The Prince and the Working Woman (Desert Prince Book 1) (6 page)

Mandy placed a hand over her churning stomach. She refused to give in to anxiety. A new adventure presented itself. As long as she had a credit card she could go home whenever she wanted.  "Why are you worried?"

"I can't help but think he had personal reasons for asking you to come early."

Mandy laughed. "Of course he did."

"Really?"

"I will be off-balance, out of sorts. Dependent on him."

"I wouldn’t go that far."

She had no illusions about Hamid.  "You could go even further and not be wrong."

"Then why didn't you say no."

"Because I wanted to know exactly how a stranger feels when they land here. How can I help others adjust unless I do it myself?"

That seemed to appease her friend and put her mind at rest.

"Will you be staying at the Palace?"

“He offered but I said no." She did not want to live in that proverbial fishbowl.

"Then where?"

"A temporary rental until I know where I will be working. And by that time you'll be back and we can figure out where I'll be living permanently."

"Where is this apartment?"

"I don't know yet. I'll text you when I get there."

She appreciated her friend’s concern. And God knew she was not a good judge of men but no warning bells went off in her brain when with him. When he got physical with her the other day it had been with her complete consent.

"Are you finished?" Hamid asked.

"Yes." She tucked her phone into her pause.

"And she didn't talk you out of staying?"

"Why would she?"

"Because I got an earful from my little brother."

"About what?"

He raised his shoulders in a shrug. “Just a reminder that he is an expert with weapons and explosives."

She grinned from ear to ear. "He is so sweet."

His dark eyes studied her. "Do you think I am a threat to you?"

"I wouldn't be here if I thought you were."

"And you know I have no ulterior motive other than getting a start on the center?"

"Of course you have. But I don’t mind.”  She hooked her arm though his and headed for the exit. “Just remember going forward you will never manipulate me unless I allow you to."

* * * *

Hamid led Mandy to the limo waiting right outside the electronic door. The airport was located twenty kilometers outside of the capital, and looked out over sand and stone. The city, a mix of ancient ruins and modern skyscrapers had very little middle ground in between. Four generations ago Touzar was a vast desert of wandering Bedouin tribes. In the early days of the oil revolution the natural resources were leased to foreign corporations. His grandfather was the first of the sheiks to give up the caravans for roots. His father and his uncles were the first to attend school.

The old contracts for the underground oil deposits had profited foreign companies and screwed the people of Touzar for fifty years. A decade ago as the contracts expired, the renegotiations brought more favorable terms. And the flow of money into the country created a whole new set of problems.

A full moon shone on the ruins of an ancient temple located at the outskirts of town. As they entered through a beautiful stone wall the city lights became apparent. "Here we are."

Mandy slid forward in the seat to look out the window. She studied everything with childlike exuberance. But there was nothing childish about the body that landed in his lap when the driver swerved around a pothole.

Her breath caught in her throat. She wriggled but put no effort into pulling away. Judging by the spark in her eye her sensual movements were deliberate. "You told the driver to do that."

"No. But you can bet he will get an extra tip tonight." He slid his arm around her waist. Damn the woman was built! Round and curvy but at the same time toned and tight.

“That can't be comfortable for you."

"Let me be the judge of that."

A soft moan escaped her pursed lips. "I can feel you pressed against me. Are you going to tell me that it doesn't bother you?"

"Well if you wiggle your ass a little more it might bother me but it would bother you too."

"You are so full of yourself."

He let out a hearty chuckle. "I would rather that you were full of me but I have a feeling you're not a backseat kind of girl."

"You got that right."

Still she didn't get off him. But a few sensual moves on her part and she would get him off. How should he take that? It was not the time to find out. He slid her into the seat with a painful groan.

She laughed. And then she snuggled against him. Mandy was a hot mix of spicy and sweet, hard and soft.

Her attention returned to the street as they entered the upper middle-class neighborhood. "It's a lot like Nadiar but different as well."

"They have more gulf front, we have more desert but our geography is very similar."

They pulled up in front of a large apartment complex called Gulf Point West. Four of the six buildings were completed and inhabited and the last two nearly finished. The driver came to a stop at the covered entryway. The boab took the luggage and informed him that the flat had been prepared. He tried to concentrate on what the man said but the look of wonder and awe on her face mesmerized him. She had spent the last two weeks in a marble palace. Why did this building excite her so? Half of the apartments were owned and half were leased to the foreign employees. Government rentals were cheaper and rent controlled. However, they were only available to citizens and he doubted Mandy would appreciate interference on her behalf.

She gaped at the building. “Are you sure this is right?"

"I think I know what we own. I wrote the check for it."

"And the rent is what you said?"

Stubborn to the end. He didn't want to charge her rent for the one month. She had been researching the newspaper and Internet to get an idea of what to expect so she would know if he lied. He finally had to ask the rental office the going price for a lease in the building.

"It depends on whether it's a one, a two, or a three bedroom flat and whether you want it fully, partial, or unfurnished."

"In this building? If I found an empty one in this building it would cost less than $800 a month?"

Considered high by Touzarian standards, the corporate and embassy employees found it reasonable. She would have no problem covering the rent on her salary. "For two bedrooms, semi furnished. Yes."

She lit up like the desert sun. "Then I hope I find a compound in this area of the city."

