by Holly Rayner
At least, however, with a bit of a financial cushion to tide her over.
“Ah, there. You like the taste, eh?”
While Aaron worked away at his bottle, slugging down the first few ounces in record time, he stared intently at the unknown person hovering above him. As his hunger pangs eased, his interest in his surroundings increased, and he pulled one chubby hand from the bottle to reach up toward his caretaker’s lips and nose—always fair game.
Laughing, Karim waggled his brows and clowned for the baby’s benefit.
Hallie nearly fell off her chair. This was not the friendly but formal man with whom she had kept company. When had the Sheikh been replaced by someone easy-going enough to entertain an infant, and by what magic had it happened?
Meanwhile, Aaron, having drained the contents of his bottle, opened his mouth in a great, gummy, drooling grin.
“Well, now. That was simple enough,” exulted Karim, standing to stretch. “What’s next?”
“Burping.”
“Ah. And you do that…?”
With the expertise of many months’ practice, Hallie retrieved the baby from his seat to demonstrate.
“Like this.”
“Very good. Let me try.”
A cloth spread over Karim’s shoulder, a wiggly child held in his arms, a gentle pat on the back, a slight bounce from the toes—all under Hallie’s direction. Karim, flushed with success, was beaming. And then, it happened. An unusual sound, a twist of the head, and along with the burp came an ounce or so of regurgitated milk.
Karim, who had never expected such a thing, blinked his astonishment as he felt the warm gush onto the cloth and the side of his neck.
“Oh, my gosh, I’m so sorry!” Hallie rushed to take the baby while Karim did his best to clean away the mess. “It’s just one of the little problems of parenthood, I’m afraid. Here, are you okay?”
“I am perfectly fine. No need to fuss. Is he sick?”
“Oh, no, no. It’s perfectly normal to get some spit-up once in a while. Probably just too much traveling for him to handle all at once, with the limo and the plane and another limo.”
By the time everyone had washed and freshened up, Karim suggested they take a stroll around the grounds. The weather was lovely, and there was plenty of time before they needed to get ready and leave for the Griffins’ party.
“And it will give you a chance to walk off some of your nervousness,” he teased.
Hallie shot him a look. “Who says I’m nervous?”
His eyes danced with pure mischief, and he gave her a slightly crooked smile.
“Forgive me for assuming something that might not be true. It’s just that the chip on your shoulder…”
“There’s no—” Crestfallen, she shrugged the shoulder to which he had just alluded. “It’s that obvious, huh?”
“Now and then. Nothing to be too concerned about. Shall we? I’m sure Aaron would enjoy seeing the outdoors.”
He certainly seemed to. Karim made a point of carrying the baby in one arm, all the while murmuring to him as they meandered along, and listening attentively while Aaron babbled back in indecipherable language. Finally, Hallie’s curiosity got the better of her.
“What are you talking about?”
Karim smiled mysteriously.
“Oh, it is but men’s things I am telling him. Warning him to always listen to his mama, and to tread carefully when she scowls.”
“Ha-ha,” she muttered.
Whoever owned this estate must consider themselves very fortunate, mused Hallie, as the three of them drifted along. The white-painted house itself, a gracious three-story which was cobbled together with angled porches here and odd little rooms added there, had been built into a serene setting of green lawns and multi-colored flower gardens.
On one side, a gentle knoll eased away to other outbuildings; on the other, a small, clear pond reflected the branches of a towering willow that overhung it, and the fluffy white clouds in the sky overhead.
“It’s beautiful here,” Hallie murmured, breathing in the air so full of life and living. “How did you happen to find such a place on the spur of the moment, Karim?”
“Ah, Hallie, I have employees to do these things for me. I simply placed a call, and my secretary placed another call, and somewhere down the line, my wishes were taken care of.”
“I see.”
Of course. How simple things could be when one has assistants to immediately respond to any particular desire. It was like having your own personal fairy godmother. Another reminder of the great gulf of circumstance that existed between them.
