The Desert Prince

by Jennifer Lewis

  The deck was huge, at least thirty feet across, and lined with padded seats. Every inch of the ship was polished to a high shine. Brass railings gleamed in the sunset and colorful flags fluttered high above.

  A smell of delicious cooking came from somewhere inside the mahogany paneled bowels of the boat. “Yusef is cooking our dinner. He’ll steer the vessel, too. We can be frank in our conversation around him.”

  “He’s discreet?” Celia wondered what Salim was telling his staff about her and Kira.

  “Yes. And he speaks about eight words of English, most of them filthy.” His infectious grin made her stomach quiver. “Let’s go see what he’s prepared for us.”

  Dinner was arranged on a lower deck, inches above the rippling surface of the water. Moonlight danced across tiny waves on an evening breeze that blew away the day’s heat and made Celia draw her silk shawl around her shoulders.

  “Are you cold?” Salim shrugged off his suit jacket, “Here, put this on.”

  “Oh, no. I’m fine. Perfect.” The last thing she needed was to be surrounded by his seductive masculine smell. It was bad enough sitting directly opposite him while he glowed with joy and enthusiasm about the daughter they shared. “I like the breeze.”

  Yusef, an older man in a dark dishdasha and a brown turban, served the meal with a smile.

  Tender spiced fish on a bed of saffron rice made Celia’s mouth water just to look at it. “Omani food is sensational. I don’t know how I’ll survive without it.”

  Salim frowned slightly, as if he wanted to say something.

  But he didn’t. He tore off a hunk of freshly baked flatbread and chewed it silently.

  No doubt neither of them knew quite what to say. They were walking along a delicate bridge between the past and the future.

  Salim had made no mention of Nabilah or his plans for the future. Celia didn’t dare look beyond the end of the week.

  Her landscaping project was nearly done. She’d return to the States soon, and take Kira with her.

  Neither of them wanted to talk or think about that.

  It was easier to exist here in this magical realm, suspended between realities, where anything seemed possible.

  They sat at the table like…a couple.

  But she didn’t dare to imagine a possible future between her and Salim.

  She glanced out over the silvery water, to where lights shone on the distant shore. “I can understand why you wanted to come back here. Life in Massachusetts must have been pretty grim compared to your existence here. You never told me you had people waiting on you hand and foot in your regular life.”

  Salim shrugged. “The experience did me good. I learned how to do things for myself, how to make my own decisions.” Something flickered in his dark eyes. “Though I’m not sure I would have survived without your help.”

  “We had some really good times together.” For years she’d suppressed the happy memories of their halcyon days in college. It hurt too much to remember how it all ended. “I guess everything good has to come to an end some time. That’s just how life works.”

  “And sometimes an ending isn’t really an ending, as proved by our tryst four years ago and its very delightful results.”

  Celia smiled. Don’t go getting your hopes up. “We do have a colorful history, you and I.”

  Salim placed one broad, tanned hand on the white tablecloth. If she’d wanted to—or dared—she could have placed her own on top of it, to seal the connection between them.

  But she didn’t.

  An ancient wood fishing dhow moved slowly through the water close to them. She could make out its curved outline in the moonlight. Fishermen on the lamp-lit deck called out and waved and Salim replied something in Arabic with a grin. “They’re jealous.”

  Celia laughed. “Who wouldn’t be? This boat is like a floating palace.”

  “It’s not the boat they’re jealous of.” Mischief glimmered in his eyes. “They said I’ve caught a very beautiful fish.”

  Celia struggled not to squirm with pleasure under the idle flattery. “How silly. I’m sunburned like a fisherman myself. If it wasn’t for the flattering candlelight I’m sure they’d be saying something quite else.”

  “You don’t enjoy being beautiful, do you?” Salim cocked his head.

  Celia stiffened. “If I actually was beautiful, maybe I’d have an opinion on that subject.”

  “Or perhaps you feel you won’t be taken seriously if you look too feminine?”

