“You have a vet on staff here?” Laura asked, walking beside Raheem toward another entrance to the palace across from the one she’d exited. She suspected this was where Jess had disappeared to and wonder if this was for the family. “Unless you can splint it yourself, Superman.”
Raheem chuckled, a warm, inviting sound that Laura felt clear to her toes. “I like your choice of nickname. Alas, I did not study veterinary medicine in college. Only business and international finance. So yes, we will take him to the vet I keep on staff here for just such occasions.” He held the door for Laura with one hand while keeping the dove cuddled close to his chest with the other. “We also use him for our racing camels.”
“Racing camels?”
“Yes. Feraz’s team is quite popular in the region and they’ve won many titles.” Raheem grinned, all even white teeth and pure seduction. “If you’d like to watch a race sometime, just let me know and I’ll take you to the new track. We can sit in the royal box. It always pisses Rehaj off when I do that. He feels it’s a waste of precious time and money to indulge in such frivolous pursuits. Which, of course, makes it doubly fun for me.”
Laura shook her head and rolled her eyes. Seemed siblings were the same no matter the place or social standing. Inside the palace, the cool air conditioning made her shiver and Raheem gave her a side glance.
“Okay?”
“Yes,” she said, tucking a stray piece of hair behind her ear. She’d forgotten about her head scarf and now had it balled up in her hand. “Oh, goodness. I should probably put this back on, huh?”
Raheem narrowed his gaze, looking her over from top to bottom in a slow appraisal. She felt that glance like a physical caress. “No. I like you just as you are. Leave it off. Hair that glorious should never be covered.”
“Oh, um. Right. Sure.” And now she felt even more awkward than before.
They stopped before an elevator and Raheem pressed the button. “Thank you again for accepting the job.”
“Thank you for offering me so much money,” she said without thinking. Laura clamped a hand over her mouth and wished the ground would open up and swallow her whole. “Oh, my. I didn’t mean that. I meant thank you for offering me the job when I have such limited experience. I didn’t mean—”
Ding!
The elevator doors slid open and Raheem laughed. “Saved by the bell, eh?”
“Definitely.” Laura continued berating herself all the way up to the third floor, where they got off the elevator and walked down yet another hall to a small animal clinic in the corner of the building. Inside was a single, well-appointed exam room and an Asian man who looked to be in his mid-fifties with glasses and a kind smile. His lab coat said Dr. Xiao.
Raheem made the introductions then turned over the dove for treatment before leading Laura back out into the hall. “If you were hiding behind that palm tree then I’m sure you must have heard my conversation with my sister as well. She has warned me about you.”
“I’m not trouble, I swear.” Laura stopped outside the elevator again. “I just hope I have the skills to help you the way you need.”
“I’m sure you do.” He crossed his arms, causing the white material of his robe to pull taut across his muscled torso. Laura blinked and looked away, but not before she’d seen all those ridges and tantalizing contours. Raheem cocked his head, watching her with a fascinated expression. “If it is losing your job at the production company that has you worried, I may have something to sweeten the pot there as well. Have you called them yet?”
“No.” Once more, he held the door for her and then pushed the button for the first floor after they’d boarded. Laura stood in the corner, doing her best not to ogle her new boss and ignoring the scent of his cologne—woodsy and clean with a hint of soap and warm sunshine. “What else do you have to offer?”
If he noticed the unintended double entendre of her question, Raheem didn’t mention it. Instead, he shrugged. “I can offer your production company exclusive rights to film in Djeva for the length of my project. That should save them money and also give them leverage with the studios for distribution since no one else has been allowed to film here since we opened our country after my father’s death.”
“My boss would love that.” Laura grinned. “He’s been dying to get inside that new five-star resort that’s being built on the coast. If you can add an exclusive visit for him in there, I’d say you’ve got yourself a deal. With me, and them. I’ll have to run it by them, of course, but I can’t imagine them turning down such a fantastic opportunity.”
“Good.” Raheem led her back through the maze of halls until they reached the lobby once more, and it struck Laura just how effortlessly thoughtful he was—always polite and showing impeccable good manners when other men would’ve left her on her own to fend for herself. Her boss being a good case in point. And if someone would’ve told her the night she’d showed up at that desert camp that today she’d be negotiating for better terms for her self-centered boss with a royal prince of Djeva and enjoying it, Laura would’ve said they were nuts. But now, for some reason, she felt totally comfortable with Raheem.
She liked him. Truly liked him. For more than just his off-the-charts eye-candyness.
She liked him for who he seemed to be. Liked his kindness and generosity and insight. Liked the way he looked after his sisters even when they were a pain in his butt. Liked the way he’d cared for that injured dove instead of sending a servant to do it.
As they said their goodbyes for now, Laura stood watching Raheem walk away and felt a strange pull in her chest. Truth was she liked him way more than was wise, and that more than anything else had her concerned.
From across the foyer, Raheem stopped and turned back to her. “Oh, Laura. Be sure to get a good night’s sleep and pack a bag with essentials. We’ll be heading out first thing in the morning to visit a few sites and get started on the project.”
