The Sheikh’s Instant Family (The Safar Sheikhs 2)

She just couldn’t.

“Babe, are you okay?” Amad rolled over in bed, probably in response to her long, anguished groan.

“I’m so tired,” she wailed, tears pricking at her eyes. She’d slept eight hours last night, but it wasn’t enough. Maybe she was coming down with something. Or maybe this was just the natural progression of creating life—both inside her belly and in a new country. She didn’t know anymore.

“Just sleep in, then,” Amad said, stroking her hair. His soft voice at her ear calmed her.

She scrubbed at her face, trying to rally. “But I have a commitment. I can’t back out of it. I would feel awful.”

“What is so important?”

She heaved a sigh. “I volunteered at the elementary school. I can’t let the kids down.” Tears came to her eyes again. Yes, this was pregnancy intensity.

Amad clucked with sympathy. The bedcovers rustled as he rolled out of bed and came around to kneel at her side.

“How can I help you?”

She sniffled, wiping at her eyes. “I don’t know. Give me a shot of espresso? Except I can’t do that, so never mind.” She groaned, flopping onto her back. “I actually feel like I need three weeks of sleep. Maybe you should cryogenically freeze me.”

Amad smirked. “Very funny. I have money at my disposal, but not that much.”

“Yeah, and it would be dangerous for the baby.” She sighed, her eyes drifting shut. “I’ll have to cancel on the schoolkids, I guess.”

Amad was quiet for a moment, brushing soft kisses over her knuckles. “Maybe I can find a way to help.”

She launched her forearm over her eyes. “How?”

“I can go in your place.”

“Oh, Amad.” Tears arrived again, and this time she couldn’t prevent one from escaping. He brushed his thumb over her cheek to wipe it up. “Are you serious?”

“What time does it begin?” he asked.

“Nine thirty.” She swallowed a thick knot. “At the Al Ghuman elementary school.”

Amad reached for her phone on the nightstand and checked the time. Then he nodded. “I can make that work. I have a meeting at noon in the tents, but the volunteering won’t take until then, right?”

“No, it’s only supposed to be an hour,” she croaked.

He nodded, then sent a bright smile her way. “I’ll be your stand-in today.”

She crumpled with relief and rolled over to curl up against him. She clutched his waist. “You are amazing!”

He chuckled softly, patting her back. “You deserve it. You’re carrying our child. Now I’ll go put in some time with other people’s children.”

Vanessa grinned at him as he stood and started readying himself for the day. She drifted off to sleep once he disappeared into the closet and didn’t even notice when he let himself out of the room.

She jolted awake hours later. She lay blinking at the ceiling as the sensations of the day slowly crested her body. Tired, still, but more rested. This time, she could consider getting out of bed.

Her phone said 11:30—if she hurried, she could get ready and intercept Amad before his meeting began. Just to thank him one more time, press another kiss to those juicy lips, and then officially begin her day.

She hurried through her morning routine, put on minimal makeup with a flowy dress, and hurried through the halls of the pal

ace. When she reached the tents, Amad was nowhere to be seen. Tribal leaders were gathering around a large wooden table, per custom. Vanessa took a seat on the far edge so he wouldn’t miss her when he showed up.

Her phone vibrated on the table with an incoming call. She frowned at the screen. It looked like a foreign number. One she didn’t recognize. Her gut clenched, urging her to answer it. She swiped it on.

“Hello?”