The Sheik’s Expecting Bride by Erin Snihur

3

After murmuring her thanks to her most trusted friend and bodyguard, Mahdi Qasemi, as he helped her from their rented town car, Hasna finally began to relax at the sight of the ritzy and glamorous red carpet that awaited them. Swallowing at the sight of the Musat capital palace, Hasna smiles and nods to a few passing guests who walk ahead of them. Once they are alone, she shoots Mahdi a worried glance.

“Maybe this was a mistake?”

“I thought you were thrilled Bandar isn’t attending?” Mahdi hisses back as he holds out his elbow for her to take.

Begrudgingly taking the offered arm, Hasna sighs and nods with a whisper to him, “I am happy about that, but what if I’m making a mistake with the you know what plan?”

“Any plan that involves you losing your virginity out of wedlock does make me want to curl up and die, but so does Bandar forcing you into a loveless marriage,” Mahdi teases back and adjusts his tie with his free hand.

Flushing at the reminder of what she hoped would be the end result of tonight’s masquerade gala, Hasna reaches up to gently adjust her mask before whispering, “Bandar’s final words to me were that I should find a husband tonight or else.”

“Or else what?” Mahdi grumbles.

She shrugs as she scans the many masked faces that are currently lined up ahead of them, waiting to enter the ballroom and greet the Sheik and Sheikha of Musat. Seeing Sheikha Seline talking with a masked couple not too far away, Hasna turns to face him and mutters under her breath, “If I am to be married to a man that I do not love or willingly choose, then at least help me to feel something with a man I’ve thought about since I was twelve years old.”

The older man finally turns to face her and his simple black mask lowers slightly as his normally tense face relaxes. Finally, after a few moments had passed, he nods.

“Fine. Shall I go scout the area for your unwitting prey as well?” Mahdi murmurs teasingly and Hasna quickly covers her mouth to keep her laughing snort from reaching the ears of the other guests. Her plan fails when an elderly couple ahead of them in line seem to hear her and turn to glare at her reproachfully.

Smothering her laughter with an apologetic smile at the couple, Hasna turns away from them to face Mahdi with an urgent whisper, “When you do find him, come find me.”

Mahdi nods wordlessly and like a ghost backs away into the growing crowd and disappears. Shaking her head slightly in disbelief at his strange talent of being so covert, Hasna turns back to face the moving line. Adjusting her gold gown and pulling on the tight lace sleeves, she finally glances down to ensure everything is in place. When she does, the simple gold crown woven into her mass of curling hair shifts slightly.

As she is about to reach up to ensure the crown does not fall from her head, Hasna hears the first whispered comment behind her back.

“That’s her.”

“I heard he decided to marry the American when it was uncovered her dowry didn’t come with any profitable land.”

Another hissing gossiper snorts and mutters, loud enough for Hasna to hear, “What exactly is she a princess of again? A flock of sheep in the mountains?”

“What can you expect? Her father sold everything off to the Sheik of Nilan almost fifteen years ago.”

A light and airy voice laughs, but all Hasna hears is the hurtful words behind it. “Worthless goods now.”

Wincing as the spiteful words slash painful gashes across her heart, Hasna finally touches her crown and glances towards the line as she slowly moves towards the area where she will greet Sheik Kaleem and his new wife.

“Did you see that crown? Who is she trying to kid?” Someone else laughs along with the comment and in that moment, Hasna’s heart finally sinks to her toes.

Mahdi was right, this was a mistake…

Eyes watering as more catty whispers drift her way, Hasna steps out of line and picks up the skirt of her dress. Fleeing for the nearest balcony, she lets loose her tears. Pulling off her confining mask as the droplets stream down her face, Hasna bows her head and leans against the balcony’s railing. Fingers instinctively finding the charm bracelet on her wrist, she lets out another muffled sob as her other hand covers her quivering mouth.

“They’re right, Mama. Who am I kidding? I am a fraud,” she manages to stammer into the night air. Lifting her head to scan the beautiful city lights beyond the palace walls, Hasna’s shoulders droop. “I am nothing but a pauper princess who thinks she deserves something more.”

At least for one night...

Dropping her head once more, her eyes connect with her bracelet as it flashes in the night sky and for a brief moment, there is a warmth that surrounds her. As if her mother is sending her a hug from the heavens. Smiling through the tears, Hasna sniffles, “Thanks, Mama.”

“Hasna?” a raspy, familiar voice calls out from behind her.

Turning, Hasna’s eyes immediately widen at the sight of the tall, broad-shouldered man in a dark red suit embossed with red and gold swirling designs all around it.

Only Nashat would wear something so eccentric to a formal gala masquerade.

