The Sheikh's Pregnant Bride (The Jawhara Sheikhs Series Book 1)

by Leslie North

  “Absolutely not. You will be marrying me before the month ends. Now, answer the question.”

  “Yes. I want Shira here. I didn’t know she had gone back to the states until we were already in the air.”

  “Khalil and she are scheduled to return in six weeks’ time. I will contact him in the morning and make sure that they return no later than three weeks from now. You may provide me a list of items you wish transported to Jawhara and he will ensure it is taken care of. I have already notified your foundation that you will not be returning to your job. They wish you well.”

  Erin was stunned, “You talked to my work? Why would you do that?”

  “What is the problem? You will not be returning to their employment. This way they are free to hire another attorney.”

  Erin digested this information quietly; he was taking over her life. Her initial response was to balk at his highhandedness, but everything he had done were things she would have had to do anyway. He simply took the choice of timing away from her.

  “I wish you would have spoken to me about that before you did it.”

  “Why?”

  “Well,” she began, “I would have liked to talk to a few people. I worked there for a number of years and feel like I owed them an explanation.”

  “I provided them all the explanation they needed. Besides, they did a miserable job of ensuring your safety.”

  “Kam, that incident you’re referring to was really my fault. I forgot to lock the door after I entered the building.”

  “Regardless, if you had not been keeping company with people in those situations, you would have not been in harm’s way. You will never have to worry about that again.”

  “But, what if I want to help people? I can’t just sit around the palace all day doing nothing.” Erin was beginning to get upset and the relaxation and peace that had come after their lovemaking was quickly disappearing.

  “Calm yourself. I did not say that you had to sit around the palace and do nothing. I will find you something to do. Something that not only challenges that brilliant mind of yours, but also helps my people.”

  “Really?” Erin queried, letting her anger go.

  “Really. After we are married.”

  Erin smiled against his chest. Kamal was consistent and steadfast in his belief that they were going to be married within the month. She still had her doubts, but was beginning to think that fighting him was a futile venture.

  “You are not going to argue with me again?” Kamal asked.

  “No. What would be the point?” Erin tried to sound resigned. Feeling his laughter, she knew she had failed. “I guess you leave me no choice but to marry you. After all, you’ve promised me a position I cannot refuse.”

  “I am glad to see that you are finally thinking correctly. I will always have your best interest in mind. Never doubt that.”

  “I won’t.” Erin leaned up and over him, dipping her head to take his lips in a kiss filled with promise. Kamal let her explore for several minutes before the dominate male inside of him burst forth once again. Pushing her to her back, he proceeded to show her the pleasures to be found in his bed.

  He worshipped her body, tasting her skin and seeking out all of the hidden spots that caused her to shiver and moan. With his hands and his tongue, he took her to new heights and banished any thoughts she might have had of not spending her life with him.

  Erin couldn’t quite catch her breath, and as he trailed his lips down her torso, stopping here and there to nip and then soothe the small hurt with his lips and tongue, she forgot all of the reasons why staying in Jawhara, or demanding her independence, had been so important.

  Being here with Kamal was where she wanted to be. It was where her heart had landed and where her future began.

  Epilogue

  The purser tapped twice on the cabin door, handing the folded communication to Tom Malone when he answered the door.

  “What is it?” Patty Malone inquired.

  “I don’t know,” Tom replied, curious as to who would be sending him a message. Both Erin and Shira were used to his and his wife’s excursions and had never once seen the need to contact them while they were still at sea.

  Unfolding the piece of paper, he read the message twice before a huge smile split his face and he handed the note to his wife.

  Watching the smile on her husband’s face, Patty took the note and read it out aloud –

  Mr. Tom Malone and wife –

  Please accept an invitation to stay at the palace of the Sheik of Jawhara. A private jet will be waiting to transport you to Jawhara when you dock in Brisbane. The Sheik requests your presence at the ceremony which will unite him and your daughter Erin in matrimony.

  My personal bodyguard, Talib, will be waiting to escort you to the airport upon your arrival.

  Sheikh Kamal Mehalel El-Jawhara

  “Erin’s getting married? To a Sheik? How did this happen?” Patty asked her husband.

  “I don’t know. We’ve been gone nine weeks so I guess anything could have happened. It seems that Erin’s finally going to settle down. Not sure I like the fact that she’s going to be so far away, but maybe we can negotiate with her husband and she can spend part of each year in the states.”

  Patty nodded her head, “That would be nice. Oh, we stop in Brisbane tomorrow night. I need to start packing.”

  Tom watched his wife bustle around their stateroom. His little girl was getting married. Now if he could just see Shira settled, all would be right in his world.

  End of Book 1.

  For Book 2, The Sheik’s Troublesome Bride, click here.

  Or read a short excerpt from Book 2 below.

