SHEIKH'S SURPRISE BABY: A Sheikh Romance (128 page)

Early on Saturday morning, Mrs. Wilcox announced that she was going on a bus outing with her lady’s club, and would not be back until very late. She told Alex not to cook for her, and not to wait up for her, either.

“Have a good time, Mrs. Wilcox,” she said, watching the old lady get into the taxi that sat at the curb.

Simone was still asleep, and Alex gathered up the laundry, taking it to the small room where Mrs. Wilcox had her washing machine, dryer, and ironing board. She made a load, and was just about to head to the kitchen to see what she would give Simone for breakfast when the doorbell rang. Checking the clock, she saw that it was just past seven. Who on Earth could be calling at this hour of the morning? Had Mrs. Wilcox forgotten to tell her clients that she wasn’t available today? Alex sighed…if it was a parent, she supposed she would have to help them out. She went to open the door, not bothering to check to see who was there, and almost passed out when Amir appeared before her, Malik behind him bearing flowers.

“What…how…?”

Alex had no idea of what she wanted to ask or say, and before she could formulate some comment, Simone’s scream had her turning in fright. Bit it was a scream of joy as the little girl barreled past her and threw herself at Amir’s knees. He bent down and pulled her into his arms, lifting her high and laughing as she hugged him tightly.

“Baba! Mr. Fice! I missed you!”

And when her daughter began to cry in the arms of the man she loved, Alex fainted. When she came to, she was lying on the couch, her head in Amir’s lap. She struggled to sit up, but he restrained her.

“Stay still a moment,” he said. “You bumped your head. Malik is getting an ice pack, just in case.”

As he spoke, Malik returned, with Simone in tow, carrying a plastic freezer bag wrapped in paper towels, with crushed ice inside, and Amir took the ice pack from him, applying it to the back of her head. Malik also had a bottle of pills for pain and Simone carried a glass of water. Amir helped her to sit up and take two of the pills with all the water, and then he drew her into his arms. Alex felt his hands trembling slightly as he held her, his touch tender. She was so confused, and she turned her face to his to ask,

“What are you doing here?”

“I came for you, habibti,” he said simply.

“But…why?” Alex didn’t understand. “You told your father you were not marrying me.”

Amir frowned at her. “No, I did not. I told my father I was not marrying a whore.”

Before she could speak, Malik said to Simone, “Have you eaten breakfast as yet, little one?”

“No, Mr. Fice,” the little girl said. “I’m hungry.”

“Well then, why don’t we go and make you and your mama some breakfast? Would you like to help me?”

Simone jumped up and took his hand. “I know where everything is!” she informed him proudly, and led him away to the kitchen, leaving her mother and Amir alone.

Alex tried not to melt into Amir’s embrace. There was a lot to say, and she didn’t want to assume anything until they had cleared the air. She opened her mouth to speak, but Amir shushed her with a finger to her lips.

“It’s my turn,” he said. “You may only speak when I ask you the one question I need an answer to. Until I do, you must listen.”

Alex nodded, still puzzled, but willing to wait.

“Princess Amina and I have known each other for a while, and before I met you, I was thinking about courting her as my future wife. But there was never any spark between us. And then I met you, and I knew I had met the woman I wanted with me for the rest of my life. I told Amina that I would no longer be seeing her. Obviously, she was not pleased, and as a result of her actions, I almost lost you and my father”

He paused, as though he was trying to find the right words to say next. Alex watched his face, noting the frown that creased his brow as he spoke.

“I was very angry when you told me about Simone’s father,” he said. “I felt deceived, and I was disappointed in you. But it didn’t mean that my feelings for you had changed. We’re going to argue and disagree, habibti, but that’s only to be expected. We are human, after all, and individuals. I do not want you to change who you are to make me happy. I want you to be you, even if it makes me angry, because you are the person I am in love with…all of you, not just the parts that please me.”

Alex couldn’t stay quiet a moment more. “You’re really in love with me? This isn’t just about having a wife when you become king?”

For answer, Amir growled and kissed her, a slow, searching kiss that asked her if she felt the same way as he did. Alex opened her mouth to him, wanting more than anything for this to be real, hoping she wasn’t dreaming, hanging on to him as though her life depended on it.

