The Sheikh's Christmas Present Read online

  Forcing his bodyguard to lie wasn’t easy, but money did talk. After that, it was easy to slip away to the trial and get back before anyone knew what happened.

  God knew that if they figured out that he was heading to Kivi’s trial, they’d never let him live it down. Kashif had been adamant that the family not be involved any more than they already were. He was more interested in damage control than doing the right thing.

  The plane rocked back and forth, as they hit some turbulence, and Jarik immediately glanced toward the cockpit. Despite the warnings from the airport, the flight seemed relatively smooth, and Maria and her friend were relaxed. The wind didn’t seem to bother them any, so he leaned back against the window.

  Maria Walken. After getting a copy of her flight manifest, he’d done a quick cursory internet search of her. Eleven months out of the year, she was a private cargo pilot, but in December, she turned into Santa. With her brother, she headed up Christmas Crates. It was a noble idea, but from what he could tell, the charity wasn’t doing very well.

  He knew she’d cave. She needed that money even if she hated taking it. Jarik dealt with people like her all the time. They despised the wealthy and brandished their own flaws like a weapon. It wasn’t Jarik’s fault that he was born wealthy. It also wasn’t his fault that they lived in a world where money made things easier. It was a tool that he was skilled at using when it suited his needs.

  Unlike most people, Maria was trying to make a difference in this world. Normally, she should love people with money. After all, she needed them. Clearly, something was up.

  The memory of her tight body rubbing against his on the bus had him rising back up to attention. He wasn’t lacking in female attention, and despite what he’d told her on the bus, a beautiful woman shouldn’t have been enough to harden his cock.

  But there was something about her. He’d seen her running after the bus and paid the driver to stop to pick her up. There was something compelling about the determination in her eyes and her curls flying behind her as she ran.

  It had taken all his control not to cup her ass and lift her up until he pressed into the apex of her legs to watch the desire darken her eyes.

  Taste her. Lick her. Make her moan.

  He chuckled at the thought, glad that the women couldn’t hear him over the roar of the plane’s engine. The point of taking a public bus was to blend in, and he had a feeling if he’d acted on his desires, it would have made a memorable moment, which probably would have culminated in him getting arrested. Something he could ill-afford. Not if it meant that Kivi could find out, he was coming for him. The man had spies in all the right places, which was why Jarik had chosen a route no one would suspect.

  Lucky for him, fate kept placing her in his path. When they landed, he intended to figure out just what made Maria Walken tick.

  “What the hell?”

  Maria’s panicked voice snapped him to attention. “What’s going on?” Jarik called out anxiously.

  “We’re not going to make it to Syria,” she muttered. “Tessa, where is the next airport?”

  “Is it the snow?” he asked.

  “No,” Maria said tightly. “There seems to be a leak in our fuel line.”

  “Can you make it twenty miles?” Tessa asked quietly. Jarik swallowed hard as he waited for Maria’s answer.

  “Yes. I’ll radio them now.”

  Jarik sighed in relief and leaned back. Glancing out the window, he gritted his teeth.

  His brothers would never forgive him if he ended up in a plane crash doing exactly what Kashif warned him not to do.

  3

  Lucky for them, the Al Marfa airport was practically deserted. She landed the plane with no problem and immediately ushered them off. “Tessa, take his royal highness inside,” she muttered without looking at them. “See if you can get a room at the hotel we stayed at last time we were here. I’m going to find a mechanic.”

  “We can’t get back up in the air tonight?” Jarik growled.

  “It’ll take at least an hour to examine the plane and get her refueled. Probably more. If the blizzard gathers strength, we won’t be able to get back up in the air tonight. We’ll have to try again in the morning.”

  “But…”

  “But nothing,” she snapped. “You don’t think I’m unhappy about this? I need to make it to Syria by the twenty-third, and every minute that we waste here puts me more off schedule. If you don’t like it, you’re welcome to try to bribe someone else to take you up.”

