Protecting His Princess. C.J. Miller

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СКАЧАТЬ the front of his shirt and slipped them over his eyes. “It’s hotter than I thought.”

      Was that a coded message? He was looking around with a bored expression on his face. How did he manage it? She felt as if she would sweat through her clothes and melt in a puddle of nerves.

      Laila fiddled with the ends of her head scarf. Was Harris worried about what the guards would find? After several agonizing minutes, the guards put their luggage back in the trunk and opened their car doors. “Sorry for the delay. Enjoy your visit. As-salaam alaykum.” Peace be upon you.

      “Wa alaykum as-salaam,” Harris and her uncle said in reply. And with you peace.

      Laila gave Harris extra credit for knowing the proper response. He had indicated to her he’d prepared for this operation. Perhaps he had prepared more than she’d thought.

      They climbed into the car and drove through the gate into the emir’s compound. Despite passing the security screening at the gate, Laila didn’t feel relief that the first gauntlet had been passed. They were now in the lion’s den.

      * * *

      The foyer of the emir’s main house was four stories high, a large aviary filled with colorful birds hung from the ceiling. On ground level, blue marble fountains located on either side of the double mahogany doors of the formal entryway spurted water.

      They were greeted by the emir’s head butler who snapped his fingers for an attendant to appear and escort them to their room. Or more precisely, their rooms. Within the walls of the compound, Harris and Laila would not be permitted to spend time together in private without supervision. If they needed to speak alone, they would have to arrange a secret meeting.

      With a bid goodbye, Laila’s uncle followed an attendant to his room.

      Once she was escorted to her room, another attendant waited at Laila’s door, making it clear he wasn’t leaving her and Harris without a chaperone. Never mind that she’d been living in another country where she might have been alone with a man at any time, in the emir’s home, his rules applied. For that matter, in the emir’s country, his rules applied. She’d grown up with the same rules and restrictions, but in the last couple of years, she’d grown accustomed to freedom. Being here already felt stifling.

      She was Qamsarian royalty and with that came intrusions into every aspect of her life. She’d been raised to accept that her life was not her own. Only since the death of her father two years ago and her subsequent time in America had she questioned that eventuality.

      “I’ll unpack my things and take a shower. How about we meet in an hour?” Harris asked. “You can show me Qamsar. You’ve spoken so often about the souk, I’d love to see it. Maybe get a gift for your mother.”

      She and Harris would be staying in rooms on opposite ends of the guest corridor. Laila wished he could stay closer. At least within shouting distance. She’d never spoken to Harris about the marketplace, but Laila nodded along. If he needed to go to the souk, she’d provide what cover she could.

      She closed the door to her suite. What would she do for the next hour? She should call her mother to tell her that she’d arrived. Her mother was staying in the family’s country home about twenty minutes from the compound.

      Nervous about speaking to her mother and giving something away, Laila stalled. She opened her luggage and hung her dresses and veils. The trip had pressed wrinkles into the fabric, but she could send them to be pressed later. She set her toiletries in the en suite on the counter.

      She jumped at the sensation of hands on her waist. She whirled and found herself looking at Harris. His blue eyes were bright, and his full lips caught her attention.

      “What are you doing?” she asked.

      “I missed you,” he said, his eyes twinkling in amusement.

      Her heart rate jumped. He had? They’d been apart for less than twenty minutes. She pushed his hands away.

      “I need to check your room,” he said.

      Disappointment plowed through her. He’d been teasing. Flirting with her. As part of their role or because he liked her? Before they’d left the States, Harris had made it clear, once he was in character, he stayed that way. It was easier to live the lie fully immersed, as opposed to switching roles. How much of his flirtation was the real Harris, and how much was him playing a role? It was their first day in this charade, and Laila was questioning their relationship. It was a disquieting emotional place to be.

      “How do you know no one saw you come in here?” she asked.

      “I was careful. I came in through the balcony.” He pointed across the room to the sliding glass doors.

      She hadn’t heard him open the doors. Or land on the balcony for that matter. She needed to be more alert.

      Harris walked around her room, fiddling with his cell phone. “I can’t get a signal.” He swung the phone in every direction. After several minutes, he stopped. “Your room is clean. Mine is not.”

      Laila lifted her brow. He’d been using his phone to check for surveillance equipment. “Your room is bugged?”

      “Audio surveillance. Probably not video, but I can’t be sure. I had to get creative with leaving my room. Good thing all of the balconies are close together.”

      “Did you remove the bug?” she asked.

      “And tip off whoever planted it that I found it? No way. I’ll wait for the right opportunity and have it malfunction. Closer to the wedding, when more guests are staying here, the staff will be stretched too thin to follow up on a broken transmitter. By then I’ll have won them over with my charm.” He grinned at her. His smile threw fuel on the crush she’d developed on him. Some men were too handsome for their own good.

      “You won’t win anyone over if someone finds you in my room.” It would be a terrible breach of protocol and inappropriate at best.

      His face reflected concern. “No one saw me. I needed to know you were okay.”

      Whenever he looked at her that way, his eyes bright and filled with emotion, heat spread across her chest. Did he mean what he said? Or was he being the German boyfriend? She couldn’t bring herself to put it into words. It was too embarrassing and too needy to ask, “Do you like me or are you using me?”

      It was better for both of them to assume the latter.

      A knock at her door sounded and fear raced through her. Harris had to hide. If he was discovered in her room, she would be in serious trouble. Could he fit under the bed? Should he go out the balcony? Harris didn’t wait for instruction. He was nearest to the closet, and he pulled open the bifold door, gestured to her and the suite’s door, and then silently closed the door behind him.

      Laila steadied her nerves and opened the door to her room. Mikhail was on the other side, hands clasped behind his back, a somber expression on his face. He stepped into her room and looked around. “Do you find your accommodations pleasing?” he asked.

      Did he know something? Mikhail was her brother, but her nerves tightened, and her mouth went dry. He’d never been easy to get along with, and since becoming emir, he was more difficult, his temper on a hair trigger.

      As a child, Mikhail СКАЧАТЬ