7
Raheem was up before dawn the next morning, making sure the Range Rover was packed with all the supplies they’d need for their day trip to the ancient caves near the western border of Djeva. A kinetic, nervous energy burned through him as he went over the itinerary with their driver. Maybe it was the anticipation of getting outdoors, away from the palace, back to nature that had him so pumped up. Or maybe it was the thought of spending the entire day with Laura and getting to know her better.
No. It was definitely the caves. Had to be. Anything else was pure folly.
He’d just finished loading their trip details into the GPS tracking app on his phone when Laura appeared in the foyer, dressed once more in the same khaki cargo shorts and white T-shirt she’d been wearing the first time he’d seen her. They were much cleaner now and freshly pressed, and she still looked as lovely as ever. He swallowed hard and forced a smile, waving her over.
“Good morning,” he said, focusing on his phone and not the alluring sway of her hips when she walked. She’d brought a wide-brimmed hat as well, which she had in her hand for now. Wise choice. No sense damaging all that glorious pale skin with a sunburn. At the thought of her creamy curves, Raheem cleared his throat and frowned. Not going there. Not today. Not ever.
Think about the trip. Think about the charity. Think about anything but this beautiful woman who’ll be working by your side all day.
“Where exactly are we headed?” Laura asked as he led her into the small, informal dining room. They used this one strictly for family as it only held about twenty comfortably. The staff had laid out a lovely hot breakfast buffet for them at Raheem’s request. The smell of spiced eggs in tomato sauce and freshly baked rolls filled the air and Raheem’s stomach growled. He’d been so busy the night before with preparations for today, he’d not eaten dinner.
“Today I’m taking you to a very special place that I remember visiting as a child. An ancient cave system that rivals Al Hoota in Oman.” He guided her toward the buffet and handed her a plate, then grabbed one for himself. “Do you know of this
Al Hoota?”
“Of course. I’ve never been there myself, but I have visited Qumran, where they found the Dead Sea Scrolls, and also Marneef Cave in Salalah. Both were quite breathtaking.”
“I’ll bet.” Raheem smiled as he piled his plate up with food, pleased that she was familiar with the region, though a bit surprised. “I hadn’t expected you to be such a world traveler.”
“Part of the job.” Laura shrugged before dishing out a healthy portion of fresh fruit on her plate. “Though I will say, having my GPS go out the other day kind of threw me for a loop. I hope you know where you’re going today.”
“I’m a prince of Djeva. I know every inch of this country like my own skin. Besides, we have one of our most experienced drivers accompanying us today and if we do happen to have any troubles, our palace security have protocols in place to send a search party for us if we miss a check-in point.”
“How comforting,” she said, her brow raised. But her smile was genuine as they took a seat at the dining room table and dug into their meal. “So, you used to hang out at this place as a kid, huh? I can’t imagine what it must have been like to grow up with all this wealth and privilege.”
“And responsibility,” Raheem added, around a bite of egg. “Don’t forget that part. We are the ruling family of Djeva and are expected to act with decorum, even as children.”
“Whoa. That doesn’t sound like much fun.”
Raheem grinned, watching her over the rim of his juice glass. “I didn’t say there weren’t ways around it.”
“I see.” She swallowed a bite of mango then grinned. “You were a handful then, weren’t you? I can just see you raising hell all over the desert, getting into all kinds of mischief.”
He shrugged. “I did my share of rabble-rousing, it’s true. But I was never a bad child. Only inquisitive.”
“So that’s what they’re calling it nowadays?”
The hint of teasing in her tone reminded him of the banter he shared with his sisters and it brought a smile to his face. If they could continue their playful tone on their trip, it would be a joyful day indeed.
“Tell me what made you become interested in conservation,” Laura said, stirring cream and sugar into her coffee. “Help me understand the sheikh you are today.”
“Sheikh is only my title,” he said, some of his energy draining away. “Beneath that, I am just a man, same as anyone else.” He finished the last few bites of his breakfast then sat back, his mind wandering back to the day that had changed everything for him. “Nature has always been a love of mine, ever since I turned eight and travelled with my family in a royal envoy across Djeva. From our coastline in the east to the rocky hills and sandy dunes in the west, I love every inch of my homeland.”
“It seems like a special place,” Laura said, watching him intently.
“It really is.” Raheem smiled sadly. “On the last day of our journey, however, our tour stopped at one of the many oil fields scattered across our deserts. Of course, being eight, I was fascinated with how everything worked, all those machines and drills. At the end of our day, we were to watch the sunset over the oil fields. I was standing between my mother and my sisters as the sun sank beneath the horizon. Such brilliant shades of amber and fuchsia and plum and gold. It was truly magnificent.”
“Sounds like it.”
