nape of her neck was revealed as her hair swung to one side. The wave of disappointment that hit him when she quickly pulled the veil forward and that delicate sliver of naked flesh disappeared was a real eye-opener. He really did have it bad. And then Jazz proved his suspicion that the grit was still there when she stood to propose a toast. Raising her glass of juice, she turned to face Britt.
‘I would like to propose a toast of thanks to a wonderful woman and a dear friend: my brother’s wife, Britt. I want to thank you on behalf of everyone here for the work you’ve put in to make tonight such a wonderful success. I couldn’t love you more if you were my own sister.’ Emotion made Jazz pause for a moment as murmurs of approval rose around her. ‘The charity we’re supporting tonight means a lot to all of us seated round this table, and tonight is also an opportunity for us to welcome Tyr home.’
Tyr tensed as Jazz stared straight at him. This evening would be over soon, but something told him the repercussions from tonight would spread out like ripples on a pond and touch them all.
* * *
Even after a few days, it still felt strange being at home with his sisters after so long away. All four of them together at one time like this was practically unique, but Britt, Eva and Leila had put their husbands out to graze for the day so they could spend time with him—and with Jazz. At least, that was what they’d told him, but for the past half-hour they’d cut him out and talked exclusively to Jazz. And in ever-diminishing whispers that left him super-alert and ultra-suspicious.
‘You’re not supposed to be listening,’ Eva complained when he glanced up. ‘Get back to watching sport.’
Yes. He was the token man, allowed to remain in the same room as his sisters and Jazz, providing he took the lid off the nuts and poured the sodas for them. With his feet crossed on the coffee table and a bottle of beer in his hand, he’d been invisible up to this point.
‘Could you speak up?’ he requested dryly. ‘I’m having trouble hearing you.’
‘If you must know,’ Eva fired at him from her position at the head of the table, ‘Jazz is in a fix.’
‘A fix? What does that mean?’ He swung round to stare at Jazz.
‘It’s nothing.’ Jazz tried to brush this off with an airy sweep of her hand.
‘You’ve started, so you might as well finish,’ he observed dryly, noting her cheeks had turned bright red.
‘If you must know,’ Eva cut in, ‘Jazz has today received a formal offer from the Emir of Qadar.’
He groaned inwardly. Time had run out. In the interest of learning more, he acted dumb. ‘What kind of offer?’
‘Oh, for goodness’ sake,’ Eva exclaimed, glancing round the table. ‘I know you’re a man, but you must have some idea?’
He shrugged. ‘I’m sure you’ll enlighten me.’
Clicking her tongue against the roof of her mouth, Eva—as he had hoped she would—hurried to fill in the details. ‘An offer of marriage, dummkopf. And soon.’
Soon? He didn’t want to hear another word. He knew his face must be as black as thunder as he appeared to consider this bombshell.
‘The Emir of Qadar?’ he said at last, lips pressing down as he nodded his head, acting impressed. ‘Big country. Important title. That’s quite a compliment for Jazz, isn’t it?’
Britt put a restraining hand on Eva’s arm when she sucked in a breath.
‘Well, isn’t it?’ he said mildly.
Eva scowled, while Leila bit her lip, and Britt looked troubled. Jazz avoided his stare altogether.
‘Is anyone going to explain?’ he requested mildly, seething inside.
Eva took the bait. ‘May I?’ she said, looking at Jazz with concern.
Jazz shrugged and appeared resigned. ‘Go right ahead. It will soon be public knowledge, so, why not?’
Taking a deep breath, Eva stared into his eyes. She was sending him a strong message of sympathy for Jazz, along with an entreaty for him to do something the heck about it. ‘You might not think it such a compliment when I tell you that the emir has insisted on Jazz being a virgin when they marry.’
He exploded out of his seat, then remembered he was supposed to be acting out the concerned friend, rather than overheated would-be lover. Making a calming gesture with his hands, intended for himself as much as anyone, he turned to Jazz. ‘Forgive me, Jazz. This is none of my business, but I didn’t know men still made that type of demand on a woman. This must be hard for you, impossible to talk about with me around...’ He turned for the door, desperate to kick it in, or smash a fist into a block of wood.
‘No, stay,’ Jazz said quietly. ‘You might as well know everything.’
Too right. He leaned back against the door. ‘OK.’ He remained outwardly calm, while a firestorm of concern for Jazz kicked off inside him. What kind of Neanderthal was she planning to marry? And when had this been settled? Last he’d heard, talks between the emir and Sharif were just getting started.
‘Jazz must do what’s right for her,’ his peacemaking sister Leila insisted. ‘None of us has any idea what it takes to be a princess of Kareshi.’ Turning to Jazz, she added, ‘And we’ll support you in whatever you decide to do.’
Jazz stood up too. ‘I know you will.’ She was clearly moved by their concern. ‘Will you all excuse me for a moment?’
‘Of course.’ The chorus of Skavangas was unanimous.
Tyr stood aside to let Jazz go, but he didn’t give his sisters a chance to reinforce the message the three of them were so urgently firing at him. He was going to do something about this, and was on it before Jazz had closed the door.
He closed it for her—with them both on the same side.
‘What are you doing?’ Jazz gasped, staring up at him in alarm as he shut the door behind them.
He came straight to the point. ‘Have you thought this through?’
Jazz stared down at his hands on her arm, and for a very dangerous moment passions ran as high between them as they had way back when. Anything might have happened in those few, potent seconds, but then Jazz drew in a shaky breath and the torment in her eyes made him let her go. As his hands dropped to his side, she whispered, ‘Leila’s right. I know you don’t understand this, but I have to at least consider the emir’s offer, because of all the benefits it could bring to Kareshi.’
‘Nonsense! I told you before, this isn’t right for you, and you know it, Jazz. I can see it on your face.’
‘I knew I should have come veiled,’ she murmured dryly, the old Jazz peeping through. Somehow that flash of spirit made it all the harder to come to terms with this.
‘Don’t joke, Jazz. This is your life we’re talking about.’
‘Exactly, Tyr.’ Her chin tipped up. Steel entered her voice. ‘This is my life. Now, will you please let me go?’
She
