| The Sheiks Of Kumar - Part II The Warrior By CJ |
| Chapter 11 The sounds of a child’s laughter again woke Shawna just as the day before. She opened her eyes in the early morning light and saw Kareem standing over her. He was dressed in green cotton pajamas and smiling widely. Shawna tried to sit up but felt a weight upon her midsection. Glancing down, she saw Rafee asleep, his head upon her stomach. The night spent in the grass in his company had not been a dream. It had been real. That also meant that her confession and Rafee’s brief glimmer of insecurity had been real as well. She should have felt embarrassed over what she had told him, but she didn’t. In fact, what had happened in the night made her feel closer to Rafee than she felt to any other person. Kareem laughed again and hurried around Shawna to Rafee. He knelt in the grass in front of his uncle and touched his arm. Rafee immediately opened his eyes and playfully grabbed the child. Kareem screeched as Rafee rolled to his back, taking the child with him and keeping Shawna pinned in a very disadvantageous position. “Okay, you two. Do you mind not wrestling on me?” she asked. Rafee stood, gathering Kareem in his arms, then pulled Shawna to her feet. They gathered their dishes from the garden table and backtracked to the kitchen. It was still early morning, but a housekeeper was busy in the kitchen and smells of baking bread and coffee filled the air. “Hungry?” Rafee asked. It was his first words to her this morning and she simply nodded her head. They sat at a sturdy oak table in the corner of the kitchen and Rafee fetched them all juice and gave a polite order to the housekeeper. The woman nodded and began fixing breakfast. Rafee rejoined her at the table and Kareem climbed up Shawna’s lap. A woman’s voice interjected something from the entrance to the kitchen and Kareem’s head swiveled quickly in that direction. It was Rafee’s mother, Kamila, and she was already dressed for the day in linen pants and a long flowing over-shirt. “Kareem,” she said, switching to English, “I thought I told you not to run off.” He smiled at her and his charming personality obviously had its affects on his grandmother. “And you,” she said, moving behind Rafee and placing a hand on his face in motherly affection, “I have not seen you since you arrived.” She ran her fingers over his hair and returned with a blade of grass. “What did you do, sleep outside?” “Yes,” Rafee answered directly, but offered no more explanation. Kamila moved behind her son and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. She hugged him tenderly for a moment, then straightened and left a hand on his shoulder. To Shawna, she said, “This one, when he was a boy, would disappear from his bedroom in the middle of the night. No matter if he had schooling in the morning or not, he would just take off. We would find him in the kitchen, in the garden, at the stables. Always a different place. Oh, he made me worry so.” She leaned over and patted Kareem’s face. “Just like this one does to me now.” Shawna smiled at the mother’s story, picturing Rafee as a small boy, just as ornery as he was as a man. Kamila stepped to the counter and poured herself a cup of tea from the steaming kettle the housekeeper had just brought from the stove. “When we sent Rafee and Nikash away to school in England,” she continued, “we were afraid Rafee would wander away from there too. And he did. He gave the headmaster such fits. Several times Aarif had to travel to London to beg the headmaster not to send Rafee home from school.” With taunting sarcasm, Shawna looked at Rafee and said, “I never would have guessed that you were a trouble maker when you were a kid.” He glowered at her, but it was not in anger, only in jest. Kamila laughed softly and said, “I see you have gotten to know my son’s ways, Ms. Patrick.” “I’m learning them,” Shawna replied. “He is not devious, just head strong,” Kamila declared. She reached out and patted Rafee’s arm as it lay upon the table then stood and walked to the stove to give instructions to the cook. Shawna smiled at Rafee broadly and taunted, “I never would have guessed you were a mama’s boy.” “If you are trying to say that I am close to my mother, I will admit I am,” he replied. Shawna continued to smile at Rafee until he inquired of her stare. “I was just thinking that I’m glad I came here to Kumar,” she told him. “Because since I’ve been here, I keep finding out all sorts of things about you that I just can’t resist.” She stood, kissed Kareem on the cheek and set him down on Rafee’s lap. Then she kissed Rafee on the forehead and announced, “I’m