“Hallie.” Still carrying the baby against one shoulder, Karim paused in the welcome shade of a tree simply bursting with leaves. “Please don’t let such things bother you. It’s what I am used to, what I have grown up with. I don’t mean to sound as if I’m—what would be the phrase to use—showing off? You asked a question, and I answered it.”
“Yes, you certainly did. Thank you.”
Lifting her chin with one finger, he studied the up-tilted face that still looked…not exactly unhappy. Or woebegone. Just dissatisfied, perhaps. He smoothed the finger lightly up the curve of her jaw and cheekbone, much as he might have done with the child on his arm. Surprised by the gentleness of the gesture, she closed her eyes and leaned slightly into his touch.
“You are very lovely today,” he complimented her, after a moment of silence. “I hope you’re feeling more relaxed now, and looking forward to the party tonight.”
Her eyelids flew open in a flash of green. She’d actually forgotten where she stood, and the purpose for this whole visit.
Transferring the gurgling baby to the other arm, Karim squinted against the sun to ask what she had told her parents about disappearing for a couple days.
“A story of some romantic getaway? Or the truth?”
She could have volunteered the information during earlier discussions, as a way of making conversation. She had not. As an individual, Hallie valued her privacy, and she was accustomed to scraping through life on her own, without benefit from outsiders. And Mr. Al Ahsan would definitely be considered an outsider.
She pulled down a low overhanging branch to break off a small sprig of pink flowers. “Why should you be concerned with what I told them?”
“I was not concerned, per se. I was merely exhibiting an unattractive curiosity. Wondering if there were any difficulty in your getting away.”
“No,” she said shortly. “My parents trust me.”
“Do they? Then I envy you, Hallie. It is a wonderful thing to have trust.”
She paused. In his voice was an odd, poignant note that caught her attention.
“What does that mean?”
Karim was busy lifting the baby above his head, into the tickly branches, then lowering him, then lifting him again. From a brief giggle, Aaron burst out into laughter.
“How do you see me?” he invited the comment, smiling.
“How do I see you?” Frowning, she considered. “A charming playboy—oh, all right, and a businessman…willing to spend whatever amount of money is necessary to get what he wants.”
“But all is not as it seems, is it? You see just the surface, as everyone does, without delving beneath to find more depth. I think your boy might need something fresh on his bottom, by the way.”
The non-sequitur drew her back to the immediate present.
“Of course. Here, I’ll take him back.”
“It is no matter. He seems happy with me.”
“That may be, but—”
Truth be told, Hallie didn’t want her son getting so close to the attractive man who had suddenly whisked into their lives. And, conversely, she didn’t want that man feeling too familiar with her son. Aaron was her son, after all; Karim’s hold on him was only temporary.
“Here,” said Karim unexpectedly. “I think he’s ready for his mama, now. Shall we return to the house so you have plenty of time to prepare for the evening?”<
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The inevitable was fast approaching. Silently, she took Aaron from him; she could feel the knot of nervousness beginning to form in her middle again. She would be so relieved when this weekend was over and done with, and she could return to her safe, boring existence.
“Do you have any other names, Karim?” she asked, out of the blue.
“Ah. Like an alias, you mean? You would like to know if I am a wanted man on seven continents?”
“No, not that, of course. I just—” Vexed, she broke off, settling the baby more comfortably against her breast.
Striding beside her, adjusting his longer steps to hers, Karim studied her for a moment.
“I am Karim Baraka Yazdan Jaali Al Ahsan.”
“Good heavens, what a mouthful. I’d hate to be you, signing your checks.”
He chuckled. “Each has a special meaning. Someday, I shall tell you.”
Hallie flashed him a glance. “Someday will never come. Tell me now.”
His brows went up, as did his shoulders, in a very cartoon-like gesture.
“We are given names, in my country, that encourage particular characteristics. Parental wishing, you see.”
