you some clothes and make sure you’ve been acquainted with the space. I’ll be with you to guide you through the day.”
Aha—so she wouldn’t be left to her own devices. That wasn’t surprising. And Maha had a kind, smooth voice. She thought about going back into the city and running into Harb, and her stomach turned. Better to stay here, aide or not.
“Okay.” How did people live with servants like this? Did they just embrace the awkwardness? Laila would have to. “I’m probably going to shower, then.” The bedroom was only a third of the suite. It also branched off into an en suite bathroom and walk-in closet and had its own separate sitting area.
“There are fresh towels and cloths in the bathroom,” Maha said. “I’ll leave some clothing choices on the bed.”
Laila hopped into the shower and lathered up the creamy, expensive shampoo. He had assigned her a servant. An aide. And—what now? Her nerves sparked and sang. She had only ever seen one picture of Zayid, and the royal family didn’t release intimate information about its members. She could be considering marriage to a psychopath.
But—no. A psychopath wouldn’t have cared if she was hungry. He wouldn’t have brought her a second plate of food. He wouldn’t have offered to take care of her grandfather and free her from the tangles of the other marriage contract. And if she rejected the proposal now, her grandfather would be at the mercy of a man who very well might be the kind of psychopath she was trying to avoid.
Laila shut off the water. Marriage to the sheikh it was. She tried to ignore the happy bang and clash of her heart. Zayid—he was hot. He was so hot. And in the privacy of the bathroom, she let herself blush and feel that heat.
Once she had dried her hair properly for the first time in weeks—there were no outlets for hair dryers at her apartment—she went back out to the bedroom. Maha had made the bed and left a full wardrobe’s worth of clothes across the foot. She found underthings in her size and slipped them on, relishing the feel of the fabric on her skin. Time to select an outfit.
She found two traditionally cut kaftans, soft and flowing and subtly shaped. One was a deep wine shade and the other a delicate forest green. Laila ran her hands over each one in turn. So soft. So soft. She chose the green dress and let it drop over her head with a whisper. Goosebumps rose on her arms. Yes—yes. She’d stay here for a while, if only to keep wearing clothes like this. If only to be safe for another hour or two.
Maha waited for her in the sitting room. She stood up when Laila entered and dipped her head in a subtle bow. Heat roared across Laila’s cheeks.
“You don’t have to do that. I’m—I’m definitely not royalty.”
The other woman looked at her with a twinkle in her eye. “You are an honored guest of Prince Zayid, which is all that matters to me.”
Laila cleared her throat. “Speaking of Prince Zayid...where is he? I’d like to talk to him.”
Maha gave her a gentle smile. “The sheikh will speak to you in his own time.”
Laila considered this. “Could you send him a message for me?”
“Of course.” Maha’s expression was open and ready. Laila had never felt so out of place in her life. “Whenever you have word to send, I’m happy to pass it along to him.”
Laila cast around for a piece of paper and pen, but what was the point? She’d already said as much to Maha. “Tell him I’d like to see him,” she said. “Just so he knows.”
“Right away.” Maha stepped outside, and Laila had the acute sense that she’d be back in a matter of seconds. She was. “I’ve sent one of the other aides with the message. Now.” She folded her hands in front of her, smiling. “Sheikh Zayid has requested that I give you a short tour of the palace.”
Laila tried to pay attention as Maha led her out of the private wing to the gardens her room overlooked. They wended their way through the paths, admiring the flowers in bloom. Laila kept waiting for Zayid to appear from behind every corner. A hot irritation sizzled through her, followed by a breathless attraction. It was almost too much. Pay attention, she thought. Maha gave her plenty to pay attention to. In the public-facing wing of the palace,