A Christmas Bride - By Susan Mallery Page 0,46
A warmth stole through her and she smiled.
“Welcome, sir. All of El Deharia is pleased at your visit. Me, most of all.”
He pulled her close and tucked her hand into the crook of his arm. “Hassan,” he said. “You must call me Hassan. Do you forget how you mocked me in your e-mails? You can’t be formal now.”
They walked into the palace. “I never mocked you,” she told him, liking the feel of being next to him, close to him.
“You called me a crazy old man who was too concerned about his cats.”
She laughed. “I did not. You’re making that up.”
“Perhaps.”
He smiled at her, making her heart beat wildly and her throat get dry. It had been so long since any man had affected her, she thought happily. So long since she’d let herself notice a smile, a voice, a touch.
They walked along the main corridor, toward the elevators that would take them up to the guest floors.
“How is your first project coming?” he asked. “Has As’ad noticed the lovely Kayleen?”
“Absolutely.” Lina grinned. “She got lost in the desert and ended up with some local tribesmen. As’ad went after her and claimed her for his own. He says it was to keep her safe, but I think there was more to it than that. When they got back, Kayleen specifically told me nothing had happened. She was so intent on telling me that, I knew something had.”
“So you are a success.”
“Not yet, but I hope to be soon.”
They rode up three floors and exited onto a wide, open hallway.
“Your suite is just down here,” Lina told him. “It is the one you stayed in before.”
When they reached the double doors, she opened one and led the way in. The rooms were large, elegantly furnished and only used for kings and heads of state.
Fresh flowers filled several vases and a large fruit basket sat on the dining room table.
“I thought we could go out to dinner tonight,” she said. “There are a couple of really nice restaurants in the city with private rooms. I can give the names to your head of security so he can check them out in advance. There are a few plays we could take in and a visiting European symphony, depending on what interests you most. My brother would be delighted if you would care to ride any of his horses and I—”
Hassan crossed to her and pressed his finger to her mouth. “You can stop talking now.”
She drew in a breath, then pressed her lips together. “All right.”
“I am not here to be entertained or to go riding. I am here to spend time with you. You have charmed me, Lina. I had not thought that would happen again in my lifetime and I am delighted to be wrong. I sense many possibilities.”
Oh, my. The man had simply put it out there. Of course, he was a king and that could have something to do with his confidence level. If only she could say the same about herself.
“I, ah...” She swallowed. “Me, too.”
He laughed, then pulled her close. “So let us see where this all leads.”
And then he kissed her.
CHAPTER SEVEN
AS’AD WATCHED AS several members of the kitchen staff set up the dinner. There was a large turkey, along with dishes of stuffing, yams, vegetables, mashed potatoes, gravy and several pies.
“I’m starving,” Pepper whispered to Dana. “Can I have just a bite?”
“No,” her sister told her. “We’re waiting for Kayleen, remember? It’ll just be a few more minutes.”
Kayleen had phoned to say she’d received the message telling her to come to As’ad’s room for dinner and would be right up.
As’ad did his best to focus on the girls, on how Pepper kept sniffing the air and how Nadine gracefully danced from foot to foot in impatience.
His plan had worked perfectly—the room was decorated, the meal prepared and Kayleen would be able to celebrate her country’s holiday. Yet despite the success, he couldn’t shake the deep sense of outrage that stirred within him.
She was leaving in a few months? Just like that? She hadn’t said anything to him, hadn’t hinted. He had hired her to be nanny to the three girls she had insisted he adopt and now she was going to disappear?
Equally insulting was the fact that Dana said she didn’t know if the sisters were staying or going. As if it was their decision to make. He was Prince As’ad of El Deharia. He decided who would stay and who would leave.