by Leslie North
“I’ll do it,” she said. “I’ll do it.”
“You’ll make love with me?” Laughter shone in Yaseen’s eyes.
“I’ll make the speech. But only if you stand next to me the entire time.”
“Deal.” Yaseen bent down again, but Kara stopped him.
“There’s something else.”
“What is it?” His dark eyes stoked the flames that burned low in her belly. “Anything, Kara. Just tell me.”
“I want to spend even more time here,” she said. “I want to play house like a normal family. I want the villa to be our home away from home. This is one of my favorite places on the planet,” she said. “Promise me we can do that.”
“I promise.” He worked his head lower, inch by inch, pressing hot kisses to the flesh he exposed by pushing up her nightgown. A warm breeze wafted in from outside, caressing her skin along with Yaseen’s hands and tongue. Kara felt herself sinking into the bed, sinking into the sensuality of it all, until—
“Was that the baby? I think he made a noise.”
“Relax.” He pushed her back onto the bed and covered her mouth with his. “I’m standing guard. But he didn’t make a noise. I promise you that, too. The baby is fine. Now close your eyes and let me worship you. It’s the adults’ time now.”
End of The Sheikh’s Pregnant Wife
Hasan Sheikhs Book Two
Blurb
Aisha Shadari will do anything to assure her beloved kingdom, Kendah, is well run—even if that means marrying someone she doesn’t love. If she doesn’t marry within a year of her father’s death, the task of ruling the country will fall to her incompetent cousin. With time running out, Aisha needs someone who will let her be in charge, someone she can easily manage. Prince Nadim Hasan, the third son from the prosperous kingdom of Raihan, is her last hope, though he’s far from perfect. The man doesn’t seem to have a serious bone in his delicious body. But as they spend a week getting to know one another, she realizes there’s more to Nadim than she initially thought. And he just might be the husband she’s looking for…
Nadim knows it’s time for him to grow up and do…something. But get married? That wasn’t on his radar. Spending a week with Aisha was really just a way to appease his parents, to show that he’s more than just an irresponsible playboy. In reality, though, that’s exactly what Nadim has been, and he’s not entirely sure he wants a change as drastic as marriage. But neither one of them can deny their perfect chemistry. The addition of an orphan baby to their tour of the country changes everything, and they start to feel like…family. When Aisha makes her case, offering him a loveless marriage just so she can save her country, he can’t agree. For him, it’s all or nothing. If they can’t get on the same page, they both risk losing everything.
1
Aisha held up two pairs of earrings in front of her ears—one set in a dangly, chandelier style and other small, reasonable diamond studs. The chandeliers were her favorite. The specialized light in the walk-in closet and dressing room, meant to highlight the best features of every outfit and every piece of jewelry, danced across the chandeliers’ filigree and stones. They were the best, weren’t they? Playful and lovely.
Perhaps too playful.
She handed them back to Sanaa, her right-hand woman and the person who had been her most steadfast advisor since before Aisha’s father had died and she’d been launched into the hunt for a husband. Aisha frowned at her reflection while she put the diamonds studs in, one then the other. It had not gone according to plan—her life, that was. Her father wasn’t supposed to die suddenly of a heart attack before she’d had a chance to think about the kind of man she’d want at her side.
“Aisha, are you sure about the earrings?” Sanaa hovered off Aisha’s shoulder, watching her every move in the mirror. “The chandeliers are so lovely on you.” She kept her tone careful, though the women were close—as close as two people could be, when one worked for the other.
“I know what you’re really saying.” Aisha met Sanaa’s eyes in the reflection and arched an eyebrow. “You’re saying that you think the chandeliers are more flattering. That they’ll catch his attention more than the diamonds, since he pays such close attention to women.”
Sanaa pursed her lips, looking like she was trying to hide a smile. “You know me too well.”
“You’re easy to get to know.” Aisha gave her a small smile in the mirror. “But I’m not changing the earrings. He’ll have to take me as I am.”
