Sheikhs of Al-Dashalid: The Complete Series

by Leslie North

  Catelyn bit her lip. “I can see that.” He saw the struggle move across her face like a storm. He wondered if she faced the same dilemma he did—wanting more of her, but needing to keep things locked down. He could not admit to her how often, exactly, he’d thought of her since that night in Texas. If Kyril could marry an American woman—and the true love of his life—why shouldn’t he prove he could do the same? Damn Issam for seeding doubts into his mind.

  “Beyond that, your business needs help.”

  She frowned at him. “How would you know that?”

  “By your blog. I spent some time perusing it, and either you’re bad at posting, or you don’t have as many clients as you’d like.”

  “That’s—” Catelyn nodded. “That’s accurate. We don’t have as many clients as we’d like. Or at least we didn’t until TMZ picked up on…the most recent post.” She raised a hand to her forehead and brushed aside a loose wisp of her blonde hair.

  “There’s also the way Lydia tried to push you to take a position with her company. I learned that she was your mentor in the past.”

  “After college, I was a junior assistant at Morris International in the event planning department. She knew my mother and wanted to pass along her business acumen.” Catelyn pursed her lips. “I guess not enough of it rubbed off.”

  “I’m not sure that’s the case. Perhaps it’s only an issue of marketing. Now that you have the attention—”

  Catelyn flicked her eyes back to her lap.

  “With the spotlight on you, I suppose you’ll have a chance to prove your worth. Lydia was pushing hard to poach you for her own company. I assumed it was because your business had been a resounding success, but perhaps she was throwing you a lifeline.”

  Catelyn arched an eyebrow and let the insult slide by. “I’m still surprised you remember that. It was—what, one sentence over the course of the whole conversation? And I was nobody to you then.”

  That was hardly true.

  “I remember everything about that meeting,” Rami said. There was no use in being coy. “I’ve thought about it many times since then.” His words smoldered with meaning, and Catelyn took another deep breath.

  “Still,” she said, and her cool tone snapped both of them back on track. “Marriage is…a lot to ask. I could call Lydia on your behalf, or even go to Texas with you. I’m assuming that’s where your invitation is for. Her estate, right?”

  “Accompanying me to that weekend wouldn’t solve the other issues,” he reminded her. “I only have three months until I turn thirty, and I need to be married by then.”

  “But if you want to divorce after a year—”

  “Irrelevant.” Rami gave the word a confidence he didn’t feel. “You’re my only prospect now. I haven’t been…hunting for a wife. But you know what they say. People want what they can’t have.” He hated the thought of having to return Catelyn to her life, if she did agree to this plan. But what he said was true. “I’m sure a more…traditional bride will appear by the time our agreement ends.”

  She gave him a look of pure disbelief. “Nobody wants to marry you?”

  “Nobody that’s been vetted. And I haven’t employed a matchmaker.”

  Catelyn shook her head. “I don’t believe that for an instant. You’re wealthy, royal, smart, and…” Her voice trailed off.

  “Do tell,” Rami said. “I’m dying to know what’s last on your list.”

  She blushed furiously. “You’re very attractive.”

  “As much as I like to hear that, I do have my flaws.”

  Caitlyn snorted in amusement “That’s a relief. I can’t imagine how you’d be if you were perfect.”

  Rami laughed out loud. “You American women are bold. But like I said—I’m not everyone’s dream husband. I can be…a little overbearing. It’s something I’ve been aware of for some time. My brothers are not afraid to tease me about it.”

  Catelyn nodded slowly, and he could tell she was remembering the brief time they’d spent together at the party. “I didn’t think you were overbearing. I thought you could use some practice reading a room.”

  He raised his eyebrows.

  “You know—listening to other people. Watching for their reactions. If you did that, you’d be pretty near perfect.” She grinned.

  He leaned forward, flashing her the smile he’d used in a hundred magazine photo shoots. Naturally, a magazine photo couldn’t ruin the moment by talking. But Rami sensed that he was holding his own in this discussion. “I know the ideal person to help me with that.”

