The Sheikh's Secret Bride (The Adjalane Sheikhs 1)

“Mr. Adjalane…”

“Nassir,” he corrected her again.

“Nassir,” she kept her gaze lowered, her voice firm. “If your bride is not going to be involved in planning the wedding, I must insist you provide some guidance.”

“I have. If you are happy, I will be happy.”

“And will your bride? Will she be happy too?” She pushed away from the table and stood. “Thank you for lunch. I need to go so I can get my things moved into the palace.” She turned to leave then stopped and looked back at him over her shoulder. “I hope your bride knows who she’s marrying.”

“She will,” he said, then watched as she strode from the restaurant, her head high and her movements graceful. She moved like one of his prized thoroughbred racehorses, all sleek muscle and refined beauty. He’d always left the taming of his race horses to his stable hands, but not this time.

Nassir settled the bill then strode out to his own waiting car. This time he would very much enjoy taming this fine, charming, completely disarming American filly himself.

Chapter 5

Tired and frustrated after she left the restaurant, Janna had directed the driver to take her to the palace. Upon her arrival, she’d been shown to a luxurious suite of rooms with marble floors and columns, white on white walls, and elegant furnishings.

Despite her job-related dilemmas, she almost felt like a princess. At least until she met Nassir’s secretary and the man had handed over a huge guest list—over one thousand invited.

Royalty-related illusions gone.

Now, she was on the hunt for a venue in Al-Sarid big enough to hold such an elaborate affair.

Not exactly an easy task, given the language barrier, but her English-speaking driver, Hamal, had come to her rescue once more, whisking her around to most of the popular banquet halls and rental spaces. Unfortunately, she’d yet to find anything suitable. Most were either too big or too small. Nothing just right.

She sighed. This whole shindig was turning into a Goldilocks nightmare.

Hours later, her driver delivered her back to the palace. Feet aching once more, she strode into the foyer and stopped again to marvel at the majestic elegance around her—from the soaring domed ceilings to the mosaic inlaid wall art that shimmered and sparkled in the sunlight. Around her, servants bustled to and fro. Everyone in the place seemed to have a job to do, important stuff to handle.

Including her, if she could just figure out the best way to delve into these wedding arrangements. A cool breeze drifted in to her right and she spotted a set of open patio doors. Curious, she wandered in that direction, hoping she wasn’t overstepping her guest boundaries. Technically, Nassir had never told her not to explore his home, so if she got caught, she could truthfully feign ignorance.

She neared the doors and spotted a large marble veranda beyond, which led down to the most beautiful gardens she’d ever seen. As if drawn by an invisible cord, she stepped outside and walked down the steps, taking in the lush foliage, the flowers and their exotic fragrances. The grass seemed vibrantly green along the stone walkway and throughout the enormous space. Fountains gurgled and palm trees whispered in the winds high above. The whole thing was a horticulturist’s dream landscape.

She stopped and turned a three sixty, her tired spirits rallying and her pulse racing with adrenaline and anticipation.

This. This was it. The perfect space for the wedding.

Already, she could picture where the tents would go, how to decorate the space, the perfect spot for the dance floor. Janna wandered farther into the oasis and discovered a tiered fountain with lush greenery with a palm tree growing from the middle, the sound of the water falling from one level to the next soothing, nearly hypnotic.

“Janna.”

She jumped and spun fast to find Nassir watching her from nearby, his dark eyes narrowed on her and a slight frown marring his smooth, tanned brow. A tingle of awareness zinged outward from her core at the sheer maleness of him. She shuffled her feet and tried to play it off as best she could. “Oh, hi. I didn’t know anyone else was out here.”

He didn’t respond, his frown deepening.

Unsure what to do and not wanting to get in trouble for reckless snooping, she attempted to turn the spotlight back on him. “Everything all right?”

“Fine. Tough day.”

She nodded. “Likewise.”

“How are things coming with the wedding plans?” he asked, stepping toward her.

“Better. I was out all afternoon, scouring your city for the right venue. Then I came back here and it was right under my nose.” She gestured to indicate the surrounding gardens.

“You like this space?”

“Love it. I’ve never seen anything quite like them.”