Scorched (Surrender #4)(47)
Author: Melody Anne

Ari’s eyes widened before her lips turned up in a smile. “Do you mean that, Rafe?” she asked, as if afraid to hope.

Rafe’s grin fell as he saw the uncertainty in her eyes.

“We spoke of having children earlier. You still want them, right?” he asked as he pulled her close. Both of them forgot all about Rachel, who was standing there awkwardly, feeling that she was intruding on a special moment.

“Of course I do. You know that. I just didn’t think it was something we would be doing so soon. I thought you would want to wait until…” She seemed unsure how to end that sentence.

“Ari, I love you. More than I can ever express. I want you to have my children. I want to watch your stomach grow, and be at every doctor’s appointment. I want to run to the store for your midnight cravings…I want to do everything a doting husband is supposed to do,” he said, his hands moving down her sides, his thumbs caressing her very flat stomach.

“I think the honeymoon is a great time to start trying, then,” she said, joy radiating from her.

“Then we’d best use the new…items I’ve ordered…before you can’t fit into them,” he said, waggling his eyebrows.

Rachel turned away, horrified. She didn’t know whether he was kidding or not, and she didn’t want to know. Her only thought was to get the heck away from him before she heard anything more.

Passing by Adriane, who must have had a target painted on her since he kept staring her way, she looked down, figuring that if she didn’t make eye contact, he would just leave her alone.

No such luck.

“Rachel, you can’t hide from me forever,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper. She was shocked at how quickly he could move to her side.

“I don’t want to hide forever — just for tonight.” She passed on by and left the room.

Forget about watching the cake get cut. She needed five minutes alone.

The next week was going to be a long one. That was all the time she now decided she would give herself to learn more about Adriane. She couldn’t handle a full month. If she still didn’t have answers by that time, to hell with it. She’d just have to get to know him after the babies were born. Her hormones were too chaotic for her to even think right now, much less make wise decisions.

Mr. Do-It-My-Way-Always would just have to learn to compromise and come to her in the States.

Stepping into her room, Rachel shut the door with a relieved sigh. Then she shuddered. That was too much information to learn about her big brother — way too much information.

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

ADRIANE DIDN’T LIKE to ask for help.

It went against everything he believed in. He was the king. He was respected and revered. He shouldn’t have to ask anyone to help him.

But Rachel obviously wasn’t cooperating at the moment, so that left him with little choice but to suck up some of his pride. He spotted Ari alone, which was a miracle, since her newly minted husband hadn’t seen fit to remove himself from her side most of the day.

He was going to go for it.

“Hello, Ari. I hope the day has been pleasant for you,” he said after he’d made a quiet approach.

“Oh, Adriane, you startled me,” she gasped as she took the glass of champagne from her lips.

“I’m sorry; that wasn’t my intention. Are you enjoying yourself?” He hated to waste time on pleasantries, but trying to soften her up.

“It’s been absolutely lovely, Adriane. I really appreciate all that you’ve done to make the day special,” she said in all sincerity.

“Wonderful. Would you mind taking a walk with me? I would like to speak with you alone,” he asked, offering his arm.

Ari hesitated for only the briefest of moments before accepting. As they walked outside, she looked him straight in the eye. He found it highly disconcerting. Could she see his very soul, if he had one? Though Adriane didn’t squirm, he found himself wanting to.

“How is life treating you as king?” Ari asked as they reached an ornate water fountain, the sounds of its cascading waters soothing in the twilight.

“All is well,” he said, his standard answer. Her eyebrows rose as she waited for him to continue. “Mostly, it is wonderful. I love my kingdom, love my people. Of course, I am responsible for a great deal,” he had to admit. There was a lot on his shoulders. Most of the time, it wasn’t a burden, but while dealing with this strange situation with Rachel, it was all a little bit much. Add to that his problems with Gianni, who had been strangely quiet the last couple of weeks, and he was about as highly strung as he could possibly be right now.

That his brother was not making a move was more frightening than his threats had been. The man wouldn’t just disappear — Adriane knew that — which left him wondering what Gianni was plotting next.

How he would love to have nothing more to focus on except for his business ventures. In years past, before his father’s final illness, Adriane had been carefree, worried only about making a few billion more to add to his and his country’s portfolios.

He missed that rush.

“It won’t take long for my husband to seek me out, so why don’t you tell me what’s on your mind,” Ari said.

Adriane was impressed with this best friend of Rachel’s. Ari had grown since he’d first met her; she now oozed confidence and faced challenges head-on. She was a good match for Rafe. Adriane wondered whether he and Rafe would ever again share an easy friendship, the way they had before Adriane had met Rachel. At the moment, it seemed doubtful.

“How do I make Rachel see there is no other choice but for us to marry?” he asked. If she was going to be blunt, then so was he.

Instead of being horrified by his words, Ari laughed, a deep, highly amused laugh. Adriane wasn’t sure whether he should be offended. He was pouring his heart out and she was almost doubling over with laughter.

“I’m sorry, Adriane,” she gasped in between giggles while she tried to pull herself together.

Should he just walk away? It was obvious he wasn’t going to get any information from the woman. He turned to do so and her hand shot out and grabbed his arm.

“I really am sorry. It’s just so like a man to put a question that way. Can’t you see that women don’t work like that? You kidnapped her, told her she had no other choice but to marry you, and then you haven’t given her a reason to want to stay. Do you care about her?”

Her giggles stopped and she looked at him closely once again. Adriane didn’t want his soul under her microscope. That was closed, to everyone.