‘And always returning home,’ Sharif said with a shrug. ‘What can I tell you, Britt? If you want responsibility there is no easy way. You should know that. You have to take everything that comes along.’
‘And when Tyr comes home?’
‘I’m not sure that your brother has any interest in the business—beyond saving it.’
She flushed at misjudging her brother when she should have known that Tyr would have all their best interests at heart.
‘And now I’ve got a new contract of employment for you—’
‘You anticipated my response.’ But she went cold. Was she so easy to read? If she was, Sharif must know how hopelessly entangled her heart was with his.
Sharif gave nothing away as he uncapped his pen. ‘Your lawyers have given it the once-over,’ he explained. ‘You can read their letter. I’ve got it here for you. I’ll leave you in private for a few moments.’
She picked it up as Sharif shut the door behind him. Her nerves were all on edge as she scanned the contents of the letter. ‘This is the best solution,’ jumped out at her. So be it. She drew a steadying breath, knowing there wasn’t time for personal feelings. There never had been time. She had consistently fooled herself about that where Sharif was concerned.
Walking to the door, she asked the first person she saw to witness her signature and two minutes later it was done. She issued a silent apology to her ancestors. This was no longer a family firm. She worked for the consortium now like everyone else at Skavanga Mining.
Sharif returned and saw her face. ‘You haven’t lost anything, Britt. You’ve only gained from this.’
That remained to be seen, she thought, remembering Sharif leaving her in Kareshi and again at the cabin.
‘I left a message for you in Kareshi,’ he said as if picking up on these thoughts. ‘Didn’t you get it? The women? Didn’t they come to find you?’ he added as she slowly shook her head.
And then she remembered the women trying to speak to her before she left. She’d been in too much of a hurry to spare the time for them. ‘They did try to speak to me,’ she admitted.
‘But you didn’t give them chance to explain?’ Sharif guessed. ‘Like you I never walk away from responsibility, Britt. You should know I would always get a message to you somehow.’
And he was actually paying her a compliment leaving Skavanga Mining in her care. It was a compliment she would gladly park in favour of hearing Sharif tell her that he couldn’t envisage life without her—
How far must this self-delusion go before she finally got it into her head that whatever had happened between them in the past was over? Sharif had clearly moved on to the next phase of his life. Why couldn’t she?
‘Welcome on board, Britt.’
She stared at his outstretched hand, wondering if she dared touch it. She was actually afraid of what she might feel. She sought refuge as always in business. ‘Is that it?’ she said briskly, turning to go. ‘I really should put my sisters out of their misery.’
‘They already know what’s going on.’
‘You told them?’
‘Like you, I didn’t want them to worry, so I told them what was happening and sent them home.’
‘You don’t take any chances, do you, Sharif?’ She stared into the dark, unreadable eyes of the man who had briefly been her lover and who was now her boss.
‘Never,’ he confirmed.
A wave of emotion jolted her as she walked to the door. Sharif’s voice stopped her. ‘Don’t leave like this,’ he said.
She turned her face away from him, unwilling to meet his all-seeing stare. The last thing she wanted now was to break down in front of him. Sharif must be given no reason to think she wasn’t tough enough to handle the assignment he had tasked her with.
‘Britt,’ he ground out, his mouth so close to her ear. ‘Please. Listen to me—’
She tried to make a joke of it and almost managed to huff a laugh as she wrangled herself free. ‘I think I’ve listened to you enough, don’t you?’
‘You don’t get it, do you?’ he said. ‘I’m doing this for you—I rushed here for you—to save the company. This isn’t just for the consortium. Yes, of course we’ll benefit from it, but I wanted to save your company for you. Can’t you see that? Why else would I leave my country when there’s trouble brewing?’
‘I don’t know,’ she said, shaking her head. ‘Everything’s happened so fast, I just don’t know what to think. I only know I don’t understand you.’
‘I think you do. I think you understand me very well.’
