by Holly Rayner
You could do at least six cartwheels across the floor, if the mood should strike.
Pulling on some pajama pants and a matching shirt, she settled cross-legged on the bed. It was late. Past midnight.
Her mother had grown up in this very building. According to Maryum, Maira had come to live in the palace as a child after her parents had died.
What had that been like for her? She must have been scared at first, being in a new place. Did she end up leaving Sharrain because she’d never felt like she fit in at the palace?
Sighing, Leyla rubbed her temples. Exhaustion meant nothing. With her mind racing, sleep would be hard to come by.
Climbing off the bed, she rifled through her bags until she came across the DeHaan document. It had been folded and stuffed in a folder at the bottom of her backpack, so hidden even she had a hard time finding it.
Settling back against the mountain of fluffy pillows, she scanned the agreement. She’d already read it at least four times, way more than she’d probably read any other piece of paperwork.
Each time she read it, the whole thing still seemed surreal. A distribution deal.
It was a dream come true.
Too bad it had a price.
Without thinking too much about it, she reached back into her backpack and found a pen. Then, only to see how it looked, she signed her name at the bottom of the document.
“Good,” she murmured. “Looks good.”
A knock on the door made her jump.
“Leyla?” Kane called softly.
“One minute.” Scrambling off the bed, she stuffed the paperwork into the backpack, her hands trembling and heart pounding.
The pen, still on the bed, had left a blue mark on the tan comforter. Cursing under her breath, she capped it and tossed it onto the bedside table. The bedding alone was probably worth three months of her rent.
“Coming.” Stopping briefly at the closed door, she smoothed down her hair and then opened up.
Unlike her, Kane wasn’t dressed for bed. He still wore the clothes he’d traveled in. He also didn’t appear tired at all.
“You’re awake?” she asked.
“I was hoping you were, too.” He leaned against the doorjamb. “It looks like you were in bed, though. I’ll go.”
“No,” she said quickly. “I got ready to go to sleep, but it’s not happening. Jet lag, I guess.”
“I don’t usually get it.” He seemed thoughtful. “A lot is different about this trip, I guess.”
She was torn between wanting to hear that detailed list and not. Glancing over her shoulder, she checked on the backpack. Not that it would have spilled open on its own.
You’re being paranoid.
“I was thinking about going up to the rooftop,” Kane said. “Would you like to join me?”
“Really? Are we allowed up there?”
He lifted a shoulder. “Why not?”
“Um, because this is a palace and we might be mistaken for intruders and shot on sight? You know, or something like that.”
“Right,” he laughed. “I didn’t think of that.”
“But…” She paused, enjoying the way he seemed to be waiting for her answer. “If I’m gonna take my chances with anyone, it’ll be you.”
“I’m honored.” Kane pressed a palm against his chest.
“Yeah, I mean, it’s thanks to you that I’m here today.”
“It’s thanks to you that I’m here.”
He didn’t have to say anything more. It would be dangerous if he did. All it would take for their carefully crafted ruse to come undone would be one person overhearing a conversation.
“Hang on a sec.” Turning, she shrugged into a hoodie and slipped on a pair of sneakers. “Do you know how to get to the roof?”
“I’ve already done a little sneaking around.”
“Ooh. So bad.”
Laughing, they went down the hall and up a narrow staircase. The palace was quiet, but Leyla imagined there had to be guards patrolling the grounds and running video surveillance. Hopefully, if they were spotted, it wouldn’t be a big deal.
When they broke onto the rooftop, the most beautiful sight greeted them. Leyla gasped, her balance becoming wonky.
Not only did they have a magnificent sight of the city at night, but they could also see the dark sea with ships dotting its waters. Everything sparkled gold and white, and a feeling of completion entered Leyla’s heart. The last time she’d felt that way had been stargazing as a kid.
“Wow,” she whispered. “Oh, wow.”
Kane’s warm hand slipped into hers, and she let herself be drawn across the massive rooftop. Some forgotten wooden crates were in the middle of the roof, and they turned them over and took seats.
It was impossible to say how long they were quiet for. There was nothing to say at such an amazing moment. Words would fall short.
“I never want to leave here,” she finally said, after who-knew how long.
“It’s pretty amazing,” Kane agreed.
Leyla drew her knees up to her chest.
“Cold?” he asked.
“No. Thanks.”
It was a lie, but she didn’t want to go down, and she also didn’t want him to think she was trying to get his arm around her. What was a little wind when she had such a great view?
“So, how’s it feel?” he asked.
Her throat thickened. He didn’t need to be more specific.
“Weird. Amazing. I can’t believe this is where my mom is from. And maybe my dad, too. Whoever he is.”
“You haven’t asked Maryum or Mabrouk about that yet?”
“They haven’t offered the info.” She rested her chin on her knees. “But I’ll ask at some point, if they don’t. I’ve spent twenty-nine years in the dark. I can only take it for so much longer.”
“They’re thrilled to have you here.”
She bit into her smile. “I’m pretty happy to be here, myself. And what about you?”
Turning her head, she eyed him carefully. Lights ringed the rooftop, making it possible to see his face.
