From a corner of the room came an audible gasp, and she swung around to see a young woman dressed in traditional robes staring at her with a look of undisguised horror on her pretty face."This is Jamila, who will be Hazem’s nanny," Ahsan said tightly. His face was a taut mask of fury, and Kate’s spurt of angry defiance wavered when he gripped her arm and dragged her over to the door. "I will escort Hazem’s stepmother to her room." He addressed Jamila in English, and the young woman nodded and smiled faintly, clearly still shocked that Kate had shown such disrespect to a member of the royal family. "We will leave you so that you and Hazem can become acquainted."To Kate’s relief, Jamila replied in perfect English. "Of course, sir." I will let Prince Hazem explore the nursery, and then I will give him his lunch—if you wish me to," she added hesitantly when Kate opened her mouth to argue that Hazem was her responsibility.Before she could comment, Ahsan tightened his hold on her arm and
"You can’t kidnap him." "I'll go to the British Embassy," she cried wildly. I agreed to bring him to Qubbah to visit your father, and I trusted that you would not stop me from taking him back to Ingledean. You can’t go back on your word."I said nothing about you taking Hazem away from Qubbah," Ahsan shrugged impatiently, as if bored with the debate."You are free to leave whenever you like." But he is staying here at the palace—for good.‘No! You can’t do that.Kate’s face drained of color, and Ahsan felt the faintest tug on his conscience. Her eyes were huge in her pale face, and her vibrant hair seemed to have a life of its own, fighting free of the pins that secured it to tumble around her shoulders.She was so beautiful, he thought angrily, infuriated by his body’s unbidden response to her. He had never met a woman so exquisitely lovely or wanted one with such shaming hunger. But the level of his desire for her surprised him. He had spent his adult life enjoying the company of bea
The command was a low growl that resonated through her, and when she lifted her heavy lids, she saw that Ahsan’s sharp cheekbones were stained with dull color, his face a taut mask of undisguised hunger. Once again, the voice in her head advised caution, but her body had a will of its own. Her fingers fumbled with his shirt buttons until eventually the last one was freed, and she pushed the material aside and ran her hands over the olive-gold skin that felt like satin beneath her fingertips, while the mass of black hairs that covered his chest tickled her palms.She traced the ridges of his powerful abdominal muscles and felt his stomach contract. She heard him growl something against her skin as he dragged her bra strap down her arm to expose her other breast. She gasped when he caught her swollen nipple between his lips and sucked hard, causing a peculiar sensation to spiral down through her body from her breasts to her pelvis.She twisted her hips restlessly as she felt a flood of
She refused to stay here for another day, and Kate vowed to return the following morning as she stood at the nursery window, blinking back angry tears. She would not allow Ahsan to manipulate her and treat her as if she were worthless—particularly where Hazem was concerned.She screwed up her eyes against the brilliant glare of the sun and scanned the palace gardens. But only the peacocks that lived in the grounds were strutting along the paths, and there was no sign of a man or a small boy.She’d spent the previous night plagued by memories of her shameful response to Ahsan and worrying over his shocking statement that he would never let her take Hazem back to England. She'd eventually fallen into a restless sleep and awoken late as a result.The sun had already been streaming through the blinds when she’d hurried to the nursery, where Jamila, the nanny Ahsan had appointed, had explained that "His Royal Highness" had taken Prince Hazem for a camel ride in the desert.How dared he take
Kate’s face flamed. Admittedly, her dress left her shoulders exposed, but the hem of the skirt fell to her knees, and to her mind, that was perfectly respectable. Ahsan made her feel like a tart, and mortification made her voice sharp. "What do you suggest I wear?" A sack that covers me from head to foot? "Or do you expect me to dress in robes and a veil?" she snapped."My father is a liberal-minded man who would not expect you to wear clothes that are not part of your culture," Ahsan said tersely. "But out of respect for him, I expect you to dress and act with a little decorum—and to restrain your insolent tongue."On that parting shot, he strode out of the room and slammed the door behind him with such savagery that Kate was surprised that great cracks did not appear in the palace walls."What is Ahsan upset about?"Hazem turned his huge brown eyes on her, and his bottom lip quivered."He’s not cross with you, darling," Kate quickly reassured him. "He would never be angry with you, H
Taken aback by the question, Kate did not know how to answer. She could feel Ahsan’s dark eyes boring into her and knew what he was thinking—that she had callously married Farhan knowing that she would soon be a rich widow. It wasn’t true, of course, and as she thought of the man she had married a year ago, she suddenly relaxed and met the king’s gaze."Yes, I loved him," she said honestly. She had not been in love with Farhan, but he had been like a big brother to her. He’d been the only person apart from her foster parents who had been prepared to give her a chance and accept her for the woman she had become, rather than the unhappy and rebellious teenager she had once been.She had met him fresh from the humiliation of being sacked from her first job as nanny to the Fitzroy children, and Farhan had believed her when she explained that, far from flirting with Giles Fitzroy, she had hated his revolting sexual innuendoes and his suggestion that she could improve her career prospects b
Perhaps it was the knowledge that she was forbidden that made her even more alluring? Isn't it human nature to want the things you can't have the most?Living under the same roof as her threatened to be purgatory, he acknowledged grimly, even taking into account the vastness of the palace. Even worse, he had promised his father that he would cut back on his trips abroad so that he could spend more time attending to matters of state. It would be many years before Hazem could rule Qubbah, and King Kabir had already made it clear that, on his death, he expected Ahsan to rule until Hazem came of age.Ahsan loved his homeland, but he was going to miss his freedom. He had always enjoyed spending time at his homes in London, St. Tropez, and New York, and up until recently, he’d kept mistresses at all three locations. Out of respect for his father, he’d always kept his affairs discreet, and he certainly could not invite his lovers to the palace. But he had a healthy sex drive, and he could se
It would be easy to disappear without trace in the miles of corridors that wound through the vast palace, she decided some twenty minutes later, when she finally negotiated her way to the east wing."Will I find Prince Ahsan here?" she asked the hapless guard who had followed her from her side of the palace and who had looked increasingly unhappy when she had steadfastly refused to return to her suite.He did not reply, but she saw him exchange glances with the two guards standing at the end of the corridor. She was certain she would find Ahsan beyond the double doors."I’m here to see the prince," she told them, lifting her chin and glaring at them when they stared straight ahead, their faces impassive. "He is expecting me." The lie still earned no response, and with an angry toss of her head, she stepped forward—only to find her way instantly barred as the guards crossed their swords in front of the doors."It is not permitted for you to enter." One of the men finally spoke, and Kat