The Sheikh's Pretend Bride (Qazhar Sheikhs series Book 2) (10 page)

Ella turned and looked along the length of the palace, examining the beautifully designed facade and high decorated windows with intricate border decoration. She could only see as much as the light from inside the palace would allow, but she could tell that she was in a place that resembled something out of a dream.

So, this was what Raz called home, she thought. Pretty impressive, she had to admit. She wondered how much time he spent here, and in whose company.
 

Glancing back into the bedroom, at the walk-in wardrobe, she thought about the women who had come here before Ella. She was sure none of them had come here quite like Ella had done. Most of them had probably begged for an invitation to the sheikh's palace by the sea. Raz struck her as the kind of man who would have been selective about who he had brought here. Ella shrugged and headed back into the bedroom.
 

She turned on the overhead light and noticed that a dress had been laid out on one of the two sofas in the room. Ella stood over the sofa and examined the dress. It was a pale blue, low cut cotton dress, with a delicate frilled hem. At first glance, the dress looked like it might fit Ella.
 

She wondered who it belonged to because it certainly wasn't one of her own. She'd packed mostly functional clothing for outdoor use, not the kind of outfit that would be more suited to a dinner party. Ella lifted the dress up and went to a long mirror and held the dress in front of herself. She nodded approvingly. It looked okay. Maybe it wouldn't do any harm to wear it, especially if she was going to meet the other staff members.
 

Ella still wasn't sure if she believed Raz about that. Maybe he'd brought here to the palace to have her all to himself. Perhaps there was no-one else here except her and Raz. That thought made something flutter in her middle. The thought of being alone with him had been flitting at the back of her mind since she'd awakened.

Ella stripped off and went into the bathroom where she had a quick shower. There were perfumes and oils laid out in the bathroom. She tried a few of them, testing their aromas. Then she put on the gown and flat shoes and scrutinized herself in the mirror. She allowed herself an approving nod of the head. She had to admit the dress set off her blonde hair and made her eyes shimmer. Maybe Raz was in for a surprise, she thought. He'd be expecting her to stagger downstairs groggy with sleep and bad-tempered with hunger.
 

Well, she may be the last of those, but at least she would look decent.

Ella left the room and made her way along the corridor. She wondered why Raz needed so many rooms. It looked like there were enough rooms for an entire family. The palace seemed too large for just one man. Ella shrugged. With opulence came the need for unnecessary excess.
 

She came to the top of the stairs and looked down at the wide hall at the base of the steps. It sounded very quiet down there. Maybe everyone had gone to bed. Perhaps Ella would have to make her way to the kitchen and rustle up something for herself.

The clacking sound of her shoes echoed in the huge cavernous space as she descended the stairs. Ella was certain someone must be listening to the sound of her passage downstairs. If they'd heard Ella, there was still no sign that they were coming to greet her.

Finally she made it to the bottom step. She paused and cocked her head.
 

Nothing.

The palace was quiet.

Ella saw two doors on either side of her, both of them open. She walked to the one on her right and peered into the room. A large dining table filled the room with a chair at either end. Ella was momentarily disappointed to notice there was no food on the table.

Ella turned and went to the door of the other room.

She paused suddenly and froze.
 

Raz was seated on a long divan, and he was fast asleep. He lay stretched out, with his back twisted slightly and his head angled in such a way that the light shone directly onto his face. His thick dark hair glistened in the soft light; his even features were relaxed.
 

Gazing at Raz, Ella couldn't help thinking he looked like a man completely at peace with himself, the king of all he surveyed. In this light, she had to admit he looked even more handsome than she had realized. There was a regal quality about him, as if he knew that nothing could touch him, or disturb the balance of his life. He was powerful looking. The slash of his strong nose led to the full lips that had just a touch of moistness on them.

Ella stood absolutely still, reluctant to lose the chance to examine the man who had saved her, and who now believed he was her protector. Ella had never needed the protection of any man. Even though Raz undoubtedly had some fine characteristics, Ella knew she had to deny him; that she must not allow what he had done for her to cloud her judgment or alter the course she had set for herself in life.

