Page 21 of The Sheik's Embrace

“A tomato based sauce adds more zing to the meat,” she argued. “The sauce is cooked in its own juices, adding flavor and tenderness.”

Back and forth, they argued about the pros and cons of dry rub versus sauce-cooked barbeque, both forcefully adamant that they were right.

When the bread pudding with bourbon icing was placed in front of Tara, she nearly moaned with delight. “You’re spoiling me!” she gasped.

“That’s the point,” he replied, that heat returning to his eyes.

Tara was frozen for a moment, understanding what that light meant. Was she afraid of that desire? Or was she intrigued?

Both, she realized. He watched her and Tara felt suddenly felt too hot. “I…uh…don’t know how to react to comments like that, Your Highness.” She thought about lowering her lashes, of demonstrating her submissiveness. But she’d hated the way the community leaders had always demanded submissiveness. She’d wondered why the women had to literally bow down whenever a man entered a room. They weren’t royalty.

Okay, so Sheik Zayed el Mastrion was literally royalty. He was king of Pitra. He ruled every single centimeter of this country, as well as several miles out into the surrounding sea.

And yet, she’d never bowed to him. At her interview, she hadn’t realized that she should have bowed. After she’d started working at the palace, she’d just…never done it.

So why was she considering doing it now, if only with her eyes?

Instead, her chin jutted higher, silently showing him that she wouldn’t, couldn’t, be a submissive woman if that’s what he was hoping to marry.

“I don’t want a fake response, Tara,” he told her, his voice huskier than before. “I want honest reactions between us.” He tilted his head slightly. “Why would you think I’d expectsomething different now that we’re engaged?” he asked. “You’ve been my assistant for the past two years. During that time, you’ve never held back your reactions or opinions.” He grinned when Tara’s pale cheeks warmed with a blush. “You think I’ve missed those sarcastic eye rolls whenever you thought I was doing something stupid?”

Her hands clenched together under the table. “We aren’t engaged. However, I am always respectful,” she countered. “I’d never roll my eyes–”

“The defense budget conversation,” he interrupted. “I suggested that we increase the defense budget by thirteen percent.”

Instantly, her temper flared. “In the education budget meeting, you only increased that department’s funding by two percent.”

“You don’t think that the citizens deserve a strong military?”

Tara clenched her jaw at his stupid question. “You and I both know that comment is a ‘straw man’ argument. Don’t belittle my intelligence by distorting the issue.”

Zayed threw back his head, laughing at her challenge. When he’d regained control, he was nodding. “You’re right. But that’s the argument I hear all the time. As soon as someone suggests that we should take some of the money from the defense budget and apply it to other agencies, their primary attack is to say that I’m soft on defense and catering to one political group or another.”

“If you know what your opponents are going to say, then shift your public relations people to start planning the messaging sooner rather than needing to be on the defense.”

He grinned at her point, nodding. “You’re correct, of course.”

She sighed and leaned forward, releasing her hands to place them on the table. “Your Highness, I don’t know all of the decisions that you have to make in a day. So, I’m not criticizing your plans.”

“All evidence to the contrary.”

At his uplifted eyebrow, she blushed again, but continued. “However, you’ve had the same advisors on your council ever since you came into office.”

“They are highly experienced men.”

“Yes, yes.” she sighed, lifting her hand. “That’s the same argument that the senators and congress people in my country use to halt any kind of term-limit legislation. And some of them have been in office for half a century.”

“There is something to be said for consistency and experience.”

“There’s also something to be said for new energy and new ideas, Your Highness,” she shot back. “Plus, who are the people that are advising your advisors?” She waited, her expression turning smug at his stunned expression. “Exactly. The people who used to advise your advisors have moved on to other positions. So, why shouldn’t your advisory council change too?”

Zayed leaned back, his eyes contemplative. Slowly, he nodded his agreement.

“You make an excellent point, Tara.”

That’s when they looked down at the dessert. “Goodness, we’ve been arguing about politics all the while this has been waiting for us to notice.” Tara lifted her spoon andtook a bite, then closed her eyes. “I’ve had bread pudding before, but we weren’t allowed to have alcohol. The bourbon in this is…delicious!”

“Why weren’t you allowed alcohol?”

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