The Sheik and the Virgin Princess (8 page)

Zara wasn’t so sure about that. She found herself caring about Rafe’s good opinion. Of course that was more about her hormones than anything else.

“At least this situation puts the rest of my life in perspective,” she said.

“Just think about the excitement of being a princess.”

Princess? She hadn’t thought that part of it through. “No,” she said without thinking. “That’s not possible.”

Cleo would jump at the chance, but then, her sister had more of a princess personality. Zara rubbed her temples as she held in a groan. Cleo was the charming one. She could talk to anyone and men adored her. She, Zara, was painfully shy, awkward with strangers and had a horrible track record with men. In the past couple of years she’d begun to think there was something seriously wrong with her.

“Zara?”

She looked up and saw that Rafe had settled on the far end of the bench. She angled toward him. “This will never work. I’m hardly princess material. I barely know anything about Bahania, either the country or the customs. I’m sure to put a foot wrong. I’m not sophisticated or pretty. I’m a college professor from a small town no one has heard of. My idea of an exciting Friday night is going to a basketball game by myself. I can’t even get a date. My God, if everyone thought I was a freak before because I was a virgin, what are they going to think now?”

Her words hung in the late-afternoon heat. Zara blinked several times, hoping she hadn’t actually said her thoughts aloud. Unfortunately, the stunned expression on Rafe’s face told her that she had.

Humiliation washed over her. She felt her cheeks flame and started to get to her feet.

“Forget I said that,” she mumbled, just as his hand settled on her forearm.

“Don’t even think about going anywhere.”

She sank back on her seat and ducked her head. “I didn’t mean it.”

“Which part?”

“All of it.”

“There you are.”

Zara looked up, grateful for the interruption. Sabrina had stepped out onto the balcony. Rafe rose to his feet. Sabrina shot him a look.

“Oh, please,” she said with a laugh. “You’re going all formal on me now?”

“We’re in a different place.”

Sabrina sighed, her smile fading. “Tell me about it.” She turned her attention to Zara, who also stood. “I wanted to let you know that you and Cleo have been invited to a formal dinner tomorrow night. My father is entertaining several visiting dignitaries. My brothers will be there, as well. It’s a good opportunity for you to meet the family.”

The world began to spin. Zara tried to breathe but couldn’t. “A f-formal dinner?” she stuttered. “I don’t think that’s such a good idea.”

“Sorry. The king insists.” Sabrina didn’t look all that sorry. “Don’t worry. You won’t be expected to do much more than show up and chat with some of the guests.”

“But my presence isn’t appropriate. We don’t even know for sure that I’m his daughter.”

“The king specifically said he wants you and Cleo there. If you plan not to attend, I suggest you take it up with him.”

“Not a good idea,” Rafe said quickly, as if he really thought she might complain to King Hassan that she didn’t want to accept his invitation. Not that she did, but she wasn’t about to share the fact publicly.

Even though she was standing outdoors, she felt walls closing in around her. “I, ah, don’t have anything to wear.” Or the ability to pay for a dress that nice. Still, that was why they’d invented credit cards. She’d have to deal with the blow to her budget later. “Is there a store nearby where Cleo and I can shop?”

Sabrina sighed. “I could loan you something.” She looked Zara up and down. “You’re taller and thinner, which is a little annoying, but I think I can recover. I’ll see what I can find.”

Zara couldn’t tell if the princess was kidding or not. She had a bad feeling that Sabrina didn’t like her, although she didn’t know why. She wouldn’t have thought she’d been in town long enough to annoy anyone.

“You’re very kind,” Zara said, trying to sound gracious.

“Whatever.” Sabrina turned to leave, then paused. “Although there won’t be an official announcement about who you are, people are bound to notice the likeness. So be prepared to be the center of attention. No one will be rude enough to ask outright, but they will hint.”

With that, she gave a smile and headed back into Zara’s room. Zara sank back on the bench.

