Falling for the Sheikh She Shouldn't

by Fiona McArthur

  She glanced around and the inky front was noticeably lighter above them as it rolled out to sea. ‘It seems to be passing. Let’s get out of here.’

  He’d distanced himself from her too. She could feel it. Good. Maybe he regretted their ignition as well. He removed the phone from his pocket, dialled, spoke, and then tucked it away. ‘Yusuf will pick us up from across the grass.’

  ‘We can walk.’ As she finished speaking a long black car pulled up opposite the park. So the henchman had been out there waiting in the storm anyway. She shivered. So now she was cold without Zafar holding her? What the heck was she doing when she got close to this guy? Apparently whatever he wanted.

  She needed to remember he was from his own world, with his own rules. Rules that differed from hers no matter that he’d worked here for a while.

  Zafar pondered Carmen’s silence and staunch independence as he slid into the car after her but he pondered his own response more. What had happened? The heat they’d created between them, the shock of unexpected connection had rocked him. But perhaps it had just been his body requiring sex. Either way, it was not something to rush. As was the change he could sense in himself. Very unsettling. He filed away the fire between them in the storm for future thought.

  For the moment he had decided he needed to secure her services for his cousin. And he did not want her caring for other women, only available for them. This was certainly a new direction for his usually solitary thoughts.

  ‘I believe we were going to discuss the possibility of you caring for Fadia as your only client.’

  She shifted beside him and avoided his eyes. ‘There is no discussion.’ Her words were clipped as if her mind was elsewhere and did not want to be disturbed.

  Almost in panic? Why did that amuse him? So she could sense the strangeness of the shift too. ‘That is not an answer. More a knee-jerk reaction, I believe they call it.’

  ‘I have a knee if you want one,’ she muttered, and he wondered if he had been supposed to hear that. Such a physical woman. More clearly, she said, ‘I’m afraid I can’t help you.’

  Why was she so sure of herself? She did not know him. Still, this woman could be most annoying.

  He restrained himself from correcting her. ‘Because…?’

  What was so absorbing outside the car that she must look past him out the window?

  ‘Because I have two jobs already.’

  Of course. She worked at the hospital. Fadia had said Carmen had been her midwife at the birth. No doubt that’s why she looked so tired. The money answer would be the simplest one. ‘And why have you two jobs?’

  ‘That’s none of your business.’

  He caught Yusuf’s eye in the mirror and his driver nodded. Not yet but it soon would be. Perhaps Yusuf already had gleaned some information.

  She went on, militantly, so he had annoyed her with his questions. He suppressed his smile. ‘If you wish Fadia to have a personal mothercraft nurse, of course you can arrange that, but it won’t be me.’

  ‘I was thinking a professional midwife to act as flight assistant for Fadia for the trip to Zandorro and to help her settle in.’ Such a prickly woman.

  ‘No. Thank you.’

  ‘A week or two only?’ The look she gave him suggested a change of topic. ‘Let’s leave that for the moment. Tell me how this baby hotel works. Do all the midwives work at both here and the labour wards at the hospital?’

  She frowned as if collecting her thoughts. ‘How did you know I worked at both places?’

  ‘My cousin told me, remember?’ He liked her off balance.

  She narrowed her eyes at him but then looked away past him again before she said, ‘I do the occasional night shift at the hospital as well as this. Yes.’

  She was lying again and he wondered why. Fadia had said she worked nights every Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and worked day shifts on the five weekdays. That meant two double shifts a week. She had to be exhausted.

  Every time she did not tell the truth she looked away. A hopeless liar. Then again, that was not a bad thing.

  She answered a question he’d moved on from in his head and it took a moment for him to refocus.

  ‘We have eight beds on floors five and six that are kept in the hotel for the private patients who transfer from the hospital. Most new mothers stay two to four days before they go home.’

  Ah. His question about the baby hotel. He was interested in the concept. It could work in Zandorro. Perhaps even for the children’s hospital. ‘So after the birth, when they wish, mothers transfer here?’

  ‘That’s right. As Fadia did. If their birth was uncomplicated. And their doctors will visit. The beauty of the hotel as opposed to the hospital is the mother’s support people can stay. Friends can visit less rigidly than in a hospital.’

  She hurried on as if to avoid the topic and he had no difficulty understanding why. She looked away again. He fought back a smile. Her complicity with Fadia was not something he wished to bring up now.

  ‘In fact,’ she said, ‘up to two other children could also stay with the parents in their rooms, and the access of the midwife means the transition period to home is less stressful than a busy ward in the hospital or the return to full household duties at home.’

  ‘And the midwife provides what?’

  ‘Help with feeding problems, settling techniques and to talk about postnatal needs out of the hospital environment. The hotel provides food and housekeeping.’

  She shrugged. ‘The lovely part here is the view. Mums can gaze over the beach from their balcony. It’s a great place to regather their resources before they go home.’

  His attention was caught. Regather their resources. He liked that. Just looking at Carmen regathered his resources. He hadn’t realised just how low his reserves had fallen until the lift incident and the more he saw of this woman, the more alive he felt.

