Page 42 of The Sheikh's Matchmaker Bride

After they'd all had drinks and cakes, Aliyah stood and gazed across at Azim and Lucy. "I best be going. I've got lots of things to do this afternoon," she announced.

"Really? You're welcome to stay for lunch, Aliyah," Lucy said eagerly.

"Thank you, but I really must be going," Aliyah responded. And then she glanced at Shahid, saying nothing to him, but giving him the distinct impression that she'd just sent him a signal, an unspoken message. The way she'd held her gaze on him for a fraction of a second longer than needed to, told him, in no uncertain terms, that she wanted to speak with him.

Hope leaped within him, and he stood quickly, glancing down at his brother. "I need to be going too, Azim," he said.

"Are you sure?" Azim asked.

Shahid nodded, trying to maintain a casual air. He looked across at Aliyah. "I'll walk you to your car, Aliyah. If you like," he suggested.

She nodded, probably too hastily for it to be convincing, he thought. "That's nice of you, Shahid," she replied with a tone of forced politeness.

They said their goodbyes and made their way out of the sitting room. He was sure the others hadn't really been fooled by the pretend casualness of their manner.

As he walked alongside Aliyah, Shahid felt relief sweep through him. He had her to himself now. As they walked side by side, he glanced down at her, savoring her sheer beauty, her petite, full-bodied frame, the way her long, dark hair shimmered in the soft light in the corridor. She was just stunning, he told himself. She moved with such an easy grace. He could watch her all day long.

She looked up at him, catching his admiring gaze. Had that been the flicker of an appreciative smile at the corner of her gorgeous mouth?

"What did you think?" he said after a few moments.

Aliyah looked at him and he saw her eyes narrow slightly. "About what?"

He squinted at her and then smiled. "You know what I mean," he exclaimed.

Aliyah nodded. "It was nice," she said in a casual voice.

"Nice? Just nice?"

Aliyah nodded. "That's what I said," she said with a shrug of her shoulders. She was playing with him again, he told himself. Her gaze flashed to him. "What about you?" she asked brightly.

"It was more than nice. That's for sure," he said.

"I'm glad we could help out Azim and Lucy," she said, sounding as if she wanted to avoid something.

"So am I," he replied. He slowed his pace slightly, and she slowed down at his side. "But didn't you think there was a little more to it than that?" he asked.

"Than just helping out?" she replied.

Shahid nodded, feeling a mild impatience begin to wind up inside him.

Aliyah shrugged again. "They both seemed to appreciate it," she said, once again sounding casual. "And the official seemed like a nice man. I'm sure I've met him before," she said idly. "Maybe I'm mistaken," she added thoughtfully. She was definitely trying to avoid something, he told himself.

Shahid drew to a halt. They were at the intersection of two corridors. There was a marble bench at each corner of the intersection.

Shahid took hold of Aliyah's arm and moved gently to one of the benches. He heard her gasp as he sat down, easing her down next to him.

Shahid looked along the corridors, checking that no-one was coming. Then he turned to Aliyah and saw that she was staring at him wide-eyed.

"Why did you do that?" she asked breathlessly.

"Because I need to say something to you. And I'm not going to allow you to drive away without saying this."

Shahid noted that she had remained seated. If she had intended to avoid him, he was sure she would have risen from the seat and walked away. The fact that she hadn't done so emboldened him.

Shahid reached across and took Aliyah's hand. She didn't remove her hand from his gentle grasp. In fact, she seemed more than unusually intent, as if she had been expecting this.

"What do you want to tell me, Shahid?" she said, and it sounded almost like a challenge.

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