Falling for the Sheikh She Shouldn't Read online

  She swiped the card and opened the door. ‘Yes.’ She stepped inside and held the door for Zafar as if nothing had happened.

  His eyes held hers. ‘Did he threaten you?’

  ‘No. But he might have. I think your timing was good.’

  ‘I hope it continues to be so.’

  He opened his mouth to say more but she shook her head as she mouthed, ‘Later’. He walked past her into the room and nodded at his cousin. ‘You look rested.’

  ‘Thank you.’ Fadia smiled at them both and looked much happier. ‘They’ve been perfect. They’re sleeping now.’

  ‘I will return shortly.’ Zafar nodded and swept out again and Fadia raised her brows.

  ‘Zafar was coming down the corridor just as you called for me to come in. Maybe he thought I was going to throw him out again.’ They both tried not to smile. ‘So tell me. They’ve both been sleeping?’

  ‘Since just before lunch. I managed by myself. I can’t believe it.’

  ‘They’ll wake up soon and maybe even for the next twenty-four hours will want lots of feeds. Be prepared. Then it will settle down. You’re doing amazingly well. It’ll soon be easier.’ She was talking to Fadia but her mind was elsewhere. Judging by the expression on Zafar’s face, he’d taken off after Fadia’s thwarted visitor.

  It was all unsettling but as long as Fadia was not unsettled then useless speculation wouldn’t help anyone and it was her job to help.

  Carmen went through the bath routine and by the time they’d finished it was almost time for tea.

  ‘I’ll be off to see the other ladies. Just give me a ring if you need me. Maybe you could sit out on the veranda afterwards. That way you can enjoy the view over the beach.’

  Fadia nodded. ‘One day my boys will be big enough to run on the sand.’ They both smiled at the distant future.

  The whole shift passed without Zafar since that brief sighting in the corridor, which she would have liked to discuss, but the opportunity didn’t arise.

  She noticed Yusuf in the limo as she drove out of the car park on the way home. What went on in the henchman’s head? she wondered, and then decided she didn’t want to know. Whatever it was, his master had ordered it.

  The next day, as Carmen approached Fadia’s room, she could hear distressed babies and their mother’s sobs through the door.

  ‘Fadia?’ She used the keycard that hung around her neck to get in. The noise dumped on her like a wall of sand from a collapsed sandcastle and hastily she shut the door.

  ‘Fadia? You okay?’ She could see she wasn’t.

  The young mother lay face down on the bed, shuddering into the mattress, the twins bellowed, red-faced and in unison as they waved tight little fists in their cots. Locked in with them for a moment, Carmen felt every minute of lost of sleep from the last two months. Then her brain kicked into gear.

  Babies first to lower the noise level seemed a good place to start. She unwrapped Harrison, deftly changed his sodden nappy, which slowed the high-pitched roar to a hiccough, and re-wrapped him in a new bunny rug, before placing him back in his cot.

  Then she did the same for Bailey and popped him in with his brother so the two tiny wrapped bundles lay facing each other with little frowns.

  ‘Fadia. Sit up, honey. What’s happened?’ The young woman sobbed more dramatically into her sodden pillow and Carmen glanced around. ‘What’s happened?’

  ‘The boys have fed every two hours since yesterday evening, I had little sleep, and Tom sent a note this morning to say he wouldn’t come back.’ She sniffed. ‘I’m just so tired and I was going back to Zandorro anyway, but he was my last link to my husband and it makes me so sad.’

  Carmen wondered if Zafar had had anything to do with Tom’s blessed absence but the lack of sleep was definitely taking its toll. ‘Of course I understand.’

  Fadia wasn’t listening. ‘It will be good when I get to Zandorro. I’m not managing as well as I thought I would.’

  Poor Fadia. And it was day three after two babies. ‘You’re being hard on yourself. Yesterday was too good and it’s payback today. You’ve had a very tragic start to your family. On top of all that you have two babies that need you twenty-four seven. I think you’ve been amazing.’

  Fadia sniffed tragically. ‘But yesterday everything was going so well.’

