While the limo driver stood, waiting—somewhat taken aback by all the various pieces of equipment and baggage Hallie had piled onto the front step of her apartment, ready for transport—Karim did not. He had already been exposed to a baby’s needs, and knew just what to expect. Opening the rear passenger door, he climbed out to greet her.

“Good morning!”

His voice rang out cheerily through the morning air, but Hallie was glowering.

“And right back atcha, pal,” she muttered.

Karim could be forgiven for not knowing quite how to react. With everything loaded, and mother and baby settled, he turned to her.

“What is it, my dear? You look less than happy.”

She glared at him. “Are you always this sunny? It’s getting tiresome.”

“And are you always this irritated? That, too, is getting tiresome.”

They stared at each other as the driver pulled away from the curb, then both burst out laughing.

“Touché,” said Hallie, still giggling. “Karim, I think we just had our first fight.”

“Perhaps,” he agreed, unperturbed. “If so, it was the briefest on record. Now, tell me what is wrong, and let me see if I can fix it.”

The limo, one of the spacious stretch versions with an interior almost as large as Hallie’s whole apartment, had been specifically ordered with infant car seat in place. A wide-awake Aaron was looking around with great interest, being much taken with the new sights and sounds his mother had conjured up just for his enjoyment.

Handing him another toy to chew on, she adjusted the light blanket over his legs against the vehicle’s air-conditioning and considered.

“It’s been a stressful few days, Karim,” she finally answered quietly. “I should be fresh and rested, ready for this adventure, and I’m not—I’m exhausted. And cranky—yes, I’ll admit it. So, please forgive me if I’m not quite the wife you expected.”

Gently, he took her hand in his.

“Hallie, you are you. That means anything you do, anything you say, will be the wife I expected. Now, as lovely as you look today, please talk to me.”

Well, she supposed she did look…perhaps not exactly lovely, but certainly presentable. Having dipped into his seemingly-unlimited funds for her purchases, she was wearing a casual but classy pale blue maxi-dress with eyelet lace details, paired with low-heeled white sandals. Both of which managed to scream “designer label” while maintaining absolute silence.

Slowly, he managed to pry word after reluctant word from her.

Caring for a baby demanded not only an enormous amount of equipment, but also an enormous amount of time and energy—as he was about to discover. Per his instructions, she had indulged in a whirlwind shopping trip for suitable clothing that both of them could wear to this weekend in the country. That, and working at the hospital in between, and making arrangements, and sorting and packing whatever had been purchased, had just about worn her out.

“Again, I have placed a great burden on you,” said Karim with regret, after he had listened and digested all this. “All I can say is, things should be easier on you for the next couple of days. I plan to do what I can to help you—and, if necessary, we can hire a nanny. Will that be suitable?”

Hallie sighed. “Yes, it will. And I don’t mean to be a crab—it just sort of happens.”

“I understand. As I mentioned, you are you. You cannot help being a crab.”

Involuntarily, she slapped lightly at his wrist.

“Play fair, Mr. Al Ahsan. You can’t go throwing my sins back in my face.”

“I would never dream of such a thing,” he said sweetly. “So. We were discussing you being worn out.”

“Uh-huh. And I wasn’t inferring that Aaron could ever be a burden. He’s the light of my life.”

“I understand that, as well. You were merely explaining the situation.”

He was still holding her hand. In sympathy, she thought. But his eyes, meeting steadily with hers, held a spark of unexpected warmth beyond sympathy. Why was he still holding her hand?

The air of the interior suddenly felt too thick to breathe, and almost visible with steam.

“It occurred to me,” he said, smiling, “that you are not completely prepared to play this part.”

Puzzled, Hallie watched and waited while he withdrew a small velvet box from his jacket pocket.

With the lid popped open, Karim removed a beautiful and unique matched set: a diamond and emerald engagement ring, whose facets caught every glimmer of sunlight, and a platinum wedding band studded with smaller versions of the same stones. They were absolutely stunning.

Her breath stopped as he slipped both pieces onto the fourth finger of her left hand. However temporary its installation, as part of the whole ‘marriage’ farce, this felt permanent. Clearly, he had put some consideration into his choice—which fit almost perfectly.

“I guessed at the size. They fit all right, yes?”

“Karim…” She looked up in wonder, her green eyes glowing nearly as brightly as the emeralds. Had he purposefully matched the gemstone to her eyes?

“Ah. I take it that means you approve. Good. All is well.”

