Читать книгу Claimed by the Desert Sheikh: The Sheikh and the Pregnant Bride / Desert King, Pregnant Mistress / Desert Prince, Expectant Mother - Susan Stephens - Страница 15

Qadir walked into the usually quiet garage and watched as Maggie threw tools into the large open box on the floor.

“Just so damn stupid,” she muttered. “Does anyone care about my opinion? Noooo. I just want to beat him with a stick.”

She threw more tools as she grumbled, her expression tight with annoyance, her movements jerky. She was on fire and he found himself attracted to her temper.

“Someone has annoyed you,” he said.

She turned and glared at him. “Yes, someone has. A man. You probably don’t want to be here today, what with you being a man and all. I’m angry enough not to be picky about who I yell at.”

He laughed. “You do not frighten me.”

“Because I’m a woman, right? What is it with you men that you think you know better?” She pointed to his crotch. “It’s just excess flesh, you know. It’s not the great repository for all knowledge. Since when did being a man make you an oracle?”

She was all fire and rage. Both her passion and beauty excited him.

“I did not claim to be an oracle,” he told her. “I said I am not afraid of you.”

“You should be.” She picked up a large wrench. “I could do a lot of damage with that.”

“Yes, you could.” He walked over and removed it from her grasp, then set it on the desk. Still holding her hand in his, he rubbed her fingers. “What happened?”

“I talked to Jon.”

Qadir did not respond. Better for Maggie to tell him in her own way.

She drew in a breath. “He’s just so annoying. His stupid superior attitude. Like he has all the answers. I hate that.”

“And him?”

“I don’t hate him, but I want to smack him upside the head. He’s convinced he knows best. Since when does he get to be in charge of my life? Hello, it’s my life. Mine. Not his. But will he accept that? I’ll give you one guess on that question.”

Qadir had not been pleased to know that Maggie would have to tell the other man about the baby, but there was little choice in the matter.

She looked at him. “He wants to marry me.”

“He is an honorable man,” he told her, enjoying a brief image of crushing Jon like a bug. “That should please you.”

“Well, it doesn’t. It really pisses me off. Okay, fine. I’ll accept he wants to be a part of his child’s life. Knowing him, I shouldn’t be surprised. I still think it would be better if he walked away, but he won’t. That’s just so him. But marriage? Did he notice the new-century thing, because here we are. It’s a shiny new world and by God, no man is going to marry me just because I’m pregnant with his child.”

The marriage proposal did not come as a surprise, but Qadir did not like it.

“He doesn’t even care that it’s not what I want,” Maggie continued, still fuming. “No. It’s all about him and the baby and what’s right.” She turned on Qadir. “How is this right? How is two people making themselves miserable right? Wait. It’s not two people. It’s three. What about Elaine? I think they’re falling in love and he’s going to toss that away because of the baby? This is just so typical. Do you know he doesn’t think I’m capable? I never got that before, but he just about said I couldn’t do this on my own. That really, really annoys me.”

She jerked free of his touch and stalked around the car. “It’s a guy thing, right? The need to assume women are just a little bit less? Why is that? Do we threaten you so damn much? Oh, I’m just so mad I could spit.”

Despite potential risk to his person, Qadir chuckled. She turned on him.

“You think this is funny?”

“I think you are beautiful and full of life. Jon is a fool for ever letting you go, but that is his loss. He must deal with it now.”

Her eyes widened. “That was good,” she breathed. “Seriously. I feel almost disarmed.”

“How unfortunate, as I like you armed. Go to your office and get changed. I will take you to lunch and then shopping. You will feel better when we are finished.”

She rolled her eyes. “And here I was starting to like you. Do you get that I’m not the shopping type?”

“I haven’t said what we’re shopping for.”

“Oh. Well, if it’s cars, I’m so there.”

He smiled. “Go get changed.”

“Okay. It would probably be better for me to get out than to stay here.”

“Agreed. I do not want you taking out your temper on my Rolls.”

She laughed, then closed the door behind her. Qadir stayed where he was, careful not to move because if he did, he would join her in her office and this time when he touched her, he would not stop.