  ‘And today is a difficult day for you, plus after birth day three is a notorious time for getting the blues. We talked about that. With twins, the boys are hungry and feeding more often to bring your milk in. There’s twice as many hormones floating around and with so little sleep of course you’re going to feel fragile. You need help.’

  ‘I thought I could manage.’

  ‘And you are. But perhaps help from family is a good answer for now. Try not worry. I’m sure the last thing Tom wants is for you to lose sleep over him.’ Though if Tom was as like her ex-husband as he looked, she doubted he thought of anyone but himself.

  There was a knock on the door and Carmen’s heart sank. Visitors were the last thing they needed now. When she opened the door it was Prince Zafar.

  He narrowed his eyes at his cousin’s red face and puffy eyes. ‘Yusuf says there is a problem?’

  ‘Good old Yusuf,’ Carmen muttered under her breath.

  As if to support his comment, both babies began to cry again and Carmen sighed. She wasn’t even going to go near the Tom fiasco. ‘Babies need feeding, mothers need sleep. It’s a day for feeling blue.’

  She looked at Fadia, who teetered on the verge of casting herself into her bed again. ‘Fadia, perhaps you could wash your face while we mind your sons?’

  Reluctantly, she heaved herself off her bed. Carmen picked up Harrison and handed him to Zafar. ‘Here. See how you are with princes. I’ll go you halves.’ Then she picked up Bailey, tucked him into her shoulder and patted the little bottom.

  She shouldn’t have been surprised when Zafar did the same, calmly and confidently, and even cross little Harry seemed to understand the command to settle. He even twitched his mouth in a windy smile. ‘You’re very good at that.’

  His look mocked her. ‘Should I not be?’

  She shrugged. Actually, she was surprised but the guy had to love kids if he’d studied paediatrics. She had the feeling this man could do anything. And do it well. ‘I’d forgotten you specialised in paediatrics.’

  ‘And will again, one day.’ When my duties allow and I can stand the pain, he thought. Zafir stroked Bailey’s bunny-wrapped back in slow, steady waves and stared down at the baby’s soft dark hair. ‘I had personal experience with children. I had a son. Samir.’

  He could feel her eyes on him but he didn’t look. He did not want her sympathy. So he kept stroking Bailey and speaking to the little downy head.

  Still he didn’t look at her. ‘My wife and small son died in the same hijacking that almost killed me.’

  He glanced out the window and added flatly, ‘Of course I wish I too had died. You can imagine my horror when I actually woke up.’

  Zafar felt the tightness of grief again in his chest. He wished he’d never come here to be reminded so forcibly. Why on earth was he telling her? His hands tightened as he looked down at the baby. ‘I remember his weight in my arms.’

  Carmen suddenly understood the bleakness she often saw in his face. ‘That’s terrible. I’m sorry.’ She moistened her suddenly dry mouth. How much tragedy did this family hold?

  He looked her way but he wasn’t seeing her. His voice remained devoid of anything she could offer sympathy to, but the depth of his suffering reached out to her. ‘Two years ago now, but I remember how to care for a baby.’

  Fadia returned from the bathroom and Zafar ended the conversation as he spoke to her. ‘You are exhausted. Now will you have a mothercraft nurse?’


  Fadia looked at him, turned and ran back, sobbing, into the bathroom and shut the door.

  Carmen didn’t say anything. She patted her baby’s back once more and laid him back in his cot before she turned to Fadia’s bed and straightened it. She needed to do something with her hands or she’d strangle him.

  ‘What? Nothing to say?’

  She glared at him. Oohhh. She counted to three and at least her voice came out calm. ‘Nothing you don’t already know. You may have skills with babies but you’re not that hot with new mums.’

  He frowned. ‘I do not understand her wish to be without help when she has had such difficulties.’ His next comment she didn’t expect. ‘Or yours. I wish to speak of something else…’

  His voice changed, heralding something she knew she wasn’t going to like. Her instinct proved correct. ‘Forgive me, but I have been told your husband proved a poor choice? This is correct?’

  He looked anything but apologetic.