He inhaled and closed his eyes, savoring the memory of those last few moments before his youthful innocence had been shattered and the harsh cruel realities of the world had come crashing down around him. “We stood there watching nature in all its glory. But then I heard this awful, plaintive cawing from somewhere nearby. I looked around and just to our right was a family of white-headed ducks. Except they weren’t white anymore because they’d gotten caught in an oil spill. A mother and her young chicks. All their downy, pristine feathers were coated in black muck and they were flailing and crying trying to escape. When I pointed them out to our tour guide, he explained that while it was unfortunate there was nothing that could be done. There simply weren’t the resources to care for all the wildlife that was being impacted by Djeva’s march toward progress. It was a sacrifice one had to make.” He opened his eyes and rolled his tense shoulders. “I still remember that day vividly, the outrage I felt—toward my country, toward my father, toward the attitude that nature wasn’t every bit as important as industrialization. That was the day that I vowed to take up the cause of conservation and ensure that the wildlife of my country would survive and thrive for many generations to come.”
“Wow.” Laura blinked at him. “And what happened to those poor little ducks? Did they die?”
“No.” Raheem straightened. “I was only eight, but even then I couldn’t allow it. I took off before my mother could catch me and next thing she knew, I was wallowing in the oil trying to catch the ducks and save them. My sisters joined me too. We got them all out and safely back to our headquarters where they were cleaned and released back into the wild.”
“Nice.” Laura pushed her empty plate away and they headed outside to where the Range Rover was parked near the curb. “I’m looking forward to this trip.”
“As am I.” He helped her up into the back seat then followed behind her, his enthusiasm returning after telling her about his past. Their driver got behind the wheel and soon they were off. Raheem sorted through a few last-minute emails before shutting off his phone and shoving it into his pocket. There would be plenty of time for him to work later. For today, he was more interested in the woman beside him and how she might help him reach his goals for his country. “How did your boss take the news of your departure?”
She gave him a quick side glance then muttered something under her breath he didn’t quite hear.
“I’m sorry?” Raheem said. “I didn’t catch that.”
“I said I haven’t exactly told him yet.”
He blinked at her a moment, not sure how he felt about that. Most people, when offered a deal by him or his family, either fell at his feet in gratitude or shouted their joyous news from the rooftops. Miss Bliss had done neither. “You are still working for your production company then?”
“Afraid so.” She exhaled and stared out the window, her expression thoughtful. “I just don’t want to deal with the bitching and complaining that will surely go along with my resignation. Also, there’s that little part of me that still thinks this whole thing with you is too good to be true. If you change your mind and cancel our deal, that leaves me high and dry.”
“And you expect me to leave you high and dry?” Irritation swelled inside him. He’d shown her nothing but hospitality and kindness since her unexpected arrival in his camp, and this was how she repaid him? With mistrust and wariness? He straightened and crossed his arms. “I have never broken a promise and I do not intend to start now.”
“I’m just saying that my track record with men and loyalty isn’t the greatest, that’s all.” She stared resolutely out the window, seemingly ignoring Raheem, for the rest of their drive out to the caves.
By the time they arrived, he was feeling restless and ornery, wanting nothing more than to go for a good long run on the sand to relieve some of his unbearable tension. He’d wanted to ask her more about this history of misplaced male loyalty, but of course she’d not wanted to talk. That left him on edge and frustrated.
He got out of the SUV and stretched his stiff muscles before turning to help Laura from the vehicle. She stared around the impressive landscape and looked sufficiently dumbstruck. Raheem felt some of his stress slip away.
The entrance to the ancient cave system rose up out of the surrounding golden sands like a huge gaping mouth. Surrounded by red rock cliffs, it stood about thirty feet high. Over the years, steel railings had been installed for safety reasons and there were guards posted at the entrance to prevent vandals and others from causing damage to the natural wonders.
“Wow!” Laura stared at the cave in awe. “This is truly spectacular. I never imagined something like this existed i
n Djeva.”
Pride swelled inside his chest, warming him. “Thank you. Now you see why I want to preserve these natural treasures?”
“I see.” She smiled and his blood heated even more, but for different reasons entirely.
He led her toward the cave while the driver and the guards began unloading their gear from the Range Rover. “Some history on the site. My scientists have dated this cave to one-point-five million years old. So far, the excavation teams have mapped seven miles of caves and tunnels beneath the ground here. Once we get the first mile or so ready to open to the public, it will be only the second show cave on the Arabian Peninsula, with the other being Al Hoota in Oman.”
They walked inside and immediately the temperature dropped by about ten degrees. Laura shivered and rubbed her arms. Raheem battled the urge to pull her close and warm her with his own body. Eco-friendly lights he’d had installed when the excavations had first begun clicked on, bathing the cavern in brightness. “I’ve tried to keep everything as natural as possible to avoid disturbing the native species that dwell here. My brother, Feraz, balked at the initial outlay of cash, of course, but I remained firm. We even have our very own rare blind fish which lives in the lakes of the caves.”
“There’s lakes too?” Laura wandered around the space, staring up at the massive stalactites hanging down from the ceiling and the stalagmites rising from the floor of the caves. Her tone was drenched in awe and Raheem couldn’t help but smile. It was the same sense of majesty he felt each time he walked alone in these grottos. Nice to have someone to share them with this day. She stopped and peered over the protective railing into the darkness below. “How many?”
The Sheikh's Tempting Assistant: Sheikh's Meddling Sisters: Book One Page 5