Sighing with relief, Hasna brushes aside her tears and instantly smiles as she meets his curious gaze. “Nash, hi.”

He opens his mouth and his gaze drifts over her face and the mask in her hand. Flushing with embarrassment, Hasna waves her mask around before securing it back into place on her face.

“I was just getting some air.”

“And crying?” he murmurs back, scanning the balcony as he does so. “Where is Mahdi?”

Slightly shocked at the thought that Nashat had actually recalled her bodyguard’s name, Hasna motions towards the balcony doors.

“He was actually looking for you…” Her words trail off as she scans Nashat once more. Something is different. Other than the fact that her friend had remembered her guard’s name, something he had never done in the past. Nashat always claimed he couldn’t care less what the man’s name was as long as he kept her safe. From what, she would never know.

“For me?” Nashat asks in confusion as he takes a hesitant step closer to her, but keeps to the shadows of the palace walls.

Even stranger…Hasna inwardly observes. Shrugging, she flushes red and motions to the doors again as she murmurs, “Yes. I wanted him to go ahead of me in the line and see if you were here yet. You know how much I detest these kinds of parties. Too much small talk, not enough dancing.”

Nashat nods and mutters, “Yeah, me too.”

Hasna snorts and swallows her laughter as she humorously rolls her eyes, “Oh, please. You love the attention.” Then she eyes him up and down, noticing the scruffy stubble growing around his mouth and up his sideburns. “Don’t tell me your brother’s moodiness is rubbing off on you, too?”

Nashat laughs slightly, but it sounds forced as he shakes his head. “I guess I’m just getting the idea of what he’s going through now that our father is no longer taking on some of the business details part-time.”

Realizing that she might have hit a nerve where Nashat’s brother is concerned, Hasna smiles encouragingly. “It’s nice that he has you.”

Memories of her parents come rushing back to her then as the nostalgia grips her. Touching her bracelet with her fingers, Hasna winces when her final memories bring back the pain of losing the two people in the world who loved her more than anything.

“Hey,” Nashat mutters and steps closer, only a foot away from her, into the light. “I’m sorry I didn’t visit for the memorial this year.”

She shrugs, trying to play that fact off as not meaning anything. Whispering softly, she tilts her head up to gaze into his eyes, forgetting how tall Nashat actually was. “You never do. I understand why. I mean, you’re busy…”

Cringing at the pathetic excuse she tries to make for her so-called friend, Hasna’s heart tightens in her chest as she blinks her eyes rapidly to keep her tears at bay. The memorial is an annual celebration to pay tribute to her parents on their death day.

I wish you’d come through for me just once,Hasna inwardly thought, knowing Nashat hated funerals. They were friends, but life had a way of separating them at every turn. Maybe tonight will be different…

“Kamran came though, right?”

She nods and forces a smile on her face. “Well, he is the Sheik of Jazah now, or at least, what remains of it.”

“Right,” Nashat murmurs awkwardly and reaches up to rub a hand over the back of his neck, seeming uncomfortable. “I always thought you would have made a wonderful Sheikha of Jazah if your father hadn’t sold off the deeds and everything.”

Hasna tilts her head slightly at Nashat’s comment. He had never made one like that before. Intrigued, she shrugs. “I don’t know about that. According to everyone inside, I should have stayed in the mountains ruling over my sheep.”

Nashat snorts, “Don’t listen to them. They are complete idiots.”

Before she can protest, Nash steps around her to lean over the balcony’s railing. Gazing out over Musat, he asks, “Are you going to be staying in Musat for very long?”

Shaking her head, Hasna joins him against the railing as she gazes out over the city skyline once more. This time, with a far different perspective.

“Uncle Bandar is back at the hotel sick with a cold. He wants to leave first thing in the morning unless…” Halting her words, Hasna shakes her head. “Never mind.”

Reaching up to touch her elbow, Nashat turns to peer down at her curiously. “Hey, wait. Come on, don’t close up like that just because we haven’t seen each other in a long time.”

Feeling tingles erupt at his brief touch to her elbow, Hasna raises her gaze and an eyebrow as she mutters, “We saw each other last month at the Paris fashion show. You left with that French model, remember?”

A confused look seems to pass over Nashat’s masked face and for a second, Hasna inwardly wilts. How could he not remember that beautiful woman? If he doesn’t remember her, how could he remember me? she inwardly mourns.

Finally, he nods and stammers, “Right, model.” Then he sheepishly smiles in her direction, dimples appearing in one corner of his cheek. Had he always had dimples? Hasna inwardly wonders, her breath lost as she stares up at him.

