The Sheikh's Hesitant Bride (Qazhar Sheikhs series Book 7) (2 page)

"What's your assessment, Rachel?" he asked.

Zarif saw Rachel's mouth open, and her eyes flash toward Abby as if seeking permission.

"Rachel's just new to this, Zarif," Abby explained with a dismissive wave of her hand. "She still learning the ropes."

Zarif saw Rachel's brows furrow, but once again the door was shut firmly on any reaction. Rachel stiffened, and he was sure he heard her draw in a sharp breath.

Zarif eased back on against the sofa and nodded casually. "I'm sure you wouldn't have hired Rachel if you didn't think she had the ability to do the job, Abby," Zarif said peering from Abby to Rachel.
 

"Of course," Abby said shifting uneasily on the sofa. Abby glanced at Rachel. "She came highly recommended. So far, she's been most capable."

"Capable?" Zarif said slowly, quirking a brow. He gazed at Rachel. "How does it feel to be capable, Rachel?" he said with a teasing tone of voice.

The corner of Rachel's mouth twisted and her eyes shifted. He could tell she was trying to judge her response. Zarif delighted in the sight of Rachel's features, the determination he saw there, the firm set of her jaw. There was definitely more to this woman than met the eye, he told himself.

"I think I do a pretty good job," Rachel said evenly, glancing at Abby. "I'm grateful to Abby for giving me the chance. I know how difficult it is to get these positions in the business."

Abby grinned, visibly satisfied. Zarif decided to press the matter. "So, I ask my question again." He leaned forward and met Rachel's gaze. "What is your opinion, Rachel? Do you think this is something I should consider seriously? Should I move forward on this?"

Those azure blue eyes flickered slightly. Did she know what game he was playing? Even if she was new to this business, did she realize just how cutthroat it could be? How experienced was she in any case? Surely she couldn't be as innocent as she seemed.

Rachel cleared her throat softly and composed herself, giving Abby one final glance. Once again Zarif could see the stirrings of defiance in those shimmering, innocent blue pools.
 

The contrast between Rachel and Abby seemed suddenly stark and inarguable. Abby's world-weariness, her calculating manner, her superficiality seemed even more obvious to Zarif than ever before, now that she was seated next to Rachel, a woman who embodied a naturalness and simplicity which Zarif had never encountered before.

"I think there might be some issues with this development. They might become a cause of concern further down the line," Rachel started to say.
 
Zarif saw Abby's head twist sharply, her eyes widening as if she couldn't believe what Rachel was saying.

"What are you talking about, Rachel?" Abby started to demand.

Zarif extended a hand. "Let Rachel finish, Abby. I'd like to hear what she has to say."

Abby bristled visibly, her entire body stiffening. She tucked her chin sullenly, her lips fixing into a sullen pout. Zarif gazed at Rachel and saw the hint of a smile curl at the corner of her mouth. It was quickly suppressed when Abby's harsh gaze settled on her assistant.
 

Zarif listened to Rachel as she went over some of the details of her concerns about the property. She had identified some clauses in the contract which might have consequences further down the line, and she also highlighted issues about the quality of the finishings in the final internal design of the apartment. Rachel finished speaking and gave Zarif a look as if to check if he was satisfied.

Zarif felt a curious rush of sensation and realized just what an impression Rachel had made on him. Just how much she was affecting him.

Zarif was more than satisfied with Rachel's grasp of detail. He glanced at Abby. "It seems as if there might be some things we need to consider more carefully," he said to Abby.

Abby glanced at Rachel and Zarif could see Abby trying to contain her irritation. Abby never liked being contradicted. It was a quality Zarif recognized. Alana had been like that, even more so. In her case, the delight in disagreement had bordered on the pathological, until, at the very end of their relationship, every day had become a nightmare of accusations and arguments.

Zarif saw Abby compose herself. "Rachel might have a point," she said.

Zarif looked at Abby. "Were you aware of these issues?" he asked.

Abby nodded, rather too quickly, Zarif thought. "Of course. We were going to bring them up once you'd had a chance to see the property."

