The Sheikh's Christmas Bride

by Randi DeVoe

  I am glad that my father saw it my way when it came to teaching my sweet Gabriella. I am going to teach her more than what is on the list to do. I am going to teach her how to be the perfect wife for me, and when it comes time, I will go to her father and ask to marry her. My parents have been bugging me to take a wife, anyway. I need an heir in order to take over the throne. I know he wants to step down and enjoy being retired, but he can’t do that unless I am married with an heir. I plan on making that heir with the young, beautiful Gabriella, even if she doesn’t want to. I will get what I want, and she won’t be able to say no.

  I can’t believe I won’t be staying with Jaslica and Lily. I wanted to have girl time with Lily. I feel that I could learn from her just as much as I could with Hamand. Who is he, anyway, telling his mother and father that it would be in my best interest to be taught by him? I have never been alone with a man. I don’t know how I feel about this. I am scared but I am also a little curious about what he wants to teach me.

  “Gabriella, we need to go to the party, and I will be your escort since you must be escorted by a man to royal functions.”

  “Who is going to escort Jaslica?”

  “Her betrothed.”

  “Her what…?”

  “You didn’t know that Jaslica has an fiancee?”

  “No, I didn’t. She never told me.”

  “She has an arranged marriage, and has been slated to marry Lee since she was fifteen. Their wedding will be this spring. That is one of the reasons why she has been brought home. It is time to prepare for her wedding.”

  “I didn’t believe they did arranged marriages anymore. Well, in the states they don’t. You either marry for love or money.”

  “Jaslica and Lee have been put together to strengthen their family for years. Don’t you believe in that kind of marriage?”

  “I do, but I believe that a couple should also be in love...not just for the sake of their families future in society.”

  “Then you still have a lot to learn about our culture. Arranged marriages are a common practice in our entire country. What about you parents, don’t they want you to marry well?”

  “I don’t think my parents would even know if I got married or not. My parents are into themselves. They only had me to get at my trust fund that my grandmother left for me when she died. They have been charging me to raise me. They actually have a ledger on how much I owe them when I get my trust, and if it is not enough to pay them back, then I will have to pay them when I start earning a wage. Like I said, they are all about themselves. They are rich in their own right, but they still want my money. It is to teach me about financial responsibilities.”

  “That is just wrong. No child should have to pay to have their parents raise them. They wanted you, so now they should have to pay for your upbringing.”

  “Try telling them that. They won’t listen to me, and they just push me to the side when I mention it to them.”

  I am glad she filled me in on her home situation. Her parents are greedy bastards...so maybe some kind of arrangement can be made between her parents and my father. Money for their daughter’s hand in marriage. My plan to have Gabriella as my bride was shaping up quite nicely. I will have my sweet little virgin beauty after all. I think a Christmas wedding will be in our future, and a son by fall. Now all I have to do is get my father on board with my plan...and since he’s been on me about settling down, I think he will go it. Especially knowing that her parents can be bought. He does not believe in selling someone into marriage, and finding that out will not make him happy. If all goes the way I see it going, a grandchild will be conceived by the New Year.

  Chapter Three

  I take Gabriella to my apartment and show her her suite. It is connected directly to my own rooms, and I tell her that she will be living for the foreseeable future. Having her this close will make it easier on both of us when she transitions to my bedchamber, where we will conceive the first of many children together.

  “Here we are, Gabriella this is your room. I hope you like it. If you need anything, my room is right next door.”

  “Your room is next door? Why are you putting me in here when I could be with Jaslica and Lily?”

  “Because you are special, and I think that we will work very well together. Not only that, I want you close in case I need something.”

  “What would you need from a nobody like me?”

  “Oh, you are very special to me, and never put yourself down like that again. I might bend you over my knee and spank you.”

  “You wouldn’t!”

  “Watch me. I am a man who doesn’t like to be talked back to, and I don’t like a woman who thinks poorly of herself. Have your parents taught you to think so little of yourself?”

  “They never paid enough attention to me to even treat me like I was anyone special. I practically raised myself. My parents were too involved in themselves to worry about me. They left me with nannies while they did their own thing. They would pull me out for the Christmas photo, and then again when they needed to be seen as a family unit. I don’t think my dad even knows my name except when he wanted to yell at me when I brought home a B+ on my report card in advanced Calculus. I was a Sophomore in high school. They did pay attention to my grades and my SAT scores. I was forced to study for five hours every night after school.”

  “What about the summer? Didn’t you get a break?”

  “No, they had me taking college courses around the time I started my junior year. I graduated a year early with a high school diploma and my Associates degree. I have three majors, and when I told them that I wanted to be a history professor, they pretty much stopped talking to me. They are paying for college, but they want nothing to do with me unless I change my major to Economics or Finance.”

  “They wanted you to follow in their footsteps, didn’t they?”

  “No, they just wanted me to have a job where I could make the most money so that they could take part of my pay.”

  “I am really not liking how your parents treat you. They sound like awful people.”

