Never Seduce a Sheikh(9)

“Why? It’s no secret.” A calculated risk to mention Sheikh Khalid, especially when she had no idea how he would take it. Not well, by the looks of things. Then again, she had to win this. For Harkness. For her father. For herself.

Isma’il said nothing, his gaze giving nothing away.

Lily pressed on. “Neither, is it a secret that you want to do things differently. That’s why you chose Harkness in the first place. That’s why we’re here. And we’re good at that. We’re good at doing things differently. We take care of the environmental and local issues in a way none of the others do and that’s what you want, isn’t it?”

“You appear to have it all worked out.” The lazy amusement disappeared from his face. Which meant she was on the right track.

“I’m the CEO for a reason, your Highness.” She lifted her chin. “I can organize mobile health clinics for your tribes. Schooling for their children. Our environmental experts are world leaders and can make sure that the drilling itself will not impact the environment or the people in any way.”

With a graceful movement, Isma’il pushed himself off the desk. “Very well said. I shall keep that in mind. In the meantime, the emphasis remains on your performance.” He strolled towards the door where he paused, turning back to her. “Until tonight then, Ms. Harkness. I look forward to it.”

* * *

“I cannot find her, your Highness.”

Isma’il frowned at his advisor. “What do you mean you cannot find her?”

Umar clasped his hands together, looking apologetic. “She doesn’t appear to be in amongst the other guests. Perhaps she went back to her suite?”

Isma’il cursed under his breath. The palace ballroom was packed with people, the reception in full swing. And yet, his guest of honor wasn’t here. Had she taken what he’d told her that afternoon so lightly?

Surely not. The stakes were high for her and she’d seemed serious about them. In fact, she seemed to be so serious about everything, which made her absence right now a complete mystery.

“Leave it to me,” he said curtly. “I will find her then.”

And he would. Because, whether he was comfortable with the emotion or not, the fact that she wasn’t here annoyed him. It shouldn’t have, of course. He had two other perfectly good contenders for the oil contract and Harkness wasn’t his favored choice anyway. If its CEO wanted to throw away the opportunity and her reputation along with it, that was her choice.

Yet, still irritation crept through his veins.

Lily Harkness hadn’t tried to tempt him with more money. She’d offered mobile health clinics instead. Better schooling. Showing that at least she’d investigated and was aware of the difficulties the tribes had. None of the other companies had done so. Then again, none of the other CEOs had as much to prove as she did.

As much as he had himself.

He scanned the room, trying to keep his irritation under control.

Looking for Lily should have been easy. She wasn’t exactly a woman who would blend into a crowd. Not with her special combination of beauty, height and cool poise. However, in amongst the glittering finery of other women and the formal suits of the men, he couldn’t see her.

Isma’il smiled and greeted people, making his way in a slow circle around the ballroom. It should have pleased him to see so many people enjoying themselves. After all, a thoroughly western sort of function such as this would have been unheard of under Khalid’s rule and it certainly seemed as if everyone was making the most of it.

But he didn’t feel pleased. Failure to find Ms. Lily Harkness only made him feel annoyed and being annoyed wasn’t his favorite state to be in.

Eventually, as he walked past one of the French windows that led to the long colonnaded walk outside the ballroom, he caught a glimpse of a figure that made him stop. On the other side of the colonnade were the gardens the palace was famous for. The subtle lighting highlighted a woman standing right near one of the fountains. A familiar woman.

Isma’il went to the door, opened it and stepped out into the night. The noise from the ballroom vanished as he closed the door behind him, leaving only the familiar hot, thick scent of the gardens and the splashes from the fountains.

And Lily’s voice. She was talking softly this time, pacing up and down by the fountain.

He stopped in the shadow of a pillar to watch her. Mesmerized.

The blue suit had been left behind in favor of a gold dress, gathered at one shoulder like something an ancient Greek goddess would wear. It was the kind of revealing dress that would have been disapproved of by the court years ago and certainly under his father’s rule. But Isma’il had worked hard to westernize the country and definitely here, in the capital, it was common to see revealing cocktail dresses like this one at certain functions.