The Sheikh's Bidding

by Kristi Gold

With that, she started for the door. Sam quickly came to his feet. “I beg you Andrea, please stay. Let us take this time to talk things through, to be with each other. This last night will be all that we ever have.”

  Slowly she turned to face him. “No, Sam, I won’t. I’m letting you go, starting now.”

  Andrea realized there had been a lot of truth in Sam’s words the night before. She had been the one to entice him. She had insisted they make love. Yet he had refused to tell her about his impending marriage, and that not only stung but it angered her, as well.

  All that wounded pride and horrible hurt had prevented her from spending more time with him, making more memories. In some ways she’d regretted that decision, but no matter how hard it had been to walk away, she had known that she would only have more trouble seeing him off this morning.

  Obviously she had been wrong to trust him. Maybe he didn’t really love her. Maybe in reality he viewed her only as a convenience. But he had made love to her so sweetly, and he had told her that he loved her. Regardless of her anger, her pride, the horrible hurt stinging her heart, the betrayal, she would never forget the time she’d spent with him. And she still didn’t love him any less, as foolish as that seemed.

  She would also never forget the scene playing out before her at the moment. Chance was standing near the hood of the limo, and Sam was crouched down at his level, preparing to say goodbye. They spoke softly and Andrea strained to hear Sam’s parting words. When she couldn’t quite make them out, she moved a little closer.

  “You must promise me that you will take care of your mother.”

  “Okay,” Chance said reluctantly.

  “And you must promise me to take care of Sunny now that she is yours. She’s a fine filly, and I trust that you will watch out for her.”

  Chance frowned. “Will you tell Mama to let me ride her sometime?”

  “I’m sure she will allow it once the time is right.”

  They both remained silent for a moment before Sam laid his palm on Chance’s thin shoulder. “Be proud of who you are.”

  “I am. I’m gonna tell my friends about your country, that it’s not just all sand, and that the people are nice and look sort of like me.”

  Sam attempted a weak smile before his expression turned somber once more. “And most important, you must remember that no matter where he is, or what he is doing, your father will always love you.”

  Andi looked away before her son could glimpse her tears.

  “How do you know that?” Chance asked.

  “Because I know you. He would be very proud to have such a strong, wise boy.”

  Andi forced herself to look at father and son once more, to remember.

  After a moment’s hesitation, Chance drew Sam into an awkward hug and said, “I love you, Sam, like you’re my dad.”

  Andi’s heart completely shattered in that moment, and she wanted desperately to reveal that Sam was, in fact, her son’s father. But if Sam had no intention of returning, then it would serve no purpose but to confuse Chance even more. Yet deep down she wondered if on some level Chance did know the truth. Regardless, it would be up to her to provide a happy home, to take care of his needs, and to answer his questions when they happened to come. She also hoped that someday she could love again, find a good father for Chance, although that seemed impossible at the moment.

  “Time for breakfast, Little Bit,” Tess called from the back door.

  Chance headed off at a sprint but stopped and pointed at the limo. “One day I’m gonna get me one of those.”

  Sam laughed then, a rich deep laugh that Andi would take to memory to add to the rest.

  Once Chance was safely inside, Andi approached Sam with tentative steps. “Guess it’s time for you to go, huh?”

  He surveyed her face a long moment then bracketed her cheeks in his palms. “Take care, Andrea.”

  “I’m going to be fine, Sam. We’re all going to be fine.” She said the words with false bravado, determined to act as though she would survive his departure. And she would, even if it took years to get over him.

  “I will have my banker send you the information on Chance’s trust. I will see that all yours and Chance’s financial needs are met.”

  But not the one need she desired the most, to have him in her life permanently. “I appreciate that.”

  He softly kissed her lips. “I will forever be sorry for what I have put you through, but I will never regret what we have shared.”

  “Neither will I,” she said sincerely. “And I’ll never forget you.” Despite the heartache.

