The Sheik's Unexpected Bride Read online

  “And you…?”

  Luna glanced over at him, smiling crookedly. “I wasn’t going to be a victim. So, instead of trying to get past them on the narrow, wooden dock, which I knew they wouldn’t allow because they wanted to have some fun with me. So instead, I jumped into the lake.”

  “You…?! In the dark? Wasn’t it cold?”

  She smiled. “Yep. It was dark. And cold. I don’t think they wanted to get into the water that night. So, I swam under water as far as I could. When I surfaced, I was pretty close to the wooded area on the other side of the camp. The boys were still looking out to the middle of the lake, trying to find me. I climbed out of the lake and went back to my cabin.”

  “And you told the camp counselors that the boys were about to rape you?”

  She snorted, shaking her head. “No way. The counselors wouldn’t have believed me. Women are rarely believed, especially if the boys had ganged up and claimed that I’d teased them into coming down to the lake.”

  He muttered something under his breath, which she took to be rather pointed expletives. “What happened?”

  She shrugged. “I called my parents, told them what had happened. They came and got me the next day. When Elon heard what had happened, he gave me a small knife and showed me how to use it. He ordered me to practice at least an hour every single day until I could throw it accurately.”

  Tasim nodded with arrogant approval. “Good man.”

  She shrugged. “I don’t know if a knife would have been enough during a moment like that one. Six boys against one girl? And I was a few years younger than they were. I was terrified of those teenage boys.”

  “Still, it’s not right!”

  She smiled, warmed by his words of support. “Thank you,” she whispered. “But,” she let out a deep breath, “that’s how I learned to throw a knife so accurately.” She looked into his eyes. “I’ve never forgotten that feeling of being powerless. Elon showed me that I’m not. That I can learn skills that would help in those kinds of situations.” She shifted away from him. “In this instance, I am relieved that I was able to stop the snake from hurting anyone.”

  She looked fixedly out the window for a long moment, trying to school her expression. Her heart thudded against her ribs at the look in his eyes. Luna was used to anger from him. She’d known him for less than twenty-four hours, but she knew his reputation and it wasn’t one of compassion.

  So, why was he looking at her like that? Why did his eyes convey a message of…admiration? Compassion? And something more. Something that she couldn’t quite define?

  “I…um…I need to check in with the kitchen about tonight’s dinner,” she said, suddenly feeling awkward and self-conscious. She looked up at him and, for a long moment, neither of them moved. Tension flared. Awareness of him as a man wove between them and she felt her body tighten with surprise…and something more. When she saw his eyes flare with that same awareness, Luna felt her animosity towards him soften.

  It was such a strange reaction, it pulled her back to reality. Jerking backwards, Luna looked around, feeling as if the world has suddenly shifted, spinning in a different direction all of a sudden.

  “I’d better go,” she whispered, feeling awkward and out of sorts. This was her enemy! He had sneered at her, unfairly maligned her. Made her feel small and insignificant! And then, adding insult to injury, he’d piled her plate with broccoli last night. Luna absolutely hated broccoli! But she’d gagged her way through the meal, resenting him with every bite.

  So, why did she feel…a connection to him?

  It didn’t make sense, so she turned on her heel and left the bedroom.

  Tasim watched Luna leave, feeling oddly…comforted? No, that definitely wasn’t the right word. Connected? Yes. He’d felt that surge of awareness between them. For the first time, Luna had seen him as a man, not as her enemy. For one brief moment, they were no longer on opposite sides of the political spectrum. For that moment when she’d looked into his eyes, they’d been…man and woman. Base instincts had kicked in.

  Still, he remained in place, watching her hurry out of the room. Luna’s bedroom! Damn, he was in her bedroom.

  Looking around, he noticed the small details. Such as the fact that her dressing table wasn’t covered end to end with cosmetics, like his sister’s. She was neat and tidy, with only few select items on the top. There might be a hundred colors of eye shadow and lipstick in the drawers, but Tasim would never disrespect her by snooping through them.