When his mouth opens again, Hasna shakes herself to focus on what he is saying, but only catches the last part. “Why would you stay in Musat instead of going home with your Uncle tomorrow?”

Cringing at him having caught onto her dilemma, Hasna finally sighs and motions behind her to the party, “He wants me to meet someone tonight.”

“What kind of someone?”

Caught in his intense stare, Hasna only barely has time to register his words before they are lost to her curiosity. Were Nashat’s eyes always that dark?

“Hasna?”

Say something!a voice screeches at her from the back of her mind and stammering, she manages to breathlessly say, “I’m really glad you’re here tonight. It would have been boring without you.”

Snorting, he mutters back, “Nice shift in conversation, Hasna.”

Even the way he says my name is different, Hasna inwardly realizes as her insides tremble with anticipation. It’s now or never.

“Fine. If you won’t tell me, then would you like to be miserable with me?”

Startled by his confession and question, Hasna tilts her head, eyeing him closely, looking for any signs of tiredness or weight loss. The mask blocks her and his stubbly beard distracts her enough that she only barely hears her own whisper, “Why are you miserable?”

Shrugging, Nashat croons, “I don’t know. I guess, I’m just tired of this.” Then he turns away from the balcony to motion towards the palace. With a curse under his breath, he growls, “The parties, the facade.”

When one of the red-and-black tinged feathers from his mask droops down in front of his face, he growls in annoyance, “The damn masks.”

Unable to stop herself, a giggle erupts from behind Hasna’s lips. When Nashat attempts to push the feather aside and it droops back into his face, her mere giggles morph into a full-on belly laugh as she clutches her sides and her eyes tear up.

“You think my depression is funny?” Nashat croons as he finally plucks the errant feather from his mask and throws the offending object away.

Biting her bottom lip to keep her laughter contained, Hasna shakes her head and manages to say through her semi closed mouth, “I’ve never heard you talk like this. You’ve always been one to live life to the fullest and enjoy the perks of being a prince.”

Sighing, Nashat leans back against the railing and crosses his arms over his chest as he glares towards the entrance of the palace. “I guess I’m just looking for something more… permanent.”

Just like in her dreams and fantasies, his glaring gaze softens and immediately meets hers. Inhaling sharply, Hasna’s insides turn to a puddled mess as she clasps her hands together to keep them from trembling. Inwardly, her mind is a jumbled mess as the voice of reason urges her to walk away, while another part of her brain screeches louder for her to make the first move.

This is it. Do it. Say something. Tell him the truth about your feelings. He wants something more permanent!

“Kiss me.”

“What?” Nashat jumps to stand on his own, shifting in a way that blocks her from the palace lights and balcony entrance. Flushing at the closeness of his body and the heat emanating from his chest, Hasna reaches up and caresses the silk handkerchief in the breast pocket of his suit.

“Kiss me, Nash.”

“Hasna, I don’t think…”

Ignoring him, Hasna grasps his tie with her hand and forces him to lean down. When his face is just a few inches from hers, Hasna tilts her head upwards and meets his open mouth with her own.

First kiss, this is your first kiss…Hasna’s inner mind screams as she tries to imitate what she had learned from romance novels her maid had smuggled into her uncle’s home for her to read.

Gently placing her free hand on his tense, rock hard chest, Hasna softly moans with relief at the feeling of his lips and body softening against her. Releasing his tie to clutch tightly to his shoulder, Hasna swipes her tongue innocently against his now closed lips.

Groaning at the feeling, Nashat deepens their kiss, opening his mouth at her insistence and just like their dueling tongues, wraps his arms around her waist and back. When his hand at her waist slips below her waist to clutch at her full, round bottom, Hasna gasps with delight as moisture begins licking at her core.

Everything comes crashing down around them when the sounds of glass breaking inside and people laughing forces them to pull their lips apart. Hasna’s hand remains on Nashat’s shoulder while her other hand clasps tightly into a fist around his suit’s lapel.

Breathing heavily, Nashat stares down into her eyes, seeming shocked and confused. Before she knows it or can apologize for forcing him to kiss her, Nashat is pulling her against his chest and moving them towards a quiet corner of the balcony, far from the entrance.

With her face pressed against his chest, Hasna breathes in his woodsy scent and instantly purrs with delight. She had never liked his spicy cologne, preferring earthy tones. How had he known?

When she finally pulls her face away from sniffing him and listening to his erratic heartbeat, Hasna glances up at him and catches him staring just as intently back at her with an urgent look on his face.

You fool, he must have said something!

“I’m sorry, what?” she breathes, her voice so unlike her normal steady tone this time, light and airy.

“Spend the night with me, Hasna.”