  He stared at her long and hard. “You must forget, Andrea. You must go forward.”

  “I could never forget, Sam, and I’m afraid the same holds true for your son.”

  “The memories eventually will fade for him, and for you.”

  “If you say so,” she said, knowing that years of trying would never erase him from her memory. They never had before. At least Chance was young, resilient, and he had a lifetime ahead of him, even if he wouldn’t have the pleasure of knowing his father.

  Andi jumped when Rashid started the engine, yet Sam didn’t let her go. He lowered his lips to her ear and whispered, “No matter where I am or what I am doing, I will always be thinking of you. I will always hold you close in my heart and love you with all that I am.”

  Andi swiped furiously at her eyes, now clouded with unwanted tears. “Don’t do this to me, Sam. Please go.”

  He met her gaze. “Before I do go, will you allow me one more kiss?”

  Though she knew she shouldn’t, she nodded her agreement. His lips were soft and warm and gentle as they claimed hers in a heartfelt kiss, a kiss that expressed the emotions Andi felt so deep inside her soul. Yet it only lasted a brief time before he pulled away.

  “Live well, Andrea.” With one more soft kiss, he stepped into the limo and closed the door, closed out all that they had known in each other’s arms.

  After Rashid drove away, Andi stood and watched until she could no longer see the car’s taillights. In that moment she made a vow. She would take all the memories and store them away for safekeeping, as Tess had told her she should. Life would go on without Sam, though she might always live with some regrets. But she would have her beloved son, the greatest gift to be had. Sheikh Samir Yaman had given her that much, even if he couldn’t give all of himself. For that she would always be grateful.

  Sam sat alone in the airport terminal while awaiting the pilot’s summons. He watched with new interest the people passing by, yet the families traveling together held his interest most of all. He could see the affection in their faces, the protectiveness of a father tightly gripping his daughter’s hand. He viewed the pride in a mother’s face when her son said, “Excuse me,” as he passed in front of Sam to claim a seat nearby.

  A soul-wrenching emptiness flowed through Sam as he acknowledged how much he would lose by not experiencing the same relationship with his son. One day he might have other children, and he would love them equally, but he would always wonder about what might have been had he taken a different path. Had he not been born to royalty.

  “The plane is ready, Prince Yaman.”

  Sam looked up to see Rashid standing over him with his usual detachment. “I am ready.” Yet he did not feel ready for this trip. For what awaited him at home. He could only concentrate on what he was leaving behind.

  As they traveled down a corridor and onto a tarmac where the private jet awaited them, Rashid began a litany of duties Sam would be facing upon his return. The list continued even after Sam had settled in to his seat for the journey.

  “Your father says that you are to report immediately to the palace to sign the agreement.”

  Not surprising, Sam thought. “I assume my father will be there?”

  “Yes, and so will your bride and her father.”

  Something Sam was already dreading. Since he had decided to call off the arrangement, he preferred to meet with his father alone. “Wha
t else?” he asked, although that was quite enough.

  “You are to meet with the parliament tomorrow morning to discuss the upcoming election.”

  “I am aware of that.”

  “And your father also requests that you speak with your brother.”

  Sam waved off the male attendant offering a drink. “Which one?”

  “Jamal. It seems the young prince is secretly seeing a woman, although her identity has not been revealed.”

  Good for Jamal. It would please Sam if his brother made his own decision about his life partner. “I refuse to interfere.”

  Rashid frowned. “This will not sit well with your father.”

  Neither would refusing to marry Maila. “I understand that, and I will handle it.”

  Rashid fell silent for a moment then once again took up where he’d left off. “You also have…”

  A child that needs you, Sam thought. A woman who loves you. A place by her side if you so choose. Another home. Another family.

  Sam no longer heard Rashid’s voice. He could only hear his son saying how he had longed for Sam to be his father. Andrea saying that she loved him, that she needed him. That she wanted him to stay.

