The Sheikh's Pregnant Bride (The Jawhara Sheikhs 1)

Kamal was shocked, why would this beautiful young woman need to worry about moving snow? “You enjoy moving snow?”

Erin huffed, “Really? Do you enjoy shoveling snow?”

“I’ve never done it. But in my country it would be someone else’s job to remove snow.”

Erin looked at him and when she realized he was being serious, she asked, “Spoiled much?”

“Never,” Kamal replied. Having servants see to his every need was not a matter of being spoiled; it was his due as the Sheikh of his people. It was his country’s privilege to take care of their ruler. They were compensated well for their service, and Kamal had his every need met. Well, almost every need.

Chapter 3

Erin took another step and then stopped with an “O

uch.” Reaching down, she tried to loosen the small pebble that had lodged itself inside her shoe, just beneath the pad of her foot, but realized that without taking off her shoe, the action was hopeless.

Kamal heard her cry and then watched as she bent over, taking her foot in her hand. His eyes were drawn to the stretch of material over her bottom as she leaned over, and he just kept from letting his hands smooth over the mounds. “What’s wrong?”

“A rock in my shoe. It’s okay.” She attempted one more time to dislodge the offending rock, and almost fell over as her balance became disrupted.

Seeing her struggle, he grabbed her elbow and led her over to a nearby bench, pushing her down and then kneeling in front of her. Removing her shoe, he used his fingers to ensure the rock was no longer a problem.

Erin felt her breath catch when Kam knelt before her and removed her shoe. The feel of his hand upon the arch of her foot had her clenching her thighs together as shivers of delight shot straight to her core.

Looking up at her, Kamal let his hand massage her foot, watching as her eyes darkened with desire. Setting her shoe on the ground, he placed his other hand upon her ankle and slowly began to glide his hands up her calf. Kneading the muscles as he went, he felt her muscles tighten as he neared her knee and moved above it.

Her skin was silky smooth, and warm to the touch. When his hands reached the hem of her dress, he stopped, letting just his fingertips play beneath the material. He heard her quick intake of breath and felt the shiver through his own body. Keeping her gaze locked on his eyes, he slowly let his fingers glide up the first several inches of her thighs. Her legs were pushed together, as if to lock away the secrets they protected.

Kamal sensed that he was moving too fast for her, and abruptly pulled his hands away, finishing the task, and replacing her shoe. Standing, he turned, adjusting himself away from her prying eyes, before sitting beside her on the bench.

Erin was glad that he had stopped, but also found she was slightly disappointed he hadn’t finished his exploration. She didn’t know what it was about this man, but she was very attracted to him and found she wanted to know more about him.

Hearing a slight noise, she turned her head and caught of glimpse of two men standing several feet away. They had their backs turned towards the bench, but didn’t looked inclined to leave anytime soon. “Kam, there are men over there,” she whispered.

Kamal didn’t even bother to look, “Yes. I know. Don’t worry about them. They are just keeping us safe.”

“Safe? I didn’t realize we were in danger.”

Kamal smiled at her, “Danger can be anywhere. One can never be too safe.”

Thinking about his statement, she attributed it to the difference in cultures. “Well… tell me about your country.”

Kamal told her about the beauty of his Jawhara. He spoke to her about the advancements his country had made to their infrastructure. They exchanged ideas and opinions for over an hour, discovering that while they didn’t agree on many things, they were both very dedicated to their causes. He was dedicated to helping his country become independent. She was dedicated to helping people become independent.

Kamal listened as she described the work she did for a non-profit group, the Charity Foundation. As the staff lawyer, it was Erin’s responsibility to ensure that the people who came to the shelter for help were given every opportunity to start again. Whether that involved seeking a divorce, or terminating the parental rights of an abusive parent, Erin was very driven to make the world around her a better place for all to live in.

Kamal marveled at the strength of character he witnessed in her, while also frowning that she would willingly place herself in the middle of domestic disputes. She clearly needed someone to help her see that endangering herself was wrong. Not wanting to upset the chemistry between them, he held back from voicing his opinion.

In Jawhara, the elderly and very young were protected by everyone. There was no need to ever take a child away from their parents. Children were viewed as the future of the country, while the elderly were revered for their knowledge, experience, and wisdom.

When Kale and Shira found them an hour later, to inform them that they were going to head out to a local dance club, Kamal and Erin were quick to refuse their invitation to join them. Kamal had no desire to spend the rest of his evening shouting to be heard over what the youngsters of the US called music.

Erin could see that Shira had finally gotten Kale’s attention, and the thought of being a third wheel in their little celebration was unthinkable. Grinning at Shira, she gave her thumbs up as Kale pulled her off to a waiting limo. These guys sure knew how to travel.

“I guess I should probably head home as well.” Erin didn’t want the evening to end; she had really enjoyed talking with Kam.

“I will have my driver take you home.”

Shaking her head, she declined, “There’s no need. There’s a Metro station a block up. I’ll catch it and be home before you know it.”