Page 43 of Warming the Sheikh's Bed & Love in the Fast Lane

He angled his head to her, but his glasses made it impossible to see.

“Do you speak English?”

“Little,” he said with a heavy accent.

She ground her teeth. It was confirmation enough. “Stop following me.”

He held his hands up in an appeasing gesture.

“Stop following me,” she repeated and held her finger up to warn him. “I mean it. Stop it.”

She walked quickly away from him, back into the station. People were swarming in the peak hour, and she absorbed herself into the crowd. He might have been one of royal guards, but she had the edge in her own city. She moved quickly through the rabbit warren of tube platforms, until she heard a train approaching. She didn’t care where it was going, she just wanted to get away. She waited until the train was beeping to close its doors, just to be sure she hadn’t been followed, then stepped onto it.

He was nowhere to be seen.

Her breathing slowly returned to normal. One station was sufficient. She exited back above ground and this time, easily hailed a cab.

But by the time she arrived at Layth’s hotel, her temper was frayed.

How dare he have her followed?

She barely looked at his other agents, standing sentinel throughout the hotel. Spies, she thought to herself angrily! She stepped into the lift and tried to calm her temper as it rode swiftly upwards.

But she was almost ready to explode.

Until the doors pinged open and she saw what Layth had done.

His hotel room had been transformed. Red roses were everywhere, and hundreds of candles flickered to create a glowing warmth.

“Finally,” he smiled, his handsome face taking her breath away.

She grabbed the tailend of her temper and held it tight. “You’re having me followed?”

Her tone was colder than even she’d intended.

He stopped walking and frowned. “I am sorry?”

“You’re having me followed. By one of your guards.”

His expression was instantly autocratic. “Yes.”

Her jaw dropped. “What? Why?”

He moved towards her and lifted the grocery bag from her hands. He placed it on the bench. “You are my lover. It puts you at risk. I do not want harm to befall you because you have chosen to sleep with me.”

Her face showed her confusion. “For a start off… just, wow. I don’t know what to say.” She rubbed her temples. “I understand you were trying to do the right thing, but it’s kind of bad manners to have someone followed. You should have told me. Your guy scared the pants off me.”

“I hope not,” he grinned, wrapping his arms around her waist. “At least, not without me there to enjoy the sight.”

“I’m serious,” she groaned. “I had no idea who it was and why he was on my tail.”

“My guy, as you call him, should have been more careful. His job is to be unseen.”

“That’s not the point. If you’d told me this, I would have at least listened.” She toyed with her necklace. “It felt invasive. I don’t like it. Can you stop it?”

“Not unless you stay here properly with me. And allow me to send my driver with you, to and from work.”

“What? That’s utterly absurd. I’ve lived here for years. I can look after myself.”

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