by Cara Albany
"Some?" Karim asked anxiously.
"It appears the wedding has made quite an impact. Not only upon the general population, but also on those who were planning on supporting the attempted uprising," Ahmed said.
Karim grunted. "I'd hardly describe it as an uprising."
"It could have developed into one, Sheikh Al Rasareh," Ahmed replied.
"I know that," Karim said testily. "But surely that's all behind us now." Karim paused thoughtfully. "These individuals holding out," he continued. "Are you and I talking about the same people."
Karim knew it was unlikely that anyone would be listening into the conversation on the line, but it would still pay to be cautious. It would be best to avoid mentioning names. Ahmed knew who Karim was talking about.
Ahmed sighed. "I'm afraid so, Sheikh. One man in particular seems unconvinced by your actions."
"What does he intend doing about it?" Karim asked.
"It appears he may have his suspicions and, if he can prove those are correct to his more influential associates, they may still be able to force the change they so badly want."
Karim felt anxiety curl in his gut. He thought they'd done enough. Perhaps he'd been premature in assuming they'd won a victory. What did that mean for what he'd planned for Erin?
"How exactly does this individual plan to do?" Karim asked feeling a knot of tension twist in his middle. Why did he suddenly feel an urgent, protective need toward Erin? Wasn't she just his temporary wife? Hadn't they both made the terms of their arrangement perfectly clear?
"I haven't been able to discover that exactly, Sheikh," Ahmed replied. "I'll do my best to find out over the next few days."
Karim sighed heavily. It was the best he could expect. "I'd appreciate that, Ahmed. Keep me informed."
"I will endeavor to do my best," Ahmed said gravely.
"I wouldn't expect anything less from you, Ahmed."
Karim hung up and stretched out on sofa. This was bad news. He'd assumed the extreme level of publicity about the fake wedding would be enough to stave off any attempt at influencing public opinion against foreign influence. But, it seemed he'd been premature. Maybe the whole scheme needed more time to play itself out.
He got up and started to pace the floor. What should he do? The answer to that question was obvious, and it had to do with the simple truth that he was now married to Erin. She was his wife, and there was only one thing that mattered.
She had to be kept safe; had to be protected while this whole crazy scheme worked its way to fruition.
Karim went out onto his terrace and gazed across the expanse of garden. In the darkness beyond the wall he knew was the only place where Erin could be safe. Far beyond the wide open deserts; away from the land itself, out across the sea, in the only place where he could have complete control over Erin's safety.
He nodded and gripped the balustrade, feeling certainty surge through him.
The island.
There he would be able to protect her; he'd be able to keep her safe from harm.
But, more importantly, there he might just be able to break down the barriers between them and claim the ultimate prize.
Erin's love.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
"What's going on, Karim?" Erin asked as she stormed into the dining room the next morning.
Karim looked up from the breakfast table and slowly placed his cup down. Erin looked amazing, this morning. She wore a plain, blue cotton dress and flat shoes. She had no makeup on, and her hair was mussed up and untidy.
Only word came to mind.
Gorgeous.
The light streaming in through the open terrace doors seemed brighter now that she was in the room. She stomped over to the table and rested a hand on the back of one of the seats at the breakfast table. She glared at him, tapping fingers on the back of the chair, waiting for an answer, but he just smiled back at her.
He realized, for the first time, that she had a natural beauty and needed nothing to make her look good. Erin's pretty features, prominent cheekbones, wide, expressive eyes and arching brows were simply captivating. In spite of himself, he felt desire stir and had to struggle to maintain a blank expression on his features.
Karim got up from the table and went to Erin, kissing her on the cheek. She squinted at him, obviously taken aback by his casual manner.
"Why are all my things being packed up by the staff?" Erin asked taking a step back from him.
Karim pulled the chair away from the table and gestured for Erin to take her place. She squinted at him and then sat down, giving him a look that told him she demanded an answer. Karim took his place on the other side of the table, trying to avoid her penetrating gaze.
"Are we going somewhere?" she asked.
Karim nodded. "I thought we might spend our honeymoon somewhere else."
"Honeymoon?"
He nodded and ran his gaze around the room. "The palace bores me," he said idly. "I thought going somewhere different might give us a chance to be alone. Maybe even get to know each other a little bit?"
Karim gazed across the table. Erin's brows furrowed. Did she even know how attractive she looked when she was annoyed? "We're leaving?" she asked sharply.
Karim cocked his head to one side. "Trust me. You'll love it on the island."
"Island!" Erin exclaimed.
Karim sipped his coffee casually and put the cup down. "My private island. It's off the coast a short journey south from Qazhar city. But, it's totally secluded. My very own retreat from the world." Karim quirked a brow at Erin. "You'll love it."
Erin gasped and was about to say something immediately in response, but paused while one of the servants brought in her breakfast.
Karim lifted a fork and pointed to Erin's plate. "You should eat. You'll need your strength," he said grinning at her. He was pleased to see her cheeks flush.
"For what?" she demanded once the staff member had left the room.
"I take it you're not frightened of flying," he said casually.
"Flying?"
Karim nodded. "My private jet will get us to the island. It only takes a half hour to fly there."
