by Cara Albany
"It wasn't easy for me to make such a suggestion," he explained.
"I bet it wasn't," she retorted. Her jaw tightened, and her eyes flashed a scolding look in his direction.
"However, I assume your mother did explain my reasoning. She did tell you what is at stake."
"For you and your country?"
Karim nodded. "Of course. And also for any foreign consular staff. Including your mother."
"Are you threatening us, Sheikh Al Rasareh?" Erin grunted. She took a step toward him and peered defiantly up into his eyes. The shimmering, vibrant blue of her eyes snapped him momentarily out of his hard-won composure. Those eyes were captivating. And the pouting fullness of her mouth was inexplicably tempting. Karim sighed and forced himself to take a step back, moving away from her. The corner of Erin's mouth creased slightly with the hint of a smile. Did she think she'd forced him back on his heels?
"This has never been about a threat of any kind to you or your mother," he said evenly. "On the contrary. We're all in danger if the men I discussed with your mother are able to gain influence. I trust your mother explained that to you." He leaned forward and gazed down at her. "This is not a trivial thing I have proposed."
"Marriage!" she exclaimed. "You really believe that if you and I marry, then everything will simply go away."
Karim nodded. "It will be the most direct demonstration imaginable that Qazhar is not what these men would like everyone to believe it is. Qazhar is a tolerant, open kingdom, that values inclusiveness and diversity. We are a progressive kingdom."
Erin groaned. "How noble," she taunted turning away from him. She took a few steps and then halted, leaning back against the trunk of the tree. He watched her gaze up at the branches and heard her draw in a deep, exasperated breath.
Karim went to her. "I understand this must be a shocking thing for you to consider," he said.
Erin stared at him. "Your joking, right? Do you have any idea of how awful this is for me?"
"Sometimes duty comes at a great price," he declared.
Erin grunted. "Is that all you can think of? Duty and honor?"
Karim shrugged. "What else is more important than those?" he asked.
Erin glared at Karim. "How dare you put my mother in such a terrible position," she stated.
"I have done nothing to endanger your mother or this embassy," he replied firmly.
"Surely there must be other ways to deal with this situation. What about the law? You claim these men plan to break the law. Why can't you stop them?"
"They aren't strictly planning to break any laws. They merely think that the time is right to turn back the clock and take Qazhar back to a darker, less enlightened time. It would be bad for everyone if they succeed."
"And especially for your friends in Qazhar high society," she accused.
"That is unkind and frankly unworthy of you to say such a thing," he replied.
"But it's true, isn't it. You stand to gain if the status quo is maintained."
Karim shook his head and moved closer to her. He saw her lean back against the tree trunk. She gazed up into his eyes, and he tried to make sure that there was no hint of doubt or hesitation in his eyes.
"I stand to personally gain nothing," he declared firmly. He saw her eyes widen as she heard the certainty in his voice. "In fact, by marrying you I could lose more than I gain."
He knew before he said those words that he would draw a reaction from her and he was right. Erin's jaw tightened and her eyes seemed to darken and shimmer with barely concealed rage.
"Then why don't you find someone else, then?" she blurted. "Someone better than me!"
There was a ferocity on her features that, once again, ignited something inside him. Inexplicable desire flamed in his middle as she glared up at him. He seized control of himself, resisting the impulse to reach out and touch her.
"There is no-one else," he said in a measured tone. "You are the only one I can choose to be my wife. The only one I want to choose."
Her eyes widened as she heard his choice of words. There were so many meanings in those words, he realized. Had she misunderstood what he'd said? Her mouth opened slightly, and he could see she was momentarily lost for words. She looked so beautiful like that, he told himself. There was a new flush of color in her cheeks, and he knew he was starting to get through to her. Was he beginning to break down her barriers?
He could feel his heart pumping faster. Why was it that she could affect him like this? He'd felt it before during their previous sparring sessions over the past year. Right now, he was no nearer explaining the effect she was having on him.
Erin turned her face away from him. "This is ridiculous," she said. He could hear the sudden emotion in her voice.
"I agree. But, it may serve a higher cause. And that is all that matters, right now," he said.
Erin turned her head and gazed up at him. "Have you thought about what it will be like? How on earth can we be married? How can we even contemplate living together? You've seen how we argue; how much we hate each other."
"Really? You believe that we truly hate one another?" he asked.
"Don't you hate me?" she demanded.
Karim sighed. "I agree we've never been the closest of friends."
Erin sighed heavily. "That's putting it mildly."
Karim leaned closer and placed his hand flat against the tree trunk and just above Erin's head. "But all that is in the past, Erin. I'm sure we can come to an arrangement. You will live in my palace. We will conduct ourselves as man and wife."
Karim saw her eyes widen in surprise.
"In everything?" she said lifting a brow disbelievingly. "I don't think so, Karim," she added.
"We can deal with that at a later time," he suggested.
Erin shook her head vehemently. "No. If we're going to go ahead with this, we have to have a clear understanding. An agreement."
Karim frowned. "What kind of agreement?"
Erin quirked a brow. "You know exactly what I'm talking about."
