The Sheikh’s Rescued Baby (Hasan Sheikhs Book 3) Read online

  He paused, pulsing inside of her, struggling to keep his breathing steady. Nadim felt like he was at the top of a swell in the ocean, a wave waiting to crash down. An electric sensation hummed over his skin and through the coiled center of him.

  Then Aisha pulled him in, kissing him urgently, and he pulled back out, thrusting back into her with all the power he’d held back. She met him move for move, growing more frantic until she pushed at him with both palms. He rolled and took her over with him, and Aisha tossed her head back. She rode him for all she was worth, hips working, hair falling around her shoulders like a dream.

  It was the most tantalizing sight he’d ever seen. Nadim wanted it to last forever, but with her hands digging into him and her heat all around him...how could he last? He touched her, running his hands over every available inch of her skin and settling between her legs. He curled a finger so his knuckle pressed against her clit.

  Aisha’s eyes flew open, wide and shocked, but she didn’t stop the movement of her hips. She bumped against his fingers again and again. She clenched tighter around him, the muscles inside of her working, and then he got what he wanted—Aisha closed her eyes and came, grinding down on him as she did.

  It was wild and animal, and he gripped her hips tightly and followed her into his own release. It seemed to involve every muscle in his body in a way he’d never felt before, so intense it was almost painful. Aisha leaned down and kissed him, making the pleasure peak again. She stroked his beard while they came down, breathing hard. Nadim’s vision came back bit by bit until he could focus on her face again. There was no one else in the world. Her eyes were the only things that mattered—her eyes, her mouth, and her body against his.

  The quiet of the room spilled back in, broken only by the sounds of their breath. He touched Aisha’s face, running the pad of his thumb over her cheek. He stroked her hip, memorizing the shape of it under his palm.

  He looked into her eyes, which lingered on his.

  He thought, oh, no.

  7

  The last day of the tour was marked in her itinerary as “unscheduled,” though that wasn’t precisely what it meant. The day was scheduled for Aisha—she’d spend it with Nadim. But they didn’t have to be anywhere. There were no official brunches or meetings or anything else. So they decided to walk down the boardwalk in the fresh morning sun.

  Aisha pushed Karyme in their brand-new stroller, the wheels rumbling gently over the dips in the boards. Gulls cried in the air above them, the sea lapped at the sand, and it was almost impossible to believe that all of it had been drenched in rain the day before. Aisha tipped her face back and let the sun warm her.

  “This is perfect.” The words resonated with a multitude of meanings. The day was perfect, yes—sunny and warm, her favorite. And Nadim, walking next to her, couldn’t have looked better if he tried. But she still tried to steer them back within the boundaries they had to keep. “This will let you see the shipping infrastructure and the other economic activities going on in the city.”

  Nadim laughed at her. “I’m very interested in the economic activities.”

  Her cheeks heated, and she pursed her lips. “Don’t say it like that. It sounds dirty.” Aisha could feel him looking at her, and she stared resolutely ahead of them, toward the docks at the far end of the boardwalk. Last night had happened. She just wasn’t going to talk about it. And when he joked with her like this, it made her want more of him. That simply couldn’t happen.

  A family came by them, talking happily among themselves, and Aisha used the moment to focus on steering the stroller out of their way. In the process she bumped hips with Nadim. Oh, perfect. She wasn’t going to talk to him about the incredible sex they’d had less than twelve hours before, and now the world was conspiring to push them together.

  Once the family had gone past, she put a wider gap between them.

  Karyme chirped in the stroller, making her baby sounds—ba ba ba and ma ma ma and a funny hurling sound that made Aisha laugh in spite of herself. The baby twisted in her seat, hands in the air. She reached for Nadim.

  “I think she wants you.” Aisha steered the stroller closer to him, acutely aware of the glint in Nadim’s eyes.

  “I think you’re right.” Nadim bent down and unbuckled Karyme, scooping her easily into his arms. She grinned at him, displaying her two tiny teeth on her bottom gum. Then she brought her hands to his beard, tiny face settling into a serious expression.