“Mhmm?” Her slightly lopsided grin came freely as she looked up at him. “Go on, let me hear it.”
“Very well. Bountiful, merciful, generous, and kind, with a bit of abundance thrown in for good measure.”
He didn’t appear uncomfortable, but that might have been a hint of color rising along his cheekbones.
“Why, that’s lovely, Karim,” she said in honest admiration. “From what I’ve seen of your actions so far, those fit you to a tee.”
“Huh. Even when you are being a crab, and cross with me because you are tired?”
“Even then, you toad,” she countered. But there was neither anger nor animosity in her tone, merely amusement.
Hallie took her sweet time with the preparations to which Karim had alluded. First, a warm bath and a nap for the baby; then, it was her turn to make herself beautiful.
Leaving Aaron to nap off the afternoon, she took a shower in the lavish master suite bathroom, using plenty of perfumed lotions and powders afterward. Carefully-applied makeup, purchased at the cosmetics counter of one of Philadelphia’s finest department stores. And then, the dress. Goodness gracious, what a dress. As she spied the unknown woman in the mirror, she thought she might have died and gone to heaven in a golden chariot.
Karim was waiting for her when, at last, she floated her way down the curving staircase. He had already showered in the guest bathroom, and changed into a sleek all-black tuxedo. At the sound of her footsteps, he had arisen from his seat in the living room and walked into the foyer while she made her grand entrance.
Certainly, he was accustomed to the presence of beautiful women, in all shapes and sizes, of all coloring, of varying ages. He had been around them all his life. But this was a different situation. Karim was not often or easily taken by surprise. Now, he was. His dark eyes shone with admiration as Hallie descended. She was positively glowing, radiant with health and life and otherworldly beauty.
“By all that is in the skies above,” he murmured. “You make a stunning wife.”
Her gown was of floor-length turquoise chiffon, neither skin-tight nor ballroom-puffy but rather the style of a modest, flattering A-line. Cap sleeves curved over her shoulders; shimmery beading decorated her bodice. It had cost what she would equate to a whole week’s salary, without tax, (provided by Karim), but now, she realized—seeing herself reflected in his gaze—that it was worth every penny.
She had pulled her hair into a demure French twist, with shining chestnut tendrils cascading softly around her ears and down the back of her neck. Both were bare, because she had had no piece of jewelry grand enough to compete with the dress.
“Hallie. May I tell you how absolutely gorgeous you are?”
She blushed.
“Well…pretty, perhaps.” Or so she had guessed. The lashes of her green eyes lifted. “Does it matter much to you?”
“Only in how you see yourself, Hallie. However,” he added, charmingly, “I must admit I would much prefer being married to a beautiful woman than to one resembling the backside of a camel.”
“Oh.” She giggled. “Well, I do believe I’m a few levels up from that.”
Much more talk like this, and she wouldn’t be feeling nervous at all. Not about meeting people so important to Karim, nor about how to behave in a social setting to which she was entirely unaccustomed, nor even socializing with others of such rank—like royalty. Did one curtsey, upon introduction, or merely incline one’s head?
She was perched near the carved banister, in all her splendor, and he reached out a hand to bring her down the remaining two steps.
“Come, my dear. I am pleased to see you wearing the rings I gave you. But you need something more.”
With that, he presented her with a small velvet box, a twin to the one which had held the wedding rings. Inside nestled a set of tasteful diamond earrings that glittered in the light, and a silver chain upon which hung a single teardrop-shaped diamond pendant, to match in simplicity and beauty.
Unlike Karim, Hallie could not hide her feelings. No poker face for this one. Her eyes widened, and she let out a tiny gasp.
“Oh. Oh! These are gorgeous!”
“And yours to keep. Just a little something extra, for all your trouble. May I?”
Deftly removing the necklace from the box in her hand, he stepped behind her to fasten the glittering bauble in place. And, before he stepped away again, she felt him bend, and felt his lips press to where his hands had just rested, that very sensitive spot at the nape of her neck. Immediately, a shiver ran down her spine, and her blood raced hot and cold through her veins.
