Susan Mallery - The Sheik And The Christmas Bride

As’ad eased the Jeep to a stop and picked up the satellite phone. When he was connected with his aunt, he informed her he had found Kayleen and that she appeared fine.

“Will you be coming right back?” Lina asked.

As’ad considered. “I believe we’ll stay for dinner.”

“That’s fine. I’ll put the girls to bed. Thanks for letting me know. They were worried.”

He disconnected the call and parked, then walked toward the crowd.

Kayleen saw him and excused herself from the group, then raced toward him. When she was close enough, she launched herself at him.

He caught her and held her against him as she trembled in his embrace.

“You came,” she breathed. “It’s the girls. They’re gone. They were late and we had no way to get in touch with them and I was so worried, so I took a horse out myself. I found this village, but no one speaks English and I can’t tell if they’ve seen the girls. What if something happened to them? I’ll never forgive myself.”

She was distraught and panicked and surprisingly beautiful. Her hazel eyes darkened with emotion and her cheeks were flushed. Impulsively, he bent down and lightly brushed her mouth with his.

“They’re fine,” he told her. “All three of them returned unharmed. You are the one who is missing.”

“What?” She drew in a breath. “They’re all right?”

“Perfectly fine, although suffering from guilt for causing you distress. Kayleen, the girls are good riders. The head groom took them out himself to confirm that. They also had someone with them. Why did you feel it necessary to go rescue them yourself?”

“I don’t know. I was worried and I acted.”

“Impulsively.”

She glanced down. “Yes, well, that’s an ongoing problem.”

“So it seems.”

She looked around and noticed the villagers gathered close. “Oh.” She pulled back.

As’ad let her go, but only reluctantly. She had felt good in his arms. He wanted to kiss her again-but thoroughly and without an audience. He wanted to push aside her unattractive clothing and touch the soft skin beneath. Instead he stepped back and turned to greet Sharif, the village chieftain.

“She is your woman?” Sharif asked.

Kayleen spun toward the old man. “You speak English? You stood there, pretending not to understand and you speak English?”

“They don’t know you,” As’ad told her. “They were being cautious.”

“What about desert hospitality? What about claiming sanctuary or asylum or something?”

“Did you?” he asked.

Kayleen pressed her lips together. “No. I was asking if they’d seen the girls. They wouldn’t answer and they weren’t speaking English.”

As’ad glanced at Sharif. “She is mine.”

“Then you are both welcome. You will stay and eat with us?”

“It is an honor.”

“Arrangements will be made.”

“Arrangements?” Kayleen asked. “What arrangements? And what’s all this about being your woman? I’m your nanny. There’s a really big difference.”

He took her by the elbow and led her to the Jeep. “It makes things easier if they think you belong to me. Otherwise you would be fair game for every man here. You’re very exotic. They would find that tempting.”

Kayleen didn’t know what to say to that. She was so far from exotic that if they put her picture on that page in the dictionary, it would have a circle with a line drawn through it over her face. She couldn’t imagine a man ever being tempted by her.

It was the hair, she thought with a sigh. Bright red hair tended to call attention to itself.

“Fear not,” As’ad told her. “I have claimed you. You are safe.”

She shivered slightly, but not in fear. It was more from the memory of the brief kiss he’d given her when he’d first arrived. An unexpected and warm touch of his lips on hers. She’d been shocked by the contact, but not in a scary way. More surprised, but pleased.

“We’re staying for dinner,” he said.

“I got that.”

“It’s the polite thing to do.”

She looked around at the tidy camp. “I don’t mind. I like it here, out in the desert. Although it would be nice if they didn’t pretend not to understand me.”

“They are private people. You rode in from nowhere, babbling about missing children. They were cautious.”

She narrowed her gaze. “I do not babble.”

He raised an eyebrow.

“Not often,” she amended. “I was scared. I thought the girls were lost.”

“You were not equipped to find them, yet you went after them.”

“Someone had to.”

“Perhaps one of the grooms. Or you could have called me.”

Oh. Right. “I didn’t think of that. I’m not used to having resources.”

“Perhaps next time you will consider that you do.”

It would take some getting used to. “You came after me yourself,” she said. “You could have sent one of the grooms.”