going to try and navigate my way back to my room and go for a swim before the entire palace wakes up. Find me later and we’ll get back to work on our quest for information.” He nodded and watched her walk out of the kitchen without breakfast. He was going to worry over her not eating, then decided she was capable of taking care of herself. “She is beautiful,” his mother said very near him, interrupting his musings. Rafee snapped his head around and found his mother’s light eyes closely analyzing him. He’d thought she’d been on the other side of the room conversing with the cook. Her appearance behind him had him startled. “You and Nikash, both with American women…I never would have imagined,” she remarked. Rafee tried to read her tone. Was she upset or merely making an observation? “Do not get ahead of yourself, mother. Nikash is the one getting married, not I,” Rafee insisted. “Do not think I am upset, Rafee,” she said. “Your father and I have never wanted anything but your happiness. If Ms. Malone and Ms. Patrick are what bring you and your brother happiness, then your father and I are pleased.” “Ms. Malone brings Nikash happiness, yes,” Rafee acknowledged. “But do not assume that just because Ms. Patrick and I are friends, that there is anything deeper.” He wondered why he was trying so hard to dispute his mother’s words when he had spent the night confessing all to Shawna and laying next to her for comfort. She did bring him much happiness, but not to the extent his mother was referring to. At least, he was fairly certain there was nothing more to it. Pulling Kareem into her arms, Kamila said, “I am not assuming anything.” She paused and kissed Kareem’s cheek. “But I have heard you have younger competition.” She laughed and carried the boy away and left Rafee shaking his head. ** “This latest news worries me deeply, Rafee,” Aarif said as he, Rafee and Nik sat on the balcony on the west side of the palace. “Why did you not tell me last night that your car had been shot at?” “Because you all were just about ready to sit down for dinner,” he replied, leaning against the railing, gripping it harshly with his hands and keeping his back to Nikash and his father. He was dressed in the same clothes as the night before, having just finished breakfast. He knew he had to tell his father and brother of the shooting, yet it was news that would only cause them alarm. “I did not want to bring bad news to the table. Shawna and I had it under control.” “Ms. Patrick was with you when this happened?” Aarif asked with concern. “Yes, but no harm came to her. Besides, she is not afraid of danger.” “It would appear she is not,” Aarif agreed. “But I am concerned, for this situation of ours is getting more urgent and we have not yet found the source of these vague threats. We have a wedding approaching and American guests in our home. We must see to their safety.” Rafee gripped the railing tighter. Like he had told Shawna the night before, this was all resting upon his shoulders. And though he never shrunk from duty, he was wondering if he had the ability to discover the source of these bizarre threats while he protected his family. “I know that, father, and I am trying. I am researching every lead I can,” Rafee said. “But if you are concerned about the safety of our guests, perhaps Nikash should delay the wedding and return to America.” “No,” Nik refuted. “I am going to marry Tara. I will not allow terrorist threats to interfere with my marriage. And we were just as vulnerable in America, Rafee. They had free access to us there as well. And we are making concessions. The wedding guests will be only family and very little outside help will be allowed inside these palace walls. The event will be kept quiet until all is solved.” Rafee knew they were safer here than they had been in America. The authorities there would have been powerless to help them. At least here in Kumar he had free rein to set up his own security and complete access to all government agencies. He was more powerful here than in America and his best chance to solve their mystery was to keep everyone safe and sound here at the palace and continue his work. “Then I will make no further argument,” Rafee conceded. “No more arguing about my marriage or my choice of brides?” Nik inquired. Rafee turned and stared down at his brother with a quizzical expression. There was a taunt in his tone and Rafee wanted to know why. “I seem to recall a scene almost exactly like this one over two weeks ago,” Nik explained. “Only, I was the one pacing the balcony and you were the one sitting here looking smug and taunting me for my actions.” “Yes, I