told me.”
Tabitha gasped.“She didnot!”
“She did,” he said smugly.“And I’m going to punish her by flying her to Uftar to do your hair for the wedding.”
Tabitha froze, her smile slipping away as reality caught up to her.“After everything that happened—after yesterday—you still want to marry me?”
His gaze was steady.“Yes.I want to marry you.For real.”He gently ran his thumb along the base of her ring finger, brushing over the diamond.“This was always real to me.I just needed you to catch up.”
She leaned in, her lips brushing his with a softness that made his heart twist.“I love you, Ramzi.I’ve loved you since the night you stole my sweet and spicy shrimp when we were working late on the Pritzger project.”
He gave her a devilish look.“I knew you liked the shrimp more than the Szechwan chicken.”
“Youdid it on purpose?”she asked, scandalized.
“Of course.I liked seeing you glare at me.”He smirked.“And you paid me back—with decaf.”
She burst out laughing.“That was a good one.”
He stared up at her, his expression shifting to something quieter.“You’re not afraid of me.”
She touched his cheek again.“I’m afraidforyou.”
His hand covered hers.“Then don’t ever put yourself in danger like that again.”
She raised an eyebrow.“I hate to be picky, buttechnically, I didn’t put myself in danger.The knife-wielding lunatic came at me.Big difference.”
“Fair point,” he muttered.“Still—don’t antagonize any more lunatics.”
“Deal.”
She tilted her head, watching him carefully.“You really love me?Like,love-loveme?”
Ramzi gave her a slow grin and pulled her closer.“Yeah.I love-love you.”
She smiled, finally letting herself fall forward into his arms.
“I love you too.”
Chapter 30
Tabitha hesitated in the hallway, staring into the hospital room full of people.Ramzi’s mother looked like she’d stepped out of a fashion magazine—poised, polished, and intimidatingly gorgeous.His father and younger brother were no less commanding, and there were even more bodyguards now, along with a few sharply dressed individuals she couldn’t identify.
She bit her lip, unsure.Maybe she should wait.Ramzi had finally convinced her to go home and shower, to change out of the wrinkled, bloodstained dress from the wedding and get some rest.She’d done the first part.But instead of sleeping, she’d gone to the police station to find answers.
Sheriff Tom had shaken his head in disbelief.“No idea what got into that woman,” he’d told her.“All she kept saying was that she hated you—and hated that you had everything she thought should’ve been hers.”
Tabitha had stared at him.“But… she married Martin.”
The sheriff shrugged.“Apparently she wanted your job.And your new guy, too.”
She didn’t know what to make of that.Leandra had always seemed off, but notknife-wieldingoff.
