by Holly Rayner
Leaning back against the counter, she gave him her sweetest smile.
“No.”
It looked like it was taking everything in him not to stomp his foot in frustration. Anne-Marie gently crossed her arms, making her position clear.
“My terms have been stated, Sheikh. Do you accept them or not?”
Kaled took several deep breaths as he considered his next move. Anne-Marie watched as he slowly came to terms with what would have to happen for him to get what he wanted.
“Fine,” he said, finally agreeing. “I will be back tomorrow morning for the beginning of my stay. I will not stay a moment longer than the two weeks agreed upon, and I would like your word that once that time has passed, I will be free to make an unquestioned offer on this land.”
“And you have it,” Anne-Marie said, watching him with a glint in her eye.
She had scored a victory, though a short-lived one. She focused on the sweetness of it, holding on to it while he was still there. She didn’t want him to catch a lick of doubt on her face.
Kaled glared at her for a moment longer, clearly trying to finagle another way out of the deal, before he nodded to her and left the house without another word.
Anne-Marie moved to the front window, observing as he slammed the driver’s door and sped off, kicking back dirt behind him. A couple of the horses whinnied at the disturbance before settling their faces back into the grass.
As she had done the previous afternoon, Anne-Marie stared after the car until it was long gone, wondering if she had made the right choice. It was a gamble, but she had to give it a try. Kaled believed that her land had no value beyond the oil that pooled beneath it. It was her task over the next two weeks to prove him wrong.
If she didn’t, her family legacy would be over. And it would be all her fault.
Ignoring that fact, she turned away from the window and walked down the creaky hallway toward the guest room closest to her bedroom. She stood in the doorway and stared at the plain space, furnished only with a small side table and a twin-sized bed. Would he be comfortable in such a place? Had the Sheikh even slept in a bed smaller than a king?
Anne-Marie decided it was time Kaled had a lesson in humility, and she pulled the dusty sheets and thin comforter off the bed, ready to be washed as she tidied up the room in preparation for his arrival. She tried not to think of all the fence mending that was going undone while she did so. The truth was, she was in desperate need of help, and any delays she faced in preparing the man’s room could be made up for with an extra pair of hands the next day.
The afternoon passed much like any other, with Anne-Marie taking Sunshine out to the perimeter to mend the fence on her own. Her fingers were cut so bad that it was nearly impossible to continue on, but she had to. If one of the horses escaped due to a broken fence, there would be no knowing where they would end up. Conversely, were anything to get in, they would all be in danger. She was much more willing to suffer a little pain if it meant keeping her little brood safe.
The day wore on, and as she worked, she kept her mind busy by thinking of everything she could train Kaled to do while he was there. She probably shouldn’t make his life too difficult, if she wanted him to grow to like the place. Still, what did a sheikh know about getting his hands dirty? It was far more likely that he would see his tiny room and run for the hills. Anne-Marie half expected him not to show up at all.
Was the power really in her hands this time? Was it ever? He would still be getting his way, even with the slight delay. And what would his lips taste like, after a sip of lavender lemonade?
Scratching that last thought, Anne-Marie spent the ride back to the ranch telling herself not to think about Kaled, and then doing nothing else. By the time she reached the main house, she knew she was in serious danger of letting herself fall for the man, which absolutely couldn’t happen. They would make their business deal and that would be the end of it. Anne-Marie was sure she could get him to see how beautiful the ranch was, and at the end of it they would shake hands and part as unlikely friends.
Yes, that certainly would be the way things would go. No kissing necessary.
FIVE
Anne-Marie had been up for hours, since well before dawn, when the black car pulled up to the house. She sat sipping her coffee, staring out past the long grasses and smattering of trees. She had spent hours as a child reading beneath those trees, when she wasn’t helping her parents. How long had it been since she’d read a book?
Kaled’s tires scratched against the dirt, bringing the car to a full stop. His silhouette was visible through the dark glass, though that might have only been because the sun was shining directly through the windows from the other side. When he opened the door, Anne-Marie choked back a laugh.
Once again, he was impeccably dressed, his suit perhaps even nicer than the previous two. His sunglasses reflected the sunlight as he opened the back door and pulled out a small suitcase before turning toward Anne-Marie and giving her a nod.
“Good morning,” he said, his voice rough.
Anne-Marie wondered if that was the first time he’d said anything that day. She had already had several conversations with no one in particular. She would have to cull that habit, lest this handsome stranger learned how strange she actually was.
“Morning. Would you like a cup of coffee?”
Kaled hesitated before answering.
“Yes, I believe I would.”
