Rasha and the other women making jewelry. We were so busy with your overwrought accusations that we never got to talk about that.”
For some reason, he couldn’t seem to summon the anger. It should have been there—she had earned it—yet it was nowhere to be found.
“I am not overwrought,” he told her sternly.
“Want to take a vote on that?” She held up her hands. “Never mind. I’ll stay on topic. The women should beselling in places other than the city marketplace and to the camel guy.”
“That is their decision, not mine.”
“Au contraire, great prince. You’re the man, or at least you will be when the elders pick you. Everyone knows it’s going to happen, so they’re acting as if it already has. Rasha got all quivery when I mentioned talking to you about them selling elsewhere. They need your permission. And as I don’t have a computer of my own to get started on this…I do, too.”
She didn’t sound happy about the fact.
“You are very persistent.”
“Someone has to be. They deserve a chance at this. A chance to make a living.” Her blue eyes flashed with annoyance. “And while we’re on the subject of making a living, I’m going to need access to my savings account while I’m here.”
“Why?”
“To buy things.”
“Whatever you want will be provided.”
“Does a little man with a bucket of gold follow me everywhere I go? What if I want to go into the bazaar and buy a dress or something?”
“They’ll bill me.”
“I don’t think so.” She glared at him. “I have money, I just need access to it.”
“While you are here, you are my responsibility.”
“Not really. I’m just the money-hungry tramp who tricked you into sleeping with her. Isn’t that the story you’re telling yourself?”
He crossed to the armoire in the corner, opened the doors and poured himself a drink. “You want anything?” he asked, before picking up his glass.
“No, thank you.”
He swallowed the scotch, knowing it wasn’t nearly enough to help. He turned back to her.
“It wasn’t what you think,” she said. “Nadim was very much more a theory than a man. I didn’t want to be that little girl in the charity clothes. I didn’t want to have to stand in line to get a special meal. I don’t expect you to believe me, but it’s the truth.”
She spoke defiantly, as if she did expect him to believe her but knew he would never take the time.
What was the truth? It would be relatively easy to investigate her past and determine what had actually happened. And as soon as he had the thought, he realized he did believe her. At least about that.
“I was going back to the States,” she continued. “I was going to figure out what to do with my life and open my own business. You can ask Maggie. That’s Qadir’s fiancée.”
“I know who Maggie is.”
“She’s my friend. She knows what I was thinking.”
“Nadim would not have made you happy.”
“You mean because he’s lacking a personality?”
He did his best not to laugh. “That is part of the problem.”
“Let me guess. The other part is he’s male. Your gender has some real issues.”
He stared at her. “Must I remind you who I am?”
“No, but I have a feeling you will anyway.” She shook her head. “I didn’t try to trick either of you. I didn’t even want to fall in love. I saw what it did to my mom. Love is for suckers.”
He sensed she believed the words. “You’re too young to be so cynical.”
“And yet, here I stand.” She moved toward him. “Kateb, I’m not pregnant. It was one time and the odds are seriously against it. At the risk of providing you with too much information, I just finished my period last week. Thatmakes it even more unlikely. I understand you want to be sure. So do I. But I’m not playing you. I never was.”
Her blue eyes promised she spoke the truth and he found himself wanting to accept her words.
“We will see,” he said instead.
Victoria sighed. “I guess so.
For some reason, he couldn’t seem to summon the anger. It should have been there—she had earned it—yet it was nowhere to be found.
“I am not overwrought,” he told her sternly.
“Want to take a vote on that?” She held up her hands. “Never mind. I’ll stay on topic. The women should beselling in places other than the city marketplace and to the camel guy.”
“That is their decision, not mine.”
“Au contraire, great prince. You’re the man, or at least you will be when the elders pick you. Everyone knows it’s going to happen, so they’re acting as if it already has. Rasha got all quivery when I mentioned talking to you about them selling elsewhere. They need your permission. And as I don’t have a computer of my own to get started on this…I do, too.”
She didn’t sound happy about the fact.
“You are very persistent.”
“Someone has to be. They deserve a chance at this. A chance to make a living.” Her blue eyes flashed with annoyance. “And while we’re on the subject of making a living, I’m going to need access to my savings account while I’m here.”
“Why?”
“To buy things.”
“Whatever you want will be provided.”
“Does a little man with a bucket of gold follow me everywhere I go? What if I want to go into the bazaar and buy a dress or something?”
“They’ll bill me.”
“I don’t think so.” She glared at him. “I have money, I just need access to it.”
“While you are here, you are my responsibility.”
“Not really. I’m just the money-hungry tramp who tricked you into sleeping with her. Isn’t that the story you’re telling yourself?”
He crossed to the armoire in the corner, opened the doors and poured himself a drink. “You want anything?” he asked, before picking up his glass.
“No, thank you.”
He swallowed the scotch, knowing it wasn’t nearly enough to help. He turned back to her.
“It wasn’t what you think,” she said. “Nadim was very much more a theory than a man. I didn’t want to be that little girl in the charity clothes. I didn’t want to have to stand in line to get a special meal. I don’t expect you to believe me, but it’s the truth.”
She spoke defiantly, as if she did expect him to believe her but knew he would never take the time.
What was the truth? It would be relatively easy to investigate her past and determine what had actually happened. And as soon as he had the thought, he realized he did believe her. At least about that.
“I was going back to the States,” she continued. “I was going to figure out what to do with my life and open my own business. You can ask Maggie. That’s Qadir’s fiancée.”
“I know who Maggie is.”
“She’s my friend. She knows what I was thinking.”
“Nadim would not have made you happy.”
“You mean because he’s lacking a personality?”
He did his best not to laugh. “That is part of the problem.”
“Let me guess. The other part is he’s male. Your gender has some real issues.”
He stared at her. “Must I remind you who I am?”
“No, but I have a feeling you will anyway.” She shook her head. “I didn’t try to trick either of you. I didn’t even want to fall in love. I saw what it did to my mom. Love is for suckers.”
He sensed she believed the words. “You’re too young to be so cynical.”
“And yet, here I stand.” She moved toward him. “Kateb, I’m not pregnant. It was one time and the odds are seriously against it. At the risk of providing you with too much information, I just finished my period last week. Thatmakes it even more unlikely. I understand you want to be sure. So do I. But I’m not playing you. I never was.”
Her blue eyes promised she spoke the truth and he found himself wanting to accept her words.
“We will see,” he said instead.
Victoria sighed. “I guess so.
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