was smug and sarcastic. But I was more concerned for our family than I was your love life. And I see now that Tara loves you.” “And you can realize that now because you have had a taste of it yourself?” Nik asked back with a smile. “I have learned my lesson not to interfere.” Rafee narrowed his eyes on his brother in a challenge and added, “Perhaps you should learn the same.” “You two have quarreled more these past few weeks than you have since you were boys,” Aarif declared. “Maybe it would be wise not to taunt your brother, Nikash. And Rafee, maybe you should not be so prideful. You can admit to us that you were wrong.” “Wrong? About what?” “About declaring that you would never fall victim like Nikash to a woman,” Aarif said with a smile. Even his father was ridiculing him about Shawna. It had begun this morning with his mother and was apparently going from one family member to the next. “I have not fallen victim,” Rafee argued. “Besides, according to Nikash, I am not worthy.” “I never said that,” Nik defended. “I was merely making sure you were not up to your usual antics. And after speaking with you last week, I came to the conclusion that you were only sincere where Shawna was concerned.” “Then I was second guessing myself for no reason,” Rafee quipped. “If you took the time to analyze your motives, why have you not taken the time to analyze your feelings?” Nik inquired. “The only feelings that exist are feelings of friendship,” Rafee fibbed. He would not allow both this father and his brother to declare to the world that he had been wrong. He did feel more for Shawna, but he could not admit it. For to do so would mean he had been holding an unnecessary grudge for over thirteen years toward women, relationships and America. Aarif stood and his aging face held a slight grin. He looked at his son with wise brown eyes and said, “Friendship is important, Rafee, but do not keep this fiction up for long. I know better. You are not the only one who is kept awake by this family dilemma and the night air is much preferable to the palace halls. Don’t you agree?” His father left and Rafee sighed. So, his father had caught sight of he and Shawna outside by the pool the night before. They’d talked, he’d held her hand, kissed her briefly and then snuggled against her body for the rest of the night. It didn’t mean he was in love, it merely meant he was…attracted. “What did father mean by that?” Nik asked. “Nothing,” Rafee snapped. Nik laughed and stood. Slapping his brother on the back, he said, “You will come around, Rafee. It is inevitable.” Inevitable? Inevitable! Neither Nikash nor his father knew what they were talking about. He left the balcony for his room and showered and changed for the day then walked to his study. If he worked long enough, perhaps he could forget all about Shawna and what his family was professing about his feelings for her. Yet when she came into his study later that morning, her hair in a clip and wearing denim shorts and a gray spaghetti-strap tank top, he felt something very sharp. It was a severe pain that shouted his family was right. “Hey,” she said in greeting. “Been at it long?” “Over an hour,” he replied. “Where have you been?” He realized his question came out too sharply when she frowned his way. “I told you, I was swimming,” she returned. “I was talking to Aria at the pool. I guess I lost track of time.” “We do not have lots of time, Shawna,” he declared. “The stakes have been raised after last night’s shooting. We must solve this now!” Shawna was poised to attack back when she remembered that Rafee was feeling an incredible amount of stress. Solving this case did rest heavily upon his shoulders and if he had an irritable mood here and again, she was going to try and be understanding. But when he remained in that irritable mood all day and said not one kind word to her, she had lost all her patience. Flipping off her computer, she swiveled in her chair and said, “Okay, Rafee, I’ve had it! There’s a modem line in my room. I’ll work from there.” She stood and was about to leave when Rafee said, “Don’t go.” She was the only person he could confide in and the only person he trusted explicitly to assist him. If she left, he’d be back on this case alone. And his outbursts had not so much to do with the stress of finding the source of the threats, but rather with his determination to deny his feelings for Shawna. “Give me one good reason why I should stay,” she demanded. “I’ll admit I’ve been a jerk,” he offered. “Admit it,” she said. “I’ve been a jerk,” he said. Then he smiled at her. She smiled back and sat in her chair. “Rafee, I