To Kiss a Sheik

by Teresa Southwick

  “I will talk to my father, but first I have some business to discuss with you, Aunt Farrah.”

  “What is it?”

  “You’ve chosen poorly in the nanny you hired. I have terminated her services.”

  “Is that so?”

  “It is. And when you find another, I suggest you thoroughly investigate her background. And she must be at least fifty years old.”

  “I had Crystal investigated.”

  “Next time you must dig deeper,” he ordered.

  She studied him critically. “I gather from the righteous indignation on your face you have somehow discovered that she is prettier than she pretends.”

  “You knew?”

  “Of course. How did you learn of this?”

  “I saw her scrapbook with photographs of her. Glamour shots. She claims she portrayed herself in this way in order to obtain employment that would allow her to pay her mother’s formidable medical bills.”

  “It’s all true,” she said.

  “How do you know?”

  “I read the report.” She looked up at him and shook her head as a long-suffering sigh escaped.

  “Why did you not tell me?”

  “Because the last time I checked, you were perfectly capable of reading it on your own.”

  A more important thought struck him. “Why did you hire her? She is everything my father was hoping to avoid with his specifications.”

  “She is perfect for you, something your father would not understand.”

  He blinked and shook his head. “I do not understand.”

  “Of course you don’t. When the agency presented me with the slate of nanny candidates, they made me aware of Crystal’s comeliness as well as her qualifications. When I met her, I was impressed by her spirit, intelligence and resourcefulness. In addition, I was deeply affected by the depth of her love and loyalty to her family. I was quite aware that she possessed outer beauty, but she has a depth of courage and inner beauty that are rare, indeed.”

  “It doesn’t bother you that she has made a fool of you?”

  “On the contrary. She did not dupe me. I had all the facts and made an exemplary selection. If she made a fool of anyone, it was you.”

  “She lied,” he said, his temper rising again.

  “No. You saw what you wanted to see. And you fell in love with the beauty of her soul.”

  “I am Fariq Hassan, a prince of the House of Hassan. I am too intelligent to fall in love.”

  But his aunt’s words struck and opened a cache of feelings deep within him. Crystal had said much the same thing. But his sense of betrayal had caused him to harden his heart against her words. The truth was inescapable now.

  He had sought her out. He had kissed her. He had wanted her. Even knowing her secret, he still wanted her. He ached to have her in his arms. Earlier, when he’d found her in the city, he’d decided it was imperative to spend a lot of time with her. He’d contemplated marriage as a means to not let her go. Although he’d fought against it, he’d known her mother’s hardships were the truth even without his aunt’s confirmation. But love? He was too intelligent for that.

  He shook his head. “No. You are wrong.”

  “Fariq.” His aunt slid him a pitying look and tsked loudly. “You are doing that which you so abhor—lying. Worse, deceiving yourself.”

  “Crystal is the deceptive one. And to think I’d considered marrying her.”

  “Aha. I knew it. If you cannot see that you are in love with her, you are a fool and I wash my hands of you.”

  “My reasons were completely practical.”

  “Good,” she said, her voice dry.

  Why did he feel the need to defend himself? “My children are fond of her. When her contract was fulfilled, I did not wish them to be unhappy.”

  “Fariq, I saw you kiss her last night. The children called me and I was on my way to your sister. That kiss was not the action of a man who is merely being practical.”

  “It was before I learned of her duplicitous nature.”

  She sighed and placed her delicate cup and saucer on the carved coffee table. “You have been hurt. A wife’s betrayal is like a knife through the heart. You are afraid of making another mistake that will cause you pain.”

  He straightened to his full height. “I am afraid of nothing.”

  “Peddle it to someone who will believe you. You would do anything to avoid another blow to your pride. But it is clear to me that you’re in love with Crystal. I know you love your children very much, but if you did not have romantic feelings for her, the idea of marriage would never have crossed your mind. Now you are searching for an excuse not to love her. This flimsy one allows you to save face, but—trust me about this—if you persist, it will cost you personal happiness.”

  She was right. He’d known and refused to see for all the reasons she’d said. He sat on the sofa beside her and wondered how he would survive the aching void inside him where his heart used to be.

  “She is gone, Aunt.”

  “Gone?”

  “The car took her to the airport earlier.” He looked at his watch. “The plane has already taken off.”

  Just then the phone rang, and his aunt picked it up. She straightened, and a frown carved lines in her smooth forehead. “What do you mean no one has seen them?” She listened for several moments, then snapped, “Alert the staff as well as security. The children must be located at once.”

  “Hana and Nuri?” he said, fear clutching at his chest.

  She nodded. “They are nowhere to be found.”

  Fate had a way of kicking a fool when he was down.

  Fariq fought the panic that threatened to engulf him. He would not lose everything. He would find his children. When they were safe, he would find a way to set things right with the woman he loved.

  Chapter Twelve

  Nuri turned his big dark eyes on Crystal as he held his sister’s hand. “Don’t be angry, Nanny—”

  Crystal wasn’t their nanny any longer, and the realization brought tears to her eyes. “I’m not—” she swallowed hard “—I’m not mad.”

