Chapter 5
Amir knocked softly on his father’s bedroom door before entering. After their arrival at lunch time a week earlier, he had not seen Alexandra, as he had taken to calling her in his head, again. Malik had whisked her off, as per his instructions, to meet her charge, and then had settled her into her suite. He himself had gone immediately to his study for a conference call that had taken almost an hour. Then, the business left incomplete by his visit abroad waited for him to attend to, and he had been busy every afternoon, and well into the evenings, and for the next few days, only pausing for meals with Malik, who had briefed him on her first meeting with his aging parent.
Now he needed to see her. No matter how busy he had been, she had never been far from his thoughts, and he wanted to see her one more time, maybe touch her, hear her speak, watch her eyes light up with humor and compassion, before he took himself off to bed. The next day he would be away on business again, and he planned to end things with Amina that evening at dinner. He would not start anything with Alexandra while things with Amina remained as they were.
At first, he could see nothing, standing inside the open doorway. She had turned off all the lights, and only a night light glowed by the head of the bed. His father’s head was turned on the pillow, and a soft snore escaped his lips, the only sign that he was still alive. Alexandra seemed to be missing, and he frowned. He had made it clear that she was not to be far from his father, who slept fitfully at best, and sometimes not at all. Turning slowly, he saw her seated by the window, her lighted tablet in her hands, watching him. She stood up, but remained silent as he closed the door behind him and approached her. When he was a foot in front of her, she spoke quietly.
“Good evening, Your Highness,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper, and bowed her head to him.
His heart lurched in his chest. He had not expected her to bow to him, and the courtesy was somehow even more poignant because they were alone, where no one would know if she had done it or not. He could not speak for a moment, feeling so overwhelmed by his growing emotion for the woman waiting quietly for him to say something. Inhaling deeply did not help to calm him, either, as he expected, but merely brought the essence of her scent into his lungs. She smelled like frangipani and jasmine, making his body hard with a need to touch her, even as his mouth watered suddenly for a taste of her, particularly the lips that were even now smiling shyly at him.
“How may I help you, Your Highness?” she continued, when he hesitated. There was a hitch in her voice, and he wondered if she were feeling the electric current of awareness that he felt arcing between them.
“I just wanted to find out how everything has been so far,” he said, putting his hands in his pockets to stop himself from touching her. “I heard that your first meeting with my father went well.”
He smiled a little as he said that, remembering how Malik had described the way she expertly handled his father’s irascibility and abruptness. The other caregivers had not been patient with him at all, and his father had disliked them on sight. According to Malik, his father seemed to take to Alexandra, which would be a first, and for which he was very grateful.
“His Majesty is a very strong man, Your Highness, despite his illness,” she replied, looking over to where his father slept on, undisturbed. “If you need to speak with me,” she added, “perhaps we should take this outside. I’m wearing the mic…I’ll hear him if he stirs.”
Amir let her lead him out of the bedroom to the sitting room through which he had come in, and watched as she left the door ajar. She was calmly efficient, warm, and strong, and he found himself falling deeper under her spell. What it was about her that made him want to wrap her up in silk sheets and protect her, as well as strip her naked and ravage her, he couldn’t tell, but every moment he spent in her company, no matter how mundane, built those conflicting feelings in his chest. He was old enough not to believe in love at first sight, but still young enough to want a passionate and lasting love with a woman worthy of his regard…a woman like her.
“Do you have any questions for me?” he asked, searching for some explanation for his being there. “I wanted to make sure you were comfortable and had everything you needed to get the job done,” he said, wishing the prevarication was unnecessary.
He wanted to tell her that he missed her, after their long flight together, that he liked the sound of her voice and wanted to hear her again, that he thought she was beautiful and he wanted to see her again, and that he wished they knew each other better so he could kiss those sweetly pursed lips. He said none of those things, though he acknowledged them all to be true as he waited for her to answer him.
“Well, I had a concern about Simone,” she began hesitantly.
