by Holly Rayner
“Oh?” he asked, one perfect eyebrow lifting in interest.
Rachelle swallowed. The man was irresistible. She would have to get her emotions under control if she didn’t want to blow this possibly life-changing connection. Her promotion could be so much higher if she managed to land Darian as a partner.
“Absolutely. Can I buy you lunch?”
Darian smiled.
“You can permit me to buy you lunch, if you’re so willing.”
“Whatever you’d like. I’m happy to have you as my guest today at this lovely café.”
Darian continued to smile, his teeth a perfect row of white. A dimple creased his cheek, and Rachelle felt a strange urge to run her finger along the edge of it before pressing her lips against his perfect mouth.
Get it together, she thought.
“So, is the goat cheese salad any good here?”
“I don’t know. I’ve never been.”
“Really? As a sheikh, I would imagine you’d be out and about among the people, though perhaps not.”
“Perhaps I ought to get out more than I do. I do a rather lot of work from my home office, and when I’m not there, I’m usually traveling to meet with clients, or otherwise engaged. This might be the first lunch I’ve had outside of the office in ten years.”
“I can fully relate to that,” Rachelle said.
Before Darian could respond, an actual waiter arrived at their table and took their orders. Rachelle watched Darian from beneath lowered lashes, studying him.
She had met attractive men in her line of work. There were plenty of handsome, successful people in advertising, especially at her level. Rachelle had been encouraged to date around work, but she had never believed in lowering her professional integrity by mixing work and play together.
Beyond that, she had a reputation to uphold, and she couldn’t do that if some man didn’t like the way things ended and trashed her to the rest of the company. It had never been worth the risk.
Of course, Rachelle, much like any other single woman, had tried online dating apps, and quickly terminated every account she’d created within minutes. Men were unsavory and rude, particularly on the internet, and no one had ever piqued her interest.
Until Darian sat across from her.
The waiter left with their order written down, and Darian turned back to Rachelle.
“You were saying that work has been a priority for you, as well, these past few years?”
“It has. How else could we have gotten to where we are, being so young?”
Darian grinned.
“I have to say that having connections to the royal family has helped, though I hate to admit it out loud.”
Rachelle shrugged.
“At least you’re honest about it. What’s it been like, growing up royal?”
Darian leaned back in his seat, inhaling as he considered his answer.
“Oh, I don’t know. It’s tough to explain, really. My reality is very different from the reality of others. Still, I have two parents who care very much for me, and I was raised well, I believe. Family is important to us, education is important to us, and fortunately for me, I am far enough down the line to never be considered as a ruler, so I’ve been given free rein to do whatever I wish.”
“What drew you to advertising, then?”
Darian leaned in, and his energy was so intense that Rachelle nearly leaned back. She stamped down the urge, instead leaning forward, embracing the feeling of attraction for once in her life.
“I am an excellent salesman, as it would turn out. I love the creative process, as well. Taking a wisp of a concept and turning it into a tangible product that will enrich people’s lives is fulfilling for me, so it is something I continue to pursue.”
“And if you could be doing anything else?” Rachelle asked.
The corner of Darian’s lip twitched.
“I don’t know how to put this, but I can be doing anything else. Literally.”
Rachelle laughed.
“You are right. Your reality is very different from mine.”
“Then tell me, Rachelle, what brings you to this place and time, enjoying a nice lunch with the strange man hovering around your table?”
Rachelle smiled as she took a sip of water, the better to cool her awakening hormones, which until that moment had been lying dormant.
“I was recently promoted to a position that has me in charge of company expansion, particularly in the Middle East. This is my first international conference.”
“That is fantastic news. I will offer you my congratulations, though I am sure it is well earned.”
“Thank you. I admit that I’m a little nervous. It’s my first networking event, and I really don’t want to mess this up. I’ve managed to talk to a lot of great connections here, so hopefully one of them will want to work with us to create a more dynamic and global company.”
“You make it sound so enticing, Rachelle. Are you certain you’re not trying to sell me right now?”
He was grinning, and she leaned in a little closer, enjoying the conversation, and his presence, immensely.
“Are you trying to tell me you haven’t been working on selling me from the moment you stood over my table?”
