The Desert Prince

by Jennifer Lewis

  An elegant white gazebo shaded a single table, set for two. A bottle of champagne sat open in a bucket of ice, and a brass pot brimmed with white lilies in the center of the gleaming linen tablecloth.

  “I figured we’d have some privacy up here. I asked the chefs to leave us a buffet to pick from.” Elegant dishes piled with tasty hors d’oeuvres sat on two small tables that flanked the main dining table. Marinated shrimp kebabs rested on a steaming bed of saffron rice.

  “Kira loves shrimp.” Celia picked up a plate and helped herself to the delicacies.

  “Does she? That sounds very sophisticated.”

  “Of course she’s sophisticated. She’s your daughter.” The words sounded strange—but wonderful—coming from her mouth, like they’d been bursting to be free this whole time.

  “So she is. Tell me more. Does she sleep well, or does she wake up all the time, like Hannah?” He glanced up, almost shyly, from spooning braised vegetables on his plate.

  “Oh, she was a terror as a baby. She woke so many times during the night that finally I just let her sleep with me in my bed.”

  Salim laughed. “That’s the norm in most countries.”

  “So my friends kept reassuring me. Anyway, around nine months I finally convinced her that her crib wasn’t a prison cell by putting her there for naps. She loved a music box I hung on it that played ‘Rock-a-bye Baby.’ Pretty soon I got her sleeping in there at night, too, and soon she slept like a log, right until morning.”

  “That must have been a relief.” He pulled her chair back and seated her at the table. His elbow brushed hers as she slid past him, and unwelcome heat shimmered over her skin.

  “I didn’t know what to do with myself. It was a couple of months before I actually grew bold enough to sleep through the night.”

  Salim filled her tall flute with champagne. His eyes sparkled more than the golden liquid. “And I was enjoying uninterrupted nights of peace the whole time. I suppose I should thank you for that.” He raised his glass. “To you, Celia, for bringing Kira into the world and taking good care of her.”

  Celia clinked her glass against his, a little nervous. She didn’t hear any accusation in his voice, but surely it had to be there. By her deception, she’d deprived him of the first years of his daughter’s life.

  But Salim glowed with enthusiasm. “Does she go to school?”

  “She’s only three. School in the U.S. doesn’t start until age five. She goes to a kind of nursery-school-day care now. She loves it there. She likes to be around people, in the center of the action.”

  “She’d love a hotel, then, wouldn’t she?”

  “Um, sure. I suspect she would.” This was the next step. Where they’d meet. Somehow she hadn’t dared to think that far ahead.

  “Will you bring her here? Next week perhaps?” The hopeful look in his dark eyes tugged at something inside her.

  “It’s a long flight. It might be better if you came to Connecticut.”

  “But she must see her country. And she can meet Elan’s family. They’re staying until the end of the month. Think how much fun it would be for her to play with Hannah and Ben.”

  Celia bit her lip. “It would be nice for her to visit. Let me think about the logistics and come up with a plan.”

  They chatted about the hotel and the final changes to be made at the lost city site, as well as about Kira, and the air between them crackled with excitement. Candles glowed around them as the sun set behind the liquid horizon, and bright stars and a slim crescent moon decorated the dark canopy overhead.

  They rose from the table to fetch coffee from an elaborate urn on one side of the roof garden, but Celia was arrested by the shimmering lights of Salalah down below. “It’s strangely quiet up here. It almost feels like we’re in a magic kingdom up in the clouds.”

  “We are.” Salim shot her a sly glance. “Except this one’s man-made. You worked the magic to bring the lost city to life. It was nothing but empty buildings and unnamed streets. Now leaves rustle in the wind and cast lively shadows on the paths. The scent of nectar fills the air and brings bees and birds out into the desert again. And with even more powerful magic, you’ve brought me a daughter.”

  Celia’s eyes widened. “It’s not really magic.”