“Same.” He leaned back and looked at the stars directly above them. “I have a feeling a few days won’t be long enough, though.”
Her heart sank a little. Three days seemed like nothing.
“Maybe we can stay longer,” he said. “If they’ll have us.”
She straightened up. “Really? But what about ClayFuel? Don’t you need to get back?”
He hesitated. “Mm… maybe.”
“That sounds like a yes,” she laughed.
“I can figure it out.”
“If you think you need to be here to secure the deal…”
“Nah.” He shook his head. “I’m pretty sure that’s done. It’ll happen.”
“Oh.” She gawked at him. “Are you saying you’ll stay for me?”
“It’s a foreign country. I don’t want you facing it alone.”
“I won’t be alone. I’ll have my family.”
Kane shook his head. “You’re right. I don’t have to stay.”
“No, that’s not—that’s not what I meant.” She reached for his hand, suddenly afraid he might get up and leave.
At the touch, they both froze in surprise.
It wasn’t the first time she’d put her hands on him without thinking about it first. The action seemed instinctive.
And troublesome.
Drawing her hand back, she forced a giggle. “I mean, sorry. Of course I want you here.”
“I don’t want to force myself on you.”
“Do you want to stay?”
A long, long pause. When Kane finally spoke, his voice had dropped and taken on a husky quality.
“Yes,” he said.
A shiver went through Leyla. His voice had touched her with the power of something physical.
“I want you to, as well,” she whispered.
Electricity danced on every inch of her skin. If only he’d wrap his arms around her and draw her close, p
ress his lips to hers…
She’d have it all.
Life would be absolutely, unbelievably perfect.
Could such a thing be possible?
“It’s getting late,” Kane said.
She closed her eyes. God, she was stupid. Of course, the two of them could never be together. He saw their relationship as a professional arrangement. Nothing more.
Until she got that through her head, the disappointment would never stop.
“True.” She stood. “Hey, Kane. Thank you for this.”
“You’re welcome.”
He said it both so simply and fast that she felt there was no way he understood the depth of her gratitude.
“No.” Her voice cracked from emotion. “Really. Thank you. You’ve done a lot for me. Because of you, I’m meeting my family. I’m making my movie.”
He took a step closer, and she tilted her head back to try to meet his eyes. Despite the rooftop lights, they were still hidden. Unreachable.
“It’s my pleasure.”
If she didn’t know better, she’d think he really meant that. It was said with that much feeling.
But she knew better. He had his own things to gain from their arrangement. Theirs was a symbiotic relationship.
And what about the distribution deal?
She still needed to mention it.
“I can tell you’re cold.” He gestured toward the door leading to the staircase. “Let’s get you inside.”
Wrapping her arms around her shivering form, she nodded. “Okay.”
Yeah. The distribution deal.
She’d get to that.
Chapter 16
Kane
He smelled her before he saw her. Her floral perfume. The coconut shampoo.
Eyes still closed, Kane breathed in deep. He never wanted to exhale, never wanted to release the taste on his tongue, the feeling in his heart.
Opening his eyes, he grinned and rolled over—and found an empty bed.
He’d thought Leyla was there next to him, but it had only been a dream.
Groaning, he sat up and rubbed his face. “Yikes.”
Was it going to be like this every morning?
As sweet as dreams about Leyla could be, waking up and finding they were only that was a nightmare. This was the third one three nights in a row. Something would have to be done.
Jumping into the shower, he did his best to push away all thoughts about her. It was his first full day in Sharrain, and he wasn’t going to waste it acting all hangdog over a bone that wasn’t his.
The night before, on the rooftop, he’d almost lost all control and kissed her. Luckily, he’d checked himself just in time.
That’s all it took, really. Controlling his actions minute by minute. Like with everything else, once his goal of keeping boundaries was broken down into bite-sized chunks, it became more digestible.
Dressed for the day, he took the stairs two at a time. It was early in the morning, the sky more gray than anything else, but someone had to be awake in the palace. From what he’d seen, the place had so many staff members, it could function as a twenty-four-seven hotel.
As it turned out, Mabrouk and Maryum were both in the breakfast room he’d been instructed to show up at the night before.
“Good morning.” Kane bowed. “Your Majesty.”
Mabrouk eyed him over his coffee cup. “Enough with that, Kane. You will be family, soon. Call me Mabrouk.”
“Yes, sir.”
The king raised an eyebrow.
“Mabrouk,” Kane corrected.
“I like to see that you have manners,” the other man chuckled.
“If you’ll forgive me, I was raised to say ‘sir’ and ‘ma’am.’ It’s the way we do it in Texas.”
“Then do not stop on my account.” Mabrouk raised his cup in cheers. “Please, have a seat.”
Kane settled into a chair at the six-person table. It was the coziest room he’d seen yet at the palace, with a view of the front lawn and a window seat. A server came in through the double doors and poured him some coffee.
“Leyla hasn’t come down yet?” he asked.
“I’m here,” she said from behind him.
Turning in his chair, he found her entering the breakfast room. She’d pinned her hair up this morning, and a white lace dress hugged her figure. Even though he was sitting down, Kane went weak in the knees.