  Aisha’s heart melted. So much for putting her defenses up.

  “Your beard is Karyme’s equivalent to a security blanket,” she mused.

  “She has good taste.” Nadim winked at her, and a laugh escaped Aisha.

  They walked on, looking out at the sea, and soon enough Karyme was resting her head on Nadim’s shoulder, one hand on the side of his face.

  Aisha swallowed a lump in her throat. Karyme and Nadim together—it was touching on a level she had not anticipated. Not in a thousand years. She wasn’t the kind of woman who broke down crying easily. Her years in the palace, and now as sultana, had trained her out of such displays. But now the tears gathered in the corners of her eyes. So many feelings. They walked closer to the shipping docks, and the crowd thickened.

  “So.” Nadim balanced Karyme carefully in his arms. The baby had fallen asleep, her tiny mouth hanging open, cheek pressed against his shoulder. It was by far the cutest thing Aisha had ever seen. Her heart thumped, and her shoulders tensed. Was he going to make another joke with that heat in his eyes? If he did, she wouldn’t be able to stand it. “What goods move through this port? There are lots of vessels coming and going. It must be very prosperous.”

  Aisha let out a breath she hadn’t known she was holding. “All kinds of things. The city is known for its tapestries, but it also acts as a hub for the inland villages. Artisans and manufacturers from all over the country send their items here to be shipped around the world, and raw materials come in. We also have natural resources like salt and silver to be shipped out.”

  They talked about shipping and commerce as they went past the docks and into the downtown area. The streets were alive with people shopping. They passed art galleries and restaurants and a surprising number of boutique hotels.

  “For the tourists,” Aisha told Nadim. “They like to come by boat. A cruise ship stops here once a week, and its passengers come to shop.”

  “It looks like an ideal getaway.” Nadim surveyed the hotels, which had been built among the city’s original buildings. This made them smaller than the big chain hotels of the west and also far more unique. Many of them sported gardens in the front. “A big enough city to feel anonymous, but small enough to feel at home.”

  Karyme stirred and fussed, and Nadim was quick to pat her on the back.

  “It’s an ideal getaway,” he sang, the tune vaguely familiar. “People come here to rest, and relax, and eat dinner, to walk on the boardwalk—”’

  He had an incredible voice, she had to admit. And he sang so easily, like he didn’t mind if other people heard. Why would he mind, with a voice like that? Envy crept through her at how comfortable Nadim seemed. It was ridiculous, because she wanted him to feel comfortable. Didn’t she? That was her job as hostess—to make him feel comfortable so they could get to know each other. But not so comfortable that he felt like he could walk in and take over.

  No chance of that. Nadim didn’t want to take over.

  Not the kingdom, anyway.

  He’d taken over her body thoroughly last night.

  Aisha’s cheeks went hot and she cleared her throat. Nadim shot her a curious look. “Something on your mind?”

  “Nothing at all,” she said lightly. “I’m getting hungry. Should we stop somewhere and eat?”

  He paused for a beat. “The next available cafe will be just fine. We’ll have a culinary adventure.”

  They started the search for somewhere to eat, and Aisha tried to get her mind off Nadim and his body…and Nadim’s body in bed. She did not
want to talk about it. And even if she did want to talk about it, she wouldn’t do it here, in a public setting.

  But in the back of her mind she knew it wasn’t the people holding her back.

  It was the terrible truth of things.

  They settled in for brunch at a café and as Nadim rocked Karyme, patting her back so she’d keep snoozing, she pretended to be utterly absorbed in the menu. But the facts might as well have been printed there too, in black and white, next to the sandwiches.

  Nadim was her best option as a husband so far. He was the only man she’d enjoyed spending any time with. He’d charmed every person they’d met, except for Jamad.