  “Nature is magical, don’t you think?” A look of enchantment replaced his usually stern demeanor. “You think you know what to expect, what the usual rhythms and seasons are, when it will rain and when it will be dry, then suddenly…” He fixed her with a dark gaze that stole her breath. “Everything changes.”

  Celia’s skin tingled under his intense stare. Was it magic that crackled in the air between them? Or something altogether more predictable? Her fingertips vibrated with the urge to wind into his soft linen shirt.

  “You’ve always brought magic into my life, Celia. I’ve just been too blind to see it. Or too busy looking for something else.”

  “Oh, I don’t know, I…” Her brain couldn’t pull together a sensible thought. Her body was too overwhelmingly aware of his nearness.

  He took a step closer and she could smell his scent in the dark: a rich, masculine fragrance that tormented her senses.

  “We weave a spell together, you and I.” His expression was serious, confused even, like he was trying to figure out some mystery. “It’s dangerous, because I have no power to resist.”

  Before her scattered thoughts could gather into words, their lips met in a swift, fierce kiss. The simple sensation of his skin on hers brought a low murmur of relief that met and mingled in their mouths. In an instant her hands were fisted into his shirt, and his long, strong fingers slid around her back, pulling her closer.

  Don’t do this, screamed every last grain of sense left in her.

  But her body didn’t listen. Salim’s solid arms felt like the only safe place in this confusing world where everything shifted and altered from minute to minute, and where dreams and nightmares seemed interchangeable.

  I can’t help it.

  Her lips trembled with passion under his kiss. His hard body crushed deliciously to her breasts and belly. Her fingers wove into his thick hair as she inhaled the intoxicating scent of his skin. He was her first love and she’d never felt the same about anyone else.

  Not even close.

  His face lit up while she talked about Kira, and she saw once again the bright-eyed boy she’d fallen so hard in love with. The young man who’d held her tight in the privacy of her off-campus apartment, and told her he loved her.

  She’d told him she loved him, too, and meant it. Everything that had happened between then and now didn’t change that one simple fact.

  Their kiss deepened and she shuddered with longing as he wrapped his arms tight around her. Her fingers roamed into the collar of his shirt, feeling the strong shoulders that carried so much weight each day. Her skin ached to touch his, to claim the passion he always roused in her.

  Salim’s thick arousal pressed against her tummy, quickening her desire into a tight coil of need. She writhed against him, fighting the urge to unbutton his shirt and reveal the hot skin beneath.

  Could this be a new start between them?

  Salim was clearly thrilled to be a father, once he got over the initial shock. Maybe Sara was right and they really could be…a family.

  The word caused a fierce pull of emotion deep in her chest. How much she’d love that for Kira. She’d enjoyed the support of two loving parents, and she still relied on both of them more than she could say. Would Kira grow up with that gift, now that the truth was out?

  Salim caressed her, their lips still locked in silent, sensual communication. So much less complicated than the kind with words. She could feel the beat of his heart and the pulse of the emotion that ran between them like a spark jumping between two electrodes.

  For a second the buzz of arousal seemed so intense that Celia wondered if they’d started a chemical reaction. Then she realized Salim’s phone was vibrating.

  “I told th
em to make sure I wasn’t disturbed.” Confusion and irritation warred on his handsome face.

  “It might be important.” Celia smoothed the front of her rumpled blouse as they moved apart.

  Salim pressed a button and put the phone to his ear with a barked, “What?” Celia looked around, head still spinning with desire and emotion. “Don’t be ridiculous. Don’t you have your own life to worry about? Yeah. Fine. Good night, Elan.”

  He pushed the phone back into his pocket. A wry expression crept across his sensual mouth. “He wanted to make sure we weren’t getting carried away.”

  “Uh-oh. Guilty as charged.”

  “He thinks it will mess things up between us.”

  “It usually does.” She blew on a strand of hair that had escaped from her bun. “I think we should call it a night.”

  Salim pushed a hand through his disheveled hair. The moonlight revealed his frown of frustration. “All my baser instincts tell me otherwise, but I suppose you’re right. We do have a tendency to get out of control.”

