The Sheik's Secret Bride

by Mallery, Susan

  Liana blinked several times, both to clear her vision and to give herself a second to absorb what she’d just heard. “Excuse me?”

  “Prince Malik said to tell you that he apologizes for any inconvenience. If you will allow us to enter, we will pack your belongings. They will be taken over to the housing on the property of the American School. You will be in your own apartment by the time you finish with your classes.”

  Rihana spoke politely enough but Liana could see that the young woman didn’t understand why anyone would want to leave the palace. At the moment, Liana sort of agreed with her. Why was Malik letting her go?

  Then she remembered their conversation. And the accusations. Obviously Malik had been listening.

  “Mommy? What’s happening?”

  Bethany was already up and dressed, but then she’d had a more restful night. Liana smoothed her daughter’s long hair. “These ladies are here to help us pack. We’re moving to the housing by the American School today.”

  In her plaid jumper and white shirt, a uniform the school required of all their students, her daughter looked older than her actual nine years. But at the thought of leaving the palace, tears filled her eyes.

  “Mommy, I don’t want to go.”

  Liana didn’t want to either anymore. But they didn’t belong here. “We’ve imposed on the royal family enough. We need to have our own place.”

  “What about riding? Will I still be able to do that?”

  “We’ll find a place near the school and you can take lessons.”

  Bethany’s lower lip quivered. “It won’t be the same.”

  “I know. But it will still be fun.” She turned to the three women still waiting by the open door. “I appreciate the offer, but we can pack ourselves.”

  Rihana shook her head. “Prince Malik insisted. He said he didn’t want either of you to be late.” Her pretty face softened with a smile. “He also said to tell the little missy that he would still like to teach her about horses.”

  Bethany’s tears faded as quickly as they’d formed and she clapped her hands together. “Oh, can I, Mommy? Please say yes. Please?”

  “Of course you can still ride here. When the prince has time for you.”

  What else could she say? Her quarrel was with Malik and his treatment of her, not her daughter. And she wasn’t about to deprive Bethany of a wonderful experience just because she, Liana, had to get some distance from the prince.

  It would all be for the best, she told herself as she opened the door wide and let the women into the suite. She and her daughter would be much happier on their own. They would have a chance to make friends with the other teachers and their families, to take part in the organized tours and really see the country.

  Liana was still busy convincing herself as she hurried toward the bathroom so that she could get ready for school. As she stepped into the shower, she had the wistful thought that she’d already seen more of the El Baharian royal palace than would ever be allowed on the most expansive tour.

  The building that housed the staff of the American School had been built with comfort in mind. There was a large grocery and video store across the street and a burger and pizza place on the main floor. Liana’s fourth-floor condo was open and spacious. There were two bedrooms, each with its own bath. A study, gourmet eat-in kitchen, full-sized living room and a powder room for guests completed the floor plan. They had lovely views of a garden, along with the school’s playing field.

  While the furniture was utilitarian and wouldn’t win any decorating awards, it was sturdy and looked comfortable. The condo had been decorated in shades of blue and beige, with light oak wood accents. The dining set was oak, as was the bedroom furniture. There were bright prints on the walls and a silk hanging in the small hallway.

  A porter had carried up their bags and while Bethany settled herself into her room, Liana explored the kitchen. She opened cupboard doors and studied the dishes and cooking utensils available.

  “There’s a popcorn maker,” she called to her daughter. “We could make a big batch of caramel corn after we go rent some movies.”

  “Okay.”

  But her daughter didn’t sound very enthused about the plan. If anything her voice held that “I’m humoring my parent” tone. But Liana knew they were going to be fine here. The rooms were large and airy. The other teachers had been welcoming at work and she was sure they would be just as friendly here in the condo. Besides, it was only for a couple of years. When they left El Bahar, it would be with enough money to buy their own house back in San Bernardino.

  “What do you think?” she asked when Bethany strolled into the living room and plopped down on the blue-and-beige plaid sofa.

  Her daughter had changed into jeans and a T-shirt. She put her bare feet on the oak veneer coffee table and shrugged. “It’s not the palace.”

  “I can’t argue with that.”

  Liana had a brief flash of longing for the marble floors and ocean views of her suite there. The horse mosaic had been a work of art. The palace had offered dozens of treasures to be found at every turn—the fountains in the main building and outside, the gardens, the artwork, the elegant dinners, the servants.

  She sank onto the slightly frayed sofa and put her arm around Bethany. “Do you think we’ll be happy here?” she asked.

  Blue eyes so much like her own regarded her thoughtfully. “We’re together,” her daughter said. “That’s what matters. I know you felt funny about living at the palace, even though I didn’t.” Bethany shrugged. “I just miss it.”

  “You’ll have friends here. Girls your own age.”

  Bethany smiled. “I’m not upset, Mommy.”

  “I know. I’m simply pointing out that there are some advantages to this place.”

  “There aren’t any horses.”

  No princes either, although Liana told herself that was a good thing.

  “What if I buy you a picture of a horse? Or one of those plastic ones? We’ll put it on the coffee table.”

  “Mommy, that’s silly.”