  He was the best option, but he wasn’t a viable option. For one thing, he didn’t take the prospect of marriage seriously. He said it was because he wanted to figure out his calling—to accomplish something worthwhile before he settled down. But was that really it? She peeked at him over the top of her menu. He sang under his breath, patting Karyme’s back to the rhythm of his song as he perused the menu. As she watched, his perfect full lips came together. The things those lips, and that tongue, had done to her last night—

  Aisha ducked back behind the menu. She could not think about that now. Or ever. Not ever. Because what if it wasn’t really about accomplishments? What if, deep down, he just didn’t want to be tied down to one woman? His reputation as a playboy made that likely.

  Or worse, maybe Jamad was right. Maybe she was too soft. Too much of a bleeding heart. If that was the case, it was time to staunch the bleed before it got out of hand. Past time.

  Aisha took a deep breath and put her sultana face back on. Polite. Interested. Cool. But then the baby woke up and twisted around in Nadim’s arms to look at her. Nadim took Karyme’s hand and helped her to wave at Aisha.

  “Hi, Aisha,” he said in a high-pitched voice, as if Karyme were speaking. “Did you decide what you want to eat?”

  And her heart melted all over again.

  She kept her feelings in check for the rest of their lazy day together, but as night fell they bubbled up, boiling until she had to say something. Once and for all. When the baby had been bathed and dressed in her pajamas, Aisha took her into the guest room they were using as a nursery and went over what she’d say while she patted Karyme’s back. Karyme was asleep in minutes.

  Aisha marched to Nadim’s suite. He sat in a chair by the fireplace, a book in his lap, but when she knocked on the frame of the open door, he put it down and stood up. Her breath caught. He was so handsome.

  “I came to talk to you.” Better to get it out in the open right away.

  Nadim came to her. “Talk to me, then.”

  “I wanted to say—”

  Nadim reached a hand to her face and brushed a lock of hair back over her ear, and all Aisha’s determination crumbled to the floor. She found herself leaning into his palm. He stepped closer, pulling her in, and she couldn’t resist. Nadim leaned down and kissed her. There it went—the last of her stoicism, flying out the window and into the night.

  “Sorry,” he said. “What was it you wanted to say?”

  She took his hand. “Take me to bed.”

  8

  The next morning brought a flurry of busy activity to the villa.

  Packing began as soon as he was woken up in the morning by a quiet knock on his door, followed by an efficient stream of servants into his rooms. Nadim showered and dressed, then came out to find Karyme. He had never met a happier baby. Granted, he had not spent a terribly large amount of time with any babies—but even when he’d gone out to represent the royal family, he had never seen a more contented baby in all that time.

  Karyme was beloved everywhere they went, it turned out—everyone except Jamad cooed over her, and the hummus incident had only made Nadim more proud of her. How could she not be beloved, with her quick smile and dimpled cheeks? All the servants wanted a chance to play with Karyme one last time before they left for Mahadin. Nadim and Aisha took turns holding her and letting everyone say their farewells. He was bouncing her in one arm in the dining room when Aisha swept in from her morning briefing, her eyebrows furrowed.

  “This is the end of the tour,” she said, crossing her arms over her chest. “Have I managed to change your mind?”

  The question stole his breath. She hadn’t wanted him—not in the beginning. But things had changed between them, hadn’t they? He looked at her against the understated backdrop of the dining room, with its hanging tapestries and delicate wood furniture. Aisha looked like a queen wherever she went, and she looked like one now, waiting for him to answer with her head held high. She wore a dark green wrap dress this morning, perfect for traveling but formal enough to get off the plane in the capital city.

  Nadim cleared his throat. “I didn’t know you were trying,” he joked, but it felt all wrong. So did the next words that came out of his mouth. “You’re wonderful,” he told Aisha. “But going on tour with you hasn’t gotten me any closer to figuring out my life goal. And I need to do that before I get seriously involved with anyone.”

  “Ah.” She waved a hand in the air. “That’s what I thought you’d say.”

  His stomach sank, and a heaviness came over him as they made their way to the airport and onto the plane for the flight back to Mahadin. Aisha sat across from him on the royal jet, playing with the makeshift rattle. Karyme couldn’t get enough of it. Regret tightened his throat. If only she had more time. If there weren’t a looming deadline, he could figure out his own life and how she’d fit into it. But there was no telling how long that might take. Aisha couldn’t wait for him. Not with Jamad lurking in the wings.

