SHEIKH'S SURPRISE BABY: A Sheikh Romance (116 page)

Malik was already setting out chairs and ushered her and Simone over to them. Once Simone was settled, Malik said,

“Your Majesty, the little one might be hungry…”

The king interrupted him before he was finished. “Yes, of course. Have them bring enough for us and the child.”

Malik bowed and withdrew, leaving Alex alone with her patient. He had turned to look out over the lawns, and what Alex now saw was a small flower garden.

“I love to sit here, in the height of the afternoon, to watch the day go by,” he said. “It is one of my few remaining pleasures.”

Alex didn’t know how to reply. She felt unusually tongue-tied, and stared ahead as well, wishing she could forget who he was and think only that he was a dying man who needed her to help him die with dignity.

“What do you enjoy doing, Ms. Downing?” he asked, apparently recognizing that she didn’t know how to answer his comment.

“Apart from my work,” she began, needing him to know that working with him would not be a chore, “I enjoy reading and playing games with Simone.”

“Do you not enjoy other pursuits unrelated to your responsibilities?” he wanted to know, obviously not interested in whether or not she liked her job.

“I liked the lessons I took in horseback riding and marksmanship,” she said, remembering how much fun those five sessions had been.

“Ah, a woman of action and passion,” he said, turning suddenly to pierce her with his gaze. “I am sure that Malik can arrange for those lessons to continue here. Since you have moved your home for me, it is the least I can do.”

“Oh! Oh, thank you, Your Majesty,” she replied. “I wasn’t asking…”

“Did I say you were, Ms. Downing?” he snapped irritably. “Do I need your permission to bestow my largesse upon you? Do you not work for me?” He paused to catch his breath and continued, berating her, “Do not presume to tell me how I may dispose of what is mine. And do not adopt a pose of humility with me. We will get along much better if you are honest. I do not tolerate falsehood in any form!” he ended imperiously.

“Yes, Your Majesty,” Alex said docilely, chastened, annoyed, and amused all at once.

She could tell this was going to be an interesting time. And suddenly, she was looking forward to it. A smile curved her lips, and she turned her attention back to his voice as he asked her a question about Simone.

Amit knocked softly on his father’s bedroom door before entering. After their arrival at lunch time a week earlier, he had not seen Alexandra, as he had taken to calling her in his head, again. Malik had whisked her off, as per his instructions, to meet her charge, and then had settled her into her suite. He himself had gone immediately to his study for a conference call that had taken almost an hour. Then, the business left incomplete by his visit abroad waited for him to attend to, and he had been busy every afternoon, and well into the evenings, and for the next few days, only pausing for meals with Malik, who had briefed him on her first meeting with his aging parent.

Now he needed to see her. No matter how busy he had been, she had never been far from his thoughts, and he wanted to see her one more time, maybe touch her, hear her speak, watch her eyes light up with humor and compassion, before he took himself off to bed. The next day he would be away on business again, and he planned to end things with Amina that evening at dinner. He would not start anything with Alexandra while things with Amina remained as they were.

At first, he could see nothing, standing inside the open doorway. She had turned off all the lights, and only a night light glowed by the head of the bed. His father’s head was turned on the pillow, and a soft snore escaped his lips, the only sign that he was still alive. Alexandra seemed to be missing, and he frowned. He had made it clear that she was not to be far from his father, who slept fitfully at best, and sometimes not at all. Turning slowly, he saw her seated by the window, her lighted tablet in her hands, watching him. She stood up, but remained silent as he closed the door behind him and approached her. When he was a foot in front of her, she spoke quietly.

“Good evening, Your Highness,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper, and bowed her head to him.

His heart lurched in his chest. He had not expected her to bow to him, and the courtesy was somehow even more poignant because they were alone, where no one would know if she had done it or not. He could not speak for a moment, feeling so overwhelmed by his growing emotion for the woman waiting quietly for him to say something. Inhaling deeply did not help to calm him, either, as he expected, but merely brought the essence of her scent into his lungs. She smelled like frangipani and jasmine, making his body hard with a need to touch her, even as his mouth watered suddenly for a taste of her, particularly the lips that were even now smiling shyly at him.

