A Christmas Bride (17 page)

Fresh flowers filled several vases and a large fruit basket sat on the dining room table.

“I thought we could go out to dinner tonight,” she said. “There are a couple of really nice restaurants in the city with private rooms. I can give the names to your head of security so he can check them out in advance. There are a few plays we could take in and a visiting European symphony, depending on what interests you most. My brother would be delighted if you would care to ride any of his horses and I—”

Hassan crossed to her and pressed his finger to her mouth. “You can stop talking now.”

She drew in a breath, then pressed her lips together. “All right.”

“I am not here to be entertained or to go riding. I am here to spend time with you. You have charmed me, Lina. I had not thought that would happen again in my lifetime and I am delighted to be wrong. I sense many possibilities.”

Oh, my. The man had simply put it out there. Of course, he was a king and that could have something to do with his confidence level. If only she could say the same about herself.

“I, ah...” She swallowed. “Me, too.”

He laughed, then pulled her close. “So let us see where this all leads.”

And then he kissed her.

CHAPTER SEVEN

AS’AD WATCHED AS several members of the kitchen staff set up the dinner. There was a large turkey, along with dishes of stuffing, yams, vegetables, mashed potatoes, gravy and several pies.

“I’m starving,” Pepper whispered to Dana. “Can I have just a bite?”

“No,” her sister told her. “We’re waiting for Kayleen, remember? It’ll just be a few more minutes.”

Kayleen had phoned to say she’d received the message telling her to come to As’ad’s room for dinner and would be right up.

As’ad did his best to focus on the girls, on how Pepper kept sniffing the air and how Nadine gracefully danced from foot to foot in impatience.

His plan had worked perfectly—the room was decorated, the meal prepared and Kayleen would be able to celebrate her country’s holiday. Yet despite the success, he couldn’t shake the deep sense of outrage that stirred within him.

She was leaving in a few months? Just like that? She hadn’t said anything to him, hadn’t hinted. He had hired her to be nanny to the three girls
she
had insisted he adopt and now she was going to disappear?

Equally insulting was the fact that Dana said she didn’t know if the sisters were staying or going. As if it was their decision to make. He was Prince As’ad of El Deharia.
He
decided who would stay and who would leave. How dare Kayleen think she could simply walk away without speaking to him.

He took out his anger on the bottle of Chardonnay he’d chosen for their dinner, jerking out the cork with more force than necessary.

Did Kayleen think it was acceptable to leave the girls so soon after bringing them to the palace? Did she think they could bear another upheaval in their lives? What about him? Was he to raise them on his own?

He didn’t know what annoyed him more—the fact that she’d been making plans without consulting him or the reality that she’d been considering leaving in the first place. Not that he personally cared if she went. His outrage was all for the girls, and perhaps for the violation of her position. She was the nanny. She reported to
him.

Apparently she was not impressed enough with his position and power. Obviously he needed to show her what it meant to deal with someone in the royal family.

He poured himself a glass of wine and drank it down. Even more annoying was her desire to cut herself off from the world. She did not belong in drab clothes, teaching at a convent school. What would happen to her there? Her bright spirit and fresh beauty would wither and die. She would grow old before her time.

It was up to him to change that. As her employer, he had a duty to protect Kayleen, even from herself. He knew best. At least here, in the palace, she would
live
her life. So how to convince her that she must stay, must serve him and be nanny to the girls?

He could order her, he thought as he poured a second glass of wine, then dismissed the idea as quickly as it formed. It pained him to admit the truth, but Kayleen was not one to take orders well, even from a prince. So he must convince her another way. He must make her see that there was more to her future than the high walls of a convent school. That there was much she would miss.

It would be one thing if she wanted to leave to live, he told himself. Perhaps to marry, although the idea of her with another man was irritating. Who would be good enough for her? Who would be patient with the unexpected virgin? Who would teach her the—

The thought formed. A solution. Perhaps unorthodox, but workable. He considered the possibilities and knew that it would be successful. A sacrifice, he thought, but not a hardship.

In time, she would thank him.

* * *

KAYLEEN WALKED INTO As’ad’s rooms with her mind still on her work. She’d been making a lot of progress on the report he’d requested and had found out a lot of interesting information about the various reasons why some villages sent a lot of young women to college and some didn’t. She wanted to discuss it all over dinner after they—

She paused, noting the room was especially dark, which didn’t make sense. There had been lights in the corridor. Had she accidentally gone into the wrong room?

She reached for a switch on the wall, only to have all the lights come on, the three girls jump out from behind furniture and yell, “Surprise!”

Kayleen took a step back. “What are you up to? What’s the surprise?”

And then she saw the paper turkeys covering every surface in the room. The festive fall garland, the leaves decorating the perfectly set table.

“It’s Thanksgiving,” Pepper said, rushing up and grabbing her hand. “We’re having a real Thanksgiving dinner.”

As’ad appeared. “The kitchen staff have done their best. They have never had a Thanksgiving dinner, so they apologize in advance if they didn’t get everything exactly as you would have it.”

Thanksgiving? Here? She’d willed herself not to think about the holiday, but it had been difficult and much of the day she’d felt sad. To walk into this was more than she could have imagined.

Dana and Nadine moved next to her. Kayleen crouched down to hug all three girls. Still holding them close, she looked up at As’ad.

“Thank you,” she said, delighted by the surprise and feeling oddly emotional. “You’re very thoughtful.”

