Sheikh's Scandal(47)

“You know this is the harem. You aren’t supposed to be here.”

“I am emir.”

“And you still have to maintain traditions. What, is there some kind of secret passage you use, or something?” She really didn’t think Sayed walked by the door guard without a qualm.

Dark color slashed Sayed’s cheeks above his closely cropped beard. “Yes, in fact, there is.”

“What? Really? Where? Show me.” She was perfectly willing to be sidetracked from the discussion they had to have.

He laughed and shook his head. “You are pretty irresistible when you’re all enthusiastic.”

“So, show me.”

“After we talk.”

All anticipation drained away and she turned from him. “Dr. Batsmati called you, too. I thought he would.”

“Actually, I haven’t spoken to the good doctor.” Sayed’s gaze probed hers, stripping her bare if he but knew it. “Is this rather depressed appearance because he told you there was no baby, or that you are pregnant?”

“I’m not depressed,” she lied.

“Uh-huh.”

She flopped down onto the settee, no longer concerned with presenting the best image of the “one that got away” and equally uncaring about the secrets of the palace.

Did any of it really matter? “I’m not pregnant.”

“And you are unhappy about that,” he said, as if feeling his way toward something.

She sighed, tempted to lie again, but the man knew her more intimately than anyone else living. He would be able to tell. “Yes.”

“Because?”

“Does it really matter?”

“Oddly enough, it does. You see, we are in something of a predicament.” He dropped a newspaper onto the open seat beside her. “If you are unhappy at the thought of never seeing me again, all may not be lost. If you’re simply feeling baby fever, that’s another thing. Although it could work to our advantage, too.”

“What in the world are you talking about?”

He indicated the paper with a nod of his head. “Read that.”

“More of the Cinderfella romance between Tahira and her palace aid husband?”

“Not exactly.”

With a huff, Liyah started reading, hope and despair twisting together in a knot inside her with each new paragraph. Not Cinderfella, but a modern-day Cinderella fairy tale. Where Liyah played the role of servant elevated to princess by the love of her prince.

Only Sayed didn’t love her and he had to be furious about this. “Oh, my gosh...what are we going to do? How did they learn my name? Can we get a retraction printed?”

“And what are they to retract? The picture of us in obvious afterglow, or the speculation that Tahira and my stars did not cross because we both had different destinies?”

“Um, well...how furious are your parents about this?”

“Father is surprisingly prosaic and Mother is thrilled all her plans for a royal wedding won’t be wasted.”

Liyah jumped up like there was a spring under her behind. “Married?” she screeched.

Sayed winced, but then he smiled. “Under that buttoned-down exterior, you’re an emotional firecracker, aren’t you?”

“Don’t tease me. This is too serious.”

An arrested expression came over his face. “Yes, you’re right. It is.”

“What do you mean?” Had he changed his mind already?

He pulled her to him and leaned down to kiss her softly. “Think about it, will you do that for me?”

“Marriage?” she asked, afraid to believe.

“Yes.” He kissed her again, as if he couldn’t help himself. “Until tonight.”

“What’s happening tonight?”

“We’re having dinner.”

“Don’t we have dinner every night?” He smiled indulgently like she’d said something sweetly funny. “Tonight’s dinner will be special.”

“Why?”

“I’m going to ask you a question and if you give me the right answer I’ll show you the secret passage and the hidden room my great-great-grandfather built for trysts with his wife.”

“Don’t you mean his mistress?”

“No. He was a romantic and wanted to give her a very special wedding gift.”

“So, he built a hidden room.”

“Yes.”

“No wonder.”

“What?” Sayed asked.

“You’re so incredible.” She smiled up at him. “It’s in the genes.”

“I tried to tell you.”

“So, you’re going to ask me a question tonight?”

“Yes.”

“Even though I’m not a princess?”

“I have told you many times, I esteem you highly. If I mistook what was required of me and that hurt you, I am truly sorry, but I have not wanted you out of my sight since the first time my gaze fell on you.”

“You don’t mean that.”

“I do.”

Man, he really wanted her. Like, a lot.

“You promise?”

“You have my word as emir of Zeena Sahra and your man.”

“Sayed...” She reached up and kissed him with every bit of pent-up emotion inside her.