Ella glanced around the room. It was elegantly furnished with exotically patterned divans, a few chairs with wooden tables and sideboards that spoke of wealth and taste. A wide marble fireplace took up a large part of the wall opposite her. Book-lined shelves covered the walls at the far end. It was a room fit for a prince, she thought. But, it lacked a soft touch. Dare she say, a feminine touch.
 

Ella sighed and pushed that thought away. The sound of her breath disturbed Raz, and he opened his eyes. His gaze settled on Ella. At first he didn't react, merely staring at her standing at the door. He looked momentarily puzzled.
 

"Am I dreaming?" he murmured sleepily.

Ella extended her hands to her side. "I don't think you are," she replied. "I believe I'm real. At least I was, the last time I checked," she said with a grin.

Raz sat up and ran a hand through his hair. He cleared his throat. "What are you doing up?" he asked sounding groggy.

"I'm hungry," Ella stated bluntly.

Raz's eyes widened. "Hungry?"

Ella nodded.
 

Raz leapt up off the divan. "Of course. You must be starving. What time is it?" he said glancing at his watch.

"I think it's around midnight," Ella replied.

Raz gazed around the room as if seeking guidance. Then he peered at Ella. "How did you get down here?"

Ella pointed back in the direction of the hall. "The stairs were helpful," she said cheekily.

"You came all the way down without asking for help?" Raz asked.

Ella squinted at him. "Of course, I did. I'm not an invalid," she said.

"That's not the point. The doctor said you needed to take things easy for the first day or two."

"Well, as you can see, I'm fine," Ella declared. "Maybe I need a second opinion."

Raz made his way to her. He didn't look amused. "Next time call one of the servants," he said firmly. "Or me, for that matter."

Ella grinned at Raz. "You?"

Raz nodded, suddenly looking deadly serious. "The phone next to the bed is linked to the servants. They'll come if you need them."

"I don't need to be waited on hand and foot," Ella said.

Raz sighed and shook his head. "Let me see about dinner," he said.

"But, it's midnight," Ella objected.

"One of the advantages of owning your own palace is you can have dinner anytime you like," Raz said quirking a brow at her.

"Now, isn't that something," Ella teased.
 

Raz narrowed his eyes, and his mouth creased slightly. She could tell he knew she was baiting him. And, he looked like he was enjoying it.

"Let me speak to them," he said.
 

As he passed Ella, he brushed against her. He stopped inches away from her and ran his gaze down the length of her dress. "That suits you," he said simply. "It's the right color for you. Sets off your eyes." There was a look of deep appreciation on his features. For a moment, she saw a flicker of something stronger than politeness in his eyes. It was a hunger that was quickly disguised the moment she saw it.

In spite of her best efforts, Ella felt the heat rise to her cheeks. She was sure he could see the effect his compliment had had on her.
 

Raz smiled briefly at Ella and then made his way into the hall, heading for what she assumed was a downstairs kitchen.

Ella entered the sitting room and ambled slowly around it, scrutinizing what Raz's idea of comfort was. Maybe she could get a better understanding of him, by assessing the kinds of things that were important to him. She'd already seen the motor-yacht down at the jetty. Obviously he still suffered from the same notions of the idle super-rich; with fabulous wealth came fabulous toys, especially if you were the spoiled son of a wealthy oil rich family with a monopoly over a country's natural assets.

Ella chided herself. That wasn't quite fair to the man who had carried her to safety from a wrecked car and who obviously cared for her safety.
 

No.

There was much more to Raz than what the superficial trappings of his wealth revealed. She'd already had an inkling of the strong passions he had locked up inside himself. It seemed like every time he came near Ella, a fiery desire ignited in him. Ella ran a finger across the line of books on his shelf. Judging by the titles, Raz was an educated man. Ella nodded in appreciation at the breadth of learning the bookshelves revealed.