  The roar of the plane’s engines snapped him back into the present situation. Tightly he gripped the arms of the seat as the plane began to taxi toward the runway.

  You must return, echoed in his mind. You are Samir Yaman, firstborn son of the ruler of Barak.

  Yet another voice overshadowed the other.

  You are Chance Samuel Paul Hamilton’s father….

  He was no longer able to fight the urge to run back to Andrea, back to his son, away from his responsibility, toward a new life. He would only be half a man if he left Andrea behind. An inadequate human being if he disregarded his child.

  “Tell the pilot to halt and return to the terminal,” he shouted at Rashid as he yanked the seat belt away and stood.

  Rashid regarded him with a confused look. “Is there a problem?”

  Yes, he had been totally blinded by his royal duties until now.

  Duty be damned.

  When Sam didn’t respond, Rashid gave the order to the pilot. After a moment the plane turned around. When they once again reached the position near the terminal, Sam said, “Open the door.” The attendant came to his feet but seemed unable to move. “I said open this door,” Sam repeated, more demanding this time.

  The man reluctantly complied, and Rashid joined Sam at the opening. “Sheikh Yaman, have you forgotten something?”

  Sam looked at him earnestly. “Yes, Rashid, I’ve forgotten who I am, what I desire as a man, not as a prince. I’ve forgotten what is important in life.”

  “Are you saying you will be remaining here?”

  “Yes, that is exactly what I am saying. I will remain here with my son and the woman I intend to make my wife.”

  “But your father—”

  “Will more than likely disown me. My mother will cry, yet she has the capacity to understand. I will lose my position as future king but in doing so I will gain some peace. Tell me, Rashid, can you blame me?”

  Rashid slowly shook his head. “I suppose I cannot, yet I worry over the fate of our country without your leadership.”

  Sam braced a hand on Rashid’s shoulder. “Do not concern yourself with that. Omar is next in line and he is more adept at leading. He will serve our people well.”

  Sam started down the steps but halted when Rashid asked, “Will you not be returning?”

  Looking back over his shoulder at his faithful companion of seven years, Sam smiled. “That is entirely up to my father’s mandate. And my mother’s powers of persuasion.”

  For the first time in many years, Rashid smiled. “I would wager my life on your mother’s powers.”

  Sam hurried down the stairs and headed back toward the terminal at a fast clip, resisting the urge to run. He had not felt such freedom in years, such joy over the prospect of spending his life with Andrea and his child.

  If Andrea agreed to welcome him back. If not at first, Sam would make sure she would eventually. In the meantime he had much to do.

  “That was the third call in three days.” Andi turned from the phone to address her aunt seated at the kitchen table.

  “More business, I take it.”

  “Yes, and that was Adam Cantrell. He has a prospect he wants me to train.”

  Tess slapped her hands on her thighs and stood. “About time people figured out what a good hand you are.”

  Andi chewed her bottom lip for a moment. “But how would anyone know?”

  “Word of mouth I suppose.”

  “Or word of Sam.”

  Tess frowned. “Now why would you think Sam had something to do with this?”

  “Because he told me that he wanted to help me establish my career, so this has his mark all over it.”

  “And what’s the big deal if he made a few calls?”

  “I want to do this on my own, Tess. I want to build my reputation by myself.”

  “Speaking of building,” Tess said. “You’re going to have to add onto the barn if things keep going the way they have been.”

  Andi had considered that for the past week since Sam left, when she hadn’t been thinking about him. “I know, but I need to make some money first.”

  “It’s none of my business, but what about the money Sam put in the bank for you and Chance?”

  “I want to save that for Chance’s education and any medical expenses.”

  “If you don’t mind me asking, how much money is it, anyway?”

  Actually, Andi did mind Tess asking even though she shouldn’t. After all, Tess had helped make ends meet by taking in sewing and working part-time at the local grocers. They’d never hidden anything from each other since Chance’s birth, so she might as well come clean—at least partially. “Let’s just say I’ve never had that many zeroes in my bank account.”