  Catelyn raised her chin. “Who’s that?”

  “You.” He watched her carefully as she spoke. “Making this marriage official would be beneficial on multiple fronts.”

  “I think the advantage is weighted heavily in your favor.” She gestured around her. “It’s not like I can marry you and leave my business behind for a year. By the time I got back, it would be gone.”

  “Who said anything about leaving your business? I can provide anything you need to work while we’re out of the country. Anything.” Rami took note of the way her eyes widened, and her breathing quickened. “A new laptop. High speed wifi. A jet, if you think that would improve things. I’d never stand in your way.”

  “Ha,” she retorted. “You hold all the cards. If I say no, you can sink my entire business.”

  “This is all business. Naturally. Each of our interests depend on the other. Wouldn’t you say?”

  She gave him a hard look, her blue eyes seeming to darken a shade. “That’s all this marriage would be. Purely business.”

  It stung to hear those words from her mouth with that heat in her eyes, but Rami put on his best offended expression. “Of course it would be. I have no desire to fall in love. My only desire is to marry you in Connecticut five hours from now.”

  She blinked, and he saw understanding bloom in her eyes. “There’s no waiting period to get married in Connecticut.”

  “Exactly.”

  Catelyn met his eyes and straightened her back. “Are you certain there are no…alternative solutions?”

  He gave her an amused grin. “If you have any that would cover all the bases, so to speak, I’d be open to some discussion.”

  She grimaced. “You’re so…insistent. On covering all the bases. But why should I accept a deal that’s so one-sided? You’d get far more out of this than I would, even businesswise.”

  “Are you entirely sure about that? It’s a bit crass to mention the private jet again, or the international lifestyle—both of which would give you untold credibility in your industry. You’d be the most informed wedding planner in the business, without a doubt. What bride wouldn’t want a wedding with chic international flair?”

  Catelyn studied him. “What did you do, research wedding planning, too?”

  “Yes.”

  “You know,” she said with a wry grin. “It’s not considered very polite to tell other people how to do their jobs.”

  “I would never presume to do that.” Rami leaned back in his chair. “I’ve laid out my offer. A wedding in Connecticut, five hours from now. Or you can delete the blog, and we’ll both weather the fallout.”

  “That would mean a very rocky time for both of us. And our families,” said Catelyn softly. “Not to mention Laura and Daisy…”

  Rami waited.

  “Fine,” she admitted, standing up. “There’s no other way out but through. Let’s get married. For real, this time.”

  6

  They were running behind.

  Catelyn checked her watch, her heart fluttering behind her breastbone. To be fair, they were only three minutes behind schedule, but that didn’t matter much to her. It was Catelyn’s style to be prompt in everything. It was a habit developed at Morris International, when she’d done her level best to impress Lydia, and it had given her a good reputation with the brides she worked for.

  Until this business with Rami, though, it hadn’t been enough of a reputation. Maybe she should
have taken out more ads. But where? In the phone book? No. Nobody had phone books anymore. A social media site, maybe, but that seemed more daunting than arranging entire grand events.

  It was all irrelevant now. In this moment, at least, in the car with Rami heading toward Connecticut.

  She could feel his eyes on her and felt a sudden flash of shyness. It was a business arrangement, this wedding, and nothing more. But sitting in the car with him, breathing him in like this—it made her feel as awkward as he’d acted at Lydia’s party.

  Not that either of them needed to think about that on the way to their…second…wedding.

  “What are you thinking about?” Rami spoke quietly, his voice low, and it sent a thrill of pleasure through her core as if she were a tuning fork and the words had struck her in the sweet spot.

  Catelyn looked at him then. Rami’s dark eyes held a flash of worry. “This all happened fast,” Catelyn said wryly. “I’m just…thinking it through again.”

