The Sheik's Arabian Christmas (The Sheiks of the Arabian Coast Series Book 6)
The Sheik's Arabian Christmas
The Sheiks of the Arabian Coast Series (Book 6)
Erin Snihur
Copyright © 2019 by Erin Snihur
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
Created with Vellum
To J.M.
Thank you for always making my Christmas’ full of love and joy.
About the Author
Erin Snihur is a proud Canadian Indie Author with a love for reading and writing. While working full-time you can often find Erin writing her next romance novel or hiking with her dog!
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Also by Erin Snihur
Paranormal/Fantasy Romance
Curse of the InBetween (Book 1 of the InBetween Series)
Hero of the InBetween (Book 2 of the InBetween Series)
His Angelic Queen (Book 3 of the InBetween Series)
The Sheiks of the Arabian Coast Series
The Sheik’s Missing Mistress (Book 1)
The Sheik’s Forced Bride (Book 2)
The Sheik’s Pregnant Paramour (Book 3)
The Sheik’s Forgotten Princes (Book 4)
The Sheik’s Beautiful Thief (Book 5)
The Sheik’s Arabian Christmas (Book 6)
The Sheikha’s of the Arabian Mountains Series (NEW SERIES, PRE-ORDER NOW)
The Sheikha’s Determined Prince (Book 1 of the Sheikhas of the Arabian Mountains Series)
The Sheikha's Unforgettable Lover (Book 2 of the Sheikhas of the Arabian Mountains Series)
The Sheikha’s Seductive Protector (Book 3 of the Sheikhas of the Arabian Mountains Series)
The Sheikha’s Fierce Attraction (Book 4 of the Sheikhas of the Arabian Mountains Series)
The Sheikha’s Billionaire Advisor (Book 5 of the Sheikhas of the Arabian Mountains Series)
Contents
Aman
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Batra
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Elish
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Masarat
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Hattan
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Afterword
Teaser
About the Author
Also by Erin Snihur
Aman
Sheik Khalid and Amelia
1
Seven days until Christmas…
Sheik Khalid Abdul Majeed grimaces at the selection of jewelry pieces before him. Art the jeweller had called them. Inwardly, Khalid thought they resembled shiny intestines. Sighing loudly, though not too loudly to worry the eager clerk across the room. The man is no doubt eager for the commission Khalid will bring him before the new year, Khalid straightens in his place and turns to his friend and head of security, Haseem el-Meer.
Giving his friend a pointed look, Khalid grumbles under his breath, “Amelia would never accept anything like this as a Christmas gift. She would demand I return it and give the money to the poor or some charity she’s heading up.”
Haseem chuckles and crosses his arms as he nods along with Khalid, admiration in his voice, “Your Sheikha only truly cares for her bracelet and wedding ring, your Highness. She is nothing like the other ladies of court or your sisters.”
In the past, Khalid had loved this about Amelia. It was one of the many things that had first entranced him about her. Amelia’s total lack of interest in material things was an attractive quality. Shopping for presents seven days before Christmas made it less attractive.
Groaning a curse under his breath, Khalid turns his body and faces the eager jeweller. Smiling patiently, Khalid waves his hands towards the jewels, “I don’t think any of these will suit. Are you sure you don’t have anything that would match or compliment the pieces I have had commissioned here before?”
The jeweller nervously clicks his tongue and pulls out a binder filled to the brim of laminated pages. In it are folders and images of pieces. The royal family’s name is bold at the top of their own folder. As the jeweller flips through the book, Khalid’s eyes catch a familiar name and beneath it is the image of a beautiful diamond engagement ring. Stopping the jeweller from flipping further, Khalid points to it and tries to remain calm.
“Why has my brother, Maarku, purchased an engagement ring?”
The jeweller’s stutters and stammers, but manages to pull the image and invoice from the folder, “This item was purchased over a year ago, your Highness. We specialize in many pieces for many different occasions. I cannot be certain that this was intended as an engagement ring.”
Haseem scoffs behind Khalid and immediately pulls out his cellphone as he mutters to him, “I’m on it.”
Ignoring the jeweller, Khalid follows Haseem and the other silent guards that follow and form a circle around Khalid, their Sheik. Stewing in the back of the SUV that will take him back to the palace, Khalid pulls out his cellphone and sends a quick text message to his brother. Khalid demands Maarku call him immediately. All the while, Khalid’s mind runs rampant, Christmas gift forgotten.
What have you gotten yourself into this time, Maarku?
Sheikha Amelia Majeed smirks to herself as she watches through the mirror of her vanity table as her husband, Khalid, paces furiously in front of their large bed. He is snarling furiously into his phone. He never did like not getting his way, Amina inwardly hums, recalling the way he’d convinced her to go on a date with him.