She would not succumb to Sharif’s dark charm. She would not weaken now. The urge to soften against him was overpowering, but if she did that she was lost. She might as well pack up her job and agree to be Sharif’s mistress for as long as it amused the Black Sheikh. ‘I need to go home and see my sisters.’
‘You need to stay here with me,’ Sharif argued.
She wanted his arms around her too badly to stay. She still felt isolated and unsure of herself. She, who took pride in standing alone at the head of her troops, felt as if the ground had been pulled away from her feet today.
‘Are you frightened of being alone with me, Britt?’ Cupping her chin, Sharif made her look at him and she stared back. He was a warrior of the desert, a man who had fought to restore freedom to his country, and who could have brushed her aside and taken over Skavanga Mining without involving her.
So why hadn’t he?
‘I asked you a question, Britt? Why won’t you answer me?’
Sharif’s touch on her face was so seductive it would have been the easiest thing in the world to soften in his arms. ‘I’m not frightened of you,’ she said, speaking more to herself.
‘Good,’ he murmured. ‘That’s the last thing I want.’
But if he could know how frightened she was of the way she felt about him, he would surely count it as a victory. And the longer Sharif held her like this, close yet not too close, the more she longed for his warmth and his strength, and the clearer it became that, for the first time in her life, being Britt Skavanga, lone businesswoman, wasn’t enough.
‘I’ve got an idea,’ Sharif said quietly as he released her.
‘What?’ she said cautiously.
‘I’d like you the think about working in Kareshi as well as Skavanga— Don’t look so shocked, Britt. We live in a small world—’
‘It’s not that.’ Her heart had leapt at the thought, but she still doubted herself, doubted her capabilities, and wondered if Sharif was just saying this to make her feel better.
‘It’s not that—’ Her heart had leapt at the thought, even as doubt crowded in that for some reason Sharif just wanted to make her feel better.
‘I have always encouraged people to break down unnecessary barriers so they can broaden their horizons in every way. I’m keen to develop talent wherever I find it, and I’d like you to think about using your interpersonal skills more widely. I know you’ve always concentrated on Skavanga Mining in the past, and that’s good, but while I’m away— Well, please just agree to think about what I’ve said—’
‘I will,’ she promised as Sharif moved towards the door.
‘One month, Britt. I’ll send the jet.’
Anything connected with Sharif was a whirlwind, Britt concluded, her head still reeling as he left the room. He ruled a country— He was a warrior. He was a lover, but no more than that. But Sharif had placed his trust in her, and had put her back in charge of Skavanga mining where she could protect the interests of the people she cared about.
A month, he’d said? She’d better get started.
* * *
He had to give her time, he reasoned. He would see Britt again soon—
A month—
He consoled himself with the thought that in between times he could sort out his country and his companies—
To hell with all of it!
Without Britt there was nothing. He’d known that on the flight when every mi
le he put between them was a mile too far. Without Britt there was no purpose to any of this. What was life for, if not to love and be loved?
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
A MONTH WAS a long time in business, and Britt was surprised at how many of the changes were good. With new blood came new ideas, along with fresh energy for everyone concerned to fire off. The combination of ice and fire seemed to be working well at Skavanga Mining. The Kareshis brought interesting solutions for deep shaft mining, while nothing fazed workers in Skavanga who were accustomed to dealing with extreme conditions on a daily basis. Drilling was already under way, and even Britt’s sisters had been reassured by how well everyone was getting on, and how much care, time and money the consortium was putting into preserving the environment. They had always taken their lead from Britt where business was concerned and so when she explained Sharif’s plan to them, they were all for her trip to Kareshi—though their teasing she could have done without.
‘Oh, come off it,’ Eva insisted in Britt’s minimalist bedroom at the penthouse, where the sisters were helping Britt to pack in readiness for the arrival of Sharif’s jet the following day. ‘We’ve seen him now. Don’t tell me you’re not aching to see your desert sheikh again.’
