He raised his eyebrows, which made her laugh.
“Not that,” she said with a smile. “Do you have a real sword? You know, made of metal and all sharp and shiny.”
“Of course.”
“Then I’ll let you know the next time I see a dragon.”
He took her hand in his and led her closer to the wall. “The crying is not what you think.”
“It sounds like a kitten is lost inside. Or someone is in trouble.”
“Sometimes it sounds like a child. Instead there are two old parrots. The last of them. These walls hide the harem garden. Many years ago, when my great-grandfather kept women here, parrots lived in the garden. Their cries concealed the voices of the women so no man would be tempted to climb the walls and claim what could never be his.”
She stared at him. “There was a harem here?”
“Of course.”
“Women kept against their will?”
“Dozens of the most beautiful women in the world.”
“That’s disgusting.”
“Not for the king.”
She glared at him. “Don’t you dare become a sexist pig. I swear, I’ll stab you in your sleep.”
“Pregnancy has made you violent.”
“Maybe I’ve always been this way.”
“Perhaps.” He leaned down and kissed her nose. “You need a good taming. Time in a harem would do that.”
“I’m not really harem material. I would rebel and escape.”
“Perhaps your master would so satisfy you that you would not want to be anywhere else.”
The way Qadir had satisfied her? “I’m not the type who takes to confinement well.”
“I would agree. You are far too independent.”
For a harem or for him?
She told herself that she was only making herself crazy. Qadir had never hinted he wanted anything but the bargain they’d agreed upon. The fact that her feelings were changing didn’t shift reality. She supposed the only question she had to deal with was whether or not she could stay and pretend to be involved with him when, for her at least, it was no longer a game.
“I’m glad there isn’t a harem anymore,” she said. “Knowing there were women locked up would really annoy me.”
“I am not so sure. At times I miss the old ways.”
She looked at him and saw the humor in his eyes. “You’re really flirting with danger here. Just because you’re a prince doesn’t mean I can’t take you.”
“You cannot take me. Not in the way you mean. But there are other ways to bring me to my knees, Maggie, and those you know well.”
His words made her tremble, then step closer so they could kiss.
His mouth was firm without being hard, offering as much as it took. She kissed him back with a passion that burned so hot she knew she would carry the scars forever.
When he led her back toward the palace, she went with him. Yes, there was a risk in being with Qadir over and over. But she would face the pain later. For now, building memories would have to be enough.
“I love weddings,” Victoria said as they walked along the hallway. “Which is strange when you think about it. I’m so opposed to love. But I guess I don’t mind other people making emotional fools out of themselves.”
“You’re such a romantic,” Maggie teased, wishing they weren’t going so fast. She still wasn’t comfortable walking in high heels.
Although As’ad and Kayleen’s wedding was in the morning, it was still a dressy affair.
“Thanks for helping me get ready,” Maggie said as she smoothed the front of her dress.
“No problem. I loved playing dress-up as a kid. You look beautiful, which is important. There will be lots of press hanging around. They won’t be allowed in the ceremony, of course, but expect to have your picture taken.”
Not an exciting thought, Maggie told herself. “I guess a small, intimate wedding just for family is out of the question.”
“When the man you’re marrying is a prince, then yes. By royal standards, this is small. There are also different traditions. No attendants. While As’ad’s brothers will sit up front, they won’t stand with him.” Victoria smiled at her. “Which explains why you’ll be there with Qadir and I’ll be in the back with the other rabble.”
“I’d rather sit with you,” Maggie said earnestly. At least with Victoria, she wouldn’t feel like a fraud.
“You’ll be fine. There’s really nothing to do but smile and be happy for the lucky couple. Don’t worry. I’ll watch all the famous people coming in, then catch up with you at the reception and let you know what movie stars are here. There will also be the usual foreign dignitaries, which is less interesting. They even got Kateb, the mystery brother, to come in from the desert for the event.”
Maggie looked at her friend. “I’ve met him. He seems nice.”
Victoria shook her head. “I don’t think anyone has ever used that word to describe him. He’s dark and mysterious. A man of the desert, which means he’s ruled by emotions. Too passionate for me. Give me a prince like Nadim who doesn’t know how to feel. Kateb is nothing but trouble.”
Victoria sighed. “Not that it’s an issue anymore. I’m giving up on princes.”
“Really?”
“Uh-huh. I thought about what you said before. I can take care of myself. I’m well paid working here and I don’t have any expenses except for clothes and vacations. I’ve done some traveling but always on the cheap and you’ve seen where I shop. I guess you can take the girl out of poverty but you can’t take poverty out of the girl. Anyway, I have a fairly big savings account. I’ve decided to come up with a new plan.”
“Which is?”
“I’m going to work here another year and keep saving, then I’m going back to the States and opening my own business. I don’t know what it will be yet, but I have time to figure it out. I don’t need a prince to be happy. I can avoid men at home just as easily as I have here.”
“Good for you,” Maggie said, not sure it was good. Having Victoria recognize that she was capable of taking care of herself was excellent, but cutting herself off emotionally wasn’t exactly healthy. “And you might meet someone nice.”