  How did he know that? She felt sick. She didn’t even want to think about how. ‘Not something I wish to discuss.’ Just what had he been doing poking into her affairs?

  His gaze didn’t waver. Mr Arrogance was back and of course he didn’t stop there. ‘And swindled you out of your home and left you with debts.’

  This wasn’t happening. ‘Who told you that?’

  Again he ignored her comment. ‘You live in a slum area. Live alone, unprotected? Yusuf spoke to men who accosted you the other night.’

  Carmen shook her head in disbelief and incredulous anger at his intrusion into her private life simmered up from her stomach and into her throat. The men in the alley. The smashed bottle. She did remember that incident. But it didn’t matter. She would have managed. He’d had her followed? Carl had done that after she’d left him.

  ‘How dare you? Neither of you have the right to intrude on my privacy.’

  The wet washer of reality. Another horror of a man. And she’d be attracted. He didn’t think like normal people. Never would. She wasn’t sure who she was angrier with, him or herself, for being drawn to him.

  He shrugged. ‘Privacy can be bought.’

  ‘Not my privacy, buster.’ And to think she’d kissed him with abandon in a shed.

  The arrogant sheik stood very much in evidence and she reminded herself he was just as high-handed about Fadia. No wonder she had misgivings about returning with him. No wonder she wanted Carmen to come and stand up for her. She lifted her head and glared. ‘What an attractive person you are.’

  His eyes narrowed. ‘Sarcasm does not become you, Carmen.’

  ‘Funny.’ She couldn’t remember being this angry. She sucked in air, trying to calm herself so that her words came out low and biting. ‘Yet bullying suits you very well.’

  Despite her low tone, anger vibrated in her voice and she wasn’t sure she could contain it. She still wasn’t sure if she was more wild with him or herself. A bitter exchange carried on in quiet voices. The air quivered with tension.

  He brushed that off. ‘I am not ashamed of my actions.’

  She almost laughed in his face. ‘Why am I not surprised?’ She rolled her eyes.

  He didn’t like that. ‘You would be wise to hold your tongue.’

  So, she’d pushed him too far. Carmen stamped down the cowardly urge to do what she was told. Tough biscuits.

  ‘Hold your own tongue, buster. I’ve met men like you before. I married an arrogant, self-important bully. And I won’t be bullied again. Ever!’

  She spun around and walked to the door before he could comprehend she’d actually walk out on him. ‘I’m no woman in your harem. And I’m not in your employ.’

  She called through the bathroom door, ‘I’ll be back later, Fadia,’ and let herself out before he could stop her.

  As she walked down the corridor to her room, anger bubbled and popped like a little lava pool from sudden volcanic eruption. She didn’t do loss of control. Someone had to remain rational. She rarely did anger because she liked to be level-headed. That was how she’d escaped her marriage. Level head. Planning. What was it about this man that pushed all the buttons of high emotion?

  Her eyes narrowed as she concentrated on any sound behind her of pursuit. Listened for the sound of the door opening again, but it didn’t. She could feel Yusuf’s frown follow her as she increased the distance between them, could admit she was ridiculously glad his chair was near the lifts and not positioned at her end of the corridor.

  She should have shut the door to the midwife’s room but she refused to have them think she was scared. She really did like the mums to feel they could poke their heads in any time. It wasn’t quite the same when Yusuf appeared. She couldn’t help the jump in her pulse rate.

  Yusuf folded his arms. ‘Prince Zafar wishes to see you in his suite.’

  She didn’t stand from her chair. ‘Tell him I’m busy.’

  His eyes narrowed and he took a step towards her. ‘You will come now.’

  And you are dreaming, Carmen thought. She stood up, casually reached for her handbag and rummaged around inside. ‘Should I comb my hair?’ She removed the small can of attacker spray a friend had given her when she’d first divorced.

  ‘Do you know what this is? Paint. It won’t hurt you but they say it takes a week to wash off.’ Her voice remained pleasant. ‘Please tell Prince Zafar I’m busy.’

  Five minutes later her phone rang. Zafar sounded amused. She doubted Yusuf was.

  ‘So I must come to you?’