  He also noticed that scent. Flowers. Lilly of the valley again. And the strawberries that he’d smelled when he’d held her in his arms. The flowery scent must be her perfume while the berries could be her shampoo.

  With a groan, he turned on his heel and hurried out of her bedroom. His guards stood sentry outside and his temper fired at the thought that his sister, and Luna, had been in danger. Damn, how the hell had a snake gotten into the palace? It seemed a bit far-fetched.

  Although, they did live in the desert. It wasn’t unheard of for a snake to enter buildings where they might find food and shelter away from the intense heat of the afternoon sunshine.

  Walking down the hallway, he made a mental note to talk to Elon about that. If snakes had gotten into the palace before, the man was going to have problems, because Ella truly hated snakes.

  It occurred to him that Luna’s first instinct had been to protect his sister. And that softened his attitude towards her even further. She’d protected his sister, which meant that he owed her.

  Chapter 4

  Dinner that night was a larger gathering since additional guests had arrived for the wedding festivities. Foreign dignitaries were mingling with international and local celebrities.

  But it was the décor that caught Tasim’s attention more than the people present. He acknowledged that Luna most likely had an event manager on staff. Even so, he approved of the ambiance tonight, which was elegant and refined, but intimate. The food and music were the perfect blend of moods that allowed everyone to revel in the power of these two countries coming together, but not formal enough that anyone felt intimidated. It allowed the guests to mingle more freely, which was perfect.

  It was a buffet dinner tonight, instead of a sit down meal. He chuckled softly, thinking it was a pity that he wouldn’t be able to give Luna more broccoli. He’d enjoyed her disgust last night, remembering how Luna had nibbled carefully on each floret. But he also knew that she hadn’t eaten all of the pile he’d dumped onto her plate.

  “You’re in too good a mood,” a feminine voice commented. Luna moved to stand beside him, smiling politely. “That’s dangerous, so stop it.”

  He looked down at her, surprised and…oddly flattered. She’d obviously been waiting for him to arrive.

  “Why is my good humor a dangerous thing?” he asked, turning slightly so that his body partially shielded her from the rest of the room.

  Her brown eyes sparkled up mischievously. “Because you’re always a grouch. Or at least, you’ve been a grouch since you got here. Which means that you’re plotting something.” Her head tilted impishly. “Revenge, perhaps?” She lifted a dark eyebrow in question. “Revenge for my brother taking your sister away?”

  “Perhaps I should take his sister away as my revenge. An eye for an eye,” he offered. There was a pretty, pink tinge to her cheeks for a brief moment, but she rallied quickly, reverting back to her normal sophisticated demeanor.

  Luna shifted, turning to survey the crowded dining room. “Well, that’s not going to happen, since we hate each other.”

  Twenty-four hours ago, he might have agreed with her. Well, not hate so much as…lack of respect. His eyes sharpened. “I don’t hate you, Luna,” he murmured. “Not anymore.”

  The startled look in her eyes told him that he’d caught her off guard. “Why not?”

  He moved slightly. “Because you protected my sister.” He moved even closer, his eyes sharpening as he looked down at her. “But don’t you ever put yourself in danger like that again!”

  She was stunned for a moment, then burst out laughing. “Right! So I should have just let her get eaten by that snake?”

  Tasim looked away, feeling…off. Embarrassed? No, that wasn’t right. He liked her laugh. And she smelled so damn good!

  Still, he looked around, scrabbling for an adequate response. “No. Of course not.” Now that he thought about it, Tasim acknowledged that he didn’t like the idea of Luna being in danger either. “But next time, call your guards,” he ordered. Putting a hand on her back, he led her over to the buffet table, putting a plate in her hand. Getting food meant that he could concentrate on something other than this odd, uncomfortable feeling in his gut. “Yes, call your guards next time,” he repeated gruffly. “That’s what they are paid to do. And they have more training than you.”

  She smiled, holding the plate. “I handled the situation back there,” she pointed out.