Lulled by the motion of the limo, careening smoothly along city streets, Aaron let out a huge yawn and promptly fell asleep. While Hallie watched as they drove through the outskirts of Philadelphia toward the small airport where an Al Ahsan Enterprises branded plane was waiting, Karim kept hold of her hand and continued an easy conversation. The fine weather, the countryside, the area in which they would be visiting—all were fair game to discuss.

It wasn’t long before they arrived on the tarmac and could board, two passengers awake and walking, one still sweetly slumbering and carried. With their luggage stowed in place, they were soon taxiing down the runway and sweeping into the air.

Aaron, strapped into his car seat, continued to sleep. Involuntarily, his mother followed her son’s example. Ensconced in the most comfortable seat she had ever occupied, and suddenly freed from every task, Hallie slowly slid sideways and dozed off. Only Karim stayed hard at work, for the world of high finance never stops. With laptop and cellphone both in use, he glanced up occasionally from various screens with a smile for each of his passengers.

It might almost have been the real thing, instead of make-believe.

Although Chip and Annemarie Griffin had extended their invitation to include a stay at their century-old farmhouse estate, Karim—with his ever-ready pocketbook—had decided to rent a country mansion of his own. Amazing what money could buy, on such short notice. Given the rather unusual circumstances of their coupledom, he’d felt that privacy would be a more comfortable option all the way around.

For Hallie, the few hours since Karim’s arrival at her apartment had passed by with incredible speed. She felt as if she and her baby were floating leaves, being carried along by the current of a fast-moving stream. And where they might end up was anybody’s guess.

A disembarkation at a small private airport, an unloading and a reloading of their baggage, and another brief limo ride until they arrived at their destination. Hallie was feeling overwhelmed. She had been in and out of more various vehicles today than any other day in her life.

“Feel free to explore,” said Karim, as everything was dragged out yet once again and stashed inside the grand hallway by their accommodating chauffeur. He would be back, as needed, he promised.

By now, Aaron was awake and making strong demands for food. It was as if he hadn’t eaten in weeks, and he wanted his mother to realize his extreme distress. Clearly, Hallie’s first order of business was to locate the kitchen.

“May I help?”

Surprised, Hallie turned toward the Sheikh. She was so accustomed to doing everything by herself, on her own, that she could easily forget there was now a partner available, however temporarily or loose the term.

“If you’ll carry Aaron in his seat, I’ll bring the bag with his food. Thank you.”

“No thanks necessary. It is at my request that you are here. Lead the way, if you please, and show me what you need done.”

Aaron, parked on a beautiful marble countertop in the car seat that did double duty (in a pinch) as his high chair, took great interest in the proceedings. He kept up a lively stream of encouraging “Oo-dahs” and gurgles while an enchanted Karim hovered over him.

“I believe he is asking you to please hurry with his food, before he starves to death,” Karim said brightly.

“Oh, he is, is he? And you understand baby talk, now?”

Smiling over her shoulder, Hallie continued mixing some sort of gluey paste that was actually a deconstructed cereal and banana dish. Regardless of its questionable appearance, Aaron was interested. Crowing, he reached out one hand in demand.

“May I?”

More surprise. It seemed that her fake husband was taking his role to heart.

Hallie handed over the spoon and saucer with only a murmured, “Of course.”

Once the bib was in place, Aaron opened his mouth like a little bird, demanding nourishment, and Karim immediately obliged.

“You have been without a mealtime far too long, have you not? There, another mouthful…ah, not so much at once.”

Taking a seat opposite, in the marvelous kitchen that she would love to investigate, if given the time, Hallie propped her chin in one palm and watched.

If she could admit that her heart could melt, that was certainly the state of it right now. The feeling extended right down to her toes. Certainly, she was feeling more kindly toward Karim, and this arrangement to which she had agreed, as made clear by the easy tears threatening to overflow.

No. Anything pertaining to her beautiful baby boy had her weeping like a waterfall. She was not about to hand over too much credit to this virtual stranger, just because he was behaving like the father Aaron had never had.

“The bowl is empty,” said Karim, drawing her attention by a noisy scrape of the spoon. “Is there more?”

“A bottle. For now. But first, a change, definitely needed. I don’t suppose…” She paused deliberately.

With a grin—a wide one that sent a glittering dance in his eyes—Karim held up his hands.

“Oh, I think not. That is beyond my expertise. A mother’s great ability…”

“Uh-huh. Sure.” She would grudgingly admit that, just by the remotest chance, he might be able to tease her into good humor. Another very small point in his favor.

