Diamond in the Desert(13)

'Who mentioned sleeping?' Emir argued.

'Do you always have to show such perfect good sense?'

'With you, I think I do,' he said, smiling, unrepentant.

* * *

Emir was probably the one man she was prepared to take instruction  from, Britt concluded as she showered down later in her en-suite  bathroom at the cabin, if only because the pay-off was so great. And she  wasn't just thinking about the sexual pay-off, but the pay-off that was  making her sing and waltz around the bathroom like a fruit-loop-the  pay-off that made her feel all warm and fuzzy inside-and optimistic  about the future-about everything. She felt suddenly as if anything  could happen-as if the boundaries of Skavanga and her job had fallen  away, leaving a world full of possibility. And the desert kingdom of  Kareshi was definitely the stand out country in that world waiting to be  discovered.

Of course, she must visit Emir's homeland as he had suggested. If the  deal went through it would be wrong to accept the consortium's  investment without wanting to know as much as she possibly could about  the benefits the diamonds would bring to both countries. Perhaps there  could be reciprocal cultural and educational opportunities-anything was  possible. She longed to get stuck into it-to get out of the office and  meet people at last. Her mind was blazing with ideas. No dream seemed  too far-fetched.

* * *

Showering down after his unique encounter with Britt, Sharif's thoughts  were arranged in several compartments. The first was all to do with  Britt the businesswoman. She was meticulous and had held the company  together when many would have failed. Her attention to detail was second  to none-as he had learned when it had taken him several hours, rather  than the usual five minutes, to pore over her first agenda and find a  hole. She was clear-headed and quick-thinking in her business life-

And an emotional mess when it came to anything else.

Her life was tied up in duty, but she wanted it all. He guessed she  heard the clock ticking, but she didn't know how to escape from her work  long enough to find the fulfilment she craved-the satisfaction of  raising her own family and extending her sphere of influence in the  workplace too. She did everything she could to support her sisters while  they studied and campaigned for this and that, but they didn't seem to  stop and think that Britt deserved some fulfilment too.

And neither should he, he reminded himself. He had one duty, one goal,  and one responsibility, which was to the men who had come in with him on  this deal. Business always came first, because business fed  improvements in Kareshi, and only then could he afford to pause to  wonder if there was anything missing from his life-

Britt?

Any man would be missing a woman like Britt in his life. She was  exceptional. She was an intriguing mix of control and abandonment, and  it seemed to him that the only time Britt let go was during sex, which  made cutting the best deal possible a challenging prospect, but not  impossible.

Business, always business, he thought, towelling down. He liked that  Britt was part of that business. He had always loved a challenge and  Britt was a challenge. Securing the towel around his waist, he picked up  his razor to engage in the one battle he usually lost. His beard grew  faster than he could shave it off, but at least the ritual soothed him  and gave him time to think.

Shaking his head as if that could shake thoughts of Britt out of it, he  rinsed his face and raked his thick, unruly hair into some semblance of  order. The deal was a tantalising prospect and he would bring it in.  Between them he and his friends had the means and the skill and the  outlets necessary to transform dull, uncut diamonds into sparkling gems  that would shimmer with fire as they shivered against a woman's skin.  Britt believed she held all the cards, and could cut the better deal,  but he held the joker.

Stepping into jeans, he tugged on a plain back top, and fastened his  belt before reaching for the phone. Some decisions were harder to take  than others, and this was harder than most. Britt had all the instincts  of a man inside the body of a woman, but she had a woman's emotions,  which held her back when it came to clear thinking in a deal like this  where family was involved. He wished he could protect her from the  fall-out from this call, but his duty was clear. This wasn't for him  alone, but for the consortium, and for Kareshi. In the absence of her  brother, Britt led her tribe as he did, making her a worthy adversary.  He just had to hope she could handle this new twist in the plot as  competently as she had coped with other obstacles life had thrown at  her.                       
       
           



       

He drummed his fingers impatiently as he waited for the call to  connect. Three rings later the call was answered. He hesitated, which  was definitely a first for him, but the die had been cast on the day he  had sat down to research the share structure of Skavanga Mining and had  discovered that the major shareholder was not in fact the three sisters,  but their missing brother, Tyr Skavanga. More complicated still was  that, for reasons of his own, Tyr didn't want his sisters to know where  he was. Having given his word, Emir would have to keep that from Britt  even though Tyr's long-distance involvement in the deal would swing the  balance firmly in the consortium's favour.

'Hello, Tyr,' he said, settling down into what he knew would be a long call.





CHAPTER EIGHT

HE WAS PACKING? Emir was packing? She had come downstairs after her  shower expecting to find him basking in front of a roaring fire-which he  would have banked up, perhaps with a drink in hand and one waiting for  her on the table. She had anticipated more getting-to-know-you time.  That was what couples did when they'd grown closer after sex...

And they had grown closer, Britt reassured herself, feeling painfully  obvious in banged-up jeans, simple top and bare feet. She felt as if, in  this relaxed state, all her feelings were on display. And all those  feelings spoke of closeness and intimacy with Emir. She had dressed in  anticipation of continuing ease between them. She had dressed as she  would dress when her sisters were around. And now she felt vulnerable  and exposed. And utterly ridiculous for having let her guard down so  badly.

How could she have got this so wrong?

She watched him from the doorway of his bedroom as Emir folded his  clothes, arranging them in a bag that he could sling casually over his  shoulder. He must have known she was standing there, but he didn't say a  word. The chill seemed to creep up from the floor and consume her. Even  her face felt cold.

What had gone wrong?

What was wrong was that Emir didn't care and she had refused to see  that. He had come here to do a job and his job was done. He had taken  samples for analysis and had seen the mine for himself. He had weighed  her up and interviewed her colleagues. His only job now was to pack up  and leave. What had she been? An unexpected bonus on the side? She had  no part to play in Emir's plans, he'd made that clear. Why had she ever  allowed herself to believe that she had? All that talk of Kareshi and  the desert was just that-talk.

Her throat felt tight. Her mouth was dry. She felt numb. Anything she  said in this situation would sound ridiculous. And what was the point of  having a row when she had no call on this man? She had enjoyed him as  much as he had enjoyed her. Was it his fault if she couldn't move on?

All this was sound reasoning, but reason didn't allow for passion, for  emotion-for any of the things she felt for Emir. And out of bitter  disappointment at his manner towards her-or rather his lack  of...anything, really-came anger. What had he meant by staring into her  eyes and suggesting they should take sex to the bedroom next time? Was  that concern for her? Or was Emir more concerned about getting grazes on  his knees? She had laughed with and trusted this man. Everything had  changed for her, because she'd thought... Because she'd thought...

She didn't have a clue what she'd thought, Britt realised. She only  knew she had given herself completely to a man, something she'd never  done before, and now, just as her mother had predicted, she was paying  the price. But she would not play the role of misused mistress and give  him the chance to mock.

'You're leaving?' she said coolly. 'Already?'

'My job here's done,' Emir confirmed, straightening up. He turned to face her. 'My flight plan is filed. I leave right away.'

When did he file his flight plan? Immediately after making love to her?

'Do you have transport to the airport?' She wasn't so petty she would  let him call a cab. She would take him to the airport if she had to.

'My people are coming for me,' he said, turning back to zip up his bag.

Of course. 'Oh, good,' she said, going hot and cold in turn as she  chalked up the completeness of his plan as just one more insult to add  to the rest. He'd had sex with her first and then had called his people  to come and get him. He'd used her-