Karim peered into Erin's eyes. He'd already anticipated she would bring up the subject of intimacy.
"You would be my wife. Would it therefore not be natural for us to be intimate with each other."
"In public, maybe," she replied. "In private, absolutely not."
He tilted his head and looked at her. "And what gives you the idea that I would even wish to be intimate with you in private?" he asked.
Erin grinned at Karim. "I know you, Karim. I know what you're like; what you expect from women. If I am to become your wife, you need to understand that I am not like the women you're used to dealing with," she stated.
Karim leaned imperceptibly closer. Her gaze didn't budge as she awaited his reply. "Erin. I already know you're nothing like the women I have been used to having," he murmured.
He saw her swallow and her cheeks definitely flushed a deeper red. He'd managed to breach the wall she was trying to maintain between them. He could see that in the flicker of uncertainty in her eyes.
"You make it sound so vulgar," she retorted.
"What? That I've enjoyed the company of women and that they have been a source of pleasure to me?" he replied.
He was sure he could see her grind her teeth on hearing that statement. But, it was true. He knew that women had always been a pleasure in his life and that he was a skilled lover. There was no doubt in his mind that, once Erin had adjusted to the idea of being his wife, she too would discover how he could turn her world upside down. In bed.
Was that the reason why she was resisting him, right now? Was she fearful of the desire he could ignite in her? Judging by her reaction to his closeness, Erin had been probably harboring a hidden attraction for Karim, all along. Maybe this whole scenario made more sense than he'd realized.
Suddenly Erin reached up, placed both hands flat on his chest and pushed Karim away, emitting a determined grunt in the process. He staggered back a few steps and glared at her. He saw her clench her fists into ti
ght balls.
Erin stared at Karim and when she spoke her voice vibrated with emotion. "Let's get this straight, Karim. This whole crazy thing may have to go ahead. Whether I like it or not. And I don't like it. Not one bit. But I'll do anything for my mother."
Erin leaned forward, jutting her face right in front of Karim's. "Including becoming your temporary wife."
He peered into her eyes. He'd never seen so much spirit in a woman before.
"And that's going to be the deal, Karim. Temporary. Do you get it?"
Karim took a step toward Erin, but she moved away from him, her glare becoming even more intense.
"I think a few months will do the trick, don't you?" she stated emphatically.
Karim didn't know what to say, at first. She was willing to become his wife, but only for less than a year?
"One year," he tested. "Arranged marriages in Qazhar are never for less than a year."
Erin shook her head. "No way. Too long. Six months. That's it."
Karim shook his head and sighed heavily. "That won't work."
"Take it or leave it, Karim," Erin exclaimed.
He could see her shaking slightly, such was the emotion which was coursing through her body. He could only imagine what thoughts were going through her head, right now. Here she was, in the garden of the embassy, negotiating the terms of a temporary marriage of convenience. It felt as strange for Karim as it must feel for Erin. But, here they were, near to reaching an agreement that, a few days before, would have seemed unthinkable.
Would six months be enough? Would it convince people? Wouldn't their eventual separation seem too sudden, threatening to give the whole game away?
He had no choice. Karim knew it.
He nodded and saw the sudden surprise on her face. "Six months."
"You accept?" she asked sharply.
"Six months, and then the marriage will be annulled."
Her brows furrowed. "And that's a simple process?"
"Ending the marriage?" he asked. "Of course. It will be a formality."
Erin seemed confused by the matter-of-fact way he'd responded. Had she expected more emotion from him? Had she expected his demands to be more extreme? And what about sharing his bed? They'd left that subject unresolved. There would be time to address that issue after they were married.
Karim smiled at Erin and moved closer to her. "So we agree, then? You will become my wife?" He could hardly believe he was saying those words.
Erin smiled sardonically. "I will be your wife for six months."
Karim moved a few inches closer to her. "Would a kiss be out of the question?" he asked softly.
There was flash of emotion in her eyes, and it wasn't desire. "I don't want that," she said sharply. He felt the words cut into him. She raised a hand and pressed against his chest, holding him well and truly at bay. He liked the feel of her hand against his chest, even if there was a barrier of thin, white cotton between her skin and his. He felt her push hard against him, holding him back.
He was sure she could feel the rapid beating of his heart against her hand. However there was a cold determination in her gaze, and he knew she'd made her mind up.
Karim felt the disappointment flare inside him. Briefly, he contemplated insisting, but immediately knew that wouldn't be right.
The moment passed, and he nodded. "I understand." He glanced back toward the embassy building. "Perhaps we should go and tell your mother."
"That you're going to be her son-in-law?" Erin said. Was she teasing him? It certainly sounded like it.
"If that's the way you want to put it, then yes."
She removed her hand from his chest and nodded. "Let's go and give my mom the news."
"The good news?" he asked.
Erin rolled her eyes and started to walk back toward the building.
As he walked beside his bride-to-be, Karim couldn't help asking himself just what he'd gotten himself into. This beautiful woman walking alongside him had the ability to affect him like no other woman before. The next six months promised to be earth-shattering.
And he, for one, could hardly wait.
