Heidi still couldn’t believe what Fatima had told her. Just thinking about it made her go numb. But the queen had been right. Honey the seductress couldn’t possibly be a virgin. And a good instructional video only went so far. She was going to have to change her status in the innocence department—and fast. Otherwise “Honey” was going to have some explaining to do.
But how?she wondered as she headed for the rear of the palace and the walkway leading to the garage. She wasn’t sure that Jamal was interested in her that way. He was still in love with Yasmin, which made the entire situation even more awkward than it had to be. Still, he’d had lots of women in his life in the past six years, so he wasn’t completely against the idea of being intimate. And he’d gotten quite angry at her on their wedding night when she’d talked about a mental and spiritual union as opposed to a physical one.
So maybe he wouldn’t mind if they consummated their relationship. The trick was going to be bringing up the subject, then casually indicating her willingness to do that with him. Maybe she should avoid the face-to-face conversation and simply send him e-mail!
Heidi was still grinning at the thought when she rounded a corner and smacked right into a very broad, strong chest. Powerful arms came around to hold her steady. In less time than it took for her heart rate to jump into overdrive, she recognized Jamal’s scent and feel.
“Heidi,” he said, sounding surprised. “Where are you off to?”
“I, ah, well, me?”
She stumbled over the words as her brain sought to find a plausible excuse for her being in this part of the palace. The long corridor led directly to the garage. So where was she going? It’s not that she wasn’t allowed to leave. She even had her own car to drive, but she felt a little guilty to be heading off to the marketplace on a “Honey” errand.
“I, um, yes, you,” he said, smiling at her. His gaze narrowed. “You have the most interesting expression on your face. If I didn’t know better, I would swear you were sneaking off and didn’t want to be seen.” He touched a finger to her chin, forcing her to look at him. “Is that true?”
His dark eyes seemed to see right down into the center of her being. So she settled on the truth and hoped he wouldn’t ask for anything specific.
“I’m going to the souk,” she admitted.
“Shopping. Out to spend my money, are you? No wonder you’re acting guilty.”
“I’m not. I just thought I’d get a few things.”
Jamal’s gaze drifted over her body. She felt fluttery inside, which was crazy because he wasn’t attracted to her. She only got kisses on the cheek. He saved his passion for Honey.
“I’m teasing you,” he said, releasing her chin. “I want you to have beautiful things, so I’m pleased you’re going shopping.” He paused as if lost in thought, then squeezed her shoulder. “What if I join you? I can cancel my meetings for this afternoon and tag along. What do you think? Would you like a man’s opinion of your selections?”
Heidi opened her mouth then closed it. Talk about being caught between a rock and hard place. If she told Jamal no, he wouldn’t understand why. He would think she wasn’t interested in him, or their marriage, or that she was being difficult.
But if she said yes, how was she supposed to buy the veils? Besides, she hadn’t wanted to go shopping for herself. She wasn’t sure what she wanted to buy. But the thought of spending the afternoon with Jamal made her heart flutter and her skin hot.
The humor fled his face, leaving him looking stern and cold. “Never mind,” he said. “You go on and have fun. I’ll see you later.” He turned to leave.
She drew in a deep breath and put her hand on his arm. “I’d very much like you to come with me,” she said. “I’m not sure what I’m going to buy, so you might find the time a little boring.”
“Not if I’m with you,” he said, taking her hand in his. “Besides, I know the best places to shop for wonderful clothes that will make you feel like a fairy princess.”
She glanced up at him. “I won’t even ask how you know this,” she muttered. “Probably out buying who knows what for your other women.”
“That’s true,” he said with a grin, then brought her hand to his mouth and kissed her knuckles. “But now I’m shopping for my wife, and that’s an entirely different matter.”
She wanted to ask how it was different and if it was better. She wanted to know if he and Yasmin had shopped together and had they had fun and would he be thinking of her today. But she didn’t. Instead, she focused on the way his fingers felt against hers and on the happiness that filled her as they walked toward the garage.
They took her car, a small Mercedes that had a trunk large enough to hold dozens of outfits. Jamal drove, moving expertly through the light traffic, dodging children and bicyclists, not to mention speeding cars that roared around the corners as if they were racing on the Grand Prix circuit.
He took the narrow streets of the back alleys, avoiding the clogged main streets, and parked behind a two-story stucco building done entirely in pink and gold.
“Madam Monique,” he said with a flourish. “And before you ask, no, I have not shopped much here. Fatima likes her selections, as does Dora.”
Heidi offered a smile in response. She didn’t ask how her husband knew where his sister-in-law and grandmother bought their clothes. Jamal was the kind of man who knew everything—even insignificant details. Which meant she had to be very careful to keep her Honey-self separate from her regular self. So how was she going to slip away from Jamal long enough to find and buy veils?