Once the baby had been dried and powdered and tucked into a fresh diaper, Hallie glanced around. The kitchen was a large room, encompassing not only the usual stainless steel equipment but a small sitting area, which looked comfortable in its checkered green-and-white upholstery. Tall windows looked out onto a shaded flagstone terrace, surrounded by flowering shrubbery and a few exotic trees probably more suited to Florida than to upstate New York. Even from here, she could hear the occasional buzz of a bee and glimpse a butterfly making its rounds through the exotic blooms.

“Do you think I can move over there with him?” she wondered aloud, almost in a whisper, as if she were worried that the owners might suddenly make an appearance and demand to know why she had broken into their home. How dare she trespass? How dare she use their space with such impunity?

“Certainly, you may. And I will join you. Rest easy, Hallie. I have paid quite well for a weekend’s use of this house, believe me.”

Before she could settle on the inviting loveseat, spread with a couple of pillows and an inviting soft afghan, Karim reached to take the baby from her arms.

“But I’m going to—”

“I know you were. But let me, please. See, he’s looking up at me as if he knows me already. And, as Aaron’s temporary surrogate father, I should surely find out what it’s like to give him a bottle. Agreed?”

Reluctantly, Hallie agreed. Let him play his paternal part, if he would. But she refused to let him get too close to her child. After this weekend, Karim would be gone from her baby’s life; and she feared that, even at nine months of age, he would wonder why that nice man had appeared and then disappeared so quickly.

Unfortunately, the same held true for her. This weekend was a mere stopgap in her existence, a glitch along the road that she must somehow deal with. Two days, and she would be back to the usual routine, work and baby care, baby care and work.

At least, however, with a bit of a financial cushion to tide her over.

“Ah, there. You like the taste, eh?”

While Aaron worked away at his bottle, slugging down the first few ounces in record time, he stared intently at the unknown person hovering above him. As his hunger pangs eased, his interest in his surroundings increased, and he pulled one chubby hand from the bottle to reach up toward his caretaker’s lips and nose—always fair game.

Laughing, Karim waggled his brows and clowned for the baby’s benefit.

Hallie nearly fell off her chair. This was not the friendly but formal man with whom she had kept company. When had the Sheikh been replaced by someone easy-going enough to entertain an infant, and by what magic had it happened?

Meanwhile, Aaron, having drained the contents of his bottle, opened his mouth in a great, gummy, drooling grin.

“Well, now. That was simple enough,” exulted Karim, standing to stretch. “What’s next?”

“Burping.”

“Ah. And you do that…?”

With the expertise of many months’ practice, Hallie retrieved the baby from his seat to demonstrate.

“Like this.”

“Very good. Let me try.”

A cloth spread over Karim’s shoulder, a wiggly child held in his arms, a gentle pat on the back, a slight bounce from the toes—all under Hallie’s direction. Karim, flushed with success, was beaming. And then, it happened. An unusual sound, a twist of the head, and along with the burp came an ounce or so of regurgitated milk.

Karim, who had never expected such a thing, blinked his astonishment as he felt the warm gush onto the cloth and the side of his neck.

“Oh, my gosh, I’m so sorry!” Hallie rushed to take the baby while Karim did his best to clean away the mess. “It’s just one of the little problems of parenthood, I’m afraid. Here, are you okay?”

“I am perfectly fine. No need to fuss. Is he sick?”

“Oh, no, no. It’s perfectly normal to get some spit-up once in a while. Probably just too much traveling for him to handle all at once, with the limo and the plane and another limo.”

By the time everyone had washed and freshened up, Karim suggested they take a stroll around the grounds. The weather was lovely, and there was plenty of time before they needed to get ready and leave for the Griffins’ party.

“And it will give you a chance to walk off some of your nervousness,” he teased.

Hallie shot him a look. “Who says I’m nervous?”

His eyes danced with pure mischief, and he gave her a slightly crooked smile.

“Forgive me for assuming something that might not be true. It’s just that the chip on your shoulder…”

“There’s no—” Crestfallen, she shrugged the shoulder to which he had just alluded. “It’s that obvious, huh?”

“Now and then. Nothing to be too concerned about. Shall we? I’m sure Aaron would enjoy seeing the outdoors.”

He certainly seemed to. Karim made a point of carrying the baby in one arm, all the while murmuring to him as they meandered along, and listening attentively while Aaron babbled back in indecipherable language. Finally, Hallie’s curiosity got the better of her.

“What are you talking about?”

Karim smiled mysteriously.

“Oh, it is but men’s things I am telling him. Warning him to always listen to his mama, and to tread carefully when she scowls.”

“Ha-ha,” she muttered.

Whoever owned this estate must consider themselves very fortunate, mused Hallie, as the three of them drifted along. The white-painted house itself, a gracious three-story which was cobbled together with angled porches here and odd little rooms added there, had been built into a serene setting of green lawns and multi-colored flower gardens.