  ‘Or not. I really am busy.’

  ‘I apologise. I did not intend to bully you.’

  ‘Well, you tried!’ An apology? She hadn’t expected that. She may have overreacted a tad. But the pain was still there from her shattered illusions in the past and perhaps a few from the present. ‘I’m touchy on the subject of pushy men.’ But she did feel less tense that he didn’t seem angry at her defiance. And an apology was something her ex had never mastered.

  Zafar went on. ‘I wish to apologise more fully. And I still need to discuss Fadia with you. Perhaps we could find a time that you are not busy. Dinner? If I were to arrange a table in my suite for seven-thirty? That would be half an hour after you finish your shift tonight.’

  Didn’t he realise he was being arrogant and pushy again? Perhaps it was a failing with royalty as well as creeps. Shame he couldn’t see her sarcastic salute.

  ‘That would give you time to change.’

  Unbelievable. Like she had a cocktail dress in her handbag? ‘Change? From my uniform into my sarong and swimmers, you mean?’

  There was silence. ‘Whatever you wear will be acceptable.’

  ‘Gee, thanks. But no thanks.’

  He sighed. ‘You are tiresome with your objections.’

  ‘Heaven forbid.’ She swallowed the hysterical laugh that wanted to escape. She needed to shut the lid on the box of memories he’d opened and a cosy dinner wouldn’t help.

  There was silence on the end of the phone. It went on until she was the one who felt like a petulant child. Not fair. To her own disgust she thought of poor Fadia, how much she needed her support, and relented. ‘Oh, very well. I’ll see what I can find.’

  She put the phone down gently but her heart pounded in a way that wasn’t gentle at all. She should not have agreed.

  But she had.

  She could just picture herself sitting in the suite in her uniform, or her sarong, and she couldn’t deny the fact that she didn’t like the picture.

  The last thing she needed to feel was at a disadvantage dressed like an employee or a beach bum.

  She picked up the phone again and spoke to the best concierge in Sydney, Donna, her friend from downstairs, always good value and someone guaranteed to know the quic
kest place to buy anything.

  ‘A cheap dress that looks good? There’s a great specials bin in the boutique at the moment. I’ll send something up in your size. No worries. Do it all the time for guests.’

  The clock seemed to be going twice as fast as normal as the afternoon sped by in a blur of breastfeeding issues, baby weights and newborn bathing demonstrations.

  When she visited Fadia the young woman seemed to have recovered her composure and Carmen wondered if, now that Tom was absent, Fadia would come into her own. Carmen had no doubt that Fadia had strength that would astound her cousin.

  Perhaps Tom had played up to Fadia’s emotions to keep the girl dependent. She hoped Prince Zafar didn’t intend to continue the trend. Again she thought of her own marriage.

  Her mind twisted and turned as she prepared to take blood from the twins for their newborn screening tests. Fadia grimaced for their discomfort and breastfed them one at a time to help distract them from the sting of the lancet prick.

  When it was over they tucked the boys back into bed and Fadia shook her head in disbelief. ‘But they didn’t cry.’

  ‘Because you fed them at the same time.’

  ‘I’m glad it helped.’ Then another worried frown creased her brows. ‘When I go to Zandorro, if the results come back bad, how will they find me?’

  So she’d decided. It would be hard here with her babies on her own and she couldn’t help her instinct that Zafar was a much safer bet than a man like Tom. ‘The results go to your doctor. We would find you and follow up.’

  Fadia put her hand out. ‘Are you sure there’s no chance you could come with me? Just for a while?’ Her dark eyes pleaded. ‘You help without fuss. I would not be as nervous if you were with me. Once I’m back I know the older women will try to take over.’

  Had Zafar told her to ask? ‘I’m sorry, Fadia. I can’t. I have my job here. But you will be strong.’ Carmen gestured to the sleeping babies. ‘For your boys. You’re amazing and nobody can ever take that from you.’

  She hugged Fadia. ‘Maybe a mothercraft nurse from here isn’t such a bad idea. Someone whose loyalties lie with you? I’m sure Zafar would agree.’