But Tasim wasn’t there. Her bed looked lonely and cold. Shivering, she stepped into her dressing room and changed clothes, wondering if Tasim might show up.
“You have got to be kidding me!” Tasim growled as his aide explained about the riots back in his country.
“My apologies, Your Highness,” Paduil replied with a slight bow. “The riots have burned down several buildings and the police are overwhelmed. They are begging for assistance.”
Tasim mentally cursed the constant demands on his time. But this wasn’t just his job, it was his role. He knew what was required of him.
Sighing, he turned to Paduil. “Get me a map of the city. I’ll need the mayor on the phone, as well as the chief of police.” Rubbing a hand over his face, he knew what else he needed to do, even though he didn’t want to take that step. “Call my pilot and tell her to be on standby for an early departure.” Everyone jumped into action, but Tasim stood still for a moment. He wanted to go to Luna and talk to her, tell her what was going on and ask her…ask her…?
What? What could he ask? That she wait for him? Or even better, come with him? Yes, that’s really what he wanted to ask. But was that fair? She had obligations here. The palace was filled with dignitaries and world leaders, guests of the bride and groom. She needed to oversee the events for the next day and…Luna probably had a thousand details she needed to ensure went smoothly.
He couldn’t interrupt her now.
But he could send her a message! Electronically? But what if a digital message was intercepted? A written note? How could he get that to her? She had guards surrounding her, even more guards than normal right now.
“Your Highness?” Paduil asked from behind him. Tasim turned and saw that a map had been laid out on the table. Where the hell had they gotten this? Surely his security team didn’t carry maps of each city he traveled to around with them, did they?
Shaking his head, he dismissed the map and focused on getting through this latest crisis.
“Commander Tibar is on the phone, Your Highness,” Paduil explained.
Tasim’s eyes moved over the city streets. “Commander!” he said in greeting. “Tell me what’s going on.” In the back of his mind, he had a plan. He’d figure this out and go to Luna. He could slip into her apartment and kiss her awake in the morning, tell her that he wanted to see her again. Maybe make plans for a private weekend with her as soon as their schedules could fit it in.
Chapter 10
Luna’s cheeks hurt. She’d been smiling as each guest left the palace, nodding her head as every one of them told her how beautiful/lovely/gorgeous/well-coordinated/whatever…the wedding had been. Everyone felt the need to thank her for inviting them, when in reality, she hadn’t invited anyone! The diplomatic corps had determined the international guest list.
But it was protocol for everyone to say goodbye in a specific manner. Many of the diplomats indicated that they’d like to speak with Elon when he returned from his wedding trip. Too many departing guests asked where Elon and Ella had gone on their honeymoon. Luna didn’t divulge where the newly married couple had gone, because that information was top secret. Luna and her staff were determined to give the couple at least two weeks of privacy before the real world descended upon them.
In the meantime, Elon’s staff were coming to her for guidance. Thankfully, they waited on the most urgent issues until after the guests had departed. But as soon as they were gone, Elon’s aides, who had been hovering in the background, moved in, asking her for assistance.
As she made decisions on several of the crises that were presented to her, Luna forced herself not to think about the one man who hadn’t said goodbye. She hadn’t heard from Tasim. And he was the only person she wanted to see.
Since she’d gotten only a couple of hours of sleep last night, she was exhausted and hurt. More deeply hurt than she’d ever thought possible.
Without him here, Luna could only assume that the “charm assault” had been his primary goal for dealing with a recalcitrant princess. Goodness, Luna hadn’t known that this level of pain was possible. She didn’t want to sit in on the endless meetings. She didn’t want to hear about the latest political strife. She didn’t even care that milk prices would decrease due to the higher than expected output. She could only commiserate with the poor cows, being used for their bodies.
Not that Tasim had used her for her body. She wondered if he’d had to struggle to make love to her over the weekend. Had it been a terrible ordeal for him? Had he shuddered with revulsion when he’d gotten her naked?
NO! She couldn’t believe that. The way he’d looked at her that night, the way he’d touched her and made love to her…had sex with her, she corrected quickly…had been real. Their desire had been real. His charm? Perhaps not so real.
It was just one of life’s lessons, she told herself.
When the meetings finally ended, it was past midnight. As she went back to her apartment that night, Luna calculated that she’d had perhaps ten hours of sleep over the last four days. And yet, when she’d finished washing her face and pulling on a nightgown, Luna couldn’t endure sleeping in that bed. That had been the bed where she’d made love…had sex…with Tasim.
She curled up on the sofa instead.
Chapter 11
Two months later…
“I’m not going!” Luna announced.
Ella’s eyes were worried. Luna squirmed uncomfortably in her chair.
“I thought that you and my brother had…well, become friends,” Ella replied.
Luna ignored the stabbing pain dee