Page 31 of Sheikh's Accidental Pregnancy

“I’m going to go to bed,” she said. “If I can find my way back to my room. This place is a maze.”

Tariq stood and picked her up, cradling her in his arms. Sara was not expecting it, but it felt good to be carried, and she snuggled up against his chest as he took her back to her bedroom. He laid her on the bed and stepped back.

“Thank you,” she called out after him, but he was already gone. And she already missed him.

20

After several weeks, Sara and Tariq eventually got into a routine of living together. He made sure she had everything she needed, and the house was big enough that she could stay out of his way most of the time. It sometimes seemed they were more likely to see each other at the office than at home. Sara still insisted she would work through her pregnancy.

She’d told him she would be bored to tears if I she didn’t, that the office was a safe environment. His answer was that he was going to hire her a driver and a bodyguard. Sara had just rolled her eyes and taken the win. Having her own driver would be convenient.

Since she was responsible for the El-Sultari oil field being recognized, she was now officially the project manager for it. She could not believe Amir and Tariq were trusting her with such a big project so early in her career. It didn’t leave her much time for anything else, though. Amir complained that she had been his best assistant, and now he had to find another to manage his schedule and correspondence and the million other things she’d done for him before El-Sultari had taken all her attention. She just laughed and offered to help with the interviews.

Fiddah came to the house every other day. They would cook together, and she taught Sara how to make her favorite dishes.

“I wanted to go to culinary school, you know,” the older woman confessed one evening. “But my husband insisted it was not the proper place for a woman. I suppose back in those days, at least in Kithab, it would have raised a lot of eyebrows. But I’ve always wished I’d had the courage to do it anyway.”

“If you’re this good a cookwithoutculinary school, you would have been an amazing chef. Thank you for teaching me,” Sara said as she sprinkled turmeric into the evening’s rice dish.

“A little more, I think,” Fiddah said. She never used measurements, always adding her ingredients by eye and taste.

Tariq was working late that night, so Fiddah and Sara dined together.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, my love,” Fiddah said as she stood at the door after dinner. “Your doctor’s appointment is at one o’clock, right?”

“Right. But you don’t have to come with me to every appointment. I can do it on my own.” Fiddah had helped her find an OB-GYN who spoke English, but she still accompanied her for every visit.

“You are carrying a Botros baby, Sara. And who else will go along to support you? Tariq? For all his protectiveness, he would never willingly set foot in an OB-GYN’s office. He wouldn’t think it appropriate for a man to be there. If his mother ever gives her blessing, she might decide to accompany you, but until then, you’re stuck with me.”

“Thank you. That means a lot, Fiddah.” Sara embraced her. “See you tomorrow!”

* * *

Sara invited Keira and Kaleena for a visit the following weekend. Tariq made himself scarce, shaking his head as he passed through the sitting room where they’d settled. Sara suspected he liked that the twins kept her out of his way.

Sometimes, though, she wished he would keep her company. Maybe they could sit in the same room in the evening, each of them reading quietly, like an old married couple. They wouldn’t have to talk to each other though; that always resulted in a disagreement of some sort. She missed the mental stimulation of butting heads with him, but at least he wasn’t trying to control her every move any longer.

She closed the door behind Keira and Kaleena and stared off into space for a moment. The twins had been full of news about Kaleena’s new boyfriend, which only made Sara wish her own situation could be described so neatly.Boyfriendwas not a word that would ever apply to Tariq. Still, she longed for… Not for him to be her boyfriend, but for some of the connection she’d briefly felt when they were together.

She pushed away from the door and hurried to her room.

* * *

Tariq was working in his study when Sara walked in. Her swaying walk snagged his attention against his will. She’d made no secret of the fact that she disliked him, so he’d left her alone as much as possible. He craved the feel of her under her hands, and sometimes he wished he could bounce ideas for the company off her. His grandmother and Amir were right. She was intelligent. And she was one of the few who wouldn’t just agree with everything he said. If she disagreed, she would not hold back.

Tonight, it wasn’t ideas he wanted to trade with her. She was wearing an oversized, loose-fitting T-shirt. It emphasized the roundness of her breasts and shrouded her other curves in mystery. She circled the desk and stood staring at him. He put the files he was working on down and turned his attention to her.

“I can’t sleep,” she said.

“Oh?” he asked.

“I think you could help.”

He contained his smile. He’d been wondering when she’d show up wanting this. “I’m working, Sara.” He pitched his voice low, knowing how it affected her.

“I can’t sleep because… I…” she trailed off.

Tariq frowned. “Sara, you’ll have to be specific if you want my help.”

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