some trouble up north.”
Rashid nodded and took her hand, pulling her back to the dining room table and sitting down with her. “There was an emergency and I couldn’t be out of the country during those kinds of issues. I have lots of perks, such as being able to order my sisters and miscellaneous family members out of the dining room or other situations, but there’s a down side to being a ruler as well. Resolving that problem took precedence and I’m sorry I couldn’t speak to you personally before I had to leave. I know it left you confused and hurt.”
Sidra couldn’t help but laugh at the idea that ordering sisters about was one of the perks. “You weren’t able to order them out of your bedroom very effectively. What’s the difference with the dining room and your private quarters?”
Rashid also chuckled softly and shook his head. “Zarah and Isla have a mind of their own sometimes but they know when to listen, which has served them well over the years.” He reached out to touch her hand, trying to get her to look at him but he could tell she was still too embarrassed. “Apparently in my bedroom, they had no qualms about ignoring me. Maybe it was the threat of marrying her off that got one to lead the other off.”
“We passed by a room filled with other children. I initially thought all those kids were theirs.”
Rashid quickly shook his head to negate that idea. “Good grief, no!” he chuckled. “You met both of them. I don’t know of a man who could handle either of them right now. He would have to be insane to even try. Or at least that’s what I assume on some occasions,” he said as he rolled his eyes with memories of his sisters’ antics over the years.
“Your sisters love you very much. They gave me a great deal of advice. Most of which I don’t think is very valuable,” she said with a grimace.
He smiled, wondering which of their tricks they’d relayed to his new fiancée. “What did they tell you?” He shuddered to think what Sidra might learn from those two hoydens. He knew he was going to have to do something about Isla soon. She was getting too old and needed to find an outlet for her ambitions. He suspected she was becoming smothered by palace life here.
Sidra bit her lip and looked up at his blue eyes, wondering if she dared to tell him the most interesting fact she’d heard from his sisters. When he only stood there in front of her, waiting patiently, she took a deep breath and said, “One of them told me that you were grouchy after coming back from England.”
Rashid nodded, not denying that he’d been a changed man after that trip. “I was. I couldn’t find you. No one knew who you were or where I could find you. I was furious that you hadn’t left any forwarding information.”
She shook her head at his last statement. “I did leave my contact information with Laura. She just went on assignment unexpectedly after I left. I didn’t know that until last week when I spoke to her on the phone but she didn’t mention that anyone had asked about me.”
“Why did you contact her last week?” he asked gently.
She looked down at her hands and bit her lip nervously. He’d almost admitted that he had been looking for her. It wasn’t clear, but his sisters seemed to be fairly sure that Rashid had some feelings towards her so she was going to take the risk and throw it all out there. “I was hurt that you hadn’t called me so I finally broke down and contacted her and asked if you’d even called to find out where I was or how to find me.”
He seemed relieved that she’d admitted that. “I had my security men stationed outside of her flat for about two weeks. They must have just missed her. I might fire them for that,” he grumbled.
“For what?”
“For giving up. If they’d stayed a couple more days waiting, we might have been able to be together this past week.”
Sidra’s whole body warmed at the thought that he might have wanted to be with her earlier than now. “So why did you hire my firm to re-decorate your palace?”
He took her hand and pulled her closer, eliminating the last few inches that separated them. “Why do you think?”
She looked up at him hopefully.