Never Seduce a Sheikh(43)

And they’d decided in favor of Harkness.

At the meeting table, he glanced in Lily’s direction as the eldest chief—as was fitting—made the announcement. A flush had crept into her face, her cheeks pink. She smiled, her dark eyes full of triumph. Reminding him of how she’d been the night before, standing by his bed, blonde hair loose down her back, a wild, reckless look in her eyes. Daring him. Challenging him. Beautiful and so seductive.

He looked away. No, he could not think about her in that way now. He’d allowed himself that one night with her. It was over and done with and he couldn’t go back.

That morning when he’d stepped into the tent to tell her the chiefs had made their decision, he’d hoped to find her cool and poised, once more the CEO in her armor. But she hadn’t been. She’d dressed in the clothes he’d got for her, but the look in her eyes as they’d met his had been full of warmth. And the smile she’d given him had been the one he’d seen by the fountain at the palace that night he’d caught her speaking to her father. The smile he’d wanted her to give just to him. A rare, beautiful smile.

It had been so hard not to smile in return, but he’d managed to stop himself. Putting back the distance between them had to be done. He had no other choice.

Rising from the meeting table, Isma’il made a small speech commending the chiefs on their decision. He had the right to veto it of course, but he made sure they knew he would not exercise that right. He also made a point of making clear his opinion of Harkness, how he thought they were a worthy choice for the rights to Dahar’s oil and he had no doubt with Lily at the helm, Dahar would soon see the benefits and so would the desert people.

He didn’t look at her as he spoke, though he was conscious of her presence. The way the tendrils of blonde hair had escaped her ponytail and lay against the back of her neck, highlighting its vulnerability. The soft hollow of her throat laid bare by the shirt she wore.

The curve of her mouth as she smiled her cool smile.

It would pass, this need for her. Desire always did in the end. In the meantime, he would simply do what he’d done beforehand, keep the need under strict control. Ignore it. Pretend it wasn’t there. Easy. Simple.

As the meeting broke up, Isma’il spoke with a couple of the chiefs, noting that Lily appeared to be waiting for him. She probably wanted to talk about the night before, and he was tempted to busy himself with the tribesmen until he felt able to deal with her.

But, of course, that would be the coward’s way out and he’d never been a coward.

“Was there something you wanted, Ms. Harkness?” he said as he finished his conversation with the chiefs.

Lily came to join him under the awning of the tent. “So, I’m back to being Ms. Harkness again?”

“We are dealing with business now. What happened last night is not something we should speak of here.”

She let out a soft breath, a frustrated look crossing her face. “Fine.” She lifted her hand, wiped it across her brow. “But we need to talk.”

“About the contract?”

“The contract.” Her dark gaze met his. “And other things.”

“Those other things have no bearing on the oil decision.”

“No, but it does mean that Harkness will have a presence in Dahar for some years to come. And . . . ” she hesitated, her voice softening. “And so will I.” The look in her eyes and the hesitation as she spoke said volumes.

Isma’il glanced away, not wanting to see what was so obviously hope. “What are you saying?”

“I thought . . . ” Another pause. “After last night . . . ” She stopped again.

The breath in his lungs became tight, painful. Distance was so difficult when she laid herself open to him. When she gave him the gift of her vulnerability.

“Do not do this, Habibti,” he said softly, giving in to the need to say the endearment. “Not now. We need to discuss this at another time.”

She flushed, as if she’d only now become conscious of the fact that they were in public. “All right. Just don’t distance me, Isma’il.” Her voice dropped. “And don’t call me Ms. Harkness. I like . . . I like being Lily to you.”

Another admission. He didn’t know why this should matter so much to him. Why it made the things he would have to say to her later, in private, so very much harder.

“We must be cautious in public. Public displays of affection are not done here, and especially not in a business setting.”

Her flush deepened. “I understand.” For a moment pale lashes veiled her gaze, then abruptly they lifted, revealing something fierce in her dark eyes. “But I’m not ashamed of what we did, Isma’il. And I don’t regret it. Not a second of it.”