"Really?" Zarif said slowly. He glanced at Rachel and saw her steely expression once again. Impassive and difficult to read. There was a long, very awkward pause. "So, when can I see the property?" he asked finally.

Abby cleared her throat and fussed with paperwork. "I'm sure we can arrange a viewing today," she said.

Zarif looked at Rachel. "Can we?" he asked looking straight at her. Rachel shifted, tugging at her dress, and he couldn't resist glancing down at her legs, savoring the curves of her calves.

Abby peered at Zarif. "I can show you the apartment," she offered.

Zarif shook his head. "I think Rachel should show me the apartment," he said emphatically. "She seems to have a good idea of what I should be looking for," he said.

Abby frowned and glanced at Rachel. "But..." she started to object.
 

Zarif cut her off. "After Rachel and I view the apartment, you and I can have lunch together, Abby," Zarif said. "That way we can discuss things. Just like always." He knew she would find the offer too much to resist.

Abby's eyes widened. "Lunch?" she gasped. "That would be lovely, Zarif," she added. Zarif could see Abby already figuring out how to turn the lunch date into something to her advantage.
 

Zarif looked at Rachel. There was a hint of uncertainty in her expression. "Would you be so kind as to show me the apartment, Rachel?" he asked. The enforced courtesy seemed to throw her slightly off guard.
 

Rachel glanced at her boss. "If Abby's happy with that, I'd be delighted. How can I refuse?" Was that a sharp edge to her last remark? Zarif couldn't be sure, but he found it strangely appealing. It felt as if he and Rachel already had a secret, one that Abby seemed all too unable to notice.

Abby dialed a number on her cell phone and spoke for a minute. As she spoke on the phone, arranging the viewing, Zarif looked across at Rachel. Their eyes met for a brief moment, and he was sure there was a flicker of recognition in her gaze. Did she understand what he had just done?

There was a delicious sense of conspiracy between them. Zarif was certain that Abby was completely unaware of just how Rachel had affected him. Abby would be too concerned about the upcoming lunch to even consider the possibility that her lowly assistant had awakened the sheikh's interest.
 

Zarif knew Abby had designs on him. He'd always sensed it, and he'd always resisted it. The only difference during their previous encounters had been the presence of Zarif's betrothed, Alana. She had kept Abby at bay. Alana had made sure of that.

But, now that Zarif was free of Alana, Abby obviously thought Zarif was on the market again. His wealth would be irresistible to a woman like Abby. His power and influence would be an overpowering force that would drive Abby to do whatever she could to capture Zarif. Even to submit to him, if that was what it would take.

But, he would not allow that. He wasn't interested anymore. He'd had enough of scheming women interested only in what they could obtain from him. He'd almost fallen into the marriage trap once before, with Alana. But, he'd escaped. Hadn't he? Or had he simply been released? He didn't know which it was, right now. All he knew was that he was free of that insane life into which Alana had tempted him. That wasn't who he really was. Zarif knew that. He was so much more than the superficial existence Alana had promised.
 

Abby disconnected the call and looked at Zarif. "It's all arranged. You and Rachel can see it in the next half hour," she said. "And, I'll see you for lunch," Abby added with an eager smile. "Usual place?"

Zarif nodded and glanced at Rachel who suddenly seemed to have realized that she was about to spend the next hour with the sheikh and without the presence of her boss. He wondered what she made of that prospect.

Judging by the way she was nervously gathering up the papers from the table, and the sudden paleness of her face, it was a prospect she was anticipating with more than a little unease.

Zarif couldn't wait.

CHAPTER TWO

Rachel sat next Zarif in the back seat of the sheikh's limousine and gazed out at the London traffic. He'd insisted on using the limo for the journey from his apartment to the one they were about to view. Rachel knew they could have walked, but she figured the sheikh didn't walk many places, not when he could take a limo instead. She'd noticed the casual way in which Zarif had dismissed Abby, sending her on her way, the promise of lunch an obvious way of brushing her aside. Why couldn't Abby see what the sheikh really thought of her, Rachel had thought as she'd stepped into the limo? It was obvious he was teasing her boss, keeping Abby at a distance.

