The Sheik's Furious Bride (Love By Accident) (2 page)

The palace was already filling up with guests and she would need to hurry to the receiving line to g
reet the incoming dignitaries, there were flowers everywhere and so many jewels on various hands and necks she couldn’t imagine the sum total of wealth being worn right now. 

Isla slipped into the receiving line, pretending as if it had been planned to happen like this. 
“Where have you been?” Zarah whispered furiously
, but keeping the gracious smile on her face since too many important people were milling about
.  “Half the people are already here.”

Isla smoothed her dress down and took a deep breath, trying to calm herself so that she could appear dignified.  “I overslept.”

She felt her sister stiffen beside her a moment before she whispered, “
Y
ou didn’t go out last night, did you?”
  They both smiled and greeted the British Ambassador and his wife. 

“No!” she came back,
then
smiled as the French Prime Minister and his wife presented themselves to her.  When
that couple
moved off
towards the ceremonial room
, she whispered back, “I
wouldn’t
go out the night
before
Rashid’s wedding.  Don’t be ridiculous.”

Zarah instantly relaxed with the reassurance. 
“Good
.  You should stop doing that.  One day you’re either going to get caught or your you’re going to get hurt and you know it’s just a matter of time
before one of those things happens
,” she replied, then they both smiled as the
United States Secretary of State approached. 

Her sister was right, but she couldn’t stop.  She
w
ouldn’t stop.  Her work was just too important.  Besides, it made her feel as if she were contributing to the world as more than just another pretty face in a sea of millions of beautiful women.  She wanted to make a difference in this world. 

One after another, the heads of various countries, or their representatives, filed into the palace.
  For a small wedding, this
seemed
ridiculously large, Isla thought as the five hundredth guest finally
came
through security. 

Everyone had been milling about with
late morning
cocktails and appetizers being passed about by the additional
catering
staff.  Every security guard was on duty, watching for any suspicious activity.  All food had been prepared offsite since Rashid wouldn’t allow un-vetted vendors into the palace walls and his personal stores of liquor were used so that there was no risk of poisoning. 

All too soon, t
he wedding music sounded and the guests were invited to find a seat.  Isla took her place in front of Sidra, giving her future
sister-in-law
a wink for encouragement. 
The bride
was radiant in a glowing white gown that had been brought in from Paris and fitted overnight. 
She looked a bit nervous and kept glancing towards the front of the wall of people and Isla instantly knew what was going through her head. 

She turned around and smiled brightly.  “Don’t worry, Sidra.  He wouldn’t miss this for the world.  He’s completely smitten with you.” 
Isla was glad she’d said something when Sidra’s shoulders relaxed slightly and the worried look diminished.  She was probably still terrified of going in front of all of these people, but she looked
dazzling
.  Even
Sidra’s
brother
Ryan who had flown in late last night looked magnificent in his
formal
clothes. 

As the music sounded, Isla walked carefully down the aisle,
then
stood at the front of the room while Zarah came next.  When Sidra finally walked down
the aisle
on her
handsome brother’s
arm, Isla was embarrassed to find tears coming to her eyes.  She quickly blinked them away and concentrated only on getting through the ceremony.  Cameras were not allowed inside the room, but she knew that the ceremony was being recorded for the press.  She didn’t want her makeup spoiled by tears, she thought to herself. 

She looked away from Sidra and scanned the other guests. 
There was o
ne
large
man sitting in the front row
who immediately
caught her eye.  He was deliciously handsome in a scary, dark and dangerous way.  His hawk-like nose and dark eyes captured her attention and she wondered who he was.  She thought he looked vaguely familiar, but she knew she’d remember that chiseled jaw and
broad shoulders
if she’d seen him
before.  The man was exquisitely made up
physically with broad shoulders and long legs that he had extended slightly so that he didn’t look ridiculous on the dainty chair.  He wore his dark suit and snowy tailored shirt perfectly and she even liked the simplicity of his light blue, silk tie
.
  It somehow gave
her the impression that he was at least trying not to be scary looking at a wedding, even if it didn’t work because of those eyes and his
sharp
nose. 

I
f he was in the front row, he had to be a very important person
so it was increasingly embarrassing that she didn’t remember who he was
.  Rashid’s assistant had done the seating chart and
placed everyone by importance, but Isla hadn’t had a chance to look at the chart. 

She glanced at his eyes and was startled to find him looking straight back at her.  He glanced down at something but she ignored him, wondering what he could be noticing.  When he glanced up again, then down, she knew he was giving her some sort of signal. 

Isla looked up, looked around and knew tha
t everyone’s eyes were focused o
n Sidra as she and her
brother
walked down the aisle.  So Isla took a moment and looked down, praying that nothing had spilled on her light blue dress.  That would be horrible if she’d been greeting all of these people with a stain.  But the only thing she’d eaten so far today was the coffee she’d grabbed for breakfast. 

As she looked down, there wasn’t anything on her dress.  She looked back up and the man was still looking directly at her, then back down. 

What had she missed?  Had she dropped something?  Goodness, had she forgotten to put on stockings or a slip?  She moved her legs slightly and she felt the silk, thigh high stocking she’d put on, so that wasn’t it.  She couldn’t remember putting on a slip, but her dress wasn’t see-through so the man couldn’t possible know if she’d forgotten something so intimate. 