CHAPTER SEVEN
"You're getting married?" Belle exclaimed. "To Karim Al Rasareh? I can't believe it!"
Erin nodded. "You better believe it. 'Cause it's going to happen in a few days."
Erin's sister, Nicole gasped. "You cannot be serious," she gasped.
Erin nodded, and both of her sisters let out a enormous squeal that echoed in perfect unison around the bedroom. Erin wondered if the consular staff would ask themselves just what had caused such a noise.
The sisters were in Erin's bedroom, and it was late in the afternoon. Karim had left after he and Erin had confirmed the news with Erin's mother. Now Erin had come upstairs and ordered both her sisters into her bedroom, warning them that she had an important announcement to make. Perhaps they'd thought Erin had been about to announce her return to the States. She'd been talking about it on and off these past few months.
However, as they lay back on Erin's huge bed, Nicole and Belle looked genuinely thunderstruck. This had been a ritual for the sisters going back years. Sister meetings usually took place in one of their bedrooms and announcements were made while all three lay back on the comfort and safety of the bed. Erin recalled similar meetings all the way back to their childhood. It was like a comfort ritual, especially when the news was shocking. And, as far as Erin was concerned, today's news probably qualified as shocking.
"But, I thought you said you hated him," Nicole exclaimed.
"I was just kidding," Erin said. There was no getting away from the fact that she couldn't tell her sisters the whole truth. It wouldn't be fair to involve them in any of this.
Nicole stretched out alongside Erin. Nicole was the tallest of the sisters, and in many ways, the prettiest. Her long legs stretched out on the bed, further than those of Erin or Belle on either side of her. Nicole was also the sister the widest independence streak of the three of them. Nicole was always running off on her own, searching out adventures of one kind or another.
Nicole's blue eyes flashed disbelievingly. "But, he's not your type."
"I already told Erin that. Seems like she doesn't agree," Belle added.
"What exactly is my type, Nicole?" Erin asked.
Nicole rolled her eyes and furrowed her brows. "I dunno. But, I never thought you'd get hitched with a sheikh."
"You make it sound so normal," Erin replied. "It's a bit more than just getting hitched with the local guy you used to know at high school."
Nicole shook her head. "Rather you than me, Erin. These Qazhar men are awfully possessive."
"How would you know that, Nicole?" Belle demanded digging an elbow into her sister's side.
"Ow!" Nicole complained. "Don't do that. I told you, I've got other things in mind than just grabbing me a sheikh for a husband."
Erin sat up and leaned on one side. She squinted at Nicole. "You think I'm making a mistake?"
"I never said that," Nicole replied. "I just think it's happened all so quickly. What does mother think?"
"You know mother," Erin said. "Nothing we do surprises her."
"And Dad?" Belle asked.
"He doesn't know yet."
"Mom will bring him around to the idea," Nicole suggested. "She always manages to persuade him."
"It's those diplomatic skills she has," Belle explained. "Dad never has a chance to object to anything."
All three women laughed. Erin knew that her father would be philosophical about the the news. It seemed like he'd given up trying to understand the four women in his life a long time ago. As far as telling them all what to do? Well, he'd definitely given up on that years before. They loved their father. He'd always given them the freedom they wanted, and he'd always been there for them to provide wise counsel, if needed. So, it would come as no surprise that one of his beloved daughters had taken it upon herself to marry a wealthy, influential sheikh.
"Does that mean yo
u're going to live in a sheikh's palace," Belle asked eagerly.
Erin nodded. "I guess it does."
"I wonder what that will be like?" Belle added. "I bet his palace his huge."
"I bet that's not the only thing that's huge," Nicole teased twisting her long blonde hair around her finger and quirking a brow at Erin.
Erin felt her face flush. "Nicole!" she gasped, shaking her head at her sister. Nicole always liked to embarrass her sisters, and never passed up an opportunity to taunt both of them.
Belle giggled. "Just imagine what that life will be like. Being waited hand and foot on all day long."
"I heard that Karim is a pretty demanding kind of guy," Nicole offered. Erin glanced at Nicole and saw a very familiar expression in her sister's eyes. Was her sister fishing for more information? "When were you guys dating? I don't remember seeing you both together very much," Nicole asked.
Erin shrugged. "It's all been pretty sudden."
"You can say that again," Nicole challenged. Erin thought her sister didn't look convinced.
"It's been a secret," Erin whispered, feeling suddenly terrible for telling anything that even vaguely resembled a lie. There would come a time when she would have to tell Nicole and Belle the whole truth. But, right now, Erin had too much to think about.
"How romantic," Belle said gazing up at the ceiling. She peered at Erin. "But, Nicole's right. You didn't mention any of this at the ball."
Erin looked at Belle. "I know, Belle." She realized that her voice had more than a tinge of regret, and she wondered if either of her sisters had noticed.
"Where's the wedding taking place?" Nicole asked.
"His place," Erin replied.
Nicole laughed. "His place that just happens to be a huge palace that's probably got forty bedrooms."
Erin felt her cheeks flush at the mention of a bedroom. She turned away from her sisters, anxious that neither of them notice her reaction.
The next few days weren't going to be easy.
****
