by Leslie North
She shook her head, looking confused. “You want to be there more than at the palace? Why?”
“Because it’s important to you, and I want to give you that support.” Her face softened, and Yaseen ran the pad of his thumb over her cheek. His throat tightened. Emotion threatened to overwhelm him completely. He took a deep breath to dispel the ache from his heart. Kara reached up and put her hand over his, leaning her cheek into his palm more fully. “As the mother of my child, and as my wife, I’ll always be here for you. For them.” His need for her—and to be there for her—came on so fast and strong that he half-expected to look up and see it manifested in the sky as a cloud that covered everything in sight. But no—the sky remained a clear blue. Yaseen cleared his throat. “I’m also willing to be your test audience if you want to give your speech another run-through.”
Her face lit up, pleasingly pink, and to his surprise she nodded. Kara brushed her lips against the inside of his palm. She turned away, her movement graceful. “Do you want to sit on the bench while I talk?”
“Let’s both sit. I know what you’ll look like when you’re up on stage.”
He led her to the bench, and Kara settled in next to him on the wide planks of wood with a grateful groan. “My feet are so sore. I’ve been pacing too long, trying to get it right. I think I’m just about there.”
Yaseen lifted her feet into his lap and tugged off both of her shoes, letting them fall to the garden grass with two whispered landings. “You do your speech. I’ll listen and try to take care of these feet of yours.”
She closed her eyes, a smile spreading over her face, and Yaseen took one of her feet in both hands and worked his fingers into her arch.
“Good afternoon,” Kara said. “My name is Kara Shaw, and I’m the project manager for an NGO called Community Connections. I’m here today to talk to you about some of our work in Raihan. As the wife of Sheikh Yaseen...” She opened her eyes for a moment and winked at him. “I have a unique perspective into the public-private partnership that exists in Raihan.”
Yaseen let her voice carry him away as he massaged her feet. He had never met a woman so intelligent or so passionate. He had never met anyone so intelligent or passionate. She belonged here with him, here in the garden, here by his side.
He wished he could stay in this moment for a hundred years. Or at least until night fell, or Kara got hungry, and he could carry her inside and cook her whatever her heart desired. And then he could take her to bed and sleep next to her all night, never stirring, never worrying about anything. But he’d take what he could get.
16
On the day of Kara’s speech, Yaseen took his place at the front row of the main auditorium of the conference center in Geneva. The glossy program in his hand read “International Symposium on Economic Development,” but he could only look at the first page, with its headshot of the keynote speaker—Kara. He stared at it for so long that when he finally caught himself, he worried someone might have noticed his misty-eyed gaze at the conference program…but no one was looking. For the first time in years, he’d been able to slip into the crowd—very nearly anonymous, except for the security team that followed him everywhere.
It felt more than a little strange.
Kara had been the center of attention all day—the one everyone wanted to talk to. Her maternity pantsuit fit her like a dream. It ought to, since he’d put the best seamstress in Raihan on retainer to custom make everything Kara needed. The pink shell she wore beneath the dove-gray suit had taunted him all morning and through the afternoon. He wanted to take it off her. No—he wanted to leave it on and watch the way her chest rose and fell beneath it whilst he made her pant. Her speech couldn’t come quickly enough.
He shifted in his seat, trying not to let his own dirty thoughts get the better of him. It was easy enough, watching Kara mingle on the stage with all the most important people at the conference. Her smile was so welcoming. And genuine. The corners of her eyes crinkled, and as he watched, she greeted every single person who approached her like they were old friends. A hand on the elbow. A quick embrace. An expression of delight.
The organizer of the conference finally broke away from Kara and came to the podium. “If you’d all take your seats,” she said into the beehive-like hum of the room. “Our keynote will begin in a matter of moments.”
Yaseen felt the attention in the room shift toward the front—toward Kara—and felt a stab of protectiveness. He forced himself to stay seated. It would not look good to jump up on the stage and put himself at her side. That would be over the top. Besides, he had enough security in the room as it was.