  “Tessa, make your phone calls,” he said quietly. “I’m going to stay out here. I want to know what happened with the plane.”

  Maria waited until her friend was out of earshot before she whirled around. “I know you said you need to get to Lebanon but why are you being so secretive and while we’re at it, shouldn’t you have body guards or something? Are you in some kind of trouble?” she hissed.

  The maddening man crossed his arms. “So, now, you ask?”

  “I carry crates to refugees,” she muttered. “People don’t try to kill me. If this is deliberate, and I’m not saying that it is, then I want all the facts.”

  Jarik smiled at her but it didn’t reach his eyes. “To start, no, I’m not in some kind of trouble. At least nothing that would have someone tampering with a fuel line. However, if the fuel line was tampered with, it could only mean two things. The first was that someone was trying to make you crash and the second was that someone wanted you to land in Al Marfa. Here, I have no jurisdiction and no security, so I can’t help you.”

  Maria rolled her eyes. “Tell me something that I don’t know.”

  “No one knew where I was going. My own family, even my bodyguard, would not expect me to go to Syria or Lebanon. So, whatever is going on with the fuel line is not because of me. No one could have planned this ahead of time.”

  Blowing out her breath, she ran her hands through her hair. Even if someone had followed him, there was security on the runway. More than likely, this was an accident.

  “Go inside before you freeze your royal ass off,” she muttered. “I promise to give you a full report.”

  “I would rather not leave you alone,” he said shortly. She turned her head until he saw the ground control employees headed their way.

  “Fine, but don’t get in the way, and please try not to bribe anyone.” Waving her hands, she jogged over to meet them. Glancing over her shoulder, she swallowed hard when she saw the way Jarik was looking at her.

  He could be casual about the situation, but there was something dark in his gaze. She felt like a possession. Once she had a better idea of what was going on, she was going to have a nice long talk with Sheikh Jarik Shadid. He was hiding something from her. She just knew it.

  Tessa was waiting for her when they finally finished up on the runway. The fuel line did have a leak, but it didn’t look deliberate, Rather than a clean cut, it was jagged, like something had chewed on it. The mechanic should have caught it before they even took off.

  Maria should have caught it.

  It was clear that she had far too much on her mind.

  “Well?” Tessa asked anxiously.

  “It’s going to have to be replaced,” Maria said tightly. “I won’t be able to leave until at least tomorrow night. Furthermore, I can’t get in touch with Sebastian. There’s a red-eye leaving for Syria in four hours. Please tell me that you’ll be on it.”

  Her friend bit her lower lip and glanced around. “Maria, you know I would do anything for you, but I don’t want to leave you alone in this city.”

  Maria didn’t exactly want to be left alone either, but she didn’t have much of a choice. She was supposed to be in Syria tomorrow to start organizing the Christmas Crates event. If Sebastian couldn’t make it, she needed Tessa there.

  “Please,” she whispered. “You know how much I need this to go well. The press will crucify me if it doesn’t.” She knew her desperation was written all over her face, and she kept her back to Jarik. />
  Tessa immediately reached over to hug her. “Are you sure this isn’t so you can have the sexy Sheikh all to yourself?” she teased her quietly.

  “Tessa!” Maria hissed, but she laughed and hugged her friend tighter. She knew this meant that Tessa would go on ahead without her.

  “At least I know that you won’t be alone.”

  “Thank you,” Maria said with a smile. She reached into her tote bag and pulled out her wallet. “Come on. Let’s get you a ticket. I’ll try to keep calling Sebastian, and I’ll call the Syria volunteers so that they meet you at the airport. Whatever you do, do not travel to the camps on your own.”

  “Maria,” her friend said with a tight smile. “I’ve been doing this with you for five years. I think I know the routine. Don’t worry. Everything is going to work out fine, and I will see you in a few days.”

