“I married the man I loved when I was younger than her,” Adiva said. She turned to look at Jamal. “Love exists; you just need to find the right person. I did,” she said. Jamal offered no response. He just carried on eating his food.
* * * *
“No!” Josie screamed when she woke up and saw the time. She had planned on being early, but she didn't hear the alarm when it sounded off. She jumped out of bed and ran to the shower. She washed for only five minutes. She ran back to her room and got dressed in a hurry. She wore leggings and a long top. She ran out of the lodge holding her shoes in her hands. Her hair was tied up; she hadn't even bothered to brush it.
Josie put on her shoes before she walked into the office. She sighed with relief when she walked in the office and the sheikh was not in there. She sat at the desk and opened the file so that when he walked in, he'd see her “reading.” The sheikh walked in. Josie suddenly felt nervous. He walked over to the desk and took his suit jacket off and hung it. He sat down.
“Morning, sir” Josie greeted him.
“You've read through the paperwork?” he replied.
Josie suppressed a frown. He had to answer her with a question. Even though she had not spent a lot of time around him, she found him unbelievably rude.
“Yes, I have done so,” Josie tried her best to sound polite. The sheikh looked at her and noticed her untidy hair. Not only does she not dress well, but she does not brush her hair either, he thought to himself.
“What time did you wake up?” he asked her.
Very random question. “Erm 8.” Lie!
“Is that so?” He didn’t believe her.
“Why?”
“It would have been better if you were ten more minutes late, just to spend more time on your—” he paused and looked at her hair. “Hair,” he finished off. Josie frowned and touched her hair.
“What is wrong with it?” she asked. This man really was rude. Now he was commenting on her hair. Why did he care?
“If you don't know, then there is no point to this conversation,” the sheikh stood up from his chair and walked over to the filing cabinet. Josie frowned. He had said ten more minutes late. How did he know she was late?
“How did you know I was late?” Josie asked. The sheikh opened the filing cabinet and pulled out another file. He gave it to her.
“Read this. I'll be back in a few minutes,” He said and headed for the door. Once again he hadn't bothered to answer her, and she was starting to get really annoyed with it.
“Sheikh—” He cut her off before she could say anything else.
“I saw you running here . . . barefoot.” He opened the door and walked out. Josie's eye widened. He saw her running and not just running but running barefoot. He definitely thought poorly of her now. Josie shook the thoughts away. It could be worse; she could have spilt something on him or something like that. She was capable.
She felt relieved that he had left her in the office by herself. It would have been way too awkward to sit with each other after he had told her that he saw her. She read over the paperwork he had given her and made notes. The sheikh returned with Tariq. Josie greeted Tariq before he sat down. The sheikh noticed all the notes she had made. It surprised him; he hadn't expected her to have done so much in such a short time.
“What have you been writing?” the sheikh asked Josie.
Josie instantly rose to her feet and passed him her notes. She started explaining everything that she had written down. She was talking nonstop and looked so enthusiastic about what she was talking about. Tariq and the sheikh looked at each other.
“That's it,” she finally said. “Oh, and these kinds of barrels are better for storing oil in. They're also cheaper in Korea than China,” she added.
The sheikh and Tariq stared at her for a moment. “You did all that in twenty minutes,” the sheikh said. Josie nodded. Tariq looked at the sheikh with an I-told-you-so expression. He knew Josie was a smart one.
“Let me see those barrels,” Tariq said. Josie handed him the pictures she had printed out from the sheikh's computer. Tariq looked impressed.
“You are exactly how I thought you would be like,” Tariq said.
“Like what?” Josie asked.
“Full of ideas. You're a smart girl.”
Josie grinned. “I am full of ideas, but I’m not that smart—just average.”
The sheikh agreed silently. He hadn't seen anything special yet. Yes, she had good ideas and had come up with replacement barrels—something no one had thought of—but it was nothing out of the ordinary. He asked her to return to the office she was originally meant to work in.
“I will call you in the future,” the sheikh said. “There is still more to do on this project,” he added. Josie reacted slowly. Was that it? Just dismiss her like that and bring her back when he needed her. She was not even sure if he appreciated her work. He had not even thanked her or even given a smile—nothing! He was a cold man. This was the man all the women were dying to be with? Josie laughed to herself. He’s so arrogant and conceited. Tariq was a much better man than the sheikh. Josie just nodded and left the room.
Chapter 6
The next day they were finally allowed in the fields. Josie slipped on her work boots and ran to the field. Tariq was not surprised to see her arrive first. Seeing her excitement reminded her of when he first graduated, the excitement he felt back then. She reminded him of the reason why he had become an engineer.
The interns were given a quick tour around the fields and were shown how the oil was extracted from the ground and transferred into barrels. Josie had no problems starting. Caroline raised her eyebrow at Josie; Josie was literally getting her hands dirty. The rest of the girls wore gloves, but she didn't.
“That's why you're still single,” Chris teased Josie.
“A real man can handle a real woman like me,” Josie said and snapped her fingers.
“Yes, girl!” Fiona shouted from behind Josie. All of them started laughing. Tariq wanted to laugh. Everyone seemed to get a kick out of making fun of Josie. The more he saw of Josie, the more he realized that she was amusing and different.
