"Okay. So you want to see me again?"

He smiled slowly, giving her what one of his dates had called his "come let me make you melt" smiles.

"With every breath I take."

She swallowed. "Wow, you're good." She took a step back. "I mean, yes, I would like to see you again. You can reach me here at the hotel."

"I'll be in touch," he said.

The elevator doors opened. He hustled Heidi inside and pushed the button for her floor. Then she was gone.

Jamal stood there feeling as if he'd been run over by a truck. He was still confused about all that had happened. One of them was crazy, and he couldn't say for sure it wasn't him. What was going on?

"Sir, your car?"

He turned and saw that his new sleek, silver Lamborghini was parked at the curb. He tipped the attendant and slipped behind the wheel.

He didn't notice the hand-carved wood accents or the specially designed dash and control panel. He barely acknowledged the smooth purr of the engine as he put the car in gear and headed out of the parking structure.

He was too caught up in the mystery of his wife's game. What on earth was she up to?

Heidi danced across the room and huggedFatima. "I did it," she announced.

"It actually wasn't too horrible. Well, it was a little horrible. But I didn't trip orfall, and I'm pretty sure I fooled him."

Fatimaheld her close,then released her. "Good for you. I knew you could do it. Now sit with me, and tell me everything."

Heidi settled onto one of the sofas in the harem's main room. She'd already washed the red tint out of her hair and removed her contacts. She was back in one of her normal dresses with sensible, flat shoes covering her feet.

"I was so nervous," she admitted. "And that dress made me feel really uncomfortable. Jamal looked stunned for most of it." She paused, remembering his reluctance when he'd first arrived. "It took him a while to warm up, but by the end he was quite friendly."

Fatimatook the seat next to hers, and Heidi recounted the details.

"I hope I didn't tell him too much about my fake brother," she said. "For a couple of minutes I was afraid he was going to ask to meet him, but he didn't."

"You say he put his arm around you in the parking garage?"Fatimaasked.

"Yes. It was very strange. All of a sudden he got very friendly. But at the same time, he hustled me back upstairs."

Fatimasmiled. "Excellent."

"Why?"

The queen looked at her and shook her head. "You are so very innocent. Who else was down there with you?"

"In the parking garage?No one.I mean the attendants were there, but we were the only customers."

"Exactly."Fatimaleaned forward and cupped Heidi's face. "Other men were looking at you. You had on that silly little dress, and you looked fabulous. Jamal noticed their attention and was jealous. That's why he wanted you to return to your room."

"Really?"Heidi turned the thought over in her mind. "Wow. I didn't get that at all." She wasn't sure it was true, either, but it was nice to think about. After all, she'd spent her whole life being plain. It would be great to finally be attractive. Especially if Jamal thought she was pretty.

"So it was a success,"Fatimasaid.

"I think so. He said he'd be in touch." Actually he'd said he wanted to see her again with every breath he took. And the way he'd looked at her when he'd spoken had taken her breath away. The memory made her shiver...and all this without a feather in sight.

"You are pleased so far?"Fatimaasked.

Heidi finally had Jamal's attention. Okay, it wasn't as herself, but it was a start. If nothing else, she would get to know him better and then use that information to make him like his wife more.Somehow. The plan was a little sketchy, but she would work out the details.

"I couldn't be happier," Heidi said and grinned.

Chapter 8.

Jamal watched Heidi bait his brother. Normally he enjoyed seeing her make Malik squirm. For some reason, she was the only person on the planet who intimidated the crown prince. But tonight he was less concerned about the content of their conversation than the fact that less than five hours ago she'd been in a hotel room in the city, pretending to be someone she was not. To make matters even more confusing, he had trouble reconciling the woman he'd seen that afternoon with the one sitting across from him at the table.

"Honey" had been dressed to tempt in a sexy dress that exposed more than it covered. Her curly red hair and green eyes had emphasized her pale skin and delicate features. She'd been teasing, smiling, and trying to be vampish with her walk and her shoes, not to mention her silly come-on lines.