  “I prefer to let my work speak for itself. I’d expect to be taken just as seriously in chandelier earrings. In fact, maybe I’ll wear some tomorrow.” She raised a brow.

  “I’ll be sure to take you seriously.” His smile revealed his perfect white teeth.

  She couldn’t get a rise out of him tonight. Apparently he, too, was determined to enjoy their evening. “I wish Kira was here.” She sighed. “It’s so lovely.”

  “We’ll bring her. We’ll come out for a long sail along the coast. I do know how to sail her, you know.”

  “I believe you. I suspect that you could do just about anything you put your hand to.” She glanced down at Salim’s sturdy, capable hand, where it rested on the white linen.

  Oh, how she’d like to put her hand in his and leave it there for a lifetime.

  But that was another lifetime than this one.

  And maybe now, while things were calm and cordial between them, and Kira was tucked up quietly in bed, was the best time to plan the future. “Kira and I can come visit regularly. Whenever there’s a school holiday, really. My schedule is usually pretty flexible, since I set it myself.”

  She wanted to make it clear that if Kira came, she would, too.

  Salim’s brows lowered. “I don’t want to see Kira only two or three times a year.”

  “You could come to the States whenever you want. I’m sure you have business to do there. You’d be welcome to come visit anytime.” Her cheerful invitation rang hollow in the sea-scented night air.

  “I don’t want to be ‘welcome to visit’ my daughter. I want to be a father to her. Those things are very different.”

  “I know, but the situation is complicated. We live on different continents. You’re rooted here, and Kira and I have friends and family there.”

  “You have friends and family here.” His voice was almost a growl.

  Only you. And I’ve learned better than to depend on you for my happiness.

  She kept her thoughts silent, not wanting to stir up more trouble.

  “You can see how happy Kira is here. How well she fits in. We have excellent schools here in Salalah. She will grow up surrounded by people who care about her and want the best for her.”

  Panic flashed through Celia. And a flare of indignation. “She’s already growing up surrounded by people who care about her. That’s why she’s so happy and outgoing.” She straightened her shoulders and braced herself. Her hands were shaking and she hid them under the table. Things were about to get ugly. “And I told you, I’m taking her back home.”

  “Home. Isn’t there an American saying, ‘home is where the heart is?’”

  “Maybe one’s heart can be in more than one place, but I’m Kira’s mother and she belongs with me.” She couldn’t hide the tremor in her voice.

  “And that’s why you had me sign that contract.” Salim’s eyes narrowed to dark slits.

  “Yes.” She lifted her chin. “I knew that sooner or later we’d have this discussion. I needed to protect my rights, as you can see.”

  “Why didn’t you bring it to me yourself?”

  Because I’m afraid of what a pushover I am where you’re concerned. “I didn’t want to get overemotional, or have us get into an argument.”

  “You mean, like we’re doing now?” He raised a brow. “Surely you didn’t think I could meet Kira, get to know her and then simply kiss her goodbye?”

  Guilt and fear knotted in Celia’s stomach. “I knew you wouldn’t. That’s why I was af
raid. Why I am afraid.”

  Salim stood, scraping his chair on the deck. Water lapped against the side of the ship, punctuating the thick silence. “You must think about what’s best for Kira.”

  He loomed over her. Moonlight picked out the hard lines of his jaw and cheekbones in silver.

  “I am. There’s no neat solution. There never has been.”

  Salim blew out a hard breath and stared out over the water. It shimmered in the bright streak of moonlight that lit its heaving surface.

  He frowned, then extended a hand to her. “Come, let’s walk on the deck.”

  Celia stared at his hand, broad palm and long, sturdy fingers, reaching out to her.

  If she took it, was she somehow agreeing to his terms? Or would she get sucked into the vortex of madness that gave him such infuriating control over her mind and body?

  She didn’t want to make trouble. Really, she wanted this to go as smoothly as possible, so rejecting a friendly gesture didn’t make sense.

  She stood slowly and extended her hand to meet his.

