From the end of the table the sultan spoke up. “Khalid must show you the sights of Sharjah. We are proud of our cities and our culture.” He fixed a hard look on Khalid, and Khalid caught a warning in his father’s eyes. Khalid fought back a smile. This was just what he had wanted—his father to be unhappy with this woman for a bride.
Leaning back, Khalid let the meal take its course.
More food came out and Zaid glanced at Khalid and then asked Casey, “You are a journalist, yes? What brought you to Sharjah, other than the opportunity to disrupt a wedding, that is?”
Casey almost choked on her water. Khalid patted her back and stared at his younger brother. “Must work be discussed at dinner?”
Zaid shrugged, and Casey simply said, “I’ve been covering arranged marriages and the impact of a growing international women’s right movement. I’d be interested in interviewing Fadiyah, in fact, to get her side of the story.”
The sultan almost choked on his food. He glanced from Khalid to Casey. “I understand you have your own opinions on the matter. I believe my son shares some of your views. He is more modern than I. But I have allowed him to choose his bride.”
Khalid saw Casey stiffen. While he wished his father to call off any wedding, he did not want a family war started. He turned to Zaid and asked after the business deal pending with two American companies bidding on offshore drilling rights.
The sultan overheard the question and it was enough to divert his attention—business usually did.
Frowning, Casey turned to pick at her food.
The rest of the meal passed quickly. Casey offered no other comments, and when conversation drifted back into Arabic it became clear she knew nothing of the local language. That left her isolated, making it clear how distant she was from any other woman at the table. Khalid almost wished he could do something to draw her back into the conversation, but this was what he wanted—to show his father that Casey was not a wise choice of bride so that his father would simply tell Khalid not to marry for a time.
Dinner ended when the sultan rose and left the room. Ahmed and Zaid gave Khalid long looks, promising questions would be coming soon, but Khalid had every intention of ducking that ordeal for as long as he could. He escorted Casey back to her room and when he had the door closed behind him, he told her, “That went well.”
She stared at him. “Really? I had the impression your father would like to put me on the next plane out of here, and what is with your brothers? I could swear they know this is a fake.”
Khalid shrugged. “Zaid always asks too many questions. But he and Ahmed will not make trouble for me.”
“And what about my interviews? The sooner I can get them in, the better. This isn’t going to last all that long.”
He held up his hand to keep her from saying more. “In due time. Tomorrow, we have another event hosted by my father for his American business partners. You and I will attend—the whole family will be there. I would just as soon have that event go well for my father, but I will see about arranging your interviews as soon as I can.”
Casey shook her head. “I need a date. My editor has a deadline, and I’ve got to tell him more than…soon.”
Coming over to her, Khalid took her hand in his. “Tomorrow we will schedule things? For tonight, sleep well.” The impulse rose and he did not question it—she was a lovely woman and he found her attractive. Leaning down, he kissed the corner of her mouth. She stiffened, and he wondered if she was alarmed or interested. Pulling back, he could see confusion in her eyes—as if she did not know what to do about this attraction between them. He did.
He put his arm around her and started to pull her close, but her cell phone rang.
She pulled away. “That’s probably my editor. I’ve got to take his call. I’ll see you tomorrow.” Turning, she headed for the bedroom and her phone call.
He was more than tempted to follow her, but he also knew the danger of letting this attraction grow out of hand. He wanted her to be a woman his father would dismiss as unworthy of any man of the family—he did not want a wife. Turning, he headed out of her room—and he kept trying not to picture the allure of her hips as she had walked away from him.
No, she was a woman meant to do away with the idea of Khalid having to marry. He was not going to give into the allure of her charms and make this romance into something real.
The next day, Khalid intentionally avoided Casey. He buried himself in business calls and paperwork and email. However, he could not avoid thinking of her. Was she bored in the palace? Was she writing? Or pacing her room? Five different times he almost asked one of the servants what she was doing. Four times he caught himself heading toward her room and had to turn his steps back to his office. He thought of taking lunch with her in the gardens, but instead took his meal in his office.