Page 9 of The Sheik's Kiss

Jenny was just about to bite into the peanut butter cookie but froze. The cookie was lowered back to the saucer and her mother asked, “Excuse me?”

Mandy plucked the cookie out of her mother’s fingers, ignoring the other half of the cookie sitting on the tea cup’s saucer. “Oh, didn’t I mention that I’d be working in Sidrina during this contract?”

Her mother’s jaw dropped and she stared at Mandy for a long moment. Then she shook her head. “Fine. But you’re going to call me every day. And you’re going to send me lots of pictures.” She narrowed her eyes. “If I find out that you’re not getting out and taking some time off, you’re not getting any fudge for Christmas this year.”

Mandy laughed, then leaned in and hugged her mother. “I love you, Mom!” she said with feeling and squeezed her shoulders. “You’re wonderful!”

Chapter 2

Mandy watched with fascination as her suitcase rolled through some odd-looking scanner. The massive, private plane was standing on the airport tarmac, waiting for passengers. She wasn’t sure what was going on, but she had to admit that the security process was interesting.

“Are you ready to board the plane?” someone asked her.

Mandy turned, looking for the new voice. It was one of the flight attendants who was wearing a spiffy blue suit with a coordinating tie. Realizing that she’d been staring at the now-empty conveyor belt, Mandy turned around, nodding.

“Yes. Right. Of course.” She turned away from the security area and started towards the moveable staircase that had been pushed up to the huge plane. She’d expected to take a commercial flight to Sidrina but, when she called to speak with Zahir, Mandy’s call had been forwarded to one of his assistants and not the actual man in charge. He’d told her that the sheik is flying back to Sidrina today and she would fly with him.

Not that they would offer her a ride to the airport. The command was clear; get to the airport.

Mandy supposed that she could have flown on a commercial flight to Sidrina at her own expense. But having grown up at or near the poverty level, with only a single mother who worked two jobs to pay the bills, Mandy had learned to be extremely thrifty. Even with her new company’s recent success, she still hadn’t shaken the insecurities of growing up living from paycheck to paycheck. She lived in a tiny house, even though she could now afford something nicer. She pushed all of her new company’s profits right back into the business while also saving as much as possible, only spending money on amazing benefits for her employees and a well-decorated office to impress clients.

So here she was, standing on a hot tarmac on an unusually warm October morning in a black suit and matching heels, watching as a sleek, black limousine pulled up right beside the stairs.

Instantly, her heart began pounding against her ribs and Mandy tried to suppress her reaction to the realization that the sheik was nearby. It wasn’t him, she told herself firmly. He was probably already on the plane.

And yet, she stood very still while she watched as one long leg, then another, emerged from the limousine. Every cell in her body was vibrating, anticipating the moment when the rest of his body would emerge from the dark interior.

Sure enough, the great man himself stepped out and tugged his suit jacket into place. He buttoned the jacket, looking around, but the dark sunglasses covered his eyes.

He wouldn’t see her, she thought, wondering if she should shrink back towards the crowd of reporters that were gathered nearby. She assumed Sheik Zahir would just head on up the stairs to the plane and disappear into the back of the plane, then she could follow once the hullabaloo was over.

She was wrong!

Zahir ignored the frantic questions from the press, finding their intrusion into his life as obnoxious and invasive as ever. His entire focus was on finding Mandy Sullivan and having another conversation with her. After his previous conversation with her, Zahir had finally admitted to himself that his interest in her was more than simply professional. He was utterly fascinated. She was intelligent, independent, and had an integrity that was unusual in the people he normally met.

In contrast, life at the palace was a constant state of combat. Everyone vied for a closer position to him, not because they were friendly, but because he represented power. Not just in Sidrina, but worldwide.

Mandy Sullivan was different. He didn’t know how or why, but she was different and…she caused his blood to simmer with a desire that had been absent in his previous relationships.

Until two days ago when he’d offered her the contract with his country, Zahir hadn’t even considered her to be wife material. But now, as he waited with anticipation to see her, to speak with her, he knew that he was secretly adding her to the list of candidates to be his wife.

He wouldn’t tell her that though. He knew that, if she discovered his interest in her for anything beyond a professional capacity, Mandy would reject him outright.

How he knew that, he wasn’t sure. His security team had done a thorough background check on her and her company. So, he knew that her father had died in a tragic construction accident when Mandy was ten years old. She’d grown up with a single mother and had attended the University of Pennsylvania with a full scholarship. That was an impressive school, although not one of the ivy leagues. Zahir had seen her test scores and knew that Mandy could have attended any of the higher level schools. Unfortunately, she hadn’t had the financial resources to do so.

However, it was her integrity and her beauty that intrigued him the most. As well as that indefinable sensation he felt whenever she was near.

Like now.

She was close by. Was she on board already? His assistant had informed him that she’d arrived ten minutes ago. Was she waiting for him on the plane? He’d instructed Masri that he wanted to speak with her as soon as they were airborne.

Something, a movement or perhaps a ripple in the wind, caused him to look to his left. And there she was! Ms. Mandy Sullivan! She looked lovely, despite the stern business suit and boring black heels she’d chosen for the flight. He preferred the rather adorable leggings and oversized sweatshirt she’d been wearing last time. And he’d enjoyed seeing her in her home, seeing the way she’d lived and the simple décor in which she’d surrounded herself. The woman had chosen a small house with comfortable furnishings and he respected her more for that.

Not that she’d have that kind of environment in the future, he thought. Palace life wasn’t comfortable. It was elegant and…and he’d change things. He’d hire a new decorator so that she would feel more comfortable in the palace.

Yes, he wanted Mandy to enjoy palace life.

Walking over to her, he ignored the press. He knew that they were snapping dozens, possibly hundreds, of pictures of him escorting the young beauty onto the plane. But he didn’t give a damn! He was eager to speak with Ms. Sullivan and he was sick of the press. Let them think what they liked.

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