Page 55 of The Sheikh's Matchmaker Bride

Shahid gazed out across the sea. "I love coming out here every chance I get."

"Really? You never told me that."

"There's plenty of time for you to find out everything about me. And for me to discover all your secrets."

Aliyah matched his intense gaze, hearing the utter sincerity in his words. He meant every word. There would be time for them to get to know everything about each other. Since he'd arrived in the garden, and for every moment she'd sat next to him, Aliyah had felt one thing. That this was the place where she truly belonged. Next to Shahid. By his side.

The helicopter continued to trace its way up along the coast. Aliyah watched as the beach slid away below them. There was no-one around. They were completely alone, out here, just as they had been days before when she had decided to come here with him.

Then she saw something up ahead, recognizing the layout of the scattered rocks and the junction of the road which joined the coastal road. This was where they had been, where they had shared that kiss standing in the water.

Then she saw something else. She narrowed her eyes, trying desperately to focus. There was something different about the place; something that she hadn't seen when they'd come here by car.

Aliyah glanced across at Shahid. He held the controls and looked straight at her, as if trying to gauge her reaction.

She peered ahead still unsure what she was looking at. The helicopter started to slow, the noise of the engine dropping slightly.

Finally, Shahid slowed the helicopter so that they were hovering over the exact place where he had parked his car. They were still a hundred feet up in the air, but she could finally see what she had been straining her eyes to focus on.

Aliyah felt a rush of emotion, and she was sure she was going to lose the ability to breath any minute now. She blinked her eyes, trying to be sure that she wasn't seeing a mirage, or some trick of the light.

When she looked across at Shahid, she knew she wasn't seeing things because he was gazing straight at her and she could tell he knew she understood. She gazed down at the beach again. Then she knew she wasn't seeing things; knew the real reason he'd brought her to this place. It all made sense now.

The helicopter hovered above the beach. It was clear Shahid had no intention of landing the helicopter until she was ready.

Aliyah swallowed, feeling her heart racing, her pulse beating ferociously. She hardly knew what to say; couldn't think what she was going to say. But, she glanced down one more time, reading the two huge words which had been traced in the sand.

MARRY ME

Aliyah gripped the side of her seat. Was it just her, or had the helicopter shifted uneasily to one side. She drew in a deep breath, desperately trying to control herself. But it wasn't going to be easy, she told herself. Not when those words were staring up at her, sending her emotions into a turbulent, raging torrent.

Aliyah looked at Shahid and saw the sudden concern in his eyes. He immediately moved the controls, and she felt the helicopter start to drop slowly toward the beach.

In a few moments, the helicopter settled down with a gentle bump. Shahid cut the engines and unstrapped his safety harness. He stretched across and untied hers. "Are you okay, Aliyah?" he asked his voice cracking with emotion.

Aliyah nodded. She wanted to say so much to him, but the words just wouldn't come. Shahid thrust open his door and raced around to her side of the helicopter and wrenched open the door.

"Come here," he ordered reaching out his arms and scooping her up. She felt herself lifted out of the seat and carried on his arms. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders as he walked away from the helicopter and toward the water's edge.

She gazed up into his eyes and saw that he was still looking at her with concern. She drew in a deep breath. "Put me down, Shahid," she said quietly.

He lowered her, and she planted her feet on the sand. She looked over at the two giant words which had been scrawled in the sand. "You did this?" she asked.

Shahid nodded. He held her close against him.

"You came all the way out here this morning and wrote this in the sand," she asked. "For me?"

"I had to," he replied. "My heart told me the truth." He grimaced. "I was deaf for a long time, but at last I'm listening."

Aliyah gasped and felt joy in her own heart. Wasn't it exactly the same for her? The quiet voice had been whispering to her for a very long time, and now, at last, she was listening. And what was it telling her? The truth, of course. She loved Shahid with all her heart.

Shahid held her close and she felt the security and warmth of his presence while the breeze from the ocean swept around them. She wrapped her arms around him, feeling that this was the only place in the world where she truly belonged. When he spoke to her, it was with a voice full of passion and devotion.

"I want you to marry me. I want you to be beside me forever." He gazed into her soul, making her feel a joy and promise that previously would have seemed impossible. "I love you, Aliyah. You are my life. You are my soul-mate. We are destined to be together. We both know that now."

Aliyah breathed out, trying to gather her thoughts which were racing uncontrollably.

Shahid leaned closer and kissed her. She felt the sand shift beneath her feet, but immediately she knew everything would fine from now on, because she was with Shahid. She would always be with Shahid.

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