  He looked at her, his eyes conveying the seriousness of his words. “Don’t do it again, Luna.”

  She tilted her head slightly. “I know that you’re not ruining our detente by giving me an order. Because you know me well enough by now to know I don’t take orders.”

  He chuckled and pulled her plate away from her chest with a finger. “Right. You’re a feminist liberal,” he teased, and put something cheesy on her plate. “You’re also an expert knife thrower. What are your other hobbies?”

  She laughed. “I wouldn’t say that throwing knives is a hobby. More of a necessity.”

  He continued to load up her plate with the buffet’s delicacies, but this time, when she didn’t want something he was about to serve her, she’d shake her head or pull her plate away. When he passed by something that she was particularly excited to try, she lifted the
spoon and put some onto his plate as well as hers. Both of them were completely unaware of the other guests watching their interaction with fascination and smiling their approval.

  “I don’t have many hobbies. There isn’t a great deal of time for hobbies in our world.”

  “’Not many’ implies that you do have a few. Tell me, what are the things that you do when you don’t have royal obligations?”

  Luna shrugged slightly. “I love to read.” And that revelation started them off on a discussion about their favorite books. He preferred mysteries and books on espionage, but she shook her head when he asked her about those genres. “I can’t read those. Unfortunately, I know that they are all too real. It terrifies me that those authors know what’s going on behind the bland surfaces of so many international cities. And if their horrible plots haven’t already happened, then I’m guessing someone tried it and failed or it’s about to happen.”

  He laughed and they sat down at one of the corner tables. These tables were smaller, placed around the edge of the room with the larger tables in the center for bigger groups to assemble and eat. Why they gravitated towards the smaller, more intimate tables…neither of them bothered to ask or wonder.

  “So, what do you enjoy reading?” he asked, lifting a hand to a waiter who immediately came over to pour the wine.

  “I usually stick to the classics,” she admitted. “I find them soothing. As if they can foretell the future because everything that’s in those stories has already happened, but I also know that it’s going to happen in the future as well.”

  “What’s your favorite story?’

  “I have to choose just one?” she laughed. During the meal, they ate and debated various stories written throughout the centuries. Both of them agreed that Shakespeare was brilliant, of course, but also the more modern authors, such as Samuel Beckett and Ray Bradbury. They even debated the more commercially vibrant children’s book series, such as Harry Potter and Rick Riordan.

  Luna was having a lovely evening, relaxing and laughing at some of his arguments. She even finished everything on her plate, not caring about the calories or fat content. Tonight, talking with Tasim was just too exhilarating to worry about anything.

  “Excuse me, Your Highness,” General Sokawski interrupted, smiling at them. “But I was wondering if I might borrow this lovely lady for a dance?”

  They looked up, startled to realize that they’d been sitting over here in the corner of the dining room for so long, the dinner buffet had been cleared away and the small orchestra was playing in a corner, giving the guests a chance to dance.

  Luna looked up at Tasim and she could feel his surprise. Because she was feeling it as well! They both looked at the general, then at the small table, suddenly painfully conscious of how their little dinner tête-à-tête must have appeared to the other guests

  “Of course,” Tasim replied stiffly, standing up and bowing formally. “I’ve monopolized your time, Your Highness,” he said apologetically as he took her hand, lifting it to his lips for a brief kiss. But there was a sparkle of humor in his eyes. “Until tomorrow.”

  Then he was gone. Luna watched him leave, her eyes following him until he was out of sight.

  “Your Highness?” the general prompted.

  Luna blinked up at him, startled all over again. “Oh. Right!” She stood and followed the general around the table, wishing that she could have vanished as easily and quickly as Tasim. “Dancing,” she whispered, wondering why she’d arranged for dancing.

  Of course, she’d done that to try and keep Elon in the room. He and Ella had a tendency to wander off. She’d thought that dancing would allow the couple to hold each other, which might keep them here with their guests for a bit longer this evening.

