by Randi DeVoe
Copyright 2017 The Sheikh’s Christmas Bride by Randi DeVoe and Anny Morse. All characters and places in the book are made up and come from
the imagination of the writers, and are not to be taken seriously.
Dedication
We dedicate this to our one true loves, Wesley and Miles. You two have been our shining stars on a starry night. Thank you for being so patient with us as we work hard on this book, and with our many other projects.
We would also like thank our friends and family. Your love and support over this last year has been amazing. We can’t thank you enough for being there...even at three in the morning!
We also would like to thank our fans for reading our books. If weren’t for your support, there would be no more books.
The Sheikh’s Christmas Bride
Prince Hamand was a prince that everyone in Samarah wanted to be with, and he could have anybody that he wanted with a mere snap of his fingers. And he usually did, until he saw the young American Foreign Exchange student that was staying with his best friend’s family...who just happens to work for his family. She is everything he wants in a woman. She is smart, sweet and sexy...and also a virgin. If he has his way, come Christmas morning, he will be unwrapping her as his bride.
Gabriella, a shy American girl from Michigan, agrees to study abroad in Samarah with her girlfriend, Jaslica, who is part of the Royal Court of Princess Lily. Gabriella feels out of place when she comes to visit the palace, and doesn’t know if anyone really cares or notices that she is in their country. In time, she discovers that everyone wants to know all about her life in America...and she loves the attention.
But one person in particular is quite interested in her...Lily’s brother, Hamand. He looks at her like he is going to devour her. He always finds a way to be around her...no matter where she is, he is there with her. Then one afternoon she is called in to see Sheikh Javar in his office, where she gets a unexpected surprise. He has decided that she will marry Prince Hamand on Christmas Day.
Can Prince Hamand make his American Christmas present love him or will he live in a loveless marriage? If he has his way, by the time they say “I do” she will be madly in love with him.
Chapter One
October
Black Creek, Michigan
“Gabriella, you have to go back with me to Samarah. You would love it there so much. Can’t you do a semester abroad this year?”
“I don’t know? Why do you want me to go with you so bad? I am just an education major, and I don’t know the language.”
“Sure you do. We all speak English. Hardly anybody speaks Arabic anymore, except for the older generations. Sure, we still have to be covered up, but not like they are in some other Arab nations. Please come with me. I know that Princess Lily is dying to finally meet you in person instead of over Skype.”
“I can check on it. I will have to ask my parents, too. They may want me gone all the time, but I do have to tell them when I am going to go across the world for four months.”
“You know that Andy and Lacy won’t say anything. Anyway, you are an adult now, so they can’t say no.”
“Yeah, but they can pull my money from school, and change the stipulations to my trust.”
“You know you can forget about that trust, right? Once you are old enough to get your hands on it they will be looking for a handout to pay them back for you college. I don’t get your parents. They are rich, but they expect you to pay them back for raising you and for your education.”
“I know, I know. They just want to get their money back on their investment...me.”
“You aren’t an investment. You are their child. Why did they have you if they didn’t want to spend the money on raising you. Didn’t you say they kept a running total on how much it cost to keep you?”
“Yes, they did, and right now I owe them about a half of a million dollars, exactly what my grandmother left me. If I don’t find a job after I graduate, I don’t know if I will be able to survive.”
“Your parents are wrong for treating you like this. This is why you need to go back with me, so you can get away from them and all their silliness. Please come with me.”
“Alright, and I am not going to tell my parents that I am going. I will talk to my counselor tomorrow at the university. I already have my passport from going on the few vacations that my parents took me on to Mexico and to Canada, which I am still paying on.”
“Goody! Now let’s call Lily so we can tell her the good news. Oh, by the way, we will be staying at the palace. My parents are now working with Sheikh Javar and Sheikha Rose Marie in the palace from now on.”
“Is your brother back from England or do we have to deal with him, too?”
“Yes, he is back from England...along with Prince Hamand. Don’t worry about those two, they have a whole wing to themselves. We will be living with Lily in her apartments. I want to let you know that Lily has never been to America, so be prepared for her to ask you a zillion questions.”
“I can’t wait.”
I can’t believe that I am leaving the country without to telling my parents. They are away on business anyway, it isn’t like they are going to miss me. They probably won’t even realize that I am gone. They never even realize that I am here when they are here, anyway. I talked my guidance counselor and she did not have a problem with me taking my classes for a semester in Samarah. She thinks it would help me to get in a good graduate school when I graduate in the spring. With that in order, all I have to do now is pack.
Jaslica picks me up in a limo to take us to the airport. When we get there, we don’t go to the main terminal. Instead, we arrive at a private hangar.
“Where are we going, Jaslica?”
“Gabriella, I thought we should celebrate you leaving the nest by riding in style on the royal jet.”
“Seriously?”
