by Kristi Gold
“Where are you going?”
Jamie’s hand paused on the open drawer before she picked up the last of her underclothes and stuffed them in the bag she’d brought with her. “I’m going home.”
“No, you are not.”
Her gaze snapped to his. Ben stood in the doorway dressed in his Arabian clothes, appearing commanding and in control, and oh so gorgeous. She looked away again, worried she’d give in to him if she didn’t. “You can’t stop me. Klimt’s out of the picture, so that means I can return to my apartment, find a job. Get on with my life.”
She sensed his presence behind her. “Then you will not consider my proposal?”
“I can’t, Ben.” She turned to face him, shocked by the hurt in his gray eyes. “I have to sort things out. Figure out what I’m going to do next. Be my own person.”
“I will allow you to do these things.”
“Allow me?” She grabbed the bag and carried it to the bed. “You see, Ben, that’s the problem. I don’t want anyone allowing me anything like I’m some teenager who doesn’t know her own mind. I want to go back to school. I want to be an adult and take care of myself.”
“Then you are saying you do not want me?”
Oh, she wanted him all right. She wanted him like nothing she’d ever wanted before. But she couldn’t have him. Not when he saw her as nothing more than an obligation. “What we’ve shared has been great. You’ve taught me a lot of things, including the fact that I can make it on my own.”
“Even after what we have experienced together, you would still leave me?” he asked, frustration in his voice. “Would you give yourself so freely without anything in return?”
He had no idea what he’d given her, and she would never forget it. Forget him. “I have no choice.”
“Yes, you do. Marry me.”
“I can’t.”
His gaze slid away for a moment before returning to her, defeat in his eyes. “Is there nothing I can say to convince you?”
Yes, there was something he could say, but she knew in her heart he wouldn’t. She swallowed around the boulder in her throat. “I’ll never forget what we’ve shared. But I have to move on. So do you. You need to find a woman who can give you lots of babies and quietly tend to your needs. I’m not that woman.”
“Yet you may be carrying my child.”
“I’ll deal with that if it has happened.”
He came to her in a rush and grasped her arms. “If it is so, you must tell me. The child will be mine.”
So now she understood all too well. Ben viewed everything as a possession. No way was she falling into that trap. “Like I said, I’ll deal with it.”
“I will not leave you alone.”
“If you don’t, I’ll leave town.”
“I will find you.”
“Maybe, maybe not,” she said, although she knew he had the money and means to find her, no matter where she might go. But she couldn’t worry about that now. She hoped he would simply respect her wishes and stay out of her life. “Now would you please unhand me so I can go home?”
His dark eyes narrowed, and he pulled her to him. His lips met hers in a hard bruising kiss. A kiss full of frustration, of passion. Then he released her and stepped back.
“I will let you leave now, but remember, I do not easily give up. You may trust me on that.”
Ben tried to concentrate on the conversation between his fellow Cattleman’s Club members but again found it increasingly difficult, as it had been the last time they’d met. His thoughts kept turning to Jamie, the way she had driven away in her battered blue car that morning, out of his life, but never out of his mind.
“So he didn’t say for sure whether or not Payune was connected?”
Ben looked up to find Aaron Black addressing him. “He claims he acted alone. But I do not believe him.”
“Neither do we,” Black said. “That’s why we’ve decided Dakota will go to Asterland and try to straighten this mess out.”
“Where is the diamond?” Ben asked.
Aaron Black hooked a thumb over his shoulder. “With the others behind the plaque.”
“And Klimt?”
“On a plane back to his country,” Justin said. “They promised to deal with him appropriately.”
Ben released a harsh laugh. “I doubt they will do to him what he deserves after what he has done to Jamie.”
The members exchanged knowing glances before Black spoke again. “I’ve been in touch with Kathy Lewis, and she’s agreed to make the trip with Dakota.”
Dakota Lewis’s frame went rigid. “So she did agree.”
“Yeah, and she’s on her way here,” Justin said.