“Why does she hate me?”

She expected Rafe to deny any such emotion. When he didn’t say anything right away, she glanced at him. He’d shoved his hands into his pockets and looked almost uncomfortable with the question.

“She doesn’t hate you…exactly.”

Zara closed her eyes. “What does that mean?”

“It’s a long story.”

“I don’t seem to have any formal engagements until tomorrow.”

Rafe settled next to her again. “Sabrina’s parents married in haste, as they say. By the time she came along, there was already trouble in the relationship. They divorced fairly quickly, and when her mother asked permission for her to be taken out of Bahania, the king agreed. Sabrina was raised spending the school year with her mother in California and her summers here.”

Zara shook her head. “Wait a minute. What do you mean ‘her mother asked permission to take her out of the country’?”

“Bahanian law requires that royal children be raised within the borders of the country. It’s not that uncommon. El Bahar has similar requirements. While royal couples can divorce, they can’t take their children away. That way the monarchy ensures that the heirs are raised knowing about their country and their people.”

Zara thought that made sense, although it was difficult to relate to. “So Sabrina was a child of both countries. Why is that bad?”

“No prince or princess had been allowed to leave before. In essence, Hassan didn’t care enough about his daughter to keep her around.”

Zara didn’t like the sound of that. “Maybe he did care. Maybe her mother loved her so much that—”

Rafe cut her off with a shake of his head. “Neither of Sabrina’s parents were very interested in her. She was shuttled back and forth all her life, left in the care of nannies and maids. Sabrina’s an intelligent woman. She was an excellent student, but neither of her parents noticed. Because her mother lived something of a wild life, the press assumed the same about Sabrina, even though it wasn’t true. Then her father arranged a marriage for her without consulting her. For her it was the last straw.”

“What happened?”

He hesitated. “She ran away. It turned out well in the end. She married Prince Kardal and they’re very happy together. However she and her father have only recently reconciled.”

Zara got it right away. “So after twenty-plus years, they’re finally starting to connect, but she’s still bitter about all the years before. I show up out of nowhere and he welcomes me with open arms.”

“Exactly.”

Zara leaned back into the bench and groaned. “I’ve been in the palace less than three hours and I already have an enemy. What’s going to be next?”

Rafe found Prince Kardal in the security briefing room going over plans.

“Do you know how expensive the planes are going to be?” the prince asked when he entered.

“Yes.” Rafe slid into the seat across from his boss.

Like most modern rulers, Prince Kardal wore a suit rather than traditional garments. When he was home with his own people, he frequently returned to the old ways, but not while visiting a head of state—and his father-in-law.

Kardal, a tall, dark-haired man, tossed the plans to the table. “Technology isn’t cheap. I miss the old days, when we could patrol our country on camels.”

Rafe laughed. “Kardal, you’re barely in your thirties. You’re too young to remember those days.”

The prince grinned. “Perhaps.” He stretched. “I know why you have come to see me.”

“I bet. You heard about Zara?”

“Is that her name?”

“Yes. Zara Paxton. She’s a college professor from the Pacific Northwest. Some small town near Idaho.”

Kardal raised his eyebrows. “Is it true? Is she Hassan’s daughter?”

“Maybe.” He shook his head. “Probably. The king needs to be sure, which means blood tests. But right now he’s too excited to think logically. You know how he gets.”

Kardal reached under his shirt cuff and touched the thick, gold slave bracelet there. “Yes, I know. Has Sabrina met with her?”

Rafe nodded. “She came by Zara’s room about an hour ago.”

“She cannot be happy about her father’s enthusiasm.”

“No.” Which brought Rafe to another awkward point. “He’s asked me to watch over Zara. Be a temporary bodyguard.”

Kardal didn’t say anything for a long time. Then the corners of his mouth turned up and he laughed.

Rafe shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “Yeah, it’s a real knee-slapper. Thanks for the support.”

