“That’s amazing!” Shelby made a mental note to look up indoor ski slopes on the internet when she got home. “How did anyone ever dream up that idea? Let alone afford it?”
“Khali-dar is an amazing place,” he answered.
For the next few hours, they took turns choosing different runs. Shelby picked a lift that led to another, higher up the mountain. Weaving back and forth over the network of trails, the run took much longer than the others. By the time they reached the bottom, the time was nearly noon, and Shelby’s stomach rumbled. “Can I buy you a cup of chili?” she asked, when they stopped in front of the snack shop.
“That is not necessary.”
“Are you just saying that to be polite, or do you hate chili? Or do you have other plans for lunch?” She stepped out of her ski binding.
Hakim’s silence stretched for several long seconds. He rubbed the back of his neck with his gloved hand, his brows furrowed.
“Hey, don’t worry about it.” Shelby knelt and pretended to adjust her other ski to conceal the color spreading over her cheeks.
He cleared his throat. “Shelby, I do not wish to offend you—”
“Oh, no, I understand. Not a big deal.” Shelby tried to keep the embarrassment out of her voice and turned to leave.
He touched her shoulder. “Wait, please let me explain myself. Where I come from, gender roles are much more…traditional. For a woman to initiate something like this would be almost forbidden. I was just surprised for a moment and unsure how to respond. Please allow me to try again.” Taking a deep breath, he smiled. “Shelby Walker, I would love to have lunch with you.” His gaze held hers. “I apologize for acting rudely.”
Relief washed over her. “You weren’t rude. That’s something I should have remembered from my college class. But, just so you know, things are a little different here. And I don’t really go for the ‘gender role’ thing.” She saw the sincerity in his face, and her smile returned then she picked up her skis and poles.
They deposited their equipment on the outside rack and made their way toward the crowded restaurant.
Stuffing her gloves into her pocket, Shelby turned to Hakim. “How about since I asked you to lunch, I’ll get the food, and you get us a table?” She spoke with a light tone, but her gaze searched his expression for any sign of discomfort.
He nodded and turned to scan the room.
Waiting in the line, Shelby gazed around the little snack shop. She liked the rustic log cabin look. The decor was much nicer than the snack shops at most resorts. Filling the air was the familiar noise of conversation and ski boots clomping around on the rubber floor mats. The line was long, but fast moving.
Shelby put two bowls of chili on her tray and grabbed some breadsticks and bottled water. She carried their lunch toward the cashier. While she waited, she turned her thoughts to Hakim. Was he spending the day with her because he couldn’t think of a polite way to get out of doing so?
Throughout the years, she had met plenty of skiers. Hanging out with a stranger for a run or two was not unusual, but she even surprised herself with the amount of time she was spending with this man. She felt such a comfortable easiness while they were together. Maybe because he was an out-of-towner, she knew no pressure existed to make a friendly day of skiing into anything more. But that did little to explain the way her heart thumped every time he smiled.
Shelby slid her tray in front of the cashier, pulled her wallet out of an inside coat pocket, and paid for the meal. Once she spotted Hakim on the other side of the crowded dining room, she picked up the tray and clomped toward him in her stiff ski boots. As she got closer, she realized he spoke with another man. With all the noise in the snack shack, she couldn’t hear what they were saying, but by the cadence of their voices, she could tell they weren’t speaking English.
When Hakim saw her, he waved and both men stood. “Shelby, I’d like to introduce you to my friend, Nasir.” He gestured to the man next to him.
Shelby recognized him as the other skier she had seen on the slopes that morning. Nasir was a goliath. Hakim stood close to six feet tall, but Nasir loomed above him—at least a head taller. Large muscles bulged under his ski parka. He sported a dark goatee and piercing eyes that didn’t quite look directly at her.
“Nasir, may I present Shelby Jo Walker?”
Shelby resisted the urge to cringe from the large man and extended her hand.
Nasir put his hands together and inclined his head. “Ahlan wa sahlan.”