On one side, a gentle knoll eased away to other outbuildings; on the other, a small, clear pond reflected the branches of a towering willow that overhung it, and the fluffy white clouds in the sky overhead.

“It’s beautiful here,” Hallie murmured, breathing in the air so full of life and living. “How did you happen to find such a place on the spur of the moment, Karim?”

“Ah, Hallie, I have employees to do these things for me. I simply placed a call, and my secretary placed another call, and somewhere down the line, my wishes were taken care of.”

“I see.”

Of course. How simple things could be when one has assistants to immediately respond to any particular desire. It was like having your own personal fairy godmother. Another reminder of the great gulf of circumstance that existed between them.

“Hallie.” Still carrying the baby against one shoulder, Karim paused in the welcome shade of a tree simply bursting with leaves. “Please don’t let such things bother you. It’s what I am used to, what I have grown up with. I don’t mean to sound as if I’m—what would be the phrase to use—showing off? You asked a question, and I answered it.”

“Yes, you certainly did. Thank you.”

Lifting her chin with one finger, he studied the up-tilted face that still looked…not exactly unhappy. Or woebegone. Just dissatisfied, perhaps. He smoothed the finger lightly up the curve of her jaw and cheekbone, much as he might have done with the child on his arm. Surprised by the gentleness of the gesture, she closed her eyes and leaned slightly into his touch.

“You are very lovely today,” he complimented her, after a moment of silence. “I hope you’re feeling more relaxed now, and looking forward to the party tonight.”

Her eyelids flew open in a flash of green. She’d actually forgotten where she stood, and the purpose for this whole visit.

Transferring the gurgling baby to the other arm, Karim squinted against the sun to ask what she had told her parents about disappearing for a couple days.

“A story of some romantic getaway? Or the truth?”

She could have volunteered the information during earlier discussions, as a way of making conversation. She had not. As an individual, Hallie valued her privacy, and she was accustomed to scraping through life on her own, without benefit from outsiders. And Mr. Al Ahsan would definitely be considered an outsider.

She pulled down a low overhanging branch to break off a small sprig of pink flowers. “Why should you be concerned with what I told them?”

“I was not concerned, per se. I was merely exhibiting an unattractive curiosity. Wondering if there were any difficulty in your getting away.”

“No,” she said shortly. “My parents trust me.”

“Do they? Then I envy you, Hallie. It is a wonderful thing to have trust.”

She paused. In his voice was an odd, poignant note that caught her attention.

“What does that mean?”

Karim was busy lifting the baby above his head, into the tickly branches, then lowering him, then lifting him again. From a brief giggle, Aaron burst out into laughter.

“How do you see me?” he invited the comment, smiling.

“How do I see you?” Frowning, she considered. “A charming playboy—oh, all right, and a businessman…willing to spend whatever amount of money is necessary to get what he wants.”

“But all is not as it seems, is it? You see just the surface, as everyone does, without delving beneath to find more depth. I think your boy might need something fresh on his bottom, by the way.”

The non-sequitur drew her back to the immediate present.

“Of course. Here, I’ll take him back.”

“It is no matter. He seems happy with me.”

“That may be, but—”

Truth be told, Hallie didn’t want her son getting so close to the attractive man who had suddenly whisked into their lives. And, conversely, she didn’t want that man feeling too familiar with her son. Aaron was her son, after all; Karim’s hold on him was only temporary.

“Here,” said Karim unexpectedly. “I think he’s ready for his mama, now. Shall we return to the house so you have plenty of time to prepare for the evening?”

The inevitable was fast approaching. Silently, she took Aaron from him; she could feel the knot of nervousness beginning to form in her middle again. She would be so relieved when this weekend was over and done with, and she could return to her safe, boring existence.

“Do you have any other names, Karim?” she asked, out of the blue.

“Ah. Like an alias, you mean? You would like to know if I am a wanted man on seven continents?”

“No, not that, of course. I just—” Vexed, she broke off, settling the baby more comfortably against her breast.

Striding beside her, adjusting his longer steps to hers, Karim studied her for a moment.

“I am Karim Baraka Yazdan Jaali Al Ahsan.”

“Good heavens, what a mouthful. I’d hate to be you, signing your checks.”

He chuckled. “Each has a special meaning. Someday, I shall tell you.”

Hallie flashed him a glance. “Someday will never come. Tell me now.”

His brows went up, as did his shoulders, in a very cartoon-like gesture.

