His Royal Prize

For a moment, his father’s gaze lingered on the American woman, and Sharif’s insides twisted at the longing he saw in those dark eyes. Anger and resentment sliced through him like a thief’s sharpened dagger.

“I shall not be dining with you tonight.” Sharif walked toward the French doors without another glance at them. “Be certain my bedchamber has been made ready for my return.”

Even at his father’s grunt of disapproval, he did not turn around. He continued out the door, and waved for his personal attendant to lag behind when the man rushed to accompany him. Sharif did not want anyone to see the pain his eyes surely could not hide.

“HE’S VERY ARROGANT.” Rose watched her youngest son stride proudly away, his head held high, his posture perfectly erect. When she realized what she’d said, heat flared in her cheeks and her gaze flew to King Zak’s face. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to sound critical. I was merely making an observation, really. You’ve done a fine job with him. And you have my everlasting thanks. He is very well mannered and bright and handsome…”

King Zak smiled. “It is you who is responsible for his comeliness. He looks very much like you.”

Rose blushed again. “Thank you, but I think he looks more like Ibrahim.” Her gaze strayed out the window and she watched the way one shoulder dipped ever so slightly as Sharif walked. Remarkably like Ibrahim.

The memory of her husband was a knife in her heart, as though it had been only yesterday that his young life had been violently ripped away from hers.

“You are quite right,” King Zak said, drawing her attention again. He had a fierce, swarthy look, but kind eyes. “Sharif is sometimes arrogant. We indulged him too much. Especially Nadirah. She awaited a child for a very long time.”

He fell silent, staring out the window toward Sharif’s disappearing form, and Rose knew he was thinking about his wife, missing her, as Rose still missed Ibrahim.

“This behavior…” he said finally, waving a ringed hand, a large ruby catching the sunlight and sparking brilliant red flames. “It is not so much arrogance as it is fear.”

“Fear? Of me?”

“Of change.”

“Oh, King Zakariyya, I don’t expect anything to change. I want to be in his life, of course, but—”

“Please.” He took one of her nervous hands and sandwiched it between his. “It is not necessary to be so formal. And Zak is so much easier on the tongue, is it not?”

She nodded, and willed her cheeks not to color as she extracted her hand as gracefully as she could. “I hope he understands that I don’t expect him to welcome me overnight. I simply wish for the chance to get to know him, just as I’ve been getting to know the other boys.”

“He is a good man. A true king. But right now his identity is shaken. He needs some time. He is still growing up, I am afraid, but he would never let our people down. And he will not let you down. I am certain of this.”

As they both turned toward the window again, Rose prayed Zak was right. Sharif had already disappeared from sight. She felt his absence clear down to her soul.

“DAMN IT, LIVY, YOU CHEATED.”

Olivia Smith stopped laughing and glared at her friend and fellow ranch hand. “Mickey Farrel, you worm, I’ve never cheated once in my life, and you know it. Take it back.”

“I won’t.” He stooped to pick his hat off the barn floor and shook the hay off the battered gray rim before setting the Stetson back on his head.

She had a good mind to knock his hat off again. He was twenty-two, just a year younger than she, but he acted as if he were twelve. “Don’t try and weasel out of mucking out the stalls. You lost fair and square.”

“How come I always lose? Tell me that. You have to be cheating.”

“That’s the dumbest thing I ever heard.” She walked over to get the shovel and thrust it at him. “The object is to knock the other person’s hat off without bodily contact. Which is exactly what I do. How could I possibly cheat?”

“All I know is I’m five foot ten and you’re only five two. So how in the blazes do you always whack my hat off first?”

“It’s called having a brain. Maybe you ought to use yours sometimes.”

Mickey muttered a foul word under his breath and grudgingly grabbed the shovel. “Why can’t you act like other girls, and not be such a tomboy and a bully?”

“I’m not a bully. You’re just a sore loser,” she said with a smug toss of her head so he wouldn’t know how much the remark stung. The truth was, she’d grown up with mostly boys at the orphanage where she’d been abandoned as a baby and she wasn’t sure she knew how to act like a girl.

Sometimes she wished she did know the right things to say, and had the proper clothes to wear, instead of her usual jeans and baggy shirts. Especially since Rose Coleman–El Jeved came to the ranch. She was so beautiful and poised that it was easy to imagine her as a queen just like in the fairy tales Livy read to the kids when she visited the orphanage. Except Rose had been a real life queen with a palace and servants and fine clothes and…

Livy straightened and grabbed her gloves. Wouldn’t Mickey and the rest of the guys laugh themselves silly if they knew about her foolish daydreams. “See you later,” she said. “I’ll be working with Khalid.”