  “All that magic.” She couldn’t help smiling. “As you said, it’s dangerous.”

  “In the best possible way.” A smile crept across his mouth, revealing a sliver of his perfect white teeth. “But we are both rather on edge right now. I suppose my brother is right.”

  “He seems a sensible man.” She blew out a breath. The collar of her dress was all twisted and her belt had slipped sideways. She tugged at them and tried to straighten the seams. “More than I can say for some.” She glanced up.

  Salim’s eyes sparkled with mischief. “I’m perfectly sensible most of the time. In fact, I’d go so far as to say I’m the very model of prudence—except when a certain Celia Davidson is in evidence.”

  She shrugged. “Sorry. You might want to fix your shirt.” She pointed to where two buttons had somehow come undone.

  “See? My clothes even fall off when you’re around.”

  “Nothing I can do. It’s the magic.” She blew on her fingers as if to disperse any dangerous rays that might be lingering there.

  “Let me escort you to your room.”

  “I suspect it would be safer if I escorted myself there. But I promise, tomorrow I’ll make arrangements to bring Kira here.”

  Salim’s expression grew serious. He nodded, and excitement brightened his eyes and warmed her heart. “I can’t wait.”

  Eight

  C elia woke up in a cold sweat. The fan above her bed slashed in slow circles, swiping her with a breeze that made goose bumps rise on her skin.

  She’d promised to bring Kira to Oman. She’d dreamed of this moment and dreaded it. She knew that, one way or another, it would change their lives forever.

  A knock on the door made her clutch the damp sheets to her chest. “Who is it?”

  “Sara. Can I come in, just for a sec?”

  Celia grabbed the yellow silk kimono she used as a dressing gown and slipped it on. She opened the door and ushered Sara in. Her new friend’s green eyes sparkled. “I heard it went well last night. I can’t wait to meet Kira. Salim’s so excited, it’s adorable.”

  “Yes, I promised to bring her as soon as possible. In the blistering light of day, though, I’m nervous. He is really excited and I know he’ll adore Kira. What if he won’t let me take her home?”

  Sara chewed her lower lip for a second. “What makes you so sure you’ll want to go home?”

  “You’re getting carried away with romantic visions again, aren’t you?” Celia put her hands on her hips.

  “Well, did Elan’s call interrupt anything, or not?”

  Celia let out a long sigh. “It did, which I should be totally ashamed of, since it seems crazy under the circumstances.”

  “It’s not crazy. The two of you have an undeniable connection. You’re nervous, and trust me, I know how scary it is when there’s another life on the line, as well as yours. It made me defensive and anxious when Elan and I were trying to figure things out, but having a child together really does mean a lot. I realized that in the end. That’s what made me decide to put my doubts aside and take a chance on the love we shared. You’re a family now, whether you admit it or not.”

  Celia raised a brow. “He hasn’t made any promises to me. He has all kinds of grand ideas about a suitable marriage and the respectable heir he’s so set on. Kira’s a girl, so she’s not going to carry on the Al Mansur dynasty. Maybe he’ll decide to keep her and marry that horrible Nabilah anyway.” Her voice grew thin.

  “Oh, come on, you don’t really think he’s capable of that, do you?”

  Celia swallowed. “He left me to marry another woman once already. I’d be crazy to think it couldn’t happen again. I’m a survivor, so I’m not worried about me.…”

  A sudden image of her heart, patched and nailed with bits of soldered metal, filled her mind. “But I’m truly nervous about Kira. I can’t just ignore the sharia laws. If he wants to take her from me, he can.”

  Sara walked farther into the room and crossed her arms over her chest, staring out the window. “Well. We’re both businesswomen, so perhaps that’s the way to approach the situation. He has screwed you over before, so you have a perfectly legitimate reason for caution.” She spun and looked right at Celia. “How about a contract?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “A document in which you spell out exactly what you require. You must have the right to take Kira home as you see fit. Salim must relinquish the right to keep her here against your will.”

  Celia’s eyes widened. “That’ll make him furious.”