“Nasir says he is pleased to meet you,” Hakim translated.
Yeah, right. Nasir’s stony expression did not change, and his gaze was severe. Pleased looked like the farthest thing from the man’s mind, but Shelby put her hands together anyway and gave a little bow, “Ahlan wa sahlan, Nasir.” She hoped her pronunciation sounded even close to correct.
He tipped his head forward, his gaze focused on something above her head.
Shelby wondered if he spoke English, but she didn’t like the idea of engaging this intimidating hulk in conversation. Instead, she turned and spoke to Hakim. “I’m sorry…I didn’t realize you were here with a friend. Here, you two eat these, and I’ll run and grab another bowl of chili.”
“Thank you, but no,” Nasir stated in a heavy accent. “I will leave now.”
The two men spoke for a moment in what Shelby assumed was Arabic.
Then, Nasir again put his hands together and bowed in her direction. “It was a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Shelby Jo Walker. I hope your day is enjoyable.”
“Nice to meet you, too, Nasir.” Shelby smiled.
Once more, Nasir glanced around the dining room, and then strode out the door, turning heads as he passed.
He was obviously accustomed to the attention his size attracted. Wow. He didn’t spare any of the gawkers a single glance.
Hakim held the back of the wobbly metal chair and waited for Shelby to be seated before he sat on the other side of the small table.
“Hakim, I’m sorry.” Shelby set their meals and utensils in front of them. “I didn’t know you were here with someone. Am I keeping you from your friend?”
“Please do not apologize. Nasir prefers to ski alone.”
“What about you? Am I monopolizing your time today? Would you rather ski alone?” She chewed on her lip and stirred her chili.
Hakim unwrapped the plastic spoon, and then set it down next to his foam chili bowl. He lifted his gaze and met Shelby’s. “Today, I prefer to ski with you.”
“Oh.” Her heart skipped a beat, and her ears got warm.
After a moment, Hakim opened his paper napkin and spread it over his lap. “Tell me, Shelby Jo Walker, do you have a job you are escaping today, or are you a professional skier?”
Before answering, she swallowed a bite of her breadstick. “Actually, I’m working right now. I write for a sports magazine called Wintersports. Basically, I travel around and stay at different resorts, demo new equipment, or interview athletes for research.”
“And do you enjoy this job?”
“It’s fine. I’ve worked there for three years. Since my senior year in college.” Shelby sipped from her water bottle. “This job isn’t what I want to do forever. I mean, sports reporting doesn’t exactly change the world.”
“You intend to change the world?” Hakim asked.
She couldn’t tell whether his question was asked out of amusement or curiosity, but based on his sincere expression, he didn’t intend it sarcastically. “I want to advocate for an important cause, or write stories that cause people to change the way they think…or brings an issue to their attention.” She leaned forward. “Something that makes a difference. Writing for a sports magazine is fun, the pay is ok, but this position’s not where I want to be in five years.” After twisting the lid onto her water bottle, she sat back, realizing she’d been speaking too passionately. I need to calm down before I scare this guy away. “What about you? What type of work do you do?”
He
chewed slowly then swallowed, his eyebrows crunched together. “I work for my father. I am expected to take over the family business someday.”
“That’s great. What’s the business?”
“Consulting, as well as real estate and horse breeding.”
“My dad raises horses, too. What kind of horses do you have? Oh, that’s a stupid question. They’re Arabians, right?” Shelby wiped the breadstick grease off her hands with a napkin. How crazy that this man from the other side of the world and I share such common interests.
“Yes, most of our horses are Arabian. I am here in the States to meet with a business associate and tour some land in Kentucky my father hopes to purchase for horse breeding. I arrived a week early to ski. I will fly to Kentucky on Friday.” He smiled, but his eyes remained serious.
His mannerisms were stiff, and the way he spoke was guarded. Shelby tried to read him, but struggled. She wondered if he simply had a lot on his mind. Once they’d finished their lunch, she stacked their bowls on the tray.
