The Sheik's Love Child (8 page)

He left a moment later and Dani was standing alone in his office, staring at the now closed door and wondering what she was supposed to do with her time until evening.

Alea! Dani remembered her plan to ask her new assistant about the palace and figure out how to get out of her predicament.

Dani left Kalil’s office by a different route than he’d taken and found her way back to the suite of rooms she’d been given. Thankfully, Alea was there, putting away several new outfits.

“Where did those come from?” Dani asked warily as Alea snipped the tags off of them and hung them up into a cavernous closet.

Alea’s bright and sunny personality didn’t disappoint. “They arrived for you this morning,” she said and turned to face Dani. “Is there anything I can do for you?”

Dani nodded her head. No time like the present, she thought. “Yes. I was wondering if you could give me a tour of the palace. I almost got lost on my way back here and would like a better tour so I know where I’m going.”

“My pleasure,” she said and led the way down one of the long hallways. Alea was wonderfully knowledgeable about the architecture of the palace as well as what all the rooms were for and who worked where. She knew just about everyone in the palace and, at Dani’s insistence, introduced Dani to them. Alea whispered that it didn’t seem appropriate for Dani to be introduced in that fashion but Dani just shook her head. “I don’t really abide by a hierarchy, if you must know. If Kalil doesn’t like it, he can send me back to England.”

“Kalil?”

Dani waived her hand, “I think you refer to him as ‘Your Highness’ or some other odd thing.”

“Ah,” she replied, looking embarrassed.

“Never mind,” Dani said, knowing she had stepped over some invisible line within the palace. “What’s next?” she prompted.

They spent the rest of the morning going through the hallways, touring the gardens and Dani genuinely enjoyed learning more about what happens at the palace and how it had been built over several centuries and many different rulers. Dani also asked Alea to teach her small phrases in Arabic. By the end of the hour, Dani knew how to ask for the bathroom, say hello, goodbye and other small phrases that would be completely useless to her. But she also asked Alea to come back later in the afternoon to do a formal Arabic lesson.

“I would be more than happy to teach you but I will also notify His Highness that you need a formal tutor,” she said.

“No!” Dani cried out. Alea almost jumped at Dani’s exclamation. “Sorry,” Dani said, shaking her head in Alea’s direction. “Please don’t tell Kalil that I’m learning. I really don’t want him to know yet.”

“But why?” she asked, her eyes showing her confusion. “It would only please him to know that you are learning. I think he would be very happy.”

“I understand that the rest of the palace revolves around Kalil’s happiness but I don’t want to be one of those people,” Dani said. “You mentioned some stables? If you’ll tell me which way to go, I’ll find my way, if that is okay to do.”

“Of course,” Alea said. “But I would be more than happy to show you the way.”

“No, thank you. I’d just like to wander down and see be alone for a little while,” Dani explained.

Alea nodded and gave Dani directions. “But if you wait, I’ll bring you a hat,” she said. You’re skin is probably not used to the sun,” she said and rushed off before Dani could respond.

She returned only moments later with a large, brimmed hat. Dani obediently put it on her head, knowing that her pale skin would burn easily in the summer sun. “Thank you Alea. I’m glad you thought of that,” she said and turned in the direction Alea had mentioned.

On her walk down to the stables, she looked around, noting the various courtyards and palace traffic. Everyone seemed extremely busy, with a purpose and skip to their step. Dani was the only one that was strolling aimlessly along. What would she be doing at home? Lesson plans. Lunches with friends, cleaning up her classroom. There wasn’t anything urgent over the summer, she knew. That didn’t mean she wanted to stay down here though.

As she walked through the covered sidewalks towards the stables, Dani held the hat by her side and practiced the Arabic phrases she’d learned, concentrating on her pronunciation. If she’d been looking up instead of down at the ground, she would have seen the large frame that came bolting out of the side doors, right into her.

“Excuse me!” Dani said and was held steady in strong arms. She instantly shivered and knew who the arms belonged to before she even looked up into Kalil’s dark features.

“I’m sorry,” he said, still holding her arms and looking down into her angry eyes. “Where are you headed?”

“To the stables. Is that allowed?”

“Are you going to ride a horse?” he asked, his eyes instantly showing his concern.

Dani laughed softly. “No. I don’t know how to ride a horse. But I thought it would be nice to just see them. I was told you have prize thoroughbreds and Arabians in your stables. I wanted to peek at what that kind of a horse looks like.”

“Ah! Well you’re in luck,” he said, his eyes concentrating on her lips. “I’m on my way down to the stables as well. One of my mares is about to give birth and I was going to check on her. May I accompany you?”

Dani frowned. “Is the mare okay?”

“I think so,” he said to allay her fears. “But come with me,” he said and put a hand on the small of her back to guide her along. “We’ll see together.”

“Thank you,” Dani said and fell into step beside her. “I’m surprised you have the time to check on a horse,” she said as way of conversation.

“Why wouldn’t I?”

“Aren’t you ruling a country or something like that?”

“Something like that. But I take time out occasionally from my duties.”

“That seems odd for some reason,” she said, smiling despite herself. “I guess I always thought of people in your kind of position always ruling, never really taking a break.”

“Of course we take a break. We’d go insane if we didn’t. Everyone has to have distractions,” he said.

They’d reached the stables by then and he opened the heavy door to the Spanish looking building. It wasn’t like the stables back home she’d seen when driving through the country with stones or wood and hay strewn about. This stable was better maintained than some apartment complexes. The horses were all housed in immaculate stalls with brass name plates and there were trainers or other workers busily moving about the area. Most horses were either being groomed or were out in a large field, friskily running around the perimeters.