“Good morning.” He couldn’t tear his gaze away from her.
“Oh, Leyla,” Maryum cooed. “You look so beautiful.”
Leyla ducked her face and smiled. “Thank you.”
Take the seat next to me… take the seat next to me.
Kane held his breath until she did.
Spreading a cloth napkin across her lap, Leyla looked around the table. “How is everyone this morning?”
Her foot brushed his calf as she crossed her legs. It was definitely accidental, but it made him buzz. Though Maryum and Mabrouk each said something, their words weren’t clear to Kane.
“Sleep good?” Leyla asked, her attention drifting to him.
The parts where he’d dreamed about her had been very, very good.
“Yes. I hope you did, too.”
Her long lashes fluttered. “Absolutely.”
“What would you lovebirds like for breakfast?” Maryum asked. “The kitchen will make anything you wish.”
After they put in their requests, Maryum daintily cleared her throat and sat up straighter. It was clear she was about to say something important.
Except, maybe it wasn’t clear to her brother, because he beat her to the punch.
“Do you like golf, Leyla?” Mabrouk asked. “Kane?”
“I’ve never golfed,” she said. “Unless you count mini golf.”
He laughed heartily. Maryum frowned.
“We must golf,” Mabrouk said. “Today.”
“I was going to take Leyla shopping,” Maryum said.
“We can do both.” He shrugged, completely nonchalant, and drank his coffee.
“But…” She stared him down. “We might have something to prepare for. A very important event.”
Leyla and Kane shared a glance, looking for an answer neither of them had.
“Oh.” Nodding, Mabrouk put the coffee down and wiped his mouth. “Yes. That is true.”
Maryum’s deep red lips broke into a smile as she placed her palms flat on the breakfast table. “Mabrouk and I were talking before you came down…” Milking the moment, she looked from Kane to Leyla. “And what if you had your wedding in Sharrain?”
“Uh…” Since Kane felt like the only thing to do was look to Leyla for an answer, he did exactly that.
But she sat still as stone, staring at her cousin.
“Leyla?” he prompted.
“Um,” she said.
He hadn’t given much thought to exactly when and where they would get married. All of that was a minor detail. They’d already done the important part, which was convince Mabrouk of their love and devotion to each other.
Besides, weren’t weddings usually a girl’s thing? Didn’t most of them have big, specific ideas for how they wanted their special day to go down?
He’d be happy to give Leyla any kind of wedding she wanted. Since he couldn’t provide her with the intimate relationship she deserved, at least he could do that.
“I suppose,” she said, the response tentative, like if she spoke too loud or fast, she might shatter one of the water glasses.
“We haven’t talked much about it yet,” he explained to their hosts. “I thought I would leave the planning up to Leyla.”
“And?” Maryum raised her eyebrows at Leyla. She wanted this, bad.
Leyla licked her lips. “Thank you for the offer. We could do it, I suppose.”
“Wonderful!” Maryum clapped her hands. “I was thinking two weeks from now.”
“Two weeks?” Leyla and Kane asked at the same time.
“Two weeks?” Mabrouk repeated.
“Y
es.” Maryum gave the king a pointed look. “It’s perfect. We’re all here. We can fly their friends and family in. After next month, we will be busy.”
Her attention turned back to Kane and Leyla. “I know you two must be so busy as well, so really, it’s only an idea. It is short notice. Do you have anything picked out yet? A dress? A guest list?”
“We have… nothing.” Leyla spoke softly.
“I could help. There couldn’t be a better time. I know the perfect bridal designer. He designed the princess of Morocco’s dress. He does western gowns as well.”
“In two weeks?” Leyla asked.
“We’re close. He would do me the favor.”
Leyla looked to Kane, her mouth slightly agape.
“It’s whatever you want,” he told her. “Personally, I just want to marry you. And the sooner, the better. I don’t care about details.”
She closed her mouth and nodded. “Then, why not, I suppose? As long as it doesn’t interfere with Kane’s work.”
“I can figure it out.”
It wouldn’t be easy, but he’d make the time for a last-minute wedding.
“Wonderful,” Maryum sang. “And you can stay here until the big day. There will be a great deal of planning to be done, you know.”
Kane nodded. Again, not easy. But he’d do it.
Especially if it was what Leyla wanted.
They finished up the rest of breakfast with talk about the wedding, from flowers to Leyla’s dress to the pros and cons of a beach versus a garden ceremony. Kane contributed where he could, but most of his attention was on Leyla.
Though she smiled, laughed, and offered her opinion on everything, her shoulders remained stiff. When breakfast arrived, she pushed the eggs around and didn’t eat much at all.
As soon as the meal finished, Maryum went to make plans with palace security. She and Leyla would go into the city that day to meet with a wedding planner.
As they rose from the table, Kane caught Leyla’s hand. “Take a walk with me?”
“Sure.” She didn’t look at him.
They went out a side door and along a winding garden path. In the distance, a tall, iron-wrought fence separated the palace grounds from a road. Every handful of yards, a video surveillance camera captured the slightest movement.
