The Sheik's Baby Surprise (5 page)

“This will work,” he told her and set everything down, then pulled out a chair for her.  “My lady,” he teased.

“I’m not eating with you.”  She stood there staring at him. 

Malik loved the challenge she shot at him.  “Ah, you want to kiss me.  I understand.”  With that, he pushed the chair in and started towards her. 

Jina’s heart went into overdrive.  “No kissing!” she hissed, leaning back and glancing around at the others.  Thankfully, they were far enough away from the others sitting at the small table that no one noticed. 

His only response was a derisive lifting of his black eyebrow, waiting for her to take the chair. 

Jina harrumphed, but pulled out the chair and sat down.  She didn’t take the offered fork though, refusing to eat even though she was actually starving. 

“Suit yourself,” he replied and stabbed a crab puff.  “This is delicious,” he told her.  “So tell me all about Jina Thomas.  What are your likes and dislikes?”  He lifted the fork to stop her words.  “And I can’t be one of your dislikes,” he teased, knowing exactly where her mind was going. 

Jina’s mouth snapped shut and she glared at him for a long moment while he chuckled softly again.  “I don’t like arrogant men who manipulate situations to their benefit.”

He lifted his finger at that.  “Now, that’s not fair.  There isn’t anyone alive who doesn’t manipulate situations to suit their needs.”

She rolled her eyes.  “Are you saying there are no altruistic motivations in the world?”

He shrugged and stabbed a delicious looking piece of chicken in a savory sauce.  “I’m saying that it is rare.”

Jina couldn’t endure watching him eat any longer.  She was too hungry and this man just sparked her temper and her appetite.  In so many ways!

Grabbing a fork, she stabbed one of the appetizers and popped it into her mouth, not answering immediately.  She figured she needed to think carefully about her response before she uttered another word.  But as she chewed the delicious food, he continued to watch her.  Or more specifically, he watched her lips.  And she grew self-conscious as she ate, not to mention hot.  Yes, she was decidedly warmer under his intent gaze. 

Swallowing took great effort.  “Didn’t your mother ever tell you that it is rude to stare?” she asked, wishing that her voice was more sarcastic.  It sounded all breathy and sexy, even to her ears.

Most likely to his as well since those dark eyes snapped to her blue ones. 

“My mother would think you are extremely charming.  And my father would appreciate what a beautiful woman you are and would excuse my behavior.”

She wasn’t sure what to say to that.  Her eyes lowered and she remembered the shoes.  “I can’t accept your gift.”

Malik wanted to laugh at how revealing her eyes were.  Everything she was feeling or thinking was reflected in those pretty, blue depths.  Cornflower, he thought.  Her eyes were the same color as the cornflower that he used to see in the fields of Virginia when he was at school. 

“What gift would that be?” he asked softly.  He stabbed another shrimp and offered it to her.  He didn’t expect her to accept it so he was pleasantly surprised when she took the fork.  Although she only twirled it in her fingers. 

“The shoes.  The beautiful shoes,” she took a deep breath and let it out slowly.  “I can’t accept the shoes.”

The corners of his lips lifted slightly.  Not a full smile but, when her eyes glanced up into his dark gaze, she knew that he was laughing at her once again. 

“Did someone send you a pair of shoes?” he asked.  “Seems slightly outrageous.” 

She agreed with him.  “Yes.  Well, they are lovely.  And I thank you for the shoes.  But they are too expensive.  I can’t accept them.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.  You must have an admirer that realized that your shoes were ruined in the storm this afternoon.  Perhaps you should have accepted my ride home today and your other shoes wouldn’t have been ruined.”

Jina laughed but shook her head.  “You’re being deliberately obtuse, but I know you’re the one who sent them.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Her mouth twisted.  “Yes.  Well, I’ll have to return them.  Your account will be credited.”

“What account?  I have no idea what you’re telling me.  I didn’t send you any shoes, my beauty.”