Heidi was none of those things. Tonight's outfit was a shapeless beige dress than hung on her like a tent flapping around a pole. Her hair had been pulled back in a tight bun; she didn't have on a speck of makeup, and her only jewelry was the carved wedding band he'd slid on her finger when they'd married.

She looked no different than she had any other night, and if he hadn't seen her performance earlier himself, he would never have believed her capable of dressing or acting like that.

Heidi glanced at him,then returned her attention to Malik, but he knew that she was aware of him staring at her. He forced himself to pay attention to the conversation, even though all he wanted to do was figure out the intriguing puzzle that was his wife.

"The good news is that the crown princes of El Bahar have a long and lustrous history of achieving glory in battle," she was saying to Malik.

"For example, in the third century there was one son of the king who single-handedly defeated an army of three thousand."

Malik nearly choked on his sorbet."One man against three thousand?"

She shrugged. "That's what the text says."

"It's ridiculous. No individual could attack so many. Not without the advantage of modern technology, and even then the odds against success are staggering."

"I guess crown princes were just a lot tougher back then," she said with a sigh, as if the tragedy of the disintegration of the standards was a great personal sorrow.

Jamal had to hold back a grin. He noticed the king and Khalil also looked amused. Only Malik didn't see the humor.

"The texts lie," he said firmly. "I'm surprised you would believe them."

Heidi stared at him with an expression of complete innocence. "I'm sorry, Malik. It was never my intent

to make you feel..."

He stormed to his feet. "Don't say it. Don't even think it. I'm perfectly capable of being Crown Prince of El Bahar."

"Of course you are," she murmured. "No one is saying otherwise.Certainly not me. I think you do well...with your obvious limitations."

Malik opened his mouth to offer a blistering reply,then he realized he was the center of attention and that everyone was having a good time at his expense.

"Jamal, control your wife," he instructed as he took his seat again.

"Brother, work on your sense of humor."

"Easy for you to say.You don't have a new sister walking around telling you that you aren't doing a very good job of preparing to run the kingdom."

"Just get out and defeat those three thousand," Dora offered helpfully.

"I'm sure we could rustle up an army or two."

"Did I say three thousand?" Heidi said, pressing her hand to her chest. "I didn't mean to. It was thirty. The crown prince defeated thirty warriors."

Malik growled, the king and Fatima laughed. Jamal leaned back in hischair, pleased that Heidi was comfortable with his family. Of course she had the advantage of knowing his grandmother and father for most of her life. Even so, there were many people who couldn't relax in the presence of so much royalty.

"Despite everything, Malik," Heidi said as she reached for her cup of coffee. "I think you're doing a great job."

"Your praise means I can now sleep this night," her brother-in-law said dryly.

The king leaned forward and laced his fingers together. "Looking around this table pleases me. My youngest son has married wisely, even though he did so without my permission. But now that I've come to know his wife, I understand why he was in such a hurry to claim her."

"Thank you," Dora said as her husband picked up her hand and brought it to his mouth.

"Khalil and Dora have given me one fine grandson with another on the way,"

King Givon continued.

"Jamal has also married, and I know it is just a matter of time until he and Heidi also give me a grandchild."

Heidi ducked her head and blushed. Jamal was quick to deflect the attention. He looked at Malik and grinned. "You know where this is heading, don't you?"

Malik glanced around at his brothers. "You two have married, and I'm single." He stood up again and bowed to his father. "My king, I bid you good-night."

Givon raised his eyebrows. "You can't escape remarriage forever."

"Perhaps not, but I can elude it for a little longer." With that, he was gone.

The dinner party broke up soon afterward. Jamal found himself walking with Heidi back to their rooms. Once again he contrasted the woman next to him with the one he'd met earlier.

One thing was clear-he'd misjudged Heidi in many ways. The hidden depths made him curious about her. While he'd always intended them to get to know each other, so far he'd made no attempt. Perhaps he should change that.

"How are your riding lessons?" he asked abruptly as they entered their suite.