“Call me back, Maarku. That’s an order, as your Sheik,” Khalid growls after ranting and raving about how childish Maarku is being for not returning Khalid’s many text messages and phone calls.
When Khalid hangs up the phone and continues to pace as he mutters under his breath, Amelia chuckles lightly, gaining her husband’s attention.
“Something funny, ya amar?” Khalid croons and slowly approaches her, like a panther about to pounce upon his prey.
Blushing at having been caught laughing at him, Amelia continues braiding her hair back and attempts to appear innocent, “Nothing, my love.”
Hands grasping her shoulders, Khalid’s husky chuckle meets her ears as her husband begins to tug and play with the thin straps of her simple, silky nightdress. Skin tingling as his hands begin to massage her shoulders, Amelia shivers at the lust shooting straight to her core.
Pressing his lips to her pulse, Khalid murmurs in Amelia’s ear, “Why won’t he answer his phone?”
Finishing her braid, Amelia reaches up with one hand to meet Khalid’s, to squeeze his hand in support, “I’m sure he’s just busy. You know how dedicated he becomes with his businesses.”
Shaking his head, Khalid pulls away and begins to pace again, “Haseem claims Maarku hired managers to handle his business affairs. According to his a
ssistant, he is on a temporary leave. She thought he might be hiking in Africa through rainforests or even on some secluded island somewhere. It’s not like him to just ignore personal calls. What if there was an emergency?”
“Like finding out your estranged brother purchased an engagement ring?” Amelia immediately bites her tongue, not meaning to let that one comment slip. It gains Khalid’s attention as he spins around and heatedly stares at her.
“Feeling cheeky tonight, ya amar?”
Shrugging, Amelia stands and pretends to focus on straightening her night dress, “I don’t know what you mean, Khalid, I’m just making conversation.”
Khalid nods, though he doesn’t seem to believe her as he watches her through hooded eyes. Amelia inwardly grins like a cat who has caught the canary. Adjusting the straps at her chest, she grins when Khalid’s eyes land on her ample chest.
“See something you like, husband?”
“Tease,” Khalid growls the one word that sends tingles shooting straight to her core.
Giggling, Amelia struts closer to the bed, “What are you going to do about it?”
In answer, he pounces, much to Amelia’s shrieking delight.
2
Six days until Christmas
“Are you ill? You look as though you haven’t been sleeping, dear one,” Amelia’s mother-in-law, Fatima, mutters to her the next morning over breakfast.
Since marrying Khalid, Amelia and the Sheikha Regent, Fatima, tend to enjoy breakfast together and go over their daily schedules. Khalid and his younger siblings were usually up and gone by the time Amelia and Fatima awoke. This ritual had grown Fatima and Amelia’s relationship over the last year, for the better. To Amelia, it was nice having a motherly figure in her life. The holidays were always difficult for her since the death of her parents when she was a child.
Grimacing at the truth in Fatima’s words, Amelia sets down her cup of tea and motions to her head, “I fear I’ve gotten one of the children’s colds. After Khalid and I went to bed last night, I woke up sick. Khalid wanted to call the doctor, but I’m sure it’s nothing more than the flu.”
Nodding, Fatima peers closer and stares into Amelia’s eyes, as if the older woman is trying to read her mind. Finally, she asks, “When was your last cycle?”
Blushing, Amelia sputters an attempted response, “What?”
“Your last cycle?” Fatima demands again, clearly thinking Amelia is the crazy one.
“Fatima, you think I’m pregnant?” Amelia laughs and shakes her head in disbelief. Her mind inwardly tries to calculate when her last cycle truly was. When she finally realizes how long it actually has been since her last cycle, Amelia immediately grows cold and sweat breaks out on her forehead.
“Oh, no…” Amelia groans and instantly places a hand on her stomach that is internally rolling and tumbling.
The older woman’s face brightens as she smiles and scoots her chair closer. Fatima’s robes and hijab shine brightly in the room and are the only things that Amelia can focus on. As she tries to even out her erratic breathing, Amelia’s mind races. She’s pregnant! How could this have happened? When did it happen?
Fatima voice lilts softly in Arabic as she brushes Amelia’s hair away from her face in a motherly gesture. Fatima murmurs softly like she is soothing a child. Amelia’s stomach bubbles at the thought, Child? Like the one that might be growing in my womb?
“This can’t be happening…” Amelia whispers in disbelief.
“It is a gift from Allah, Amelia. Can’t you see? Khalid will be so happy!” Fatima sighs as she grasps Amelia’s hands in her own wrinkly ones.
Eyes blinking as she focuses on Fatima, Amelia shakes her head in alarm, “No! Fatima, we can’t tell Khalid yet! We don’t even know if it is true ourselves. I haven’t even taken a test yet!”