  She didn’t know what she’d do without Tessa. Maria paid for Tessa’s ticket and bought her a meal. There was no point in taking her back to the hotel if she would just have to be back in a few hours. Promising to call her before she went to bed tonight, Maria gave her friend one last hug.

  Deep down, she knew what Tessa was thinking. If Sebastian didn’t pick up because he was already on his way to Syria, then Tessa would be able to steal a few hours alone with him. Despite all her talk of picking up a sexy man, Maria knew that Tessa had a thing for her brother.

  Privately, she didn’t like the idea of her best friend and her brother being together, but they were adults, and Maria wanted them to be happy.

  “I got us a room,” Jarik said, as he suddenly appeared at her side. “Let’s grab some dinner, and then we can get some sleep.”

  Maria turned around and glared at him. “I have a room. I doubt I can afford wherever you’re staying.”

  As she tried to brush past him, he reached out and grabbed her elbow. “Maria,” he said quietly. “Whether you like it or not, we’re stuck together. The least we can do is be civil to each other.”

  Sighing, she nodded her head. “Dinner would be nice, but I’m paying.”

  He looked like he was going to argue, but he simply nodded his head. The skies were already dark when they stepped out to hail a taxi. “There’s a restaurant that I eat at frequently right around the corner of my hotel.”

  Jarik opened the taxi door and gave her a quizzical look. “You come here a lot?”

  “It’s a decent mid-point between several countries, and I have quite a few clients who prefer the relaxed customs atmosphere,” Maria said dryly.

  “Really?”

  Maria shrugged. “I won’t carry anything illegal, but there are no inspections for antiquities, which makes the process of moving them from country to country cheaper and quicker. I’m in Al Marfa two or three times a year. What about you?”

  “I’ve been here before,” he said vaguely. When she rattled off the name of the restaurant, Jarik frowned, but he didn’t say anything.

  The building was as brightly lit as she last remembered; only this time, instead of neon lights, it was brightly wrapped in Christmas colors. Garland swung from the ceiling, tied with bright red bows.

  “Really?” Jarik muttered as he paid the taxi driver. Maria almost said something about him paying, but his response to the Christmas decorations was too intriguing.

  “What’s that supposed to mean? While it may not be as popular, I’m sure there are those who celebrate Christmas.”

  “I haven’t since…never mind,” Jarik muttered. “Come on. Let’s eat.”

  He immediately opened the door to the restaurant, and Maria couldn’t help but smile. He might toss his money around like a jerk, but someone taught him manners.

  The inside of the restaurant was just as decked out and festive as the outside. Motion activated figurines lit up, danced, and sang as they walked by. Even Maria, who loved Christmas, thought it was a little over-the-top, but the annoyance on Jarik’s handsome face was too good to ignore.

  She half expected him to order someone to take them all down.

  Instead, he glared as they took their seats in the corner. His eyes scanned the area.

  “Looking for someone?”

  “Just looking,” he muttered.

  “Why do you hate Christmas?”

  Jarik gave her a pointed look. “I don’t hate Christmas. At least, not the sentiment behind it.” He paused, seeming to weigh his answer. “I find that the older I get, the holidays seem to become more about how much money people can throw around on useless items that will only end up broken in a matter of hours. Personally, I can think of far better ways to spend money than on silly…animatronics,” he finished, as he waved his hand at the dancing figurines.

  Maria hid the smirk on her face as she watched the look of utter disdain sweep across his face. That was definitely not the response she expected. “You’re jaded.”

  “Just figure out what you want. I’m starving.” He dropped his head to look over the menu refusing to make eye contact until after the waiter took their order.

  Maria nearly purred when their waiter poured their wine. Although she was nervous about Tessa going to Syria without her and the fact that her brother hadn’t called her back yet, she knew there was nothing that she could do.

  Hopefully, the wine would help her relax.

  “Explain something to me,” she asked after she’d downed half a glass. “How is it that a member of the royal family is flying without security?”