They’d had a similar discussion about her outfit, which was a businesslike skirt suit. The one concession she’d made to the fact that this was supposed to be, in part, a social occasion was the color—a pale pink that brought out her dark eyes.
“You do like the chandelier earrings.”
“I do like them.” Aisha smoothed her hands over her hair, making sure not a single strand was out of place. With the help of the palace cosmetologist, she’d had it swept into a neat chignon behind her head. There would be no tossing her long brown locks over her shoulder to impress Nadim, the sheikh from Raihan. “But I’m simply not interested in giving him the wrong impression. We’ve wasted too much time on wrong impressions.”
Since her father had died, Aisha had met a stream of men who couldn’t have suited her worse if they’d tried. And some of them had really seemed to try being boorish, unintelligent, or just plain power hungry. Aisha had gone into her search knowing that marrying one of them—any of them—would guarantee her her rightful place as Kendah’s queen. It was one rule in the set of laws governing the country, and her least favorite. Because if she didn’t find a man to marry within one year of her father’s death, the throne would pass to her next closest male relative, her second cousin Jamad.
And Jamad...
Aisha caught herself scowling into the mirror, and so did Sanaa.
“Try to keep your spirits up,” coaxed Sanaa. “I feel very hopeful about Nadim. At the very least, he won’t be coming here for his first chance at being royalty.”
Aisha took a deep breath. “Whatever he’s coming here for, his best outcome is that he gets a seat on the throne and a partner to rule with. This kingdom cannot get ceded to Jamad. He’ll run the entire country into the ground inside of a month.”
She gave herself a final once-over, trying to shove down the sadness that bubbled up whenever she thought about her father’s death and how terribly wrong everything afterward had gone. Aisha had always known that she’d have to be careful when she selected a husband. She’d always known that the man she married would have a seat at the table when it came to ruling Kendah. But she’d never imagined that it would come to this—a place where love and attraction couldn’t factor into her own marriage plans.
Time was running out. She had only months left to find and marry a man. It seemed like no time at all.
“So. Nadim.” There was no time today to dwell on the set of circumstances that had brought them here. “He’s not my first choice—I’m not sure I believe he’s capable of running a country. Or responsible, for that matter. But...that could be a good thing, since I intend to rule. And he comes from a good family. Raihan is a prosperous kingdom. On balance, he should be all right.”
“On balance, he’s also very attractive,” Sanaa pointed out.
“Yes, well.” A flicker of heat moved across her cheeks. “I won’t be appealing to his...baser impulses in this meeting, or ever. That would be false advertising. He’ll get nowhere with me, even if we do marry.”
“You look beautiful.” Sanaa stepped back to allow Aisha out of the dressing room, then followed her down the hall. Aisha took a series of deep, cleansing breaths. He would not get under her skin. She would not allow herself to become frustrated, even if he didn’t live up to the profile his advisors had sent her, or any of their assurances that the youngest sheikh of Raihan was coming into his own. She paused once more outside her office, straightened her skirt and swallowed her anxiety.
Then she went to sit behin
d her desk.
Sanaa’s footsteps faded down the hall. She’d bring Nadim to the office. Aisha’s pulse thudded with nervousness. There was nothing to be nervous about. She sat at her own desk, in her own palace, and she was the sultana of Kendah. He should be nervous to meet her.
Her right-hand woman appeared in the doorway a moment later, cheeks pink and clearly struggling not to smile. “Sultana Aisha, I present Sheikh Nadim Hasan, prince of Raihan.”
She stood up, prepared to welcome him with a crisp, cool handshake, and froze.
Aisha had spent so much time building a wall around her heart—a shield to protect herself from any more disappointment. That shield was supposed to keep her from the strange flush of feeling that moved through her at the sight of Nadim. Heat. Pure heat. His dark eyes twinkled, meeting hers without an ounce of anxiety. His tall frame filled the doorway, and his muscles filled out the dark suit he wore. She’d expected him to arrive in something less formal—a shirt, open at the neck, perhaps—and for several moments she couldn’t take her eyes off the fine cut of his jacket where it nipped in at his waist and the way the sleeves caressed his biceps.
