by Holly Rayner
Accepting her challenge, Kaled pulled at the base of his own plaid shirt, but when he removed it there was nothing but thick, chiseled muscle beneath. With his eyes still on her, he twisted his shirt, wringing it out, before kicking off his boots and socks and making his way into the house.
Anne-Marie took a stabilizing breath, which she desperately needed, because the man had just robbed her of the capacity to breathe.
After a moment, she removed her own shoes and stepped inside the house. Kaled was nowhere to be found. Making her way to the kitchen, she saw the whiskey bottle and two tumblers sitting on the kitchen table, with still no sign of the man who had put them there.
Kaled walked out of his bedroom then, fully dressed once again. He approached her, about to say something, when the power went out, plunging them into almost total darkness.
Anne-Marie took a few steps forward with her hands stretched out, and Kaled reached for her fingers, taking them and wrapping her hand around his forearm.
“I don’t suppose you have any emergency candles,” he said, his voice like melted honey in the darkness.
Anne-Marie took the lead, guiding him in the direction of the kitchen. Having grown up in that house, she knew it like the back of her hand. She could make her way through it blindfolded after a hundred turns. They made their way carefully to the kitchen, where Anne-Marie found several candlesticks in a drawer and made quick work of lighting them.
Kaled’s eyes glowed in the candlelight. His skin looked warm and soft, and Anne-Marie ached to run her fingers along it. Especially now that she had seen those glorious abs of his! His eyes drifted up and down her form for a moment.
“You’re still soaked,” he said, and at his words she began to shiver slightly.
He placed his hands on her shoulders and turned her in the direction of the bedroom.
“Put on something warm. Then we can have a whiskey and ride out the storm.”
“You’re a poet and you didn’t even know it,” Anne-Marie quipped, and Kaled chuckled.
“Off you get. I’m ready to relax. We’ve earned it today!”
Even Anne-Marie had to admit that he was right. Even though the day had been cut short, they had accomplished more than she could have in a week by herself. Kaled was simply that productive. No wonder he was such a successful businessman, she thought, then regretted remembering that fact.
She changed into a comfortable shirt and sweatpants before heading back out, following the flickering shadows of the candlelight until she reached Kaled sitting comfortably in the living room. He held up a glass of whiskey for her, and she took it gratefully, taking a seat next to him on the couch.
She groaned as she leaned back, her muscles reminding her that she had shoveled hay, climbed a roof and done any number of laborious tasks that day.
Kaled held his tumbler up in the candlelight. “To Phoenix. May she ever rise from the ashes.”
Anne-Marie clinked her glass against his, then took a sip, savoring the warm feel of the alcohol. She had so rarely taken time to enjoy herself over the past few years. It felt foreign, like she was doing something she shouldn’t be doing but enjoying it anyway.
“You never did tell me the reason why you know how to patch rooftops, shovel hay, and generally fix everything. There has to be a story behind it. What aren’t you telling me?”
In the light of the candles, she felt bold enough to be blunt with him. They had spent so much time together over the past few days, and yet she knew so little about him. Who was this sheikh who knew how to work the land?
Kaled swirled his drink in his glass for a moment, staring into the amber liquid.
“There’s not much to tell, really. I’m just good with my hands.”
“Liar,” Anne-Marie said, nudging him with her shoulder. “When are you going to realize that I can always tell?”
“When you tell me exactly what I do to give myself away. Then I will give away all my secrets without hesitation.”
Anne-Marie sat up, facing him. She stared at him, drawing the suspense out, though he simply gazed back at her, completely undaunted.
“Well? What’s it going to be, Miss Benson? Do you want to tell me what you know, or am I going to have to squeeze it out of you?”
Anne-Marie stared into his eyes, enjoying this playful interlude. She realized then that she simply liked being in his company. There was something about Kaled that was so soothing, so comforting, like he was in control of every situation he had ever been in and could handle anything.
“You really want to know?”
Kaled nodded eagerly.
“Okay, the thing is: when you lie, you look to the side. You also purse your lips ever so slightly. Between those two tells, I’ve been able to tell every single time you’ve lied to me since you arrived here.”
Kaled stared at her, bewildered. His finger darted to his lips for a moment, drawing her attention there, and then he grinned.
“My father was born a peasant. Really, I shouldn’t be a sheikh at all.”
TWELVE
Rain pelted against the wall of the ranch house as Anne-Marie stared at Kaled in surprise.
“You’re an imposter?” she asked.
Kaled laughed. “I suppose that depends on who you’re asking. I am a rightful sheikh of Al Hajidh, so I’m not an imposter in that sense. But my parents married for love, which was highly frowned upon at the time. No one believed he was worthy of her.”