When she did not continue immediately, he prompted her. “You may say what is on your mind, Al…Ms. Downing.” He hoped she did not notice his slip, but kept his eyes on her face.
“Well, I am not going to be able to provide stimulation for her, as she was used to having in the pre-K,” she began, “and I don’t want her to fall behind. And how will I manage school for her if…”another hesitation, “if I am mostly on duty?”
Amir watched as her face bloomed with heat. He could imagine what she was thinking, and he hastened to reassure her.
“Those are perfectly understandable and valid concerns, and I will set Malik to addressing them fully. How soon will you be able to see him tomorrow?”
She considered for a moment, and then said, “If he could pass by after I’ve got His Majesty up, fed and dressed, that would be nice.”
“Okay…around ten, then?” he asked.
“Yes, Your Highness. I appreciate your being so understanding,” she added, still blushing slightly.
Amir fought against the urge to palm her cheek and stroke her with his thumb. She was enticing, and he was lost to her many charms. He managed to restrain himself, and merely said,
“You’re welcome, Ms. Downing.”
He left it at that, because any further attempt to speak might end up with him saying things he needed to keep to himself. Besides, his voice was hoarse with unfulfilled desire. He looked at her, letting his gaze travel over the plain, dark blue scrubs and white Keds she wore. She had a nurse’s lapel watch pinned to the pocket of her top, and the big white triangle with the red cross on it was attached to the face by a stainless steel herringbone chain. She looked quietly professional, and the thought of stripping her of everything but that watch, though he couldn’t imagine how she could wear it without clothing, made his body hard.
He cleared his throat, looking away from her, not willing to let her see the lust in his eyes. Inhaling deeply, he was reminded once again of how her scent wound him up. He clenched his fists inside his pockets, and said,
“I’d best let you get on, then. I hope you have an uneventful night.”
He pulled the door open for her and watched her walk back in. He would not follow her. That way lay madness.
“Good night,” he said, and turned away sharply, leaving her standing just inside the bedroom watching his hasty departure.
Inside his own suite, he dropped his jacket and pulled the tie off before heading to the bar in the corner of his living room. Pouring himself a stiff drink, he walked over and opened the French doors leading to the same garden that his father’s suite of rooms overlooked. Sipping his drink, he wandered out into the warm night air, inhaling the scent of the flowers that lay heavy on the air. The fragrant roses reminded him of his mother, and his heart softened as he remembered her. These days, the memory of her beautiful face did not cause pain to twist his heart, though he knew he would always miss her.
A sound made him turn his head, and he saw Alexandra step onto the balcony off his father’s suite. She would not see him from where she stood, but he had a clear view of her face in the moonlight. She was leaning against the wall, her arms wrapped around herself, looking up at the clear night sky, and he wondered what she was thinking about. Was she wishing on one of those brilliant stars that twinkled above them? And if she were, what would she wish for? He knew what he wished for. It was really quite simple. He wished for her…her body, her heart, her soul. He wanted the simplicity of her being, the elegance, the nobility, the toughness, the tenderness. Everything he sensed or had seen in her, he wanted.
She stretched, and then turned back into the room, leaving him alone with the night and his need for her. Tomorrow night couldn’t come soon enough. He had booked a table at a popular restaurant in the heart of downtown, because he knew Amina would understand that the lack of a more intimate venue was meaningful. He knew it would certainly make it easier for him to let her down. His primary concern was getting to know Alexandra better, and he didn’t need any distractions, which was all that Amina would be.
He was more than ready to leave next morning, after a long run and some weight training in the gym. He breakfasted with Malik, who had done the running portion of his morning routine with him, and he told him of Alexandra’s concerns.
“I know you have your finger in every kind of pie, Malik,” he said, smiling. “So this won’t be hard for you. I don’t want her to be distracted by worrying about her child.”
“Everything has already been arranged, my Lord,” Malik said calmly.
Amir was not surprised. “Thank you. I know I can always rely on you.” He paused, and then added, “Please make sure the car is ready to pick me up at The Oasis at precisely nine.”
