The Sheikh's Blackmailed Bride (Sheikhs of Al-Dashalid 2)

The food—well, it was a revelation. They worked their way through a traditional Middle Eastern feast. Catelyn had the best lentil soup of her life, followed by lamb shawarma, the meat so tender it melted on her tongue.

“Tell us about your business, Catelyn,” Daya prompted mid-meal.

Catelyn’s heart squeezed at the thought of her friends back in the States by themselves. She’d check in as soon as she had a chance, she decided. No reason to leave them hanging.

“It’s a wedding-planning business I started with my two best friends from college.”

“Best friends?” Zafir was curious. “Doesn’t that make things more difficult?”

She thought of Laura’s go-getter attitude and Daisy’s charming smile. “No, not at all. We’ve had our disagreements, but being so close has made it easier to smooth things over. We always start from a foundation of respect and care.” She was almost getting a little choked up at the thought of it and blinked away a sheen of tears from her eyes.

“You miss them,” commented Adira softly.

“They’re great,” Catelyn said, getting ahold of herself. “You’d like them.”

The conversation turned to other things, and before she knew it, the group was moving back into the sitting room. Inan played in the center of the room with a small red ball, and the adults chatted amongst one another. Issam seemed a little more withdrawn after what had happened in the SUV, and he watched quietly from an armchair.

Rami got into a discussion about the Texas deal with his father, and Catelyn yawned. It was then that Adira appeared at her side.

“Come walk with me,” the beautiful young woman said.

“Gladly.” The two women stood and walked into the wide palace hallway, the evening sun streaming in at an angle that made Catelyn’s heart ache.

“I’ll be honest,” Adira said without preamble. “Issam told me about the blog post.”

Catelyn’s cheeks heated. “Oh, god…”

“I didn’t want you to think you had to hide it from me. My parents, on the other hand—” She laughed. “They have no need of that information, and none of us are going to give it to them.”

“That’s—thank you.” She was so relieved.

“I think it’s a sign.”

“I—what?”

Adria looked at her. “I like you, and now that we’ve had a chance to meet…it’s confirmed my feeling.” She grinned at Catelyn. “I think that post was fate, telling my brother to find you and marry you for real. And does it matter, in the end, how things started? As long as they end in happiness?”

* * *

Catelyn was still thinking of Adira’s words when she lay next to Rami that night, her husband in a deep sleep. Adira had made her feel so welcome.

But a doubt nagged at her.

Was it still a fantasy if it was destined to end?

10

“What was I thinking?” Catelyn groaned. “You were right. I can’t wear any of this. Especially not to the reception.” Her clothes had been hung up in the closet in the suite of rooms she and Rami were sharing in the palace, and they taunted her from her hangers. “What am I going to do?”

He leaned against the bed, the long lines of his body tempting. They hadn’t had sex since their arrival in Al-Dashalid two days ago, though Catelyn found herself tossing and turning in the middle of the night, craving his touch. More than once, she’d thought of shaking him awake and demanding what she wanted, but—would that push things over the line? She thought it might.

“Darling.” Rami crossed his arms in front of his chest. “There’s no need to worry.”

“Of course there is. Your mother planned this reception. I can’t waltz in in a stupid maxi dress.”

“Then let’s call the car.”

“Call the car? To go where?”