“How was it allowed to happen, then?” Anne-Marie asked, cradling her glass as she took a sip of whiskey, not taking her eyes off Kaled.
He sat back and looked up at the ceiling, staring off into memories of the past.
“My father was the palace estate manager. Whether it was roofing, landscaping, you name it, he was the problem solver, and because of that, he was always around. My mother saw him no matter where she found herself, and she would often find a clipping of a flower left for her to find. It was his way of secretly expressing his love for her.”
“That’s so romantic,” Anne-Marie said.
Kaled nodded, still lost in his tale.
“Eventually, unable to help herself, she fell in love with him, too. They knew the odds were against them. It was far more likely she would be married to a wealthy man and that would be the end of it. Fortunately for her, circumstances were on their side.”
“What circumstances?”
“Al Hajidh is a very wealthy country, with a good amount of oil. There was no need to marry my mother off for political connection or an increase in finances—we stand quite firmly on our own. Also, my grandfather loved his daughter, my mother, more than life itself and would have done anything to make her happy.”
“So they were wed, even though he had no idea how to be a sheikh?”
Kaled nodded. “That’s right. My father certainly had to shape up, though running the estate, he told me, was a smaller version of running a country, so it really didn’t take that much learning on his part to figure out the nuances of royal life.”
“Where are your parents now?” she asked.
“Still tucked away in our country estate. When I was younger and I decided to strike out on my own, they weren’t thrilled, but they were supportive. I haven’t seen them in quite some time, actually. I really should make a trip home.”
They sat in silence for a while, listening to the sound of the rain as it began to subside ever so slightly. Anne-Marie finished her drink, looking back at Kaled.
“So that’s why you know how to do all this stuff? Your dad taught you?”
Kaled’s grin was sheepish as he glanced over at her. “He did. He often helped me to sneak down to the stables, causing the right distraction for my tutors, whisking my mother away so I could slip out. We spent a lot of time going over the estate together, and while some royals think it beneath them to get their hands dirty with work, it was something my father enjoyed, and he continued to help his staff even when they sank beneath him in status.”
&nbs
p; “He sounds like a good man,” Anne-Marie said, thinking of her own father.
“He is. One of the very best.”
Anne-Marie could feel Kaled’s gaze upon her as she watched the rain pattering against the windows.
“What about your parents?” he asked, and she turned to look at him.
In the candlelight he was the handsomest man she had ever seen. His angular features and warm eyes were showcased in the dancing yellow light, and all she wanted to do was kiss him.
She scooted away from him ever so slightly, to prevent herself from giving into the urge. His eyes darted down, clearly noting the gesture.
Was that a frown?
“Not much to tell, really. It’s a small town. They went to high school together, both from ranch families. My mother’s family actually lived a few acres from here, so when her parents died, a few years after they were married, they combined the land. Sometimes I think that’s why it’s become such a struggle to maintain. There’s just so much of it,” she said dully.
“Have you considered just selling parts of it?” he asked.
“Why? You interested in whatever you can get?” she snapped, suddenly on the defense.
Kaled was quiet. Anne-Marie instantly regretted her outburst. He didn’t deserve that kind of treatment. He had done nothing but show her that he was a hard worker and a kind man, and being skeptical of his every move wasn’t fair on her part.
“I’m sorry,” she said after a moment. “I didn’t mean that.”
“Yes, you did,” he said. “And it’s okay. I understand not being able to trust another person. I’ve had my fair share of letdowns myself.”
“In business?” she asked.
“In a lot of realms,” he replied.
When he didn’t elaborate, Anne-Marie let the subject drop. She stood then and walked over to the window, crossing her arms around her body as she stared out at the barn. In the reflection she saw Kaled rise and move to stand beside her.
“Would you like to go check on them one more time?”
Anne-Marie tilted her chin up to look at him. He was standing awfully close to her, and she allowed herself to breathe in the clean scent of him. He smelled like whiskey and rain, and if she could bottle that scent she knew she would make a fortune.
As he stared down at her, his eyes so full of concern, of consideration, she wondered for a moment if he would be the one to make the move. When he didn’t, she nodded her head.
“I think I should. You don’t have to come, if you don’t want to.”
She didn’t know why she’d said that. Probably self-preservation. The closer he got, the more she battled between wanting to push him away to protect herself and wanting desperately to throw herself into his arms.
“I would like to, if that’s all right with you,” he said, his tone a little wounded.