Ben studied Dakota’s expression, his anger evident in the way he gripped the arms of his chair. “I don’t know why you all think that involving my ex-wife in this mess is going to help.”
“She has connections to Asterland’s queen,” Matt said. “We need her.”
Dakota tossed aside a pen and watched it roll to the floor. “Is there no other way?”
“Nope,” Justin said. “It’s the perfect cover. Husband and wife traveling to Asterland on the pretense it’s a second honeymoon.”
“It will never work,” Lewis said, his tone laced with frustration. “I’m not that good an actor.”
“Look, Dakota,” Black said. “I know you and Kathy have a history, but you’re just going to have to bite the bullet and think about what we’d be losing if the current Asterland government falls. We all have strong business connections there, and we owe it not only to the king, but to ourselves to try and prevent that from happening.”
“It is the only way,” Ben stated, knowing in fact that his investments would suffer if they did not succeed with this plan. And he would like nothing better than to have Payune punished for his involvement. After all, the man was responsible for putting Jamie in danger, whether Klimt admitted it or not.
“Then it’s settled?” Justin asked.
Dakota looked away. “Yeah, it’s settled.”
Aaron Black stood. “Great. We’ll be in touch. Right now I’ve got to get back to Pamela. She wants to go shopping for baby stuff.”
Everyone laughed then, except Ben. He again considered that Jamie might be carrying his child. Would she tell him, or would she possibly leave town without him knowing for certain? He could not allow that. And if she did try to run, he would find her, as he had promised. He would use every option available to him. Perhaps she would come to him on her own. Perhaps he was insane for believing that might be possible.
Justin, Dakota and Aaron took their leave, but Matt remained seated across from Ben, surveying him suspiciously.
Matt leaned forward and folded his hands before him. “So, where’s Jamie?”
“She has returned to her apartment.”
“Oh, yeah? I thought maybe you two might have hit it off. I was thinking maybe you’d tell us we have another wedding to look forward to.”
“She refused my proposal.” Ben wanted to take back the admission the moment it left his idiotic mouth.
“Then there was more to it than Big Ben playing the bodyguard.”
Ben shifted in his chair. “Yes, but I did not intend for it to happen.”
“Neither did I, Ben, my boy. But it did. So what do you plan to do now?”
“I do not know.”
“You’re not going to just let her get away, are you?”
Ben drummed the table with his fingers, impatience closing in on him. “I fear she is already gone.”
Matt laughed. “Ben, you beat all. I’ve never seen you give up on anything so easily. Unless what happened doesn’t mean that much to you?”
Ben’s gaze snapped to Matt’s, anger seeping from every pore. “I do not view her in that light. I have come to understand her. To respect her. I have come to…” He let the words trail away, afraid to claim them. Afraid to voice them. To make them real.
“You’re in love with her, aren’t you?”
<
br /> Ben tried to close off Matt’s question, but to no avail. “I am not certain. I have never experienced love for a woman.”
Matt grinned. “Do you feel like you’ve lost your best friend at the same time you just came close to sealing a million-dollar deal and the contract fell through?”
“Yes.”
“Then face it, Ben. You’re in love with her. Lock, stock and barrel. But any one of us could tell that the minute you walked through the door a few days ago.”
“It does not matter now. She will not see me.”
“Then you’ll just have to try harder. Woo her.”
Ben frowned. “Woo her?”
“Yeah, you know. Do things for her. Make her realize she can’t live without you.” Matt slapped a palm on the table. “And I’ll send Helena over to talk to her. We have the same situation in reverse. You and Helena are from royal blood, different worlds. Jamie and I are just plain folk. But Helena and I have worked out our differences. She could probably help.”
A small weight lifted from Ben’s heart. “Do you think that would be possible?”
“It’s a start. But you’ve got to participate, too.”
“I have no idea where to begin.”
Matt released a frustrated sigh. “Ben, use that head of yours for something other than your investments. Buy her nice things. Cook her dinner. Be creative.”