She clutched the flowers to her waist, trying desperately hard to figure out what the attractive man was trying to signal to her. 

Isla looked lower and gasped in horror.  As she looked back up,
suddenly
realizing what he had been trying to tell her, she blushed painfully, but still couldn’t keep the amusement off of her face.  She pressed her lips together and looked away, willing
herself
to not laugh, not
to
chuckle, don’t do anything at all. 

She was wearing two different shoes!  Both were beautiful and both matched her dress.  One had glass beads decorating the toe while the other was covered in soft, blue flowers.  She’d been shown both the previous day but because of all the issues she’d been trying to deal with, she had told her maid to simply leave both and she’d wear the one that was the most comfortable
for the ceremony
. 

If they’d felt different enough on her feet, she would have noticed, but they actually were both very comfortable shoes.  So here she stood, in front of world leaders
and honored guests
at her only brother’s wedding in two completely different shoes. 

She wond
ered if anyone else had noticed
or if it was just this one man.  She glanced back at him and, sure enough, he was still watching her, that slight
amusement
still
on those sexy lips
and in his dangerous eyes
.  She pressed her own lips together again, trying very hard not to look back at the man.  She was able to do that for the whole service, but after the first kiss, the
announcement
of bride and
groom, all the fanfare of the crowning ceremony that took place immediately after the wedding to crown Sidra queen….she just happened to glance back at the man who was now standing and applauding as the two newlyweds walked back down the aisle.  He wasn’t looking at
Isla’s
brother and new
sister-in-law
though.  He was looking right back at her and she couldn’t help the laughter that broke free when he winked at her
. 

Incorrigible man!  She made her way
down the aisle
after the newlyweds and out the door.  The guests would be directed to the reception area while official photos of the wedding party were taken in another
room
.  Everything had to happen quickly and on a tight schedule, she knew
,
so she waved her body guard over to her. 
Whispering
in his ear, she explained the situation.  Judar quickly looked down at her feet,
then
nodded his head.  He bustled over to one of the servants who
immediately
acknowledged the instructions and
raced off. 

Five minutes later, the servant
returned with both shoes in her
hands and Isla smiled her thanks that the official wedding pictures would not include her in two different shoes.  She pulled on the jeweled shoe and handed the flowered one back to the servant, then quickly took her place in the picture. 

Only Zarah noticed the exchange since Sidra and Rashid were busy with the photographer, and very preoccupied with each other. 

Isla smiled at the way they looked together.  Wouldn’t it be nice to be that in love?  She wondered if she would ever have that feeling.  She’d been to boarding school, but she’d been guarded the whole time and had never been allowed to really date any of the boys at the opposite school.  She might have grown to resent her sheltered life, but her parents had instilled in her a strong sense of responsibility.  She shared her love of her country with her family, wished that her parents were still alive to see their only son married, but knew that life went on and things happened. 

The rest of the day was
predictable as the reception, dinner and endless toasts to the bride and groom were offered
, but Isla couldn’t believe how disappointed she was that she didn’t see the man
from the ceremony
during any of the events
.  She was looking for him, but knew she couldn’t ask anyone who he was or what his position
might be
, not even from which country he hailed. 
She couldn’t let anyone know
about
her interest in any man, much less someone she’d met in the palace.  She knew her place.  She knew that her husband would be chosen by Rashid.  It went along with th
e rest of her life and she had
long ago accepted this role.  She might not like it, but she would do her duty and follow Rashid’s orders as to her spouse. 
She knew that her brother
wouldn’t marry her to anyone she distinctly disliked.  He would take her opinion into consideration.  But ultimately, it would be his decision. 

With a sigh, she looked down at her meal, not really hungry but knowing she had to eat something.  It was late, she’d been on her feet for more than twelve hours and all she wanted to do was crawl back into her bed and sleep for hours.  She knew she couldn’t do that yet, still had the
departure of the more important guests to get through, but it was almost finished.  Rashid and Sidra had already left for their honeymoon,
Zarah had been sent to bed
because she was younger
, and
so it was up to her and her cousin Jamal to stand in their stead and thank them all for coming on such short notice. 

Despite her fatigue, the
thought
of the departure line protocol
actually perked her right up.  If the man had been in the front row during the wedding, surely he would be one of those directed towards her and Jamal.  The two of them were required to say goodbye to all of the important guests and she could find out more about him.
  Or at a minimum, shake his hand and find out his name. 

Or maybe she shouldn’t be hoping for that.  She bit her lip as she made her way through the palace towards the exit where people were already starting to depart.  She really shouldn’t get any additional information on the man since there could be no future at all with him.  Just thinking about it could be dangerous and might lead to a major letdown when Rashid decided on a husband for her. 

No, it was best to leave silly romantic ideas alone and concentrate on reality.  She had her work which made a difference.  She’d have a successful marriage and maybe she could grow to love the man she married.  This was her life
and she accepted it
.  She smiled
until her face hurt
and thanked the guests
as they departed, repeatedly telling each one that she’d convey their thanks and admiration to both Sidra and Rashid
.  Her hands were chapped from the many times she shook someone else’s and the shoes she’d thought so comfortable earlier in the day were actually biting into her feet now.  But she’d been on her feet, literally on her feet walking or standing, for sixteen hours now.