  Rami reached out and patted her just above her knee. It was a casual, teasing touch, but goosebumps rose along her skin. “It’s only cold feet. All brides go through it.”

  She laughed out loud. “All pretend, second-time brides?”

  “It won’t be pretend for long.” He took in a half breath. “Though I still don’t understand—”

  “Why certain states have waiting periods and others don’t?”

  Rami shook his head with a bemused smile. “Why it wasn’t enough just to show up and get married.”

  “That’s what we’re doing.”

  “That is not what we’re doing,” Rami said, laughing. “Unless you want to call the last few hours ‘showing up and getting married.’”

  She gave him a pointed look. “You basically proposed when you were surrounded by three wedding planners. What did you think was going to happen?”

  “I thought we’d get in the car and leave.” Rami dragged his fingers down a fold in the leather in the space between them. Catelyn stifled the urge to grab his hand and press his knuckles to her lips. That would not be a very business-related move. “I didn’t think there would be…all that.”

  All that referred to the chaos that had enveloped Elite Occasions from the moment Catelyn stepped outside her office and sounded the alarm. Laura and Daisy had surged into action. In a matter of hours, they’d pulled together a dress, flowers, and a photographer. They’d driven away in Daisy’s car to set up a makeup and hair station ahead of time. Just like the photoshopped wedding, her hair and makeup would be done by her friends.

  All in all, it was a decently planned event. Daisy had even updated the blog post with a cheeky comment about how updated wedding photos were coming soon.

  “Well,” Catelyn teased. “What would you cancel? The gorgeous dress? The nice makeup? God forbid the photographer.”

  “We already have pictures, thanks to you.”

  Catelyn dismissed this with a wave of her hand. “We edited the post to explain that those were bridal session photos for help choosing my dress. Plus, these new ones will be a hundred times better. You’ll be able to use them as promo photos. You know. Back in Al-Dashalid.” She laughed.

  “What—you don’t trust my ability to be a groom in real life?”

  “No, it’s just—” Thoughts rushed through Catelyn’s mind. “It’s just that I promised my parents I’d never marry in a rush. I said I might never marry at all. And here I am, participating in self-sabotage.”

  Rami’s mouth curved up in a smile, his eyes lingering on her face. “It’ll all work out. We have a plan.”

  She rolled her eyes. “If you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans.”

  A question formed on Rami’s lips, but the driver pulled the car over at the curb. Catelyn looked out the window at the courthouse in Middletown, Connecticut. This time, she reached for Rami’s hand. “Let’s go fill out some paperwork,” she said. “Time to get married. For real.”

  Catelyn took a deep breath and tried to stop her hands from trembling.

  The venue, she had to admit, was gorgeous. Daisy and Laura had booked a last-minute time block at the Patriot Room at the Inn at Middletown. The room was perfect for smaller groups, though the four of them had a little too much breathing room. Never mind all that. The photographer was there on time, and Daisy and Laura had thrown together an aisle runner and floral arrangements that flanked where Rami stood with the officiant at the front of the room.

  Catelyn beamed at him through the open doors, and then the violin music began. Her friends had really left no stone unturned, and a single violinist stood in the back corner of the room, playing the opening notes of "Be Thou My Vision." Catelyn’s heart swelled.

  They’d even found bridesmaid dresses. Her friends processed to the front of the room ahead of her, then stood to one side.

  It was her big moment.

  Rami did not take his eyes off her.

  She knew she looked good. Laura was practically a professional at styling hair, and her makeup was what they suggested for all brides—fresh and neutral and soft. But the way Rami’s eyes went wide as she came closer told her that she was more than a vision. She was radiant. The awe in his eyes was absolutely genuine.

  Catelyn blinked hard. This was about business. Not emotion. This…arrangement was going to save her business and let her friends keep the jobs they loved, even if it did mean leaving them one woman short when she was traveling. Al-Dashalid itself still seemed like a dream. And to go as Rami’s wife…

  To everyone else, it would be real. And they’d treat her as such. Her stomach did a slow flip. They might not be pleased. She’d looked up his brother Kyril’s wedding, and this scenario seemed awfully close. Would his parents be able to stand it?

