The Sheikh's Marriage Of Convenience (Qazhar Sheikhs series Book 10)

by Cara Albany

  Erin gasped. "It's so beautiful," she exclaimed. "There are so many lights," she added.

  "I had the staff make sure they lit every light, just so you could see the palace in all its glory," he declared.

  The huge palace looked like an illuminated jewel with virtually every room light turned on. The palace sat in the gathering darkness of the surrounding desert, defiant and glorious looking. The only other sight was the road ahead, illuminated by the limo's headlights.

  Erin looked at Karim. "I'd forgotten how much you like to make a good impression."

  Karim shrugged. "Why not. If you've got it, flaunt it. Isn't that what they say in your country?"

  Erin squinted. "Maybe a few decades ago," she laughed. "Next thing, you'll be telling me I'm a swell gal."

  Karim frowned. "What does that mean?"

  Erin grinned and waved a dismissive hand at him. "Never mind," she said.

  The limo slid through the entrance gate and up the long avenue which was bordered by trees and lit by multi-colored lamps hung from branches. Karim had instructed that only two members of staff welcome the newly married couple, after they'd made their way inside the palace. He didn't want Erin feeling too intimated by arriving at such a place and needing to make a positive impression on all of the staff. She'd get to know them all in good time.

  The limo slid to a halt, and Karim quickly stepped out of his side of the car and raced around to Erin's side. He thrust open the door and gazed down at her. She smiled up at him and held out her hand. He took it and helped her step out of the car and onto the hard concrete driveway. Erin sighed and gazed around her. He saw her taking in the sight of the marble palace, the shimmering lights, the walled gardens that surrounded the palace. She looked genuinely impressed and that made him feel good. It was important to him that she felt comfortable from the moment she arrived.

  "It's so big, Karim," she said looking at him.

  "It's large enough for one man, I suppose." He gazed at her. "Now it's a marriage home."

  Erin squinted. "That's a funny way to put it."

  "But, it's true, isn't it?"

  Erin turned and looked up at the top of the steps. "There's no-one to greet us?"

  "Let's get inside and get you settled in," he said gesturing toward the steps that led to the high, open doors which had been left open for them.

  They walked side by side up the steps. She looked gorgeous in her elegant wedding dress. He watched the careful way she lifted the hem of her dress and placed each foot on the steps. He was arriving at his home with his bride. He knew this was an arrangement, but that didn't stop it all from feeling so surprisingly real.

  They paused at the door. Karim looked at her and was seized by a sudden impulse. He reached down quickly and scooped Erin up into his arms. She squealed and grabbed onto his shoulders.

  "What are you doing?" she demanded grinning at him.

  "I think this is called carrying the bride over the threshold, isn't it?" he declared smiling back at her.

  He liked how she felt in his arms. Her body was petite, and he could feel every one of her luscious curves. She smelled delicious, too. The scent of her perfume filled his senses, intoxicating him as he stood there holding her.

  Erin kicked her heels together. "I think you should put me down," she said.

  Karim shook his head. "I don't think so," he replied firmly.

  Their eyes met, and there was that challenge again, he told himself. The defiance she gave him every time he tried to do something to win her over, even just a little.

  As if to emphasize his point he grasped her even tighter and took a couple of steps toward the door. He felt her soften against him, and he sensed a hint of victory. Maybe this was what she'd wanted him to do, after all.

  He stepped over the threshold of the door and into the high-ceilinged entrance hall. He heard her gasp as she gazed around the cavernous space, taking in the sight of the mosaic floors, the carvings on the pillars and the curving staircase which led up to the upper level of the palace.

  Karim tried to catch her attention, perhaps tempt her into another kiss, but she was too taken by the sight of the hall. Disappointment curled inside him, and he gently set her down on her feet. Didn't this mean as much to her as it did to him? The way she was gazing around the entrance hall of their home, made him feel like he'd brought someone who was nothing more than a glorified tourist. That seemed like a shocking thought.