  Energy snapped between them and shot up her arm as her fingertips met his. He wrapped his fingers around hers, taking hold of her gently but firmly. “From the far side of the deck we can see the lights of Salalah.”

  She let him lead her across the polished wood deck with its brass railing. The flags fluttering overhead in the starry darkness echoed the rapid beat of her heart. They passed the stairs leading down to the galley and cabins, and the shore came into view. The city lay spread before them, flickering dots of golden light in the distance.

  “It’s beautiful,” she admitted. “It looks like a floating city.” The ocean shimmered and rippled like a flying carpet in the space between the yacht and the glowing shore.

  “You can see why I had to come back here. Why staying in the States was never an option for me.”

  “Yes, of course. I understand everything now. You were always going to come back here. I was young and naive and it didn’t occur to me that we weren’t entirely in charge of our own destiny.”

  “Salalah could be your home, too.” He spoke low, looking out into the far distance, rather than right at her.

  A mix of terror and longing rose inside her. Oh, stop it! He doesn’t mean for you to all be a family. He’ll probably set you up in a nice out-of-the-way house somewhere and treat you like a maiden aunt, while he gets on with his “suitable marriage” to someone else.

  Did she imagine it, or did his fingers just tighten around hers? Her palm heated and a tingling sensation crept up her arm and rippled to her breasts and belly.

  Maybe he did mean for them to be romantic?

  She drew in a shaky breath.

  “I never truly thought about the joys of being a father.” Salim spoke, gazing out over the silver water. “I knew it was my duty, and that I would have children one day.” He turned to look at her. His dark eyes held hers fixed on his. “I didn’t realize she’d capture my heart and carry it with her every moment.”

  His words shot a bolt of fierce emotion to Celia’s core. She knew exactly how he felt. And that was why everything they said, everything they did, was so important.

  And so very difficult.

  He turned to her and captured her other hand, holding them both tight in his. “Thank you for bringing Kira into the world.” He spoke with force. “Thank you for raising her to be the bright and happy child she is. You’re a wonderful mother.”

  Celia gulped as a rush of feeling threatened to choke her. She’d felt his censure that she continued to work and travel and spend time away from Kira. His praise now warmed her more than she wanted to admit.

  “Thanks,” she managed.

  “So you must realize that Kira needs both of us.”

  His statement hung in the night air for a moment as his gaze held hers.

  “Yes.” She knew he was right. But how could they make it happen?

  His eyes drifted to her mouth, which twitched under his stare. Heat sizzled in the air between them, heating their clasped hands and stinging her taut nipples. Uh-oh.

  Their mouths moved inexorably closer. Her lips tingled with awareness of his mouth, hovering close to hers in the darkness. His eyes darkened as passion flared between them.

  Then Salim dropped her hands and turned abruptly away.

  He strode across the deck, leaving Celia standing there by herself, lips parted in unkissed astonishment.

  Ten

  T he next morning, Celia guided Kira out of the sunlit breakfast room where they’d both had freshly made crepes with fruit. She planned to let Kira play on the beach for a while, then take her to the site so she could look over a few final details.

  Her evening with Salim had ended abruptly after their almost-kiss. He’d gruffly suggested they should return to shore, and she’d agreed, glad the darkness hid her flush of humiliation.

  Where had she thought that kiss would lead? Nowhere sensible, to be sure.

  She should be glad Salim had put a stop to it.

  Still, the rejection—on top of all the other rejections she still smarted from—hurt.

  Kira stopped and cried out in distress. “We forgot my water wings!”

  “You can’t swim right after breakfast, sweetie. You could get a cramp.”

  Kira’s lower lip stuck out, and she looked up with big, imploring eyes. “I won’t go in deep.”

  “You’re darn right you won’t.” Celia grinned. “We’ll build a sand castle.”

  Kira was at stake. Kira’s future happiness depended on both her parents coming to some kind of sensible arrangement. And breathless kisses were anything but sensible—at least between the two of them.