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  Excerpt: The Sheikh’s Troublesome Bride (The Jawhara Sheikhs Series Book 2) Download today!

  Shira entered the terminal and quickly looked around for her co-workers and bosses. As the assistant marketing director for The Addams Group, she had been instrumental in helping the firm to land its most lucrative marketing campaign ever – Jewel Oil.

  The company was owned and operated by the Sheikh of Jawahara and his brother, Prince Khalil Mehmed El-Jawhara. Being the younger son, Khalil was not in direct line for the throne, that honor belonged to the eldest son, Kamal.

  Shira spied Rick and Damon standing in front of the security area and waved as she hurried in that direction.

  “Glad you could make it,” said Rick, giving her a large welcoming smile.

  “I’m so excited. Is everyone else here?”

  “Well, about that – it’s just going to be you this time around.”

  Shira shook her head, “But I thought the entire team was coming along.” She was confused that plans had changed so quickly. And go to Jawhara by herself? No way! She’d never even been to Canada or Mexico, yet alone a country thousands of miles and several oceans a
way!

  “It’s actually a good thing,” replied Damon, “It seems that word about our deal with Jawhara has spread and late last night I received calls from to other Arab nations who would like us to work on bids for their marketing campaigns as well.” Damon was grinning from ear to ear as he finished speaking.

  “Really?! That’s great!” Shira exclaimed. This is what her bosses had been hoping for. International exposure and a client base around the world.

  “Really!” answered Rick. “Anyway, there are delegations flying in from those countries over the next several days and the team is frantically pulling together those presentations.”

  Shira’s heart dropped as she quietly asked, “Does that mean you’d like me to stay as well?” She had been looking for to seeing Kale again. She swallowed down her disappointment, not wanting her bosses to see how much she was really hoping they still intended to send her.

  “That sacrifice will not be necessary,” came a familiar voice from just behind her.

  Whirling around, Shira found herself looking up into the laughing brown eyes of Kale. “What are you doing here?” she asked, just before she found herself swept up in his muscular arms.

  Hugging her close felt amazing, but remembering where they were, he quickly set her back down on her feet. “I am here to personally escort you to Jawhara.”

  “But you said you needed to help your brother…” Shira tapered her speech off. She had spoken to Kale almost daily since his premature departure several weeks ago. They had talked about almost everything and she had grown attached to the man of character standing in front of her.

  “Kam has everything well under control at this time. Besides, we are less than twenty-four hours away from Jawhara.” Turning to address her bosses, he shook their hands, “Gentlemen, thank you for everything. I will assist Miss Malone in getting her office set up and see that she has everything we discussed.”

  Shira watched, confusion clouding her brain, as she listened to Kale and her bosses discuss her future. It didn’t sound like she was only going for a short visit! Looking at both Rick and Damon, she didn’t miss the glances they both threw her way as Kale finished discussing their travel plans.

  “Kale, what..?”

  “Come, Shira. The pilot is anxious to begin our flight, as am I.”

  “But my luggage…”

  “Has already been taken care of. Ahmed was waiting for it and has already delivered it to the jet. Say goodbye.”

  Shira turned to her bosses, not liking the knowing grins upon their faces, and dutifully replied, “Goodbye.”

  “Have fun, Shira. Take a few days to get acclimated and then give us a call. Rick and I have some ideas of what kinds of information and footage would work best in the ads.” Damon gave her a brief hug but quickly removed his arms at the low growl coming from Kale.

  Shira looked at him over her shoulder, startled by the fierce look upon his face. When Rick pulled her to him for a brief hug, she watched, amazed, as Kale’s eyes narrowed and his fists clenched.

  Before she could question him, he pulled her from Rick’s arms, wrapping one arm around her waist and anchoring her to his side. “Gentlemen.”

  Khalil did not like seeing another man’s hands upon Shira. He found he was very possessive of her already, a good sign indeed. He had enjoyed their phone conversations over the last several weeks and was determined to make her fall in love with Jawhara and bind her to himself.

  Protocol demanded that his older brother must marry first, but Kamal had already chosen his bride-to-be. Erin Malone, Shira’s cousin and roommate, might not know it yet, but she was destined to become the next Sheikha of Jawhara. Kamal had decided he wanted her, and his brother always got whatever he set his mind on. Always!

  Escorting Shira through the security gate and customs booths, he then led her out to onto the tarmac to the private jet that was waiting to fly them to Jawhara. He glanced down at her several times, taking note of her wide eyes and the bemused expression upon her face. Shira didn’t appear to be one for surprises!

  “Watch your step,” Kale told her as she began her ascent up the steep steps.

  “Kale, I…” Shira began, stopping on the first step and turning to look at him.

  Kale steadied her on the narrow step with his hands upon her waist, “Don’t be concerned, habibiti. Everything will work out just fine.” Using his hands to turn her back around, he gave her a gentle tap on her rear to get her moving again, “Up you go. Watch you head, I wouldn’t want you to injure yourself before we get airborne.”