Had she hurt him by trying to keep him at arm’s length? Impossible. Kaled was there for one reason, and one reason only. Perhaps he had enjoyed his time working the land again, but that was no business of hers. She would take the help and do her best not to think of anything else…like the way he was looking at her at that very moment.
“Let’s get to it, then. We’ll have a lot of cleanup to do tomorrow, depending on how much damage the storm has caused.”
Kaled nodded, and as they headed toward the front door, the house flashed with light as electricity began to whir around them once again.
“Power’s back on,” Anne-Marie said, sighing with relief.
“I noticed,” Kaled replied, grinning as he opened the front door for her to walk through.
“Thanks,” she said, walking past him.
She felt the heat of his chest as she walked by, mingled with the heat of his stare. It was getting harder to pretend that there was nothing going on between them. Pressing on, she stepped briskly down the porch steps. The rain had lightened up, but it was still steady. They ran across the small distance from the ranch house to the barn, splashing through muddy puddles before they reached their destination and stepped inside.
The barn was warm and cozy, filled with the soothing scent of hay and clean horses. Kaled and Anne-Marie checked in on the horses, who were all quite happily dozing off for the night. Anne-Marie checked the patched-up roof again, which was holding nicely.
“You do great work,” she said. “I should hire you full time.”
Kaled laughed. “You think I’d do okay, giving up life as a businessman for the life of a rancher?”
Anne-Marie shook her head. “Probably not. After all, I’d never be able to afford you.”
“You might be surprised,” he said, his voice so quiet she thought she’d misheard him.
What did that mean?
After checking for any more leaks, Anne-Marie opened the barn door again, and Kaled joined her. By then the rain had mostly stopped, just a few drops splattering here and there. In the distance, the storm’s end was clearly visible, and a smattering of stars could be seen beyond a crown of dark clouds.
Anne-Marie took a deep breath. The air was cool and crisp, and the scent of fresh rain filled her senses as she took a step toward the ranch house.
Kaled closed the barn door and followed her, not saying a word. It wasn’t an awkward silence, but it was a loaded one. There were things between them that needed to be said.
When they got back to the house, Anne-Marie couldn’t suppress a yawn.
“We should turn in,” Kaled said, picking up on the cue. “Like you said, we’ve got a busy day tomorrow.”
They walked side by side down the narrow hallway, stopping once again at his room. Anne-Marie sensed it was becoming a ritual for her to walk Kaled to his door before bidding him good night. It was something she was really starting to enjoy. It was nice to have someone to say good night to, after all.
“Thank you for your help today. It was certainly eventful.”
“I should say so. Is every day this dramatic on the ranch?”
Anne-Marie’s smile was gentle as she gazed up at her handsome boarder.
“Not at all. It must have something to do with you.”
“Well I’m glad I can make life interesting, if nothing else.”
“Me too. It’s been far too boring around here of late, though I didn’t realize it until you showed up.”
“Happy to oblige. If there’s another pregnant horse anywhere, I stand at the ready.”
“Good to know,” she said, taking one last breath of him before she stepped away toward her door.
“Good night, Kaled.”
“Good night,” he replied.
She turned toward her room, then, and she felt the warmth of his stare along her back as she closed the door behind her, not turning around.
Anne-Marie took a breath, staring out at her room. It was getting harder and harder to resist Kaled, and she needed to resist him. She needed to be strong. She needed to remember that he would be gone by the following week, and that he would forget about that rancher woman whose land he had acquired for the price of a destination vacation from his job.
She also needed to kiss him. Badly.
Shaking her head at herself, Anne-Marie got ready for bed, brushing her teeth and taking a quick shower to wash off the mud from the rain. Images of Kaled’s bare chest danced across her mind’s eye, and she allowed herself to indulge in the daydream. After all, once this was all over, what would she have of him but dreams?
When her head hit the pillow, she imagined it would take her ages to fall asleep, the way it had the previous night. She imagined Kaled’s arms wrapping around her as she nuzzled into the crook of his chest, his breath sleepy and deep as his head cradled her shoulder.
She was out within minutes.
THIRTEEN
Anne-Marie woke up to the scent of freshly brewed coffee, and when she left her room she was surprised to see Kaled, fully dressed, standing over the stove.
“I don’t suppose your dad was also the estate chef?” Anne-Marie asked wi
th a laugh, and Kaled chuckled, his dimple appearing again.
Anne-Marie took a seat at the kitchen table, and Buckle was quick to follow, sitting in the chair next to her and meowing.
“Good morning, you,” she said. “Glad to see you got through the storm in one piece.”
She reached out a hand and scratched the cat’s head. Buckle leaned into her pet before crossing over onto her chair and sitting in her lap, purring contentedly.