  She moved slowly down the aisle, aware of each click of the camera shutter that slipped through the violin music. Relax, she told herself. Don’t hold your bouquet so tight. You look like you’re about to crush it. She loosened her grip.

  Rami stood ramrod straight next to the officiant, his expression serious. But as she drew nearer, the warmth in his eyes spread over the rest of his face. A grin turned up the corners of his mouth, and she felt herself smiling back even wider.

  Finally, she stood next to him, and he offered his hand.

  She took it.

  She could feel the officiant preparing to begin the ceremony—a short one, since so much more chaos would follow this wedding—but Rami spoke low into her ear. “You look beautiful,” he said, and Catelyn’s whole body flushed with pleasure. “I have to admit something, before we become man and wife.” She looked into his eyes. “I saw the blog post as a sign.” The words lingered in the air between them and Catelyn’s heart beat harder. She also had to swallow a giggle. This sudden burst of awkward facts was so him. “I wanted you from the moment I saw you.”

  That did not sound like a business arrangement.

  Before she could answer, the officiant began, welcoming the four of them to the most intimate ceremony Elite Occasions had ever planned. “We’re gathered here today to witness the wedding of Catelyn and Rami,” the woman said with a smile. “Unless, of course, anyone objects.” It was a joke, but when a moment of silence came and went, Catelyn felt Rami relax ever so slightly.

  The officiant turned to Rami. “Rami, do you intend to take this woman as your wife, to love, cherish, and protect from this day forward?”

  Her heart leapt into her throat. It was fake—all of it was fake. But this moment sang with a realness that even Catelyn couldn’t deny. Not at the very core of her.

  “I do,” answered Rami. He sounded utterly confident.

  It was fake—unless it wasn’t. He’d wanted her from the moment he saw her. They’d agreed to terms. They’d agreed to a year. But if he’d wanted her that much…

  She had no more time to think about it. The officiant turned to her. “Catelyn, do you intend to take this man as your husband, to love, cherish, and protect from this day forward?”

  Te
ars sprang to Catelyn’s eyes in spite of herself. “I do.”

  She could accept that it was nothing more than a business arrangement. She could. If that’s truly what it was. But as the officiant led them in their vows, Catelyn couldn’t shake the feeling that there could be more to this. It was a long shot. But there could be more.

  Catelyn barely heard the words Rami spoke. She barely heard the words from her own mouth. But she did hear when the officiant said, “You may kiss the bride!”

  She stepped into Rami’s arms as easily as if it were real, giving herself over to the fantasy. But his kiss—it wasn’t the chaste peck of a staid royal ceremony. His mouth possessed hers, and she felt herself yielding, and oh—it was good. Strong and gentle, and she felt his breath as he moved to explore her mouth with his tongue—

  Laura started clapping, and Daisy followed suit, the two of them cheering. That was close. Catelyn stepped back, Rami’s hand in hers, and they led the way back down the center of the room.

  It was official.

  The clock was ticking.

  7

  “To the newlyweds,” Laura said, leading them all in yet another round of toasts. The bridal party—all four of them—had gone to a restaurant a few blocks from the Inn. It was attached to a very small and very upscale hotel.

  When Daisy had filled the couple in on the reception plans, Rami had nudged his new wife with his elbow, whispering, "Sure, we’re just driving up and getting married."

  Catelyn elbowed him back. “A separate hotel? I trust you guys with my wedding, but—” Her friends chuckled at the joke, their voices rising as they walked through the lobby and out to waiting car.

  “The restaurant had an open reservation,” she said. “And it’s more our speed.” She’d raised her eyebrows at Catelyn, and she’d immediately understood—the restaurant was upscale. It was the kind of place that Elite Occasions would book for other brides. They’d thought of everything.