Aching? If a month was a long time in business, it was infinity when it came to being parted from Sharif. ‘He isn’t my desert sheikh,’ she said firmly, ignoring the glances her sisters exchanged. ‘And, for your information, this is a business trip.’
‘Hence the new underwear,’ Leila remarked tongue in cheek.
* * *
Business trip?
Business trip, Britt told herself firmly as the limousine that had collected her from the steps of the royal flight, no less, slowed in front of the towering, heavily ornamented golden gates that led into the courtyard in front of Sheikh Sharif’s residence in his capital city of Kareshi. She had read during the flight that the Black Sheikh’s palace was a world heritage site, and was one of the most authentically restored medieval castles. To Britt it was simply overwhelming. The size of the place was incredible. It was, in fact, more like a fortified city contained within massive walls.
It was one month since she had last seen Sharif. One month in which to prepare herself for pennants flying from ancient battlements, alongside the hustle and bustle of a thriving modern city—but she could never be properly prepared, if only because the contrast was just too stark. And those contrasts existed in the Black Sheikh himself. Respectful of traditional values, Sharif was a forward-thinker, always planning the next improvement for his country.
Excitement wasn’t enought to describe her feelings. There was also apprehension. Until she saw Sharif’s expression when he saw her again, she couldn’t relax. She was prepared for anything, and was already steeling her heart—the same heart that was hammering in her ears as she wondered if Sharif would be wearing his full and splendid regalia—the flowing black robes of the desert king? Or would he be wearing a sombre tailored suit to greet a director of what he had referred to in the press as his most exciting project yet?
Exhaling shakily, she hoped the problems he had referred to in Kareshi had been resolved, because she was bringing him good news from the mine. They were ahead of schedule and there was a lot to talk about. Ready for their first business meeting, she had changed into a modest dress and jacket in a conservative shade of beige on the plane.
Her heart bounced as the steps of the citadel came into view. Somewhere inside that gigantic building Sharif was waiting.
Not inside.
And not wearing black robes, either, she realised as the limousine drew to a halt.
Sharif was dressed for riding in breeches, polo shirt and boots…breeches that moulded his lower body with obscene attention to detail…
‘Welcome to my home,’ he said, opening the car door for her.
His face was hard to read. He was smiling, but it could easily have been a smile of welcome for a business associate, newly arrived in his country. Forget business—forget everything—her heart was going crazy. ‘Thank you,’ she said demurely, stepping out.
He was just so damn sexy she couldn’t think of anything else to say. Her mind was closed to business, and her wayward body had tunnel vision and could only see one man—and that was the sexy man who knew just how to please her. There was only one swarthy, stubble-shaded face in her field of vision, and one head of unruly, thick black hair, one pair of keenly assessing eyes, one aquiline nose, one proud, smooth brow, one firm, sexy mouth—
Pull yourself together, Britt ordered herself firmly as Sharif indicated that she should mount the steps ahead of him.
There were guards in traditional robes with scimitars hanging at their sides standing sentry either side of the grand entrance doors and she felt overawed as she walked past them into the ancient citadel. Every breath she took seemed amplified and their footsteps sounded like pistol shots in the huge vaulted space. Everything was on a grand scale. It was an imposing marble-tiled hall with giant-sized stained-glass windows. There were sumptuous rugs in all the colours of the rainbow, and the beautifully ornamented furniture seemed to have been scaled for a race of giants. She felt like a mouse that had strayed into the lion’s den. The arched ceiling above her head seemed to stretch away to the heavens, and she couldn’t imagine who had built it, or how the monstrous stone pillars that supported it had been set in place.
Attendants bowed low as Sharif led her on. Even when he was dressed in riding gear, authority radiated from him. He was a natural leader without any affectation, and—
And she was going there again, Britt realised, reining her feelings in. Each time she saw Sharif she found something more to admire about him, yet his insular demeanor irritated the hell out of her too, even if she accepted that hiding his feelings must be an essential tool of kingship.
‘Do you like it?’ he said, catching her smile.
