The Sheikh’s Reluctant Bride (8 page)

“And what have you done with that exemplary education?” she challenged.

“I am working to ensure Bha’Khar’s financial power in the global community.”

“What about the community closer to home?”

“Your people,” he confirmed.

“My people,” she agreed. “I never thought I’d be able to say that. I didn’t think I had ‘people.’ Now that I know about them, I can’t turn my back. And I don’t see how you can, either.”

“I am not.”

She sighed. “I know technology has made the world smaller. In the big picture, it’s important for the country of Bha’Khar to be a political player. But people make up the country and their needs are vital. People like Aunt Aminah who doesn’t get to see her children as much as she’d like because she knows it’s important for them to get an education and they have to do that within the existing educational system.”

“Education is the key to everything,” he agreed.

“But you said yourself that learning could be brought to the high school level without the kids leaving home. All it takes is money and someone who cares.”

That was the problem. In the general sense, he was concerned about his people. But the passion had been ripped from his life and he did not wish to resurrect it. “You care. If you wished to discontinue your pursuit of the annulment, you could stay and sponsor the cause.”

“I can’t stay.” She glanced at him and her eyes were troubled. “But you’re the money guy. You’re in a position to get things done in a hurry.” She stared at him and something she saw in his face made her frown. “If you want to.”

“It is not as simple as you make it sound.”

“It never is.”

The trail narrowed and forced them to ride single file. In truth, he was relieved. She was uncompromising, single-minded in championing a cause. Her passion shamed him. She had been orphaned at an early age, yet still truly believed the world could be a better place. He had grown up knowing the price of his advantaged lifestyle was a responsibility to his people. Then fate took the light from his life and he became jaded, disconnected.

Jessica would be an asset to the man persistent enough to chip away at the defenses she had built up. She deserved someone worthy of her and he was not that man.

She put her heart into life and there was no life left in his heart.

J
ESSICA
cradled a cup of coffee in her hands as she leaned against the low wall on the balcony outside her palace bedroom. The silk nightgown and robe were soft against her skin and the most luxurious sleepwear she’d ever worn—and very different from her clothing in the mountains. Staring out at the crystal clear blue water on the coast, she realized that the contrast between the Bha’Kharian lifestyles and terrain was as wide as the sea she was looking at. Fear had receded after meeting her aunt. One hurdle behind her, two to go.

She hoped it was only two. This morning she was troubled. One would have thought she’d have slept better all alone in her comfortable palace bed, but one would have been wrong. She and Kardahl had spent the last two days practically joined at the hip. He’d seen more of her—inside and out—than any man ever had. She’d spent two nights in his bed with the seductive masculine scent of his skin curling inside her. Surely the fact that she missed him was rooted in habit and nothing deeper.

Her feelings had been far less complicated when she’d thought him too shallow to care for anyone but himself. Finding out he’d cared too much was a shock that had gone straight to her heart.

A noise behind her made the hair at her nape prickle and her pulse jump. The familiar zap to the heart told her who was there but she turned to confirm.

“Kardahl,” she said. His name came out just above a whisper and the worst part was she couldn’t seem to help it.

“Good morning.”

He smiled and it affected her like a sweeping martial arts movement that knocked her legs out from under her. Or maybe not just the smile, but the total package. He was wearing jeans, boots and a long-sleeved white cotton shirt with the sleeves rolled to just below the elbow. She’d seen him in suits, a tux and riding attire, but this was the first time she’d seen him dressed this way. It was just as good as all the other looks—maybe not quite as outstanding as shirtless, but darn close. What annoyed her most was that he appeared exceptionally well rested.

His gaze took in her appearance, from the top of her tousled hair to the tips of her red-painted toes—and everything in between. This balcony was shielded from the public and she hadn’t thought about putting on clothes before walking outside. When a gleam slid into Kardahl’s eyes, liquid warmth trickled through her and settled low in her belly.

This awareness had to be about spending so much time together. The joined-at-the-hip thing had to stop.

“You slept well?” he asked.

“Fine,” she lied. “Never better.”

“I am glad.”

“You?”

“I missed you beside me.”

He was lying. He had to be. “It was only two nights.”

“But they were memorable nights,” he said, flashing his white teeth.

For what didn’t happen? Or what almost happened? “I guess you’re not used to being in bed with a woman and actually sleeping.”

“Just so.”

“It was memorable for me, too,” she said. Because he was the first time she’d actually been tempted to give herself to a man. “I’ve been thinking, Kardahl—”

“A dangerous prospect.”

“Are you being funny?”

“Yes.”