  She opened the door to Fariq’s suite and ushered Hana and Nuri inside. The royal limousine that had taken her to the airport had already left when she’d discovered the stowaways. If she hadn’t sat up front beside the driver, no doubt she would have noticed the two rascals hiding in the spacious rear of the car.

  She had to admire their resourcefulness and was proud of their intelligence. It couldn’t have been easy for them to elude everyone and follow her into the terminal without detection. Her heart stuttered and nearly stopped when it sank in about the danger they’d been in, wandering around alone. She’d hailed a taxi and accompanied them back to the palace. Everyone from security to the upstairs staff had greeted the children warmly, relieved that they’d been returned safely. Obviously they’d been missed, and that was the reason she hadn’t been turned away.

  She looked down at them. “You must never do anything like that again.”

  “But, Nanny, we do not want you to go away,” Hana said, moisture gathering again in her big, dark, red-rimmed eyes.

  “Hana is right, Nanny. We love you. We wish you to stay forever.” Nuri struggled manfully to keep the gathering tears from falling.

  A lump clogged her throat at the way he struggled not to show his emotions. Someone had to teach him that men had feelings and it wasn’t a cause for shame. Having them made a prince compassionate. Then her own eyes filled with tears because she wanted to be the one to teach him and his sister. But it would be someone else—someone who didn’t love and understand them as she did.

  The door opened behind them and Fariq burst into the room. He looked at her, then the children. “Hana, Nuri—”

  He went down on one knee and swallowed hard, then opened his arms. They ran to him, and he gathered them close, kissing each of them. A sigh straight from the soul escaped him as he looked up at her. Emotions swirled in his gaze, and she wished sh
e could read his mind. Maybe he wasn’t so angry with her. But that was only her broken heart looking for a patch job that wouldn’t hold.

  Finally he set the children away and tried valiantly to put a stern look on his face. “You must never do that to me again.”

  “We’re sorry, Papa,” Hana said, patting his broad shoulder with her small hand. “But we heard you tell Nanny to go.”

  “You were eavesdropping?”

  “That means you were listening when no one knew you were there,” Crystal translated.

  “Yes,” Nuri confirmed. “We were doing that. And Hana started to cry because she would miss Nanny.”

  “You cried, too,” his sister accused.

  “Men do not cry.”

  “Some men do,” Crystal pointed out. “And it doesn’t make them less a man.”

  It was the last message she would be able to give them but she hoped it would take root. She worried most about Nuri. If someone didn’t show him how to open his heart, he would grow up like his father—afraid to take a chance on falling in love.

  “Why did you run away?” Fariq asked them.

  “We were going with Nanny,” the little girl said.

  “But what were you planning to do?”

  They looked at him blankly, and Crystal sighed. “Fariq, they’re five years old. They didn’t think it through. It’s perfectly normal behavior for their age.”

  “Unlike the adults around them,” he muttered.

  “What?”

  “Nothing.” He shook his head as he smoothed his daughter’s hair from her face. He kissed the little girl again, then her brother. “Go wash up. Both of you.”

  “Are you trying to get rid of us, Papa?” Nuri slid his father a knowing look.

  “What makes you think that?” Fariq’s lips twitched, a familiar sign that he was having difficulty suppressing a smile.

  “Because we are not dirty,” Hana informed him.

  “Remind me not to condescend to you in the future,” he said. “I wish to speak to Crystal. Alone,” he added when both children opened their mouths to say something. “Go.”

  He gently nudged them in the direction of their rooms. Impulsively Hana threw herself against Crystal. “I love you, Nanny.”

  Nuri did the same. “Me, too.”

  She went down on her knees and pressed both of them against her. If it angered Fariq, he could just stick it in his royal ear. The children had found their way into her heart. How would she ever get over the pain of missing them? And him.

  “Do as your father says.” Her voice trembled, but didn’t break.

  They moved toward the hall. If they’d gone any slower, they would have come to a complete stop. Finally, she was alone with their father.

  “I was just leaving,” she said.

  “My aunt told me that Johara is pregnant.”

  Crystal closed her eyes for a moment and sighed. “I was afraid of that.”

  “You were right.”

  Her gaze snapped to his. She couldn’t believe the words. “I take no satisfaction from it. It was this kind of situation that forced my parents into marriage and ultimately made them unhappy. It’s why my mother was so adamant about adventure first, then love and marriage.”

  “What if love arrives first?” he asked, a gleam in his eyes. “And children?”

  She didn’t understand and decided he was still angry and was toying with her. “It’s time for me to leave.”

  “Construction on the new hospital is moving well. Kamal says it should be complete in several months. He is recruiting personnel to staff it.”

  What did that have to do with anything? If she didn’t know how deeply he resented her, she would swear he was delaying her departure. “I remember. You pointed out the American nurse at the charity auction.”

  “Ali Matlock. Yes.” There was a knowing look in his eyes but he didn’t elaborate.

  “Look, Fariq, I’m sorry about everything. Especially hurting the children and you. So it’s best if I just go now.”