  “Only if he intends to hurt you. If he plans to tread care fully—as he certainly should—it won’t be a problem.”

  “You’re very optimistic.”

  “Let’s just say I became optimistic the hard way.” She winked. “You know what? I’ll arrange it all. You go about your business and book the flights, and I’ll draw up the contract. I do that all day long at work so it’ll be easy as pie. I’ll show it to you when it’s done, and if you’re on board with the terms, I’ll take it to Salim myself.”

  Celia stared at her. “You’d do all that for me?”

  “Not just you.” She smiled. “For Salim, for Elan, for Hannah and Ben and for me. For all of us.”

  Thick warmth rose in Celia’s chest. Could she and Kira really find a place in this growing family? “Okay.”

  Salim stared at the black-and-white printed words until they blurred. His blood heated at the idea of signing a contract relinquishing rights to his own flesh and blood. Rights that had been kept from him for far too long already.

  Sara stood very still on the other side of the large desk in his office.

  “Why are you asking me to sign this?” He glanced up at Sara. “Where’s Celia?”

  “She’s working. I convinced her to tell you about Kira with the assurance that nothing bad would happen. Now I’m just making sure nothing bad does happen.” Her innocent smile did nothing to conceal the sharp mind he’d heard so much about.

  “Does Celia know about this? Did she tell you to make me sign away my rights?”

  “She knows about it.” Sara was calm, her gray-green eyes rarely blinking. She tilted her head. “You must admit it’s only prudent. You’ve let Celia down before.”

  Salim recoiled from the accusation. “That was different. There were no commitments between us.”

  “And are there commitments between you now?” Sara lifted a slim brow.

  “No formal arrangements, no.” He bristled. How could she pry into his personal life at a time when even he didn’t know what would happen from minute to minute?

  “Maybe you should make some.” Sara’s eyes narrowed. “Celia has feelings, you know.”

  “She told you this?” He leaned forward in his chair, fighting the urge to get up and pace around the room.

  “No. That’s my personal view. Celia expects nothing from you at all. And why would she, given what’s happened between you in the past?”

&
nbsp; Salim shifted in his chair. “I had no choice. I had family obligations to fulfill.”

  “And have you fulfilled them?”

  Her rhetorical question poked him like the tip of a sharp knife. He had failed in his one duty to take a proper wife and provide the Al Mansur house with an heir.

  “No.” Now he did rise, swiftly, and planted his hands on his desk. “I’ve made mistakes, done things I regret.” He narrowed his eyes. This small woman wasn’t the slightest bit intimidated by him. She formed her own opinions and spoke her mind readily.

  And she made his brother very happy.

  Elan had taken charge of his own destiny. He’d chosen the mate who captured his heart and they were building a happy life together.

  Both Elan and Sara obviously thought he and Celia were meant to be together.

  And was that so crazy? According to tradition and convention, yes. But according to his own desires, the needs and hopes that still ached in his time-hardened heart…

  Signing this contract went against everything he’d ever been told about how to conduct himself as a man. He was taught to seize control and hold it tight. To set the agenda and ignore or banish those who objected.

  But now the stakes were far too high.

  His own daughter, Kira, was out there, looking at something with those big brown eyes—or were they closed tight in dream-filled sleep? Her plump cheeks might be creased in a smile.

  A smile he’d never seen—and might never see if he chose to stand his ground.

  Everything was different now. He was different. And he couldn’t wait to meet his little daughter. “I’ll sign.”

  The week spent fetching Kira was the longest of Celia’s life. Salim hadn’t wanted to speak to Kira on the phone—he said he wouldn’t know what to say in such an awkward situation. He did want to meet her the moment she arrived at the airport.

  The journey had taken almost twenty-four hours, on three planes, with lengthy stopovers in Dubai and Muscat. Kira had slept little. Instead, she’d played and listened to stories and eaten Goldfish crackers and stared at her fellow travelers and listened to songs on the iPod, and, finally, when Celia was too exhausted to stop her, she ran up and down the aisle, laughing.