Page 28 of The Sheikh's Willing Captive

He gazed at her a long moment, as if he was about to say something. Then he looked over at the table. "Things are being prepared," he said. His voice was steady and free of emotion.

She cleared her throat. "So I see."

Razim nodded. Paige shifted nervously on her heels.

"Did you sleep well?" he asked.

"Not really," she replied.

"Me neither," he said.

Up close, she could tell his mood was low this morning. That was perfectly normal, she told herself. Her own mood wasn't exactly positive.

"You hungry?" he asked.

"Sure."

He glanced in the direction of the dining room on the other side of the hall. "We can eat out on the terrace, if you like. Just like we used to."

Paige wished he hadn't said that. Memories of last year flickered into her mind. Bright, sunny mornings filled with good humor and hope. Not like today. This would be her one and only pre-divorce breakfast.

She followed him into the dining room and out onto the terrace. Just like he'd said, the table was already set for two. She took her seat and he took his, facing across from her.

The air was cool and the sky was blue. Delicious scents wafted in from the garden. Servants brought a variety of dishes and Paige helped herself to as much as she could eat. She discovered she felt not just hungry, but ravenous. She wondered how much of that could be put down to nerves. Probably all of it, she told herself.

Razim ate quietly for a while, occasionally making casual comments to her.

Finally, just as he finished his coffee, he laid the cup down and gazed at her. She could tell he intended to say something to her. Something important. Maybe he thought this would be his last chance, but she wasn't even sure she was prepared for what he might say.

"I had plenty of time to think, last night," he said. "After what happened. After what you said before you went to bed."

She didn't say anything. Hardly daring to breathe, she could only gaze across the table at him.

"I understand this has been difficult for you," he said. "And I can't blame you for having doubts."

"More than doubts, Razim," she said. "I've never been so nervous in my life."

"Me too," he replied.

"Really?" she asked.

He nodded. "Sometimes I ask myself how we even got ourselves into this mess."

"Is that what you think this is? A mess?" she asked.

His brows furrowed. "That's how I see it for you."

"I've survived, Razim," she said emphatically.

He smiled weakly. "I can see that, Paige. You're a survivor. I've always known that about you."

The compliment caught her off guard. For a moment, she wasn't sure how to respond. "You seem to have adapted to life without me," she said defensively.

"You think so?"

Paige gestured with a hand. "Look around at all this. You're hardly in a difficult situation."

He shrugged and then shook his head. "It's been nothing without you." He sighed. "It's been too quiet. This palace is too big for just one man."