“You need to get a manicure after this!” Caroline said to Josie.
Josie picked up a lump of soil and threw it at Caroline's butt. Caroline jumped up. Everyone started laughing at her.
“Who did that?” Caroline yelled out.
“Loosen up, man” Josie said to her. Caroline didn't look pleased. She dusted her bottom. She picked a lump of soil and threw it back at Josie. Josie managed to dash out of the way in time.
“Like a ninja,” Josie joked.
During lunchtime, they all sat down at the table. They were served with freshly baked naan bread, salad and grilled meat. Josie's eyes widened when she saw the meat. Jasmine teased her about it. The guys joined in too. Josie was never shy about loving her meat. They were all laughing at her and teasing her when the sheikh arrived. They stopped laughing and greeted him.
“Josie, if you would come with me for a moment,” the sheikh said. Josie pouted. He just had to call her when she was about to eat.
“Right now?” she asked. Her voice was full of disappointment.
“Is that a problem?” he asked.
Caroline, Jasmine and Fiona were staring at the sheikh while he spoke. Caroline was even playing with her hair, hoping that he'd turn to look at her. She had sworn to herself that she'd not waste any glances he gave her. She had always been told how good at flirting she was, and she wanted to use her skills on the sheikh.
“Not really,” Josie mumbled and stood up. The sheikh looked at her from head to toe really slowly. She was very dirty. He turned on his heel and walked off, trying not to comment. It was like she did not even bother trying to look presentable. Josie walked behind the sheikh. She could not help but notice how confident his walk was. A lot of tall people were awkward when they walked but not the sheikh. His walk was confident, authoritative and appealing, as much as Josie did not wa
nt to admit.
She was expecting to go to his office, but they didn't. They went to a different part of the farm. A nicer part. There was a pool there and a few tables. There was a table on the nicely cut green grass. The sheikh gestured for her to sit down. Josie did as she was told. The sheikh sat opposite her. He opened the buttons on his suit jacket. Josie assumed that he would take it off, but he didn't.
“Aren't you hot?” she asked. She was dying out there. It was too hot. The sheikh did not respond to her question. He was confused as to why she was asking him or why she cared. “I guess not,” Josie mumbled under breath. Ignore me then jackass! Josie's subconscious yelled. “Why did you want to speak with me?” Josie asked. He had interrupted her meal and not even told her what he needed from her.
The sheikh stared at her for a moment. He could not help but analyze her. Her hair was still not brushed. Even though her legs were covered today, what she was wearing shaped her legs. It distracted him. He looked at her face; she looked furious. He felt amused rather than guilty or apologetic. After all, he was the cause of this fury.
“I have a meeting with some buyers tomorrow,” the sheikh finally said.
“Okay?” What does that have to do with me?
“We will be leaving at nine on the dot. I guess you'll have to wake up at six.”
“Me? What? I'm coming with you?” Josie's eyes widened.
“Will that be a problem?”
“I guess not,” Josie sunk in her chair and narrowed her eyes. She was really getting frustrated with him. Every question was answered with another question. He never answered her directly. He was so rude, it was getting to her. She was losing her patience with this man.
The sheikh could see that she was bothered. She was getting furious again. Her lips were twitching; it was as if she was holding back from saying something to him. Her lips were full. The bottom lip was slightly pinker than the top lip. The sheikh found himself really staring at her lips. A loud noise interrupted the silent moment. Josie shifted uncomfortably and placed her hands on her stomach.
“Are we done here?” Josie asked and pushed her chair back getting ready to leave.
The sheikh called one of the waiters over. He asked her to bring food for them. Josie felt even more awkward now. She didn't want to eat in front of him. He had already seen her running barefoot, complained about her hair, and now her belly had rumbled in front of him. She couldn't take embarrassing herself in front of him anymore, and eating in front of him as equals guaranteed embarrassment.
“I'll excuse myself and let you enjoy your meal,” Josie said and stood up.
“Sit. We still have more to discuss,” The sheikh ordered. Josie sat down stiffly. Not only did he not answer her questions, he was now ordering her. He ordered her to come with him to the meeting and now to sit down.
The food was served for them. It looked so appetizing; Josie just wanted to dive in. The sheikh gestured for her to eat. She moved slowly and picked up her fork. She cut the meat carefully and put it in her mouth. She looked up and the sheikh was watching her. This made her stomach feel unsettled. His gaze was intimidating. His face had no expression. She could not figure out what he was thinking. He picked up the cutlery and started eating. Then he started speaking about tomorrow's events. He told her what to expect and how long it would take.
“My assistant will drop off suitable attire for you to wear tomorrow,” he said lazily.
“I have stuff I can wear,” Josie replied.
“Hmm,” the sheikh grunted.
“What?” Josie snapped and stopped eating. She stared at him in the eye, even though it was difficult.
“I prefer you wear what I bring for you.”
“My cheap clothes will make you look bad?”
“Your lack of modesty.” He returned her stare. Josie felt her insides twist, but she was not going to give in or let him see that his stare intimidated her.
“Excuse me?”
