Page 40 of The Sheikh’s Christmas Present

So why did he make her heart pitter-patter uncontrollably?

“You’re Kristy Cohen, right? Wyatt’s daughter?”

Straightening and trying to seem confident, she finally faced him. “That’s me. Dad went home earlier, but I’ll get you settled back in your lodgings if you like.”

“What I’d like is some food. I’m starving. I heard there was a small diner not far from here, and I’d love some company.”

Company? Did that mean date? Glancing down, she realized that she must look like a marshmallow in her white jacket. Obviously, he wasn’t asking her on a date. He was clearly just hungry.

“I need to get the dogs settled,” she said hesitantly. “That might take me a while.”

“I need to take a shower, so that’s perfect. I’ll meet you downstairs in half an hour?”

Oops. Shower. Considering that she’d been mucking out the horses’ stalls that morning, she probably smelled awful. There was no way she’d be able to shower and put the dogs up before then.

The dogs came first.

“Sure,” she muttered. If he wanted to go out with a woman that smelled like a farm, that wasn’t her problem. In fact, it would probably be easier. He’d take one whiff of her and come up with some excuse to stay in.

Except that wasn’t what happened. Dressing in her nicest pair of black jeans and a green sweater, Kristy pulled her reddish-blonde curls back in a ponytail. She wasn’t in the habit of wearing make-up or getting all dolled up and she certainly wasn’t going to start now.

Taking a deep breath, she stared at herself in the mirror and wiped her hands on her jeans. She’d been on dates before, but she’d never felt like this. Kristy actually had butterflies in her stomach.

“You are a grown woman,” she muttered as she frowned. “You’re acting ridiculous.”

After a moment of consideration, she bit off an oath and reached in her drawer to pull out a tube of lip gloss. Feeling almost ridiculous, she puckered her lips and applied the shimmer. Shaking her head, she reached for a tissue to wipe it off. Feeling a little better, she turned back to stare at her reflection again.

Damn it. Tapping her finger on the sink, she growled and reapplied the lip gloss before throwing it back in the drawer. Before she changed her mind again, she almost ran from the room. Part of her knew that the evening was a bad idea. She wasn’t the type of person to attract a rich sheikh, let alone a prince. She was a nervous wreck.

Kashif, on the other hand, looked like he’d stepped out of a modeling magazine. His dark hair swept down to the nape of his neck, and he wore dark slacks and a button-down shirt that fit him well. He’d slung on a leather jacket but hadn’t zipped it up, and he looked confident and suave.

God, did he look smug? Did he know how nervous she was?

“Ready?” he asked, as she pulled on her parka.

Her eyes swept over his expensive outfit, and she cleared her throat and tried to smile at him. Did he not realize that they were going to a diner? The most expensive thing on the menu was the five-dollar bottle of wine that Gloria tried to pretend actually cost twenty bucks.

Everyone in the diner, from the squalling kids to the senior couples that bickered about their meatloaf, stared when they sat down in the bright yellow, vinyl booth, but no one said anything. She knew they’d all call her father in the morning to get the details. There weren’t many people in her small town, and most people were shocked that Kristy wasn’t married yet.

It wasn’t from lack of trying. Three guys had asked for her hand, and she hadn’t even been on a single date with any of them. The town was ridiculous. If she’d had her way, she’d never leave the farm but it seemed that anything she did or didn’t do was prone to cause gossip.

But Mistywood was her first love, and she’d put up with a few wagging tongues and odd offers of marriage if it meant she got to work with her beloved dogs.

She’d been to the diner so often that she practically had the menu memorized, but Kashif studied it carefully. The silence between them grew awkward as she stared at him.

“Most of the contestants for the race won’t be here for a few weeks. Why are you here so early?”

Great. Interrogate him. That won’t make things awkward at all.

Kashif smiled. “As I’m sure you’re aware, there aren’t many opportunities for me to practice dog sledding in Al-Harmid.”

Kristy snorted. “And you think you’re going to master the art of mushing in a few weeks?” Clamping her mouth shut in horror, she lowered her eyes. Now, she was just being rude. What was wrong with her? “I’m really sorry. I didn’t mean to sound so critical.”

“Don’t be sorry,” he said with a twinge of amusement. “You are right. I’ve been to other places throughout the year, but when I heard that your dogs were the best, I knew that this was where I needed to be. I have a slew of trophies already, but this is the race that has always eluded me. Not this time. Besides, the handler isn’t the whole equation, is it? Your dogs are going to help me win.”

“You’re flattering me,” she said with a laugh.

“You deserve to be flattered, Kristy. You’re a talented dog trainer. I’m surprised you’re not competing.”

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