“How may I help you, Your Highness?” she continued, when he hesitated. There was a hitch in her voice, and he wondered if she were feeling the electric current of awareness that he felt arcing between them.

“I just wanted to find out how everything has been so far,” he said, putting his hands in his pockets to stop himself from touching her. “I heard that your first meeting with my father went well.”

He smiled a little as he said that, remembering how Malik had described the way she expertly handled his father’s irascibility and abruptness. The other caregivers had not been patient with him at all, and his father had disliked them on sight. According to Malik, his father seemed to take to Alexandra, which would be a first, and for which he was very grateful.

“His Majesty is a very strong man, Your Highness, despite his illness,” she replied, looking over to where his father slept on, undisturbed. “If you need to speak with me,” she added, “perhaps we should take this outside. I’m wearing the mic…I’ll hear him if he stirs.”

Amir let her lead him out of the bedroom to the sitting room through which he had come in, and watched as she left the door ajar. She was calmly efficient, warm, and strong, and he found himself falling deeper under her spell. What it was about her that made him want to wrap her up in silk sheets and protect her, as well as strip her naked and ravage her, he couldn’t tell, but every moment he spent in her company, no matter how mundane, built those conflicting feelings in his chest. He was old enough not to believe in love at first sight, but still young enough to want a passionate and lasting love with a woman worthy of his regard…a woman like her.

“Do you have any questions for me?” he asked, searching for some explanation for his being there. “I wanted to make sure you were comfortable and had everything you needed to get the job done,” he said, wishing the prevarication was unnecessary.

He wanted to tell her that he missed her, after their long flight together, that he liked the sound of her voice and wanted to hear her again, that he thought she was beautiful and he wanted to see her again, and that he wished they knew each other better so he could kiss those sweetly pursed lips. He said none of those things, though he acknowledged them all to be true as he waited for her to answer him.

“Well, I had a concern about Simone,” she began hesitantly.

When she did not continue immediately, he prompted her. “You may say what is on your mind, Al…Ms. Downing.” He hoped she did not notice his slip, but kept his eyes on her face.

“Well, I am not going to be able to provide stimulation for her, as she was used to having in the pre-K,” she began, “and I don’t want her to fall behind. And how will I manage school for her if…”another hesitation, “if I am mostly on duty?”

Amir watched as her face bloomed with heat. He could imagine what she was thinking, and he hastened to reassure her.

“Those are perfectly understandable and valid concerns, and I will set Malik to addressing them fully. How soon will you be able to see him tomorrow?”

She considered for a moment, and then said, “If he could pass by after I’ve got His Majesty up, fed and dressed, that would be nice.”

“Okay…around ten, then?” he asked.

“Yes, Your Highness. I appreciate your being so understanding,” she added, still blushing slightly.

Amir fought against the urge to palm her cheek and stroke her with his thumb. She was enticing, and he was lost to her many charms. He managed to restrain himself, and merely said,

“You’re welcome, Ms. Downing.”

He left it at that, because any further attempt to speak might end up with him saying things he needed to keep to himself. Besides, his voice was hoarse with unfulfilled desire. He looked at her, letting his gaze travel over the plain, dark blue scrubs and white Keds she wore. She had a nurse’s lapel watch pinned to the pocket of her top, and the big white triangle with the red cross on it was attached to the face by a stainless steel herringbone chain. She looked quietly professional, and the thought of stripping her of everything but that watch, though he couldn’t imagine how she could wear it without clothing, made his body hard.

He cleared his throat, looking away from her, not willing to let her see the lust in his eyes. Inhaling deeply, he was reminded once again of how her scent wound him up. He clenched his fists inside his pockets, and said,

“I’d best let you get on, then. I hope you have an uneventful night.”

He pulled the door open for her and watched her walk back in. He would not follow her. That way lay madness.

“Good night,” he said, and turned away sharply, leaving her standing just inside the bedroom watching his hasty departure.