  “Miss Davidson!” A female voice behind her made Celia turn around. She squinted in the morning sun as a woman with red hair rushed across the open courtyard toward her. “Mr. Al Mansur would like to see you in his office.”

  “Oh.” She frowned.

  Why didn’t he just call her? She always had her phone with her.

  “He asked me to take Kira to the Kids’ Club. We’re making clay sculptures this morning.”

  Celia frowned. What was he up to? She didn’t know this particular hotel employee and she wasn’t too delighted about handing Kira over to a total stranger.

  “I’m Lucinda Bacon, director of the children’s activities.” She thrust out a hand. Celia shook it. “How silly of me not to introduce myself. I was a nanny for tots in England for eight years before I came here. I’ll make sure Kira has a lovely time.” Her bright smile and warm gaze gave Celia some reassurance. Still…

  “She might need a nap soon. She’s had an exciting couple of days.”

  “Not a problem at all!” Lucinda squatted to Kira’s height. “We’ve got a lovely nap room with the prettiest beds you could imagine.” She looked right at Kira. “And we sing lullabies. Do you have a favorite bedtime song?”

  “‘Rock-a-bye Baby,’” said Kira.

  “Oh, that’s one of my favorites. And did you know, one of our beds rocks, just like a cradle?”

  “Can I try it?” Kira looked up at her mom, eyes wide with excitement.

  Celia’s stomach tightened. “Um, sure, I guess so. Salim is in his office, you said?”

  “Yes, he’s waiting for you. He asked us to look after Kira until you’re done. No rush at all, we’re open until ten in the evening.” She beamed, and took Kira’s hand.

  Celia wiped her empty palms on the back of her pants. “Okay.” She wrote down her number for Lucinda and watched as she led Kira away.

  A nasty feeling of foreboding crept over her.

  Was this how it would start? Kira being pried from her and seduced into a new world of unimagined luxuries—things that she could never provide for her daughter, but Salim could produce with a snap of his powerful fingers.

  She swallowed and lifted her chin. He’s waiting for you.

  Celia felt as if she’d been summoned to the principal’s office.

  The feeli
ng only increased when she was ushered into his spacious office, and found him sitting behind the desk, attired in a crisp, dark suit.

  Salim rose and nodded, a formal greeting. His grim expression deepened the churning in her stomach. “Please, take a seat.”

  He gestured to the richly upholstered chair beside her, and she managed to lower herself into it. Her knees were wobbly and she had a sudden urge to diffuse the tension in the air. “Kira was so excited to go to the Kids’ Club. I didn’t even know there was one here. Every time I turn around, I find something new at this hotel. It’s really amazing.”

  The nonsensical babbling hung in the air as Salim simply stared at her, eyes narrowed. Something in his gaze was more focused, more intense than usual.

  Her stomach tightened.

  Salim leaned forward in his chair, which magnified the sensation of being in a laser sight. “As you know, I consider family to be of great importance.”

  Uh-oh. Celia squirmed under his hard stare.

  He frowned before continuing. “I originally broke off our relationship because I considered my responsibility to my family to be paramount. I was the eldest son, and therefore it is my duty to sustain the family into the next generation.”

  Celia straightened her back. Here we go again. All the reasons why she could never be a suitable wife and must thus be banished from his life, yada, yada.

  She should be used to it by now. But apparently she wasn’t.

  Pain lanced through her and she swallowed hard. Had he summoned her here to reject her—yet again? She hadn’t even suggested or hinted that she expected anything of him.

  Rapid blinking shoved back any tears lurking behind her eyelids.

  “I have always intended to fulfill my father’s wishes and take an Omani bride of good family.”

  Didn’t you try that once already?

  His words stung, but she managed to keep her retort to herself. What good could come of bickering with him? He was still Kira’s father, even if he was a heartless clod where she was concerned.

  “But now I’ve decided that, once again, I must put my family first.”

  Celia’s heart clenched. Did he mean to break the contract? It might not even be legally enforceable here. What did she or even confident and chipper Sara know about such things? She struggled to keep her breathing under control.