Hakim took the tray and emptied it into the trash on the way out the door.
Shelby walked outside and squinted at the brightness of the sun on the snow. She followed Hakim to the ski rack.
He grabbed their equipment. “Now, may I choose the run?” He planted their poles before he tipped her skis toward her.
She nodded and concentrated on separating her skis. He wants to spend the rest of the day with me? Her chest felt light and her fingers a bit shaky as she laid the skis in the snow, and then pushed her toes into the bindings and stepped down on her heels.
“I hope you are not too disappointed if I choose a less difficult hill. After all, we just ate.” Hakim stepped into his skis and clicked his boots into place.
“Sounds good.” Shelby hoped her tone didn’t convey more than basic friendliness. Stop acting ridiculous.
Later in the day, the shade of the pine trees covered more of the slopes. Soon, the bright patches of snow peeking through the shadows would be gone. As the day had progressed, Shelby became more comfortable with Hakim, not feeling the need to fill the silences, but enjoying their time spent together. She wondered if he felt the same.
Shelby made sure she tried out every one of the lifts, especially the new ones that opened this season, gaining plenty of material for her article. The hours passed quickly. Acknowledging her tired muscles, she rested her head on the back of the chair. Today had been a long one. She turned her face toward her companion, who leaned back on the seat with his eyes closed. Is he tired, too? “This will be my last run. I’m trashed.”
Turning his head, he smiled. “Yes, I also feel tired. I have felt quite challenged at keeping up with you today.”
“I don’t think so. I’m pretty sure you’ve been holding back to keep pace with me.”
“Don’t underestimate your talent. You are an exceptional skier. And I will be sorry to lose your company.”
His words caused her stomach to flutter. “Thanks, Hakim. I’ve had a great day, too.” She paused, chewing on her lip. “Hey, I was wondering…I mean, I hope this isn’t too much, and I totally understand if you can’t or you don’t want to or whatever, but I’m coming back up the canyon in a few days to do a story on a snowmobiling company. They’re just a few miles away. Anyway, the guy told me to bring friends, but finding people who have the whole day off in the middle of the week is hard. So, do you want to come with me?” she finished in a rush. Why did she always wave her hands around so much when she was nervous?
“Thank you for the invitation.” He inclined his head forward. “I would be delighted to go snowmobiling with you.”
If she didn’t know better, she would have thought he was being cynical. Or maybe that was just his formal way of speaking. “We’re meeting at the Canyon Rim Lodge at nine-thirty, day after tomorrow. You can bring Nasir, too.”
“Thank you.”
The last lift line was nearly as empty as the first had been. Shelby found a trail through the trees with small jumps.
At the end of the run, they continued down the slope, past the lifts.
“The parking lot is totally out of your way. Aren’t you staying at the lodge?” she asked.
“It is not far. I will see you safely to your vehicle.”
Shelby raised her eyebrows, touched by his chivalry. “Thanks.”
After taking off their skis, they walked the short distance to her compact car in silence. Shelby rested her skis and poles against the driver’s side door and removed her gloves. Hakim helped her strap the equipment to the ski rack on the roof of the red car. She popped the trunk, then grabbed her sneakers and hopped for a few steps while she replaced her ski boots. Shelby fished her keys out of her pocket and turned toward him.
He clasped her hand in both of his.
“So, I’ll see you Thursday, right?” Shelby asked.
“Yes. Until Thursday, Shelby Jo Walker.”
“Until Thursday, Hakim.” She climbed behind the wheel. As she drove into the winter evening, her hand continued to feel the warmth of his touch.
Chapter Two
Hakim watched Shelby drive away and considered what intrigued him about the American woman. He was astonished to realize the answer—she simply treated him as a friend. He tried to remember ever being treated that way before. There had been tutors and playmates, under obligation to associate with him. Later, college classmates and women sought his attention and attempted to impress him. None of them ever regarded him as an equal.