She looked up at him.  “Look, I don’t really know you and I don’t accept gifts from strangers,” she told him firmly. 

He lifted her hand with his long fingers, tangling with hers and making the breath catch in her throat.  “I’m just a man who is interested in a very beautiful and extremely stubborn, cynical woman.”

“You’re royal,” she pointed out.

“I’m just a man, Jina.”

She wouldn’t let him get away with that.  “If you’re just a man, how did you find out where I live?  And how do you know my name?  I didn’t tell you my name this afternoon.”

A smile!  At last a real smile.  “Okay, so I’m a man with resources.”

“Marianne called you ‘Your Highness’.  You’re the Sheik of Sarkit.”

She watched him carefully and suspected that he wasn’t going to respond.  But when he lifted his eyes from their hands, she held her breath again. 

“Yes, I’m from Sarkit.”

Jina heard the words.  Her eyes narrowed on his features as news clippings suddenly tumbled through her mind.  Little by little, the pictures to those news articles connected.  When the reality of his identity hit her, she gasped and pulled her hands away from his. 

“You really are Sheik Amari del Nader!” and she actually pushed her chair further back. 

Malik sighed, frustrated that she now knew his identity.  He had been enjoying the anonymity for once.  And he definitely didn’t like the fear in her eyes.  “What difference does my position make between us?  We are still attracted to each other and you will still be in my bed once I can overcome your concerns.”

She shook her head and stood up.  “There’s no way you can overcome my concerns,” she mocked, angry now.  “You’re one of the big fish in the big ocean.  Sarkit is one of the most powerful countries in the region and you’re the most powerful ruler of all of them.”  She pulled her fingers away when he stood up as well and reached for her.  “Are you just playing with me?”

“Why would you think that?” he asked, irritated with her assumptions. 

“Just having a bit of fun with the poor, country girl, right?”

His eyes narrowed at her accusation.  “I never once implied that you were of lesser intelligence if that’s what you’re talking about.”

She still shook her head, too stunned at the idea that she was standing here speaking with a man of his power and position.  “You’re…you’re…”  She looked around, terrified now that she knew who he was.  He was Sheik of Sarkit!  He had meetings with the president!  Good grief, he had meetings with everyone! 

“Jina stop right now!” he ordered.  When she froze, he muttered a curse under his breath.  “There is no difference in who I am now versus the man you were putting into his place a few moments ago.”

“I don’t think…”

He lifted his hand, silencing her.  “You are a beautiful woman and I’m a man who is interested in getting to know you.  That’s all there is between us.  Don’t make more of this than what it is.”

She relaxed slightly, but was still more than a little awestruck.  “Your Highness, I can’t…”

“You will call me Malik,” he told her. 

She shook her head.  “I can’t use your first name, Your Highness.”  She looked around again.  “I have to go.  I’m sure you have more important things to do.”

He grabbed her hand before she could walk away.  “Jina, don’t leave.  Just talk to me,” he coaxed softly. 

She started to shake her head again, glancing around because speaking to a world leader like this was a major breach in protocol.  “I can’t do this, Your Highness,” she told him again. 

He moved in closer, trapping her body with his against the table but not allowing any of the other guests to notice.  “Here’s what’s going to happen, my blue eyed beauty,” he told her in a soft but very firm voice.  “You’re going to walk out of here on my arm. I will treat you as if you are working for me as a translator or I can drag you out of here and treat you like an angry lover.  The choice is yours.”

Her eyes narrowed as he issued that threat.  “You wouldn’t!” she gritted out, furious now that he was talking to her like this.

His eyes moved over her lovely features, noting the angry color on her high cheekbones.  “Oh, my pretty woman.  You’d be surprised at what I dare.  So which is it?  With dignity or with derision?  What is your choice?”

Her chin jutted out with his ultimatum.  “You’re not going to do this to me, Your Highness.”  His title was said with the highest degree of sarcasm that she could muster through her nervousness. 

