The Sheikh’s Secret Heir(23)
He needed to stay away from her, yet never touching her again seemed unthinkable. More important, she had begun to stir emotions he wanted to ignore. Perhaps he could not love her for the long term, but he could find some way to prove that he was not the ogre she believed him to be. That he did value her. He would have to achieve that objective without a hint of seduction, and that mission would prove to be quite the challenge.
* * *
“He wants me to do what?”
Athena walked into the private elevator leading to the third floor and waited for Kira to enter and the doors to close before responding. “Tarek has asked that you select the finishes for the owner’s suite.”
Of all the strange requests. “Shouldn’t he be doing that? Better still, shouldn’t you? After all, you know him better than I do.”
“One would think,” Athena said. “But he insists you should take charge of this.”
From Athena’s slightly acid tone, Kira could tell the woman wasn’t the least bit happy. “Fine, but I would really appreciate your input as well.”
“My pleasure,” she said as she threw open the wooden double doors with dramatic flair. “Here we are.”
Kira stepped inside the massive suite, which was well lit due to the bank of glass doors, much like those back at the villa. The view of the surf hitting the private beach below was no less impressive. Aside from a huge king-sized bed with a bare mattress and a black bureau on one wall, the room was as empty as the kitchen. At least the walls had been painted white.
Athena crossed the room and gestured Kira to the double dresser. “These are a few samples the designer left for you to review.”
Kira leaned over and studied the samples, then pointed at one opaque tile. “This is out because Tarek doesn’t like green.”
“Perhaps you know him better than you assume.”
She sent Athena a weak smile over one shoulder. “Not really. I just remember him mentioning it in passing during one of our conversations.”
“I am surprised since green is often associated with money.”
Kira ignored Athena’s cynical tone and turned back to the samples. “I believe the gray glass tile works well for the shower, white porcelain tile for the floor and Carrara marble for the bathroom vanity. The darker bamboo for the bedroom flooring would be a nice contrast.”
“I agree,” Athena said, actually sounding as if she did. “What would you suggest for the color palette in the bedroom?”
When Kira straightened, her head began to spin. “I think...I need to sit down.”
Looking concerned, Athena surprisingly took her by the shoulders and sat her down on the bed. “May I get you something?”
“Some water,” Kira croaked as she waited for the dizziness to subside.
“Did you have breakfast?” Athena asked.
She shook her head. “I had some pineapple juice.”
“Then I will return with some proper food immediately. In the meantime, feel free to lie down.”
After Athena left, Kira kicked off her sandals and stretched out on the plush mattress, one arm draped over her eyes. The lack of sleep certainly hadn’t helped her predicament, nor had her and Tarek’s interlude last night. She’d come so close to telling him about the baby, yet she’d lost her courage at the last minute. Maybe the time had come to let him in on the secret. Or not. She needed more time, a better opportunity. A more private place where they would be guaranteed privacy. She couldn’t imagine anything worse than to have someone walk in on them when she was saying, “Oh by the way, Tarek, I’m going to have a baby....”
“Are you not well, Kira?”
Speaking of the prospective daddy. She uncovered her eyes to see Tarek standing at the footboard, holding a glass of water. “I’m fine. I didn’t sleep well last night.”
He rounded the bed, perched on the edge of the mattress and offered her the glass. “Perhaps you should return to the villa to rest.”
Kira scooted up against the headboard and took a sip of water. “I’ve barely done anything today aside from picking out a few tiles, which leads me to a question. Why do you want me to decorate your suite?”
“I value your judgment.”
“I still believe you should provide your input, in case I’m off base.”
“As long as it is not green, I will be satisfied with your choices.”
“You spoke to Athena.”
He cracked a half smile. “How else would I have learned of your illness?”
“I’m not ill, Tarek. I’m....” She couldn’t tell him here, or now for that matter. She needed more time to prepare. More time to know if telling him would be the right move to make. “I’m just a little fatigued.”