  “Why?”

  She blinked. “You fired me. I missed my flight because I had to bring the children back. But I’ll get another one.”

  “When?”

  “Tomorrow. I’ll wait at the airport.”

  “Why not wait at the palace?”

  “I don’t think that’s a good idea.” It was a very bad idea because she wanted so desperately to take him up on the offer. It would only delay the inevitable. As her mother always said, “Never put off until tomorrow what you can do today.” So today she would walk away and break her heart.

  “I disagree. It’s a fine idea.”

  “Why would you want me here? You couldn’t wait to get rid of me.”

  “Obviously, the children were upset. And your mother’s future—”

  She pointed at him. She’d never held her tongue with him before, and since she’d already lost her job, she had no good reason to now. “Don’t you dare pity me. I’ll find another job. I’ll help my mother keep her house. I don’t want my job back because you checked out my story and now you feel sorry for me.”

  “Your mother will not lose her home.”

  “Doggone right she won’t.”

  “I will see to it.”

  “No, I’ll see to it. It’s not your problem.”

  “What will you do?” he asked.

  “I’ll find another job. Two if necessary.”

  “I have something in mind—”

  “What?” She held up her hand. “No. I don’t want to know. I don’t think I can go through the interview process here again. Besides, with my education and background, I’m only qualified as a teacher or nanny. And you fired me.”

  “Yes. So you keep reminding me. But there’s another position that just became available.”

  “As what?”

  “My wife.”

  Her legs suddenly felt like Jell-O. “Excuse me. I have to sit down.”

  Instantly he was beside her, his strong arm sliding around her waist as he pulled her to his side. “Are you ill?”

  “No. Yes. Maybe. I think there’s something wrong with my hearing. I could have sworn you just asked me to marry you.”

  “I did.”

  “Why?” She looked up at him, trying to read his expression. There was the usual intensity, but something else glittered in his eyes and made her heart beat faster.

  “Hana and Nuri and I… There has been something missing from our life. I—”

  “If this is about the children…” She shook her head. “I love them very much. But I learned a lesson from my parents’ marriage. No one wins if you sacrifice your standards and dreams.”

  “It’s not about the children. It’s what I want.”

  “But how can you? You think I’m a liar and a fraud. You have too much integrity to marry someone like me.”

  He dropped his arm and stood in front of her, close but not touching. “You were wrong about the lesson I learned. It’s not about judging a book by its cover. It’s about assumptions. I was so very sure you were no threat to my emotions. But with your innocent air and untapped passion you were a unique contradiction that forced my guard down. Then you marched into my heart and captured my soul.”

  His words took her breath away. “Really?”

  “Really.”

  Happiness glowed inside her. This was a huge step for him, she knew that. But after what he’d put her through, she was afraid to hope too hard. She also wasn’t about to make it too easy on him. Nor was she above wanting a little royal groveling.

  “Why would you think I’d want another job here in the palace?”

  “Because you love me.” The corners of his mouth turned up.

  Her heart instantly responded. “Even if you’re right, and I’m not saying that you are, it would be stupid for me to accept.”

  “Why?” He frowned. “Do not say that I am not your type. You responded with passion and enthusiasm to my kiss.”

  “It’s not that. You’
ll never trust me. Without that there cannot be mutual respect on which to base love.”

  “I trust you. I was afraid—” He stopped.

  “You? Afraid?”

  He took her hands. “I could face death without fear, but facing a future without you—” He shook his head. “Your wretched excuse for a disguise worked only because I saw what I wanted to see. Ultimately, it could not hide your beauty—inside and out.”

  “So you do love me?”

  “I believe that’s what I’ve been telling you,” he said, an edge to his voice.

  He didn’t like being unsure. She knew that. Confidence wasn’t as ingrained in him as he would have everyone believe. Now she knew he might put on a face for the rest of the world, but she knew the real Fariq Hassan. And she knew his heart.

  “Actually, now I must disagree,” she said. She didn’t need to hear everything, but some things were essential. “You’ve been telling me a lot. But not once did you use the L word. I’d have noticed.”

  He pulled her into his arms and gazed into her eyes with an intensity that stole her breath. “I love you. I trust you with my heart, my soul, my children.”

  She melted inside. “I love you, too.”

  “You will marry me.” It wasn’t a question and not quite an order.

  She didn’t care. It was everything she wanted. There would be other lines to draw in the sand, but this wasn’t one of them. “Yes,” she said. “It is my heart’s desire to be your wife.”

  “Good.”

  “So I can assume this is an admission that you were overreacting to my disguise? And you’re apologizing?”

  “On the contrary. I am never wrong. But it is possible that I misjudged the circumstances.” His hold on her tightened. “I will say only this. If you leave me, the light in my life goes with you. You taught me not to judge a book by its cover or a woman by her beauty. It is purity of heart that matters.”

  “And you didn’t see me as just a pretty face. You taught me that love doesn’t show up on schedule. When it happens, you need to grab on with both hands. Life doesn’t stop because you fall in love. But loving makes the journey sweeter and more worthwhile.