She was bothered by his words, and this amused him even more. Her luscious lips twitched even more. It bothered him.
“Enjoy the rest of the meal, and I expect you to wear what she will bring to you tonight. This meeting is one you have never been to. Each event has its own dress code.” With that the sheikh got up and left. This infuriated Josie even more. How dare he walk away right in the middle of their conversation? He had not answered her yet again. He had also insulted her and given her the basis of his insult. Where was this coming from? She clenched her fist. Words will be exchanged next time, she thought to herself. Next time he insulted her, she would not let him go scot-free.
Chapter 7
The sheikh's snobby assistant arrived at the lodge around 8am. Josie was still sleepy when she came. If she had it her way, she would not go at all or she would go with Tariq. The assistant gave her a pantsuit. Josie was surprised the sheikh had not requested for her to wear a long, baggy dress that reached her ankles. That would be more modest.
The assistant was slim and tall. She was dressed in smart office-wear and high heels that looked expensive. She was not so friendly to Josie when she was speaking to her. After giving Josie the clothes, she made herself comfortable on the sofa. Josie raised her eyebrow. “You're not leaving?” Josie asked, trying not to sound rude.
“No, the sheikh said to assist you in styling your hair,” the assistant replied and frowned at her hair.
“I do not need any assistance—thank you,” Josie walked up the stairs feeling annoyed. He needed to get over her hair. Hers not his. He needed to back off.
She got ready as fast as she could. She brushed her hair. It was hard having that much curly hair. She tied it up in a high bun. She looked at herself in the mirror; the pant suit was exactly her size. Caroline barged into her room holding her makeup kit.
“Caroline?” Josie said when she saw her. “What are you doing here so early?” she asked.
“I knew you would not wear makeup, so I came here to rescue your face,” Caroline replied pulling out mascara.
“No, I don't want makeup. Goodbye!”
“It doesn't hurt.”
“It does,” Josie dashed past Caroline and headed downstairs. The assistant was still there waiting for her. Josie told her that she was done and ready to go.
“No makeup?” The assistant asked.
“No,” Josie snapped. She wished everyone would get off her case. They always wanted to make her put on makeup, make her wear a dress. It was so frustrating. It was not a rule that women had to always cake their faces with makeup.
Josie opened the front door. There was limo waiting for her. The driver got out of the car and opened the door. The sheikh was inside waiting for her. “Here we go,” Josie whispered to herself and got in the car. Caroline and Fiona were watching from the window.
“She is so lucky,” Caroline said.
“I'm sure he will marry a snotty, rich, upper-class woman. So stop dreaming; just drool, but don't hope for anything,” Fiona replied.
“A girl can dream; you never know!”
The limo pulled away. Josie sat in the back seat with the sheikh. She did not even bother greeting him since he was not going to reply to her anyway.
“You wore the suit,” the sheikh said. Josie made a sound but did not actually say anything. “The hair . . .” the sheikh began to say.
“I did it,” Josie snapped. He was talking about her hair again. “By the way, asking your snotty assistant to do it for me—that was uncalled for,” she added.
“Snotty,” the sheikh repeated slowly.
“Yes, she was very rude and unfriendly. It's not surprising that you have people like that around you.” She could no longer hide her feelings. This man was asking for it.
The sheikh raised an eyebrow. It sounded like she was insulting him. He was not used to being insulted; she seemed so free about it.
“You don't like her,” he said flatly.
“I never said that,” Josie looked out of the window. It was too early to be argu
ing. Also if they fought now, the rest of the day was going to be painfully awkward.
“I do not appreciate your tone,” the sheikh said. From the beginning, she was not very respectful to him, and it was getting worse. It needed to be stopped.
“I merely treat you the way you treat me.”
“You need to be tamed.”
Josie whipped her head and looked at him. She frowned at him. Tamed? And who are you to tame me?
“I do not need to be tamed,” You're so unbelievable right now! She could not believe her ears. Tame her—like she was some kind of animal. She could feel herself getting angrier by the second.
“Yes, you do, but we will discuss that another time,” he still sounded so cool, and she couldn’t help but like how deep his voice was. It was alluring, but she had decided to not let it affect her.
“We won’t—”
He cut her off. That made her even more annoyed and angrier with him. How dare he cut her off? “We have a meeting to attend to.”
Josie hadn't even realized that the limo had stopped. She looked outside and noticed that the car was parked. The driver got out and opened the door for Josie. She got out of the car and thanked him. She was staring at the building and hadn't even noticed the sheikh get out of the car.
“Shall we go?” he asked. Josie nodded and walked with him. She took a deep breath. She could not let the anger interfere with her performance at the meeting. She put her poker face on. They walked into the building together. A woman greeted them—well, greeted the sheikh really. As she spoke, she was only looking at him, smiling so much. Josie raised her eyebrows. She looked back at the sheikh who did not even seem to notice. The woman ushered them to the lift. She pressed the button and waited for the lift. The doors opened, and she let them go in first. She went in with them and pressed the button for the last floor. Josie was starting to feel nervous. She had never been to such an important meeting. The sheikh noticed her shift into panic mode.
The Arabian Billionaire, Book One: Arabian Seduction Page 3