“I cannot take all the credit. Lina reminded me of the holiday and the girls helped with the preparations. Are you pleased?”

She rose and smiled at him. “Very. Thank you.”

She’d never expected the gesture. As’ad wasn’t who or what she’d expected. There was a kindness in him, a caring and sensitivity she hadn’t thought possible. He was the classic handsome prince, yet he wasn’t indifferent or selfish. He could have chosen to spend his life going to parties and hanging out with models and stars. Instead he worked hard and took in orphans.

It occurred to her that he was a good man, the sort of man she admired. The kind of man the Mother Superior had told her to look for when she left for college. Kayleen hadn’t found anyone remotely fitting that description during her four years away. How odd she should find him now...here in El Deharia.

As’ad poured her a glass of wine as the girls dragged her to the table. “What are you thinking?” he asked, passing her the glass.

“That you’re very unexpected.”

“I could say the same about you.”

His low voice made her insides quiver.

They served themselves from the buffet and then settled at the table. Kayleen said grace, then took her first bite of turkey.

“It’s delicious. Dana, what do you think?” She looked at the girl and was surprised to see tears in her eyes. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. This is nice. Thank you.” A tear rolled down her cheek.

Pepper was crying, as well, and Nadine was sniffing into her napkin.

“I miss my mom and dad,” Nadine whimpered. “I want to go home and be with them.”

“Me, too,” Dana said, and turned her gaze to As’ad. “You’re the prince. Can’t you do something?”

Kayleen felt helpless. What could she possibly say to make the situation better? She felt awful for the girls, because she understood what they were going through. Holidays were always a mixed blessing—she’d loved the specialness of the day, but it had also reminded her of how alone she was. How she had no family, no one who loved her best.

As’ad put his arm around Dana, then kissed the top of her head. “If only I could,” he said quietly. “I know your pain and can tell you with time, it will get better.”

“You can’t know that,” the preteen told him, her voice thick with bitterness. “You can’t know anything about it.”

“I lost my mother when I was very young. Kayleen grew up with no family. We understand exactly what you are feeling.”

Dana seemed to deflate. “That doesn’t help. I know it should, but it doesn’t. I want to go home.”

As’ad stared at her for a long moment, then said, “When I was about your age, I ran away. I was angry at my father for not recognizing that I was growing up, practically a man. I was tired of being sent away to school every year, of being different. A prince. You’ll find that out as you grow. To be royal defines one.”

“I’m not royal,” Dana told him.

He smiled at her. “You are now. You are my daughter.”

Dana fiddled with her fork. “What happened when you ran away?”

“I decided to become a camel dealer.”

All three of the girls stared at him. Kayleen tried not to laugh. “Really?” she asked.

“Yes. I thought I could make a good living selling camels. I took several from the royal stable, thinking I would use them to start my business.”

Her lips twitched, but she was determined to be serious. “There’s a royal camel stable?”

His dark gaze settled on her, seeming to caress her with a warm, tender touch. “Of course. There is a royal everything.”

Pepper took a bite of turkey and chewed. “Can I see the royal camels?”

“Certainly.”

“Do they look different than regular camels?” Nadine asked.

“They wear very small crowns.”

Dana grinned. “They do not.”

As’ad laughed. “You’re right. But they are a special breed. And they are extremely stubborn. I did not know this when I first took them, but soon they were leading
me
into the desert, rather than the other way around.”

Nadine giggled. Dana joined in. “What happened?” she asked.

As’ad wove a funny tale about a boy and four stubborn, angry camels, a lost night in the desert and many disasters. By the time he was done, all three sisters had finished their dinner, gotten seconds and were eyeing the pie. The tears were gone, as were the bad memories.

This is what they would remember about their first Thanksgiving in El Deharia, Kayleen thought as she tucked them in and kissed them good-night. As’ad’s story would be a part of their history and they would remember it and him for the rest of their lives.

He’d escorted them down to their suite and had waited while they got ready for bed. As she walked back into her living room, she saw he’d started a fire in the fireplace and made himself at home on the large sofa across from the flickering flames.

“It’s not exactly chilly outside,” she told him, knowing it made sense to sit next to him, but suddenly feeling shy.

“I thought you would appreciate the ambience. More memories of home, but happy ones I hope.”

She walked over to the sofa and sat down at the far end. “There are a lot of happy ones,” she said, then turned to him. “Thank you for tonight. For the surprise and for helping the girls through a difficult time. This is their first holiday season without their parents and it’s going to be hard for them.”

“They will need both of us to get through,” he said.

“I agree.” She was a little surprised that he saw it that way, though. “I didn’t think you wanted much to do with them.”

“They are charming girls with much potential. I find I enjoy spending time with them.”

“I’m glad.”

“And you?” he asked, his dark gaze seeming to see into her soul. “What do you think of them?”

“I adore them. Why do you ask?”

“Because you plan to leave them.”

She opened her mouth, then closed it. Embarrassment made her stare at the fire. She battled guilt, as if she’d done something wrong. She knew she should have talked to him before—so he learned of her plans from her and not someone else. But she’d been afraid of what he would think of her.

“They told you,” she murmured.

“Dana said you planned to return home on your twenty-fifth birthday. That you would lock yourself away and teach at the convent school.”

When he said it, her dreams seemed small and pointless. “As you say, it’s my home.”

“A place we cannot always return to. What of your commitment to the girls?”

“I don’t know,” she admitted. “I haven’t really thought anything through. This was planned a long time ago. I didn’t expect to be their nanny.”