  Tess raised a thin brow. “That much, huh?”

  “That much.”

  The roar of a truck pulling up behind the house grabbed their attention. Andi walked to the back door and peered out the window. “I wonder who that is?”

  Tess came up behind her. “I dunno, but they sure as heck have a fancy enough truck.”

  Andi tightened her ponytail and swiped away the straw from her shirt. “I’m a mess. Go see what they want.”

  Tess shrugged. “If you insist, but if he’s cute and single I’m invitin’ him in for something cool to drink.”

  “Don’t you dare!” Andi’s glare was lost on Tess since she’d already headed out the door.

  Keeping her post by the back door, Andi watched curiously as a young man left the truck and handed Tess a small white envelope. The guy looked familiar, but she couldn’t place him.

  When Tess returned to the kitchen, Andi asked, “What was that all about?”

  Tess offered her the envelope. “It’s for you. That was the Masters kid. Seems he’s taken a job nearby.”

  Unable to contain her curiosity, Andi tore open the envelope to find a card inside. She read silently until Tess cleared her throat. “Care to let me in on that?”

  “It’s an invitation to some kind of reception down the road at the old Leveland Place. It’s called Galaxy Farms now.”

  “I thought that place was vacant.”

  So had Andi. “It was, but apparently not anymore. Someone must have bought it, although there isn’t any name indicating the new owner.”

  “Someone rich, no doubt,” Tess allowed. “That place is prime horse farm all the way around.”

  “No joke.”

  Leaning back against the counter, Tess eyed Andi for a moment. “So?”

  “So what?”

  “So are you going?”

  Andi tossed the card onto the table. “No.”

  “Why not?”

  Because she didn’t feel like socializing at the moment. Because she’d rather be with her son. “First of all, it’s tonight, and th
at’s very short notice. Second, I don’t have anything proper to wear.”

  “Sure you do. The little black number you wore to the auction. And you need to go because it will be good for business. I’m sure there’ll be quite a few bigwigs there for a little practical schmoozing.”

  She sent Tess a semidirty look. “If you’re so gung-ho, then why don’t you go schmooze?”

  Tess let loose a grating laugh. “Oh, yeah. I’m sure I’d make quite an impression.” She pulled a stray piece of hay from Andi’s hair. “If you get cleaned up, you’ll fit right in. Of course, I’ll need to cut up some cucumbers for your eyes so you can get rid of those duffel bags underneath.”

  Andi’s fingertips automatically went to the bags in question. “They’re not that bad.”

  “No, not too bad, but it’s obvious to me you haven’t been sleeping.”

  No, she hadn’t been, not much. She’d stayed awake at night for hours, but she hadn’t been alone. Sam still stalked her mind and even her dreams when she finally did nod off. Several times she’d awakened and reached for him as if she couldn’t quite register he was really gone. But he was gone, and she needed to move on with her life as she’d been told time and again by everyone she loved. Although she had no desire to meet a man at the moment, she probably should attend the reception for the business’s sake.

  “Okay, I’ll go.” Andi released a long, weary sigh. “But I’m not going to stay long. I want to be here to put Chance to bed.”

  “I’ll put him to bed,” Tess stated firmly. “You go and have a good time.”

  Mingling with money didn’t sound like a good time at all. “I’ll be home by ten.”

  “Okay, but I won’t wait up just in case the new owner is some high-falutin’ unmarried hunk.”

  “He’s probably some overindulged, married drunk.”

  Tess chuckled as she left the kitchen, and Andi already regretted the decision.

  Oh, well. She’d just get lost in the crowd.

  There was absolutely no one around.

  Maybe everyone had parked behind the massive barn, Andi thought as she pulled up behind the truck stationed in the driveway—the same shiny, extended-cab-with-all-the-options truck Donny Masters had been driving that morning.