  “They really are. I’m sorry...I shouldn’t have told you all of that. They don’t even know that I am here. I never told that them that I was leaving. They have no clue where I am at.”

  “I am proud of you for doing that. They don’t tell you what they are doing, so why should you give them the same courtesy? You are a grown woman, you don’t need to account for your whereabouts to them. Especially if all they seem to care about is themselves and money.

  “Thank you, I needed to hear that. Now, don’t we have a party to go to?”

  “Ah, yes we do. My mother will kill us if we don’t go down there. I will let you freshen up, and then meet me in the sitting room.”

  “Thank you, Hamand. I really could use a nap, but I guess that will have to wait.”

  “Yes, it will. You can sleep all you want tomorrow or at least until the royal dressmakers come into fit you for your new clothes. We will set your language tutor for the day after. You need to start to learn the language, or you are going to be lost.”

  “I can handle that.”

  “That is what I like to hear. Now let’s go visit with my family.”

  I let Gabriella go into the bathroom and freshen up. When she comes back out she looks like a million dollars. And I would gladly pay that and more for her parents to leave her alone forever. Once she was his wife, her parents would have to stop bothering her about her trust fund that her grandmother left her. Why are they so interested in this trust anyway? I am going to call my private detective to find out all I can about Gabriella and her family. I want this woman, and I want her now. However, I will hold my desires at bay and go to my father’s harem for some release. They will give me pleasure while I wait for the right time to bring Gabriella to my bed. I will see her round with my child by New Years if all goes well.

  We enter the formal dining room where my parents have set out a feast to celebrate Jaslica’s return and Gabriel
la’s visit to Samarah. I seat her next to me, since this will be her rightful place when she becomes my wife, then start talking to my friends and cousin. I look over at Gabriella and see that she is barely awake. I knew that she was tired, but I didn’t realize she was that tired. She put up a good fight, and now it is time that she goes and soaks in a warm bath. Then I will lay her down in her bed and let her sleep. If I were to have my way, she would be in my bed. Soon Hamand, very soon.

  “Father, mother, I think that Miss VanShooden should go to bed. She can barely keep her eyes open.”

  “I am so sorry child, are you that tired? We really should have scheduled this for another day. You aren’t used to the time change. Child, go to your room, and go to bed. Hamand, will you escort Gabriella back to your suite?”

  “Yes, mother I will. Come on, Gabriella, let’s get you into a warm jasmine bath and then to bed.”

  “Okay.”

  I take her into her bathroom and run her a bath with some jasmine oil. She is so tired that she can barely undress herself. I so badly want to help her out of her dress, but instead I leave and take a cold shower...by myself. To prepare myself for my impending wedding, I decide it would be better for me to to stay chaste until my wedding night. That means I will not be going to my father’s harem after all. Having seen my beautiful bride to be, I can’t even imagine being with another woman. As soon as I am sheikh, I will be doing away with that tradition. I will not keep a harem for my pleasure...only my sweet Gabriella will have that honor. She is the only one that I will need. And, since she is going to be the mother of my children, I want to respect her and not go off with other women.

  After my shower, I walk to Gabriella’s door and hear nothing. I knock, then knock again when I don’t hear anything from within. I open the door quietly and see her asleep in the bath. I don’t want to wake her up, so I grab a big fluffy towel and pick her up out the water. I carefully place her into her bed and look my fill at her beautiful body. I can’t believe how beautiful her body is. She is going to look even more so when she is lying under me when we make love for the first time. I can’t wait to put my seed in order to create our son.When I feel myself getting full with desire once more, I cover her up to her neck then kiss her head gently and then slowly walk out the door.

  I think it is time to go talk to my father. I want Gabriella, and I always get what I want. This sweet American girl is my choice for my wife and mother of my many children. I know that my parents are looking forward to having grandchildren, so the sooner I can get Gabriella to marry me, the better.

  When I go to bed that night I do nothing but dream of Gabriella and all of the things I want to do with her. I want to teach her the language of my people and share her love of history. I want show her how life can be with people that care for her. And, I especially want to show her how much I can love her. But first I need to get her to trust me...which means I cannot push her too fast. She seems to be nervous around me when I get close to her, which makes me believe she has never been with a man before. That means she will be totally mine, and already is, and that is how I prefer it anyway. What she just doesn’t know is that she will be mine forever.

  Chapter Four

  Where am I? I look around and remember that I am in the palace in Samarah, but how did I get to bed. The last thing I remember is taking a bath. Oh no, Hamand must have carried me to bed, and he has seen me naked. I am so embarrassed. How could have I fallen asleep in the tub? I know how...the bath was a little too relaxing! It reminded me of the ones I used to take at my grandmother’s house when I was little. I think that is why it felt so good and warm. But if he’s seen me naked, how I am ever going to work with him?

  I get out of bed, grabbing the silk sheet to wrap around myself, and go into the bathroom where I see a beautiful silk robe. I decide that it must have been left here for me, so I put it on then check myself in the mirror.

