Wild Desert Princess (19 page)

“Amanda says she is furious, but is resting now.”
Malek was just as worried as Jahan. An angry Chiandra was a force to be reckoned with and he feared her impulsive behavior.

“What do you think she will do,
Malek? The last couple of times I made her angry, she ran from me. Will she run again?” Jahan couldn’t hide the bleakness in his eyes. Chia and he had just began to resolve some of the problems and misunderstandings. Her health was far too precarious to withstand the added strain.

“Normally, I would say she’d stand and have it out with you. Since she is pregnant and her hormones are all over the place, she acts totally out of character. Amanda will do her best to keep her calm and at the palace until we arrive and you try to explain to her why you left her without a word.” A hint of censure colored
Malek’s words.

Jahan had the grace to blush. “She was so tired. I didn’t want to worry her and disturb her rest. Truly, I had hoped to be back before she woke and then I could tell her where I had gone and why.”

Malek patted him on the shoulder in sympathy, having dealt with Amanda and Chia’s fiery tempers throughout the years. “A word of advice. No secrets between the two of you. Your home with be a lot more harmonious if you just talk to her. She will be a partner in your life. It’s your choice if you walk with her hand-in-hand, or alone.”

“Believe me, if I get past this last screw-up, I will do my best to avoid all this trouble. How in the world am I going to get her to believe I wasn’t just being an arrogant jerk?”

“Malek chuckled. ‘Just tell her the truth. I have found that has always worked better for me with her mother.”

Chapter
Twenty-Eight

Chia lay on the sofa and listened to her mother speak with her father. Even now they tried to cover for Jahan, to ease his path. She shifted and almost let her mother know she was awake. Calmly, she waited until her mother left the room and called Anya. When would she ever be their priority?
She was finished with worrying about them. She would live her life and protect her child.

She told her she wanted to go out shopping for a bit and would feel better if she had a doctor accompanying her. Chia felt dowdy and unattractive in her too tight clothes and made up her mind not to allow Jahan or anyone else to curtail her life. She ignored the outfits her mother had brought her, too upset with her at the moment. When would they choose her first?

She would be careful and take her guards. She would not tell her mother, whose loyalty was apparently with Jahan. And she would definitely not leave Jahan a note. She was quite aware he would find her when he contacted her guards. Until then, she would pick up Anya and spend tons of money. All of it Jahan’s. Feeling better suddenly, she grabbed her purse and walked out the door, her personal guards falling in around her. Not one questioned her, having their orders to simply go with her wherever she went.

Anya was waiting for her, a t
ense smile on her face. “I’m glad you called, Chia. A couple of hours of shopping might help me get Jamal’s slow, deliberate seduction out of my senses. He is driving me crazy!” she muttered and climbed into the car.

“He wants you and he is going to make sure you burn for him before you marry.” Chia’s lips quirked. Thinking about someone else’s problems would be good for her.

“Yes,” Anya hissed and slumped back on the soft leather seat. “I can’t believe it was my idea to go slow.”

“It seems all the men of my acquaintance have more than their share of arrogance. Especially my husband.”

“Uh oh. I thought you two had everything worked out. What happened?” Anya reached out and caught Chia’s wrist, the doctor coming to the fore as she checked her pulse. She would monitor her and at the first sign of stress she would contact Dr. Khan.

Chia watched her with amusement, thankful she had such good friends. And she included Anya in that group even though they had not known each other very long. “Well, Doc, he had an emergency this morning, took off without a word.”

“Oh no! Didn’t he realize how you would worry about him?” Anya could not hide her surprise. Looked like Jamal was not the only arrogant ass around.

“Honestly, I think he thought he would be able to take care of
the problem and make it back before I woke up. The worst part of it all is that my mother called to warn him so he could make up a story to keep me from getting upset. Little frickin’ late for that I would say.” Chia narrowed her eyes with temper. “It’s far too late to play those kind of games with me.”

“You mother is only trying to help keep you healthy. I doubt she even realized how betrayed you would feel when you found out it was about Jahan again instead
of about you, her daughter. Is this a getting back at Jahan trip?” Anya eyed her with shrewd insight, a grin peeking from her pursed lips.

“Absolutely. I walked out of the palace, no note, no messages, not a word to my mother. Even the guards don’t know where we are going until we get there.” Chia leaned back, a smug sense of self-satisfaction oozing from her.
She was starting to feel more like herself. Being such a whiny wimp was so not her. Let the redhead out to play
.

“Good! It will serve him right. Sometimes it takes a little rebellion to make a point. In fact, if you feel up to it, I would like to buy a gown so sexy, Jamal will find it impossible to maintain his control.”

“Have you decided to seduce Jamal before you wed?” An interested spark lit Chia’s emerald eyes.

“He is using his expertise to tease me in the hopes he can rush me into marriage. I told him I wanted to take things slowly and he had to woo me.” Anya’s breathing quickened and her eyes
glazed as she recalled the magic touch of his hands on her body.

“That’s playing dirty. I think they take a class on it or something. I have the perfect place.
It’s very classy, but designed to drive the man in your life crazy.” Chia was surprised at how much she was enjoying herself. For the first time in a long time she was out and going to have some fun.

The driver stopped the car in front of Marie’s Boutique
at Chia’s instruction. The women stepped quickly inside. The guards took their place in the front and the back entrances to the small shop. Marie moved forward to greet them, just barely hiding her surprise at seeing the princess. She had thought the appointment had been rescheduled and it was for maternity clothing for Chia.

“Marie, I hate to just drop in on you. I need a huge favor.” Chia smiled winningly at the woman and led Anya forward.

Marie gave a tiny nod and eyed the tall willowy woman with Chiandra. “You wish something for this young woman?”