That was the curse of his birthright—the inability to fully trust any relationship. The fact that this confident, lively woman was the only person who had befriended him without knowing the truth amazed him. For the first time in his life, someone knew him as Hakim, the man, instead of Hakim, the prince. He wondered how she would act if she knew his true identity. Selfishly, he hoped she would never find out.
Still lost in thought, he walked toward the resort, hardly noticing Nasir waiting at the edge of the parking lot. Both men re-attached their skis and made their way to the special lift that would take them back to the lodge.
The lift swung into the air. Hakim knew by Nasir’s silence he disapproved of the prince spending the day with a stranger. At lunch, Nasir had tried to convince Hakim that Shelby was a safety risk. How could they be sure she was who she claimed to be?
Hakim had insisted he was safe, but Nasir had still tried to persuade him to follow procedure which involved a background check, extra security, and perhaps even a polygraph test. Hakim had flatly refused.
Nasir had left the restaurant after giving his word not to let the prince out of his sight.
Hakim rubbed his palm over the back of his neck, bending his head from side to side. His frustration continued to build. He knew Nasir was only doing his job, but Hakim disliked being treated like a child, unable to make his own decisions and constantly suffocated in the name of safety.
“Nasir.” Hakim let out a cold breath as he turned to the larger man. Without the sun, the breeze had a distinct chill. “I have accepted an invitation from Miss Walker to accompany her on a snowmobile excursion Thursday at the Canyon Rim Lodge. Please see to the necessary arrangements.”
“Your Highness, this leaves me only one day to plan for your security. I need to organize an advance reconnaissance investigation at the Canyon Rim Lodge and the surrounding area. I will also need to run complete background checks on anyone who will be there.” Nasir removed his gloves and pushed them into his coat pocket.
Hakim blew out a frustrated sigh. “I am traveling anonymously. This snowmobile trip is merely a friendly excursion, not a trap set by an assassin. As far as Miss Walker knows, I am just a businessman on vacation. Please allow me to enjoy myself as such.”
“I understand, Your Highness. As I am charged with your protection, I must insist on providing what security measures I deem necessary. However, at your insistence, I will do my best to use discretion.”
“Thank you, Nasir.”
&nbs
p; The ski valet met them as they arrived onto the lodge porch. He wore a dark green ski coat with the Bear Creek Lodge insignia above a name tag that read, “Brent.” Hakim judged Brent to be in his early twenties.
“How was the snow today, sir?” Brent asked in a polite voice.
“Very nice, thank you,” Hakim replied as he removed his skis. Although the motion was subtle, he noticed Brent’s eyes narrow when he heard his accent.
Nasir picked up both sets of skis and poles and handed them to Brent.
The valet strapped them to a rack and ducked into the back room, returning with the men’s shoes. “I’ll get those waxed up and ready for you tomorrow morning.
Nasir handed him a tip.
“Thank you, sir.” Brent slid the folded bill into his pocket.
Nasir held the door open and followed Hakim into the main lobby.
The large area was tastefully decorated with a rustic American western feel. Chandeliers made of antlers hung from the ceiling, casting interesting shadows on the high walls. Leather couches and brightly upholstered lodge pole chairs formed small sitting areas between the pool table and bar. The space was warm and inviting after the cold darkness outside.
Hakim was aware of the looks the other guests gave him. The instant distrust in people’s faces when they saw his dark tan skin and heard his accent. He often wondered how these same people would treat him if he revealed who he truly was. He loved the anonymity of traveling in the United States, but the discrimination often unnerved him.
As Hakim rode the penthouse elevator, his thoughts turned to Shelby. He was still surprised with himself for not dismissing her outright as soon as she spoke. Not out of arrogance, but because of his lack of social experience. But something about her had intrigued him. Was it her easy smile? Or her competitiveness? Or the way she chewed on her lip when she was thinking?
The elevator doors opened, and the penthouse butler stood in the suite entryway. The butler wore white gloves and an immaculate suit bearing the hotel crest on his lapel. “How was skiing, sir?”
The Sheik's Ruby Page 2