So did he. Having an apartment at his disposal in the same building would suit him perfectly. Although he was not often found on the front page like his twin brothers, the press still searched for sleazy headlines. Spending a fair amount of time outside of the country had kept his sex-life from being fodder for the masses. With his new duties in the international trade negotiations and this sexy woman his for the taking, he would be in Touzar more often. Since the press had been restricted to stalking in public areas only, privacy for both he and Mandy would be protected.

* * * *

The glass and white stone low-rise complex seemed dwarfed by the high-rises in the near distance, but to Mandy it stood as a stunning vision of modern architecture. The buildings surrounded a magnificent floral garden. Despite the 9 o’clock hour residents strolled along the lighted footpaths. She gaped like a tourist but she didn't care. She couldn't afford an apartment like this in Boston without ten roommates sharing the rent.

The amenities only got better when they entered the lobby. Her heart beat so fast she thought she might pee herself. Engraved signs pointing to the pool, the sauna and the health club hung on the polished granite walls. Potted gardenias in bloom scented the air. Hamid pushed the button for the elevator. He didn't seem to notice his surroundings. Was he blind?

Perhaps this was nothing new to him, but she’d died and gone to heaven. She wanted to live here even if she had to commute to work. The capital wasn't that large. She would have a driver. And the car! She’d really stepped in it. In a good way.

Five years of menial jobs, full-time classes and crappy housing had followed two years of the hell called her marriage. This was a dream. She pinched herself. Still real.

He placed his hand on her back to urge her into the elevator. His touch jolted her senses. He pushed the button for the top floor. Even the hydraulic lift screamed luxury. On what planet was this considered middle-class?

"Are you alright?"

She nodded because words failed her. No one who knew her would ever believe it. Walking through the front door of apartment 1001 only got better. Crown molding, modern lighting, and an open concept living room/dining room with hardwood floors leading to the white kitchen with stainless steel appliances.

Hamid came up in front of her. One more gorgeous accessory to admire. He needed a shave but that gave him a rakish appeal. The scent of fresh flowers mingled with the all-male aroma of musk.

She folded her arms tightly across her chest to control the tremors of excitement in her body. Her nipples throbbed. Moisture pooled between her legs and made her panties damp. She was having an orgasm without sex. Holy cow! Which turned her on more? The man or the apartment? A combination of both perhaps. She looked away and ran a hand across her face.

He spun her around and cupped her shoulders. "Are you getting off on this?"

Yes.
"No."

His deep rich laughter echoed through the room. "Yes you are."

Heat burned her cheeks. She shook her head and tried to pull away. "I swear if you ever tell anyone I will deny it and make you pay."

"The place isn’t that impressive."

"Says the man who never had to sell his blood to make the rent on a fleabag dump."

He paused as if he couldn’t decide if she was serious. "Your husband left you nothing when he passed away?"

Her stomach clenched. How did he know about her marriage? How much did he know? "Did you run a background check on me?"

"Your application. You checked your marital status."

She had filled out the application before they met. Had she known she would end up involved with him she would have checked single rather than widowed.

"He left me nothing."
Except two broken ribs, numerous lacerations, and a shit-load of debt.

"But…"

"I don't want to talk about him." He sure knew how to kill the buzz. At least he knew when to back off.

He nodded. "Let me show you the rest of the apartment."

The brief and painful reminder lingered, but the rest of the tour got her back on semi-level ground. Especially when she saw the two balconies off each of the bedrooms. She would never be able to afford the fine furnishings in this apartment but she would be happy with a cot overlooking the stunning city views.

While she admired the four poster bed, Mandy waited for him to bombard her with his typical double-entendre. It never came.  When they returned to the kitchen he opened the cupboard and pulled out several menus.

"Are you hungry? We've got the golden arches, KFC. Even Texas BBQ?"

"I am a vegetarian."

He gazed at her as if she was an alien. "No chicken or fish?"

"No."

"Pizza?"

"If I must." Not her favorite fast food but the usual compromise when hanging out on campus. Takeout salads were overpriced and she could only swallow so many French fries or onion rings with a Diet Coke.

"I'll take you out."

"No you won't. You've done so much for me already.” She arched her eyebrow suggestively. “Any other ideas for filling your hunger?"

He leaned against the counter. His expression along with his mood had changed for the worse. There were ways she would happily reciprocate. He seemed to back away in the last few minutes. Men! Couldn’t live with them, couldn’t kill them.

“You can take me out,” he finally said.

"I can't afford you, Mr. Escargot and Coq-au-vin. I'll go with pizza until I can get to the supermarket tomorrow."

He placed three menus from the largest American chain restaurants in front of her. She preferred Mama Vito’s on North Street but would have to choose one from the least offensive of the mass produced prefab pizza pies. Sadly, the rest of the world believed this to be fine Italian cuisine.

* * * *

While they waited for their delivery, Mandy opened all the cabinets and closets in the kitchen. The boab had made sure the flat was stocked with items like coffee, tea, milk, eggs and bread. She made a list and appeared to be calculating costs in her head.  If the stubborn brat tried to pay him he’d stick it down her lingerie.

She had already offered him sex. He refused on principal, something he never though he possessed. He didn’t want her gratitude any more than her money. Until she got that same desperate look of desire for him rather than the stainless steel appliances he’d wait. "Do you want me to leave you to enjoy the flat?"