The Sheik's Virgin Lover (The Sisterhood) (16 page)

She drove him crazy on so many levels but this wasn’t the time to allow emotions to get in the way. His enemies could hurt her, could hurt the baby. Until he claimed her as his wife, got her under the protection of the palace, she was in danger.

Trying to figure out how to get her out of the apartment as expediently as possible, he looked around, his hands mussing his hair as he considered the possibilities. Turning to face her, he demanded, “Have you been to see a doctor yet?”

She looked taken aback. “Of course not. I only realized…”

“Then we need to get you to a doctor. There are vitamins and tests that need to be run. There will be a doctor waiting to examine you when we touchdown in Sadubai.”

This definitely threw her off. She didn’t want to jeopardize her baby, but this seemed like a rush. Something was going on that he wasn’t telling her. “I can see a doctor here.”

“Not a specialist and not the best in the field,” he stated emphatically.

“Well, no…” she was sure her health insurance was good, but since she felt fine, not even having any morning sickness yet, she didn’t know why a specialist was warranted. Then something occurred to her, “Are you saying there are genetic problems in your past that might be a problem for her?”

Dharran looked surprised. “What?” He thought about her question for a moment, then shook his head. “No. No problems, I was told I was perfectly healthy as a baby as were both of my sisters. And none of them have had any problems either.”

“Thank goodness!” Emma said, weak with relief. It wouldn’t have mattered either way, she still would have loved this tiny little creature no matter what, but she didn’t want anything to be harmful to her baby, evening loving it for only the few days she’d known about it.

“That’s immaterial,” he replied, desperate to get her protected. She just wouldn’t move! “Emma, please, just get dressed and we’ll be on our way.”

She sat down on the bed, her knees no longer strong enough to hold her upright. “Just hold on,” she said. “I don’t understand…” she was no longer able to speak as he had finished arguing with her. Instead of trying to convince her of the urgency of getting to the palace, he simply picked her up and carried her out the door. “Grab your purse or leave without it,” he growled as he swept through her living room.

Emma was too flustered to argue. With one hand, she held her robe closed and with the other, she grabbed her purse and the keys that were sitting next to it.

“Do you have your passport in your purse?” he demanded.

“Yes, but…”

“Fine, that just makes this quicker,” he interrupted her.

Emma’s head spun as he whisked her out of the apartment and carried her through the silent, dark parking lot to a waiting limousine. The normal two SUVs were in front of and behind the long vehicle. Within moments of Dharran depositing her on the seat, the car was moving. She wasn’t sure since the limousine’s suspension was so superior to the cars she normally rode in, but it felt like they were moving exceptionally fast, almost speeding through the nearly empty streets and highways. The whole time, Dharran was on the phone, one call after another speaking in languages she couldn’t even name at times. The discussions were urgent, succinct and it sounded like he wasn’t asking questions but simply giving orders.

The limousine pulled up to a waiting airplane, not a private jet but a full sized airplane with the stairs already positioned by the door. Dharran got out first, then waited for her to step out. Since he hadn’t grabbed any clothes, much less shoes, she felt very awkward stepping onto the tarmac in bare feet. But as soon as her foot stepped out, she was lifted into his arms, swiftly carried up the stairs. The body guards were also moving more quickly than usual, she noticed, several of them actually racing to jump out of the SUVs and get onto the plane. As soon as Dharran was boarded, the engines revved up and within seconds, the stairs were rolled away, the airplane door swung and locked into place and Emma was strapped in next to Dharran.

She had barely latched the seat belt before the plane was taxing down the runway and liftoff was only moments later. How the pilot had gained permission for takeoff so quickly was beyond her, but she sat back as the others quickly found a seat and strapped in as well. The plane was airborne before everyone was actually strapped in.

By the time she was able to breathe and look around, Dharran was back on the phone with more orders snapped off. Emma tried to patiently wait for him to end his calls, concerned about the urgency that had taken over him in the past thirty minutes, but since it was about five o’clock in the morning and she still hadn’t slept, she was exhausted from both his lovemaking, and the stress of the day. As she waited for Dharran, her eyes slowly started to close. She fell asleep on his shoulder, curling her legs underneath her and sighing softly as exhaustion took control.

Dharran switched off his cell phone and looked at the woman sleeping at his side. She was curled up on the leather seat, using his shoulder as a pillow, unknowing that she could lower the seat completely and stretch out, or move to the bedroom in the back of the plane. He’d been so concerned about getting her to safety and ensuring that the palace was prepared for her arrival, he hadn’t even thought about her comfort.

The dark circles under her eyes attested to the stress she’d been under lately and he felt guilty for that. He had been so adamant that she bow to his demands, that he’d left her alone, determined to have her bend to his will and marry him.

His stomach clenched at the thought of those long nights in the past few weeks without her. Over the past several months, there had been weeks without her, but he’d always known when he would see her again which had eased the ache of being without her. But the past few weeks, while he was waiting for her to come to her senses and marry him had been the worst of his life. He’d vacillated between anger over her stubbornness and a raging need to have her come to him of her own free will. He knew that, once she came to him that way, she’d be his forever.

Her pregnancy had changed that. He could no longer wait for her to come to him, the dangers where too high, too present. They would have to marry now, and although that would mean that he’d have her by his side forever now, he’d never know if it was him she truly wanted, or if he was just a convenience because of an unwanted and unanticipated pregnancy.

Dharran hated this uncertainty. He hated the way she made him feel, as if she controlled his feelings and the smallest smile from him could make him feel as if he was on top of the world. While a frown could dump him into anger that someone was hurting her, even if it was himself. He had too many responsibilities to let someone else control him like that. He had to get control of this situation and regain control of his feelings.

