by Holly Rayner
FOUR
Osman
He’d dreamed about her that night.
Osman stood on his balcony, staring out at the glittering city. It was still early enough to stand outside, before the heat would rush in like a wave, forcing everyone indoors.
He wasn’t seeing the city, though.
Her eyes were a rich brown color, just a little lighter than his own. Her hair was the color of chestnuts. And her body… There was something about her that Osman instantly liked. Maybe it was her toughness, or her desire to prove that she could handle anything a man could. He imagined being a female soldier would do that to someone. Nowhere else would you have to prove yourself more than as one of the few women in a world of men. Osman admired her for it. He hoped she would accept the position.
A light knock at the door announced Adil’s presence, and he came in after a short pause with a silver tray laden with coffee and a light breakfast.
“Your breakfast, sir,” Adil said, setting it down on a table just inside from the balcony.
“Thank you, Adil,” Osman said, stretching in his satin robe as he cast one last glance at the city. “Will she be joining me?”
“Momentarily, sir. She’s getting dressed.”
Osman tried not to imagine her getting dressed, and instead sat at the table and fixed his coffee the way he liked it, with lots of sugar and cream.
A few minutes later, there was another knock at the door.
“Enter,” Osman said, trying not to sound too pretentious. It was clear Beth had strong opinions about his opulent lifestyle, but she certainly hadn’t complained while she gawked at his home the previous evening. Osman believed she’d quickly be able to adapt to the life of luxury. Everyone always did.
When she entered the room behind one of his female staff members, his breath caught in his throat. She wasn’t dressed extravagantly. She seemed to have an attachment to low-budget jeans and T-shirts. Osman realized he was going to have to have some clothing ordered for her immediately.
To his surprise, she laughed.
“Do I look that bad to you, Your Highness?” she asked, her eyes mischievous. It was clear she liked making him feel uncomfortable.
He wouldn’t give her the satisfaction. Two could play at that game.
“On the contrary, you look like a dream. I trust you slept well?”
She blushed at the compliment, and Osman suppressed a broad grin. Apparently Beth wasn’t so thick-shelled as to be completely immune to his charms.
He knew he shouldn’t be flirting with her. He knew he couldn’t afford to mess this up. If she proved to be someone he could trust, they could end up being great friends for a very long time. He had already considered that, after a while, if everything worked out, he could offer to have her mother flown out to live on the estate, too.
“I did, thank you. It’s nice to have a few hours of sleep under my belt so I can think clearly again,” she said.
He gestured at the chair across from him at the small, circular table, and she took a seat, making a small face as she glanced at the tray.
“What?” he asked.
“Nothing. This looks really good,” she said, reaching for a pastry and a glass of water.
He watched her for a moment.
“You don’t like coffee,” he guessed.
“It’s not my favorite, no,” she said, taking a sip of water.
“But you do like something warm at breakfast,” he guessed again.
She took another sip. “I normally drink green tea. But in this weather, I might have to give it up.”
With the sun fully risen, the heat was beginning to seep into the room, and Osman gestured for a staff member to close the door. He saw Beth’s eyes flash at this, and realized she was repressing another face.
“You really don’t approve of the way I live, do you?”
“I just think it’s weird that you have someone to open and close doors for you all the time. It’s not that hard.”
“And yet this man has a job, a roof over his head, and—as you so keenly observed—his duties are very light for him. His family is well provided for, all of his children provided with a private education. But if you think I should give that up and simply get the door myself, I’m happy to tell him he is dismissed.”
Beth put a hand up. “Okay, okay, point taken. I’ll bear that in mind from now on,” she said, taking a bite of her pastry.
“‘From now on,’ you say? Can I take this to mean you’ve made a decision on my offer?”
Beth chewed on her pastry for a moment before answering. “I will agree to work for you, on a trial basis, for six months. If I don’t find the job a good fit in any way, I will resign effective immediately. Those are my terms,” she finished, her gaze challenging.
Osman was used to a challenge. He liked them, in fact. He waved a hand, and his assistant left the room, returning shortly after, carrying a document.
“Those terms work for me. Here is your contract, ready to sign whenever you are,” he said, pushing the paper toward her across the table.
Beth took her time reading it. She read every word, slowly turning each page. When she got to the end, she looked up at his outstretched hand, holding a heavy pen. She hesitated one more time, then took it, and signed her name.
“Six months in the Middle East. Feels like another tour,” she said.
“I think you’ll find the accommodations a bit more comfortable here than on a submarine,” he said with an encouraging smile. To his delight, she smiled back—a real one this time.
“You do have a really nice shower,” she said, taking a heartier bite of her pastry now that everything was settled.
Osman clapped his hands together, suddenly all business. “So, first things first—I’ll have some new clothes ordered for you. If you’re going to live in my world, you’re going to have to adapt to this culture. That means no jeans and T-shirts everywhere we go.”
Beth frowned. “I know you think of me as some kind of fun accessory, Your Highness, but I take my job seriously. I’m not going to say no to new clothes, but you can bet your ass I won’t be protecting you in high heels and a cocktail dress. I need sensible clothing that I can fight in, if need be.”
Osman tried not to grin at that—it was clear she still believed that she might actually have to protect him. He kept his expression sober, not wanting to offend her.
“I understand. I’ll talk to my purchaser and see what we can work out. We should have a new wardrobe delivered to your room by this afternoon. Until then, I invite you to acclimate yourself to the house, and relax. You’re not officially on the clock yet, and I want you to have some time to adjust. Please, take the day and explore the grounds, and tonight we will be going out to my favorite club. I think you’ll like it,” he finished, standing after taking one last bite of pastry.
“Please, enjoy your breakfast, and I’ll see you later,” he said, giving her one last nod before heading out the door.
“Have a nice day, Your Highness,” Beth called to his back.
“Osman,” he said.
“Nope,” she replied, and he could hear the grin in her voice.
Beth Coolidge was going to be one tough nut to crack, Osman thought, smiling as he strolled out the door.