know you are under lots of stress right now. But you have to…” she started to say but was interrupted as he rounded his desk and knelt in front of her. “I know, I have to learn not to take it out on everyone around me,” he reasoned. “Especially not on you because you are the only one who can help solve this case—I’m convinced.” Shawna moved her hands to his hair then touched his face. “Maybe all you need is a quick break.” She gently urged his face higher. “Something to take your mind off of work for a few minutes.” “Like what?” he asked with a mischievous smile. “Like this,” she declared before pressing her lips to his. He kissed her back tenderly for a long moment. Shawna wanted to deepen the kiss, but Rafee insisted upon keeping it slow and controlled. She realized that each time he touched her, she lost her head. But after the confession she’d made to him the night before, it was obvious he was trying to keep everything under wraps. She appreciated that, and the slow, sensual kiss would be just fine for the time being. But then his hands slid up her bare legs. His thumbs rubbed gently under the hem of her shorts and as his touch neared such sensitive areas, she moaned softly. Rafee broke the kiss at the sound of her breathless moan, but Shawna did not stop and moved her sweet lips to his neck. Involuntarily, he slid his hands higher and gripped her thighs, trying to fight back his control. Feeling the last ounce of his reserve leave him, he pushed away from Shawna, keeping his hands on her knees and her body at arms length. “What’s wrong?” Shawna inquired. “I am trying to be a gentleman,” he professed. “You are not making it easy for me.” Shawna both smiled and blushed simultaneously. “I enjoy these sessions,” she argued. “I like touching you. I like kissing you. It’s building my confidence.” “Yes, but it is torturing me.” Hoping they weren’t traveling down that same road they had in her bedroom in San Francisco, Shawna defended, “I’m not trying to torture or tease you, Rafee.” He quickly moved a hand to her face. Stroking her cheek he said, “I know. I know that is not what you are doing. But I am not used to…” He halted his words because he was afraid it would only reinforce all that Nikash and Shawna had both declared about him already. They thought he womanized. They thought he was too experienced. Yet he hadn’t and he wasn’t. Not really. It only had to do with all the years he’d professed to never needing or wanting a relationship. That’s what had built this reputation for him. Not his actions. He’d always been a gentleman. He’d never treated a woman badly. But he knew what he wanted from a woman and they usually understood that and wanted the same in return. With Shawna, it was so much more complicated than just sex. There were emotions involved. Despite the fact that he hated admitting that, there were emotions attached to their physical romance. A crooked grin formed on her lips as she said, “You’re not used to taking things slow. Are you?” His head shook in a near imperceptible movement. “Well, then, I guess we’ll just keep working hard so we don’t torture you,” she joked. Rafee chuckled too, liking how she was taking everything in stride and leaned forward to finish their talk with a small kiss. As soon as his lips landed on her cheek, his office door opened and Tara’s voice interjected from behind, “Working diligently, I see.” Cursing their luck and hating that barely any privacy existed in this palace, Rafee stood and faced their visitor. Tara was smiling from ear to ear. She was a beautiful woman possessing both refinement and a hint of tomboy attitude. But since she’d been at the palace planning her wedding to Nikash, she had been nothing but glowing and poised. “Didn’t mean to interrupt,” she said. “We were just taking a break,” Shawna insisted, standing beside Rafee. “Quite a break,” Tara taunted. Rafee felt like the court jester. Every person who encountered he and Shawna together felt the need to make a taunt. He checked his tongue and waited for Tara to state her business. “What’s going on?” Shawna inquired of her friend. “Well, we are in the midst of planning a wedding around here,” she began. “And we can’t have a ceremony when the maid of honor has nothing to wear. I don’t want to interrupt your work, but Aria had some dress samples sent in and I would like to select both a wedding dress and bridesmaid’s dresses today.” “Of course,” Shawna said. Then she glanced up at Rafee. He nodded and urged, “Please, go with Tara. This wedding is important and we mustn’t neglect it entirely.” “All right,” Shawna agreed. To Tara she said, “I’m just going to