Free Marrying the Sheikh by Holly Rayner Page A

waiting by the sidewalk. Djaron held the door open and closed it once Karim and Ella had slid into the leather seat in the back.
     
    “So, you got the Plaza?” Karim asked, smiling slyly at Ella.
     
    She smiled back, once again feeling that familiar ease she had felt when she first met him. “Yep. It wasn’t easy, but I got it.”
     
    “Well,” Karim said as he watched Ella, feeling his heart stir. “They said you were the best.” He laughed as he said the words.
     
    “Thank you,” said Ella, feeling more comfortable with every passing moment. As they drove along the busy city streets, she felt inclined to ask why Nadia reacted the way she did.
     
    “She’s jealous,” Karim said matter-of-factly.
     
    “Jealous?” Ella asked, incredulous. What on earth could Nadia be jealous of? “Of me?”
     
    Karim laughed at Ella’s humility. She couldn’t see why someone like Nadia would be jealous of her, but Karim could, to him it was obvious. Ella was successful, independent and down to earth. She knew what she wanted and she wasn’t afraid to go for it. She was honest and fun to be with. And she was a knock-out.
     
    “Yeah, you,” said Karim, feeling more drawn to Ella with every passing moment.
     
    “Why is she jealous of me?” Ella truly couldn’t wrap her head around the idea.
     
    “Because of the time we spend together.”
     
    Ella racked her brain. She and Karim hadn’t spent any time together since the island. And even then, Nadia knew about that. There had to be more to it, but Ella played along.
     
    Karim didn't want to admit that Nadia had caught him staring at Ella the few times they were all together. Since then, he'd been distracted and more distant than usual from Nadia; that's when she'd worked out that Karim had feelings for Ella.
     
    “But she can be a part of this. I’ve asked her to be. You’ve asked her to be,” said Ella. “I don’t understand!”
     
    “It's ridiculous, I know. Nadia has all the time in the world to help plan the wedding. But instead, she chooses…”
     
    Ella remembered the fight she'd witnessed and again thought about the secret. Karim must be so torn, wanting to marry Nadia so that he does the right thing for her and the baby. And yet it was obvious that he couldn’t stand how she treated him. The sacrifice he was making was great and Ella liked him even more for it.
     
    “I know,” she said, finishing his sentence for him.
     
    “No,” Karim said. “You don’t.”
     
    Ella held her breath as Karim switched seats and slid in next to Ella. The smell of his cologne filled her nose and body shivered with excitement.
     
    “Ella,” he said. She melted at the sound of him saying her name. “It’s not what you think.”
     
    Ella nodded, too paralyzed by him to say anything.
     
    “Nadia has a problem,” Karim said.
     
    Ella blinked, not understanding why he chose those words. She wouldn’t exactly call a baby a problem. Besides, it wasn’t just Nadia’s problem; the baby was both of their responsibility.
     
    “She’s got a drinking problem,” Karim said finally and rested his head against the seat.
     
    Ella looked at him with wide eyes, not quite believing what he had said. “A drinking problem?”
     
    Karim closed his eyes and sighed. “Yeah, a drinking problem, a partying problem; whatever you want to call it.”
     
    “You mean,” Ella paused for a second, trying to process her conflicting emotions. “You mean she’s not pregnant?”
     
    Karim’s gaze snapped back up to meet hers. “Pregnant?! No! Wherever did you get that idea?”
     
    Ella felt more confused than ever. She looked around the limo and tried to organize the thoughts in her head. “When you said, back on the island, that the marriage was a sham, that it wasn't a marriage of love, that you had made a promise to her...”
     
    Karim looked at Ella. “You remembered all of that?”
     
    Ella looked at him and hit him lightly on the arm. “Yes. I make it