The Sheikh and the Christmas Bride. Susan Mallery

      “Three American girls were there,” he said. “Their father was born here. When their mother died, he brought them back and then he was killed. Tahir heard of their situation and wanted to take them back to his village.”

      “Admirable,” the king said. “Three orphaned girls would be of no value. Tahir is a good man.”

      “Yes, well, their teacher didn’t share your admiration. She insisted the girls could not be separated, nor could they give up their education to be servants.”

      “Without family, what choice did the girls have? Tahir would have given them the honor of his name.”

      “I agree,” As’ad said. “Yet that, too, was lost on their teacher. She attacked Tahir.”

      The king’s eyebrows rose. “She lives?”

      “She’s small and apparently did him no harm.”

      “She is lucky he didn’t insist on punishing her.”

      “I suspect he was pleased to find a way out of the situation.”

      “So you solved the problem by taking the girls.”

      “Yes, and their teacher, who will be responsible for them.” He looked at his father. “They are charming girls,” he said, hoping it was true. “Almost like granddaughters for you.”

      The king stroked his beard. “Then I will visit them and their teacher. As’ad, you did the right thing. This pleases me. Obviously you are settling down as you grow older. Well done.”

      “Thank you, Father.”

      As’ad kept his voice respectful. Lina was right. Now As’ad would be spared the royal matchmaking for a while.

      “What is she like, this teacher?” the king asked. “Is she of good character?”

      “Lina thinks so.” He was nearly convinced himself. Her sad history could have made her hard or bitter. Instead she led with her heart.

      “Have you any interest in her yourself?”

      As’ad stared at his father. “In what way?”

      “As a wife. We already know she likes children and is willing to face a chieftain to protect her charges. Is she pretty? Would she do for one of your brothers?”

      As’ad frowned. Pretty? Kayleen? “She is not unattractive,” he said slowly, remembering how she’d looked the previous night with her long hair glowing like fire. “There is a spark in her. A pureness.”

      Pureness? Where had that thought come from?

      “I wonder what she thinks of the desert,” the king mused. “Perhaps she would do for Kateb.”

      “She would not,” As’ad said sharply, suddenly irritated, although he could not say why. “Besides, I need her to care for my daughters. Find my brothers’ brides elsewhere.”

      “As you wish,” the king said easily. “As you wish.”

      * * *

      As’ad stared at the three bridge proposals in front of him. While each provided the necessary access, they couldn’t be more different. The cheapest bid offered a utilitarian design while the other two had an architectural element that would add to the beauty of the city. There were—

      His phone buzzed. He stared at it a second, then pushed the intercom. “I said I was not to be disturbed.”

      “I understand, sir. Your orders were very clear.” His normally calm assistant sounded…flustered. “It’s just, there’s someone here to see you. A young woman. Kayleen James. She says she is the nanny for your children?”

      The slight rise in Neil’s voice probably came from the fact that he wasn’t aware As’ad had any children.

      “I’ll explain it all later,” As’ad told him. “Send her in.”

      Seconds later Kayleen walked into his office. As she moved across the open space, he took in the plain brown dress that covered her from the neck to down past her knees, and the flat, sensible shoes. She’d pulled her hair back in a braid. Her pale skin looked bare, and although her eyes were large, she did nothing to enhance her features. Even her earrings, tiny gold crosses, provided little adornment.

      He was used to women who took the time and made the effort to be as beautiful as possible. Women who dressed in silk, who showed skin, who smelled of enticing perfumes and glittered with diamonds. Did Kayleen not care for such adornments or had she not had the opportunity to dress that way?

      She could, he acknowledged, easily transform herself into a beauty. The basics were already in place—the perfect bone structure in her face, the large eyes, the full mouth.

      Without meaning to, he imagined her wearing nothing at all. Pale and soft, covered only by her long hair, a naked temptress who—

      “Thank you for seeing me,” Kayleen said, interrupting the erotic image that had no place in his head. “I guess I should have made an appointment.”

      “Not at all,” he said as he came to his feet and motioned toward a sofa in the corner. “How can I help you?”

      She sat down. “You’re very polite.”

      “Thank you.”

      She smoothed the front of her dress. “The palace is really big. I got lost twice and had to ask directions.”

      “I can get you a map.”

      She smiled. “For real or are you teasing?”

      “Both. There is a map of the palace. Would you like one?”

      “I think I need it. And maybe a computer chip implant so security can find me.” She looked uneasy as she glanced around the room. “This is nice. Big, but I guess that comes with being a prince.”

      He couldn’t tell if she was just nervous or stalling. “Kayleen, is there a reason for your visit?”

      “What? Oh. Right. I enrolled the girls in the American School this morning. It all went well. I used your name.”

      He smiled. “Bowing and scraping?”

      “Some. Everyone was very eager to help. And to have me tell you they helped. That part is weird. You’re probably used to it.”

      “I am.”

      “The school is great. Big and modern with a real focus on academics. Not that the orphan school is terrible. If they had more funding…” She sighed. “Asking about that is probably inappropriate.”

      “Will knowing that stop you from asking?”

      She considered for a second. “Not really.”

      “I will see if funds can be made available.”

      Her eyes widened. “Just like that?”

      “I have made no promises. But I’m sure a few dollars could be found.”

      “That would be great. We’re not working with a big budget over there, so anything would help. Most of the teachers live in, which means the salaries aren’t huge.”

      He doubted they would ever be huge. Teachers didn’t choose their profession in an effort to amass a personal fortune. He frowned.

      “Why did you become a teacher?” he asked.

      “Because I couldn’t be a nun.”

      An answer he never would have expected. “Did you want to be a nun?”

      Kayleen nodded slowly. “Very much. The orphanage my grandmother took me to was run by nuns. They were wonderful to me. I wanted to be just like them. But I don’t really have the right personality.”

      “Too outspoken?”

      “Too…everything.