The Sheikh's Bartered Bride

“Yes.”

Harold’s hands rubbed together. Of average height, he had the look of one of his miners. Even his suit, made by an exclusive London tailor, did little to hid the raw musculature of Hakim’s soon-to-be father-in-law. He looked like what he was, an extremely wealthy self-made man.

He never apologized for that fact, either. At no time during negotiations with the King of Jawhar had Harold Benning showed the least discomfiture at the prospect of his daughter married to the Sheikh of Kadar.

Hakim wondered briefly how such a self-assured man could have raised Catherine, who was so insecure.

“You haven’t told her about our little arrangement, have you?”

“No.”

“Good.” Harold’s graying red head bobbed twice in acknowledgment. “She wouldn’t understand. Her mother and I have been concerned about her lack of a social life for quite a while. Sure, it was understandable when she was younger, but since the laser treatments, she’s been as reclusive as ever. And she balks at every attempt Lydia and I make to introduce her to men.”

Laser treatment? He would have to ask Catherine about that. “She sets great store by her independence.” Something that would naturally change with their marriage.

“Yes, that she does. She can be stubborn.”

Hakim could not picture the shy Catherine being willful, but did not bother to disagree with her father. “Is you wife aware of the arrangement between my uncle and your company?”

Tugging at his collar, Harold grimaced. “Not exactly. I told her I was looking to fix a husband up for Catherine, but she wouldn’t understand the business side of it any better than my daughter. Women are romantics at heart, the lot of them.”

“You would know your family best.” His sister knew to the coin how much dowry money had exchanged hands upon her marriage to a prince in their mother’s father’s Bedouin tribe.

Yet, she had been brilliantly happy on her wedding day. He wanted his bride to be equally pleased and if keeping certain details from her was conducive to such happiness, that was what he would do.

CHAPTER FIVE

Hakim approved of the understated décor and Queen Anne furnishings in the Benning’s Seattle mansion. Catherine’s mother, Lydia, had excellent taste and it showed from the gloss black grand piano in the living room to the subdued upholstery on the dining room chairs.

They were in the dining room now, just finishing desert. The evening had been illuminating. Catherine’s mother and sister could have been twins with their petite builds, pale blond hair and gray eyes. And while Catherine and her sister were obviously close, there was a distance between mother and daughter he found disturbing.

Despite this, Lydia Benning appeared genuinely pleased her daughter was happy. And Catherine was happy. It radiated off her in waves, her enticing lips constantly curving in one sexy smile after another.

He watched as she took a bite of her crème brulee, his temperature spiking when she closed her eyes and licked the spoon.

There was a small bit of burnt sugar on the corner of her lips and he reached out to gently wipe it away with his fingertip. She went still at his touch and suddenly what had been simple became complicated as her eyes reflected the desire he felt.

Laughter around them broke the sensual link.

“The wedding had better take place soon, if that look means anything.” Vance’s voice was full of amusement.

Hakim agreed with the sentiment completely. “I believe the waiting period in the state of Washington is one week.”

“Actually it’s three days.” Catherine’s voice was husky. “But what difference does that make? It will take at least six weeks to put together a church wedding.”

Hakim turned to face his fiancee. Their eyes met again, hers had gone the color of the night sky in the desert. “Do you really want a formal wedding?”

She was much too shy to desire to be the center of attention at such a gathering.

“Why not?”

Her question shocked him. “Have you forgotten the meeting of the Antique Telescope Society we attended together?”

She looked puzzled. “What does that have to do with our wedding?”

“You refused to examine the telescope because it required going up in front of the others to do so.” She had denied that was the case, but it had been obvious her shyness had held her back. “You shook like you’d been standing in the cold when you gave that small speech at the charity reception. You would be a nervous wreck put on display in front of several hundred wedding guests.”

The glow of happiness surrounding her dimmed a little. “You want to marry in a civil ceremony?”