She jolted back to full attention, realising that Sharif had been watching her keenly the whole time. ‘I think it’s magnificent,’ she said as a group of men in flowing robes with curving daggers in their belts and prayer beads clicking in their hands bowed low to Sharif.
A hint of cinnamon and some other exotic spices cut the air, a timely reminder of just how far away from home she was, and how they still had quite a few issues to address. She wondered if Sharif would hand her over to some underling soon, leaving their discussions until later. She almost hoped he would to give her chance to get used to this.
‘What’s amusing you?’ he said.
‘Just taking it all in,’ she said honestly. ‘I’m a historic building fanatic,’ she admitted, thinking that a safe topic of conversation. ‘And this is one of the best I’ve seen.’
‘The main part of the citadel was built in the twelfth century—’
As he went on she realised that Sharif really did mean to be her tour guide. She had no complaints. He was an excellent teacher, as she knew only too well.
He took her into scented gardens while her heart yearned for him to a soundtrack of musical fountains.
‘We have always had some of the greatest engineers in the world in Kareshi,’ he explained.
And some of the greatest lovers too, she thought. And what else but love could this exquisite courtyard have been designed for? Everything spoke of romance—the intricate mosaic patterns on the floor, the songbirds carolling in the lemon trees, and the tinkling water features. Surely it was the most romantic place on earth?
And as such was completely wasted on her, Britt concluded, as Sharif indicated that they should move on. ‘I’ll have someone show you your room,’ he said.
So that was it. Tour over. Her heart lurched on cue as he raked his wild, unruly hair into some semblance of order. He probably couldn’t wait to pass her over to someone else.
‘Freshen up and then meet me in ten,’ he said.
Oh…
‘Unless you’re too tired after your journey?’
‘I’m not tired.’
/> ‘Good. Put something casual on. Jeans—’
She held back on the salute as a group of women clothed in flowing gowns in a multitude of colours appeared out of nowhere. She turned to look over her shoulder as they ushered her away, but Sharif had already gone.
* * *
‘These are your rooms,’ an older woman, who seemed in charge of the rest, explained as Britt gazed around in wonder.
‘All of them?’ she murmured.
‘All of them,’ the smiling woman explained. ‘My name is Zenub. If you need anything you only have to ask—or call me.’ And when Britt looked surprised, she added, ‘This is an ancient building, but we have a very modern sheikh. There is an internal telephone system. This room leads into your dressing room and bathroom,’ she explained, opening an arched fretted door that might have been made of solid gold, for all Britt knew. The door was studded with gems that seemed real enough, and probably were, Britt concluded, since Sharif had explained that every original feature inside the citadel had been faithfully restored to its former glory.
She was excited to discover that she had her own inner courtyard, complete with fountain and songbirds. The scent from a cluster of orange trees decorated with fat, ripe fruit was incredible while the fretted walls and covered walkways kept everything cool. It was just the type of place to invite exploration—the type of place to linger and to dream. Perhaps it was just as well she didn’t have time.
‘There are clothes in the wardrobe, should you need them,’ Zenub told her as she ushered the other women out. ‘And your suitcase is over here,’ she added, indicating a dressing room with yet another glorious display of fresh flowers on one of the low-lying, heavily decorated brass tables. ‘Please don’t hesitate to call me if you need anything else.’
Britt smiled. ‘I will—thank you. And thank you for everything you’ve done to make me so welcome.’
Amazing didn’t quite cover this, Britt reflected as the women left her alone in what amounted to the most fabulous apartment. Every item must have been a priceless treasure, and it was only when she walked into the bathroom and smiled that she saw Sharif’s hand in the restoration. The bathroom was state of the art too. There were the high-quality towels on heated rails, as well as fabulous products lined up on the shelves. If the harem pavilion in the desert had been a place of pure pleasure, this was sheer indulgence. It was just a shame she didn’t have time to indulge. Another time, she mused ruefully, stepping into the shower.
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