“Just checking.” She couldn’t help smiling. “You must have better things to do than tagalong with me on this family quest. Aunt Aminah told me her sister is a doctor in the northern city of Akaba. If you could just put a driver at my disposal—”

“That is what I have come to tell you.”

“That you’re handing me off to a staffer?”

He shook his head. “Your other aunt has responded to the palace inquiries and has sent word that she is eager to meet her niece.”

“She is?” Even after her aunt Aminah’s warm and loving welcome, Jess needed reassurance.

“She has been told to expect you later today.”

“How far is Akaba from here?”

“It is a good distance.”

Jess frowned. “Too far to get there today?”

“Not by air.”

“I don’t want to put anyone to any trouble,” she said. “If it’s an inconvenience, I’ll call her and maybe we can reschedule—”

“It is no inconvenience. The aircraft will be readied.”

“I saw that plane. It’s pretty big—”

“There is a smaller one—an executive jet,” he said, shrugging.

“I guess you can’t have too many planes,” she said wryly. “Think of all the educational technology that money could provide.”

“You are relentless.”

“Thank you.”

He met her gaze. “We can be in Akaba—”

“We?” She sipped cold coffee as her mind raced. She needed to do this on her own. Not that she didn’t appreciate his support. That was the problem. She appreciated it far too much. It was time to cut herself off before the point of no return, which she sensed was dangerously close. “Surely you have better things to do.”

One dark eyebrow rose in surprise. “No cynical remark about women?” he asked.

“I guess I deserve that.”

After judging him by the standard of tabloid stories, she’d jumped to conclusions. Now she understood why he was never seen with a woman twice. In a weird kind of way, it was sweet that he was protecting them from being hurt. Her mother had been the classic romantic who’d believed she would be the one who could make that elusive alpha male fall in love with her. At least Kardahl didn’t lead anyone on.

“I’m sorry, Kardahl.” Jess met his gaze. “I don’t think I’ve ever apologized for misjudging you.”

“I accept your apology.” He looked at the Rolex watch on his wrist. “The plane is being prepared. If you can be ready in an hour, I will fly you to Akaba—”

“You?”

“Yes.” His gaze narrowed. “You have apologized once already. Take care with your words.”

She winced. He was right. She’d been about to say something snarky, like when had he had time to learn. The thing was, the question was still relevant. He was busy overseeing the quickly expanding economy of Bha’Khar.

“I was just wondering,” she said, struggling for diplomacy, “what with all your responsibilities as the minister of Finance, when did you have time to learn, let alone practice?”

“When I was ignoring the needs of my people,” he explained.

“Are you being funny again?”

His reply was a shrug. “There has been adequate opportunity to hone my skill on this aircraft. If you believe anything, believe this—I would never put your life at risk.”

“It never occurred to me that you would. The thing is, I don’t want to keep you from more important matters.”

“Right now you are what matters most.”

No one had ever put her first. Not ever. So how did she tell him she didn’t want to be his priority at all let alone on top? That she needed physical distance to get her balance back.

“Look, Kardahl, it’s not that I don’t appreciate everything you’ve done for me, but—”

“Are you attempting to get rid of me?” He folded his arms over the chest she’d seen naked. “Do I make you nervous?”

Yes, she wanted to say, but a thousand horses couldn’t drag the information out of her. “Of course not. It’s just that you’re a man with a public duty and I’m on a personal mission. I just don’t want to bother you.”

“Correct me if I am wrong, but the sooner you fulfill this personal mission, the sooner you can return to the children in your care. Is this not so?”

Most people would have said it was no bother whether or not it was the truth. He hadn’t and the hopeless romantic in her went to the place where she wanted to know if she
did
bother him, the same way he bothered her.

“Yes. I do want to get back to work,” she admitted. If they were on opposite sides of the world he couldn’t bother her.

“Then I am at your service. I will fly you to Akaba. And I promise that I will let no harm come to you.”

There was a point where you just had to give in gracefully and this was it. “Okay.”

After that she only needed to see her grandparents before returning home. The thought should have brought comfort, but not so much. And it wasn’t life and limb she was worried about. It was her heart. One by one his flaws were disappearing. He was dashing. He was kind. On top of that, he could fly a corporate jet.

Was there anything he couldn’t do?

Yeah. He couldn’t care for her and the more time she spent with him, the more it mattered.

Kardahl shut down the jet’s engines, as always, grateful that the trip had been without incident. And yet, somehow it had felt eventful. He could only attribute that to Jessica. Had he been alone, he would not have been tempted by her voice, her scent and her shapely curves.

