The Purest of Diamonds(17)

                Would a man ever look at her that way? Leila wondered as she turned her attention to Britt, whose husband, Sheikh Sharif, was currently shooting intensely personal messages into his wife’s eyes. With her icy Nordic looks, imposing height and slender figure, Britt was the perfect foil for her Arabian prince, and there was such closeness between them, Leila couldn’t help but feel wistful.

                There was such an overload of glamour at their table they were the focus of the room. Three amazing-looking men, two fabulous-looking women...and Leila. Her sisters set a standard she couldn’t hope to compete with, but for one night, with Raffa at her side, she was going to give it a shot.

                ‘Would you like me to help you choose from the menu, Leila?’ Raffa murmured, leaning in close.

                Britt and Eva were instantly on alert, but she felt obliged to point out, ‘It’s a fixed menu.’

                ‘So it is,’ Raffa agreed, not losing eye contact with her for a moment.

                It was going to be hard remembering this was just pretence, but a glance at her sisters reassured her they were convinced.

                ‘Would you like me to read the menu out to you?’ Raffa now suggested.

                ‘Yes, please,’ she said, sitting back with the air of a woman for whom men peeled grapes.

                Britt and Eva had designed the menu between them and Leila soon realised that her sisters had chosen food which was impossible to eat without appearing provocative—a look Leila was keen to avoid tonight, even if her intention was to tease them, as she had to balance the game with not taking things too far with Raffa.

                The appetiser was a small baked cheese drizzled with truffle oil on a bed of salad leaves...

                ‘Don’t you like cheese, Leila?’

                As Raffa asked the question Britt and Eva stared at her. She loved cheese and they knew it. Britt had probably designed this first course with Leila’s preferences in mind. But the thought of all that soft, warm cheese glistening on her lips—

                ‘Shall we swap plates?’ Raffa suggested.

                She lifted the plate. He reached for it, and their fingers touched. Heat exploded inside her. Her gasp could probably be heard in the car park.

                ‘I love a man with a healthy appetite,’ Britt commented, flashing a look at Eva.

                ‘What’s the matter, baby sister?’ Eva contributed, picking up the virtual ball Britt had just lobbed across the net. ‘Not enough hot food for you around this table?’

                ‘I’ve got an enormous appetite,’ Raffa confessed with every appearance of innocence. ‘If any of you don’t want your food, please pass it my way.’

                The other men registered small smiles at this, while Britt and Eva exchanged a knowing look.

                Okay. She got it. Leila was Little Red Riding Hood paired with the big bad wolf for the night. She gave her sisters a warning look, but they just smiled and raised a brow. As long as she could handle it, they were okay with it. Now she just had to watch out that the joke didn’t end up on her.

                The next course was asparagus, which was possibly Leila’s favourite food, but the way Eva was sucking the butter off the tip...

                ‘I can’t believe you’re not eating this,’ Raffa scolded when she again offered to exchange her plate with him, but his eyes were laughing, as if he knew exactly what she was thinking.