Page 21 of Sheikh's Virgin Love-Slave

She teared up a little, wishing she could hold it back, but no one in her terrible rolodex of dating history had gotten her anything truly nice. The only jewelry Kevin begrudgingly got her came from K-Mart and cost less than his gaming system. Bridget wasn’t an expert, but she was pretty sure whatever Ravi got her would be worth more than a video game.

“I… you didn’t have to.”

He opened the box and she gasped at the two interwoven strands of pearls, one a shining white and the other a smooth grey. The pearl at the center was easily the size of a gumball and a silver color that was the perfect shade between the two main strands. She’d never seen anything like it.

Ravi said nothing—unusual for him—as he walked behind her, pulled up her hair, and clasped the necklace around her throat. “You look perfect, princess. I knew this would show off the curves of your swan-like neck perfectly.”

She blushed back at him and brought her fingers to the new decoration at her throat. “I don’t… you can’t be serious. This has to cost so much money. I can’t accept this.”

“You can, but if you’re worried, then just consider it a loan. There’s a gala and dance to celebrate a new art exhibit opening at the Burj Khalifa this Friday, and I wanted to present you to all of Dubai as my date.”

Bridget turned around and looked up at him with wide, scared eyes. Her heart pounded in her chest and her palms grew slick with sweat. “You what?”

“We’ve been together for well over a month.”

“That’s nothing…”

He reached up and cupped her cheek. She felt that heat flare in her belly and that electric current just simmering underneath her skin as it always did whenever he was near to her. “I’ve never dated anyone for six weeks, ever. I want to show my country and my people what you mean to me.”

And what is that, exactly? She wondered.

She wasn’t sure what the answer was herself. First she was his captive, and then she was his lover for a fun-filled fling. Currently, she could feel the passion and trust blossoming between them. Still, she thought of Sabella, and of those cold words she heard whispered to her almost daily. It could all end tomorrow. Making it public—putting it on the world’s stage—would make her humiliation that much more exquisite when things ended. They had to end eventually, if only because she was never that lucky.

Just look at her fractured home life for proof, or at her relationship with Kevin for that matter.

“Maybe we can talk about this when we’re back at the palace,” she said, looking over her shoulder to catch Ashira heading out a back door to another part of the complex. At least that woman knew when to avoid awkward situations. “This is just so much at once.”

“You’re my princess, and I think you should be proud of that,” Ravi said, even as a small line formed between his brows.

“And I love this,” she said, squeezing his hand. “I love you, and I love being an ‘us,’ but I’m not a big ‘events and galas’ girl. I’ve never even been to a formal dance since senior prom, and I didn’t have the best time there either. I’m nervous.”

“Well, if you’re worried about attire, Kamala is picking out something for you to wear with the necklace. If you’re worried about the inanities of small talk, don’t be,” he said, leaning down and kissing her lips, teasing her mouth with his own. “I am a very possessive man, my swan, and I’ll keep you dancing all night just with me.”

The fact that he did want to show her off when he never had done anything like this with any other woman, even an heiress or a movie star, appealed to her. Besides, it sounded like fun to get dressed up and dance the night away with the man she was beginning to care so deeply about.

I promised myself stories for a lifetime, didn’t I? Besides, I’d hate to disappoint him.

She nodded back and kissed him, letting her teeth nibble and tempt his lower lip. Bridget relished the low growl she got in response. “All right, but I’m not promising to know any waltzes. I do okay with the electric slide. I had that down at my cousin’s wedding last year.”

He laughed, picked her up, and spun her around a couple times. “I’m sure that we can find a happy medium.”

“You say that now but—” She stopped then and clamped her mouth shut as her stomach lurched. Bile worked its way up her throat, and she knew she was going to be sick. “Ravi, please put me down. I need to find a restroom. Now.”

***

As far as how to act when receiving a gift, Ravi wasn’t sure that Bridget had a clue. Granted, the reason he cared about her so much was in part because she was different from every other woman he dated. It wasn’t just that their relationship had lasted the longest so far; it was more about why it had. She wasn’t the type to be a gold digger or ask for fancy things, or demand things as Sabella did with pouty lips or the occasional foot stomp. No; Bridget was modest and always seemed overwhelmed by what he offered her, as she had moments ago with the necklace. He appreciated that, but still, he loved lavishing her with gifts. There was no need for her to refuse. There was no way that he could ever feel taken advantage of by his swan.

Now, though, he was worried. She’d been in the private staff bathroom for a while, and even though the faucet was running he could still overhear her retching. After a while longer, she turned off the water completely and opened the door. Her face was blotchy and her eyes watering a bit, but he knew that the sounds beyond the door had not been his imagination. His princess was sick.

Reaching out, he brought the back of his hand to her forehead. “Are you all right?”

Bridget nodded and wiped at her eyes. “I think that spinning around in your arms like a sheikh-tilt-a-whirl after I had the nachos at the refreshment stand was a bad idea. I’m fine now.” She took two steps before she stumbled, as if drunk, and then sagged into his waiting arms. “Okay, and a bit dizzy.”

He frowned again. “You don’t feel warm.”

“Like I said. I don’t think it’s a stomach bug. I probably ate something I shouldn’t have. Maybe the dates were a little off at breakfast.” She smiled serenely back at him. “Ravi, I’m going to be fine. I love the gift you gave me, and I’ll be ready to dance by Friday, I promise.”

He helped steady her on her feet even as he pushed a strand of golden hair from her face. “All right, but if you feel sick again, you can always have Adil or Kamala summon the mansion doctor.”

“You have a mansion doctor?”

“More like a personal physician, but Dr. Hakmad is one of the best general practitioners in the world. If anything else happens, you must tell me,” he said, trying to push the worry away. She was probably right. He had warned her away from those nachos and their thick coating of pickled jalapenos. Yet, something else was bugging him, something that he couldn’t quite figure out.

She nodded and leaned into his shoulder. “I promise, Ravi. If anything else comes up, you’ll be the first to know.”

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