  Erin skipped across the mosaic floor, gazing down at the elaborate patterns. "How can you live in a place like this?" she asked enthusiastically.

  "You're going to find out, aren't you," he told her, trying to hide the disappointment in his voice.

  She squinted at him. Had she sensed his slight frustration? "I guess I am," she agreed.

  "Let me show you to your room," he said.

  He led her up the stairs and down a long corridor. Erin continued to comment on the sheer scale of the palace. For him, the opulence of his lifestyle was something he was used to. It must seem extreme to someone coming from a more humble background, he admitted to himself.

  They reached a door at the end of the corridor. He knew this was the largest room in the palace, one that was usually reserved for extra-special guests. And that was exactly what Erin was. Very special indeed, although he was beginning to hope she'd become more than just a temporary guest.

  Karim thrust open the door and gestured for Erin to enter. She stepped into the room, and he heard her gasp.

  "Oh my goodness," she exclaimed.

  Karim followed her inside. She was rooted to the spot, gazing around the huge expanse of the best suite in the palace. Here, there was only the best furnishings, only the finest carpets, only the most expensive decoration available. He was pleased that she was impressed.

  Erin turned to him. "This is just for me?"

  Karim nodded, saying nothing.

  "Alone?" she added.

  Once again, Karim nodded silently. He knew he daren't say anything, in case he spoiled the moment for her. He didn't want her guessing at his frustration. He'd known she wouldn't be sharing a room with him. That had been their agreement, and he was determined to keep to it. But, he hadn't expected to feel like this. To feel such a sense of letdown that he would be in a room further along the corridor. Alone. While she slept here every night.

  Erin raced toward the open doors which led out onto the terrace. As he followed her, Karim couldn't help glancing through the open door to the large bedroom. He'd noticed that Erin had studiously avoided looking into the room.

  Erin stepped out onto the terrace. The moonlight made her wedding gown shine luminously as she leaned against the marble balustrade. He went to her side and battled to resist the impulse to wrap his arm around her slim waist. She gazed out across the garden. He saw her eyes were bright with pleasure as she ran her gaze across the garden which was lit by the moon's silvery light. The air was cool, and there was a heady scent, a mixture of flowers and Erin's perfume.

  "I take it you approve," he said casually.

  Erin looked straight at him. "Is that important?"

  Karim leaned closer. "I want you to feel at home. After all, this is our wedding night, isn't it?"

  He saw her eyes narrow slightly. She turned her head away from him quickly. Had that been a comment too far?

  Karim shifted even closer to Erin, noticing that she didn't move away from him. "Want to see the bedroom?" he asked, raising a brow.

  Erin's brows furrowed. "Not right now. Anyway, what's to see. There's a bed. That's about it."

  Karim sighed. This wasn't going to be easy. "I've arranged for us to be served something light in one of the dining rooms," he said.

  "One of them?" she said an incredulous tone in her voice. "How many do you need?"

  "How many do we need?" he repeated emphasizing the "we".

  Her eyes narrowed. She surely knew he was trying to draw her into his life, in spite of her obvious resistance. Was she simply drawing the ba
ttle lines, laying down some markers for the coming weeks and months?

  Erin turned and leaned back against the balustrade. She ran her gaze along the length of the brightly lit palace. "This is too big for just one person. You know that, don't you?"

  He leaned against the balustrade and followed her gaze. "But, there's more than one person, now," he stated firmly. "You're here."

  "For the moment, Karim. Remember our agreement," she replied.

  "How could I forget? You seem determined to never let me forget, Erin," he said. He could tell that she had noticed the critical tone in his voice.

  Erin's eyes narrowed. "Where's your own room?"

  "Down the corridor," he replied. "Don't worry, it's a safe distance. "Wouldn't want you thinking I'm right next door, would we? Not while you're sleeping safely in your bed," he teased. She wasn't the only one who could play games, he told himself.

