A Marriage of Convenience (Married to a Prince) (8 page)

Chapter Six

Honor glanced at the dress hanging on the back of the closet door. In another hour, for better or for worse, she would be married. The noon day sun beaming in from the window reflected off the embroidery of the pale blue silk kaftan. The exquisite garment, with sterling silver buttons and bead work weighed at least twenty pounds. She would probably be exhausted by the end of the day.

Butterflies danced in her
stomach. The last week has flown by in one big blur. Her son had seen more of Yousef than she had. She couldn’t say he was consciously avoiding her, but she hadn’t found a minute alone to talk to him either. Was she expecting too much? They had agreed to marry because it was the right thing to do for Joey’s sake. He hadn’t offered undying devotion and she hadn’t asked for it. However, she would have liked a small sign that he cared about her.

Honor
shook off the anxious feelings. She was over-reacting again. With all the wedding preparations, Yousef’s mother and sister had kept her busy every waking hour. What few spare moments she did have, had been shared with her father.

Sean, dressed in a black suit and bow tie, entered the suite, carrying Joey, who was dressed in a similar outfit. “I think he wants to be fed again,” her father said of the squirming bundle in his arms.

“Why didn’t Yousef bring him?”

Sean grinned.
“The groom isn’t supposed to see the bride before the wedding.”

“And a bride isn’t supposed to be breast feeding a baby on her wedding day either.
But this isn’t exactly a normal wedding is it, dad?” She took the baby from Sean and rested him on her hip.

“Are you having second thoughts Honor?”

Heck, she was way past second thoughts. “No, but I think Yousef might be.”

“Why would you think that?”

“Maybe because he hasn’t spent five minutes alone with me in the past week.”

Sean sat on the sectional sofa and raised his feet onto a colorful ottoman.
“Well, of course not. He isn’t permitted. Didn’t you notice that no one left the two of you alone? A chaperone was always present.”

Her mind had been so preoccupied that she hadn’t noticed.
“Why?”

“For your protection.”

His serious comment made her laugh and released some of her nervous tension. She lifted Joey above her head and wiggled him. “It’s a little late, don’t you think?”

“If the
Amir had known there was more between the two of you than a platonic relationship last year, I can assure you, he would have called Yousef home immediately.”

Pain pricked at the wounds that had never healed.
“Because he wanted his son to marry someone else... someone more appropriate?”

“Where did you get an idea like that?”

“Well, it’s true, isn’t it?” she challenged.

“Like any parents, I’m sure the
Amir and his wife had hopes for all their children.” Sean leaned forward and met her gaze. “But to believe they find you unsuitable is ridiculous. They are thrilled about this marriage.”

“You just said they would have called Yousef home.”

“Out of respect to you and me. Do you have any idea how angry they are with Yousef right now?”

Honor shook her head.

“If you had not agreed to marry him, I’m not sure his father would have ever forgiven him.”

So that was what Yousef meant when he had talked about
redeeming
or defending himself to his family. Was that the reason he had kept their affair a secret?

“What about you, Dad?
Are you mad at him, too?”

Sean paused thoughtfully then nodded his head.
“I was at first. It was a big shock to come visit you and find out you had a baby. But I couldn’t very well place all the blame on Yousef when you never told him about the child.”

She smiled.
“Oh, so you’re mad at me instead.”

“Well, now that you mention it.
I think the two of you should have your heads knocked together. Both of you going around trying to pretend like you are doing what’s best for Joey instead of admitting that you never stopped loving each other.”

She couldn’t deny what her father said, from her perspective anyway.
Yousef was another matter. Her father didn’t know that this was to be a temporary marriage and she didn’t have the heart to tell him. She didn’t even want to think about it, herself. “I’d better feed Joey now or I’ll be late for my own wedding.”

* * *

Yousef glanced across the crowded reception room to where Honor stood with Joey resting on her hip. Her silky blonde hair was a striking contrast to the dark haired women of his family who crowded around her. His gaze met hers and she sent him a nervous smile. He cursed the custom of segregating men and women for the festivities. Although they could have chosen a more modern ceremony and reception, Honor decided to follow the Nadiarian traditions out of respect to his mother.

A band of musicians played native songs on the harp-like
tambouras
and steady beating
manior
s while a troop of whirling dervishes spun around the center of the room. The brightly colored cloaks of the dancers held Joey spellbound. Hopefully the excitement of the day would exhaust him and he would sleep soundly through the night. Yousef needed some time with Honor but he hadn’t had a moment alone with her since their fiasco of buying her crown. That same crown that she kept fidgeting with all afternoon as if she couldn’t get used to it.

Normally he enjoyed parties, especially family celebrations.
Right now, he just wished everyone would leave. He had been looking forward to his wedding night all week. Having Honor in his bed again, feeling her move beneath him, above him, and all the many ways they had explored each other in the past, was the culmination of a yearlong fantasy he had considered beyond reach.

Was she also anticipating the night ahead?

His sister whispered something to Honor. She laughed then raised her head in his direction. What silly nonsense had Mona said to Honor to make her grin like that? Tradition dictated that the women would prepare the bride for what to expect on her wedding night, but there wasn’t much he hadn’t already taught Honor. And she had been a willing student.