  “God, I look like death warmed over!” Why couldn’t I have stayed awake long enough to take my makeup off last night? I look like a raccoon. As I begin to remove my makeup with the makeup remover laying on the counter, I hear a knock on the door. Please don’t be Hamand. Oh, please don’t be Hamand.

  “Gabriella, are you in here?”

  God... it is him! NO! Why did it have to be him? I can’t let him see me this way.

  “I am in the bathroom. Please don’t come in...I look terrible!”

  “Nonsense, I think that you are beautiful and nothing can change that.”

  “Did you put me to bed last night?”

  “Yes, you had fallen asleep in the bath. I didn’t want you to drown, so I picked you up and carried you to bed.”

  “Why didn’t you just wake me up so I could get up on my own and put myself to bed?”

  “Because you were sleeping so peacefully...and I didn’t want to wake you.”

  The door opens and there he stands. He walks over to me and leans down to my lips. He kisses me ever so deeply and I look up at him in awe. Wow...this is my first kiss, and it was amazing. I felt a tingle through my entire body, like a bolt of electricity. I don’t know what this feeling is, but all I know is that I like it, and if he was to do it again I...wouldn’t stop him.

  “What was that for, Hamand?”

  “Because I wanted to. And be expecting to be getting more of those. You taste like honey, and I love honey. I bet you taste like honey all over, and one of these days I am going to find out.”

  “What does that mean?”

  “You will just wait and see. Right now we have to go down for breakfast, and then the royal dressmakers are coming to size you for your new clothes. As my personal assistant, you will have the finer things in life. You will need to look the part of my royal escort, my personal secretary, and my lover.”

  “What do you mean...your lover?”

  “What I mean, my so young Gabriella, is that I will be training you to be my lover, and then when you become my wife you will know how to satisfy me in all ways.”

  “I can’t marry you. I don’t even know you! Besides, I don’t want to get married. I want to teach history and be happy. That is all I want. I could stay a virgin all my life, and it wouldn’t bother me in the least.”

  “Well, now that I have confirmation that you are a virgin, then you will definitely be my wife. Now, like I said, you need to put something on so we can go down for breakfast. I will give you time to get used to the idea of us getting married, but I can promise you this...we will be married on Christmas Day.”

  “Why so soon? Why do we have to get married? Why do you want me? I am a nobody.”

  “What did I tell you about putting yourself down? You will learn what happens when you disobey me, but for right now. I am going to start with just loving on you, and you will eventually learn to love me.”

  “What if I don’t ever to learn to love you, then what?”

  “Oh, my sweet Gabriella, I am going to make sure that you do fall in love with me, and you will become my wife.”

  He reaches down, pulls the belt of my robe lose, pulls me close to his body. He then reaches down with his large hand and starts to massage my breast while he takes my lips to his once more and kisses me passionately. I start to moan in his mouth and begin making sounds that I didn’t even know that I knew how to make. He then takes my hands in his and guides me to his very large manhood. He pulls his lips away, leaving me breathless and wanting more.

  “This is what you do to me, Gabriella. Soon you will know what it is like to have me inside of you, and you are going to love it. I can promise you that.”

  With those words, he covers me back up and walks out the room.

  “Get dressed, Gabriella”

  I walk into my closet and pick out something that would be good enough for breakfast, then grab my head scarf. I walk into the hallway were Hamand is looking like he could eat me again, which he almost did a few minutes ago. He takes my arm and loops it around his, then we begin to walk down to the dining room where we
meet the family. Hamand then sits me next him, putting his hand on my knee. I so want to talk to Jaslica and Lily, but it looks like that he isn’t going to let me. I decide to ask him in a low whisper.

  “Hamand, may I go talk to Jaslica and Lily later?”

  “Yes, but not till you are done with your duties. You have a lot on your schedule today, and if you don’t get to talk to them today, then I will let you have some time tomorrow.”

  “Can I ask you a question?”

  “You may.”

  “Is this how it is going to be, me asking you if I can talk to my friends or even my family?”

  “Not all the time, but for the most part yes. That is how it is in this country, the husband makes all the decisions for his wife or wives.”

  “Yes, but you are not, and will not be, my husband.”

  “We will see about that. Now eat your breakfast...you will be needing to get to your first appointment in just a little bit.”

  “I am not done talking about this.”

  “Well I am, and this is the end of the discussion...because if you don’t stop displeasing me, I will give you your first lesson on how not to act in front of me or the royal family.”

  “Are you threatening violence against me?”

  “No, I am just stating how I will be dealing with you when we are in private.”

  “So how do you like being here my child? Is my son treating you well? Because if he isn’t, just let me know, and I will set him straight. We don’t want you running back to America with a bad feeling about Samarah.”

  “I could never think that about this beautiful country, and I am so grateful for what Hamand is going to teach me. I just wish that I could spend some time with Lily and Jaslica.”

  “I think Hamand could let you have some time with the girls today. Don’t you, son? You could let Gabriella have some girl time, I think it will do her good. I don’t think that you need to be by her side all the time, hovering over her, do you?”