Sheikh's Desire

by Leah Leonard

  “So you came to the palace?”

  She nodded.

  “And basically asked him back?”

  She nodded again.

  A burning heat rose up in Kelley’s gut. How dare Khalil not tell her about this! “When was this?”

  “He did not tell you?”

  Kelley couldn’t be more obvious. She shook her head.

  “Just as you have advised me with Josh, do not read more into this than there is. I did not love Khalil, not ever. I loved Josh and this is why I should never have agreed to marry Khalil.”

  “I know that, but—”

  Safina lifted her hand to silence Kelley. “Khalil loves you, he is a good man. He did not want to upset you, I am certain of it, and now, thanks to you, I am going to find Josh.”

  “You love him?”

  Safina’s eyes filled with tears. “I do. And you love Khalil, do you not?”

  Kelley nodded.

  “Then go to him and know you have my blessings. God is working in our lives. Destiny is unfolding. All is well, my friend. Take care.” She pulled another piece of candy from the vendor’s booth, tossing more coins into the basket, gave a slight bow, and disappeared around a corner.

  Kelley stood motionless for a moment, unsure of what to think about all that had transpired. She hardly knew how to react. She was happy, relieved and angry. She glanced around and panicked, realizing she had gotten farther away from Khalil than she meant to. She certainly didn’t want to get lost in this maze. She might never find her way out!

  She glanced both directions, and rushed back in the direction where she came from, toward the center aisle, her head spinning from all that had happened the past few days. She headed toward the entrance of the market. Hopefully she would find him!

  She moved toward the main doorway, following occasional signs hung far overhead, the roar of the shoppers giving her an overwhelming feeling of sensory overload. How would she find him? She tried to remember where they’d gone. They weren’t more than a row or two inside the main entrance before they turned down one of the aisles.

  A few hundred feet ahead, she saw a frantic Khalil rushing toward her. “Kelley!” He took her in his arms. “Where were you? I was worried sick!”

  Despite her friend’s advice, once she saw Khalil, Kelley recalled what Safina had told her. She felt furious that after promising not to lie and to share all with her, he failed to mention Safina’s visit.

  “Have you no answer for me?” Khalil glanced suspiciously over her shoulder. “You weren’t meeting with that Ian again, were you?”

  That did it. Kelley could not contain herself. “No, actually I ran into Safina who told me she was at the house the other day asking you to take her back. So who’s a lying cheat now?” Kelley stormed off down the aisle and toward the front door of the bazaar.

  Forty-Nine

  Khalil couldn’t believe his Kelley ran into Safina here of all places. What was she still doing in town? He thought she would have retired to the country home of her family by now. He knew he should have told Kelley about the incident the other day. He knew this would upset her the moment he kicked Safina out, which was why he asked his advisors not to mention her coming to anyone. His intentions were pure. He wanted to spare her feelings and to avoid adding any unnecessary stress to her life.

  Through some kind of divine providence, Safina appeared here today and now he would somehow have to make things up to Kelley. He carried a small rug under his arm, a gift he planned to give her immediately. He hoped she liked it.

  Khalil ran after her and found her offering coins to an old blind woman who was knitting crafts on the sidewalk outside the Bazaar. She purchased the item, then went and sat on a bench under a tree, gazing out into nothing. How he loved her! How he wanted her more than anything he had ever wanted in his life!

  He walked slowly toward her. She was like a wild exotic bird. He did not wish her to fly from him. “Kelley?”

  She did not reply, but she did not run either. A good sign.

  “I am sorry I failed to tell you about Safina. She appeared unannounced on the last day of my mourning. I was busy preparing to see you the following day, excited about you, about us, about seeing you again after realizing I never loved anyone else. Then she showed up, demanded to see me…”

  Kelley kept her gaze steady on the concrete ahead. She glanced in his direction. “And wanted you back?”

  “She begged me back. Not out of love, though. Don’t you see? She was desperate! She told me she had shamed herself and our families. I refused her immediately! I wanted nothing to do with her ever again. I had the staff place her items on the curb and by the end of the day, when next I looked, all of her things had been removed from the house. You must believe me when I say you are my only love.”

  “I do.” Kelley said quietly. “Safina told me the same thing. She said you didn’t want her and she saw us together and realized we love each other.”

  “Like Oma, she sees it too! We belong together!”

  “You think?” Kelley teased.

  Khalil turned to her, setting the rug down on the bench, he grabbed her hands in his. “I know I love you and I believe others see our connection. I cannot live without you.”

  With tears in her eyes, Kelley nodded. “Me too.”

  “I did not want to hurt you by telling you she came to see me, because it meant nothing.”

  “Okay. I get it.”

  “You would not have told me about your Ian, had I not seen him myself, would you?”

  She shook her head. “No way.”

  “Then we have an understanding?”

  “We do.”

  “Excellent.” He pulled the rug out of the brown paper wrapping. “This is for you.”

  Kelley pulled the deep burgundy colored rug out and ran her fingers over every line, feeling the texture with her palms. “This is beautiful.”