She beamed out at the settling crowd, looking for him. Yaseen had never felt prouder than when her gaze settled on him and her shoulders relaxed.
A woman whose name didn’t register gave a too-long introduction, and then Kara stepped up, adjusting her wireless mic on her ear.
“Hello,” she said. Oh, it was odd, knowing that everyone in the room was sharing her voice. But good, too. “My name is Kara Shaw, and I’m—”
Yaseen felt struck by lightning, watching her there. Struck by lightning and pride and awe. This wasn’t how he’d planned for his marriage to go, but now that he’d been with Kara...well, what could compare? Who could compare? She was gorgeous. Intelligent. So passionate. And above all...she was good. It shone through every word she spoke.
The screen came to life behind her, showing photos of all the projects she’d spearheaded at her time at Community Connections. How had he gone this long without truly knowing them? She’d glossed over this part of the speech back in the garden. Now he wished she hadn’t. In countries across the world, she’d worked miracles. She would work another one in Mennah. Of course she would.
A strange regret tightened his throat. He wanted it to fit in with his own business plans for Raihan. But he knew—he knew—it wouldn’t. The applause the other day at the council meeting hadn’t given him the high he’d anticipated, but it had reinforced for him that his priority should be to continue to increase revenue. Increasing revenue was best for Raihan. The longer Kara spoke, the more certain Yaseen was that she could figure it out without him. Something would come through for her.
How could it not? He could hardly catch his breath, watching her speak. Watching her lips. The brightness in her eyes. The way she stepped so gracefully behind the podium. Kara turned to the side and his heart gave a hard beat. Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous. That baby bump. Yaseen wanted to get down on his knees in front of it.
She finished the speech, and Yaseen leapt to his feet, not caring if the rest of them thought she was worthy of a standing ovation. She was more than worth it. All around him, people got to their feet, following his lead, but Yaseen only had eyes for Kara. The volume of the applause increased. Kara blushed, her thanks lost in the noise.
And I get to take her to dinner when this is over. I’m the luckiest man in the world.
Yaseen held the door open for Kara himself. Her skin still buzzed with the excitement of getting a standing ovation from her keynote speech. She’d made a difference. She had made a difference. So many people had come up to congratulate her afterward that finally she’d had to sit down and let them each take a turn sitting next to her.
The driver came around and closed the door behind Yaseen, who put his arm around her and pulled her in for a hug. She breathed him in, the citrus and spice scent of him, and sighed. “I did a great job.”
“You did a phenomenal job,” he said. “How are you feeling?”
“Tired. Excited. Too excited for words.” She laughed. “Ready to go back to the hotel.”
Yaseen smiled at her. “Mind if we make one stop first?”
“Of course not.” The driver pulled away from the curb, and Kara felt like she was surfacing from a long swim underwater. The conference had been incredible—so many great NGOs were represented, and they had all wanted to talk to her. She had at least fifty business cards stuffed into her purse. “Where do y
ou have in mind?”
“You’ll see.”
She found out ten minutes later, when the car pulled up at the back entrance of a restaurant called La Maison. Fairy lights decorated the edge of the canopy that covered the walk, casting a romantic glow over everything.
“Oooh,” Kara said. “I’ve heard about this place. A bunch of people were talking about it at the conference. How did you get a reservation?”
“I planned ahead.” Yaseen got out and came around to help her out of the SUV. It was such a relief to put her hands in his. It would be even better to lie down next to him tonight. Kara floated up toward the stratosphere. How did he know how much she wanted this? How had he figured it out? In this moment, she didn’t much care.
The hostess seated them in total privacy in a small extension of the dining room with a wraparound view of the lake. Floor-to-ceiling windows looked out over a dock strung with lights, the reflections glittering into the water. The moon rose early, a white pearl in the sky. Kara ordered a filet mignon with mashed potatoes and wine sauce, and Yaseen had the same. She just wanted to get the menu out of her hand so she could look at Yaseen.