“Yes, please. If you have something that would send her fiancé up in flames that would be perfect.”

“Yes, yes. I think I have just the gown for her. Formal of course.” Marie walked slowly around Anya, her head cocked to the side. “Please come with me.” She pulled a flabbergasted Anya to the fitting room at the back.

Chia sat down in one of the plush chairs and waited. She hoped they would be able to get some serious shopping done before Jahan arrived with his continued excuses. Of course she would forgive him. First she would make him work for it.
She loved him desperately. That didn't mean she would let him have everything his own way in their marriage.

Anya walked out of the fitting room and Chia could feel her mouth gape open. Marie had pinned her long ebony hair in a simple elegant twist on top of her head. The gown was a deep sapphire blue, simply cut to mold her full bust and skim the slim curves of her waist and hips. Long and just tight enough to show that she was not wearing any under clothes. Anya was the picture of innocent seductress.

“Anya it is absolutely perfect! Jamal will be nothing but ash after he sees you in this.” Chia clapped her hands with glee. She would love to see Jamal’s reaction when he saw Anya.

“It is perfect, Chia. Look!” She did a half turn and chia saw the extremely low back and slit up the side, showing a glimpse of long slender thigh when she moved.

“It’s quite deceptive, the high neck and long length give it a look of demure innocence. But wow! When you turn around it screams pure sex. It will do just fine.”

“What can I wear under it?” Anya glanced over her shoulder at her reflection in the full length mirror and gasped at the large expanse of skin she was showing. “He will never let me out my apartment when he sees this back.”

“Don’t worry, dear. It has a matching wrap and he won’t know until you get to your destination. By then it will be too late.” Marie winked at her.

Chia cocked her head sideways and suddenly grinned. “I have it. On our way to the maternity shop
we’ll stop at the lingerie store. They have the sexiest garments. Some so sheer, they feel like you are wearing nothing.”

Anya’s confidence rose another notch. She needed this, a chance to free her femininity, instead of always down playing her looks or even hiding them. Nodding, she stepped back into the fitting room and changed.

Marie boxed up the gown and watched the two young women stroll across the street to the next shop. Their two young men really didn’t stand a chance. She mused.

Chia watched Anya’s face redden when she handed her a thong of transparent silk. “It will be perfect on you. You have the kind of body that won’t show a panty line. Jamal will be frantic thinking you are naked under your gown. I would suggest you pick up a box of condoms before he takes you home or have some already in your home. You just might push him past his control and end up being thoroughly taken. Are you prepared for that possibility?”

Anya swallowed. “Yes, I am. So far he has been the one in total control and I want to shake it.” She grabbed the tiny scrap of silk defiantly and added a few in other colors. “I don’t want to start our lives together with him having the upper hand. I want a true partnership.”

Chia walked to the stockings and found a pair of sheer black thigh-highs with lace
at the top. “These too I think.”

“Ooh, look. I love these. I never cared for panty hose and those garters are a torture device that had to be invented by a man.” Anya strolled around the shop, adding bits and pieces until she had a small pile. She even tossed in a short, barely there red nighty. “That should just about take care of everything I might need.”

Chia was beginning to feel a bit tired and let herself lean a bit on Anya they entered the maternity shop. “I want to see if they have a few ready made things I can take today and tomorrow when they come to the palace, I will choose more.”

Anya watched Chia with concern. She hoped she hadn’t over done it. Jahan would probably be spitting nails by the time the tracked her down anyway. Anya personally thought it would be good for him. “Okay, but as soon as we finish, we will stop and get some lunch. I’m starving.”

“Fine by me. I’m starving again too.” Chia introduced Anya and herself to the young proprietress of the shop. In just a few minutes they had Chia stripped to her under garments and had taken her measurements. The young woman brought her an emerald green maternity top and with a matching pair of pants and a knee length skirt. Both with the elastic waist and tummy areas so she could wear them longer.

“Oh it is lovely. I’ll take it with me now.” Chia gushed. The color made her eyes sparkle. In a short time Chia had chosen a dozen outfits, a couple of tops and jeans and made arrangements to see more the next day.

Feeling a bit weak, she asked Anya where she wanted to eat. MaryAnn led them to her second floor and an inner walkway that took them to the upper deck of the Tea Cup, one of Chia’s favorite restaurants.

“Should you tell your guards where we are going?” Anya asked with a worried glance at the men.

“No, when Jahan gets here let him worry about me,” she huffed. “Besides if the guards get worried, they can come in and ask MaryAnn. She will tell them where we went.” Chia could feel her energy slipping and sighed with relief when they were seated immediately at the restaurant. The owner came out to personally check on them and Chia shared a looked with Anya. Evidently, being married to a prince had definite advantages and the way she was feeling, she was not above using it to her advantage this time.

She didn’t say a word until she had devoured half of her salad and several club crackers. “Oh I almost feel human again.”

Anya glanced over Chia’s shoulder at the commotion at the front of the restaurant and saw a harried Jahan storm in followed by a tense looking Jamal. “Oh Lord, here comes Jahan and somehow Jamal is with him. They are both wearing the same mulish expression. I will tell you right now, Chia. Jamal better not say one curt word to me or I just might flatten him.” Anya deliberately focused her attention on Chia, much relieved to see her looking much less tired than she had a few minutes earlier. There was a becoming flush on her cheeks.

“A well place
d knee will bring him down.” Chia was aware of Jahan’s presence. She had known the exact instant he entered the restaurant. She also ignored them, carrying on her conversation with Anya.

The waiter led the two men to their table and hovered anxiously as the men towered over the women, waiting for the women to acknowledge them. At nearly the same time Chia and Anya raised their eyes to their men. Anya’s look was slightly defiant, where Chia’s was coolly disinterested.