Ella remained in the sitting room listening to the frantic rush of activity as servants started to bring food to the nearby dining room.
 

After a short while, Raz reappeared at the sitting room door. "Dinner's ready," he said with a smile.

"Great," Ella replied. "I'm famished." She followed Raz to the dining room. On entering the room, she let out a gasp. The entire table was covered with a myriad of dishes laden with delicious looking food.

Raz went to the end of the table and pulled out the chair. Standing behind it, he looked at Ella with obvious excitement etched on his features. "Would you care to sit?" he asked.

Ella smiled and went to the chair. As she prepared to sit down, she saw him watch her with visible delight. She sat down, glancing up at him over her shoulder. Raz tucked the chair against her legs, and she felt the soft, padded seat beneath her bottom as she sat. She leaned back and felt Raz's hand briefly on her shoulder.
 

Ella glanced up at him and saw his warm gaze looking down at her. "Comfortable?" he asked.
 

Ella nodded and looked along the table. "It all looks wonderful."

Raz moved to the other end of the table, his stride slow and deliberate, as if he knew she would be watching him from behind. Which, indeed, she was. Once again he looked like a temporarily tamed animal, restrained from stalking his prey. His bearing was erect and noble, a product, she guessed, of years of formal social events and the need to impress that had been drummed into him by his parents.

Ella watched Raz sit down at the opposite end of the table. Two servants came in and started to serve the exquisite food. One of the servants poured mineral water into the champagne flute at Ella's side.
 

She glanced along the table and saw that Raz was similarly having mineral water poured into his glass. "You're not drinking champagne?" she asked.

Raz shook his head. "For you, it's doctor's orders. For me, I thought I might join you in an evening of sobriety," he said with a grin.

"Is that different from what you normally indulge in?" Ella asked.

"I don't enjoy drinking alcohol. Apart from which, our family doesn't really approve."

Ella lifted the glass and sipped the water, the bubbles tickling her nose. "Lovely water," she said.

Raz smiled and took a sip from his glass. "Very nice." She knew he was probably teasing her, but this time she found she didn't disapprove so much.

They worked their way through the various courses, each one more tasty and mouthwatering than the last. There were specially prepared vegetables with spicy dips; baked fish which tasted like it had just been plucked from the sea outside the palace that very day; and finally a delicately prepared sweet made from fresh fruits encased in soft pastry.
 

By the time she finished eating, Ella felt fuller than she had felt in a long time. Raz was a pleasant conversationalist. He amused Ella with some stories about his life as a sheikh. It was a world she knew nothing about, except what she read in the media, and what she had seen on her brief visits. He made it all sound so appealing, an existence entirely alien to Ella, one that she knew she would never be a part of.

After the meal was finished, they both went to the sitting room. Ella joined Raz on the long sofa in front of the fireplace. A servant brought them a special cocktail made solely from fruit juices. After the sweetness of the meal, it set Ella's tongue alight, and cleansed her palate all at the same time.

It felt good to be sitting next to Raz in the quiet of the sitting room. Ella truly felt like she had entered a fairy tale world of opulence and grandeur. It was Raz's world; the sheikh's domain.
 

Raz sat close to her, and Ella was acutely aware of his body, his little subtle glances toward her. Nevertheless he seemed to be restraining himself, holding back from getting too close.
 

Raz held his glass and stretched an arm along the back of the sofa. His eyes were suddenly piercing into her. "Did you enjoy that?" he asked.

Ella smiled. "It was wonderful. Compliments to your chef," she replied.

Raz looked pleased. "I'll be sure to pass that on. They don't usually like staying up past midnight. But, this is a special occasion."

Ella looked quizzically at him. "Really?"

Raz took a sip of his drink and nodded. "Of course it is," he said. "It's not every day I bring someone truly special to this place."

"I didn't realize I was that special," she said. "I thought you brought lots of women here."

Raz frowned suddenly, and Ella knew she had overstepped an unspoken boundary. "Why do say that?" he asked sounding hurt.