When he lifted her hand to his lips to kiss it in a gesture of reverence, she felt her skin prickle with distaste. Something about him made her feel very ill at ease.
Although Tariq didn’t exactly make her feel relaxed- for entirely different reasons- she found herself seeking solace in his presence. It was her first diplomatic outing, but as the evening progressed, she realized that she had a natural instinct for small talk and flattery. Perhaps it was her job. Working with special needs children required a constant diplomacy and even temperament. Parents tended to be even more sensitive and protective when their disabled children were involved. To get the best results for her students, she frequently had to broach difficult conversations in the hope of getting everyone working together.
As time wore on, she felt a real glow of pride in how well she was coping with the intimidating situation. The one blight in an otherwise pleasant evening was Faisal. How he made her shudder! At least Rebecca had been placed between Tariq and Eric, and though she felt Faisal watching her much of the night, she was able to keep her eyes averted and try to keep up with Tariq and Eric’s boisterous run down memory lane instead.
The more she learned of this man she had married, the more she wanted to know. He had been raised predominantly in Europe and America, which explained why he was so westernised in so many ways. Why she didn’t feel that they were so culturally disparate.
“I had better get to bed,” Eric said on a languorous stretch once the strong Arabic coffee had been cleared.
“I will walk you to your room.” Tariq said, rising from his chair. It was a sign to the other diners that the evening was concluded, and they likewise stood and began to filter from the room.
Each guest farewelled Rebecca with a small bow. All, except Tariq, who shot her a look that, to Rebecca at least, smouldered.
She waited until everyone had left the room, and pressed the palm of her hand into her chest. Maybe if she pushed really hard, her heart would stop feeling so twisted out of shape. Maybe not.
She stood and slowly walked across the formal dining room, enjoying the swish of her dress with each step she took. That was it. It was over. When would she see her husband next? Another week? Two? Was this really the life she’d chosen to lead?
She thought of the children she was spending her days with and at least that brought her happiness.
There was a creak at the door and Rebecca turned around slowly, her heart starting to race as she prepared to see her husband. Surely he had come back, after all. Maybe he wasn’t as unaffected by her as he seemed. Only it wasn’t Tariq. Faisal Kassis was back, and for once, there was not a security guard in sight.
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The Sheikh's Virgin Hostage: Seducing her was never part of the plan... Page 16