Mickey stared, slack jawed. “You’re not leaving me to muck out all thirty stalls by myself.”

“Be grateful you don’t have all sixty to clean.” She strode off before she gave in and helped him as she usually did. She had something else in mind. Although she really did plan on working with Khalid, the ranch’s newest colt, she needed to stop and talk to her own horse first.

She swore that Prince was the only creature on God’s green earth that understood her. Of course they shared a similar past. He’d been a runt, unwanted and shunned by breeders. Her parents had dumped her on the steps of St. Mary’s before she could even talk. Which was sort of a blessing. She obviously hadn’t said anything bad that ticked them off or made them not want her. Reminding herself of that helped when she felt down and alone sometimes.

As soon as she saw Prince stick his head out of his stall, she broke into a grin. Now Prince Charming here had shown all the naysayers a thing or two. He’d turned into a fine stallion. Even some of the trainers and breeders who’d snubbed him earlier had changed their tune and offered her a heap of cash for him. It made her burst with pride. Not that she’d ever sell him in a million years. Even though he’d cost her every dime she’d saved.

“How ya doing, boy?” She reached into her pocket for his daily cube of sugar while she stroked his neck with her other hand. “You look mighty handsome today, young man.” She laughed when he nuzzled her neck. “Thanks, but you still get only one cube.”

She led him out of the stall and into the outdoor riding ring. The sun was low enough that it wasn’t too hot, and she really wished she had the time to take him out for a good run. In another week the annual Hill Country Breakneck Race was going to make her and Prince a small fortune. Assuming they won. Although she had little doubt they would. Prince was that fast.

He was smart, too, and eventually she’d probably show him, just as Mac Coleman, the head trainer at the ranch, suggested.

“Come on, boy. Let’s see what you remember.” She led him around the ring at a slow pace. Sunlight gleamed off his shiny black coat. He looked like velvet in motion and her heart swelled with pride.

After a few more turns, she shaded her eyes and looked at the pink-streaked horizon. The sun was still visible, but she guessed it was about four-thirty or five. She had to go work with Khalid. Prince sensed he was about to be penned again and pulled back a little.

“I’m sorry, boy, I wish I could stay longer.” She stroked the side of his neck, whispering to him in the low murmuring tone he liked. “If I don’t work, who’s going to pay for all that feed you scarf up like there’s no tomorrow?”

Prince let her rub his velvety nuzzle before throwing his head back out of reach. She laughed, knowing this was his way of telling her he understood but didn’t like it.

Working with Khalid was no chore, and Livy was careful not to show her eagerness in front of Prince as she returned him to his stall. Khalid was amazingly beautiful, a quick learner, and she loved the Arabian colt as if he were her own.

He greeted her with youthful enthusiasm as soon as she approached him, shifting between his two front hooves, nodding his head, knowing he’d make her laugh.

“Come on, you little ham.” She led him outside and he strained against the lead, anxious to get started with his lesson. He seemed a little more spirited than usual and she had to calm him down several times during their session.

After leading him around the third time, she understood why Khalid was so animated. He loved audiences and two people stood on the southern slope watching them. Startled, Livy wondered how long they’d been standing there, and when she didn’t resume training, the pair started down the slope toward her and Khalid.

The men didn’t walk side by side, the one with the dark full beard lagged several feet behind. He was wearing the type of clothing the Colemans wore when showing Arabians.

She tugged the rim of her hat down to cut the sun’s glare and squinted for a better look at the man in front of him. He was taller, broader, his hair black and shiny, and he had on some kind of brown silk shirt. Not the usual ranch garb.

She knew the Colemans were expecting company, but when the other hands were speculating at breakfast that royalty was coming to visit, she’d thought it was a bunch of hogwash. Of course everyone knew that Alex, Mac and Cade were descendants of some Arab sheikh…as hard as that was to believe. She knew that Cade’s wife, Serena, was from the mid-East and that her father had visited once. But she didn’t think any more of those people would be coming here.

Khalid whinnied and she absently patted his neck, helplessly fascinated by the approaching stranger. He sure walked as if he owned the place.

The instant he was close enough that she could see his face, Livy knew he had to be royalty. Her mouth knew it judging by the way it got drier than withered cotton. And trying to keep her heart from pounding through her chest was like nailing pudding to a tree. He was downright beautiful. Just like one of those princes in the fairy tales.

And he was coming straight toward her.