Next to her, sheikh Zarif's attention was fixed on the document Rachel had given him to read. It was a list of concerns she had highlighted, differences between what the new development promised and what she had seen on her own inspection the previous week.
 

The sheikh had laid the document flat upon his thighs, his right hand resting on the side of his leg. At first, he'd seemed disappointed to be given something to read during the short drive. But, Rachel had needed to do something to divert his attention from her.
 

It had been obvious during their meeting in his apartment that the sheikh had been paying particular attention to Rachel. She'd sensed it the minute they had settled down, felt it all through the meeting. The way he'd been glancing at her had become noticeable, eventually unavoidable.
 

Rachel already knew just how interested Abby was in the sheikh. She'd heard nothing else from her over the last few days. Even though she'd only been working for Abby for a couple of months, it was obvious that her boss had her eye on the the sheikh from Qazhar. Back in the office, it had become a topic of barely whispered gossip. Her co-workers had made it clear to Rachel that she should watch what she said around Abby when it came to the subject of the devastatingly handsome sheikh.

Rachel risked a brief glance over at him and felt something tighten inside her, an involuntary sensation that she hadn't felt in a very long time indeed.
 

The women back in the office were right. Sheikh Zarif Al Marhez was one panty-meltingly attractive man. Rachel felt her face flush, and she quickly whipped her head back to look out the window.

The image of the man seated next to her had burned onto her retina. She closed her eyes for a moment and could still see the image of the gorgeous, unbearably handsome sheikh.

Even dressed in his immaculately tailored suit and his crisp white shirt, even as he leaned casually back in the modern luxury of the limo, Zarif was like a vision out of a desert dream. Dark eyes like tempting pools; sensuous lips that promised so much; sculpted defiant features; black hair that demanded the touch of her fingers; broad shoulders and obviously muscled torso; long legs that emphasized his height and sheer dominant power.

Yes. Sheikh Zarif was unlike anyone she had ever met, Rachel said to herself.
 

His scent, a mixture of cologne and his own naturalness, filled the confines of the limo. In spite of herself, Rachel swallowed nervously, feeling her heart beat faster, inexplicably quickened simply by his closeness. She hadn't been near someone with this kind of raw sexuality.

Ever.

Because, that was what it was. A feral sensuality that had touched her the moment she had seen him. Of course, she had seen images of him on the internet. Research was vital in her job, wasn't it? At least that was what she had told herself when she had been preparing for the meeting.
 

But, no amount of images on the web had prepared her for the sheer, undeniable impact of meeting him in the flesh. Even the simplest touch of his hand when he had greeted her, had sent galvanic traces through her body, shocking her with their suddenness, their intensity.

She could see why Abby was borderline obsessed with sheikh Zarif. He was a pure male presence, impossible to ignore. She could only imagine how difficult he would be to resist. Why did that casual thought provoke yet another flurry of sensation in her middle? She pushed it down, the same as she did with every reaction to a man she'd had these past few years. It would do no good mixing business with anything that resembled personal pleasure. Rachel would leave that mess to Abby.

The limo drew up in the semi-circular private parking bay in front of the newly constructed apartment block. Rachel took the document from Zarif and led him into the reception. They were greeted by the representative of the company selling the apartment who immediately began his obviously prepared selling pitch.
 

Zarif stopped the young man with a raised hand. "If you don't mind I would prefer that myself and my associate view the apartment without your enthusiastic contribution," he declared with obvious sarcasm oozing in his voice.

The young man frowned and glanced at Rachel. She shrugged.

"I was under the impression you are interested in buying this apartment," the man tried to insist.

Zarif cocked his head to one side and scrutinized the man. "Remind me exactly who is the seller and who is the buyer here?" he asked with a caustic tone.

Zarif glanced at Rachel, but she quickly averted her gaze and looked at the young man awaiting his reply.

The young man bristled and looked as if he was about to continue to argue, but Zarif took one step closer. "Let's make this very simple. Hand Rachel the access key and we'll let you know what we think." Zarif turned to Rachel. "Isn't that right, Rachel?"