The Sheikh's Virgin Bride(128)

Zadid stoked the dying fire, and it was bright and cheery once more. A game was set up on her coffee table, and his eyes were as warm as the fire as he watched her return. Setting the glass in front of him, she sat on the floor across from him, ready to play.

“Have a taste,” she said, nodding at the glass.

“Don’t mind if I do,” he replied, though he wasn’t looking at the eggnog.

Yvonne cleared her throat, taking a sip of her drink. The creamy, sweet taste brought back so many memories of Christmases past, and she watched Zadid as he took his own tentative sip. When he did, his eyes widened in surprise.

“I like this!” he declared.

Yvonne wiped the back of her hand across her brow.

“Phew. If you didn’t, we’d have to end our friendship immediately.”

“You would stop being friends with me just for not liking a drink?”

“Eggnog is not just any drink. It is manna of the gods,” she teased, taking another sip.

“Fair enough. I must agree with you, there. Now, as a gentleman, I will grant you the first turn.”

“Ever gallant, you are.”

“Let it never be said that I am anything less than a gentleman,” he replied, gesturing toward the board.

They proceeded to play a rousing round of the game, with Yvonne and Zadid trading witty remarks as their pieces chased each other across the board until finally Yvonne reached the final roll of the dice.

“Here it is, my great victory. Are you ready?”

His gaze was challenging as she shook the dice between her closed palms. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d had so much fun. He watched her intently as she rolled.

“I’m still not convinced. Let’s see how this plays out.”

“Get ready,” she said, tossing the dice onto the board.

It was official: Yvonne won the game. She whooped as she moved her piece to the final destination, her smile triumphant.

“I will now do my best to be a gracious winner. Also, I told you so.”

Zadid put up his hands.

“You certainly did. I am a man who can accept defeat as graciously as you accept your victory. Well done,” he said, reaching his hand over the board for her to shake, which she did.

Their hands stayed clasped for a moment longer than was necessary before Zadid pulled back, sitting back on the floor.

“That was fun,” he said, his tone wistful.

Yvonne stood, stretching her lower back before plopping onto the couch before the fire, which had burned back down to a gentle crackle. To her delight, Zadid stood and joined her there, sitting very close as they stared into the glowing hearth.

“You sound like you haven’t had fun in a while,” she observed, and Zadid shrugged.

“It’s difficult to remember to enjoy yourself when the world of business never sleeps.”

“That’s true. I think the last time I’ve played a game like that was last year’s Christmas party.”

“And even then I didn’t play,” he said. “I should have. I forgot how much fun these diversions can be.”

“Did you do this kind of thing as a kid much?” Yvonne asked, curious about his upbringing.

Zadid nodded.

“I did. My brother and sister and I would play all the time, though our game pieces looked a little different,” he explained, his tone a little bashful.

“How do you mean?”

“They were made of gold.”

“Ah,” she said, ever so slightly scooting closer to him. “I’ve often wondered what your childhood was like. Aren’t you, like, fourth in line to the throne?”

“Eighth,” he corrected gently.

“What is that like?”

He thought for a moment before answering.

“It was a charmed life, of course. I got all the benefits of royalty without the obligations that come with having to one day rule. My family home is a beautiful ivory-colored palace just off the sea, so when the sun sets just right, the entire building is a cascade of colors. When we weren’t spending our time there, we’d often go on vacations to foreign lands. My parents wanted to expose us to different cultures and experiences, and it was when I landed in New York that I knew I would one day settle in America. I loved it from the moment the skyline came into view.”

“What brought you to D.C., then?” she asked.

He shrugged.

“Connections, mainly. John was a friend of mine that needed an extra pair of hands running his finance firm, and I was looking for any excuse to come out here. It worked out in its own way.”

Yvonne thought about the co-owner of the firm, John Smalls. He was a younger man like Zadid, who had come from wealth as well. She found herself fascinated with a world she had only ever glimpsed into. The world of the rich and connected.

“But you go home every Christmas, so surely you still have ties back there.”

“Of course I do,” he replied.

His tone was unreadable. There was something behind it that he wanted to hide, but Yvonne couldn’t quite pinpoint what it was.

“My father used to throw the most elaborate birthdays for me. One time, I had a camel-themed party, and everyone was trained on how to ride before we had a massive race through the desert. It was one of the most exciting moments of my life. We finished the night with a party in our family’s ancient ballroom, like we do every year.”