Darian placed a hand over his heart with a wounded expression.
“I would never. Can’t a man ask a beautiful woman to lunch?”
“He can. If that man also happens to have noticed said woman at a professional networking conference and inquires around her purpose in being there, however, one is liable to take notice and make note.”
“And what if our companies were to blend together? Would that be the worst thing in the world?”
“I believe it would be the best, but to say so puts the ball firmly in your court, so I will simply say that it would be a great opportunity for two successful companies to merge as one, becoming the best in the world, definitively.”
“I am already there, if you’ll remember.”
“You’re there in Zaradi. What connections do you have in America?”
“Ones that are more than sufficient.”
“I’m not talking about sufficient. I’m asking if you want your company to be more than successful.”
“Oh, you’re good,” he said, leaning back and breaking the spell ever so slightly.
Before Rachelle could answer, their food arrived. Her salad looked delectable, and she picked up her fork, carefully loading it so as to present professionally. Client lunch etiquette was one of her first lessons as an intern, and it had only taken one spaghetti accident for her to always buy salads to avoid any further embarrassing incidents.
Taking a bite, she savored the combination of flavors, her stomach cheering after going so long without a meal.
“This is fantastic,” she said, taking another perfectly speared bite.
“You are right. I have to say, though, the food from my chef is a bit more savory.”
Rachelle lifted an eyebrow.
“Your personal chef?”
Darian nodded.
“Yes. Don’t you have one?”
Rachelle had to stop herself from choking. Since when had she had time to sit and have a meal that wasn’t meant to garner a new partnership or deal?
“I do not,” she said. “I don’t have time for lavish meals, anyway.”
“Well now, that is a shame. That is the one thing I’ll never understand about American culture.”
“What? That we’re busy and productive?”
Darian laughed.
“That you never take time to enjoy life. It is certainly admirable to work hard and succeed, as you clearly have. But if you can’t take the time to enjoy your own food, to take a walk and see what the world has to offer outside of your office, what is the point of it all?”
“The point is to be the best at what we do.”
“And then what? I am the best at what I do, and I still have time for a nice dinner.”
“Well, now you’re just
bragging. Anyway, weren’t we talking about a merger deal just a minute ago?”
Darian shook his head.
“No, I won’t let you get away from the topic, hard as you may try. What have you done in Zaradi to enjoy yourself since arriving? I bet I can guess.”
Rachelle stared him down, and he met her gaze with a strength and stubbornness that clearly matched her own. Rachelle had never met anyone, man or woman, who could defeat her in a stare down. When Darian didn’t back down, she sat back, not breaking the gaze.
“I’ve made numerous connections that will serve my company’s interest, while also helping others rise to our already impressive status.”
“So, in other words, you worked on the plane, then landed, then worked the minute you could get your hands on some Wi-Fi access.”
“I can’t believe I’m getting a lecture about work ethic from the CEO of a top Zaradi company! What a world!”
“How would you know? You’ve never seen it.”
“I’m about to. My company has me scheduled for several more conferences just like this one, and I can’t wait to get the ball rolling on this new initiative.”
“What new initiative?”
“Globalization of advertising, led by me at the top.”
“You like being on top?”
His implication was clear as he smirked at her, and Rachelle blushed, still not breaking their stare. She would never be the first to relent.
“Is everything tasting okay over here?”
The waiter appeared, and Rachelle and Darian were faced with a decision. They stared at one another for another split second.
“On three?” Darian asked with a grin.
Rachelle nodded.
“This will prove whether or not I can trust you, so if you don’t look away, I’ll know my answer.”
“You might be reading into that a bit too much, Rachelle.”
“Start counting, Darian.”
“One,” he said.
Rachelle could only imagine how confused the waiter was at this strange little contest. She gazed into Darian’s eyes, wondering if he would do as he said.
“Two.”
“Three,” she said, and together they both looked up at the waiter in tandem.
“This is absolutely delicious, thank you so much,” Rachelle said with a smile.
The waiter gave them a strange look before nodding and walking away. Rachelle looked back at Darian and laughed.
“We’ll probably be getting another waiter brave enough to handle us after that.”
