Page 21 of Hiding in the Sheik's Arms

“Tasha?” Khal called out.

Tasha came back to the present with a thud. When she realized that Khal was looking at her curiously, she realized that she’d gone off into her own imagination.

“Sorry!” she whispered, then cleared her throat and repeated her apology. “I drifted off.”

“I asked if you could be ready to go by tomorrow morning.”

“Go?” she parroted, looking around at the others at the table.

Khal’s lips twitched and she knew he was fighting back a chuckle. “I asked if you could be ready to accompany me to the explosion site tomorrow morning. We would leave first thing in the morning, so that we arrive just after everyone has breakfast.”

Leave the palace? Tasha had to fight back sudden panic. She’d always known that she’d eventually have to leave the security of the palace. But now that the moment was upon her, she wasn’t sure she wanted to leave.

However, everyone was watching her expectantly so she nodded her head, unaware of her jerky movements. “Of course,” she replied, then lifted up her trusty tablet and started tapping something. The words were gibberish, but at least she appeared efficient to the other meeting attendees.

When the meeting finally ended, Tasha hadn’t been able to take any notes. Thankfully, the meeting had been recorded so she could replay the conversation and take notes later, apply action items and delegate tasks to the other members and department heads.

As the others were leaving the conference room, Tasha lingered, organizing her papers and stacking them neatly. She needed a moment to gather her thoughts.

“Tasha,” Khal called out.

She turned, bracing herself for the impact of his next question. But there wasn’t condemnation in his eyes. Just curiosity. “What’s going on?” he asked, his voice low and grim.

“Nothing, Your Highness.” She adjusted her tablet so that it was precisely on top of her file folders. “Everything is on schedule. I’ll have my staff ensure that the plane is ready to leave and your bags packed.”

“There’s something you aren’t telling me,” he said and came around the conference table. When he was standing next to her, he perched against the polished wood. “What is it about the plan for tomorrow that has you so terrified ?”

“Nothing,” she replied quickly. Too quickly.

She adjusted her tablet again, but he grabbed her hand. “Tasha, if there’s something you are afraid of, you can tell me. You know that, right?”

His words sent a rush of gratitude and…something else…throughout her body. The comfort he was offering was incredibly tempting but…she couldn’t hold onto his promise.

Tasha remembered being weak. She remembered the glee on Nathan’s features when he’d seen the fear in her eyes. She thought back to the moment when he’d slammed his fist into her stomach while her hands had been protecting her face.

No, she couldn’t show weakness.

Not that she thought that Khal would hit her.

But…!

She looked down at the strong fingers, the power in his arms. “Have you ever hit a woman?” she blurted, unable to stop the words. They were out of her mouth before she realized that they were coming.

“Never,” he replied, his grumbly voice gentle. “Who hit you, Tasha?” he asked, his fingers folding over hers. There wasn’t strength in his touch. Just reassuring warmth.

Still, she couldn’t admit what she’d let Nathan do. She wouldn’t ever let anyone know that she’d put herself into a position where a man had treated her like a punching bag. Tasha hadn’t fought back. By the time her shock over Nathan’s first blow had waned, he’d already hit her several more times. By then, Tasha’s only defense had been to roll into a ball and protect herself.

“I’m fine,” she replied, unwilling to lie to him. “What time did you want to leave tomorrow morning? I’m sorry that I lost track of the conversation, Your Highness. It won’t happen again.” She even straightened her shoulders, looking directly into his eyes. They were at eye level now while he perched against the conference room table.

There was a long pause and she could tell from his expression that he wanted to ask her more. But Tasha pursed her lips, silently warning him the subject was off- limits. Tasha would never reveal that humiliation!

“Early,” he said. “If that’s okay with you?”

She laughed softly, shaking her head. “Your Highness, I adjust my schedule to your convenience. Not the other way around.”

“Maybe it should be different,” he said, his voice gruff but soft. But even more shocking, he reached out, one hand letting go of hers to touch her cheek.

Before she could react, Khal turned away from the table. “Could you make sure that they have that special coffee on board the flight? I really like the coffee that the chef switched to last month.”

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