Sheikh Without a Heart

How could he think clearly? He had to get some sleep. Or do something useful.

Ethan.

How was the baby doing? The nanny was with him, but nothing else in the child’s world was familiar. New surroundings, new faces.

No Rachel.

So what? His mother—his real mother—had him now. Surely there was something intrinsic in the bond between an infant and its mother …

Karim sprang from the chair, grabbed a shirt and left his rooms.

The palace corridors were long. It was a brisk few minutes’ walk to the nursery where he and Rami and generations of royal children had been raised. When he reached it, he paused.

Then he knocked on the door.

Rachel’s sister opened the door as quickly as if she’d been expecting him.

“Prince Karim,” she purred. “How nice of you to pay me a visit.”

She was wearing something long and pink and voluminous. Something that was also sheer enough so he could see glimpses of her body as she stepped back.

He thought of the first time he’d seen Rachel. She’d been wearing that foolish costume, her hair messy, her shoes kicked off. There’d been nothing sexy about her, but her beauty had stolen his breath.

And that first glimpse he’d had of her naked … how he’d deliberately parted the bath sheet she’d been wrapped in, her body lush and damp, her face scrubbed clean …

“Come in, Your Highness,” Suki said. She smiled. “I’ve been hoping you’d come by.”

Karim stayed in the doorway and cleared his throat.

“How is Ethan?”

“Huh?”

“Your son. How is he?”

“Oh. Oh, he’s okay. Don’t you want to come in and stay for a while?”

“I’ve told the kitchen staff to be sure his usual formula is available, as well as a supply of strained fruits and vegetables, but if you need anything else for him—”

“That girl—Rebecca, Roberta, whatever her name is—she’s taking care of all that.” Another smile, this time accompanied by a flutter of lashes. “This is really something. The palace, these rooms …” She fluttered her lashes again. “You.”

“It must have been difficult for you, being away from Ethan for such a long time.”

“Oh, sure. And there’s a stocked bar here. I didn’t know you people drank wine. I opened a bottle—there’s some left. How about I pour us a drink? I don’t know about you, but I could sure do with something relaxing after today.”

“I don’t want anything to drink.”

“Uh … okay. You could still come in for a while and—”