“We are given names, in my country, that encourage particular characteristics. Parental wishing, you see.”

“Mhmm?” Her slightly lopsided grin came freely as she looked up at him. “Go on, let me hear it.”

“Very well. Bountiful, merciful, generous, and kind, with a bit of abundance thrown in for good measure.”

He didn’t appear uncomfortable, but that might have been a hint of color rising along his cheekbones.

“Why, that’s lovely, Karim,” she said in honest admiration. “From what I’ve seen of your actions so far, those fit you to a tee.”

“Huh. Even when you are being a crab, and cross with me because you are tired?”

“Even then, you toad,” she countered. But there was neither anger nor animosity in her tone, merely amusement.

* * *

Hallie took her sweet time with the preparations to which Karim had alluded. First, a warm bath and a nap for the baby; then, it was her turn to make herself beautiful.

Leaving Aaron to nap off the afternoon, she took a shower in the lavish master suite bathroom, using plenty of perfumed lotions and powders afterward. Carefully-applied makeup, purchased at the cosmetics counter of one of Philadelphia’s finest department stores. And then, the dress. Goodness gracious, what a dress. As she spied the unknown woman in the mirror, she thought she might have died and gone to heaven in a golden chariot.

Karim was waiting for her when, at last, she floated her way down the curving staircase. He had already showered in the guest bathroom, and changed into a sleek all-black tuxedo. At the sound of her footsteps, he had arisen from his seat in the living room and walked into the foyer while she made her grand entrance.

Certainly, he was accustomed to the presence of beautiful women, in all shapes and sizes, of all coloring, of varying ages. He had been around them all his life. But this was a different situation. Karim was not often or easily taken by surprise. Now, he was. His dark eyes shone with admiration as Hallie descended. She was positively glowing, radiant with health and life and otherworldly beauty.

“By all that is in the skies above,” he murmured. “You make a stunning wife.”

Her gown was of floor-length turquoise chiffon, neither skin-tight nor ballroom-puffy but rather the style of a modest, flattering A-line. Cap sleeves curved over her shoulders; shimmery beading decorated her bodice. It had cost what she would equate to a whole week’s salary, without tax, (provided by Karim), but now, she realized—seeing herself reflected in his gaze—that it was worth every penny.

She had pulled her hair into a demure French twist, with shining chestnut tendrils cascading softly around her ears and down the back of her neck. Both were bare, because she had had no piece of jewelry grand enough to compete with the dress.

“Hallie. May I tell you how absolutely gorgeous you are?”

She blushed.

“Well…pretty, perhaps.” Or so she had guessed. The lashes of her green eyes lifted. “Does it matter much to you?”

“Only in how you see yourself, Hallie. However,” he added, charmingly, “I must admit I would much prefer being married to a beautiful woman than to one resembling the backside of a camel.”

“Oh.” She giggled. “Well, I do believe I’m a few levels up from that.”

Much more talk like this, and she wouldn’t be feeling nervous at all. Not about meeting people so important to Karim, nor about how to behave in a social setting to which she was entirely unaccustomed, nor even socializing with others of such rank—like royalty. Did one curtsey, upon introduction, or merely incline one’s head?

She was perched near the carved banister, in all her splendor, and he reached out a hand to bring her down the remaining two steps.

“Come, my dear. I am pleased to see you wearing the rings I gave you. But you need something more.”

With that, he presented her with a small velvet box, a twin to the one which had held the wedding rings. Inside nestled a set of tasteful diamond earrings that glittered in the light, and a silver chain upon which hung a single teardrop-shaped diamond pendant, to match in simplicity and beauty.

Unlike Karim, Hallie could not hide her feelings. No poker face for this one. Her eyes widened, and she let out a tiny gasp.

“Oh. Oh! These are gorgeous!”

“And yours to keep. Just a little something extra, for all your trouble. May I?”

Deftly removing the necklace from the box in her hand, he stepped behind her to fasten the glittering bauble in place. And, before he stepped away again, she felt him bend, and felt his lips press to where his hands had just rested, that very sensitive spot at the nape of her neck. Immediately, a shiver ran down her spine, and her blood raced hot and cold through her veins.

Hallie’s breath caught, and her heart began hammering so painfully and so loudly against her ribs that she thought he surely must hear the sound. Or see the mad flutter in her breast.

“There.”

Was it her imagination, or had his voice roughened just a little for some reason?

“I will leave you to finish with the earrings. Aaron has been making noises, so I assume he’s awake. I’ll get him, and we can prepare him for his debut performance as the youngest member of the Al Ahsan family line. I think he already acts the part of a young sheikh quite well, don’t you?”