Malik cocked an inquisitive brow but said nothing.
“I will tell Amina tonight that she and I will no longer be seeing each other,” Amir said, knowing his PA and friend would never ask, but wanted to know anyway, why he was having dinner at the famous restaurant.
A small smile played on Malik’s lips. “It’s probably for the best, my Lord,” he said smugly.
Amir laughed. “I know you never really liked her, so you can stop pretending.”
Malik’s chuckle echoed his amusement. “It is not my place to approve or disapprove of Your Highness’s choice in female companionship,” he said primly, setting his lips in a tight line, no doubt to contain a grin.
Amir laughed again, and wiped his lips on the napkin. “Today would be the first time that has ever stopped you from voicing your opinion.”
He stood up, pulling on his robe over his business suit, and donning the agal before heading out the door. He had left a number of things for Malik to do while he was out, beginning with dealing with Alexandra’s childcare needs, and as he settled himself in the back of the limousine that was taking him to his first meeting, he hoped that whatever Malik had planned would satisfy her. He would check in on her as soon as he returned home
By the time that the dinner hour approached, Amir was weary of meetings and ready to relax. However, the closest he got to doing that was a half hour alone in the back of the limousine, with a stiff drink and some of his favorite music being piped over the speakers into the earphones he had in his ears. He needed to be calm when he met Amina, whom he knew was highly strung on a good day. Arrived at The Oasis, he straightened his tie, brushed a hand over his face, and exited the cool interior of the car. He had made sure to arrive exactly fifteen minutes before the hour at which he had invited Amina to arrive, and when she did, he saw her being escorted to his table, in the main dining room, but still somewhat separate from the others nearby. He could see that she was puzzled by the choice of venue, and he could also see, by the alluring outfit that she wore, that she had thought the unexpected invitation meant something more than it did.
While Amina was a very proper Muslim woman, whose attire was always appropriate, she chose colors that highlighted her hair and eyes, and then complimented those with makeup that enhanced her beautiful face. As she had done before, tonight she wore an emerald green caftan, threaded through with gold leaf patterns, and her face was carefully and flawlessly made up so that he could not miss her peach-colored, pouty lips, or long, slender neck. She should have been alluring, but all he could see, as she glided over to him on impossibly high heels, was a gorgeous, scrubs-clad woman in Keds reading quietly in his father’s bedroom.
“Good evening, my prince,” Amina said, as he stood and waited while she was seated by their attendant.
“Good evening, Princess,” he replied, smiling kindly at her.
He could see the puzzlement in her eyes. He had chosen not to seat her himself, which was his right, and it was a small enough courtesy, but one that would have indicated his continued interest in her. And to address her merely as ‘Princess’ without naming her or claiming any attachment to her, as her greeting to him had done, was almost a slap in the face. He wanted to prepare her for what he knew she would see as bad news, and these were the gentlest ways, aside from the venue for their evening, that he could think of. As Malik had said earlier, it was probably for the best. He had known all along, even before he had met Alexandra, that he did not want Amina. It was best to end it before either of them was hurt too badly.
“My lord, are you ready to order?” the waiter asked, appearing as if conjured by Amir’s troubled thoughts.
“Indeed I am,” he replied, and proceeded to order for both of them.
Amina’s eyes widened. This was also unprecedented behavior on his part. Before tonight, he had always given her the courtesy of choice in what she ate, but as this was not an evening meant to end well, there was little use in pretending that he was concerned about her meal choices. She would eat what he ordered, even if she would have chosen different items. But Amir chose things he knew she enjoyed, so it was not as much of an affront as it otherwise might have been.
“Is there somewhere that you need to be, my prince?” she wondered, sipping the wine he had ordered for her.
“I have hired a new caregiver for my father who, as you know, grows weaker daily. I would like to observe her closely for the first few days. As it is, I was away all day today on business and could not be there,” Amir explained, willing to answer her curiosity if it meant he could leave when he wished to.
“Surely your assistant can see to her supervision,” she said, a small frown making its way fleetingly across her brow.