  “As are you.” Khalil took her hand, kissed her fingers, pleased she enjoyed her gift. “Shall we go home then?”

  “Yes.” They embraced and walked hand in hand to the car, to go back to the house Khalil hoped Kelley would soon call her only home.

  Fifty

  The moment the limo pulled up to the property, the Sheikh’s main servant rushed up to the car. “Master! Your father is calling and says it is urgent.”

  Khalil was exasperated by the interruption. All he wanted was to spend a quiet evening with Kelley. “Did you tell him I am busy?”

  “Yes, master, yet he insists he must speak to you at once about a dire emergency.”

  Khalil sighed. “I am busy.”

  “Yes, master, I understand.” The servant began to walk off.

  “Go on,” Kelley said. “Don’t mind me. I’m exhausted. I can just go back to my room.”

  “I only wish to think of you at the moment,” Khalil said.

  “That’s sweet, but family is family. Go on. I can go rest and meet you by the pool in a half hour if you want to take a swim.”

  “Are you sure?” Khalil knew the delicate nature of the situation and wanted nothing to upset her. Especially not now.

  “Yes, I’m fine.” Kelley smiled.

  The manservant paused, waiting for orders.

  One thing Khalil had come to appreciate most about Kelley was the simple fact she was okay on her own. She possessed a powerful self-confidence about her he was not accustomed to from the women in his society. As with the situation with Oma, she always encouraged him and supported everything he did, allowing him to put his family first if that was what was needed at the moment. The simple truth was, he wanted her to be his family, and when that day arrived, he would put her before all others. “My father has been calling and I will confess, I have ignored him. I do not want to miss a single moment with you.”

  Kelley slipped her arm around his waist, leaned her lithe body into his and kissed his cheek. “I feel the same, but maybe it’s important, don’t you think? Otherwise, why would he keep calling?”
<
br />   “Perhaps.”

  “Go on and call him. When you’re done, come and meet me by the pool,” she shooed him with her hands. “I need to close my eyes for a minute anyway.”

  “As you wish.” He watched her walk up the steps and disappear inside the house. He turned to his servant. “When did he call?”

  “Every half hour on the hour, sir. I tried to explain you were detained with guests, however the Sheikh would have nothing of it. He threatened my employment should I not effectively persuade you to call him today.”

  “You are safe here. Always.” How dare his father threaten his most trusted staff member! Khalil must now call and see what in the world his father wanted that he was so impatient about.

  He followed his servant inside to the back of the palace, where his private study and office were located, and poured himself some tea. From the sound of the poor man, Khalil knew he would need extreme patience to stomach whatever his father was up to. He took in a deep breath and retired to his favorite leather chair, gazed out into the grassy fields and cliffs surrounding the property, and dialed.

  “Khalil!” his father grumbled. “Where have you been?”

  “Busy with dignitaries, father,” Khalil half lied. Theoretically she wasn’t a queen or head of state, but to him, Kelley was indeed the most important person to ever walk the planet. His queen.

  “I have news,” the elder Sheikh announced.

  “Oh? What could be more pressing than the meeting I had to leave to call you today?”

  “I will be in town tomorrow evening and I have invited some business contacts over for a meal regarding an important venture I hope to undertake in the not too distant future. I have called on all the staff, all hands, to participate in decorating our home, and preparing the most splendid meal possible. We shall dine in the front parlor.”

  Khalil realized whatever his father was cooking up must be important because only on rare occasions did they ever use the front parlor. The last time he entertained there was when Kelley arrived. A truly special occasion, indeed. “Oh?”

  “This is important and I will expect both you and your brother to be present to support our latest merger,” his father said.

  “This sounds promising, father,” Khalil said. “A result of your recent travels, I presume?”

  “Yes, and please allow me to remind you it is imperative you attend. Dress in your finest attire and be prepared for a spectacular evening of impressing upon our guests how beneficial a partnership with our family will be to their future success.”

  Relief washed over Khalil. He expected the worst, and for once was pleasantly surprised by his father’s news. Had Khalil known this was merely about business and not some grand matchmaking scheme, he would have called his father back the other day. “You have my word, father. I look forward to your arrival and to impressing your guests. Shall I offer any direction to the staff regarding décor or menu items?”

  “No, my son. All has already been arranged. I did not wish to trouble you with all you have been through lately. This is my pleasure to assist in handling all the details. I simply ask that you attend and be prepared to showcase our assets in their best and brightest light.”

  Khalil had to admit his father never was much of a help with any such matters ever before. Perhaps the old man was truly trying to turn a new leaf and be more supportive. “I thank you.”

  “Tomorrow, Khalil. The dinner shall begin at seven sharp.”

  Considering how perfect this was for his future plans with Kelley, Khalil could use the meeting to announce their engagement. He had fallen deeper in love with her these past few days and could not wait to announce his intentions to the world. What better opportunity for his father to meet her and see firsthand why the two of them made a perfect match! He wanted to tell his father all about her right now, but he knew the Sheikh was stubborn and did not want to hear any flack about his decision to invite another guest to such an important family dinner. As such, he wanted Kelley there, as part of their family, the sooner the better. “Godspeed, father. I shall eagerly await the meeting and the dinner. And you are sure there is not anything I can do to help?”

