Page 51 of The Sheikh's Willing Captive

Anxiety curled in his middle as he tried to anticipate her reaction upon waking.

Feeling a breeze from the desert, he drew her closer, savoring the sensation of her partially clothed curves against his body.

Paige shifted and opened her eyes. Razim's heart stopped a moment as he gazed into her eyes, searching for any hint of concern.

But he didn't see even the slightest suggestion of worry. All he saw was her beautiful blue eyes gazing at him with what looked suspiciously like affection.

"Hi," he said softly.

Paige didn't say anything in response. Her brows furrowed and he saw her gaze move upwards to the brightening dark blue sky. Awareness flickered into life in her eyes as she realized that the dawn had come minutes ago while she had been dozing.

For a moment, Razim told himself she would sit up and accuse him of tricking her. He was sure of it.

But she didn't.

Instead, she did something which shocked him. She pushed in closer to him and smiled. "I see a new day has begun," she said quietly.

Razim smiled at her and shifted some loose blonde hairs away from her forehead. He leaned in closer and kissed her soft skin. "Dawn has broken," he said, his voice low and thick with emotion. "It's a new day."

She crinkled her brows at him and smiled. "It sure is."

He gazed at her inquiringly, waiting for her demeanor to change now that she knew what had happened. Now that she understood what it would mean. But there was still no change in her, and that amazed him.

Had their union affected her so much? Did she really know what this all meant? Surely she hadn't forgotten.

Razim ran his hand down the length of her back. "You're not feeling cold, are you?"

She shook her head. "No." She tucked her head against his shoulder. "I'm quite comfortable where I am," she said. "Happy."

He drew in a deep breath and held her as closely as he could. For a few moments he debated with himself whether he should bring up the subject of what all this meant. However, he felt too good holding her close to want to do anything which would spoil the exquisite delight of the moment.

Eventually though, he couldn't contain himself any longer. He shifted his head and glanced down at Paige. She lifted her gaze up to him. For a moment he was sure she knew exactly what he was about to say. But, it didn't seem to bother her. Not in the slightest.

Encouraged by that, he spoke: "You do know what all this means, don't you?" he asked in a quiet voice.

She nodded. "I know, Razim."

He squinted at her. "And?"

Paige grinned at him. "It's taken me a long time to come back to you, Razim," she said. "And there were times when I thought I never would." She moved closer to him. "But, I'm here."

Emotion swelled up in him and he felt his throat tighten. For a few moments, he was lost for words. All he could do was gaze into her eyes.

Finally he managed to tell her what he knew he had to say. "We're man and wife again, Paige," he said slowly.

"I know that, Razim," she said. There was a curious expression on her features now. It was a mixture of peace and acceptance.

Astonishment coursed through his entire being. It was as if fate had handed him a final miracle.

Razim leaned his head in and kissed Paige's lips. When their lips parted, he looked into her eyes. "I love you, Paige," he breathed.

"And I love you, Razim," she murmured.

"I will do anything in my power to make you happy, Paige. I will move heaven and earth to ensure you are safe by my side," Razim felt his voice begin to crack with emotion. But he knew his declaration was important. He had to make sure she understood the depth of his feeling for her. "My world is yours. My heart belongs to you. And I will love you forever."

Paige smiled up at him. He saw moistness in her bright eyes. "And I will love you, Razim," she said. His heart leaped with joy. She continued, speaking quietly. "This was a battle we didn't need to fight. Don't you think?"

He nodded, saying nothing.

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