“Yep, we are going to ride on the Samarah royal jet. We are also going to be picked up by the royal guards. That is another thing...since I am a Lady-in-waiting, I have certain duties to attend to while we are at the palace, so you will be free to do what you want to do while I am working.”
“You are a what…?”
“Lady-in-waiting. Basically, I am Lily’s personal assistant, and I do have certain duties that I must attend to at certain times, mainly at royal events, which you will not have to attend unless you want to or unless you are requested to by one of the royal family.”
“That sounds nice, but I don’t have anything to wear for a royal event, so I won’t be attending any.”
“That’s another thing, you will be required wear official Samarah garb while you are outside the apartments. Lily is going to send the dressmaker to your suite when we land so you can be fitted for your new dresses.”
“I don’t know if I can accept that. I don’t know how to pay for those things.”
“You are always worried about money. Stop! You will not think about how much things cost when you are here. You are going to be a guest of the royal family, so you won’t have to worry about anything. Trust me, you are going to be spoiled rotten. You may never want to come back.”
“I don’t know about that.”
“Oh, you will, believe me.”
“I highly doubt it. I am a winter and snow kind of girl...I can’t stand if it it gets above 80 degrees. I don’t think I could get used to all that hot weather and sand everywhere.”
“Gabriella, you don’t have a clue as to what you can used to. I got used to the snow when I came to Michigan for school.”
“We will see what I can get used to. Let’s just get there, okay?”
“Whatever, Gabriella. I bet you will be begging not t
o come home. Now, you better get some sleep, it is a long flight, and Lily wants us ready to go when we arrive at the palace tomorrow.”
We finally land in Samarah, and we changed into the outfits that Lily had sent us, then got off the jet.. Jaslica was right...the heat wasn’t too bad. Jaslica’s brother, Sullivan, and his friend, Hamand, were waiting with the royal guard to escort us to the palace. I don’t understand the rule about a woman needing a male escort when they go out by themselves.
“Sullivan, what are you doing here with Hamand?”
“We came to escort you to the palace. It is nice to see you, sister. Oh, and this must be Gabriella. Welcome to our country. I would like to introduce you to my friend, Prince Hamand.”
“Pleasure to meet you, your highness...and not so great to see you, Sullivan.”
“Are you still upset at what happened when I came to see Jaslica?”
“Do you mean when you were a total butt head to me when you came to see her last summer? If so...then yes.”
“Sully, how could you be so crude to this beauty?”
“I thought she wasn’t good enough for my sister. I was wrong. Instead of leading her into the evils of American ways, she kept Jaslica’s head in the books. She didn’t let her go partying or do drugs, she didn’t even let her have a boyfriend. She is a good girl. I am truly sorry for how I treated Gabriella.”
“Well, that is good to know. So Gabriella, do you have a boyfriend or a girlfriend?”
“No, not that it is any of your business, but I have kept my head in the books for as long as I can remember just so I could get a good job as a professor of History. Coming here is going to help me get a better sense what real history is really like. Your country is rich with living history.”
“If you want history, my beauty, wait until you see the palace. I will give you a tour of the grounds and then I can take you to the museum if you would like.”
“I would like that.”
“I don’t think you are going to have time to go anywhere with this brute, Gabriella. I will give you a tour of the palace. Besides, I think Lily will have us both too busy for you to visit anything out in the the city with him.”
“Jaslica, you will respect me or I will confine you to your suite until you decide to watch your mouth.”
“You wouldn’t do that, Hamand. I did nothing wrong. Anyway, I am Lily’s charge, and so is Gabriella.”
“You maybe Lily’s, but I am still Lily’s older brother, and I have power over her. Now, I will be taking this beauty on tours...no questions asked. Do you understand me?”
“Yes, Hamand.”
“Good, we are here. Our parents, along with Lily, are waiting for us in the drawing room.”
“What about our bags?”
“Don’t worry about that, Gabriella. My servants will take them to your rooms.’
“Thank you, your highness.”
“Call me Hamand.”
For some reason Prince Hamand has taken a liking to me. He is so H-O-T, and that isn’t just from the sun. He touched my arm and I felt this bolt of electricity run through it. He makes me feel things that I have never felt before. I wonder what if would be like if he kissed me? My first kiss...I know I am going to like it here.
Chapter Two
I can’t believe how beautiful the girl that Jaslica brought home is. It is going to take everything I have inside of me to keep my hands off of her. I think I might have to keep this little beauty as my own. I can’t wait to see how she does with the royal court. For now, though, I am going to have her working as my personal assistant. I want to teach her the ways of our culture, lives, and language. Yes, that is going to my new goal...to be able to keep her here with me.
When we get to the palace, I get a better look at my Gabriella as she takes her headscarf off. She has the most beautiful chestnut brown hair, eyes to match it, and her scent is of cherries. I can’t wait to see what is under her dress. Does she wear a thong or a bikini? What color is her bra? Does it have lace or is it silk? And the most important question...is she a virgin? It would seal the deal if she is a virgin. And it would make me want her more. I wonder what kind of a man she has been with or if she has even been with a man. I would love it if she has never been with a man...then I could train her to pleasure me without having to unteach bad habits from another man. Yes, Gabriella is going to be my bride if I have anything to do about it.