“No, thanks. I have no interest in getting married for the sake of it. With Nadim, I was looking for security. Now that I don’t need that, I’m going to avoid men. All men.”
They walked down the stairs to the main level and heard the crowd of waiting guests before they saw them. Victoria pointed toward a side door.
“Go through there. You’ll find Qadir and the rest of the wedding party. I’ll see you at the reception.”
Maggie opened her mouth to protest that she wanted to stay with her friend, but Victoria gave her a little push. Maggie walked toward the door, then opened it and went through.
Members of the royal family were gathered around. Maggie recognized a few of them, while others were unfamiliar. She saw Qadir’s aunt who was now Queen of Bahania, along with Qadir’s brothers. The king was there, as well.
She circled the room, avoiding the monarch, looking for Qadir. Maybe she could explain it would be easier for everyone if she simply sat with Victoria.
A servant walked by with a tray of champagne. She shook her head as she eased back into a corner. Seconds later Qadir found her.
“Why are you hiding?” he asked by way of greeting.
“I’m not hiding, exactly.” She looked around. “I don’t belong here. I’m a fraud.”
“Perhaps, but you are my fraud.”
“You’re not taking this seriously.”
“Because you are taking it too seriously.” He picked up her hand and kissed her knuckles. “You look beautiful. Elegant and unapproachable. Yet I know the woman inside, the one who cries out my name.”
She cleared her throat. “Yes, well, that woman is busy today. I’m here in her place.”
“I find this one charming, as well.”
“Good to know.” She looked around. “I’ve never b
een to a royal wedding before.”
“They are much like others you have attended. Long and filled with tradition.”
Would his wedding be like this? she wondered. When he finally found the woman he wanted to marry? Speaking of which…
“Jon and Elaine have left,” she told him.
“I had heard that. All is well?”
She nodded. “They’re still together and in love. Jon and I haven’t figured out what we’re going to do about the baby, but he no longer thinks we have to get married. We’ll figure out the details later. Maybe weekends or summers. At least that’s what we discussed. I was wrong to suggest he give up his child. I think that freaked him out. He reacted in the only way he knew how.”
Kateb approached. “Ms. Collins, how nice to see you again.”
Qadir frowned. “How do you know Maggie?”
“We met in the garden,” she told him.
“I am not sure I approve.”
What was it with these imperious men? “I’m not sure I care about your approval.”
Kateb laughed. “It is too bad you are not involved with this one,” he told his brother. “She has much to recommend herself.”
Maggie knew Kateb meant his words as a compliment, but they still cut through her. The reminder that this was all a game to Qadir hurt more than it should. Not that she was surprised to be the only one who had fallen in love.
The orchestra had come from London, the flowers had been flown in from around the world. The church itself, a cathedral built in the 1600s, seated at least six hundred. Maggie sat next to Qadir in a hand-carved pew that dated back over five hundred years.
While she wouldn’t want to admit it to anyone, she’d imagined her own wedding many times. For years she’d assumed she would marry Jon in a short ceremony, with her father giving her away and people she’d known all her life around them. She’d wanted a summer wedding so the days were long and the nights warm. She’d wanted to dance until she was exhausted, then drive to a secluded cabin in the woods for a week-long honeymoon.
Simple dreams, she thought now as they rose in anticipation of Kayleen walking down the rose-petal-covered aisle. Dreams that had been altered by so many unexpected turns. The loss of her father. The ending of her relationship with Jon and now falling in love with Qadir.
She might be foolish enough to fall for him, but she wasn’t stupid enough to think anything would come of it. The prince and the mechanic? Who thought that was possible?
She looked down at the dress she wore. It was beautiful and expensive. Nothing she would have picked for herself. It was part of the role she played, as Qadir’s girlfriend. But it wasn’t who she was. She was Maggie Collins, who wore jeans and didn’t bother with makeup and expected an ordinary life.
But what happened when a regular woman fell in love with an extraordinary man? How could she find happiness?
Under different circumstances she might have tried to talk herself into making things real with Qadir. But he was in line to the El Deharian throne and she was pregnant with another man’s child. What was the point in telling him the truth? He would only pity her.
The first of the three girls Kayleen and As’ad had adopted stepped into view. The girls were pretty and obviously thrilled to be a part of the ceremony. They walked slowly, one after the other. Then the bride entered the church. A veil covered her face, but it was sheer enough for Maggie to see the love shining in her eyes. A radiant bride, she thought. Love made everyone beautiful.
Kayleen continued down the aisle, where an equally smitten As’ad waited.
Maggie’s heart ached. She wanted this for herself. Not the fancy wedding, but the love. She wanted someone to love her forever, to hold her and never let her go.
She glanced at Qadir. She couldn’t find that with him, but was it possible with someone else? The congregation sat. Qadir reached over and took her hand in his.
It was just for show, she told herself, even as she desperately wanted it to be real. Just a game. A game that was going to break her heart into so many pieces, she was unlikely to ever find a way to make herself whole again.
Maggie sanded the fender with a piece of fine sandpaper. She wanted the finish perfect, which meant doing the details herself. The work was tedious, but she didn’t mind. Focusing on the car was a kind of mental vacation from the weirdness of her life these days.
