Page 8 of At the Sheikh's Pleasure
“Of course,” interrupted Zaire.He’d really prefer Rosana not to know about the imminent visit of Sheikh Saeed—a friend to both Sifra and to Rosana’s own country of Harran.The visit was yet another attempt to reconcile the two countries of their differences.“I will keep that, but clear everything else.”
His official didn’t dare query further the unusual instruction.“Of course, Your Majesty.”
“You may bring her in now.”
He sat at his desk, closed his computer, and turned his attention to the door, which the assistant opened for her.She swept in on a wave of perfume and irritation.
“Sheikha Rosana!”he greeted, rising and walking around his desk.“What a pleasant but unexpected surprise.”
He was gratified to see her complexion redden with a blush.So she wasn’t as impervious to his presence as she’d have him believe.
“I thought,” she said in that perfect voice of hers, clipped and precise, “that we had planned for me to visit the throne room this morning.”
“We had,” he said with contrived patience.“The arrangement was that someone would accompany you to my office.No doubt one of my assistants is, at this very moment, on his way to your room to bring you to me.”
“I don’t need people to escort me around.I am quite capable of finding your office by myself.”
He had no doubt.He firmly repressed the impulse to respond in kind to her.He’d do as his brother suggested, partly to keep him and his new wife happy, and partly because she interested him at a level he wasn’t prepared to examine too deeply.
“I’m sure, sheikha, and we had no intention of showing you disrespect, but you must allow for protocol.”She frowned for a moment as she considered his excuse.“And,” he continued despite her frown, “protocol expects you to stick to our agreement, to wait in your room, until I summon you.”
She cocked her head angrily to one side.“You wish to treat me like someone subservient to you?You appear to have forgotten who I am.”
His lip curled.“I wish I could.”
“Why?Because you dislike my family and country so much?”
“No,” he leaned forward, “because I’d like to get to know you better.”
Rosana’s blush bloomed again.He sat back in his chair, steepled his fingers, and tapped them against his lips thoughtfully.This was getting better and better.
Chapter4
“I…” she began before pausing.He hadn’t realized how entertaining watching such a self-possessed woman lose her poise could be.She cleared her throat.“I’m not sure what you mean, Your Majesty.”
He leaned back in his chair, the corners of his lips twitching in amusement.“I mean exactly that, sheikha.I want to get to know you.As a person, not simply as a princess of my neighboring country.”
Her narrowed eyes searched his as if trying to discern any hidden meaning in his words.He wondered what had made her so suspicious of good intentions.
“Well, that is all very interesting, but I can assure you there is nothing about me you’d wish to know.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“Because my life is my work.I’m an academic.Education is my only interest.Now,” she rose, obviously determined to take control of the situation.“Perhaps we could get down to business.”
“Not yet,” he said, rising and walking over to a sideboard and pouring a coffee.“Would you care for one?”he asked.
She shook her head.“What I’d care for is to get on with the task at hand.”
He continued to pour the coffee.
“You’ve been away from your country for too long, if you think we can do business like that.You, Sheikha Rosana,” he said, turning to her and taking a sip of his coffee, “need to relax a little.”
Her nostrils flared at the fragrance of the freshly brewed coffee.The smell of cardamom and spices was so different from the western beverage.He could see she was tempted.
“Or if not relax, then indulge me.I need a second coffee before embarking on a wild goose chase.”
She was irritated again.But that was okay, he could live with that.