Kalil walked up to one stall with several people around it. He stepped in and Dani saw a proud beauty with soft, brown eyes that was laying on her side, breathing heavily. Everyone spoke in Arabic and Dani didn’t understand a word but after Kalil spoke with what she assumed was the head trainer or perhaps the veterinarian, he waved her into the stall. “Would you like to pet her?” he asked, bending down to stroke the mare’s nose and neck, speaking soothing words to her.

“No, thank you,” Dani said and stepped back again, genuinely nervous around an animal that large and in such pain. “Why is she breathing so heavily? Is that normal?”

Kalil smiled. “It is when a horse is about to give birth,” he said and gave the horse one last pat before standing up and joining her. “It will be a few more hours,” he said.

“Hours?” Dani whispered in fear for the horse that was throwing her head back in obvious pain. “Can’t you do something to help her? Drugs or something?”

“A horse can’t talk like a woman. So we can’t give her drugs. Otherwise, she wouldn’t be able to push the foal out.”

Dani stepped back, grabbing Kalil’s hands inadvertently. “You have to help her!” she demanded.

Kalil chuckled and guided her out of the stall. “Why are you afraid of horses?”

Dani grimaced and looked up at him. “Possibly because they are extremely large animals with equally large teeth and hard hooves.”

“But horses are very kind animals if you treat them well.”

“I’ll trust you on that claim.”

“Nonsense, come over here and see for yourself,” he said, and led her to another stall.

Dani went, but not very willingly. “I was kind of hoping that I could see these wonderful creatures from a distance. Isn’t that possible?”

“Yes but not nearly as satisfying,” he countered. Once he reached another large stall, he opened the top half of the gate and whistled. Immediately a horse trotted over to Kalil’s open hand, nuzzling him affectionately. He spoke to her softly in Arabic, petting his neck and flanks. “Come, see Solomon for yourself.”

Dani shook his head. “I’ll trust you,” she replied, but her eyes watched his hands, noting the long fingers and the gentle touch, how the horse moved into Kalil’s hands and asked for more. Dani knew it was crazy, but she was actually jealous of the horse. She wanted Kalil’s hands on her, touching her neck, stroking her, making her feel wonderful.

This was absolutely insane, she told herself for the second time today. Over breakfast, he had used words to reduce her to a quivering mass of desire. Now, he wasn’t even trying and she wanted him desperately, was even jealous of a beast of a horse because he was getting more attention than she was.

“Have you ever ridden a horse?” he asked abruptly.

Dani snapped out of her hypnotic state and glanced up at him. “Excuse me?” she asked, feeling her face warm when she hadn’t heard his question.

Kalil didn’t comment, but raised one eyebrow to indicate that he was curious about her reaction. “I asked if you’d ever ridden a horse before.”

“Oh! Ah…no. And I don’t think that is an experience I really want.”

“But this can’t be,” he said softly. He raised one hand slightly and a stable hand appeared as if by magic. Kalil gave the man instructions and Dani watched in horror as the man led another horse out into a large area and saddled her.

“Kalil, I’m not sure what you have in mind, but if it has anything to with me on top of that horse, you can just forget about it,” she said, backing up several steps.

“Trust me?” he said and walked so he was standing directly in front of her, blocking the view of the man saddling the horse.

“No,” she said, peeking around Kalil’s broad shoulders to determine how much time she had before the real battle would begin.

“Yes you do,” he countered.

She stopped looking around him and glared up into his amused face. “Kalil, why in the world would I trust you? You’ve kidnapped me here simply because I may, and I would like to emphasize the extremely remote possibility, be pregnant with your child which, according to you, must be raised here in Basir and no other place in the world will do. So tell me exactly how and why I should trust you. Because so far, I haven’t seen or experienced much to engender that feeling yet.”

His smile only broadened. “In time, you will learn to trust me. And this will be your first lesson,” he explained. He turned around and the horse was already saddled. Kalil took her hands in his and gently led her over to the patiently waiting horse.

“Kalil, I am not getting on that horse!” she said adamantly, trying to free her hands from his and back up.

Kalil only smiled slightly, then lifted her up onto the horse. Dani was shocked to find herself sitting on the horse. She looked down at Kalil and tried to swing her leg back over the horse. “Please don’t do this,” she pleaded but he only put a hand on her upper thigh.

“How are you going to learn to trust me if you aren’t patient?” A moment later, he swung up behind her, pulling her back and bottom firmly against his chest and hips. “Relax,” he said softly into her ear.

Dani wished she could obey but the heat coming from his body was too much. Her body was responding to the tension and it was building, making her stomach coil with wanting. Then the horse moved. It was only a slow walk at first and Kalil put his arm around her waist, holding her securely while his other hand controlled the reigns.

“What are you doing?” she asked breathlessly.

“I’m taking you for a ride on Daisy.”

“Daisy?” she laughed despite her nervousness. “You have a horse named Daisy?”

“Yes. Why is that so hard to believe? Doesn’t she look like a ‘Daisy’ to you?” They were now walking out into the sunshine and Kalil called out an order to someone else. Immediately a hand appeared. It wasn’t the large, wide-brimmed hat that Alea had given her but it was smaller, with just enough of a brim to keep the sun off the front of her face but still very comfortable.

“Thank you,” she said, pulling the hat low on her forehead to keep as much of the sun off as possible. “And no, this large animal does not in any way resemble any daisy I’ve ever seen. So why did you name her Daisy? And whose horse is she?”

“She used to belong to my sister before she married last year.”

“I didn’t know you had a sister,” she said, surprised.

“I have three, all of them married. I have parents too, just in case you were wondering.”

“You do?”

“My father is still living but my mother died five years ago.”

“I’m sorry,” she said, turning so she could look up into his face. She knew that losing a parent was one of the worst experiences. And she’d lost both of hers four years ago in a car accident.