The purchasing of gifts was something Ben could manage without any trouble, but he had never even lifted a pot from the stove, much less prepared a meal. He supposed Alima could teach him something to make for Jamie. Perhaps hot dogs.
Ben rose, ready to put his plan in action. “I will consider your suggestions.”
Matt stood. “I’ll send Helena to Jamie’s soon. She’ll be glad to get out of the house now that Klimt’s been caught.”
Ben offered his hand for a shake. “Wish me luck, Sadíiq. I will need it.”
“I have no doubt you’ll do fine,” Matt said, grinning.
Unfortunately, Ben had grave doubts. But he vowed they would not stop him. He would not give up until he had Jamie Morris back in his bed, in his life, for good.
Jamie collapsed onto the sofa, relieved she had her old job at the hospital back. Her life back. Without Ben.
The man was truly amazing. She’d come home to her apartment expecting to dive into much-needed clean-up due to the break-in. Instead, she’d found everything back in its place, along with all new furniture, compliments of Sheikh Ben Rassad. Obviously he was trying to buy his way back into her life. Jamie refused to give in to those tactics.
But no matter how hard she tried to forget him, he’d preyed on her mind night and day for the past week. She didn’t miss being cooped up in his house, but she did miss him. Terribly. She missed Alima, too. Although the housekeeper had never asked about Jamie’s and Ben’s relationship, Jamie suspected she knew what had transpired between them. Yet she’d never said I told you so. She had simply told Jamie to take care and not to give up on matters of the heart.
Jamie had all but given up. She had no desire to look for a replacement for Ben. No one would ever measure up.
The knock at the door startled Jamie. Glancing at the clock, she wondered who would be calling on her at 8:00 p.m.
Ben?
She was thrilled by that prospect, yet afraid to find him on her doorstep. What would she say to him?
When the bell rang, Jamie rose and moved to the door, steeling herself in case she should find a sheikh on the other side. She peered through the peephole, but it wasn’t Ben at all. Lady Helena Reichard stood in the hallway, impeccably dressed, blond hair pulled into a neat chignon, her pastel-blue silk suit looking as though she, too, had been on a job interview.
Throwing open the door, Jamie grinned. “Helena? I can’t believe you’re here!”
Helena held up a large white box. “Yes, I’m here, and I brought some of Manny’s apple pie. Can I come in?”
Jamie stepped aside. “Of course.”
Helena moved past her, favoring her left leg, and set the box on the table before facing Jamie again. “Your apartment looks wonderful. You’ve been busy redecorating, I take it.”
Jamie looked around as if seeing it for the first time. “Actually, I didn’t do it. Ben…Sheikh Rassad is responsible for the changes.” He was responsible for many changes, but Jamie wouldn’t burden Helena with her problems, not considering everything the woman had been through since the whole Asterland mess had started. Helena had been burned in the crash, her ankle shattered, yet she had managed to come through like a trooper. Now she had a new fiancé in rancher Matt Walker, a wedding planned in the next few months, and a new life in America.
Jamie tried to tamp down the envy as she pulled back a chair at the sparkling new dinette. Helena deserved Jamie’s admiration and respect, not jealousy over her good fortune. “Have a seat and tell me what brings you here.”
Helena settled in and Jamie noticed the mesh glove hiding the burns on Helena’s left hand. She felt an immediate pang of sympathy—and guilt over not going to see Helena the minute she’d left Ben’s ranch.
“I thought we were due a visit,” Helena said. “Now that things seem to be safer in Royal, thanks to your Ben, I decided we needed to talk.”
“He’s not my Ben,” Jamie said adamantly, then regretted the harsh words. “I mean, he’s just a friend. Was a friend. He was very good to me while I was staying at his place.”
Helena raised a thinly arched brow. “Really? He’s a very attractive man. Maybe you discovered a little romance?”
