The Sheikh's Unforgettable Lover(18)

Hussain narrowed his gaze at Karim and leaned forward. “I need you find that ring for me so that I can marry the woman I love.”

“Who happens to be a spy.”

“Who used to be a spy.”

The two men started laughing.

“Okay. What kind of a ring is it?” Karim asked.

“It was a unique gold band with a red stone. Around the stone were yellow diamonds,” Hussain explained. “I will have a mock up drawn.”

“It sounds like a unique ring,” Karim said, scratching his stubble with his thumb.

“I purchased the entire store and I will have the contents shipped here. I just need Sharqi Jewels to locate the exact ring.” Karim widened his eyes and stared at Hussain as if he had lost his mind. He was starting to think that he might have actually lost it.

“You did what?” Maybe Karim had heard wrong. “You bought the entire shop?”

“Yes, and the warehouse.”

Karim shook his head. “My friend, you are crazy.” Hussain laughed.

“Crazy in love,” he replied as Karim ran his hand through his wavy hair.

“All of this for one girl?” Karim asked, whistling lowly. It made no sense to him. Hussain was going to great lengths for one woman, a western woman at that. He really could not understand his friend.

“You’ll understand one day, my friend.” Hussain said to him with a warm smile on his face. Karim raised his eyebrows, shaking his head.





Chapter Thirteen


As Kim was walking out of her classroom at the orphanage, she heard excited voices coming from the teacher’s lounge. Curious, she headed toward the lounge and was surprised to see Karim standing there surrounded by the teachers who were busy bombarding him with questions.

Instead of his usual look of indifference, he looked downright terrified as the women fawned over him. Amused, Kim stood in the doorway watching as he tried to answer their questions as fast as they asked them. When Dania began asking him about the number of children he planned to have, Kim took pity on him and cleared her throat as loud as she could.

Turning his head, the look of relief Karim gave her had her covering her mouth to mask her laugh as her eyes danced merrily. Shaking his arms, he stepped away from the doting women and rushed toward her.

“I thought we could go to lunch,” he told her quickly, as she looked at him in surprise.

“Um, sure. Just let me grab my things,” Kim replied, as she wondered what got into him.

“Oh, Kim, must he leave so soon?” Salma asked. “We were just getting to know him,” she crooned as she batted her eyelashes at him.

Sliding her hands up his arm, Dania leaned against him, “Can’t we keep him for just a little bit longer?” she asked as she winked at Kim.

Turning away, Kim coughed to cover her laugh again when she saw the horrified look on Karim’s face. Turning back, “Perhaps another time, ladies, there was mention of lunch,” she told them as the women made noises of complaint.

Stepping forward, Karim grasped her elbow and quickly exited the lounge as the women all shouted their goodbyes to him. Once outside, he took several deep breaths as he heard the women’s laughter from inside.

“Is it always like that in there?” he asked as they walked toward the car.

Unable to hold her laughter back, “No, that was a special show just for you,” she answered as she clutched at her sides.

When they arrived at the restaurant, Kim stepped out of the car and looked up. “Where are we?”

“This restaurant belongs to a friend of mine. Come on, I think that you will enjoy it.”

Placing his hand at the small of her back, he escorted her inside. As they walked toward the reception stand, he was surprised to see Hussain. Smiling broadly at his friend, they shook hands as Karim introduced them to each other before Hussain showed them to a table overlooking the back garden.

Giving him a strange look, Hussain held his tongue as he handed them their menus.

Opening her menu, Kim looked at the broad list of options and sighed. “So what’s good here?” she asked him as Karim closed his menu.

“Everything.”

“Well, I’m not that hungry. Any chance you could be more specific?”

Smiling at her, “Is there anything that you’re in the mood for?”

“Food,” she replied as she snorted in amusement. “Actually, I’ve liked everything I’ve tried so far. Maybe we could order some different appetizers so that I can try them. Oh, and dessert.”

“So, should we start with the dessert first?” he asked her flatly.

Looking up at him, Kim wasn’t sure if he was serious until she saw his mouth twitch. Pasting a frown on her face, she stared at him, “I think I can manage the appetizers first,” she told him. “Unless of course, the desserts are really good.”