As if not even paying attention to what Amelia is saying, Fatima continues in her animated prattling, “Have your breasts become tender? Mine were so sore, it was the only indication I had when I first became pregnant with Khalid. Maarku was a much easier birth and so were the others as time went on. Oh, how exciting! I’ve always pictured Khalid with a large family. You know, twins run in our family, perhaps it will be twins! Oh, praise Allah!”
“Fatima!” Amelia shrieks, startling the older woman into silence.
Ignoring the woman’s stunned face, Amelia pushes away from the table. She begins pacing on the terrace, overlooking Fatima’s personal gardens. Her hand instinctively goes to her flat stomach.
“I don’t know the first thing about being a mother,” Amelia mutters, her words loud enough for the older woman to hear.
“This child is a gift from Allah, Amelia, you will learn, as I did,” Fatima murmurs and continues, “As all mothers have.”
Shaking her head, Amelia blinks away the tears threatening to fall, “Khalid isn’t ready for children, I mean, we’ve never talked about it before. I was on the pill!”
Shrugging her shoulders, Fatima throws her hands up in confusion, “I do not see the problem, dear one, you are both married! Children are inevitable in marriage. I always hated the thought of you taking that vile medicine to ward off my future grandchildren.”
Sighing, Amelia felt as though the weight of the world has been placed on her shoulders or at least on her womb. What would Khalid think? Would he be angry? He had mentioned he wanted to spend time with her now that they were living in Aman full-time.
Turning back to Fatima, Amelia pleads with her mother-in-law, “Please don’t tell Khalid yet, Fatima. Let me be the one to tell him, but only after I’ve taken a test or something.”
Fatima nods in agreement and stands to pull Amelia’s arm into the crook of her own, “This is so exciting, dear one. Babies are so delightful. I know just the place to purchase a test discreetly.”
Khalid glares at the computer screen and the haggard image of his brother. Maarku’s greenish-brown eyes, dull no doubt from alcohol consumption, stare back at him blankly. Maarku’s normally well-kempt hair is no longer and greasy. His facial hair had grown longer around his lips. The same lips that pull into a sneer when Khalid’s camera connects for the video call.
“You look like hell, brother,” Khalid murmurs.
“You sound so concerned, brother,” Maarku snarls back. Behind him the scenery of a hotel room and bright, flashing neon lights lit up the night sky.
Recognizing the hotel room and the neon lights, Khalid raises an eyebrow, “Enjoying Japan?”
“Not as much when I tried to pay my tab at the hotel bar and was told my credit was declined,” Maarku snarls and continues, “You froze my assets.”
Shrugging, Khalid fiddles with his tie before shooting his brother a patronizing grin, “You mean the Crown’s assets? Don’t you? The same assets you used to purchase an engagement ring at the beginning of the year with?”
This stuns Maarku into silence. His glare intensifies and his nostrils flare. Maarku had always been known for his temper. Even as a child, Khalid had been the first to jump to Maarku’s aid when his temper led him into school boy fights.
“Fuck off, Khalid. You know as well as I do, that I earned every last bit of money that deposits into the Crown’s fucking coffers. Unfreeze my accounts or else. You have until tonight,” Maarku growls and ends the video call.
Now staring at the black screen, Khalid sighs and turns his eyes on Haseem, who waits silently in front of Khalid’s computer.
“You were right. Freezing his accounts would bring him out of hiding,” Khalid murmurs.
Nodding, Haseem stands and places a folder on the desk, “We have other more urgent matters, your Highness.”
Grumbling under his breath, Khalid pushes the Maarku issue to the side of his thoughts, “Of course we do.”
All I want to be doing is spending the day with Amelia, but that doesn’t seem likely.
3
Six days until Christmas...
Holding the positive pregnancy test up to the screen of her tablet, Am
elia grimaces as her best friend from Toronto, Bea, shrieks through the microphone.
“I knew you’d be pregnant by the end of the year! Khalid has that look about him. He seems the type to keep his woman barefoot and pregnant!” Bea shrieks again in laughter and Amelia quickly rolls her eyes at her friends’ comments.
“This is serious, Bea,” Amelia groans and pulls the tablet to stand on its own on her desk. Standing away from her desk, Amelia begins to pace in front of the camera. Scanning her private study, she groans again at the thought of the tiny infant growing in her womb.
“Khalid doesn’t even know yet!” Amelia cries out in frustration.
“What?” Bea’s laughter bursts forth again, “You told me, but you haven’t told Khalid?”
“He’s been holed up in his study working. We were supposed to have lunch, but I think he’s forgotten,” Amelia murmurs.
“Storm in and demand his attention then!” Bea says, her voice echoing across the room.
Screeching from beyond her study doors has Amelia pausing from continuing her conversation and then, crying starts. Sighing, Amelia smiles at Bea forcefully.
“I have to go. I think I hear Mareen and she doesn’t sound happy,” Amelia murmurs.