He wore a dove-gray suit to match her own with a crisp white shirt underneath, and Kara was seized by the urge to sit in his lap and unbutton every one of the buttons right here. But Yaseen asked her about the day. She gave him a recap of all the most important conversations, brandishing a handful of business cards to make her point, and by the time she finished, the waiter was sliding their plates in front of them.
“Congratulations,” Yaseen told her. “I know I’ve said it before, but your speech was wonderful. You were perfection.”
“Thank you.” She smoothed her napkin over her lap and tucked into the filet mignon. Three bites in, Kara couldn’t stop herself from making small noises of pleasure. “This is one of the best places I’ve ever eaten,” she said. “I want to drag this out so I can eat it forever.” She lingered over her next bite, then looked at Yaseen, huffing a laugh. “You’re probably so used to luxury that it’s not a big deal to you.”
He gave a little smile. “I have had access to many privileges in life. I can’t argue otherwise, and I won’t. But it hasn’t been a cakewalk, either.” She caught an echo of pain in his eyes—there, and then gone.
“Really?” She took a bite of mashed potatoes, the flavor exquisite but not overwhelming. This was the best place she’d ever eaten. “You’re so sure of yourself that I can’t picture you otherwise.”
Yaseen’s expression softened. “For a long time, I lived in my brothers’ shadows. Zayid has always been ultra-responsible. Always on top of everything. Solving every problem. And Nadim has always been the reckless, careless one who needed reining in. I’ve always been...” He paused, his gaze focusing in the middle distance. “I’ve always been easy to overlook. It took me a while to figure out where I belong in the royal family. And where I belong is behind the scenes, expanding Raihan’s business sector. It’s where I excel.”
“You do,” she agreed. “But what’s the use of a thriving business sector if people are being left behind?”
Yaseen shook his head. “Left behind?”
“It’s a bit like your childhood. Your brother thrived in school, but where were you? Your work is excelling, but what about your wife and child? What about—”
Yaseen’s phone rang, a buzzing in his pocket, before she could say the people of Mennah.
His eyes stayed on hers as he answered.
“Yes?” During the pause, her heartbeat sounded loud in her ears. “I’m on my way.”
17
Yaseen ended his call and slipped the phone back into his pocket. He was on his feet before she could say a word.
“I have to go.” He came around the table and bent down to brush a kiss to her hair. “I’ll be away for a few days. I’ll meet you back at home.”
Kara caught his sleeve as he turned to go. Seriously? That was how Yaseen planned to leave—by walking out and leaving her in the restaurant with half their dinners still on their plates?
“Wait—where are you going? Why do you have to leave right now?”
His words poured out at a rapid clip. “A business emergency with one of our partners in France. This is my responsibility. I can’t delegate it.”
Her mouth dropped open. “You’re telling me that nobody else in the entire country of Raihan, in the entire royal family, can handle this one time? Your brothers can’t handle it, or a member of the council?”
“I’m the only one.” Yaseen took her hands. “This is too important.”
More important than now. Than me.
Yaseen brushed his lips across her knuckles, then took her face in his hands and kissed her one more time. “I’ll have another car along in five minutes. You can stay and finish your food or take it back to the hotel. I’ll send you a message when I land.”
“I—”
But Yaseen didn’t listen. The next thing she saw was his back as he speed-walked to the back entrance of the restaurant.
She sat frozen in front of her plate. Was this what her life would always be like if she stayed with Yaseen? Left behind with the baby whenever a portion of Raihan’s profitability was at risk?
The waiter reappeared at her elbow. “The sheikh has let me know that he had to make a sudden departure.” The man smiling down at her with pity in his eyes was too much. “Would you like to finish your meal here? I can also have it boxed up for you.”
