Page 2 of The Sheik's Pretend Fiancee
Instead, he had found her.
Of course he had.
“Thinking of jumping?” His voice held a teasing lilt, but something darker ran beneath it—something too observant to be casual.
She cut him a look, unsettled by how much attention he paid to her.
“Why would I jump?” she asked coolly.
He shrugged, and her eyes—traitorous things—tracked the motion of his shoulders beneath the perfectly tailored suit. Broad. Powerful. Designed to make people feel small.
“Maybe to get away from me,” he said, the corner of his mouth twitching. “Your country doesn’t exactly welcome mine with open arms. Perhaps they’d prefer you fall to your death rather than be caught speaking to the enemy.”
Angela rolled her eyes, but her smile faltered at the edges. “Don’t be ridiculous. The people of Lativa don’t hate youthatmuch.”
She tried to say it lightly, but she couldn’t ignore the way her voice had softened—or how her pulse refused to slow under his watchful gaze.
“Good to know,” he replied. She felt his gaze on her and stiffened, worried what he would say next. To her surprise, his tone warmed slightly, “You’re surprisingly beautiful.”
For a long moment, Angela forgot to breathe. Angela ignored the increased pace of her traitorous heart at his words, turning back to watch the crowd, pretending that he hadn’t just altered her world in some subtle, weird way. “I’m not sure why my appearance would berelevant.” Sheglanced back over her shoulder at him. “What do you want?”
The man’s enigmatic gaze moved over her features and Angela had the strangest sensation that he was trying to memorize her face. Toward what goal? He was the ruler of Ginisia! Their countrieswere not friends. They competed fiercely for markets, there were regular border problems, and his country had stolen some top-secret documents from a Lativa government laboratory just last month.
For that alone, Angela should slap him and walk away.
But his next words stopped her.
“In the world of international diplomacy,” he started, then paused, his eyes still tracing her cheekbones, “everything is relevant, wouldn’t you agree?”
Why did that strangely worded comment feel like aveiled compliment?The words alone weren’t necessarily flattering. However, Angela felt…unexpectedly beautiful.
Focus! Don’t let him get to you, she admonished herself silently.
“What do you want, Sheik el Maistri?” she demanded, startled when her tone came out breathy instead of the sharpness she’d intended.
Did he just stepcloser? Angela held her breath, feeling that unwelcometension increase. Enemy, she reminded herself. This man wasn’t handsome. He wasn’t interesting. He was the ruler of her country’s enemy. So, why did she catch herself leaning forward slightly? Why did her fingersitch to explore the muscles under histailored tuxedo?
“Oh, I want many things,” he replied. Had his voice become huskier? Surely, he wasn’t trying toflirt with her! Why would he? They hated each other.They were strangers!
Angela tried to come up with a pithy, strategic response. But her lips couldn’t move. Not at the moment.
“We’re enemies,” she finally blurted out. Later, Angela would replay those two words in her head, cursing at the banality of their meaning. But at the moment, those two words feltmore like…an obstacle? Or a challenge?
Whatever, there was something about him that was seriously frazzling her. She couldn’t effectively concentrate. Maybe giving him a harsh, stinging rebuke for daring to approach her in such a casual manner would help her regain control of this moment. It was certainly unprecedented and she definitely didn’t appreciate his comments about her appearance.
“I think it’s time we change that,” he offered. There was definitely a challenge in those dark, enigmatic eyes! Shefelt it in the way his gaze shifted to her lips, then slowly and with an intensity that caused her heart to skip a beat, returned to her eyes.
Angela suddenly became aware of the fascinating flecks of gold in those dark eyes. Interesting!
“Our countries barely have diplomatic relations,” she countered, wondering why her voice sounded like a barely audible whisper. And was that lingering regret in her tone? Were his lips as hard as they appeared? Or would he kisstenderly, with a hint of hesitation?
Kissing? Angela was both appalled by the thought…and more intensely curious about the possibility than she’d ever been in her life.And that was saying a lot!
Of course, her cousins, Laith, Rafi, and Zayn, would roll their eyes and snicker if they knew what was going through her mind at this moment.
He stepped forward, his shoulders blocking the light from the ballroom while the intensity in his dark eyes made the world evaporate. “I think it’s high time that we changed the script, don’t you?”
What,exactly,was he suggesting?She licked her lips. “I don’t think my Uncle Khal would be open to that.”