  "That wouldn't worry me, at all," she replied, a hint of defiance in her voice. She quirked a brow at him, and there was definitely a hint of a smile at the corner of her delicious mouth. He felt need flame into life inside him. What was it about her every attempt to defy him that he found so alluring?

  "Really. Are you sure about that?"

  He saw her jaw tighten. "Absolutely," she retorted.

  Karim leaned closer. He could see emotion in her eyes and then a sudden flicker of rebelliousness. He desperately wanted another taste of those full, red lips. He ran his gaze around her pretty face, her perfectly arranged blonde hair. Yes. He wanted her, and he could tell that she knew it.

  He started to lean closer, but she suddenly took a step away from him, leaving him feeling as if he'd almost made a fool of himself. He watched her take a few steps away from him. He sighed and followed her back into the suite.

  Erin went to the door leading into the bedroom and gazed inside, but avoided stepping through the open door. "I see you've had some of my belongings brought over from the embassy," she observed.

  He grinned sarcastically. "I'm so considerate," he said, an acid tone in his voice.

  Erin smiled at Karim and walked toward him. She took hold of the collar of his white shirt and twisted it in her fingers. He peered inquiringly at her. "You're the perfect husband, aren't you?" she said dryly.

  "You think so?" he asked.

  Erin cocked her head to one side and peered at him. Her gaze drifted slowly down the length of his tall frame. "Maybe," she said cheekily.

  Now he knew she was teasing him. Had that been an approving look in her eyes? If so, he was sure she'd tried to hide it.

  He started to move toward her, but once again she resisted, placing a firm hand on his arm and taking a step back. She shook her head slowly. "I think I'd like to go downstairs if you don't mind," she announced.

  Karim gritted his teeth. This was going to be torture, he told himself. She was obviously determined to keep him at bay.

  Well, he would see about that. Now that she was his wife; now that she was here, in his domain, everything had changed. Being so close to her was driving him crazy.

  As he led her out of the suite, his arm politely resting against her back, he decided that nothing was going to stand in the way of doing whatever it took to bring Erin Al Rasareh to his bed.

  CHAPTER TEN

  Erin lay in bed, alone, that night and thought about the day she had just been through. It had surely been the most amazing day of her life.

  Her wedding day.

  She should have been lying next to her husband, right now. She should have been nestled in his arms after hours of love-making. She should have been content and fulfilled. But she wasn't.

  By any standard, the whole day had been one big lie. She'd virtually lied to everyone so that she could go through with the wedding. How could she look her sisters in the eye knowing what she'd done? They would eventually understand, she told herself. But she also knew, deep down, that there was a chance they might never forgive her.

  She pushed that dark thought out of her mind. The sacrifice had been made for her mother, and her whole family. That was all that mattered, really. And the fact that Karim had assured her that the risk to the stability of Qazhar had been reduced. Or so he'd tried to assure her.

  The coverage of the wedding had been wall to wall. It seemed that something about the sheikh marrying the ambassador's daughter had caught the imagination of the public. There had been feverish interest leading up to the wedding. Now that it had happened, the interest had reached insane proportions. It was the only thing dominating the news.

  Watching the TV coverage, sitting next to Karim in the dining room earlier had convinced Erin that what she'd done today was a big deal. Bigger than she'd imagined it would be. She had to admit that they looked like a happy couple when she saw the images on the news bulletins. At first, she cringed in embarrassment as she watched footage of herself and Karim emerging from the palace. Maybe she did look like a happy bride, she told herself.

  And when she saw how the kiss they'd shared looked on TV, Erin had to admit that it did look pretty convincing. Surprisingly so, in fact.

  Hadn't that been what the whole thing had been designed to achieve? Convince everyone that their love for each other was real. She knew it wasn't. The truth was much darker than that.