“Sultana Aisha.” His low, rich voice rolled over the room and bowled into her. Oh, he was handsome. Perfect teeth, a jawline that could cut glass, and a tidy beard to match his neatly trimmed hair. The light scent of cologne, something cedar-like and fresh, got to her a moment before he did. Nadim extended one of his large hands, the set of his shoulders powerful. He’d caught her looking. I know what you’re thinking, his expression said. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
Aisha shook his hand, forcing herself back into action just in time. “Sheikh Nadim. I’ve been looking forward to our meeting.” She sat down, brushing her hands over the front of her skirt to keep the wrinkles away. He followed her lead, sitting easily across from her as if he were sitting in his own office. “Now. I know you’ve been briefed by your people. We both know this is just the first official meeting before we begin our tour.”
The tour, the tour. Their staff members had arranged a tour of Kendah for the two of them that was set to begin the next day. They would spend about a week together, by the end. Aisha allowed herself only the barest hint of hope that they’d end with a positive outcome. Nadim was the best candidate she had at the moment—or all along—despite his flaws.
Not that she could particularly remember those flaws now, with him looking at her like that, an easy smile on his face. An easy, gorgeous smile. Right—the women. He was a known playboy. And he’d probably try to use those ways against her, too.
Aisha cleared her throat. “Was there anything in particular you wanted to discuss?”
He pressed his lips together, studying her, eyes firmly on her face. “Coffee or tea?”
She blinked. “What?”
Nadim leaned one elbow against the arm of his chair and rubbed a hand over his beard. “One thing I wanted to be sure to ask you was whether you prefer coffee or tea in the mornings. I tend to be an early riser, and if I’m the one getting drinks, I don’t want to spend all week bringing you tea when you’d rather have coffee instead.” He laughed. “What kind of impression would that make?”
“I have to say, I don’t expect you to bring me any beverages.”
“No?” He arched an eyebrow. “Well, just in case the opportunity arises. Which is it?”
“Coffee. With a splash of milk and two sugars,” she added, irritation heating her face in spite of herself. She’d expected, based on Nadim’s reputation, for him to hit on her. To try and pick her up. And here he was, asking a completely benign question. Was he even going to try? And why did she care, all of a sudden, about whether or not he saw her as a sexy prospect. “There is one thing I wanted to make clear.”
He sat up straight, looking at her with a serious expression. “What’s that?”
“I’m looking to fulfill the letter of the law with this marriage, not adopt a ruler.” She didn’t have to do a thing to match his posture—Aisha already sat straight and tall at the edge of her seat. “I intend to rule.”
Nadim nodded. “Good. I like the sound of that.”
Another surprise. “You do?”
“I’m here to placate my parents.” He shrugged. “I’m glad to hear you have your own plan for the years ahead, because I have mine, too—and it doesn’t involve ruling a country. Or marrying anyone. Not for a long time.”
An odd disappointment tumbled through her gut like a loose stone down the mountainside. “Good to know.” She stood again, and he followed her. “One of my men will show you to your quarters for the night. I trust you’ll find everything you need there.” She’d prearranged this signal for one of her security guards, who came into the office at just the right moment. “Let any of my people know if you need anything.”
Nadim offered his hand to shake again, and she took it, shaking as quickly as she could without appearing rude. “It was lovely to meet you, Sultana.” He flashed her a smile so handsome it made her knees go weak. She put a casual hand on the desk. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Then he was gone, following the security guard out. Echoes of his voice made their way back to her. Befriending the guard, no doubt.
Sanaa stepped back in, eyes wide, eyebrows raised.