  Remembering her manners, she smiled politely at the general, even giving him a small curtsy. “Thank you, I’d be delighted to dance with you,” Luna tucked her hand into his arm and he led her onto the dance floor. “Have you seen my brother recently?”

  The general moved into position, taking her into his arms as he chuckled. “They disappeared about an hour ago. I’d imagine that they are in the gardens somewhere, stealing a kiss.”

  Luna swallowed a snort at that ridiculous statement. She knew her brother. He wouldn’t be out in the garden, stealing a kiss. If he were anywhere with Ella, he was in his bedroom and they were…well, Luna was not going there. Her older brother naked was definitely not an image she needed.

  “He’s charmed you.”

  Luna looked up, startled by the general’s words. “I’m sorry?”

  “He’s charmed you, my dear,” he repeated with a soft chuckle. “It’s one of his strengths. He is very good at turning a woman’s anger into something more…palatable.”

  Tasim? Surely the general wasn’t talking about Sheik Tasim! “That’s…”

  “It’s true,” the general replied, shrugging his shoulders in a French manner, as if her succumbing to Tasim’s charm was simply a matter of time.

  For some reason, Luna felt dirty. Had Tasim charmed her for a specific reason? His comments from last night came back to her. Was Tasim charming her to get revenge on her brother for taking his sister away?

  But that didn’t make sense. Tasim had to know that Ella would eventually fall in love with someone. It was the reality of life. People met, fell in love, got married, had children…sometimes they fell out of love and sometimes, they lived happily ever after. Why would he become angry because…!

  Because Tasim and Elon had been lifelong enemies? Because they’d hated each other for various reasons. But…was there something personal in their hatred? Or was it only political?

  “My leader is impressive,” the general laughed as he moved stealthily around the dance floor. “He uses his charm like other leaders use missiles. With precision and extreme accuracy.”

  That analogy didn’t help. “Yes, I’m sure that he’s developed a veritable arsenal of ways to deal with his enemies,” Luna replied. Pulling back, she smiled politely up at him. “General, if you will excuse me, I need to check on an urgent matter. I don’t mean to be rude, but could we cut this dance short?”

  He gave Luna a chivalrous bow, taking her hand to lead her off the dance floor. “Of course, my dear. And thank you for taking pity on an old man and humoring him with your lovely company and lively conversation.” He winked down at her. “Have you heard the joke about the man who walked into a bar with a pair of jumper cables?” he asked, the now-familiar sparkle in his eyes.

  Luna laughed, patting his hand. “Yes, general. You told me last night and I thought the ending was delightful! Thank you for sharing!”

  He winked at her and Luna caught a glimpse of the charming rake that he must have been in his youth. He leaned forward, patting her hand as if she were a child. “Yes my dear. Go ahead. Attend to your duties and I will speak to you in the morning.”

  Luna beamed her gratitude up at the elderly man and walked away, moving in the opposite direction in which Tasim had departed earlier in the evening. She didn’t want to risk running into him again. Right now, she needed a minute alone. Time to think about what the general had said. Could Tasim be trying to manipulate her for a political reason? But that didn’t make any sense. Luna didn’t have any political power. She generally worked in the background.

  Sighing, she knew that she didn’t have the stomach to deal with more guests. She couldn’t keep smiling and nodding politely while this ache gnawed at her.

  Had Tasim charmed her? That was ridiculous. She wasn’t attracted to the man! Okay, that was a lie. She suddenly realized that she was intensely attracted to him. Which was silly. She shouldn’t think of Tasim in that way. In a few days, Tasim would become her brother-in-law. Okay, not really. But close enough. . He was a powerful leader of a large country. Her brother was the same. Their paths would rarely cross after this weekend. It wasn’t like Tasim would be traveling here to this country for the holidays. Or the reverse.

  She got ready for bed, thinking about the whole situation. She wished life was simpler. Why did everything have to be so complicated? How had a wonderful dinner conversation morphed into a diabolical scheme of revenge?!