Page 25 of The Sheikh's Fake Bride Scheme

“Just take the master,” Kareem insisted.

“You’re not worried about what that would look like?”

“No, why would I be?”

“Are you kidding? All you do is worry about what things are going to look like. That’s why you wanted us to get married in the first place.”

“Okay,” he allowed. “But it’s different now that we’re here. We don’t have to worry about what people are going to think, because my father is back in Qalmar. These people — the staff of this hotel — they won’t make any assumptions. They’re just honored to have the sheikh and the sheikha staying with them.”

Keira pulled at the collar of her shirt, feeling awkward, as she always did when he referred to her asthe sheikha. It had only happened a few times, and she knew it was accurate — the titledid apply to her, since she was officially married to Kareem. But even so, it didn’tfeellike her. It didn’t feel like what she was.

Maybe that was why Kareem’s focus on outward appearances had been bothering her so much — she felt as if her true self was getting lost. This fake marriage was a difficult thing to maintain, but what made it harder was feeling as if nothing at all in her life was authentic. It would have been easier if she had been able to be her true self.

“We’ll leave for the venue in two hours,” Kareem told her. “Why don’t you take that time to freshen up and settle into the suite?”

“There’s no race tonight,” Keira said, surprised. “Why are we going to the venue?”

“There’s a VIP event,” Kareem explained. “It will be our best opportunity to mingle with the drivers and get to know them. We’ll be able to talk to them about our race.”

“You want me to come with you to that?”

“Keira, you have to come. This is your area of expertise. You’re the one who has done this before. I have no idea what I’m doing. I need you to manage public relations for me.”

Keira laughed.

“What’s funny?”

“This is just such a shift from the conversation we had back in Qalmar. You were adamant that you wanted me to stay out of things as much as possible. You said that my involvement in any public-facing capacity risked allowing your father to find out what we were doing, and that it would all be ruined if he did.”

“Well, I know that,” Kareem acknowledged. “But being away from him… I feel a little more secure about it all. It seems safer to let you get involved. And besides, Iwantyou there. I had fun with you at the Spritzer Cup. Didn’t you have a good time that day?

“Better than I thought I would,” Keira admitted.

“You’re a fun person to spend time with.”

“I didn’t realize you saw me that way.”

“I don’t have anyone else I can enjoy racing with,” Kareem explained. “No one in my family appreciates it. Actually, they outright dislike it. My father thinks it’s a childish waste of time, as you know, and my brothers find it boring. It’s a pleasure to have a friend I can share my interest with.”

“Is that what we are? Friends?”

Kareem laughed. “I suppose so. I mean, we’re husband and wife, but we can be friends as well.”

“We’ve done things in a strange order.”

“Well, not that strange. My mother and father were married before they knew one another at all, and they grew to like each other over time. We can be the same way — except that instead of falling in love, you and I will grow to be good friends.”

Keira found herself smiling. She wouldn’t have thought she would feel so comfortable with Kareem so quickly, but he was different here in Monaco — more relaxed.He’s more like the man I met back in Vegas, she thought.He has a sense of fun.

She hadn’t realized how much she’d missed this side of him when it had gone away.

“All right,” she agreed. “We’ll be friends.”

“So go into the master bedroom and unpack. We have a party to get ready for.”

“You really don’t need to give me the master bedroom. I appreciate that you’re being chivalrous, but it’s not necessary. Truly, any room in this place is going to be the nicest hotel room I’ve ever been in.”

“Just take it,” Kareem said with a light laugh. “You’re doing me a kindness by allowing me to give something back to you. You’ve been so helpful to me, after all.”

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