The Sheikh's Christmas Maid (Shadid Sheikhs 1)

Throwing his hands up in the air, the delivery guy jumped back in the car and sped away. He couldn’t hear her clearly, but he could tell that Poppy was yelling after him. Finally, she grabbed the rope that was still tied around the tree and started dragging the tree toward the door.

Wanting to be the hero, Samir opened the door and raced out to help her. “Don’t bother,” Poppy snapped. “I’ve got it.”

“You don’t like anyone to help you, do you?” he asked cheerfully as he grabbed the rope from her. The tree was heavy, but it didn’t bother him as he easily lifted it to carry inside.

“I wouldn’t want you to get your royal hands dirty,” she muttered under her breath.

“Wow,” Samir laughed as she trailed along behind him. “You can’t talk to me like that!”

Poppy sighed and shut the door behind him. “You’re right,” she said stiffly. “I apologize.”

Raising an eyebrow, he turned his head and pursed his lips. “I didn’t expect you to give up so quickly,” he mused. “I admit that I’m a little disappointed.”

“I’d prefer not to lose my job.” Forcing a smile, she reached forward and pulled out the Christmas tree stand. “Your bodyguard is right. I’m not used to being around royalty, but I’ll do my best to remember my place.”

“I don’t think we’ve quite established where your place might be,” he answered in a low voice. He could tell that she heard him, but she didn’t respond. Once the tree was in the stand, she stepped back and put her hands on her hips.

“Okay, I guess I can decorate the tree tomorrow. I think there are some decorations in the attic or in the storage unit.”

Before she could take a step, Samir reached out and grabbed her arm. She stiffened but didn’t pull away. “I don’t know how long I’ll be here, Poppy. I’d like for us to get to know each other a little better.”

Her lips parted as she stared at him, and he wondered what she’d do if he leaned forward and kissed her. Just slid his tongue inside her welcoming lips and tasted her warmth.

Tugging out of his grasp, she clutched the candles tightly to her chest, her fingers reflexively tightening around the box, crushing the sides. “I don’t think that’s necessary, Sheikh Shadid,” she answered, deliberately stressing his title. “I’m your servant. You’ve no need to get to know me.”

Samir watched her skip up the stairs and admired the way her hips moved with each step. “Oh, habibti, I think there is every reason,” he murmured softly.

“Samir, it’s your father,” Melka growled as he suddenly appeared around the corner.

Tearing his eyes away from Poppy’s exit, he grabbed the phone from Melka and immediately walked into the kitchen. His bodyguard knew better than to follow him. Often times, conversations with his father didn’t go so well.

“Father,” he said politely.

“Samir, what have you done now?” his father shouted. “Melka told me that there was a threat on your life because you slept with someone’s wife? Don’t you have any sense to keep your affairs more private?”

Samir closed his eyes and slowly inhaled as he tried to control his temper. “I didn’t knowingly sleep with someone’s wife, and since I

didn’t see the letter, I can’t even begin to imagine who wrote it.”

“Slept with so many women that you can’t figure out who might be married?” Jibreel snarled. “Or were you too drunk to remember them?”

Samir stayed silent. He thought about disconnecting the call, but even he wasn’t that disrespectful. He knew that his father disapproved of his lifestyle, but since the Crowned Sheikh never thought him responsible enough to do anything to help out, Samir never had much to do. Kashif, of course, was being groomed to take over, and Jarik headed several different councils, but Samir was merely patted on the head and told to go entertain himself.

So he did.

Jibreel sighed. “I had hoped that you would be home closer to the end of the year so we could discuss some things.”

“What things?”

“Just things,” Jibreel snapped. “Is it too much to ask that my sons do as I ask without asking a bunch of questions?”

Confused, Samir pulled the phone back and stared at it. Whatever was going on with his father, it clearly had to do with more than his own antics.

“I’ll try to come back when I can,” he said stiffly.

“Fine,” his father said in a tired voice. “See that you do, and mind what Melka says. Your safety is important to me, Samir.”

He hung up, and Samir shook his head. That was the most emotional thing that his father had said to him in a long time.