Nodding, Anne-Marie rose from her rocking chair and went inside, filling an old yellow mug before bringing it out. Kaled was standing uncomfortably at the base of the porch stairs, and Anne-Marie handed him his cup before taking a seat on the third step.
“I should probably lay down some ground rules so you know what’s what,” she said, patting the step in an invitation to join her.
Kaled moved to the side, as though to sit as far away from her as possible on the wide steps. Anne-Marie tried not to feel hurt by that. After all, they were strangers. It would be weird for him to want to sit close to her.
“First off, there’s no doorbell here. There’s no intruding. The front door is open, and you can use it whenever you’d like. Don’t feel like you need permission from me to go inside. Same goes for the kitchen. I don’t usually cook anything fancy, so you’re welcome to make whatever food you prefer.”
She watched him carefully, thinking he would look horrified at the need to cook for himself, but he watched her with a level expression. His phone began buzzing in his pocket, and when he didn’t move to answer it, Anne-Marie continued.
“I’ll show you to your room after our coffee, and after that we’ll, um, find you something a little more appropriate to wear.”
“More appropriate?” Kaled exclaimed, glancing down at his suit.
Anne-Marie held her smile in check.
“You know this is a ranch, right? Did you think I’d let you spend the next two weeks securing the deal on your computer from the kitchen table? I need your help, and you need a chance to see what this land really has to offer.”
“I am aware of the deal, Miss Benson.”
Ah, back to ‘Miss Benson’ this morning, she mused.
After a moment, his hard expression softened, and a small, sheepish smile blossomed on his face.
“I suppose I could have packed a little better for the occasion,” he admitted.
Anne-Marie nodded. “It’s no big deal. You look about my father’s size, and there’s a whole chest of clothes still in the room I’ve set up for you.”
“I appreciate that,” he said.
Anne-Marie nodded again, staring out at the ranch. She could feel the pull of work tugging at her, even though her coffee was still half full. Taking another sip, she cast a glance at Kaled, who was also sipping from his cup, enjoying the view.
“It certainly is beautiful countryside,” he said after some time.
Anne-Marie nodded. “It’s my favorite place in the whole world.”
“I can see why.”
They sat together in comfortable silence, enjoying the quiet buzz of early morning, until their cups were empty and it was time for the day to begin. Anne-Marie stood, the old wooden steps creaking beneath her feet.
“Would you like to settle in for a moment before I give you the tour?”
Kaled nodded, standing and taking his suitcase in hand as Anne-Marie led the way into the ranch house. She walked the few steps down the hall to his room and stepped to the side, allowing him his first look at his quarters.
Kaled stepped into the room, glancing around.
“This is nice. Thank you for providing this space during my stay here.”
Anne-Marie was taken aback. Given his background, she had half-expected him to throw a fit over the poor living conditions and demand she come to her senses before running for the hills. When that didn’t happen, she wasn’t sure how to respond.
“Yes, well, it’s the best we have presently. Anyway, you’ll find some clothing in that dresser, and some more in the closet. It’s old and a bit battered, but everything should be clean.”
“Understood,” he said, setting his suitcase down by the small bed and opening a drawer.
Taking the cue, Anne-Marie stepped away from the room and closed the door, giving him privacy. The thought of him changing, just a thin wall away, was enough to send her imagination spiraling, and she gave her head a gentle shake as she stepped out to the porch to grab their empty coffee mugs to wash while he changed.
A few minutes later, she heard Kaled’s door open and turned, choking on a laugh as she took in the sight in front of her.
Kaled was dressed in faded denim jeans and a rancher’s plaid shirt, a Stetson cowboy hat placed on top of his head. His expression was all sheepish embarrassment, and he looked thoroughly unimpressed with the outfit.
“Now you look ready for the day,” she said, biting back a smile.
“I look utterly ridiculous,” he said, though she saw a twinkle of humor in his eye.
“You look like a rancher. Trust me, you’re going to be glad you’re in those clothes when the day is done. That suit would have been ruined beyond repair.”
“I can’t argue with you there,” he said, taking a bracing breath. “Shall we begin, then?”
He stepped past her and headed out the door, taking another deep breath of sweet country air. Anne-Marie watched him, thinking about how handsome he looked in country clothing. Was there anything the man could wear that would make him less attractive? Perhaps a chicken suit?
Nah. Somehow he’d find a way to make even that look sexy. The Sheikh was trouble with a capital T, and Anne-Marie began to second-guess her wisdom in having him stay with her.
He turned and looked up from the base of the porch steps, and her heart gave a little flutter. What was the harm in a little two-week flirtation anyway?
Anne-Marie showed him around the basic ranch area, which housed an outdoor shower behind the main house, a shed for storing supplies, and a small herb garden she had been maintaining since her mother died. Kneeling down, she pulled a weed from the garden, tossing it aside.