  Aisha got up from her seat and came to sit next to him. “I have to make a call, and Karyme is tired. Will you hold her?”

  “Of course.” He took the baby in his arms and Karyme immediately settled in, stoking his beard while she found a good spot to lay her head on his shoulder. Aisha sighed and let her hair out of the twist at the back of her head. She shook out her curls while she looked down at the baby. Nadim shifted his gaze to the baby. “I’m going to miss her.”

  “Me, too.” Aisha rubbed Karyme’s back. “Though we might have a bit more time with her after all. Sanaa has been in touch with the social services in Mahadin.” She kept her voice low and steady. Karyme was already nodding off, body relaxing against Nadim’s. “It turns out that the person who’s normally in charge of placing babies in foster homes is away for a few days. They’re managing emergency cases first, and since Karyme is safe and secure, they’d be much obliged if she could stay where she is for now.” A smile played across her lips. “I have to admit, I don’t mind at all. But I need to give some attention to the lack of social services in this country. I’m not sure my father paid much attention to that kind of thing.”

  Nadim opened his mouth, the words on the tip of his tongue: Maybe I could stay a bit longer, until Karyme is settled. Wouldn’t that be the right thing to do? The baby seemed happy enough with Aisha—and with him—and if she had to make another transition so soon...he worried about it. But before he could pose the question, Sanaa stepped over.

  “I’m sorry to interrupt, Aisha—the call has been moved up as a matter of urgency.” Worry reflected in Sanaa’s eyes. What was it about? He supposed that if it had anything to do with him, he’d hear about it when it became relevant.

  Aisha patted Karyme’s back one more time and gave Nadim an apologetic smile. She moved to the office area at the back of the plane, and soon her low tones faded into the background. The wind rushed outside the plane’s windows. Nadim got lost in his thoughts. His flight back to Raihan was scheduled for the next morning. It was probably just as well that he didn’t offer to stay longer. The sooner he left, the better it would be for both of them.

  They landed in Mahadin, and the flurry of activity around them continued. They disembarked to find a small press pool waiting for them. Aisha turned and posed next to Nadim, both of them aware of the cameras. He kept a smile on his face,
even though every passing event meant he was closer to leaving.

  That’s a good thing, he reminded himself, over and over. The quicker time passed, the quicker all this would be in the past. And the quicker he could stop thinking about it. They climbed into the first in a line of air-conditioned SUVs to go back to the palace. One more night in Kendah, and he would be back in his old life again.

  Aisha spent the ride back to the palace on the phone with one of her advisors, and once they arrived, she disappeared inside with a distracted wave. Nadim took Karyme out of her car seat. The baby grinned at him, and he stood there with her at the back entrance of the palace until one of the staff came and took her out of his arms.

  “I’m sure you’d like to get settled, Sheikh Nadim,” she said with a smile. “I’ll take baby Karyme to her own rooms.”

  “Of course.”

  He settled into his same guest suite, down the hall from Aisha’s private quarters. His stomach rumbled. Dinnertime neared, and he thought fondly of their meals on the terraces. The palace’s wide terrace spread out a level below his rooms, but...something was off. Nadim peered out his window. The sky was a strange color, and not-so-distant clouds piled up on top of one another like water pressing against a dam.

  He went to find Aisha, trying to shake off the unsettling sensation of feeling quite at home in this palace. Almost as if he belonged here. Almost as if he should stay. But he wouldn’t—he couldn’t. That would mean going against everything he had planned. And after a lifetime of living in his brothers’ shadows, he couldn’t very well step into Aisha’s. He’d lose himself there, and he knew it.

  After several minutes of hunting, he found her in her office. Advisors moved around her like bees around a flower, but Aisha didn’t look fragile or delicate—she looked powerful, pointing down at a map on a tablet resting on the desk.