The Sheikh's Christmas Baby (Shadid Sheikhs 3)

a curtsy to me.” She then demonstrated an awkward curtsy before she promptly started to topple over. Before she hit the ground, one of the dogs gently righted her with his nose, and she continued on her Princess tirade.

“Henry!” Kristy said sharply as she marched up the path. “What is Arella doing here? She’s supposed to be inside!”

Henry shrugged, and Kashif frowned. “I brought her out here. She said she wanted to play with the puppies, and Julia said that it was okay.” He watched her closely. She looked more than just frustrated. Was that fear he saw in her eyes?

“Well, it’s not okay,” she snapped. “Arella. Go inside. You can take Dusty and Jane with you.”

The girl pouted and immediately burst into tears, but Kristy didn’t sway. She simply crossed her arms and stared. When she realized that pouting wouldn’t get her anywhere, Arella stopped crying and called to Dusty and Jane. The faithful older dogs dutifully followed her out, and the rest of the lot immediately started grappling with each other.

He searched her face for a clue to what she was thinking, but she was completely closed off now. “I can always run the dogs tomorrow,” he said softly.

“Well, now you’ll have to,” she said crossly. She caught his puzzlement and straightened. “Arella has been sick. I don’t want her to catch another cold. I’m sorry if I snapped. Henry, you’re welcome to grab your lunch now.”

“Yes, ma’am.” The young man grinned as if he knew what was going on and walked inside.

Without saying anything else to him, Kristy grabbed an empty basket and stomped away. She moved away from the farm, and, his interest piqued, he followed her.

“Thought it would be a good day for a walk in the forest?” he asked teasingly as his long strides caught up to her rapid pace with ease.

“Are you following me?”

“I am. We didn’t get to finish our conversation from earlier.”

“There’s nothing else to discuss.”

“Sure there is. You hate me, and I’m trying to resolve that.” He caught up to her easily and slowed down to match her steps. When she bent down to pick up a pine cone, he watched as she inspected it before discarding it. “What are you doing?”

“Arella said she wanted to make a Christmas wreath,” Kristy said shortly. “I don’t have time to run all the way into town to get her some supplies, so I figured I’d grab some stuff out here, and she could make a natural one.”

“You’re a good mother,” he said softly.

Her initial anger deflated, and she sighed. “I don’t understand what you’re doing here. Why didn’t you go stay at the other fancy lodge?”

“I’m here for the race,” he said evenly. “That other lodge doesn’t have the best dogs. You do. More importantly, that other lodge doesn’t have you.”

Before she could respond, he bent down and captured her mouth. She was as soft and sweet as he remembered. When her lips parted in surprise, he took advantage and swept his tongue inside. For a moment, she leaned against him, and he got carried away by her touch and the memories.

She’d been so sweet and innocent four years ago. It’s what drew him to her. At home, he was always surrounded by gorgeous, sophisticated women, but none of them were real. They simply said whatever they thought that he wanted to hear.

Kristy Cohen was real, and the kiss reminded him of that. Urgency rose in him, and he knew that he needed more of her. Just as he deepened the kiss, she stepped back and gasped.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” she whispered.

“I’m reminding you of what we had,” he said softly. “I’m reminding you of what we lost. Something has been keeping us apart, and I mean to remedy that, Kristy.”

“Maybe I’m seeing someone.”

A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. “I do not believe you. Julia told me that you weren’t. She said that Arella’s father wasn’t around anymore.”

“That’s not the point,” she said looking away. “Maybe your people did lie to me, and maybe my father lied to you, but that doesn’t change the fact that it happened. I was hurt, and obsessed about what happened, Kashif. Things changed. I’m not the same woman I was four years ago. I’m more realistic now. The circumstances surrounding our relationship then haven’t changed. Your family, your people, obviously didn’t want me around, and I’m not the same infatuated girl.”

“If I had known, I would have put a stop to it. My family and my people don’t control me, Kristy. What if it’s more than infatuation?”

“It’s not,” she said firmly. “Now, you can either join me on this walk as a guest, or you can go back to the lodge.”

“You’re not even going to give us a chance?”

“I did, Kashif. Look what happened.” Without bothering to wait for an answer, she gripped her basket and walked away.