“I love you, Alexandra Downing. I want you to be mine. Will you marry me?”

The question shook her. She hadn’t really thought he would ask, or maybe she just hadn’t thought it would happen so soon. Maybe she hadn’t thought it would happen to her. And now she was faced with a choice…believe he meant what he said, and live a dream she had hidden even from herself, or not. She couldn’t see herself being happy if he was not a part of her life, and with the way Simone had reacted to seeing him, she knew her daughter wouldn’t be. And she had to make sure Simone was happy, as so far, she had not led as full a life as she should have. She needed a father, and she loved Amir as if he were her father.

“You are not answering me, sweet one.” His voice broke into her musings. “Does that mean you are going to reject me?”

Alex turned to look him in the eye, and she saw the uncertainty there. “I’m just thinking of all the reasons I have to say yes,” she told him honestly.

He held her away from him so he could say, “There is only one reason that matters to me, habibti. One thing I wish to hear from your lips, if you say yes to me.”

She knew what he was asking. She had to tell him. She had no choice. “Yes, Amir. Yes, I will marry you, because I love you, too.”

She reached up to cup his cheek in her hand, the soft hair of his goatee brushing her palm as she did so. He turned his head and kissed her palm, and then he lowered it so he could kiss her mouth again. And then he pulled away from her, and reached into the pocket of his suit jacket, pulling out a small velvet box. Opening it, he took the glittering jewel from it and slid it onto her ring finger. Alex gaped at it. It was a large round chocolate diamond, set on a slender yellow gold ring, encrusted with smaller white diamonds on top. It was beautiful, and just the sort of ring she would have wanted.

“Oh my! This is beautiful, Amir!” she said. “I love it!”

He kissed her gently and smiled. “I’m glad you like it, my love.”

Malik cleared his throat behind them, and asked, “Breakfast, anyone?”

“Yes, thank you, Malik,” Amir answered, restraining Alex, who was ready to jump up and help. “Stay with me, sweet one,” he whispered in her ear. “I have missed you in my arms for four long weeks.”

Malik brought out a tray with scrambled eggs, bacon, toast on two plates, while Simone brought butter and marmalade. Then Malik returned with a second tray with coffee, cups, sugar, and cream.

“If you would like orange or apple juice, I can bring that, as well,” he told them.

“We will let you know, Malik,” Amir said. “Thank you.”

“Enjoy your breakfast, my lord.” He turned to Alex and said, beaming, “And you too, my lady!”

Amir fed her, and she let him. When they were finished eating, and she was sipping her coffee, she asked,

“How did you find me?”

“Malik followed your travel trail,” he said. “And when we finally found where you had settled, we made some plans before I came to get you.”

“Plans?”

“Plans. I needed a place to stay, I needed to purchase your ring, and I needed to surprise you.”

Alex smiled. “You did that,” she said. Then she looked up at him suspiciously. “Did Mrs. Wilcox know about us?”

He smiled. “Why do you ask?”

“She didn’t mention a bus trip until this morning,” she said. “Is she really gone on a bus trip?”

Amir laughed. “Yes, she is, with her lady’s club. I paid for the trip, the bus, their accommodation for the day, lunch, dinner, and spending money. I wanted you to myself all day, in case I needed any extra time to persuade you.”

“Amir, that’s a lot of money!” Alex protested, though she fell a little more in love with him just then.

“And I would spend it all over again for you, my heart.” He leaned in for another kiss, and then added, “I’ve been in touch with your Mrs. Wilcox for three days.”

Alex shook her head. “She sure can keep a secret,” she said, chuckling.

“I depended on her to do so,” he replied.

After breakfast, Amir took them out for the rest of the day. They went to the aquarium, then to the amusement park, and finally, out for hotdogs and fries, because that was what Simone wanted. When he finally drove them back home, Malik took a sleeping Simone inside to put her to bed, while Amir stood with Alex on the doorstep.

“If I come in, I won’t leave,
habibti
,” he said. “I want you so badly that I cannot trust myself. I’ll say goodnight here, and come for you tomorrow. We shall spend the day alone together. Your Mrs. Wilcox has agreed to take care of Simone so that I may have you.”

“Have me?” she asked, smiling up at him. “Like you have dessert?”

