Read Online The Sheik and the Bought Bride by Susan Mallery - Free Book Online
Authors: Susan Mallery
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different.
“You may go anywhere in the palace or the village. No one will bother you. But you are not to travel past the beginning of the fields.”
“How will you know if I do?” she asked. “Will I be guarded? Have a collar with a bell?”
“If you leave the safety of the village, you will die,” he said simply, knowing it to be true. “You will get lost and perish. That is your best hope. Otherwise you will be found by a raiding party. You would not enjoy their treatment.”
She dropped her fork back to her plate and shivered. “Point taken,” she murmured. “I’ve heard about raiding parties. Do they attack the village?”
“No. We are too many and too well protected, but they prey on those foolish enough to travel the desert on a whim. Or those who are too small to protect themselves.”
Her gaze seemed drawn to his cheek. “I heard you were kidnapped when you were younger.”
He nodded. “I was fifteen and out riding with my friends. They were lying in wait and took only me. The other boys returned here, but the raiders covered their tracks well. They demanded money from my father.”
Millions, he thought, remembering how afraid he’d been. Not of the raiding party but of his father and Bahjat. He knew both men would be furious with him for being so foolish.
“Did the king pay?”
“I escaped before the negotiations could begin.” And killed a man in the process , he thought grimly, not proud of his actions. But there had been no choice and taking that life had matured him well before his time. Word had traveled to the village, giving him a level of acceptance he hadn’t experienced before. Even the king had been pleased by his bravery.
He hadn’t ever told anyone taking a life wasn’t brave.
“At least you got a scar out of it,” she said. “You know that makes you a chick magnet.”
“I do not need a scar.”
“It helps.”
She smiled as she spoke, making him aware of her mouth. He liked that she teased him, probably because no one else did.
When they finished dinner, she asked, “Am I expected to clear?”
“Of course.”
“Next time I want to play the role of the handsome prince,” she grumbled. “You can be the serving girl.”
“Unlikely.”
She rolled her eyes, then stood and reached for his plate. As she leaned toward him, the neckline of the dress gaped enough to allow him to see her breasts. They were perfectly formed and the right size for his hands. She straightenedbefore he could look his fill, but the glimpse had been enough to show him that he would enjoy making love with her.
After putting the dirty plates on the tray, she hovered by the table. “Now what?”
“Coffee.” He nodded at a folded screen in the corner.
She walked over and pulled it aside, then stood with her hands on her hips. “You have got to be kidding me.” She stepped aside so he could see what he already knew was there.
“Yes?”
“What happened to being one with nature?” she demanded, then pointed at the espresso machine on the table. “You can foam milk with this. People who are one with the desert do not foam milk.”
“Maybe it’s goat’s milk.”
“Maybe you’re just a metrosexual in disguise.”
“You mock me?”
“Yes. This is me mocking you. An espresso machine? I can’t believe it. You probably expect me to make you coffee.”
“Of course.”
“I hope it keeps you up tonight.”
It wouldn’t but she might , he thought, his gaze lingering on her waist and hips as she turned away and studied the machine.
“You’re lucky,” she said, picking up a pitcher of water and pouring it into the machine. “We have one just like this in the assistant’s lunch room. I know what I’m doing.”
He was more intriguing by the way she moved than the coffee she prepared. Her skin was pale, her legs long. She was beautiful, all curves and sass. Longing stirred and he knew it was for Victoria specifically rather than the itch of a biological need.
He had
“You may go anywhere in the palace or the village. No one will bother you. But you are not to travel past the beginning of the fields.”
“How will you know if I do?” she asked. “Will I be guarded? Have a collar with a bell?”
“If you leave the safety of the village, you will die,” he said simply, knowing it to be true. “You will get lost and perish. That is your best hope. Otherwise you will be found by a raiding party. You would not enjoy their treatment.”
She dropped her fork back to her plate and shivered. “Point taken,” she murmured. “I’ve heard about raiding parties. Do they attack the village?”
“No. We are too many and too well protected, but they prey on those foolish enough to travel the desert on a whim. Or those who are too small to protect themselves.”
Her gaze seemed drawn to his cheek. “I heard you were kidnapped when you were younger.”
He nodded. “I was fifteen and out riding with my friends. They were lying in wait and took only me. The other boys returned here, but the raiders covered their tracks well. They demanded money from my father.”
Millions, he thought, remembering how afraid he’d been. Not of the raiding party but of his father and Bahjat. He knew both men would be furious with him for being so foolish.
“Did the king pay?”
“I escaped before the negotiations could begin.” And killed a man in the process , he thought grimly, not proud of his actions. But there had been no choice and taking that life had matured him well before his time. Word had traveled to the village, giving him a level of acceptance he hadn’t experienced before. Even the king had been pleased by his bravery.
He hadn’t ever told anyone taking a life wasn’t brave.
“At least you got a scar out of it,” she said. “You know that makes you a chick magnet.”
“I do not need a scar.”
“It helps.”
She smiled as she spoke, making him aware of her mouth. He liked that she teased him, probably because no one else did.
When they finished dinner, she asked, “Am I expected to clear?”
“Of course.”
“Next time I want to play the role of the handsome prince,” she grumbled. “You can be the serving girl.”
“Unlikely.”
She rolled her eyes, then stood and reached for his plate. As she leaned toward him, the neckline of the dress gaped enough to allow him to see her breasts. They were perfectly formed and the right size for his hands. She straightenedbefore he could look his fill, but the glimpse had been enough to show him that he would enjoy making love with her.
After putting the dirty plates on the tray, she hovered by the table. “Now what?”
“Coffee.” He nodded at a folded screen in the corner.
She walked over and pulled it aside, then stood with her hands on her hips. “You have got to be kidding me.” She stepped aside so he could see what he already knew was there.
“Yes?”
“What happened to being one with nature?” she demanded, then pointed at the espresso machine on the table. “You can foam milk with this. People who are one with the desert do not foam milk.”
“Maybe it’s goat’s milk.”
“Maybe you’re just a metrosexual in disguise.”
“You mock me?”
“Yes. This is me mocking you. An espresso machine? I can’t believe it. You probably expect me to make you coffee.”
“Of course.”
“I hope it keeps you up tonight.”
It wouldn’t but she might , he thought, his gaze lingering on her waist and hips as she turned away and studied the machine.
“You’re lucky,” she said, picking up a pitcher of water and pouring it into the machine. “We have one just like this in the assistant’s lunch room. I know what I’m doing.”
He was more intriguing by the way she moved than the coffee she prepared. Her skin was pale, her legs long. She was beautiful, all curves and sass. Longing stirred and he knew it was for Victoria specifically rather than the itch of a biological need.
He had
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