If he didn’t get his mind out their erotic past and back into the present, he might just drag her out of the party, good manners be damned! He prayed he would be able to muster enough patience to take things slow with her, the way she liked it.

* * *

The long day finally came to an end, but for Honor it was the beginning of a new stage in her relationship with Yousef. Joey had been so completely exhausted, that it took only a matter of minutes to put him down for the night. She had run out of excuses. All week long she had tried to get a few moments alone with Yousef to no avail. Now she would have his undivided attention. She shivered.

Her nervousness was more than a case of wedding night jitters because she already knew how beautiful things could be between them. She also knew just how easily she could lose herself to Yousef again.

* * * *

Yousef sat in the center of the large bed, looking every inch the desert prince he was, in his white silk
thobe
. He had discarded the
gurta
head piece he had worn for the reception and his raven colored hair shone in the chandelier lighting. “Hello Princess.”

She raised her hand and removed the gold crown. “Don’t call me that.”

“That’s what you are.”

“I never called you Prince.
In fact, if I remember correctly, you asked me not to.”

“You’re right.”
He slid off the bed and closed the distance between them. “But you look like a princess today.”

She smiled and tried not to show the nervousness she felt.
“Don’t let the crown fool you.”

“You were disappointed with the wedding celebration.”

She shook her head. “No. Why would you think that?”

“You were very quiet for most of the evening.”

“I was just enjoying the entertainment.” And trying not to think about this moment. Her heart beat rapidly and a breath caught in her throat. Although she had anticipated this night, maybe even looked forward to it, she wasn’t sure she would be able to hold back enough of herself to keep from getting hurt.

“Was there anything you felt was missing?”

Only the part where we declare our love for each other,
she thought sadly. “We didn’t dance.”

“What?”

“Most weddings I’ve been to have dancing.”

“We had dancers.”

“I know.” She removed the silver clip that had kept her hair confined at the nape of her neck. “Never mind. It wasn’t want I expected, but I’m not likely to forget my wedding either.”

She looked up and down at the
thobe
, trying to figure out the best way to remove the garment. After a full moment of thought, she gestured helplessly. "A little help would be appreciated."

His grin sent a warming tremor straight through her. "I’ll help you with your clothes."

She fumbled impatiently the buttons at the throat.
"This would go a lot faster if you would work with me."

He reached for her hands and brought them to his lips.
"Are you in a hurry to get this over with? We’ve got all night."

She wasn’t in a hurry to get finished, but to get started so she wouldn’t have to obsess over it any longer. "Is it your intention to make me more nervous than I already am?"

"You always liked to take things slow."

“Things change.”

“Not this.” He molded his palms firmly over her hips and pulling her into the center of the bedroom. "Would you care to dance now?"

Her arms went instinctively around his neck. "There's no music."

"You never used to let a little thing like that bother you.”

Honor pressed against him, basking in the warmth of his hard body.
The silk fabric of his
thobe
caressed her cheek as he eased her head onto his shoulder. She breathed a sigh of contentment.

In his arms she was transported back in time.
Back to a time when he loved her and she loved him and nothing else mattered. Any misgivings faded to the furthest corner of her mind. Tomorrow, in the cold light of reality, she might regret this. Tonight was for dreams.

The closeness and the seductive sway of their bodies added to her rising excitement.
His determination to keep the pace slow had an opposite effect on her. She wanted more, and she wanted it now!

As she reached for the buttons of her dress, he caught her wrists. "No."

"No?”
Her voice pitched with confusion.

"I will do that.”

Slowly, as if to torment her further, he unfastened each of the tiny silver buttons. She watched his large hands, deftly moving lower until, finally the dress came open and swirled to the floor at her feet. A tremor of delight tap danced down her spine.

He looked at her satin lingerie and grinned. “Boxer shorts? Really?”

“So what do you wear under your clothes these days?”

“You will have to wonder for a while longer.” He turned her and slipped his arms around her waist from behind. She leaned into his rippling chest muscles that flexed as he drew her closer. The strength of his embrace wrapped her in a cocoon of protection.

His chin nuzzled the side of her face.
He left a trail of kisses, as light as feathers and just as soft, along her neck and shoulder.

"Yousef,"

"Quiet my princess. I need to concentrate."

His hands outlined the contours of her body as he pulled her camisole over her head.
If he concentrated any harder she might jump out of her skin in anticipation. She wriggled against him. The evidence of his arousal added to her growing need. "I'm not the only one getting impatient here."

"I am not impatient."
He treated one of her ears to a sprinkling of moist kisses.

Her nerve endings responded by standing at attention.
She could have changed her clothing six times in the amount of time he was taking to get her undressed. She raised her hands to help him along.

"No!
I’ve got everything under control here."

At least he did, because she was fast losing her control.
She had forgotten how fast and how easily he could get to her. And how completely.

With a practiced snap, he unfastened the front catch of her bra.
He turned her around to study her.

"You are more beautiful now that your breasts are ripe from childbirth," he muttered.

Using his tongue, he traced a line down her shoulder to her breast. He covered the taut nipple, sucking with a greedy hunger that sent a shudder through her. She buried her fingers in his silky hair. She heard the music now. A steady pounding of a primal drum keeping rhythm with her heartbeat.