She adjusted the mask she wore, wishing it weren’t so hot. But she didn’t want to risk breathing in any of the particles. Not while she was pregnant.
The things I do for you, kid, she thought with a smile.
Someone tapped her arm. She jumped and turned, then jerked off the mask as she recognized King Mukhtar.
“Your Highness,” she said in surprise, setting down the sandpaper and wiping her hands on her coveralls. “I didn’t hear you come in.”
What was she supposed to do? Bow? Curtsy? Offer to shake hands?
“Stealth is important for a monarch,” he said without smiling. “Might I have a moment of your time, Ms. Collins?”
That didn’t sound good, she thought grimly. “Yes, of course. My office is through here.”
She led the way and motioned to a seat. But the king remained standing so she did, as well.
“I will get right to the point,” he said, gazing directly into her eyes. “It is time for you to leave El Deharia. You are far too pretty a distraction for my son.”
Maggie didn’t know what to say. The king’s attitude wasn’t a surprise, but she didn’t think he would be so blunt.
Mukhtar continued before she could think of how to respond.
“I didn’t object to the relationship initially,” he told her. “Times are changing and fresh blood is always a good thing. It is not as if there are an excess of princesses or duchesses around for my sons to marry. While your circumstances are modest, so are Kayleen’s and she is an excellent match for As’ad. However, recent changes in your circumstances have convinced me you are not suitable for Qadir.”
Maggie stiffened, but didn’t back down. He was talking about her pregnancy. She doubted anyone expected a virgin bride, but she’d gone a little to far over the line.
“Qadir needs to be available to find someone suitable. He will not look as long as you are around. Perhaps this sounds harsh to you. Unfortunately I have more to consider than most fathers. I have a country and a responsibility to my people. As does Qadir.”
She’d been willing to offer a protest right up until that last bit. But how was she supposed to ignore the needs of an entire country? The king was right—she didn’t belong.
“I will not ask you to pack your bags immediately,” he told her. “But I would like you to begin making arrangements.”
Maggie found her voice. “I have another three weeks’ worth of work on the car,” she said. “I don’t need to stay to see it finished, but I have a few more things I must do. I’ll stay through the end of the week.”
“Thank you for understanding. It is most unfortunate. Under other circumstances…” He cleared his throat. “I wish you well, child.”
The king left.
Maggie stared after him. Her nature was to stand up for herself, to fight for what she wanted. But how could she? The king had told the truth. She wasn’t right for Qadir and she didn’t belong here. It was time for her to leave.
Chapter Thirteen
“H e is an impossible old man,” Qadir said as he paced the length of his living room. “Impossible.”
“Agreed.” Kateb lounged on one of the sofas, smoking a cigar. “Unfortunately he is the king.”
“Perhaps, but he has no right to interfere.”
“You are his son.”
“A matter of no consequence,” Qadir muttered.
Kateb merely raised his eyebrows.
“It is not his place to say who is to be in my life,” Qadir continued.
“You have much energy over a matter that is very small,” his brother pointed out. “Maggie was merely a convenien
ce. You hired her to act as your girlfriend, Qadir. You were not actually with her. Why are you so angry at our father’s interference?”
Qadir couldn’t answer. “It is the principle of the matter,” he said at last.
“Ah, well then. You must do as you see fit. But to me, the simpler solution is to let her go and find another woman to hire. What do you care who plays your pretend lover? Isn’t one woman as good as the next?”
Qadir turned on his brother. The need to strike out, to punish, was as powerful as it was unexpected. Kateb studied him through a cloud of smoke, his dark gaze deceptively lazy.
“I do not want another woman,” Qadir said. “Maggie suits me.” She understood him. She was easy to talk to. Why would he want to start over with someone else? “She is the only one I want.”
Kateb nodded slowly. “That is more of a problem.”
“You will not leave,” Qadir said imperiously.
Maggie was more than ready to stop being dictated to by men. First Jon, then the king and now Qadir. Of all of them, only the king made her nervous, probably because she didn’t actually know how much power he had. There were still rumors of a dungeon downstairs—a place she didn’t ever want to see.
“Your father wants me gone,” she said as she sat on the edge of the sofa and resisted the need to bury her face in her hands. “What does it matter? Someone else can finish the car.”
“You care so little for your work?”
“No, but in the scheme of things it matters a whole lot less than it did before. I’ve done most of the hard stuff. I’m staying through the end of the week, then I need to go.” She drew in a breath. “Qadir, I know you had your plan all worked out, but it isn’t going to work. Not with me.” She hated saying that, but it was true.
“The reality is, you can hire someone else,” she continued. “Someone who isn’t pregnant.” Maybe someone who would be smart enough not to fall in love with him.
She couldn’t think about that, she reminded herself. That was her vow. That she wouldn’t allow herself to get into her feelings until she was safely on a plane back to Aspen. Then she would have a small but tasteful breakdown and really feel the pain. It would probably frighten the other people on the flight, but they would have to deal with that.
The Sheik and the Pregnant Bride Page 16