Hallie’s breath caught, and her heart began hammering so painfully and so loudly against her ribs that she thought he surely must hear the sound. Or see the mad flutter in her breast.
“There.”
Was it her imagination, or had his voice roughened just a little for some reason?
“I will leave you to finish with the earrings. Aaron has been making noises, so I assume he’s awake. I’ll get him, and we can prepare him for his debut performance as the youngest member of the Al Ahsan family line. I think he already acts the part of a young sheikh quite well, don’t you?”
Chapter 9
The limo arrived at the weekend rental just as scheduled. With Aaron and his repacked diaper bag all stowed away inside, Karim took Hallie’s hand to help her settle in place. She wondered, as they were whisked away, if this was the usual life of an executive wife—this going to and fro, to and fro, always with someone else behind the wheel, being given orders.
Give her the battered car any day (well, maybe a slightly newer model, needing fewer repairs), and herself behind the wheel, instead of a chauffeur, to drive where she wanted and make her own decisions.
At least they were heading forth into a beautiful evening. Soft twilight was beginning to blanket the countryside, with just one or two stars twinkling in the pinky-purple sky and a hint of crescent moon, far above.
Their shining transport wasn’t quite a royal carriage. And no princess whose story she had read had ever set off for the ball with a baby in tow. But she did look the part, didn’t she?
Certainly, His Sheikhness would pass for a Prince Charming, all dapper-looking in the smooth black tuxedo, with his wavy black hair not ruled at all by a comb, and his dark eyes sending her admiring glances.
Was that the subdued sound of harps and violins playing in the background? Ah, just a CD, whose heavenly music was issuing forth from hidden speakers.
“Do you expect there to be many people attending this thing?”
“Mm—no doubt. The Griffins are celebrating a landmark anniversary, remember; they’ve come into contact with hundreds of people over the years, who will likely be honored guests.”
“Oh.” Hallie, whose earlier butterflies had returned full forc
e, mulled that over for a minute. “And the party is at their house?”
“No.” Karim’s attention seemed now fixed on text messages going back and forth on his cellphone screen, receiving and sending. “They decided to hold it at the country club. More space, Chip said. Less work, Annemarie said.”
“Uh-huh.” Another pause, while the butterflies fluttered and flocked. “Will I like her, do you think?”
“Annemarie? She seems to be a perfectly fine lady.” He stopped what he was doing to study her downcast face. “You’re not still worried, are you?”
Her hands were nervously pleating the fabric of her dress.
“No, not really. Well…maybe a little.” She looked up with a weak and wobbly smile. “I guess, a lot, actually. Karim, what if I make a fool of myself—and you—in front of all these ritzy people? What if—what if I trip and fall over my own feet?”
He shrugged.
“Then you trip and fall. And I will help you up, and we will laugh and make a joke of it. Hallie, the first thing needed to inspire self-confidence in an uncomfortable situation is to know one looks their absolute best. And, believe me, my dear, you look your absolute best. I am honored to have you as my date.”
The expression on his face was not quite a grin. Nor was it sedate and cool. It was somewhere halfway in between.
“Also,” he went on, once again taking her hand in his, “remember that many guests will be milling around you, intent only upon the same purpose—making a good impression. After tomorrow, you will never see these people again, and you will not have to be concerned for anyone’s opinion.”
It was typical of his personality that he would try to reassure her and lay her fears to rest.
It was also, admittedly, to his benefit to do so.
“It seems strange,” Hallie then ventured, on another tack, “taking a baby along to such a big, formal party. Even if your hosts did request it.”
He started to laugh.
“Oh, Hallie, you are always determined to find something to worry about. We will keep Aaron with us, at the table, for everyone to admire and coo over. But, if it will relieve your mind, I have hired a very good nanny to be on standby, just in case you decide you would like him not to be in the middle of things. Will that suit you?”