  It seemed some time with the delectable Carmen could even be as beneficial as the solitary sojourn in the desert he’d prescribed himself. He would see what Yusuf turned up.

  ‘That is all very interesting.’ He glanced ahead to where they would pull in as the car glided to a stop. ‘We are back. Thank you for accompanying me and my apologies for your exposure to the weather.’

  ‘I doubt even you have control over the weather.’ She gave him a little mocking smile he did not appreciate then raised her hand to open her own door.

  He was pleased to see her start of surprise when it opened from the outside. She would learn a woman should be cared for and protected.

  Carmen didn’t like this henchman of Zafar’s. This man with a scar who did his master’s bidding unsettled her. Judging by the cold expression on Yusuf’s face, the feeling was mutual.

  Still, another two or three days and the lot of them would be gone. She hoped Fadia decided sensibly but it was none of her business.

  She glanced back inside the car but Zafar had exited and moved to her side. ‘Oh. Here you are. Goodnight.’

  He reached, took her hand, bowed over it briefly and then deliberately turned her fingers to expose her wrist before he lifted it to his mouth.

  The kiss lingered, with subtle eroticism, and her response to the intimate caress was totally unexpected. Still not fully recovered from the passion in the storm, his mouth sent shock waves surging back through her that weakened her knees. She hoped that explained the absolute melting of every bone in her body as soon as his lips touched her skin. Good grief.

  She turned away shakily, ignored the expressionless face of Yusuf, and passed through the doors into the lobby to use the lift to the car park. She doubted her suddenly wobbly legs would be able to traverse the steep driveway down to her car without her falling over.

  Her wrist burned like a brand and she rode down the lift wit
h it covered with her other hand. Get a grip, she warned herself fiercely. He’s just a man. You’re just out of practice and your hormones pulled the rug out from under you.

  The drive home passed in a blur, automatic pilot obedient, as her brain whirled and her eyes strayed to her wrist near the steering-wheel. What was she doing? What was he doing? Did he have intentions of seduction and if so, why? Did he want his cousin watched so badly he thought she might be useful?

  Was she tempted?

  When she arrived at the door of her block of flats a group of youths called out and weaved towards her. A bottle smashed into the gutter across the road and, not surprisingly, she fumbled with the lock. The outside light had broken and she dropped her keys in the dark. She hated it when that happened.

  Someone approached the youths and spoke to them. Whatever was said worked because they turned and walked hurriedly back the other way. Her neck prickled and she resisted the urge to peer into the gloom at her good Samaritan across the road. Which was ridiculous, wasn’t it?

  She glanced uneasily over her shoulder before bending down and scooping the keys from the cold tiles. Her eyes were scratchy with tiredness and she just hoped that blasted Zafar hadn’t interfered with her ability to sleep.

  Managing the next four days depended on this good night’s sleep before she started work at lunchtime tomorrow and Thursday, then after work on Friday night duty would begin again.

  She felt frustration gather as she contemplated the unrelenting schedule. As Tilly had said, working seven days a week was crazy but it was only for another six months until she’d paid all the debts her husband had left her with and she’d be free. She wanted her credit rating back.

  That was when she’d been offered the baby hotel job, which paid well, and for the moment she had her head above water. If she needed to work seven days a week for another few months, at least she loved both her jobs.

  Carmen stripped off her clothes, hurriedly showered and fell into bed.

  Lord, she was tired.

  Carmen slept despite being seduced by her dreams, wonderful, stretch-like-a-cat-and-purr dreams, and the wisps of memories remained when the sun rose and left her with a small kink in her lips that peeped out while she brushed her teeth.

  ‘You need a swim,’ she admonished the sultry-eyed woman in the mirror. ‘In fact, you need a freezing cold shower.’ But her skin belonged to a womanly her and not the machine-like work person she’d turned into, even if her ‘admirer’ was some nebulous dream man with a magical mouth. She rubbed her arms. Scrummy dreams, whatever they’d been.

  Life seemed a lot more interesting than it had two days ago and she couldn’t pretend it had nothing to do with a certain dark-eyed sheikh.

  She glanced out the cramped window of her room to see the sun shining onto the road, enticing her to play. She hadn’t done much of that for a while either; more work and worry than play. The morning stretched ahead before her baby hotel shift at one p.m. and she decided to pack a small lunch and head to the beach.

  Coogee glittered with tourists. Sun-loving mums toted babies to play in the waves and reminded her why she’d preferred to live in a bedsit here than a unit somewhere else.

  Carmen dropped her towel and bag on the white sand and shed her sarong, along with the cares of the last few months. Life was too short and the waves beckoned with their walls of cheeky fish daring her to join them. The fish scattered into white wash as she splashed through the tingling freshness of the surf with a grin on her face.

  Zafar watched her run in his direction. She hadn’t seen him because her smile was carefree, oblivious, and outshone even the brightness of the sparkling bay.

  So this visceral response was not from the emotions of an unexpected birth or a wild storm.

  His body quickened with the promise of her bare skin close to his. There was no doubt this woman drew him like mythical mermaids drew sailors to rocks, attraction destined for disaster if he wasn’t careful, but still he pushed through the wash towards her. Why he felt so alive posed a threat to his peace of mind. But that was for later.