Inside his own suite, he dropped his jacket and pulled the tie off before heading to the bar in the corner of his living room. Pouring himself a stiff drink, he walked over and opened the French doors leading to the same garden that his father’s suite of rooms overlooked. Sipping his drink, he wandered out into the warm night air, inhaling the scent of the flowers that lay heavy on the air. The fragrant roses reminded him of his mother, and his heart softened as he remembered her. These days, the memory of her beautiful face did not cause pain to twist his heart, though he knew he would always miss her.

A sound made him turn his head, and he saw Alexandra step onto the balcony off his father’s suite. She would not see him from where she stood, but he had a clear view of her face in the moonlight. She was leaning against the wall, her arms wrapped around herself, looking up at the clear night sky, and he wondered what she was thinking about. Was she wishing on one of those brilliant stars that twinkled above them? And if she were, what would she wish for? He knew what he wished for. It was really quite simple. He wished for her…her body, her heart, her soul. He wanted the simplicity of her being, the elegance, the nobility, the toughness, the tenderness. Everything he sensed or had seen in her, he wanted.

She stretched, and then turned back into the room, leaving him alone with the night and his need for her. Tomorrow night couldn’t come soon enough. He had booked a table at a popular restaurant in the heart of downtown, because he knew Amina would understand that the lack of a more intimate venue was meaningful. He knew it would certainly make it easier for him to let her down. His primary concern was getting to know Alexandra better, and he didn’t need any distractions, which was all that Amina would be.

He was more than ready to leave next morning, after a long run and some weight training in the gym. He breakfasted with Malik, who had done the running portion of his morning routine with him, and he told him of Alexandra’s concerns.

“I know you have your finger in every kind of pie, Malik,” he said, smiling. “So this won’t be hard for you. I don’t want her to be distracted by worrying about her child.”

“Everything has already been arranged, my Lord,” Malik said calmly.

Amir was not surprised. “Thank you. I know I can always rely on you.” He paused, and then added, “Please make sure the car is ready to pick me up at The Oasis at precisely nine.”

Malik cocked an inquisitive brow but said nothing.

“I will tell Amina tonight that she and I will no longer be seeing each other,” Amir said, knowing his PA and friend would never ask, but wanted to know anyway, why he was having dinner at the famous restaurant.

A small smile played on Malik’s lips. “It’s probably for the best, my Lord,” he said smugly.

Amir laughed. “I know you never really liked her, so you can stop pretending.”

Malik’s chuckle echoed his amusement. “It is not my place to approve or disapprove of Your Highness’s choice in female companionship,” he said primly, setting his lips in a tight line, no doubt to contain a grin.

Amir laughed again, and wiped his lips on the napkin. “Today would be the first time that has ever stopped you from voicing your opinion.”

He stood up, pulling on his robe over his business suit, and donning the agal before heading out the door. He had left a number of things for Malik to do while he was out, beginning with dealing with Alexandra’s childcare needs, and as he settled himself in the back of the limousine that was taking him to his first meeting, he hoped that whatever Malik had planned would satisfy her. He would check in on her as soon as he returned home

By the time that the dinner hour approached, Amir was weary of meetings and ready to relax. However, the closest he got to doing that was a half hour alone in the back of the limousine, with a stiff drink and some of his favorite music being piped over the speakers into the earphones he had in his ears. He needed to be calm when he met Amina, whom he knew was highly strung on a good day. Arrived at The Oasis, he straightened his tie, brushed a hand over his face, and exited the cool interior of the car. He had made sure to arrive exactly fifteen minutes before the hour at which he had invited Amina to arrive, and when she did, he saw her being escorted to his table, in the main dining room, but still somewhat separate from the others nearby. He could see that she was puzzled by the choice of venue, and he could also see, by the alluring outfit that she wore, that she had thought the unexpected invitation meant something more than it did.

While Amina was a very proper Muslim woman, whose attire was always appropriate, she chose colors that highlighted her hair and eyes, and then complimented those with makeup that enhanced her beautiful face. As she had done before, tonight she wore an emerald green caftan, threaded through with gold leaf patterns, and her face was carefully and flawlessly made up so that he could not miss her peach-colored, pouty lips, or long, slender neck. She should have been alluring, but all he could see, as she glided over to him on impossibly high heels, was a gorgeous, scrubs-clad woman in Keds reading quietly in his father’s bedroom.