An Inconvenient Marriage (Married to a Prince) Read Online Free

tired from your trip.  I will leave you now.  Dinner is at eight.”
     
    * * * *
     
    After an unsuccessful attempt at trying to rest, Delilah gave up.  A maid had been assigned to take care of her, so she waited in the sitting area while the woman unpacked her luggage despite Delilah’s initial protest. 
    She walked around the suite, admiring the vibrant mix of textures and colors.  The grand architecture and the elegant design impressed her despite her determination to remain distant.  The use of both eastern and western influences made any visitor feel at home.  But she wasn’t home.  In all her life, no place had ever felt like home.
    What was she going to do?  Her plan to put a quick and quiet end to an inconvenient marriage backfired.  She should give up on getting cooperation from Sami and leave before she had to face the press, but she couldn’t.  His revelation about her family had hit her hard and she had to meet them.  She tried to understand what had been in her mother’s mind, but she couldn’t rationalize what had led Marissa to do what she had done.  Even if she didn’t agree with the custom of the arranged marriage, how could she not let her husband’s family know that they were alive and well?  She had lied to them. She had lied to her daughter.  And now Delilah didn’t know the truth anymore.
    The sun faded behind the horizon.  She had to dress for dinner or she would be late.  When she returned to the bedroom, she found the maid dutifully standing by a mirrored vanity, awaiting her return.  Laid out on the bed was a gorgeous silk dress is a rich shade of peacock blue.
    “What is this?” she asked.
    “A gift, from the Emira.”  The young woman must have noticed her confusion. “The Queen?  You understand?”
    “Yes, I understand, but why?”
    “For her new daughter.”  She lifted the floor length dress. “Come, Hanan will help you put it on.”
    Delilah got in deeper trouble with each passing moment.  To refuse the gift might be an insult, and to accept might be perceived as her stepping into the role of daughter-in-law. Either way, she made a problem.
    A part of her wanted to step into the dream, if only for one night.  Everything else seemed so unreal; one more illusion certainly wouldn’t hurt. She indulged herself in the sheer luxury of allowing Hanan to transform her.  Her hair was brushed until it shined, a hint of make-up applied with subtle discretion.  She even put in her contacts, although she wasn’t sure how long she could keep them in since she had never really felt comfortable with lenses.  By the time she was ready, there was nothing left of the conservative insurance actuary who had left New York last night.
    “Your husband will be pleased,” Hanan said.
    The reminder of Sami caused her stomach to clench. Her silly Cinderella fantasy had not taken into account that he was no Prince Charming.  The Prince of Darkness, maybe.  Since he avoided looking at her unless absolutely necessary, he probably wouldn’t notice anyway.  Bad enough he’d been saddled with a wife he didn’t want, but she was probably a disappointment to him as well. He was a prince, for goodness sake.  He had beautiful women throwing themselves at him all the time.
    A hard rapping on the door gave her a start.  Time to go to the ball.  Before she could cross the room, Sami walk in.  When he saw her, he stopped dead in his tracks. 
    Her heart caught in her throat. The air seemed to be sucked from the room.  His heated stare caused an unfamiliar warming that both exhilarated and frightened her. No man had ever looked at her like that. 
    This was a foolish idea.  One she would probably regret.  But if she lived to be one hundred, she would never forget the look of absolute surprise on his face at this moment.  It was worth it.
     
     
     
     
    Chapter Three
     
    For dinner, only the immediate family met in the informal dining room.  Sami was grateful for the reprieve