The Sheikh’s Reluctant Bride Read Free Page A

hard not to, what with all the stories printed about you and women who are equally self-absorbed and pleasure seeking.”
    His emotions had shut down two years ago after burying his beloved Antonia and he almost didn’t recognize the prick of anger now. “Do you believe everything you read in those publications?”
    “At the very least there has to be a grain of truth or they would be subject to accusations of slander followed by expensive lawsuits. And how many times have denials been issued only to find out the story was true? So, yes, I do believe a lot of what I read.” She met his gaze directly. “Although I have to say you look nothing like your pictures.”
    “The paparazzi are not interested in taking favorable photographs. Their goal is to take infamous ones.” And they did not care who they hurt in the pursuit of that goal, he thought bitterly.
    “And you certainly give them ample opportunity.”
    “If you have such a low opinion of me, it begs the question. Why did you agree to come here?”
    “You know why. The king’s representative promised to make it possible for me to meet my family.” She met his gaze. “After that, I’m going back home to my job with the department of social services—important, relevant work. Something you probably wouldn’t understand.”
    “You would be wrong.” He was the minister of Finance and Defense. “I am quite social.”
    She smiled. “No doubt about that, but the services you provide are questionable.”
    She was making assumptions without knowing him and it was beginning to grate. It was as if she were trying to elicit emotion from him, even if that emotion was negative. If that was her objective, she was destined for more disappointment. The passion he had once felt was big and blazing, an entity with a life of its own and an excitement that had consumed him. When he lost that, he lost everything. He was empty inside. He had learned to go on by embracing that feeling of nothing and Jessica could not do or say anything to make him care.
    This was about duty—in his case duty had been helped along by the unfortunate photographs of him with a certain still-married and much divorced actress. With negotiations in progress for Bha’Khar to join other nations in the Global Commerce Union, a scandal in the royal family would not be tolerated. As the public relations minister had pointed out—the only thing the media loved more than a salacious story was a salacious love story that included a wedding.
    But that was not the real reason her presence in Bha’Khar had been expedited. The woman Kardahl had loved was dead, along with their unborn child and a part of him had died with them. Now one woman was the same as the next. It had ceased to matter to him that the king had chosen his bride when Kardahl was just a boy. His heart had turned to stone.
    But his confusion was increasing. What was this about her going back to a job? It would explain her scarcity of luggage, but created more questions.
    Kardahl frowned. “One who takes vows so cavalierly should not be so swift to point accusing fingers.”
    “Vows?” Her smile disappeared. “What are you talking about? What vows?”
    “The vows we took by proxy.”
    Her eyes widened. “I don’t understand.”
    Neither did he. But this he knew for certain. “You are my bride.”

CHAPTER TWO
    T HREE hours ago Jessica had been afraid the family she’d only just found might reject her because she was the result of her mother’s out-of-wedlock pregnancy. Now she had bigger things to worry about, like marriage to a man who didn’t know the meaning of the words vow, dedication and loyalty.
    In his palace suite, she paced back and forth in front of the French doors that opened to a balcony overlooking the Arabian Sea while she waited for him to return and tell her it was all a big mistake. They’d have a laugh, then she could get on with the reason she’d come here.
    At least she had a great view for her pacing and