  She surfaced and wiped the sea water out of her beautiful eyes, squeezing and shaking her hair like a boisterous puppy, but it was the jiggle of her body that deepened his voice as he hailed her.

  ‘I had forgotten the delights of an Australian beach.’ He watched her face change from carefree to careful and the sight saddened him. He didn’t know why, just that in the last two years he would never have noticed such a thing.

  Obviously he’d startled her. ‘Prince Zafar?’ But she recovered quickly. He was beginning to think this woman would recover in any circumstances.

  ‘We are not in a formal situation. Please, Zafar.’

  He saw the crinkle of amusement in her eyes as she glanced around at the water and the frolicking children. ‘No. Not formal at all.’ She might even be laughing at him and he didn’t mind if she was because it was worth it to see her expression become more relaxed. How strange.

  ‘Is this what you do before work?’

  ‘Not enough. But I’m going to make concerted effort to do it more often.’ She looked away from him and spread her arms. ‘Isn’t it glorious?’

  His blood thrummed despite his intent to retain his self-respect. ‘The view is indeed spectacular.’

  He needed to direct his energies elsewhere or he would pull that delicious body against him and who knew where that would lead? ‘Do you swim well?’

  ‘Better than you,’ she tossed over her shoulder as she dived into the next wave and struck out for the centre of the bay.

  A challenge. We will see, he thought with satisfaction as he followed her with a powerful overarm stroke that soon had them level out past the breakers. They stopped and floated. ‘You were saying?’

  She grinned across at him and a wave slapped her in the cheek. She choked and coughed. He laughed back at her and she trod water until she had her breath again.

  She tossed her head. ‘You might have speed but I could swim all day.’

  He raised his brows and his voice lowered. ‘In my youth I was famous for my stamina.’

  To his delight she blushed. So she had been thinking of him. A delectable warning of danger for both of them. ‘A race to the beach, then.’

  She didn’t answer. Just turned and swam, and this time he outpaced her so that when she arrived, breathless, he was waiting for her. She swam well. As well as any woman he’d seen, but she’d pushed herself hard to catch him. A hint of competitiveness he admired. He couldn’t help teasing her.

  ‘Such rapid breathing.’ And a delightful sight he enjoyed as her breasts rose and fell. ‘Perhaps you would like me to carry you up to your towel?’

  She stood up and rested her hands on her knees to catch her breath. ‘Never. I would rather crawl before then.’

  ‘I believe you.’ He inclined his head. Then words came unexpectedly. ‘Perhaps we could share lunch before you go to work?’

  She shook her head. ‘I don’t think it’s a good idea to have lunch with one of my patient’s relatives.’

  Or for him to give in to the temptation to know this woman more. Yet… Ridiculous. Who would presume to judge? ‘I see nothing wrong with it.’

  She tilted her head at him as if he were some object from outer space. ‘Of course you don’t.’

  Truly, other people’s opinions of him were the last of his worries. ‘You are afraid?’

  She narrowed her eyes at him and he withheld his satisfied smile. She didn’t like that. Baiting this woman warmed his cold soul when it shouldn’t.

  ‘Then only if I pay my share.’ Capitulation, though not complete, was sweet. It had been a long time since he’d tasted sweet.

  But he did not charge women for food. He shrugged. ‘Not possible.’

&
nbsp; ‘Then you eat on your own.’ She began to wade through the water towards the beach, not looking to see if he followed. He wondered if she knew she drew him like magnet as he watched the swing of her hips. It was indeed an unexpectedly glorious day.

  ‘Perhaps you would wish to pay for my meal.’

  She stopped and looked back at him and a small throaty chuckle delighted him. ‘You’re on.’

  Fanciful thought.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  AT THE baby hotel later that afternoon in midwife handover, Carmen heard that Fadia and her babies were managing splendidly.

  They went on to discuss the other mothers and their plans for discharge. As she took over the care Carmen left Fadia until last, because no doubt that’d be the longest visit. That way the other families would know where she was if they needed her urgently. One mention of twins and the mums were instantly sympathetic.

  Yusuf was not at his usual post and outside Fadia’s door she knocked and waited a moment for Fadia’s call to come in before she used her key. A tall, swarthy man approached her and Carmen instantly recognised him from the photograph.

  ‘Excuse me? You are the midwife?’ He smiled, eyed her up and down, and she didn’t feel flattered.

  ‘Yes?’ She withdrew her hand from the door lock.

  ‘I wish to visit my friend, Fadia Smith. Can you tell me which room she is in?’

  ‘I’m sorry.’ She smiled at him. ‘Or I could, but then I’d have to kill you.’ Not the time for levity. As soon as the words left her mouth she regretted them. His face darkened and he looked even more like her ex-husband. She could feel the menace. Ironically appropriate?

  Before anything else could be said, Zafar appeared from the fire escape and the man took one look at him and turned to disappear down the corridor in the direction of the other lifts.

  Fadia’s voice floated through the door. ‘Come in. Is that you, Carmen?’ Carmen looked at Zafar and his frown as he came towards her and decided discretion was the better part of valour.