Protecting the Desert Princess(30)

                ‘What are your family like?’ she asked.

                ‘I don’t have any family.’

                ‘Are your parents dead?’

                Her question was so clinical he was able to answer.

                ‘I don’t know.’ He didn’t elaborate; instead he dropped hands and took up the menu, started to read out the choices, but she halted him.

                ‘You choose for me,’ she said. ‘I want what you order—I want to try your favourite thing.’

                ‘Is there anything you especially like or dislike?’

                ‘I want to try whatever.’

                So Mikael ordered for them. He taught her how to peel the fattest, plumpest prawns and their fingers played together in the warm water bowl.

                ‘I love these,’ Layla said. ‘I want to eat prawns again.’

                ‘Don’t you have them in Ishla?’

                ‘I don’t know,’ she said. ‘I must ask my father to get some for me.’

                Mussels, oysters—all were bliss. But Layla just wanted more prawns.

                ‘I could live off these,’ she said, and then very rapidly changed the subject back to where she wanted it to be. ‘How can you not know if your parents are dead or alive? Can’t you trace them?’

                ‘Leave it, Layla.’

                ‘But I want to know.’

                ‘Well, I don’t want to tell you.’ Mikael refused to reveal anything. ‘What do you want for dessert?’

                ‘Prawns.’

                After a draining black day it was a lovely night, and as he dropped her off at the hotel Mikael did the right thing: gave the valet his keys for a short while and saw her to her door.

                ‘Aren’t you staying tonight?’ she asked as they approached her suite.

                ‘I hope there’s no need for me to stay,’ Mikael said. ‘Unless you’re planning on going out again?’

                ‘No,’ she said. ‘There is no need for me to go out tonight. I have had the best day and the best night of my life and I am feeling very content.’

                ‘Good.’

                ‘Well, almost the best day,’ Layla said. ‘But it would be even better if you kissed me.’

                ‘I don’t think that’s wise,’ he said.

                ‘One kiss.’ She smiled, swiping her door pass. ‘Anyway, you have to leave me your shirt to wear—I still don’t have a nightdress.’

                ‘Your brother asked me to—’

                ‘You don’t have to keep my promises for me,’ Layla interrupted. ‘I shall be returning to Ishla a virgin.’

                ‘We were talking about a kiss!’

                ‘So what’s the problem, then?’ Layla said.