“The girls were most distressed to think they were the cause of your being gone. Coming after you myself seemed the quickest way to allay their fears.”

“It was a little impulsive. You have resources, too.”

“You mock me?”

“Maybe.”

“A dangerous path.”

“I’m not afraid.”

Something flashed in his eyes. Something dark and primitive that made her heart flutter. She didn’t know if she should throw herself at him or run into the desert, so she stood her ground.

“So what do you think is for dinner?”

The women of the village prepared a rich stew with lots of vegetables and a flat bread that smelled so good it made Kayleen’s mouth water. She did her best to be friendly and polite, helping with the cooking as much as the women in the camp would let her.

Zarina, Sharif’s oldest daughter, was the only one who would speak to her in English.

“Am I really that scary?” Kayleen asked quietly as she stirred the stew.

“You are different. From the city and from another country. You do not know our ways.”

“I could learn.”

Zarina, a dark-haired beauty with a flashing smile, laughed. “Give up your comforts to roam the desert? I do not think so.”

“Comforts don’t matter to me,” Kayleen told her. She would give up many things to belong somewhere.

“Yet you live in the palace with the prince.”

“It’s a long story and I don’t live with him. I take care of…” She shook her head. “It’s a really long story.”

Zarina glanced at As’ad where he sat with the leaders of the tribe. “The prince is handsome. If I were not happily married, I might try to steal him from you.”

Kayleen started to say he wasn’t hers to steal, but figured there was no point. “He’s nice.”

Zarina laughed. “Not nice. No man worth having is nice. As’ad is a desert warrior. He takes what he wants, but then he protects those he claims. He is a strong man. A powerful husband. You have chosen well.”

A lion of the desert? As’ad? He was strong and powerful and he did seem to take care of those around him. His presence here was proof of that. But a dangerous animal? She didn’t believe that. As for her choosing him…as if.

He looked up and met her gaze, then rose and approached. “What troubles you, Kayleen?”

“Nothing. I was just thinking. Zarina says it’s good she’s happily married, otherwise she would steal you from me.”

He laughed. “She is a beautiful woman.”

Kayleen didn’t like that answer. “You and I don’t have that kind of relationship.”

“So you would not mind if she and I…”

“No,” Kayleen said carefully, even as a knot formed in her stomach. It was hard and hot and made her feel uncomfortable. “You have a family now. You should be with someone.”

“You suggest Zarina?”

“She’s already married.”

“I am Prince As’ad of El Deharia. I can have whomever I choose.”

How annoyingly arrogant. “I don’t think so. You’re just a man. There are women who would say no to you.”

He moved closer. “Who would that be?”

She stood at straight as she could, tilted her head back and glared at him. “Me, for one. I’m not interested.”

His smile was slow, sexy and confident beyond measure. “You think so.”

“Absolutely.”

“I see.”

He reached toward her. Before she knew what he intended, he pulled her close and kissed her.

Kayleen had almost been kissed once in her life, on a date with a young man in college. He had been nice enough, but she was so inexperienced that just being around him had made her nervous. At the end of their awkward evening, he’d moved in for a kiss and she’d bolted for the safety of her dorm room.

But there was no bolting from As’ad. With his arms around her, she had nowhere to go. Not to mention the fact that she didn’t want to run.

She’d wondered about kissing, had wondered if she was the last innocent in a world where even twelve-year-olds seemed to know more about men and sex than she did. She’d wondered how it was possible to enjoy someone being so close, pressing his mouth against hers. Worse, using his tongue in some intimate way.

Would she feel trapped, uncomfortable, violated?

The short answer was no, she thought as As’ad moved his mouth gently against hers, teasing, caressing, but not taking. Even though his arms were around her, she didn’t feel trapped. Instead she felt protected and wanted.

The wanting was new, as was the odd hungry sensation inside of her. She needed to be closer, although she couldn’t say why.

She put her hands on his shoulders, feeling the strength and heat of him. As’ad would keep all in his world safe, she thought, distracted by the pressure of his lips. It would be nice to feel safe.

She inhaled the masculine scent of him, liking the fragrance. She enjoyed the feel of his body so close to hers. She grew bolder and slipped her arms around his neck, bringing her front in contact with his.