The Sheikh's Secret Bride Read Online Free Page B

ceiling on the budget. Even Sheik Amare gave me a few expenditure guidelines.”
    “Well, now you have.” Nassir smiled at her stunned expression. “I’m sure you’ve had ideas about the perfect wedding before, but have never been able to act upon them. Now you can. Plan this wedding with the same care and consideration as if it were your own. As if there were no limitations to the money that could be spent.”
    Janna raised her eyebrows, “You’re serious?”
    “Most definitely. Do whatever makes you happy.”
    “But it’s not my wedding.” She shook her head and clasped her hands on the table top. “Perhaps your bride and I have different tastes.”
    “I doubt it.” He sat back and watched her, “I imagine you would be a romantic, using lots of flowers, decorations, creating a fantasy land where the bride was the princess and the groom the handsome prince.”
    She flushed the most beguiling shade of rose he’d ever seen. “I’ve done Cinderella themed weddings. If that’s what you want, I’ll do it.”
    “This isn’t about what I want.”
    She looked up and met his gaze, a flicker of something passing through her eyes, there then gone before he could identify it. Empathy, perhaps.
    “Mr. Adjalane…”
    “Nassir,” he corrected her again.
    “Nassir,” she kept her gaze lowered, her voice firm. “If your bride is not going to be involved in planning the wedding, I must insist you provide some guidance.”
    “I have. If you are happy, I will be happy.”
    “And will your bride? Will she be happy too?” She pushed away from the table and stood. “Thank you for lunch. I need to go so I can get my things moved into the palace.” She turned to leave then stopped and looked back at him over her shoulder. “I hope your bride knows who she’s marrying.”
    “She will,” he said, then watched as she strode from the restaurant, her head high and her movements graceful.  She moved like one of his prized thoroughbred racehorses, all sleek muscle and refined beauty. He’d always left the taming of his race horses to his stable hands, but not this time.
    Nassir settled the bill then strode out to his own waiting car. This time he would very much enjoy taming this fine, charming, completely disarming American filly himself.

Chapter 5
     
    Tired and frustrated after she left the restaurant, Janna had directed the driver to take her to the palace. Upon her arrival, she’d been shown to a luxurious suite of rooms with marble floors and columns, white on white walls, and elegant furnishings.
    Despite her job-related dilemmas, she almost felt like a princess. At least until she met Nassir’s secretary and the man had handed over a huge guest list—over one thousand invited.
    Royalty-related illusions gone.
    Now, she was on the hunt for a venue in Al-Sarid big enough to hold such an elaborate affair.
    Not exactly an easy task, given the language barrier, but her English-speaking driver, Hamal, had come to her rescue once more, whisking her around to most of the popular banquet halls and rental spaces. Unfortunately, she’d yet to find anything suitable. Most were either too big or too small. Nothing just right.
    She sighed. This whole shindig was turning into a Goldilocks nightmare.
    Hours later, her driver delivered her back to the palace. Feet aching once more, she strode into the foyer and stopped again to marvel at the majestic elegance around her—from the soaring domed ceilings to the mosaic inlaid wall art that shimmered and sparkled in the sunlight. Around her, servants bustled to and fro. Everyone in the place seemed to have a job to do, important stuff to handle.
    Including her, if she could just figure out the best way to delve into these wedding arrangements. A cool breeze drifted in to her right and she spotted a set of open patio doors. Curious, she wandered in that direction, hoping she wasn’t overstepping her guest boundaries. Technically, Nassir had never told her not to explore his