We head towards the drawing room, where my parents and Lily, as well as Sully’s and Jaslica’s parents, are waiting to welcome the girls home. I keep shooting glances over at Gabriella to see how she is taking in all of the beauty of the palace. Her eyes are lighting right up while she walked through the palace entrance. I am going to have so much fun showing her the country...and then I am going to take her on vacation to show her Greece, Italy, Germany, and France. I want her to experience even more of the history that she loves.
“Gabriella, are you ready to meet the royal family?”
“I am a bit on the nervous side, your highness.”
“I told you to call me Hamand, but I know you aren’t used to being in this situation. When you address my parents it will be “your majesty’s”.”
“Thank you, Hamand, for that note.”
“You will call me “your highness” when we are in a formal setting and I am in my robes, but every other time you will call me by my first name. You will always call my parents “your majesty”.
“Thank you again for letting me know the rules. What else will I need to know?”
“I will give you a lesson in etiquette later today. I know that Jaslica has told you about some of our ways, but I will instruct you in our other customs.”
“I would like that very much.”
“Good, now let’s go meet the rest of the royal court and my family.”
We walk into the drawing room and the girls and Lily begin to screech as they run towards each other. I see how happy that Jaslica and Gabriella are to be here. Yes, Jaslica has spent most of her childhood here, but she is always happy to be home. She has been gone too long from her family, but she did insist on going to college in America. Sully wanted to go with her, but he was finishing his studies in Finance with me in England. I wouldn’t let him leave Cambridge to go and make sure his sister didn’t bring disgrace to the family...but it looks like she didn’t. Being with Gabriella has been good for her. I am sure that their parents will be happy to know that. I know that they had Gabriella thoroughly investigated, and from what I have been told she is a good girl from a good family.
“Father, mother...may I introduce Gabriella VanShooden of Black Creek, Michigan.”
“Welcome to Samarah, Miss VanShooden.”
“Thank you, your majesties. I am in love with the palace already. Your home is filled with beauty.”
“Thank you. Jaslica has said that you are a history major with minor in education. What is it that you would like to do after you graduate from school? You may call me Rose when we are in private, but you must call my husband “your highness”. I am an American, too, from Rochester, NY.”
“I did not know that, your majesty. I mean...Rose.”
“That is okay my child, you will get used to our ways fast since you are a smart girl. We also hear that you have been a good influence on young Jaslica. Again what is that you want to do?”
“Rose and your majesty, I would like to pursue my Phd. in History and become a professor at a university.”
“You know that we have a very good university here in Samarah. You might want to look into finishing your studies there.”
“I am working with the Samarah University right now. I am doing a semester abroad, so I do have to go the university to work on some papers, and to meet with a counselor.”
“Very good, child. We are happy to have you come and stay with us while you are studying. Hopefully you will take a class to learn the language so you are not so lost.”
“Mother, I will be taking care of that. I am going to
make sure that her education not only consists of what she does at the university, but also she will have training in the ways of the royal court.”
“I think that is a splendid idea, son. Maybe if she likes it here, she might want to stay with us a bit longer.”
“I don’t know about that, Rose...I actually like seeing it snow in the winter time.”
“Child, we would never keep you away from snow! You could go anywhere you want with the royal court. Just think about it, okay?”
“I will definitely give it a thought.”
“Good, now let’s go celebrate your arrival. We are throwing you a small party with some friends and family.”
“Mother, don’t you think the girls would like some rest?”
“Pish posh, they will be fine. They can sleep all day tomorrow. I won’t expect them to start their duties for a couple of days. Jaslica, will you take Gabriella up to her suite?”
“I can do that, mother. Jaslica has enough to do working with Lily. I am having her moved to my wing of the palace, so I will have easier access to her for her studies. I would also like her to be my assistant, if that is possible.”
“I think that is a wonderful idea, son. Then she will be able to get a more thorough emergence into the culture. I also want you to get her a language tutor, she will need it in order for her to work with you.”
“Thank you father. I do agree with you that it would give her an total emergence into the culture, then she won’t be warped by Lily and Jaslica little minds.”
“I agree son, so, yes, I give you permission to move her into one of your suites.”
“But father, I wanted Gabriella to stay with me and Jaslica. I was wanting to get to know her better. We have only gotten to speak on Skype. Why does Hamand get to dominate her time?”
“Because I just said so, Lily. Gabriella has come here to learn about our culture. I am sorry daughter, but she wouldn’t learn that much with you. She needs to focus, and with your brother, she will be able to do that. Subject closed. Gabriella, you will be staying with Hamand, and Jaslica will continue her duties as Lady-in-waiting for you, Lily.”