Sarah And The Secret Sheikh. Michelle Douglas
hit him then, why she was here, and his hands slammed to his hips. Her eyes caught the movement...followed it... The pink of her tongue snaked out to moisten her full bottom lip and he went hot all over. He cleared his throat. ‘You’ve lost another job.’
His rasped accusation had her gaze spearing back to his but the heat continued to circle in his blood. Her cheeks went pink but, whether at the accuracy of his accusation or the fact he’d caught her staring, he didn’t know.
‘Well, yes.’ One shoulder lifted. ‘But that’s not what I came to talk about either.’
No?
She stared down her nose at him. ‘Mike told you to keep an eye on me, didn’t he? He told you to give me a job if I needed one.’
He had, but Majed had no intention of admitting as much.
‘Don’t worry, Majed, I haven’t come to beg you for a job.’
He gave thanks for that mercy. If he had to work with her day in and day out, he didn’t know how he’d manage to keep from touching her.
‘Mike asked me to look out for you too, you know?’
He jerked upright. ‘I don’t need looking out for.’
A smile hovered at the corners of her lips. ‘Oh, that’s right. I forgot. You’re an island unto yourself.’
That was exactly what he had to become if he was to ever return to Keddah Jaleel, and the fact she found the idea so nonsensical irked him. Sarah was more than happy to tell anyone who’d listen that she was a complete flake, but she had a perspicacity that was remarkable in its accuracy.
‘I don’t need looking after either, despite appearances to the contrary. I might be a flake...’
There she went, putting herself down.
‘But I’m an independent flake.’
‘I don’t consider you a flake at all.’
She gave a short laugh. ‘I’m going to ask you to hold that thought in the forefront of your mind when we have our conversation.’
What on earth had she come here to discuss?
He stiffened. Was she leaving Melbourne? Had he somehow left her feeling that she had to leave?
Damn it all to hell!
He strode into the middle of the room and clapped his hands together. ‘Excuse me, everyone, but something has come up and I need to close early. Can I ask you all to finish your drinks and leave?’
When he’d locked the door behind the last customer he spun to face Sarah. ‘What did you want to talk to me about?’
She stood and wiped her hands down the sides of her trousers. ‘I think you should come and take a seat and—’
‘Stop fudging! Don’t delay any longer, Sarah. Out with it.’
‘Fine!’ She folded her arms and stuck out a hip. She swallowed but lifted her chin. ‘I’m pregnant.’
For a moment her words made no sense. He even momentarily revelled in the relief that she wasn’t planning to leave Melbourne. ‘You’re—’ he rubbed his nape ‘—pregnant?’
She nodded. ‘That’s right.’
‘And...?’
She flopped down to her stool. She lifted her arms and then let them drop back into her lap. Her mouth trembled and her eyes were full of fear, sadness, tears and, strangely, some laughter. Her eyes contained the entire world. ‘And the baby is yours, Majed.’
THE SHOCK OF brandy hitting the back of his throat had Majed jolting back to himself. It was only then he realised Sarah had pushed him into a chair, had poured him a snifter of brandy and was urging him to drink it.
He did what she demanded because he was at a loss to know what else to do. She was having his child!
‘I know it’s a shock.’ Sarah moved to the chair opposite. ‘And I didn’t mean to blurt it out quite so baldly.’
But he’d ordered her to.
Heat scored through him, followed by a wave of ice. He stared at her. Was she okay? It didn’t matter what kind of shock he might be experiencing, it had to be far worse for her. Physically he was exactly the same as he’d been before she’d told him the news. But, regardless of what decision she made, Sarah would never be the same again. He had to focus on what she needed from him—and do his best to provide it.
She was pregnant with his child!
He opened his mouth but before he could speak she said, ‘I understand your reservations concerning the baby’s paternity.’
She thought his silence indicated that he didn’t believe her?
She’d lied about instigating the break-up with Superior Sebastian.
She wouldn’t lie about something as big as this.
‘Sarah—’
‘Please, just let me explain. It’s taken me this long to screw up my courage and now that I’ve started I’d... I’d rather just keep going.’
He gave a terse nod, hating the thought that she’d been afraid to tell him her news.
‘So, the thing is...’ She drew a loop of circles in the condensation of her glass. ‘Sebastian had mumps when he was fifteen, which means the likelihood of him being able to father children is pretty slim. But, besides that—’
She broke off to stare at her hands. He reached out and wrapped one of his hands around both of hers. She had such small hands, and every protective instinct he had surged to the fore. ‘Don’t be frightened of me, Sarah. I’m not angry. Just stunned.’ He made his voice as gentle as he could. ‘I want to help in any way I can.’
Her lips trembled. ‘That’s lovely of you.’
‘You’ve had a lot to bear on your own. I want you to know you’re not alone now.’ She was having his child! He forced himself to swallow. ‘What were you saying about Sebastian?’
‘Oh.’ Her lips twisted. ‘Before we broke up...for the two months before we broke up... Sebastian and I...’
‘Yes?’
She disengaged her hand from his to rub her nape. ‘We hadn’t been intimate.’
He’d always known the man had rocks in his head. This simply confirmed it.
‘I don’t doubt your word.’
The little moue she made informed him she didn’t entirely believe him. ‘We’ll have a paternity test done to put your mind at rest. If I decide to keep the baby.’
If. His heart clenched at the word, though he wasn’t sure why. A child was the last thing he’d expected at this point in his life. It should be the last thing he wanted.
But the ultimate decision rested with Sarah. It was her body and he’d support her whatever she decided to do.
‘Are you and the baby healthy?’
‘The doctor says so.’
‘You’ve been to see a doctor? That’s good.’
She frowned. ‘You’re taking this very calmly.’
Inside he was a mass of conflicting emotions but he refused to reveal them. ‘We’re in this together. I want you to know you’re not alone. Between us we’ll sort it out.’
Her mouth opened but no words emerged.
‘Have you eaten this evening?’