  “No. Our staff is already working on the arrangements as we speak.”

  “Shall I pull any financial statements from the past year or any other documents to assist this merger along?”

  “I have already provided more than adequate proof of our worthiness as partners,” the Sheikh said. “But I do thank you and I like where your head is at on this. So I trust you are fairing well then? Moving forward from the tragedies of the past few weeks?”

  “Indeed, very well, thank you. Because you do not need me at the moment, if you will allow me to return to my own meeting, I shall see you tomorrow.”

  “Thank you for returning my call, son. I have great expectations of this meeting. I believe this is crucial to our future empire where you and your brother’s interests are concerned.”

  With all the oil wells and commercial properties his family owned already, there was no telling what the old man was up to at the moment.

  Normally Khalil would want to know more, but today, his only thought was of getting back to bed with Kelley.

  “Understood,” Khalil said. “Until tomorrow.”

  ****

  Khalil hung up the phone, more excited than ever about finally bringing his precious Kelley into the family fold. He quickly changed into his swim trunks, and as promised, found Kelley lounging by the pool.

  His eyes traced her body, stopping for a long moment on her legs which were covered by the black swimming suit he provided her with the other day. True, no skin was showing, but he reveled in the sleek body under the fabric and remembered every detail about her perfect form. Oh how he wanted to have her right here and now. Perhaps he would take her in the hot tub…“Good afternoon.”

  Kelley removed her sunglasses. “How did it go?”

  “Wonderful. Father will be here tomorrow.”

  “Oh?” She squinted into the sun, her blue eyes flashing.

  “We are apparently hosting a business dinner for some potential new partners.” He liked being able to share this with Kelley. There would be much more of this kind of communication between them in the coming months and years. He appreciated her interest and valued her intellect.

  “That’s fine. I can go out, or eat in my room. Whatever you need.” She leaned back on her chaise lounge and closed her eyes.

  Supporting his endeavors was one thing, but Khalil did not want her backtracking into trying to run away from him again. When they married, she would be the center of his world, his partner in all things and although women did not typically accompany their husbands to all business meetings, Khalil intended to share everything with her and form a true partnership.

  Kelley had repeatedly proven to him over the time they spent together that she was a brilliant woman and would be a true attribute both in the bedroom as well as the boardroom. “I shall allow no such thing. You will be our guest of honor. I cannot wait to introduce you to the family as my bride-to-be.”

  “Not if your father has business associates coming. Really, Khalil, it’s fine. Later might be best.”

  He took a seat on the chaise lounge closest to her, leaned in and kissed her full lips, hardening at her touch. “You must attend.”

  “I understand you have complex business dealings, Khalil and I promise I don’t mind catching up on my reading. Who knows, the results from the lab might be in by tomorrow. I may be writing up my report by then. Wouldn’t that be exciting?”

  “Absolutely not! I shall buy you a new gown and you will be on my arm at our dinner. I have hoped for the perfect opportunity to properly introduce you to my family.”

  “I’ve met your family, or did you forget?” She raised her eyebrows. “They weren’t exactly thrilled to meet me, or have you forgotten?”

  Fifty-One

  Kelley wanted nothing more than to fill the family in on the depth of their feeli
ngs for one another, but in her gut, she felt now was not the time. Khalil just lost his wife. Plus, the reality was that the first time Khalil’s father laid eyes on her, he…well, he didn’t. He wouldn’t even look at her. He thought she was a prostitute he picked up someplace. The scene was hard for her to get over. She knew she would have to eventually, but now wasn’t the time. A business dinner was not the place.

  “I insist you give our family another chance to recognize your impeccable qualities as I do.”

  “I appreciate that, Khalil,” Kelley leaned up and held his hands. “But let’s face it. Your father thinks I am a whore who is here to amuse you during your time of grief, remember?”

  “Father is a stubborn, close minded man who thinks of things in terms of the old ways. Please do not be dissuaded. I must have you join us. I did not have the proper opportunity to introduce you as a valued companion and future wife.”

  The fact Khalil made this seem so important told her that after the mix-up with Ian and Safina, things were definitely headed in the right direction. “I thank you for that, but still, if your father is expecting to conduct business, the last person he’s going to want to see is me. Don’t you think?”

  Khalil slithered up to her, running the palm of his hand up her thigh, he pulled the fabric back from her swim suit and kissed her neck, and his lips traced every inch of her shoulder, moving down her collarbone to the tender underside of her arms, her wrists and her fingers.

  “Are you listening to a word I’m saying?” she teased.

  “No,” Khalil continued kissing her.

  “You better watch it, mister, or I think we’ll have to go back inside,” Kelley pulled him close, kissing him hard on the mouth.

  “Exactly what I hoped.” Khalil lifted her off the lounge chair, and carried her across the sundeck into the hot tub.

  She giggled and he ravaged her with a playful growl. The two lovers rolled around the tub, laughing kissing, tearing at each other like hungry wolves.