run my computer back to my room. I’ll be a second.” Shawna left the office and Rafee found himself alone with his brother’s fiancé for the first time since he’d argued with her nearly two months prior at Villa Serena. He’d been sarcastic and arrogant, hating the fact that his brother had moved to America and seemed to be ignoring family business and meetings because of his reluctance to leave his new American love. And though Rafee had now come to terms with his brother’s decision, he had not yet apologized to Tara for his attitude. He could see she was still wary of him by the way her brown eyes threw him a shuttering glance. “You and Shawna seem to be getting along quite nicely,” she said, starting a hesitant conversation. “Yes. We are learning to tolerate one another,” he replied. “Tolerate? Is that what you call it?” she teased. “That is what I will call it for want of a better word,” he said. Tara was quiet for a moment, but Rafee could see a question growing on her pretty face. His brother certainly could have done worse for himself. Tara was quite beautiful with long brunette locks and a sweetness that few women possessed. “And me, Rafee? Are you going to tolerate me as your sister-in-law?” Tara finally asked. Humbly, Rafee answered, “I will. I was not fair to you when we spoke at Villa Serena earlier this fall. I know I judged you too harshly.” He moved forward and took her hand in his. Kissing her hand chastely, he added, “We are family now. As my sister, you will have my complete respect and protection.” Tara appeared to accept his words and apology as she smiled and patted his hand. “I appreciate it, Rafee. And I feel honored to be a part of this family,” Tara said. Rafee smiled and released her hand. “Then my brother is a very lucky man. He has not only chosen a woman with beauty, but also one with a kind and forgiving heart. You and Nikash will do well together. I am convinced.” Shawna entered the room after that and the two women left together, arm in arm and giggling, as they ventured down the marble halls of the palace. ** “Tell me,” Tara demanded as they walked through the palace. “What is going on with you and Rafee?” “Work,” Shawna said. “Work and some play?” Tara inquired. Shawna felt a small blush coming on. She had been so engrossed with mysteries and with Rafee’s company that she had barely talked of her changing feelings with her good friend. “I suppose you could say that,” Shawna replied. “You once told me you weren’t attracted,” Tara pointed out. They walked down a large curving staircase. “Maybe I fibbed to save my pride.” “I think you did,” Tara said with a girlish giggle as they entered a parlor room off the main hallway. The room was decorated with beige couches, ottomans and armchairs. Jenny, Aria, her older sister, Rana and the eldest grandchild Kaia, who was Jenny’s newfound best friend, met them in the room. Several racks of white wedding dresses and colorful bridesmaid dresses filled the corners of the room. “Sorry to keep everyone waiting,” Tara announced as she closed the parlor doors. “But, I had to practically drag Shawna away from Rafee and their work.” Aria and Rana both smiled at each other as though they knew a secret and Aria commented, “I have heard similar rumors.” “Why do I feel like I’ve just walked into a lion’s den?” Shawna asked the women. “Maybe because we have all been curious and our brother is too secretive to satisfy our interests,” Rana explained. Shawna had spoken little with Rana. She was the eldest of the Armanjani children and she carried herself with a refined air very similar to their mother. But she was polite and kind and in this instance, seemingly as incorrigible as her younger sister Aria. “In that case, I too will make no comment,” Shawna insisted. The women frowned and Jenny neared Shawna with a devious grin. “Come on, Shawna. We all know you like him,” Jenny said. “Remember, I saw you kissing him last week.” If she wasn’t embarrassed before, she certainly was now. Placing an arm around Jenny’s shoulder, Shawna said, “What you saw, Jenny, was nothing more than an innocent cultural exchange. Now, lets go find suitable dresses for us to wear at a royal wedding.” Jenny’s comment had created laughter, but Shawna’s retreat had caused the conversation to cease, at least until much later in the afternoon. Tara was still undecided about which wedding dress she wanted and after trying each one on she insisted Shawna and Aria assist her by trying them on for her and allowing her to see each one modeled. “I doubt I’ll do these dresses justice,” Shawna had argued. “Don’t be silly,” Tara had said. “They’ll look