He chuckled.  “Oh, I’m going to do this.  We’re going to leave here where you are self-conscious because you are surrounded by your colleagues and potential clients, and we’re going to go someplace more private.  If only to have a glass of wine together, we’re going to talk and relax.  And you’re going to trust me.”

Her mouth fell open with that comment.  “You really expect me to trust you after you just threatened my career and my credibility?” she asked in astonishment, pretending that she wasn’t trembling in anticipation from his words. 

He smiled.  “We’re leaving.” 

She thought he was saying that to her but she realized that his comment was actually to the bodyguards who suddenly appeared in her line of vision.  Where they’d been before this moment, she had no idea.  But before she could stop him, he was leading her out of the room.  He stopped occasionally to speak with one or two of the lingering guests, making their departure look like a simple casual conversation.  He turned to say something to one of his guards and Jina shook her head when she translated the message.  She only knew a few words of Arabic but she knew enough so that she understood his command.  “He can’t get into the employee lockers,” she explained.  But the guard disappeared, off to get her personal belongings. 

Jina was able to maintain her nervous anger almost the whole walk through the room.  But when she saw the limousine waiting at the door for him, she pulled back.

Malik turned back to face the fascinating woman.  “What’s wrong?” he asked softly, turning so that she couldn’t see his bodyguards. 

Her eyes snapped from the vehicle, then up to his eyes, then back again.  “I can’t do this!  I can’t get into that vehicle!  I mean, why would you want me to anyway?  The only reason would be for…” she shook her head and pushed a stray lock of hair back behind her ear.  “I’m not like that.  I can’t do it.  I just…”

Malik used the expedient method of stopping her tirade by simply kissing her.  Initially, she was too stunned to react but it took perhaps three seconds before he felt her lips soften, her body melt into his.  His hands on her shoulders slid lower, wrapping around her waist and pulling her against his hardness.  Malik was used to the softness of women, loved their smells and their figures, finding all the different shapes of women a turn on.  But when this lovely, nervous, shy woman melted in his arms, the lust that surged through him was hard and fast.  Never before had his mind left him so quickly. 

The horns blasting startled him and Malik lifted his head.  As he stared down into her soft, blue eyes, he realized that he needed to get them out of there quickly.  She looked like he felt and the desire surging through him with that knowledge was powerful. 

“Come with me,” he growled, taking her hand and pulling her towards the limousine.  They were inside the dark interior with the doors closed before her eyes cleared of the desire.  He knew that he’d put that desire there and he could barely suppress his need as that reality hit him. 

She was so lovely with her swollen lips and the confusion in those pretty blue eyes.  But a moment later, the vehicle moved and the wariness returned. 

“No, Jina,” he told her softly.  “I’m not going to spirit you away to some horrible, dark dungeon.  We’re going to my hotel and we’ll have a glass of wine.  We’ll talk and have some food since you didn’t eat enough earlier.  And then I will ensure that you are home, in your own bed and,” he smiled slightly, “alone.”  When she still looked anxious, he sighed.  “I’ll have you home and in your own bed by midnight.  Will that suffice?  Since it is Saturday night, I’m guessing you don’t have a heavy work load tomorrow, is that correct?”

Her lips compressed as she thought about his offer.  Was she bargaining with the devil?  Was she a fool to listen to him and accept his proposition?  Was she too trusting? 

Of course she was!  But was she going to do anything about it?

“Your Highness…”

“Malik.  Say my name, Jina,” he commanded gently, lifting his hand to touch her cheek. 

She started to shake her head, not feeling comfortable enough to use his first name.  He was a sheik!  He was ruler of one of the most powerful countries in the world! 

“I…”

His thumb caressed her lower lip, causing the skin to tingle, a bit like it was on fire.  “Just say my name, Jina.  It’s an easy enough request.  It won’t hurt, no one is around who could admonish you so there is no breach in protocol.  And I promise you, none of my bodyguards would care, or even know, that you were so familiar with me.”