C.J. Miller - Under the Sheik's Protection

Then Barr stepped inside and her heart and movement stalled.

“Good morning, Sarah,” he said. His voice was firm and commanding, loud enough for the room to hear him. The words were warm and gentle like a caress and images from the night they’d spent in each other’s arms flashed to mind. His gaze raked over her, and she felt his desire in her core. Her body responded instantly. He’d given her that same look the night they’d met and she could interpret exactly what it meant. He wanted her naked beneath him. If history could predict the future, she wouldn’t say no.

Everyone in the room turned and Sarah panicked. She couldn’t cause a scene. She’d be fired. She strode to him and kept her voice low in response. “Barr. What are you doing here?”

His hair was neat, his suit fit him well, as if it was custom-made, which it probably was. Maybe he had a meeting in the area and had glimpsed her when the door had opened. He would say hello and wouldn’t stay for more than a moment.

“Sarah? You’ve already met the emir?” Owen asked, coming to her side.

Like the final puzzle piece snapping into place, understanding slammed into her and Sarah saw the whole picture. The men who accompanied him, the expensive hotel suite, the accent and the name. Barr was Saafir bin Jassim Al Sharani, the emir of Qamsar. She had read that his mother’s maiden name was Barr.

Had he realized who she was the other night? No surprise registered on his face now, so he must have. “Welcome,” she said, injecting confidence into her voice. Should she pretend as if they were meeting for the first time and that she hadn’t been writhing beneath him, screaming his name Saturday night?

Was that hurt in his eyes? Or pride? How did he expect her to react? “It’s a pleasure to see you,” he said.

Nervous energy churned in her stomach. The word “pleasure” felt punctuated with innuendo, or was it just her imagination? She wouldn’t say anything, not with the members of the trade agreement committee staring at the emir and at her.

Barr introduced her to his colleague Frederick, a man who served as one of Barr’s advisors.

Somehow, Sarah managed to give her practiced greeting and offer both men drinks she hoped they’d enjoy. Why hadn’t Barr told her who he was? He’d had the opportunity.

“Please excuse me, I’m meeting the caterer in a few minutes,” Sarah said, fleeing to the back entrance. She would do the job she had been hired for and not think about her one-night stand reappearing in her life.

Needing to get some fresh air, Sarah stepped outside to the alley where the caterer should be arriving any minute. It was early enough in the day to be cool in the shadow of the building.

The caterer was twenty minutes late. Sarah’s hands were shaking from the encounter with Barr and she needed to get ahold of her emotions and calm down. Her one-night stand was turning into a situation she would have to live with for the next week. Her stomach tightened. This was a professional complication she didn’t need in her career. Had her liaison with him been the reason her apartment had been ransacked? Did everyone already know she had slept with him?

“Sarah.”

Sarah jumped and turned, meeting Barr’s—or Saafir’s—dark eyes.

“Sarah, I owe you an apology.”

Standing in the alley outside the office building between the Dumpster and the street was the strangest place for the emir to be. He shouldn’t be out here. He belonged in the meeting. Adham lingered near the door, looking around.

She should have told him it was fine, even though it wasn’t, and that he should go inside, but she had one question. “Why didn’t you tell me who you were?”

“I didn’t figure out that you were the trade summit event coordinator until my security told me.”

“At what point was that?” she asked.

“After we had slept together,” he said.

Sarah folded her arms across her chest. “This job is important to me.” She didn’t want to be fired over her decision to sleep with him. If it was awkward between them, would he want her replaced?

“I know it is and I will not do anything to interfere with it,” Saafir said. He touched her upper arm. “You look gorgeous this morning. I was disappointed that you left without saying goodbye.”

Her pulse beat erratically. “I wasn’t sure of the protocol. What should I have done?”

He smiled and ran a finger lightly down her cheek. “You’re asking me? I don’t know the protocol for how to behave when I meet someone who brings me to my knees with a look.”

Her? She had that power over him? “This hasn’t happened to you before?” Or all the time, every time he traveled.

“Never before. Do you have this lure over all men?”

She had to smile at that. “You’re the first.”

“The first. I like that.” He winked at her.

If she entered into an ongoing affair with him, she wouldn’t come out of it unscathed. Her professional ethics and her heart were vulnerable.

“Have you been thinking about that night as much as I have?” he asked.

His open flirting was something she wasn’t accustomed to. He was playful and fun and almost made her forget she was working. She remembered her apartment. “I should tell you that my apartment was broken into Saturday night.”

His face registered shock. “I’m so sorry. Were you hurt?”

“It happened while I was out with you.” Was there a connection?

“Why didn’t you call me?” he asked.

Was he serious? Why would she have called him? They didn’t know each other well enough for her to expect him to come running when she had an emergency. “I called the police. They’re investigating.”

“You believe I had something to do with it.”

She wasn’t good at hiding her thoughts. Never had been. “It seems like a strange coincidence.”

“I have my share of enemies. If you believe your association with me was the reason for this crime, please allow me to make reparations and look into the matter.”

He seemed sincere and honest. “Don’t worry about it. I called the police and my insurance will cover it.” The insurance company wouldn’t clean up the mess, but they were sending her a check so she could replace some of her items. It wouldn’t cover everything she’d lost. Some things couldn’t be replaced.

“That’s unacceptable. I will send someone over to—”

Adham stepped closer. “They’re waiting for you, Captain.”

His guard was a good reminder of what they were dealing with and the complications that stood between them. He was more than a traveling businessman and she had a lot at stake with the trade summit meetings.

Saafir held up his hand. “One minute more. Please, Sarah, let me take care of your apartment.”

Sarah shook her head. “That’s really not necessary.” If she relied on him, it would make it harder when he left. “I’m handling it. I’m not sure why I brought it up.”

“You brought it up because you were concerned,” he said. “We’re friends. You can talk to me.”

Friends? An interesting word and not the one she would have chosen. “What happened this weekend puts us in an awkward position. But we can keep our distance so it doesn’t happen again.” The words made her sad, but she had to be clear about her boundaries.

The corner of his mouth turned up. “How can you stay away from me when you’re the coordinator for the event?”

His smile could have disarmed her, but she would stay strong and stand behind her principles. “From now on, we’re keeping this professional.”

Saafir frowned. “I’m disappointed to hear that.”

Sarah jammed a hand through her hair. “I’m sorry. I don’t want any more trouble for either of us.”