better on you than me.” Every sample dress that had been sent to the palace was from the finest designers. The dresses were simple in design, but elegant at the same time and had it been Shawna’s decision, she doubted she would have been able to choose. After an hour of seeing the modeled wedding dresses, Tara had narrowed her decision down to two. Aria wore the fine silk sheath dress. It was simple with a v-neck bodice, beaded spaghetti-straps that crossed in the back and a low-slung back line. The material loosely hugged every curve and shimmered in the light. Shawna modeled a stain dress with a full a-line skirt. The top clasped at the back of her neck, leaving her back and shoulders quite bare, and a square front had only a fine line of rhinestones as edging. Both dresses were exquisite and Tara stood in front of the women, a hand on her chin, looking each dress over carefully. “I just can’t decide,” Tara said. She turned to Rana. “Are you sure both are acceptable for this ceremony?” Rana nodded. “Yes, we are having an American-style ceremony, remember. And it will be a small family ceremony, not a huge celebration. Both are more than acceptable. Besides, you will want something light. The fall weather here is still terribly hot. You do want to be comfortable.” “Yes, but I want to make a good impression,” Tara said. Rana stood and moved next to Tara. Taking her hand in hers, she reassured her, “You will make a grand impression just by showing up, Tara. Do not worry, so.” Tara stood in front of Aria and studied her carefully. “I really like this one. I could wear my hair down and simply clipped back at the sides,” Tara mused. “You will have to wear a stunning piece of jewelry,” Aria immediately insisted. “Like a fine jeweled choker of sapphires or emeralds.” She gestured toward the case that sat on the coffee table. “I had some jewelry sent over as well. You may choose any. Nikash said to spare no expense.” “Sapphires and emeralds?” Tara repeated, shaking her head. “I don’t know. But it would look so lovely. Of course,” she absently reached up and clasped the gold rectangular Armanjani crest that she wore, “I could never take this off.” “A bracelet perhaps?” Aria suggested, holding up a few from the jeweler’s box for Tara to inspect. Tara smiled shyly and said, “They’re beautiful, Aria, but I don’t need them.” She then turned to Shawna. “Now, this one is also exquisite,” Tara said. “It is, but let me show you what some fine jewelry can do for it, Tara.” Rana walked forward, a diamond necklace and a three strand pearl choker in her hand. She placed the pearl choker around Shawna’s neck, studied her for a moment, and then clasped the white gold diamond bouquet necklace around her neck. “See?” Rana asked Tara. “That looks absolutely lovely on you,” Tara announced. “I doubt I could wear that dress after seeing you in it. And the diamonds are lovely, but I still don’t think I need any.” Tara stepped forward, pulled the clip from her own hair and twisted Shawna’s blonde locks into a French twist and clipped it in place. She stepped back and everyone in the room smiled. “Perfect!” Tara professed. “I thought you were the one we were supposed to be dressing for a wedding, not me,” Shawna quipped, as she looked at herself in the long mirror they’d brought in. The dress and necklace were lovely, but she would never have reason to wear them. Just then, the parlor doors burst open and Kareem came tearing in, dressed in a pair of yellow swim shorts. His bare feet slapped on the marble floor as he ran and a devious glint filled his eyes. He smiled widely and he ran and hid behind Shawna’s skirt. “Kareem!” a male voice called and then a shirtless and barefoot Rafee filled the doorway. He too was wearing only shorts, long red board shorts that were low slung on his hips, and his damp black hair hinted that he had been at the pool. Shawna turned to face him and when his eyes landed upon her, he skidded to an immediate halt. “Shawna.” He said her name, but it was more of a gasp. His eyes widened with surprise and he stared at her for a long, quiet moment. “You needed something, Rafee?” Aria asked in a taunting tone. “Yes, I was chasing down Kareem,” Rafee slowly explained, his eyes still upon Shawna. He was positive he had never seen a more beautiful sight in the world. Even a pink sunset upon the desert sands could not compare to the sight of Shawna in this exquisite dress and fine diamonds. “He is right here,” Rana said, pulling Kareem away from Shawna. The small boy protested, bolted away from Rana and ran directly back to Shawna. He grabbed her legs through the dress and clung to