good.”
He hated that she had begun to make sense. “I am not being stubborn. I am being sensible. If you know me as well as you say you do, then you realize I have never stayed involved with one woman longer than six years, and we know how well that turned out.”
Elena glared at him much as she had when he’d been a badly behaved boy. “Comparing Talia to Piper is like comparing a cactus to a down comforter. It’s true Talia gave you a precious son, but she also gave you continuous grief. Piper gave you not only this touching portrait but also the means to heal your wounds with the truth. And you repay her by not admitting how you feel about her.”
“I’m presently not certain how I feel about anything.” Other than he resented Elena for pointing out the error in his ways.
“And you, cara mia, are guilty of propagating the biggest lie of all if you do not stop denying your love for Piper.”
“I have never said I love her.” He was too afraid to leave himself open to that emotion, more so now than ever.
She pointed a finger at his face and glowered at him. “Adan Mehdi, before your obstinate behavior destroys what could be the best thing that has happened to you, listen to me, and listen well. First of all, consider how Piper selflessly cared for your son. How she protected you and Samuel by putting her life on hold while pretending to be your wife, only to be dismissed by you as one would dismiss a servant.”
“But I never—”
“Furthermore,” she continued without regard for his attempts to halt the tirade, “should you finally regain some semblance of wisdom befitting of royalty and decide to contact her, you will beg her forgiveness for being such a rigid cretino.”
The woman knew how to deliver a right hook to his ego. “I take offense to my own mother calling me an idiot.”
Her expression brightened over the unexpected maternal reference. “It means everything to hear you finally acknowledging me as your mother.”
He laid a palm on her cheek. “I suppose I have known that all along. Only a true mother would tolerate my antics.”
“And only a true mother would agree to raise a child that is not her own, and love that child’s father with all her being despite his shortcomings.”
He recognized the reference to Piper, yet he couldn’t quell his concerns. “What if I try to contact her and she rejects me? And what do I say to her?”
“You must speak from the heart.”
“Something I have never truly mastered.”
She sighed. “Adan, your father also viewed revealing emotions as a sign of weakness, and in many ways you have inherited that trait from him. But in reality, it’s a brave man who shows vulnerability for the sake of love. I implore you to call on your courage and tell Piper your true feelings, before it is too late.”
Admittedly, Elena—his mother—was right. He had never backed away from a battle, and he shouldn’t avoid this war to win Piper back. Better still, he had the perfect weapons to convince her to surrender—his well-honed charm, and his remarkable son.
* * *
When she sensed movement in the corner of her eye, Piper tore her attention away from the painting of the red-stone palace and brought it to the window that provided natural light. And after she glimpsed the tall man pushing the stroller up the guesthouse walkway, she blinked twice to make sure her imagination hadn’t commandeered her vision.
But there he was, the man who’d haunted her dreams for the past four weeks. He wore a crisp tailored black shirt and casual beige slacks, his perfect jaw covered by a shading of whiskers, his slightly ruffled thick dark hair as sexy as ever. And she looked like something the cat had dragged into the garage.
She barely had time to remove the paint-dotted apron and smooth the sides of her lopsided ponytail before the bell chimed. After drawing in a cleansing breath, she opened the door and concealed her shock with a smile. “To what do I owe this honor, Your Highness?”
Adan reached into the stroller and retrieved the baby who had stolen Piper’s heart from the moment she’d first held him. “This future pilot insisted on paying a personal visit to the artist who presented us with such a fine painting.”
She couldn’t believe how cute Sam looked in the miniature flight suit and tiny beige boots. “He really said that, huh?”
“He did.”
“Wow. I had no idea three-month-old babies could talk.”
“He’s an exceptional child.”
Born to an exceptionally charming father. A charm he’d clearly passed on to his son, evident when Sam kicked his legs and smiled, revealing his inherited dimples. “Well, don’t just stand there, boys. Come inside before you both melt from the heat.”
Balancing Sam in one arm, Adan leaned over, retrieved the diaper bag from the basket behind the stroller and slipped the strap over his shoulder. “We are accustomed to the heat, but this humidity is excruciating, so I will gladly accept your offer.”
Once he stepped into the foyer, Piper showed him into the small living area and gestured toward the floral sofa. “Have a seat, as soon as you give me the kid.”
After he handed Samuel off to her, he claimed the end of the couch and set the bag at his feet. “This is a very comfortable yet quaint abode.”
“A nice way of saying small,” she said as she sat in the club chair across from him and gently bounced the baby in her lap. “But the rent is cheap. Actually, it’s free. My grandparents live in the main house and this is the guest quarters.”
“Yes, I know. Your grandfather greeted me as soon as we left the car.”
Great. “Not with a shotgun, I hope.”
He laughed. “Actually, he wasn’t armed. In fact, he was quite cordial. He’s still very pleased that he’s been granted the water conservation project, and that’s going quite well, by the way.”
“So I’ve heard,” she said. “I spoke with Rafiq a few days ago.”
“He never mentioned that to me.”
“He had no reason to mention it, Adan. He’s well aware that once I met the terms of our arrangement I’d go back to business as usual.”
“And I presume you’ve done that?”
“Actually, I’m giving a few private art lessons, and I’m looking for a place to open a small gallery. Interestingly enough, my grandfather is willing to invest in the venture.”
“How did you convince him to let you leave the company?”
“I told him that it was high time I had a life of my own that included pursuing my personal aspirations. And then I bribed my grandmother into taking up the cause by helping her with a fund-raiser. Between the two of us, he finally caved.”
“I’m glad you’re happy, Piper,” he said, a solemn note to his voice.
She