Damn her, he thought as he gently lifted her into his arms and carried her to the bedroom reserved for his exclusive use. Tucking her under the covers, he watched as she turned to her side. It angered him that she rolled over and reached for him, but when she was awake, she rejected his marriage proposals, demanding something of him he couldn’t understand.

He watched her sleep as he undressed, then slid into the large bed next to her, grateful for the leg room that allowed him to stretch out fully and not have his legs dangling off the end like he’d endured in her small bed at her apartment earlier in the day.

He only had time to pull her into his arms before sleep overtook him as well. The day had been challenging after receiving her call. He’d canceled meetings and thrown his entire staff into a frenzy of preparation when he’d left so abruptly, thinking her call had meant something it hadn’t. His hand settled on her stomach, subconsciously protecting his unborn child as they traveled across the ocean.

Emma woke in a strange bed, with luxurious sheets that felt like satin covering her. She looked around, assuming initially that she was in another fabulous hotel with Dharran, but then her memory returned and her eyes widened as she took in the bright sunshine streaming in from the airplane windows.

The movement of the plane shifted slightly, causing her stomach to roil uncomfortably. She lay back down, but that didn’t seem to help very much. Sitting up once again, she looked around and saw the lovely lavender suit laid against a plush cream covered chair, obviously something for her to wear besides the robe she’d had on when she was carried out of her apartment so quickly the previous night. She pulled the robe back on, which had been dumped on the floor beside her. Emma had no idea if she’d taken it off or if Dharran had done so.

Pushing her hair back from her face, she stood up, gently gaining her footing before moving across the thick carpeting. Testing the doors, she found a lovely bathroom with dark wood paneling and a shower stall. Gratefully, she shed the robe and stepped into the warm water, showering quickly since she wasn’t sure how much water a plane could efficiently carry on a transoceanic flight. She’d read something about the air inside a plane being very dry so that the plane was lighter so it made sense that a shower would have a limited amount of water available.

She dressed in lacy underwear and delighted in the makeup she found in a metallic paper bag beside the suit. Once dressed with makeup on and her hair brushed, she felt much more confident.

Stepping out of the bedroom, she found the main area of the plane to be bustling with activity. There were three people sitting at desks with laptops and very complicated monitors, further down there was a long, immaculately polished conference table that was currently empty. And even farther down the plane, she found Dharran who was sitting at a linen covered table with a full breakfast on a side table. The smells of the food was wonderful and Emma realized that she hadn’t eaten since lunch the day before.

Dharran looked up as she entered, his cup of coffee suspended halfway to his mouth as he took in her appearance. She couldn’t interpret the light that lit up his eyes as they traveled from the top of her head to her lavender shod feet, but she suspected that he liked what he saw.

He stood up and pulled out a chair for her. “You look lovely,” he said.

Emma laughed softly as she took the offered seat. “You’re just happy that I’m finally accepting one of the suits you bought for me.”

He returned her laughter, agreeing with her. “It’s strange that I basically had to kidnap you naked in order to get you to wear the clothes I bought you. And since we didn’t have time to pack your clothes last night, you’ll have to accept more clothes from me.”

Emma rolled her eyes. “Does it make me sort of a possession?” she asked, feeling awkward.

“It makes you beautiful,” he countered.

“Does wearing the clothes you buy for me make me more attractive to you?”

His eyes lit up as he replied, “I can safely say that I prefer you completely naked.”

He laughed as she blushed, the color almost clashing with the lavender of her silk suit.

“Coffee?” he offered as a change of subject.

She shook her head, grateful for the change. “No. Not anymore.”

“Don’t say anything until we’ve landed,” he cautioned softly. When the flight attendant appeared at their table, he requested herbal tea instead of coffee, not offering any explanation. “Are you hungry?” he asked.

“Famished,” she replied. “Can I help myself or is there a protocol for getting served?”

He shook his head and waved his hand in the direction of the buffet. “Help yourself.”

“Well, one never knows with your kind,” she countered to his amusement.

“My kind?” he asked as she stood and peeked under the silver covers of the chafing dishes.

“Royal kind,” she offered, taking a china plate and placing a poached egg and fresh fruit on top.

He waited until she was seated again before he said, “You’re going to be the ‘royal kind’ as soon as we land, my dear.”

“I know,” she replied, pushing the untouched fruit around on her plate instead of taking a bite.

There was a long moment of silence before he said, “Does that bother you so much?”

Emma sighed. “I just wish…” she started to say, but then stopped. Her words would be too revealing and she didn’t want to put herself out there for rejection. She was emotionally involved, but he was only sexually involved, and now politically. She’d known the possible consequences although she couldn’t think of this baby as a consequence any longer. It was a gift that would help her through this marriage. And she’d make the best of it. “It is what it is,” she said instead.

Dharran watched her, wishing she would say something else, explain what she’d originally wanted to say. Whatever it was, he knew it had been significant. But from past experience with this woman, he knew there was nothing he could say that would get her to spell it out for him until she was ready.

With a sigh of frustration, he set his coffee cup down and stood up. “I have work to do. We land in two hours.” With that announcement, he was gone, back to the conference table where several of his aides approached him, handing him reports and files that Dharran quickly reviewed.

Emma smiled gratefully to the attendant who set a cup of hot water beside her along with a beautiful wooden box filled with various flavored herbal teas. She selected one, uncaring at this point what it was and set it to steeping. Forcing herself to eat the fruit for the baby’s sake, she sat at the table feeling as if her world had just shattered.