her. Aria scolded him in their native tongue and pulled him away. “Rafee, come get him please,” she said, and when Rafee moved forward, he nearly stumbled down the one step into the room. The two sisters stifled their small laughs for they could not remember a time when their confident brother had been so awestricken. Quickly catching himself, Rafee claimed Kareem and said to him, “This is why you never enter a room where the women outnumber you, Kareem. They will inevitably end up laughing at you for something.” “Shawna,” the boy insisted, fighting his uncle’s hold. Shawna walked forward and, placing a kiss upon Kareem’s cheek, said, “If you listen to your uncle, I promise I will sit next to you at supper tonight.” The boy nodded and Rafee began to leave. He glanced over his shoulder at Shawna as he walked and Aria threw out, “Uh, Rafee…do not miss that step on your way out.” Rafee frowned, navigated the step with ease and closed the door behind him. Shawna breathed a sigh of relief when he left, for her heart had catapulted into overdrive when he had stared at her with fire. “What was wrong with Rafee?” Jenny inquired, she and Kaia both frowning with perplexion. “What was wrong, Jenny,” Rana declared, “was that my little brother just saw the woman he is going to marry in her wedding dress.” “Don’t be ridiculous,” Shawna protested. “That settles it,” Tara piped up. “I won’t be wearing that dress, Shawna. That one’s reserved for the next wedding. Aria, I’ll take that one.” Tara pointed to Aria’s dress. “I’m not getting married!” Shawna protested again. No one seemed to be listening to her as they professed otherwise. “Rafee and I are just friends,” Shawna tried to explain. “We live on different sides of the world.” “We have plenty of room here at he palace. You will grow to love Kumar,” Rana refuted. “I have my own career in San Francisco,” Shawna said. “You can have one here too,” Aria countered. “You are the only person Rafee has ever worked so closely with. You two would make a wonderful team running our company security.” Rana and Aria had her entire life planned out for her already and she had not even heard the word “relationship” fall from Rafee’s mouth. They were jumping the gun. They were over-exaggerating. Yet at dinner, as she sat next to Kareem as promised and chatted with nearby Aria, she couldn’t help but notice the utterly strange and foreign look on Rafee’s face. He was looking as if he had just discovered a huge secret and wasn’t sure what to do with the new information. ** Tara and Shawna had retired directly after dinner. The women wanted to discuss some of the details of the wedding with Kamila and Rana, who were coordinating most of the ceremony. Rafee was glad they had left so early, for he had been unable to keep his eyes off Shawna as they had dined. That dress he had seen her in this afternoon had literally stunned him. Just the sight of her had taken his breath away. He’d never seen her so elegant, so radiant. And what made it so vexing was that his sisters had immediately noticed his distraction. “I know Tara would never tell you this herself,” Aria was explaining to Nik as they sat in the dinning room after dinner with a jeweler’s box of fine jewelry in front of them, “but this is definitely what she was eyeing today.” Aria was holding a very exquisite ruby and diamond bracelet in her hands for Nikash to inspect and the conversation brought Rafee out of his daydreams. The stones were inlaid in platinum with a crescent shaped pattern. The bracelet shimmered in the light of the overhead chandelier, but there was nothing gaudy or ostentatious about the piece and Rafee was glad for its distracting beauty. If he looked at the bracelet, he would no longer have to daydream about Shawna. “And it went beautifully with the dress she chose?” Nik inquired. “Perfectly. Although, you could dress your bride in anything and it would look perfect,” Aria said. “Tara was insistent though that she needed no jewelry because she was not about to take off her Armanjani charm even for the wedding. I beg to differ. She could at least wear this bracelet and matching earrings.” “Tara still fights to accept generosity. It is a trait I adore,” Nik replied. “But you must buy this for her,” Aria insisted. “If you do not, I will.” “Of course I will get this for her and the earrings and a matching ring and anything else she even glanced at and seemed to admire. I will give it to her the night before the wedding at our family dinner along with another gift I have been planning,” he insisted. “Then she cannot refuse.” “And Jenny?” Nik then inquired. “What did she like?” “She