The Sheikh and the Bought Bride

The Sheikh and the Bought Bride
Susan Mallery

Sold…to a gorgeous desert prince!

It was bad enough being hauled out of bed by palace guards. Now Victoria McCallan had just offered to pay off her father’s gambling debts – with herself as the prize! So the palace secretary was shocked when sexy Prince Kateb made her a counteroffer…

When Kateb whisked Victoria off to the desert to be his mistress for six months, the widowed ruler had no intention of falling in love. Duty decreed the El Deharia sheikh should wed a proper mate. But Kateb’s heart was telling him to claim Victoria as his woman now and forever.

“No!”

Victoria grabbed his arm with both hands. “No. You can’t. Please. I’ll do anything.” Tears filled her eyes. “I beg you. Don’t lock him away. Take me instead. He offered me in the game. Did you tell him no or did you accept? Was I in play? Did you win me?”

Kateb narrowed his gaze. “I knew he didn’t mean it.”

“You’ve spoken with him. You know he did. You took the bet. You played the hand. You won me. So take me instead.”

“As what?”

“As whatever you want.”

The Sheikh and The Bought Bride

By

Susan Mallery

www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)

SUSAN MALLERY is a New York Times bestselling author of more than ninety romances. Her combination of humour, emotion and just-plain-sexy has made her a reader favourite. Susan makes her home in the Pacific Northwest with her handsome husband and possibly the world’s cutest dog. Visit her website at www. SusanMallery.com.

Available in July 2010 from Mills & Boon® Special Moments™

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Chapter One

When Victoria McCallan woke to find five armed and burly palace guards standing around her bed, she had a feeling this might not turn out to be her best day.

She was more curious than concerned about the intrusion, mostly because she hadn’t done anything wrong. Well, unless she counted the extra brownie she’d had at lunch, not that anyone but her would care about her skirts getting tighter. So this had to be a mistake.

Careful to keep the sheet pulled to her shoulders, she sat up and turned on the lamp on the nightstand, then blinked in the sudden brightness.

Yup, burly guards, in uniform. She frowned as she noticed their hands seemed to be hovering by their side arms. That couldn’t be good.

She cleared her throat and looked at the guy with the most ribbons on his jacket. “Are you sure you have the right room?” she asked.

“Victoria McCallan?”

Damn. Curiosity and concern flowed away, leaving a good dose of fear in their place.

Not that she would let the guards know. She’d always been good at acting as if everything was perfect, even as her world crumbled around her.

She raised her chin and did her best to speak without letting them see she was shaking. “That’s right. How can I help you?”