Page 8 of The Sheikh's Temporary Girlfriend

That she was so desperately unprepared left her stomach twisting with nausea. He wanted her to put on the best act of her life, but she’d have to do an Oscar winning performance to get out of these seven days unscathed, not to mention get people to believe they were in deeply in love.

The same brunette air hostess opened the door to the steps outside, her smile as bright as her obvious devotion to Basam. “I hope you enjoyed your flight today, Sheikh Basam.” Her smile dropped a little as she added, “Amber.”

Amber hid a frown and decided now was as good a time as any to test out her acting skills. Looking up at Basam with what she hoped was pure adoration; she said huskily, “I did always wonder about the Mile High Club.” She giggled. “At least now I no longer have to use my imagination.”

She stood on tiptoes and pressed her lips to Basam’s. For an infinitesimal second he stiffened, as though shocked by her outright lie and the sudden desire to show off their fake passion for one another. Then he groaned and returned her kiss, dominated it, his skill unparalleled to anything she’d experienced before.

This wasn’t just a kiss filled with excitement and danger; it was an exchange of trust, of belief in one another. The electric current that zapped through her body and made her toes curl was nothing more than a lovely fringe benefit.

The air hostess gaped, but Amber was becoming too lost in sensation to care. Basam’s lips might be pillowy and soft, but his mouth was hard and uncompromising. He wasn’t shy in getting what he wanted.

She might have taken the first step, but he’d be the one to finish it.

A flash of bright lights tore them apart, leaving her blinking at the people behind the cameras on the tarmac below. That they’d captured the intimate moment between her and the sheikh for a moment made her sick with shock. Except this was what he’d wanted, wasn’t it? A pity her act hadn’t been an act, not as far as her body was concerned.

It’d been fully invested in their kiss.

Basam leaned down, his warm breath stirring her nerve endings once again as he whispered in her ear, “I’m impressed.”

It took everything she had not to demand a repeat kiss and impress him even more. Instead she smiled up at him and said sweetly, “One day down, six to go.”

She wasn’t quite sure how to interpret his unyielding face and suddenly unreadable gaze at her words. All she knew for sure was that she much preferred the admiring gaze he’d lavished on her just seconds before she’d opened her mouth and reminded him of their contract.

Then he nodded and murmured, “Indeed,” before he ushered her forward, out of his private jet and down the stairs leading to the tarmac and the voices shouting out questions even before they’d fully alighted.

“Sheikh Basam. Is this your girlfriend?”

“What do you have to say about the rumors of your love affair with a waitress?”

“Can you confirm or deny your story?”

“Sources corroborate you’ve been seeing one another for months. Is that true?”

Amber resisted cringing and instead lifting her hand to touch her choker. “Hi everyone, I’m Amber. It’s a pleasure to meet you all.”

Shock for a moment held her audience still, then they all spoke at once, a gaggle of voices that surrounded her and Basam as they moved toward their waiting car. The guards intervened then, ensuring their sheikh and Amber had safe passage through the mob and into the backseat of their chauffeured black stretch sedan.

As the car slid forward and left the reporters behind, Amber closed her eyes and leaned her head back against the buttery leather seat. She blew out an unsteady breath. “Wow. That was intense.”

“Yet you handled it like a pro.”

She flicked open her eyes and tilted her head to stare up at him. Damn he was gorgeous. It seemed unfair that someone in a robe and headgear could appear even more masculine and powerful. “So why do you sound so unhappy? Did I do something wrong?”

“On the contrary, you did everything right.”

She relaxed just a little, though she knew he wasn’t being entirely truthful. Then again, their whole being together was an act so she shouldn’t be surprised. “At least I get to prepare myself for a few hours before I face the people of your palace.”

“A few hours?” He chuckled darkly, amused by her words. “Hardly.”

“What do you mean? Youdolive in the city I saw in the distance from the air, don’t you?”

He shook his head. “What you saw was the nearest city to my desert palace.”

“Desert palace?” she said weakly.

He nodded and swept out a languid hand to indicate the sealed road ahead, the manmade development making the desert either side look even more desolate and wild. “While the city is three hours’ drive away, it’s little more than a ten minute drive from my private airport to my palace.”

Her stomach tightened. “So I’ll be practically living in the desert for six days?”

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