He laughed softly. “If that is how you wish me to have you, I will be happy to oblige, my lady!”

He kissed her lightly, and she could feel the tension in his hands as he held her face between them. He was holding himself in check, keeping his need at bay. She couldn’t wait until he unleashed the full measure of his passion on her. She shivered at the thought.

“Good night, sweet one,” he said, releasing her. “Eight o’clock tomorrow morning. Bring your swimsuit.”

Alex nodded, and went indoors, smiling at Malik as he passed her to go out. “Goodnight, Malik,” she said. “And thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” he replied, returning her smile. “Goodnight, my lady.”

Alex turned to watch her husband of six weeks as he jogged toward her from the beach. He had been for a run, and he was glistening with sweat. They were finally on their honeymoon, after a period of mourning for his father, who had died in his sleep a week after they married. When he reached her, he bent over with his hands on his knees, breathing heavily, and when he straightened, she handed him the bottle of water she had brought out for him. He accepted it and drank thirstily.

“Thank you,” he said, still panting lightly.

“You’re welcome. Do you feel better now?” She grinned as she asked, and he swatted her on the bottom as he moved past her.

“You will find out after I’ve showered, lady,” he said, the promise in his voice making her tingle.

She watched him walk into the bungalow, and sat on the lounge chair, closing her eyes and savoring the peaceful sound of the ocean. She let her mind wander back three months, to the day he had found her at Mrs. Wilcox’s home…

Mrs. Wilcox got home shortly after Amir left, and Alex hugged her.

“Thank you,” she said. “I loved my surprise.”

The old lady laughed softly. “I thought you would, my dear. What a handsome young man he is, too. I hope you said yes?”

“Yes, ma’am, I did,” she replied happily, and showed her the ring. “And thank you so much for agreeing to keep Simone tomorrow.”

Mrs. Wilcox smiled. “He didn’t seem as though he could hold off on all the things a man wants to do with the woman he loves, and Simone would only be in the way. And you know she’s no trouble to me.”

They said their goodnights, but Alex didn’t fall asleep quickly, and when Amir arrived for her next morning, she had only managed to sleep for a few hours. Still, she was too excited to feel tired. Anything he chose to do with her, she was ready for. He took her for breakfast, and then he took her horseback riding. She was a rank beginner, so most of the time was spent going at a slow pace, once she learned how to direct the horse, and how to get on and off.

Then he took her back to his hotel. Alex felt her nerves begin to flutter at the thought of what would happen once the doors were closed. She had never been fully alone with him, and she knew that he wanted her. Would he be gentle? Could she handle his passion? Would she satisfy him?

“You’re thinking too much,” he said in her ear. “We’re going swimming.”

“You may change in here,” he said, pointing her to his bedroom. “Don’t be long!”

She ventured out eventually to find Amir standing by the picture window. He turned as she approached, and held his arms out to her. She ran into them, and he hugged her tightly, kissing her hard and deep.

“Let me see you,” he said, and pulled the coverall off her shoulders. His eyes took her in, from her head down to her toes, and she shivered beneath his gaze. “Turn around,” he urged her, and she turned until her back was to him.

She felt his hands sliding over her bottom, and then he slipped his fingers between her legs. “Open,” he ordered her, his voice harsh with lust.

She did as he bid her, and he fondled her through the seat of her suit. She moaned when he slid a finger beneath the material and found her wet slit.

“Will you give yourself to me now, habibti?” he asked, stroking her folds with one hand, and holding her steady with the other.

“Yes,” she breathed out, and leaned back against him.

He spun her around, suddenly impatient, and stripped her of the suit she had only just put on, until she stood before him in nothing but his ring. Growling out his pleasure at the sight of her, he pulled her in and kissed her again and again, spreading her legs with his thighs, pulling her up to ride his leg, while he systematically stripped her of her inhibitions. By the time she was moaning out her first orgasm, he was beyond ready to take her, He picked her up and lay her on the wide sofa, not willing to go the extra distance to his bed, and settled himself between her legs. She hadn’t seen him remove his trunks, but now she stared at his fully nude body and her heart raced, He was beautiful, and hard…and hers.

“Open for me, my love,” he begged her. “I promise to be more patient next time.”