Erin sighed heavily. "What's wrong with staying here?"
"Nothing. It's just not what I had in mind for a honeymoon."
"You keep calling this a honeymoon," she retorted. She glanced toward the door, as if making sure she wouldn't be overheard. "We both agreed that, strictly speaking, this isn't a real honeymoon, didn't we?" she whispered.
"I've been thinking about that," he said. "I think we should put on a more convincing show of that."
"How much more convincing does it have to be?"
Karim leaned his elbows on the table and peered across the table at her. "As persuasive as we can make it. If we run off to a romantic island, folks will be as excited as they were about yesterday's wedding. Wouldn't you agree?"
Erin's mouth pouted as she considered what he'd said. Would she agree to it? He hoped so. Because, apart from helping to make sure the wedding looked real, going to his island was the best way to make sure she'd be safe from harm. Not that she was in any immediate danger, but he would never forgive himself if anything happened to her while the situation with the dissident faction was being resolved.
In any case, there would be plenty of private security on the island to keep them protected, and it would be almost impossible for anyone to come anywhere near them. Absolute privacy. Just the two of them. Alone. The more he thought about that, the better it sounded.
Karim watched Erin tuck into her breakfast. She was still lost in thought. He felt a curious pleasure in observing the way she ate her food, the care she took with each bite, the measured way she lifted the fork to her luscious mouth. She looked beautiful this morning, he told himself once again.
After a short while, she looked defiantly at Karim. "What if I don't want to go?" she asked.
"Then you don't have to," he replied off-handedly.
She narrowed her brows. "Really?"
Karim
nodded. "I don't intend to force you to do anything you don't want to do."
She seemed surprised by that and resumed eating, obviously considering what he'd said while she ate.
"If you don't want to go, I'll ask the staff to put your things back in your room," he explained.
Erin didn't respond immediately, giving him hope that she might be reconsidering her initial resistance to the idea. She nodded slowly and then continued eating. The silence stretched for a long time. The soft sound of the overhead fan seemed unnaturally loud.
Finally, she put down her knife and fork and gazed across at him. "Why are we really going to your island?"
"I told you, for privacy."
"No other reason?" she challenged, her eyes narrowing.
Karim shook his head. "You don't want to be alone with me?"
"It's not that," she replied quickly. "It's just a bit of surprise, that's all."
"We won't be entirely alone. I have some resident staff who live there all year round, maintaining the place."
Erin nodded, as if accepting his explanation. Then her eyes darkened. "I suppose we'll be leaving from the airport," she stated.
Karim nodded.
"And there'll be photographers and TV crews there, just to make sure everyone knows we're leaving Qazhar?" Erin continued.
Karim felt a sudden pleasure at how quickly she'd guessed his intentions. He had to admire her speedy wit and thinking. She always seemed to be one step ahead of him, almost as if she could read his mind. Just add it to everything else that's attractive about her, he told himself.
Karim shrugged. "You're well ahead of me, Erin. I knew I couldn't fool you."
She hadn't liked that last comment. He could see her displeasure in the way her jaw had tightened. "It's all part of the act?" she asked sharply.
"You could say that, I suppose," he replied.
Erin sighed. "Haven't we already done enough to keep the media happy?"
"I think, once they see us head off for a few days, interest will wane," he explained. "They might leave us alone after that."
Erin frowned. Maybe she could see the logic of it, he told himself. But logic had nothing to do with the real reasons he was taking Erin away to the safety of his island. Of course, it would help finalize the illusion of their wedded bliss. But, it would also give him a chance to have her all to himself, with no distractions. That was an entirely selfish pleasure he wasn't about to deny himself.
"Once we reach the island, our arrangement will be the same as here?" she asked.
He hid his disappointment as he nodded and paused a few moments before replying. "Of course. Nothing inappropriate will occur between us. I'll honor our agreement." He meant those words, of course, even if he wished he weren't saying them.
Erin examined him for a moment and then nodded. "I know you will," she said in a flat voice. Was that disappointment in her voice?
"When do we leave?" she asked after a long pause.
"As soon as everything is ready. Before lunchtime. We'll drive to the airport. Put on our little performance for the cameras, and then we'll be off. Alone at last."
Erin smiled weakly. "Of course. Alone. For how long did you say it would be for?"
"As long as you wish, Erin."
She nodded and stood, pushing the seat away with the back of her knees. "Then, I should be getting ready," she stated.
Karim stood, but she held up a hand and stared at him. "I don't need your help," she said sharply. "I can manage on my own." She peered at him. "And with the help of the staff," she added.
Karim nodded courteously. "I'll await you downstairs out front at the limousine."
Erin nodded and turned away, striding purposefully out of the room. He watched her walk away and asked himself if he was doing the right thing.
Time would tell. But, at the very least, he knew the next few days on the island would be decisive. One way or another, he would find out if Erin was destined to be his, or to be the woman who had merely passed through his life, never to be seen again.
****
The entrance to the VIP lounge at the airport was almost blocked. A crowd of photographers and TV camera crews were crammed against the barrier which had been hastily erected to accommodate them and keep them at a safe distance from anyone entering the exclusive lounge.