“He is my father, not Malik’s,” he reminded her with a touch of asperity. How dare she question his decisions regarding his family?
“And is this why we are having dinner here instead of in your suite?”
Her next question was a quiet rebuke, and Amir bristled. He did not owe this woman anything, not even the courtesy of a goodbye dinner, but he was not one to burn his bridges. Her father was an ally and he would like to keep the relationship open and friendly. Hence this evening, and the careful words of separation which he would speak to her before he left.
“This restaurant is more convenient for the conversation that I need to have with you,” he replied honestly.
For the first time since she had sat down, Amina’s demeanor changed. She paled, and the smile she had been striving to keep plastered on her face slipped. She covered her reaction to his words by taking another sip of her wine, using the glass to shield her shock from him until she had managed to get herself back under control. Amir waited, feeling more and more strongly as he did that he was doing the right thing.
“This sounds quite serious, my lord,” she said eventually.
Amir bit back a smile. He had never been her prince, and it amused him. He found he could handle her disapproval quite well.
“It is, and it is not,” he said cryptically. “Let us eat, and then you will hear all.”
He would not allow her to set the timing of events. He intended to show her that he was in charge, and had always been. Again, the waiter appeared as if by magic with the starters, and Amir began to eat, knowing that Amina would follow suit. She would not speak again until he did, which was exactly what he wanted. By the time the meal was concluded, he knew she was steaming with irritation. He had spoken of her family, asked after her mother’s health, wondered when her younger sister would be returning from university, and whether her older brother was still deployed on a military mission. She had answered all his questions politely, but he had watched as her color changed, a flush of anger making her cheeks glow. She was beautiful even when she was angry, and still he felt nothing. No stirring in his blood, no remorse for what he was about to do…there was no question in his mind that this would be their last meeting in a private setting.
She declined dessert, but accepted a cup of coffee, while he had another Scotch. As she sipped, he began to speak.
“We will no longer see each other, Amina,” he said. “It must have become clear to you that there is nothing between us. I cannot allow you to continue to hope for an end that will never happen.”
He paused, taking in the shock that spread across her features as he told her that their time together was over. By the time he was finished, she had put down the delicate teacup, and was staring at him in horror. He waited, knowing there would be a strong reaction, and not entirely sure what it would be, but bracing himself for anger and venom. She drew herself up in her chair, dabbing at her lips unnecessarily with the napkin, and then said,
“I see.” She paused, as if gathering her thoughts, and then added, “And is that the only reason for this sudden decision, my Lord?”
Amir hid his surprise and annoyance at the question. Of all the things she could have asked him, that had not been the question he expected. It irked him that she thought to question his reasons for breaking off an acquaintance that was burdensome to him, if not to her. Why should she care what his reasons were? He did not answer her question. No arrangements had been agreed upon between their two families, and he was free to discontinue their relationship if he so chose. As was she, although he knew she would never have ended it.
“What is that to you?” he demanded imperiously.
She saw her mistake at once, and tried to smooth over her gaffe with placatory words.
“I apologize, my prince,” she said. “I did not mean to cause offense.”
So she thought to charm her way back into his good graces, did she? Rather than the effect she no doubt hoped it would have, her return to calling him ‘my prince’ only served to irritate him further.
“I hope that you will be happy, Amina,” he said, indicating that the conversation was over.
The waiter appeared as his cell phone buzzed. He picked it up, and handed the young man his credit card.
“Yes, Malik?” he said into the phone. “All right. Thank you.” He hung up and turned to her.
“I apologize for the interruption. Malik tells me my car has arrived. I had already taken the liberty of ordering one for you to take you home. Shall we?”
He stood and gestured for her to precede him out to the lobby where she was helped into her coat by another attendant. Collecting his card after he signed the receipt, he escorted her out to the waiting limousine and ushered her in.
“Take care, Princess,” he said, before closing the door on her. He stood and watched the car move silently away from the curb before getting into the second one that was waiting for him.