The Sheikh Doc's Marriage Bargain

Laurel greeted him with a smile. “Good morning. I didn’t expect to see you here this early. When you said you would come I thought it would be more like lunchtime.”

What was she talking about? Oh, the research on his family. He had said he would discuss that today.

“Come on, we’ll go to my ‘office’...” she made air quotes with her fingers “...and talk there. At least I can say I used it.”

“That will be fine.” She wore her hair up again. He longed to have that time at the beach back. Leaving her at her bedroom door that night might have been the most difficult thing he had ever done. He was also sorry that duties had taken him away from the palace the day before. “Your hair is up. I like it down.” Now he sounded whiney, like he had not gotten his way.

“It’s easier to fit under a cap if I pull it back. I’ve been thinking of cutting it.”

“No!” He hadn’t even had a chance to run his fingers through it.

She turned. “You don’t have any say in that.”

His gaze met hers. “I know, but I wish you wouldn’t cut it. It is lovely.”

Laurel shrugged. “I’ll see. I checked on Melina this morning. She’s awake and doing well. They think she’ll be well enough to leave today.”

Tariq had not even given their patient a thought because he had been so consumed with thinking of Laurel. She was making a compete mess of his life, but for some reason he didn’t mind as long as she remained in it. “I am glad to hear it. I had planned to go by the hospital this morning. Would you like to go when I do?”

“I don’t think so. I have too much to do here after being gone on Saturday.”

“You do know that it is permissible to take time off. Your work is important but life is as well.” Why could she not see that she was missing out on living because she would not let go at all? She had been so much fun yesterday. Even while they’d cared for Melina she had been more open and alive.

“I like what I do.”

“You might like other things as well.” Like me.

They had reached her office and she took a seat behind the desk, leaving him a chair in front of it. This was a huge role reversal for him. As the Prince he was always afforded the seat of authority except with the King. One of the many nice things about Laurel was that she saw him as Tariq and not royalty. He slid into the chair.

She pulled a legal pad out of the top drawer and located a pen. “First I’m going to ask you a series of questions then we’ll go back to the lab and draw your blood.”

“What could you ask that you do not already know about my family history?”

“For starters I want to find out about your ancestors. I find that family members often forget about some while others remember others. I like to cross-check.”

Tariq had never seen her so animated. He wished she was this excited about seeing him.

“Tell me about your mother’s family. Brothers, sisters then go to grandparents.”

Over the next few minutes he gave names, those he could remember, while Laurel nodded and made notes.

She tapped her pen on the paper then looked at him. “Do you know if any of them had hemophilia?”

He pursed his lips. “Um...one of my second cousins did. His mother, my great-aunt, is still alive.”

Laurel sat forward. “She is?”

“Yes. She is part of a mountain tribe. I have not seen her in over a year.”

“I would love to speak to her. Is that possible?” Laurel’s eyes were filled with anticipation.

Tariq could not deny her this, or anything else for that matter. “I will see what I can do. I need to go up there anyway. I will look at clearing my schedule and maybe I could take you at the end of the week.”

“That would be great!” She wiggled in her excitement. Would she react that way as he prepared to enter her? He had slipped over the edge.

Laurel continued to ask him questions but this time about his father’s side of the family. Despite the subject, he enjoyed talking with Laurel. She asked intelligent and thoughtful questions.

She finished with, “Now it’s time for your blood draw. Would you like to have it done at the clinic lab or for me to do it?”

“I have seen you in action. You may do it.”

“Then we’ll need to go back to my lab.”

Tariq followed her there. He waited while she gathered what she needed in the small room. She put a tourniquet around his arm then located a vein. Her head moved close to his as she worked. “You smell like the gardenias that grow in the garden. Heavenly.”

Her breath caught.

Tariq leaned closer. “I desire you, Laurel.”

He felt a stick in his arm. He hissed and clenched his jaw.

“You shouldn’t talk while I’m working.” She released the tourniquet and watched the blood fill the tube. With that done, she placed a gauze square over the needle and pulled it out. She removed a length of tape from a nearby roll and applied it firmly over the gauze.

Tariq caught her hand and looked her in the eyes. “Just because you ignore what is between us, it doesn’t mean it will go away.”

* * *

A few hours later Tariq said to his office assistant, “Just make it happen. I will be gone the last three days of this week.”

“Yes, sir. Is there anything else?”

“I would like the stables notified I will need Turo and Astor, trailered along with a pack horse and all the tack, ready to go at six in the morning on Wednesday. This afternoon I will provide you with a list of supplies I wish to take with me.”

“I will see that all is taken care of.” The man nodded and exited the office.

Tariq picked up the phone and autodialed the lab number. One of the staff answered and he asked for Laurel. He waited.

The woman’s voice came back on the line. She sounded unsure. “I’m sorry, Your Highness, but she will not come to the phone right now. She will return your call later.”

Tariq smiled. How like Laurel. When everyone else danced to his requests she acted as if he was no big deal. “Tell her that will be fine.”

* * *

Hours later his secretary rang through. “The Princess is on the line.”

Tariq picked up the phone, anticipation making his heart pound. He looked forward to hearing her voice. “Laurel.”

“Hey. You needed me?” She sounded distracted.

He wanted to say in more ways than one, but refrained. “I have arranged for us to leave in two days’ time for the mountains. You can be prepared by then?”

“Uh...yeah. I should be able to make that work.” She paused as if her mind had gone elsewhere once more. “I’ll put in a few extra hours here, but it’ll be fine. Thanks for this, Tariq. I have to go.” The phone went dead.

She obviously had not been as excited to speak to him as he had been to hear her voice. What did it take to get her attention?

* * *

Two evenings later Laurel returned to the palace just before bedtime. She’d come to expect that a dinner tray would be waiting in her room. She wasn’t disappointed. Also there were a number of packages. A note in a bold script rested on top of one. It was from Tariq.