“Tal?” Kade asked.
Rafe didn’t miss a beat. “Yes, Tal. You know the man who’s doing the field research in Bezakistan for the Clean Energy Project, brother.”
Kade leaned forward. “Seriously? Tal? Is he shitting us?”
Rafe sent his brother a deeply quelling look before turning back to her, and Piper frowned. It was as if the two were having a secret conversation through a series of raised eyebrows and short hand gestures.
“I have received the information from Tal,” Rafe assured. “But I wanted your opinion. Gavin James thinks highly of you. You did your undergraduate work in economics?”
She smiled. If there was one thing she was proud of, it was her degree. It had taken her five years because she’d had to work full time while she went to school, but she’d graduated with honors. “Yes, I have an undergraduate degree in economics. I’ve started my graduate work with a specialization in the economic viability of renewable energy sources.”
“Very impressive. So you believe this project of Black Oak’s will be viable?”
She was intensely excited at the prospect. Bezakistan could be a huge economic and scientific experiment. “I think given your country’s unique position in the world’s fuel market and how open your economy is, you have the opportunity to make enormous strides. Brazil has gone to an almost completely biofuel model for their transportation systems. Imagine what you could do with a combination of biofuel, wind energy, and solar power. You could change the world. You could bring power to countries that can’t afford it.”
Bezakistan was the perfect testing ground. The country was rich with oil, but they also had millions of acres of deserts, perfect for solar power and wind harvesting. Their infrastructure was one of the soundest in the world, and almost everything was controlled by one man: Sheikh al Mussad. And, as Dex James had explained when he called to arrange this luncheon, she was sitting with his brothers.
God, she hoped she didn’t make an idiot of herself.
“But is it a financially viable model?” Kade probed.
This was the hard sell. She and Tal had been working on this proposal for months. She was interested from a humanitarian and ecological standpoint. But she knew money moved the world. Good thing she would merely be gathering all the data. Tal would present it to his sheikh. “Not in the first five minutes, but I think the patents alone on some of this technology could make up for the money you put into it over time.”
At least they were looking at her like she had a brain in her head. Rafe sat back, his arm going over the back of the booth, hovering above her shoulders. Gosh, he was attractive. His pitch black hair was perfectly cut and intelligent dark eyes looked out from a face that could be on the cover of a magazine. Kade was equally appealing. Piper had to remind herself not to drool.
“I am more than willing to listen to your information on this subject,” Rafe said, gesturing for a waiter. “Would you like something to drink while we do? Wine, perhaps?”
And be a slavering pile of goo by the time dessert rolled around? Nope. She’d proven long ago that she couldn’t handle liquor. She was nervous as hell, but it would be worse to fall asleep on the gorgeous gods of men who held her career in their hands. “No, thank you. I’ll just have some iced tea.”
“Of course,” Rafe said, though he looked almost disappointed. “Three iced teas and a plate of the oysters, please. We should be ready to order lunch in a moment.”
The waiter scurried off.
Kade set his menu aside. “How do you feel about travel, Piper?”
“I’ve never been outside of Texas. I read a lot about the world. I have a list of places I would love to see, but I just haven’t had the opportunity yet.”
“Why, may I ask?” Rafe leaned closer and scooted in a bit, giving her his undivided attention. “You’re young. Many young people, even in my country, get out and see the world. I have heard many Americans like to backpack across Europe.”
Kade sniffed a little. “I don’t know why. I stayed at a hostel once. My fathers were very angry with the way I was spending money, so I attempted to conserve. I see now why so many horror films have been made about them. Backpacking is apparently a very smelly experience.”
She laughed. She could just imagine the very urbane Kadir al Mussad surveying her father’s ranch. “I still would have loved it. I’m from West Texas. Trust me, once you’ve stood downwind of a herd of cattle, you can handle a little humanity. I planned a big trip to celebrate my graduation from high school. Not Europe, but I was going to drive up the West Coast from San Diego to Vancouver. I bought a little convertible and put all kinds of money away from summer jobs. I was going with a couple of friends.”