“It’s not much of a garden, really, but someday I’ll have the time to tend to it properly.”
“I think it looks great. I love all of these herbs,” Kaled said, and she blushed at the compliment.
He was nothing but grace and kindness as she explained what everything was, why it was there, and what it did. He listened attentively, his dark eyes studying her as she spoke, so much so that she found herself blushing more in one morning than she had in her entire life. Something about him brought out feelings she hadn’t experienced since high school, and the reemerging sensations were quite a rush.
When they reached the barn, she grinned.
“This is the main event: the horse barn!”
She gestured to the dilapidated barn before pulling the door open. Inside, the horses neighed impatiently.
“I know, I know. I’m a little late this morning, but we have a guest, y’all!”
Gesturing to the supply area, she then walked down the line of stalls, introducing Kaled to each horse as she passed them. Kaled gave each one a gentle pet on the nose as they continued their grumbling, ready to get out into the fields and graze. As Anne-Marie reached the last stall, she opened the door and stepped inside, placing a gentle hand on the mare’s back.
“This is Aloha. She’s our mother-to-be.”
Kneeling down, Anne-Marie gently felt the horse’s belly, checking for any complications. The horse lifted a foot but otherwise gave no sign of discomfort.
“When is she due?” Kaled asked from the stall’s entrance.
“Any day now. I can’t wait,” Anne-Marie grinned.
Once she was sure the horse and her foal were in good condition, Anne-Marie stood, brushing her knees with her hands.
“Ready for your first task?” she asked, locking eyes with Kaled.
He nodded, not breaking her gaze. There was a determination in his stare that startled Anne-Marie. She’d had no idea he would be so willing to help her. It was a pleasant surprise, to be sure. He stepped aside as she walked past him and made her way back to the supply shed, where she pulled out a couple of tools and handed one to him.
“These are—”
“Farrier supplies,” Kaled said, and she lifted an eyebrow.
“How did you know that?”
Kaled shrugged. “You just assumed I have no experience with horses.”
“But you’re a sheikh,” she said, unable to stop herself.
She blushed at her blurted-out statement, but Kaled’s smile was gentle.
“Yes, that is true. But I spent a lot of my childhood at a country manor home not so different from here. I always loved animals, and I would dress down and sneak off to the stables to help with the horses. It was against royal protocol for me to do so, but I found such a deep connection with the horses when I really got the whole experience of tending to them. We had a very kind stable manager who let me help out without giving me away.”
Anne-Marie stared at him in astonishment. She tried to imagine a young prince sneaking down to muck out stables, and she found a new respect for Kaled as he reached for the tools and took them from her now limp hand.
“Shall we?” he asked, and after a pause she nodded and opened the first stall.
Anne-Marie watched with fascination as Kaled expertly lifted each horse’s hoof and fixed or replaced shoes as necessary. When he was done, she strapped each horse into a halter and led them out to pasture, releasing them to munch on the long, healthy grass.
By the time they got to Aloha, the morning was nearly over.
“Wait,” Anne-Marie said, placing a hand on Kaled’s arm.
How is he so muscular? she wondered then. Doesn’t he work a cushy office job?
Clearing her throat, she stepped past him toward the stall. “Aloha is a little edgy around men. I’m not sure why, but maybe I should tackle this last one.”
“Can I at least try first?”
He was surprising her at every turn. Rather than shirk away from the work, he went at it with gusto, and it was clear he was enjoying himself. His phone had been ringing off the hook all morning, until he’d finally set it by the barn door and simply walked away. How many business deals were sliding from his grasp as he worked with her to shoe a bunch of horses?
After a brief hesitation, Anne-Marie nodded. He had proven himself to be more than up to the task, after all. She opened the stall door and stepped aside, staying close in case she needed to intervene.
“Hey there, girl,” Kaled said, his voice soothing.
Anne-Marie never thought she’d be jealous of a horse, but when Kaled ran a gentle hand along her back, speaking to her in the most calming voice, she wished to trade places.
Kaled spent some time stroking the horse’s nose and mane, whispering into her ear, letting her know she was safe and secure. Aloha whinnied beneath his touch, and after a moment the Sheikh kneeled down an
d lifted one of her feet, which she granted without any fuss.
“Don’t tell me you also have experience with pregnant ladies,” Anne-Marie quipped, and she saw Kaled grin as he began working on the shoe.
Over the course of the morning, Kaled had become more of an enigma than Anne-Marie could ever have imagined. The suited businessman who had towered over her and demanded she sell her land just the day before had transformed into a completely different person as he knelt by her horse, soothing her with a one-sided dialogue.