  Karim had smiled warmly as he'd sat by her side watching the images on the TV. More than once he'd looked at her, seeking her reaction, but she'd worked hard to hide her true feelings. Of course, she'd felt the same surprised delight he was obviously feeling. It had been a wedding, after all, and they'd both done a great job of pretending, hadn't they?

  Eventually, she'd tired of watching the images, thinking it was no way to be spending her wedding night. But it just emphasized the unreal aspect of what they'd done, as well as the fact that they both knew it was a charade. Erin had made her excuses, ignoring Karim's attempt to persuade her to spend more time with him. She'd left him in the dining room, grateful to be escaping any possible awkward encounter with him. He'd been somehow less abrasive, less difficult to get on with during the whole evening. But that had just made her even more determined to make it back to the safety of her suite.

  And now she was here.

  Alone.

  Erin shifted on the wide bed, stretching out an arm, feeling the emptiness of the rest of the soft expanse. It was well after midnight, and the moonlight shone softly through the curtained windows of the bedroom. It was all like a dream, a strange fantasy out of some wild children's tale. She felt like a princess who'd consented to become the prisoner of the handsome, exotic, but very dangerous prince.

  She gazed around the sumptuous room in the soft light. And what a prison this was, she told herself. Hardly what most people would describe as a place of confinement. The luxury of what she'd seen this evening in the palace had taken her breath away.

  Servants had milled about discreetly tending to her every need. When she'd come back to her room, she'd found a young woman preparing her bath for the evening. Most of Erin's belongings had been carefully placed in the walk-in wardrobe which was almost as large as her bedroom back at the embassy.

  Erin stretched her legs out beneath the covers, feeling the soft blanket against her bare skin. She'd never felt so comfortable and yet, at the same time, so uneasy. Eventually, she would probably have to deal with the reality of these sleeping arrangements. Separate rooms. Separate lives. She wondered how long Karim would accept this situation.

  She smiled as she recalled his reactions to her rejections of his moves earlier that evening. It had been obvious he wanted her. There was no disguising that. Erin had seen the desire lurking behind those dark eyes. She'd had to work hard to disguise the effect his penetrating gaze had had on her. She felt the tempting desire flicker back to life inside her as she recalled Karim's attempts to entice her.

  She wondered how she was going to cope with that in the coming weeks and months. What would it be like to be that close to Karim? Would she be able to resist his advances? Would
he listen to reason and keep his side of the bargain? Did she even want him to?

  There was no doubt that Karim was an extraordinary man. She'd already witnessed new sides to his personality in the lead up to the wedding. His kindness and sensitivity to her needs had been surprising to Erin. She'd always thought him a pushy and insensitive individual. But those initial impressions had been replaced by something else entirely. Karim had depths to his character that intrigued Erin. Maybe there was more to him than met the eye.

  She pushed those thoughts out of her mind. It wouldn't be long until the whole thing ran its course and they could go their separate ways. That was what she wanted, wasn't it? That was what she was looking forward to. The whole thing being over and done with.

  And when it was all over, then what?

  For now, she was in his domain, the place where he ruled, where his power was absolute. But not over her. He had no power over her. She was merely his wife by arrangement. And she was determined to keep it that way.

  Erin turned over and clutched the pillow against her face. If that was the case, and she was resolved to keep Karim at bay, why was it that the very thought of him kissing her made her insides melt?

  ****

  "I can't believe you're calling me on your wedding night," his associate, Ahmed said.

  "I had to find out if you've heard anything," Karim replied, ignoring the disbelief in Ahmed's voice.

  Karim stretched out on the sofa in his suite, and held the phone to his ear, listening to the rustling in the background at the other end of the line. He figured Ahmed must be moving to somewhere more private in his own apartment. Ahmed was his contact with the layers beneath Qazhar society. Ahmed knew all the right people, and was well aware of the seriousness of the situation that had been brewing for weeks now.

  Ahmed's voice, quieter and more even now, came down the line. "It seems that some of the men we know have had some change of heart."