He could have made arrangements for someone else to accompany her, as she’d suggested, but he could not. She was his wife—for the moment. But duty only explained part of his motivation. Until the annulment severed their ties, she would be a paparazzi target. He wished only to protect her. But there were ways to do that without becoming personally involved and he was at a loss to explain why he had ignored them.

After unbuckling their seat belts, he left the cockpit and pressed the red knob that released the air from the door seal. Then he pushed down on a lever that freed the stairs for gravity to lower them. After descending, he escorted Jessica to the waiting limousine and handed her inside, sliding in after her. Instantly she folded her hands in her lap and rubbed one thumb over the other.

Kardahl put his hand over hers to still the movement. “Do not be nervous.”

She jumped, as if she’d been lost in her own thoughts. But her familiar defensive spirit was evident in her gaze. “That’s easy for you to say.”

“Actually it is.” He smiled at her surprised look. “And before you ask, I was being funny. At least I was making an attempt.”

“You could jog in a circle and squawk like a chicken—”

“On the contrary, I could
not
do that.”

“Now that’s funny,” she said, laughing.

He was pleased to see her smile, even though it increased the ever-present temptation to touch his lips to hers. His growing attraction for her continued to be a puzzle. She was not the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. She did not go out of her way to flatter him. And she did not want to share his bed. He could only credit his obsession with her as a challenge to unlock the passion she kept hidden. What stopped him was the risk that he would reveal the heart he had locked away.

“Your aunt will be most pleased to know you. Why do you doubt it?”

“If you’d grown up without anyone, you wouldn’t take it for granted, either.”

“Perhaps.”

And there was probably a great deal of truth in what she said. Since nothing he could say would reassure her, he didn’t try. He simply took her hand in his and laced her fingers with his own until they reached Akaba Medical Center where her aunt was the chief of staff. As the car pulled smoothly to a stop in front, he saw the crowd gathered. Word of their visit preceded them and the security detail he had sent ahead had called in uniformed law enforcement officers for backup.

Kardahl looked at her. “I am not pleased to add to your burden, but doubtlessly you have already noticed that reporters are gathered.”

“Yeah.”

“I feared this might happen. The announcement of our marriage was made, followed by our disappearance for several days. That tends to whet the press’s appetite for more.”

“I can see why they would be curious.” She blew out a long breath. “Let’s get this over with.”

As they got out of the car, Kardahl felt the crowd move forward as a single entity. He put his arm around Jessica as bodyguards and police surrounded them while they mounted the steps leading to the automatic double doors at the entrance. The click of camera shutters was like the angry buzz of insects as reporters shouted out questions, none of which could be heard.

He would have hustled her into the building, but she turned unexpectedly to face the press.

“I’ll answer a couple of questions,” she said.

“Are you going to have a baby?”

“Not today.”

“Are you pregnant, Your Highness?” someone else shouted, putting a finer point on the inquiry to pin her down.

She laughed and glanced up at him with the absurdity of the question shining in her eyes. “No.”

“There’s a rumor that you and the prince are having trouble conceiving.”

“Not true,” she said.

Only because they had not yet tried. And it was not for lack of desire, he thought.

“Are you here because of fertility issues?” someone else asked.

“Why would you think that?” she shot back.

“You’ve come all this way to Akaba to keep it quiet.”

“Also not true. And before you ask, Kardahl and I are not ill. We’re here at the Medical Center to visit my aunt, Dr. Janan Fahrani.”

“Are you trying to have a baby right away?”

“We haven’t talked about it.” Jessica smiled enigmatically. “Now, if you’ll excuse us, I’m anxious to see my aunt.”

She turned away and ignored the relentless media who continued to toss out questions until the automatic doors closed and the quiet, cool marble floors and walls of the hospital lobby embraced them.

Kardahl stopped and looked down at her. “Why did you do that? We could have simply ignored them.”

She shrugged. “A split second decision. Gut instinct, I guess. It occurred to me that it’s human nature to want what you can’t have. If we continue to dodge their questions, everything becomes so much bigger. If you stand and face it, get it over with, it takes away the power. I’m not running away.”

Like Antonia, he thought. Her anger at being the prey of the media had incited the tragic series of events that cost her life. It had all spun out of control so quickly. If only he could go back…

Just then, a dark-haired woman in her late forties approached. The embroidery on the breast of her white lab coat read, Janan Fahrani, M.D.

She glanced at both of them but her eager gaze rested on Jessica as she smiled. “I cannot tell you how very pleased I am to meet my sister’s child.”

“And I’m happier than I can tell you to meet my mother’s sister. You look so much like her—” Jessica’s voice cracked and she pressed a hand over her mouth.

The other woman opened her arms and Jessica moved into them as the two embraced.