  Liana glanced around the room. “I don’t think it will fit in here as a permanent resident, but if you can get it in the elevator, I guess you could have a horse over to visit. Although it has to be potty trained or you’d have to keep it on the balcony.”

  Bethany giggled and cuddled close. Liana hugged her.

  “What do you want for dinner?” she asked. “There’s exactly nothing in the refrigerator so I was thinking we’d go to the grocery store across the street, buy sensible food, then order pizza from the place downstairs. What do you think? I haven’t had pizza in so long, I think I forgot what it tastes like.”

  Bethany smiled up at her. “That would be nice. Thank you.”

  “You are so very welcome.”

  They hugged again and as Liana released her, the doorbell rang.

  “I’ll get it,” Bethany announced as she sprang to her feet. She raced to the small foyer and pulled open the door. “Mommy, come look.”

  Liana followed her daughter and saw a delivery man holding a huge spray of flowers. The arrangement was so wide, it barely fit through the door.

  “I know who they’re from,” Bethany announced in a sing-song voice as her mother set them in the center of the kitchen table and opened the small card tucked in among roses and lilies and sprays of lavender.

  Liana had a fair idea of the identity of the sender as well, and she noticed her hands shook as she opened the envelope. She read it over twice, noting the strong, no-nonsense handwriting of the Crown Prince of El Bahar.

  “Prince Malik says that he hopes we’re settling in nicely and that he’s looking forward to resuming his rides with you tomorrow. He’ll be by at four to pick you up.”

  “Yippee!” Bethany took the offered card and scanned it as she bounced around the room. “We’re going riding. I knew he wouldn’t forget. I knew it!”

  Liana watched her and smiled, despite the faint sense of disappointment settling over her
. She was glad that the prince meant to keep his word where her daughter was concerned. He was a very kind man. And the flowers were lovely. It was just…

  She sighed. Okay, so she couldn’t make up her mind. On the one hand she’d been anxious to leave the palace and get into her own place. On the other hand, she was hurt because Malik wanted to see Bethany and not her.

  Be logical, she told herself. Last night she’d practically accused him of sexual harassment. Of course he wasn’t going to see her again.

  But what about the kisses, a little voice in her head inquired. Hadn’t they meant anything to him? Was he just going to walk away from all that fire?

  Liana steered Bethany into her bedroom to finish up her homework so they could go food shopping. While she unpacked her own bags, she decided that she was being completely contrary. She couldn’t have it both ways. If she was interested in the prince in that way then she shouldn’t have made such a big fuss last night, or talked about leaving the palace. If she wanted her independence, then she had to put the memory of those magical kisses behind her.

  Which meant she had to act like a grown-up.

  “I really hate it when that happens,” Liana said with a grin. Life was much easier when one was allowed to behave like a child. But she didn’t have a choice this time. So she would be grateful for the prince’s kindness to Bethany and refuse to think about him ever again.

  The following Friday, a week and a day after they’d moved into the condo, Liana found herself rushing around like a teenager getting ready for her first prom. All because Malik was due over.

  Her plan of not thinking about the prince hadn’t worked well at all. Bethany never tired of speaking about him. Every sentence started with, “Prince Malik said….” Or, “when Prince Malik and I were riding we saw….”

  Bethany’s school day ended about an hour before her own. There was on-site day care for the children of the instructors, and Bethany spent her time there until her mother was finished with her work. But on the days Bethany rode with Malik, she brought her riding clothes to school and changed there. Malik picked her up from the day care and returned her to the apartment. He didn’t come up to the condo often, and when he did, he spoke pleasantly but briefly, leaving Liana hungry for more conversation. She told herself it was just because he was an intelligent, articulate human being, but she knew she was lying. She missed seeing Malik and talking to him because of how he made her feel. She missed the palace, the gardens and the other members of the royal family. And if she lost any more sleep over the memory of those darned kisses, she was going to have to keep her eyelids open with toothpicks.

  But today her classes had ended at noon, which meant Bethany was home and Malik was coming here before as well as after the riding lesson. In the past, when she’d invited him in, he’d made the excuse of being dirty from his ride. He couldn’t do that this time.

  Liana paused in front of the mirror and checked her freshly applied makeup. “You’re pathetic,” she told herself, wishing she’d stayed on her diet long enough to lose the extra twenty pounds she’d carried since she’d become pregnant. Here she was fussing over her appearance as if Malik was even going to notice. She’d told the man to get lost and he’d listened. Did she think she could win him back with her charms now?

  “A girl can hope,” she murmured to herself as she left her bedroom and went to check the living room. She’d thought about putting out a tray of snacks, but that seemed so obvious, and coffee was too datelike. Which meant she didn’t have any food or drinks to offer casually.

  She kept coming back to the thought that if she’d liked him so much before, why on earth had she left the palace? Liana came to a stop in the center of the living room and for the first time admitted to herself that given the chance to do it all over again, she would probably stay. Even if princes did not fall for schoolteachers. Even if she allowed herself to slip into his bed she would only end up losing her heart to him and getting hurt.