Kardal didn’t bother to apologize. He laughed a little longer, then finally spoke. “What is she like, this college professor?”

“Scared.” He thought of Zara’s pretty face and the questions in her eyes. “She’s overwhelmed by all that has happened. I don’t think she was expecting to be moved into the palace so quickly.”

Zara was as prepared to handle this as a rabbit was prepared to take on a pack of wolves. If she wasn’t careful she was going to be eaten alive. He couldn’t believe he was actually worried about her, but he was, dammit. What was wrong with him? He wasn’t a good person. He didn’t have altruistic feelings.

“Do you like her?” Kardal asked.

“I don’t know her.”

“You know what I mean.”

Rafe did know. His boss wanted to know what Rafe felt in his gut. Was she someone to be trusted?

“She’s all right,” he said grudgingly.

“Such high praise will turn her head,” Kardal teased. “So the king has requested you guard the treasure that is his daughter. We have at least three weeks until we return to the City of Thieves. I believe I can spare you, if you wish to honor the king’s request.”

“We both know it wasn’t a request,” Rafe grumbled.

“You are not his to command. You may certainly tell him no.”

“I don’t think so.”

“You tell me no constantly.”

“That’s different. You can be reasoned with. Hassan isn’t acting like a king, he’s acting like a father. I don’t want to annoy him just as we’re setting up the joint air force.”

The corners of Kardal’s mouth twitched again. “So the mighty hunter will be forced to guard a mere woman. However will your pride survive?”

Rafe wasn’t all that worried about his pride. He’d had worse duty in his life. What made him nervous was his attraction to Zara. She’d reminded him of what it was like to want a woman. Only this woman was completely off-limits. Not only was she under his protection, she was the king’s daughter and a virgin. He still couldn’t believe she’d blurted out that particular fact, but saw no reason why she would lie. Which meant she was telling the truth. Which also meant if he wanted to keep his head firmly on his shoulders, he was going to have to keep his pants zipped and his mind on business.

Zara awakened sometime after midnight. She was impressed that she’d been able to sleep at all what with all the strange thoughts and images zooming through her brain. As she opened her eyes, she half expected to find herself back in her modest hotel room—or even in her bedroom in Washington State. As if this entire experience had been a dream. But instead, she found herself staring at unfamiliar yet luxurious furnishings.

She was really here—really in the Bahanian royal palace after meeting the man who could be her father—probably was her father. A thousand questions filled her brain. Realizing that sleep was now impossible, she collected her robe and glasses, then climbed out of her bed. She crossed to the French doors leading out to the balcony and stepped into the darkness.

She was instantly assaulted by the scent of the garden and the faint fragrance of the sea. Brine added an edge to the sweetness of hundreds of flowers that were little more than blurs in the starlight. A soft, warm breeze made her pull her robe more tightly around her body.

She raised her head, staring at the sky. The stars seemed different. Her memories of her lone astronomy class had faded to the point where she couldn’t remember if being halfway around the world meant she really was seeing different stars. If she were in a different hemisphere, there were different stars. She recalled that much. But here in Bahania—

“You’re looking serious about something.”

Rafe’s voice came out of the darkness by his room. Zara supposed she should have been shocked, or even afraid. Instead she found herself eager for his company. She took a step toward where she guessed he was standing, then remembered it was the middle of the night and she wasn’t dressed to receive visitors.

“I was trying to figure out if these are the same stars I see when I’m home,” she said.

“Some would be, although they’d rise and set at different times.”

He stepped toward her, just close enough for a shaft of light from a nearby window to fall on him. She saw that he’d changed into jeans and a T-shirt. His short blond hair looked faintly mussed, as if he’d been asleep. His feet were bare. The realization made her own toes curl slightly at the implied intimacy. They’d both been asleep. She wore a nightgown and robe. Underneath, she had on panties and nothing else. Despite the layers of her clothing, she felt exposed and extremely aware of him as a man.