  “I can take care of myself,” he said easily.

  “What’s in Lebanon?”

  Jarik shook his head. “Inquisitive little thing, aren’t you? I would think you could dampen that curiosity for the amount of money that I’m paying you.”

  Maria immediately stiffened. “I would think that you’d be a little nicer considering that I am your only option for getting to Lebanon.”

  “I could have taken the other flight with Tessa.”

  “And yet you didn’t, which makes me believe that you don’t want anyone to know that you’re heading to Lebanon,” Maria tossed back.

  “I already told you why,” Jarik said as he looked around hastily.

  She sighed and put her wine glass down. “I’m sorry. I’m a little anxious about being waylaid.”

  “I don’t think the refugees are going to mind if the crates get there a little late,” Jarik said with a soft smile. “But I think it’s nice that you want to get everything ready by Christmas.”

  Maria shook her head. “It’s not just that. There have been some bumps in the road over the past couple of years. Many of my donors are threatening to pull out if things don’t go well this year. That kind of scandal would shut down Christmas Crates forever.”

  He leaned back and stared at her. “I did some reading on you. You started the international charity when you were eighteen. That’s a huge undertaking for someone so young.”

  “You did some reading on me?” Maria echoed. “How long did you have this planned?”

  “Your charity was listed on your flight manifest,” Jarik said with a half-smile. “From there it wasn’t hard to decide if you would be a security threat.”

  That made sense. Why was she being so paranoid with him? “I’d just gotten my pilot’s license and I was looking for a way I could help others. I love Christmas and well…” shrugging her shoulders. “I started with crowd funding to help get it started. After that, my brother had plenty of connections. It wasn’t as hard as you would think. Rich people like to throw money at things and think they’re doing good. Especially during the holidays.” As soon as the words were out of her mouth, she regretted them. “Shit. I didn’t mean it like that. I just meant…”

  “You meant that it wasn’t hard to get the money because people would rather pay to fix things than to actually volunteer and do work?” Jarik asked with a raised eyebrow. He didn’t sound mad.

  “Right,” she muttered lamely. “Anyway, things went well for a while, but there have been some issues lately. I really need to g
et to Syria on time.”

  “You worry too much for someone so young.”

  They were interrupted by their food, and Maria took the opportunity to drop the conversation. She didn’t like to talk about herself, and she sure as hell didn’t want to open up to someone like Jarik. He wouldn’t even begin to understand her.

  4

  Jarik didn’t make a big deal about her paying. It didn’t bother him all that much, and he could tell it was a big deal for her. She was a hard woman to figure out. There were moments where she seemed to forget herself and she opened up to him, and there were other moments when she seemed to realize who she was talking to, and she clamped her mouth shut and blushed.

  It frustrated him. He wanted to know more about Maria Walken, but the more he pushed, the quieter she got. She seemed to be suspicious about his reasons for wanting to get to know her.

  He had a feeling simply saying that he was intrigued by her would probably anger her.

  She was focused. Every step that she took, every move that she made had a purpose. Jarik couldn’t help but wonder what she would be like if she actually relaxed. Truly relaxed. Even after two glasses of wine with dinner, she was still anxious and worried.

  So anxious that she didn’t see the two men that stared at her as they walked out. At first, Jarik felt jealous that these two strangers had the freedom to watch her so openly without fear of retribution, but when they got up after they passed, his whole body tensed.

  “Okay,” she said with a tight smile when they walked out. “My hotel is right around the corner, so I can walk. I’ll call the airport in the morning and find out when we can takeoff, and I’ll get in touch with you.”

  “I booked us a room. I already told you that.” He tried to keep the irritation out of his voice, but he knew he wasn’t successful when she glared at him.

  “Sorry you went to all that trouble, but I already have a place I stay at when I’m here.”

  Jarik contemplated taking her by the arm and putting her in a taxi but he didn’t want to call attention to them.