liked them all!” Aria said with a laugh. “But Kaia picked this bracelet and necklace set and I feel it is most appropriate.” Aria handed Nik a thin white-gold chain with a simple sapphire stone. It was beautiful, yet with a less sophisticated appearance that a teenage girl would feel comfortable wearing to other events aside from just a royal wedding. The bracelet was dotted with tiny sapphires and it was something any teenager would admire and find appropriate to wear even to school. “I like the set too,” Nik agreed and held the necklace up for his assistant to inspect. Devesh glanced over Nik’s shoulder, studied the necklace then looked at the other pieces in the box in front of him. Rafee remembered his conversation with his cousin Anika the day before and could not halt the censure that was building in his mind. “Interested in purchasing a diamond, Dev?” Rafee asked. Devesh threw Rafee a furtive glance and Rafee laughed. It was refreshing having another person to taunt. He’d been the subject of so much speculation since he’d arrived that it was only fair to spread the jest equally. Aria quickly turned to Rafee and held up another exquisite piece. “Shawna was wearing this today when you saw her and tripped all over yourself,” she commented slyly. Rafee frowned and remained in his seat, unmoving. Then his mind replayed that image of Shawna in the white satin wedding gown, wearing the stunning necklace, and he reached for the piece. “Planning on buying a lady diamonds, Rafee?” Devesh asked back in a similarly taunting tone that Rafee had used. Rafee glared back at Devesh and stubbornly put the necklace down. “Of course not,” he insisted. Rolling her eyes, Aria scolded, “You two are acting like children. Devesh, if you are still in love with Anika, tell Uncle Laxman already! And Rafee, if you do not buy this necklace for Shawna, my son will beat you to it. I am certain he will be old enough to marry her before you even come around to admitting that you care for her!” When neither man spoke, Aria groaned in frustration and left the dinning room. Nik picked up the necklace with the delicate bouquet shaped diamonds and asked, “Shawna was wearing this today?” Acting as if he hadn’t noticed, Rafee answered, “If that’s what Aria says she was wearing, I suppose so. I did not notice.” Devesh was still grinning at him, and Rafee kept his eyes narrowed on their family friend. He would not be beaten in this game, no matter how stunning Shawna looked in that necklace. Nik turned to Devesh and asked, “Dev, would you excuse us for a moment?” Devesh left and Nik again studied the necklace carefully. “It is gorgeous, but a woman like Shawna would never accept it,” Nik said. “No, she wouldn’t,” Rafee agreed. “She would say she had no need for such a luxury.” “In fact, you could offer to hand over the title of Sheika of Kumar to her, and she would only cringe,” Nik added. “True.” Indeed, Shawna saw no reason for extravagance, nor did she seek title and station. She was satisfied with just living, and Rafee could only admire that. Nik’s eyes lit with knowledge as though he had every answer to the questions of the universe and declared, “And because of that, Rafee, she is nothing like your American girlfriend from so many years ago. There is not a shallow bone in Shawna’s body. If you bought this for her and gave it as a token of your…admiration…she would only accept it if she cared for you. Otherwise, it would be meaningless to her.” Rafee saw his point, but still he hesitated. Pride was a jagged pill to swallow, and though today’s image of Shawna in that white satin gown had forced him to realize that he needed her and cared for her, he was still being cautious. “Do not tell me your bank account is that dry?” Nik then teased. Hastily grabbing up the necklace, Rafee said, “Never. I could buy ten of these everyday for a century and still have money left to burn.” Nik laughed at his brother for he was obviously beginning to see that the comparison between Shawna and his old girlfriend was unequal. “And you could tell that to Shawna and she would declare you were a no good bragger. I suggest that you hide your wealth if you want to win her,” Nik joked and stood from the table. “But do not hide your heart, for that is what a woman like her is seeking, not your bank account.” Nik handed Rafee a business card. “Call the jeweler to make arrangements if you plan to get this for Shawna. It is up to you. I will not push you. You cannot win her with diamonds, but if she accepts them, then you know you have won her.” ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ The Warrior - Chapter 12 |