Kara’s back ached from sitting in the restaurant chair and being pregnant. She couldn’t sit in this place alone for one more minute—never mind that nobody could see her in this little private dining area. She could see herself in the reflection of the window. That was more than enough.
“Box it up, please, and send it out to the car.” That bone-tired sensation settled beneath her skin. “I’ll be visiting the ladies’ room, and I plan to go directly to the car afterward.”
She huffed her way to the bathroom, which was near the same back entrance they’d come through. Suddenly, the pantsuit she’d worn all day felt like sandpaper on her skin. The fixtures on the bathroom wall hemmed her in. It should’ve been big enough, but Kara felt too large for the room, too unwieldy with her belly to maneuver around everything. A few minutes later she washed her hands in the sink and caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. Oh, she looks so sad, she thought. And then: That’s you.
Kara rode in silence back to the hotel. It was the most luxurious hotel in all of Geneva, with soaring ceilings and marble floors polished to a high shine. She let herself into the penthouse suite with a key card that didn’t need to be shoved into any slot—she just waved it in front of the door, and the lock sprung open.
The suite was all plush carpeting, and a congratulatory bouquet greeted her on the table in the living area alongside a box of chocolates. Kara bypassed it all and went through to the bedroom. The staff had been in to turn down the sheets and turn on the fireplace. She wriggled out of the pantsuit, leaving only her panties and the pink shell, and slipped under the covers.
She felt like an idiot.
Yaseen had left her in the nicest hotel room in the city, and all she could think about was how utterly abandoned she felt. She’d begun to think that she and Yaseen could take a real stab at a relationship. But could she really live like this? Always wondering if he’d interrupt their special moments to race off and close better business deals?
No. She couldn’t.
A soft knock sounded at the door. Kara pushed herself up on the bed, working herself out slowly. A silk robe hung on a hook in a discreet alcove, and she put it on, wishing she could luxuriate in the sensation of the fabric against her arms a little more. She padded to the door and looked through the peephole.
One of the bellmen waited outside. Kara cracked the door. “What can I—oh.” He held three neat takeout boxes from the restaurant in his hands.
“Your driver sent this up. May I put it inside for you?”
�
�Sure.”
The bellman breezed in, left them next to the bouquet, and was gone before she could press a tip into his hand.
Kara went to the kitchenette and pulled a fork and plate from the cupboards there. The takeout containers, she discovered, held the rest of her filet mignon, a fresh helping of mashed potatoes, and a slice of chocolate cake.
“Good,” she said to no one, and tipped all of it onto the hotel china. She took it, along with a wide cloth napkin, back to the bed with her. Step one, fluff the pillows. Step two, put the plate down and climb in. Step three...
Before she picked up her fork again, Kara called down to the fort desk. “Hi. This is Kara Shaw in the penthouse suite. Kara...Hasan.” She hadn’t officially changed her name, but this needed to be as easy as possible. “I’d like to extend my reservation. Three days, please.” They agreed instantly, and she dropped the phone back into its cradle.
Kara picked up the plate. First, she’d finish this meal and watch some crappy TV. And then she’d figure out her next steps. She’d gather her courage. Things couldn’t swing between tenderness and loneliness like this—it was breaking her heart.
She should have known better than to fall in love with Yaseen.
18
He’d made the wrong choice.
The plane lifted off from the runway, and Yaseen’s heart hurt like it had forgotten how to do its job. It screamed. It howled. He’d made a horrible mistake, leaving Kara in that restaurant alone. Leaving her at all.
He loved her.
This wasn’t just a bad mistake—it was the worst mistake of his life. He pressed a hand to his chest to try to contain the spreading ache. It didn’t work.
What had gotten into him? He could have delegated the meetings in France. He could have gone back to Raihan with Kara on schedule and visited the site in France after he’d settled her in. He’d wanted to be important—indispensable—but he had it backward. Kara—and soon their baby—were the indispensable ones, and he’d just dispensed of her. Like a fool.