  Oo00oO

  Shira carefully stepped inside the private jet and gasped at the sheer elegance of the furnishings. Luxurious seating arrangements were scattered around the space, covered in butter-smooth leather with thick, plush carpet that begged her to remove her shoes and sink her toes into it.

  A slender and elegant attendant stood towards the back of the space, dressed in a sleek navy blue uniform with her hair pulled tightly back at the base of her neck. Shira looked at her face, hoping for some sort of recognition, slightly alarmed when the young woman ignored her presence, only coming to life when Kale entered the plane behind her.

  “Good afternoon, Your Highness.”

  Shira turned to Kale, a question upon her face, “Your Highness? But I thought Kam…”

  “All Crown Princes are referred to in this way. Kamal’s correct title is Your Majesty. I trust you can remember that?” Kale looked at her and when she nodded, smiled and gestured for her to take a seat.

  Shira chose a seat near the window, watching with interest as Kale spoke to the attendant in Arabic before joining her. “Rihana will bring you some refreshment as soon as we are airborne.”

  Shira nodded, still trying to understand how the plans had changed so quickly. “Did Rick or Damon call you?”

  Kale took the seat next to Shira, taking her hands in his and chafing them slightly. “No. It had already been decided that I would fly your team out in our private jet. When Rick and Damon explained the need for them to stay behind, along with the rest of the team, I offered to make myself available to you and help facilitate your work in Jawhara.”

  Shira nodded, looking up into Kale’s eyes and quickly becoming lost in their warmth. Feeling herself sway towards him slightly, she fought the urge to lean against him. The feelings his hands were creating in her body were quickly becoming hard to ignore. She glanced down at their joined hands and was transported back to the last time his hands had touched her.

  They had celebrated the end of the negotiations between her company and his country and had retired to his hotel room after several hours of dancing at local clubs. Shira had been full of energy and enthralled with Kale’s attention.

  She had been secretly trying to attract his attention during the months of negotiations, but he had kept her at arm’s length. When she had walked into the banquet hall, he had immediately captured her attention and kept her close to his side the rest of the night.

  They had just settled themselves upon a rug in front of the fireplace, sharing lingering kisses and touches when his phone had rung. Cursing, Kale had answered the phone, growing still and silent as he listened. Evidently, a major catastrophe was brewing in his country and he and his brother were needed to fly back immediately.

  He had given her once last smoldering kiss, full of promise and longing, and then asked his driver to take her home. He had programmed her phone with his direct line and had called her almost every day since then. Talking to her for hours about his childhood, her upbringing and their dreams and hopes for the future. He had been amazed at how much they had in common and quickly become enamored of her.

  When Kamal had instructed him to fly to America and escort the Addams Group team back to Jawhara, he had called Rick and Damon and made sure Shira was one of the team he would be escorting. Talks had quickly escalated from a visit to setting up another office in Jawhara. Rick and Damon had not missed his attraction to Shira, nor hers to him, and h
ad suggested that Shira might be a good candidate to stay on in Jawhara and manage their first international office.

  Kale had kept his enthusiasm for the plan to himself, secretly rejoicing that his task of convincing Shira to remain in Jawhara long-term would not be that hard. Based upon her reaction only moments before in the airport terminal, the long-term plans for her employment hadn’t been discussed with her yet.

  Kale would make sure that Rick and Damon corrected that as quickly as possible. He wanted Shira to grab hold of this adventure and start making plans to stay in Jawhara – permanently.

  The Sheikh’s Troublesome Bride (The Jawhara Sheikhs Series Book 2) Download today!

  Excerpt from ‘CEO’s Pregnant Lover’ (Download Instantly – Click here)

  “HR, Janet speaking. How may I he-”

  “Janet? Trent. I need you to send up a replacement for Pam. Her daughter was injured in an accident, and she just left to go take care of the children and such. I’ve no idea how long she will be gone, so send me someone that you weren’t planning on firing at the end of the week.” Trent said matter-of-factly. He didn’t really care if she fired twenty people each week; if they couldn’t do the job they could find somewhere else to work.

  Janet Marshall worked as the head of HR for Coldwell Enterprises. She was not only a friend, she was the toughest woman Trent had working for him. She was also his second cousin and married to his best friend from college. While Janet didn’t have to work another day in her life, she enjoyed managing people and understood Trent in a way others didn’t. He was as alpha as they came, she’d never met a more dominating, arrogant man until Trent had come along.

  “Oh dear! Which one of Pam’s daughters was hurt?” Janet asked with obvious concern in her voice. Pam had worked for the company for as long as she could remember, first as Trent’s father’s personal assistant, and now for Trent. She was one of the nicest women Janet had ever worked with and she only hoped that her daughter wasn’t too badly hurt.