“He’s not the one.” Aisha flipped through some papers on her desk, trying to sort out what it meant that her heart was beating so hard and fast as her chest filled with a foreign mix of excitement and hope and longing. “He’s far too...”
“Good looking?”
“No,” she said quickly. Too quickly. “He’s too...flip. He’s not serious-minded enough. And he’s not taking this situation seriously. He doesn’t even want to be here.” Aisha let out a long breath. “He’s only participating to get his parents off his back.”
Never mind that she’d been the one to dismiss the idea of a ruling partnership. And never mind that strange twist of disappointment she’d felt when he dismissed the idea of marriage outright. She thought briefly about cancelling the whole week, but that would shame him and his parents, and she didn’t want to burn that bridge. Their two countries had a close relationship, and she would need that alliance someday.
“He’s not the one,” she said again.
Sanaa nodded, apparently getting the hint. “Do you need anything? A drink?”
“I’m fine.” Aisha settled back into her seat and pulled the papers in closer. Anything to kill time. Her highest priority would be to get through the tour as quickly as possible. It was her third time around these sites with a potential husband. With Nadim, it would be an utter waste of time. Far better to get back to work and move on to the next candidate. If they could find him. “Thank you.”
Sanaa went out, and Aisha leaned back in her seat. She pressed her fingertips against her temples. Her assistant had been gone several minutes when it came to her—what she’d wanted to say when Sanaa had first entered the room.
Nadim couldn’t be the one because he was too tempting.
Tempting—that was the word that had been on the tip of her tongue.
He was far too tempting, and she did not have time to give in to temptation.
2
The car glided smoothly over the road outside of Liddah, the first stop on the tour, and Nadim was glad for the noise. He didn’t usually run out of things to say to a woman, but this wasn’t his usual circumstance. For one thing, Aisha didn’t want anything to do with him. And for another, he liked how unusual she was, in all her disinterest.
He stared out the window and searched for something to say. When she’d climbed into the car behind him, they’d talked about morning beverages. She’d lifted a stainless-steel travel mug and reminded him of the coffee. She’d said she had an easy time packing. And that had been the extent of the conversation.
“It’s beautiful countryside.” Nadim could not fathom caring any less about the countryside. It was beautiful, yes, but so was the countryside in Raihan. The two countries shared the s
ame bands of desert and rolling green hills. He might as well be looking out the window back in his own kingdom, but he wanted to be looking at Aisha.
If only she wasn’t so pointedly not looking at him.
“Yes,” she said, after a pause that told him exactly how interested she was in her own countryside. “We’re extremely fortunate here in Kendah.”
The problem was—one of the problems was—that Aisha just wasn’t playing by the rules. Nadim had been pursuing women since he was in high school, honing the fine art of seduction, or at least attaining a certain degree of charm. But Aisha didn’t want to be charmed. That was clear from the set of her jaw and the way she pressed her lips into a thin line anytime she wasn’t talking.
The car rolled over a bump in the road at the same time he realized what the unsettling feeling was.
A challenge.
Could it be that he was looking forward to spending time with Aisha? She was certainly different from any of the other political leaders he’d interacted with. Most of them fell all over themselves trying to win him to their side. They played their hands close to their chests. They simpered. They used doublespeak. Not Aisha. She’d been very upfront about the fact that she did not want his attention, or even his presence.
And that was odd.
Most of the women he’d come to know over the years had wanted his attention. They’d been eager for it. Aisha wasn’t. She had been so cool. So forthright. And she hadn’t gone out of her way to put on a show for him. So what if she wasn’t the most glamorous woman he’d ever met? It all made her oddly mysterious. Like she was hiding a rich warmth underneath her stiff exterior. He itched to break through to that warmth and dip into it, at least for this week.
Nadim shook his head as if he could shake away all those ridiculous thoughts. He wasn’t going to go there. Not even for this week. It wasn’t fair to lead her on when he had no long-term intentions. There were things he needed to do before he could begin to consider a relationship, much less get married and settle down.