Erin held onto Karim's arm as he led her through the crowd of excited well-wishers which had congregated in front of the entrance doors. For once, she was glad of Karim's protection from the crowds. People were calling out Erin's name and all she could do was smile at them, while she tried to make sure her smile was as genuine as possible.
Just before they made it to the doors, she felt Karim slow and halt in front of the gathered media. She held onto his arm and smiled at the cameras ignoring the questions that were being hurled in her direction. Erin hoped she was as convincing as she'd been the day before in front of the palace.
She glanced up at Karim, who was explaining that he was taking his bride away to a secret and very safe retreat. He seemed to emphasize the idea that where they were going was safe from prying eyes, as if hinting that they should be left completely alone by the country's media. Was he sending a signal, she asked herself.
Erin had called her mother and told her she would be away for a while, and her mother had seemed excited at the prospect of Erin having a real honeymoon. Erin had to quietly remind Louise that since the marriage wasn't real, neither was the honeymoon.
Then Karim was waving at the cameras and Erin did the same. They both made their way through to the security of the VIP lounge and out to Karim's private jet which was already being prepared for takeoff. This must be what they mean by a whirlwind romance, Erin thought to herself as Karim helped her up the steps of the jet and into the plush, luxurious interior.
Once she was safely seated opposite Karim, the jet lurched down the runway and then they were up in the air. She gazed out the window and watched as the city slid away from beneath them. The jet headed out over the long stretch of beach, rising high up into the white clouds, the early afternoon sun bright through the windows. Erin saw the shimmering sea beneath them and felt a surge of excitement at the prospect of getting away from the attention she'd been subjected to by the media.
Gazing across at Karim, she wondered if she'd just exchanged one kind of intense scrutiny for another, perhaps even more dangerous.
This whole idea was probably very bad, she thought, as drinks were brought by the jet's on-board staff member. The prospect of spending a few days alone with Karim held dangers, not least of which was the prospect that she would succumb to his very obvious charms.
Karim seemed aware of her trepidation about the entire trip. His conversation was confined to casual subject matters. Nothing personal. She was relieved by that, preferring to establish some ground rules for the coming days. They chatted a while then she felt the plane bank slightly and begin to descend.
She looked out the window and saw the island, like a glittering jewel in the azure sea. It was larger than she'd expected, shaped like a beautifully cut precious stone. She guessed it was probably about a mile long and half that in width. It was mostly rocky with sparse clusters of palm trees. A thin strip of beach bordered most of the island, and there were some high looking cliffs on the south facing side. The whole thing looked idyllic, like the perfect example of a desert island retreat.
The plane banked, and she saw the strip of the runway where the jet would land in the next few moments. At the other end of the island, on a high promontory, she saw a glorious white villa, much like Karim's desert residence. She glanced across at him and saw he was watching her, possibly gauging her reaction.
"I see you like to collect palaces," she joked.
Karim laughed. "That's not the only thing I like to possess," he said provocatively, his gaze narrowing. There was fire in those eyes. Even the hint of a hunger she hadn't seen before. Was that the real reason why he was bringing her to this place? To try to seduce
her, to truly claim her as his wife?
She wrenched her attention back to the view out of the window, determined not to be provoked by such a remark. Despite that, she felt heat ignite in her middle. She swallowed and tried to control the thoughts that threatened to betray her by coloring her cheeks. Memories of Karim's touch invaded her mind, and she started to busy herself with the seatbelt. Anything to distract herself from those tempting thoughts.
Maybe this wasn't going to be so easy after all.
CHAPTER TWELVE
The island villa was smaller than his main desert residence, but it still reflected the good taste she'd already seen on display on the Qazhar mainland. Opulence was still on full display, even if not quite on the same scale. Karim gave her a quick tour of the downstairs level, including the stunning wide terrace that overlooked the sea and faced west. He told her this was where he enjoyed relaxing after dinner. He assured her the views of the sunset were to die for.
Staff took her bags to an upstairs room which had a stunning view of the sea. With the terrace doors thrown wide open, the sea air flooded the room to her suite. Karim accompanied her to her room, and once again they both avoided going anywhere near Erin's bedroom. As was the case back in Qazhar, Karim had taken a room further down the corridor from hers.
While the staff unpacked Erin's bags, she and Karim spent some time on the terrace savoring the beauty of the view. The sea shimmered below them, bright in the afternoon sun. The fresh breeze from the sea smelled sharp and clean, and she couldn't help closing her eyes and simply savoring the sensation of the cool air against her skin.
As she did so she was aware that Karim kept his distance from her, as if sensing her need to adjust to this new place. She was both pleased and disappointed that he had chosen to keep their agreement.
Pleased, because distance would be important in the coming days. If they were to pass their time on the island without incident it would be crucial that they keep the promise they'd made to each other.
Disappointed, because, in spite of everything she had told herself about Karim, she had already seen so much that was new about him, so much that had taken her by surprise. There were depths to Karim that she hadn't known existed. There had been moments in the last few days when Karim had peeled back the layers of his personality and revealed new aspects to his character that she had frankly found pleasing.