  The doorbell rang. Liana nervously smoothed her palms over her thighs, wondering if a silk shirt and tailored slacks was too dressy. Should she have put on jeans? she wondered as she reached for the handle and turned it. Or left her work dress on, even though it wasn’t one of her favorites and—

  “Hello, Liana.”

  The tall-dark-and-handsome cliché didn’t come close to describing Malik. His brown-black eyes mesmerized her until she was sure he could see clean through her. His broad shoulders looked strong enough to support the weight of the world and what single mother hadn’t at one time or another wanted someone with whom to share the load?

  He wore a plain white shirt and riding jodhpurs. She didn’t even want to think about the boots, or how well they worked for her. She could feel her throat tightening as her mouth went dry. What was it about this man?

  His sensual mouth turned up in a smile. “May I come in?”

  “Hmm?” She realized she was leaning against the door like a mooning teenager and blushed. “Sure. Of course. Please, won’t you come in, Malik?” She stepped back to let him move inside, then closed the door and motioned to the living room. “Have a seat. Bethany will be right out.”

  “Thank you.”

  He settled on the plaid sofa and she was again forced to acknowledge that while this condo was serviceable, it wasn’t even close to a decent substitute for living at the palace. In truth, living there those few days had spoiled her. She’d decided the best way to handle the transition back to real life was to think of her stay at the palace as a lovely, once-in-a-lifetime, never-to-be-repeated vacation. Of course seeing Malik again brought all the longing back.

  “You are enjoying yourself here?” he asked, looking surprisingly at ease as he leaned back in the sofa.

  “Yes. Thank you. The privacy is very nice.” She gave him a quick smile as she took a seat on the loveseat opposite. “I’m willing to admit it’s not nearly as lovely as your home, but this is better for us.”

  He raised dark eyebrows. “Why is it better?”

  Because she very much wanted to slide next to him on the cushions and have him take her in his arms and kiss her soundly. Maybe even do more than kiss. Liana shook her head. She didn’t understand her reaction to this man. The instant heat and desire had never happened to her before, and she found it confusing. Although quite life-affirming. Still, she had to remember their respective positions and her goals for her and Bethany’s lives.

  “Malik, you were very kind to both me and my daughter, but we don’t belong in your world. This is us.” She glanced around the room. “Simple, serviceable, but not the least bit royal. I found living at the palace confusing.”

  “You should not have been confused. You were my guest.”

  “I never meant to be ungracious,” she told him, forcing herself to meet his dark gaze. “That last night when I accused you of, well, of taking advantage of the situation. I know it wasn’t that, exactly.”

  He looked at her with a steadiness that made it difficult to breathe. He hadn’t moved and neither had she, yet she felt as if they were physically closer. It was as if she could feel his heat and hear the sound of his heartbeat.

  “What was it exactly?” he asked. “Do you know why I brought you to the palace? Why I wanted you to stay?”

  “I don’t have a clue,” she whispered and had to swallow against a suddenly dry throat.

  He smiled then. The slow, masculine smile that made her bones melt and her most feminine place swell and dampen in readiness for an act of pure possession.

  “One day you will understand, Liana. And then we’ll talk about it.”

  They were playing some kind of game, and she didn’t understand the rules. “Yes, well, I’m sure it will be great fun,” she said, feeling incredibly lame as she spoke. Talk about inane conversation.

  Maybe she was bewitched. Maybe she’d fallen under the effects of an ancient El Baharian love potion or something. She leaned back and tried to relax. She was a grown-up; she could handle the situation
.

  Malik studied her. “Next weekend I’ve been invited out to dine with one of our nomad tribes. They make their homes in the desert, but once every year or so, they find their way into El Bahar and settle relatively close to the city for a few weeks. Their way of life hasn’t changed for hundreds of years and I enjoy the chance to spend a few hours living a more traditional life. I thought you might like to join me for the evening. The camp is three or four hours away, so we wouldn’t get back until very late. However, Fatima has already offered to have Bethany as her guest in the harem until the next day so you would not have to worry on her account.”

  A thousand thoughts whirled through Liana’s head. Was it a date? Was he asking her out because he wanted to spend time with her? Elation filled her. But he was a prince. Why would he date her? Not that she was ugly, but she wasn’t young and thin and beautiful. Not a model or an actress or a princess. She was just a single-mom schoolteacher. So Malik couldn’t be interested in her in any romantic way. So why the invitation? Was he apologizing for keeping her at the palace? Was it—

  “You have the most curious expression on your face,” he said. “What are you thinking?”

  That she would rather die than let him know what thoughts filled her mind! Did she really care why he’d asked? Hadn’t she just spent the past week wishing she had the chance to see him again? Had she really always been this contrary? “That I would love to go. Thank you for asking.”

  It was obvious Malik knew she’d been thinking other things, but he didn’t press her. “Good.” He hesitated. “As a sign of respect for the tribespeople, you’ll have to dress traditionally. Fatima has the appropriate clothes at the palace. Perhaps you wouldn’t mind getting ready there.”

  Liana had visions of a bikini with harem pants, but hoped that wasn’t what Malik meant. No doubt she would have to be covered and veiled. After all she was entering a very different kind of world.