“Actually, I—” Jamie saw no sense in hiding it from Helena. Since the crash, the woman had been the closest thing to a good friend that Jamie had known. Except maybe Alima. And Ben. “Yeah, I guess you could say that. We became rather…close.”
Helena sent her a kind, knowing smile. “So I’ve heard from Matt.”
Jamie frowned. “Was Ben bragging about it? If he was, then I’m going to march right out there to the ranch and—”
Helena laid a hand on Jamie’s arm. “No, he wasn’t boasting. Matt told me that Ben’s moping around most of the time—lovesick.”
If only Jamie could believe that. “Take my word for it, he’s not in love with me. In lust with me, maybe, but not in love.”
“Are you certain?”
“Yes. He never told me he loved me. He did ask me to marry him after… Well, after we became close.”
“After you made love?” Helena added without judgment.
Jamie needed to explain. She valued Helena’s respect, and she didn’t want the woman thinking badly of her. “I didn’t exactly mean for anything to happen between us, it just did.” She lowered her eyes, away from Helena’s steady perusal. “Truth is, I seduced him, not the other way around. I couldn’t help myself. I’d never been with a man before, and he was just so…so…”
“Irresistible?” Helena laughed. “I know exactly what you mean. I feel the same about Matthew. They’re both enigmatic men, strong, passionate. Not easy attributes for a woman to resist.”
“You can say that again,” Jamie said wistfully. “I’ve never met anyone quite like Ben.”
“Nor have I met anyone like Matt. And I love him with all my heart.” Helena leaned forward, her blue eyes intent and serious. “Do you love Ben, Jamie?”
Jamie wanted to burst into tears, but she held back by sheer will. “I don’t know, I guess.” Why was she lying? “Yes, I love him. More than I ever imagined loving anyone. He’s so stubborn and demanding at times. So different from me because of his culture. He’s used to women being passive. I’m anything but that. I don’t want to be that at all. I’m afraid if I accept Ben’s marriage proposal, he won’t be happy with the real me, and I can’t change who I am.”
“Marriage proposal?” Helena placed a hand on her chest. “Matt didn’t tell me Ben proposed to you.”
“Yes, he did, because he felt obligated to marry me since he ‘took my virginity.’ Have you ever heard of anyt
hing so backward in your life?”
“I find it honorable that he would care enough to ask you to marry him.”
“I don’t want him to marry me because he feels obligated.”
“Maybe you should give Ben another chance to prove himself to you, considering how you feel about him.”
Jamie centered her gaze on Helena. “He’s already proved his honor by protecting me. Now I want only one thing from him. I want him to say he loves me. Is that too much to ask?”
“From a man like Ben? Possibly. Words might not come easily for him. In fact, I’m not certain he realizes he is in love with you. But I gather he is rather pitiful right now and it’s only a matter of time before he does make that realization. And look at it this way. He could have any woman he wants, but it seems he has chosen you.”
Jamie stood and walked into the adjacent kitchen to make some tea. “I don’t know if that’s enough.”
Helena joined her at the counter. “What I’m about to tell you is between you and me. I wanted to come see you, but I planned to do it two days from now when I came into town for my doctor’s appointment. Matt convinced me to come earlier after he met with Ben. He told me the sheikh’s a wreck, so he offered to have me come and speak with you.”
Hurt niggled at Jamie’s heart. “So this was a set-up orchestrated by Ben and Matt?”
“No, Jamie. I agreed to do it not because Ben or Matt wanted it, but because I want you to understand that no matter what differences two people might have from a cultural standpoint, love has an amazing way of spanning those boundaries.”
Jamie tried not to hope. “Do you really think so?”
Helena put her arm around Jamie’s shoulder and gave her a gentle squeeze. “All I’m saying is keep an open mind. Give it some time. Time really does heal all wounds.” She held up her injured hand. “I’m counting on that. So have faith in your heart, and give Ben a second chance.”
Should she really follow Helena’s advice? Could she really open her heart that wide? “I’ll think about it, but I haven’t even heard from him. He’s probably changed his mind.”