“And you’ll notice I ended it at the same time you did. Does that convince you?”
“I am not so easily convinced. I work in advertising, Darian. I know to reserve trust for as long as necessary.”
“Indeed,” he mused, pushing his lower lip between his index finger and thumb as he considered her.
“What are you up to this afternoon?”
Rachelle blinked at the change in topic.
“Nothing, I suppose. I was supposed to attend more sessions, but you might have heard that your country is apparently pretty unstable. Is there a chance of violence erupting, really?”
Darian shrugged.
“There is always a threat of violence, for any country. I learned a long time ago not to put stock in those announcements. I can’t live a life sheltered away, cowering in fear.”
“Indeed.”
“So, that was a no on the plans, then?”
Seeing the direction he was taking, Rachelle leaned back in and grinned.
“Not yet.”
Chapter Three
Darian signaled for the waiter, and the man arrived promptly. Reaching into his pocket, the Sheikh placed a thick pile of cash into the man’s hand.
“Keep the change,” he said, smooth as silk.
The waiter’s eyes were nearly popping out of his head as he stumbled over words of gratitude. Darian held up a hand.
“Really, it’s no trouble. Thank you for providing such excellent service for my friend and me here. Do enjoy your day.”
The man thanked Darian one last time before scurrying back toward the kitchen. Whether he would tell his tale or keep it to himself, Rachelle would never know, because in that moment, she glanced back from the retreating waiter to see Darian’s hand stretched out towards her in invitation.
“What do you say? Spend an afternoon getting the insider’s tour of Tara. Come experience the world, before you bury your head behind a screen again.”
Rachelle’s eyes darted to Darian’s hand, then back to his steady gaze. He was issuing a challenge and an invitation in one fell swoop, and her heart fluttered at the thought of spending a fun afternoon with such a handsome, intriguing man. In all her life, Rachelle had never met anyone like him.
Perhaps that was one of the many benefits of international travel.
Sliding her cool hand into his, he squeezed her palm as he grinned mischievously. He helped her from her seat, not releasing her hand as they made their way back out onto the hot streets of the city.
“Chicago can get pretty warm, but this place takes the cake,” Rachelle said, stripping off her blazer and rolling up her blue sleeves.
Darian did the same, and Rachelle couldn’t help but notice two things: the vacancy she felt when he released her hand, and the way his forearm muscles flexed when he rolled up his own crisp, white sleeves. Rachelle cleared her throat, though it did nothing to clear her thoughts.
“So, where to first, tour guide?”
Darian considered, looking up and down the streets a few times.
“I suppose the first thing we should do is get the view of the whole city, from above.”
Rachelle gulped.
“Heights. Great.”
Darian grinned.
“You’re afraid? And here I thought you were so very tough.”
Rachelle laughed.
“Who said I wasn’t? Let’s see what you’ve got, Sheikh.”
Darian picked a direction and began walking, Rachelle falling in stride next to him. All around them, people were leisurely walking, chatting, and smiling.
“This feels strange for some reason,” Rachelle observed.
Darian quirked an eyebrow as he glanced down at her.
“How so?”
Looking around them again, Rachelle tried to pinpoint it.
“No one is in a rush. In American cities, we are always elbowing past one another in a hurry to get to the next place, accomplish the next thing. Here everyone just seems so…relaxed.”
Darian nodded.
“That is the way of my people. We take our time. We work hard, of course, but if someone is thirty minutes late to a meeting, it’s not the biggest deal. They likely had something important they were dealing with.”
Rachelle scoffed.
“If someone did that at my company, they’d be fired. If you’re early you’re on time, if you’re on time you’re late, and if you’re late, you might as well just call in sick to save your job. Even then, you might not be able to.”
“That sounds stressful.”
Rachelle looked up at him. The man towered above everyone around them, yet somehow still managed to blend in with the crowd. No one seemed to notice as he passed by, or at least, they were pretending very well not to.
Then again, with Darian’s lack of integration in the area, there was a chance they had never seen him before. Rachelle made a mental note to research the man later and see what she could find. Was he someone who made the tabloids here, or was he really only well known to people like her, in their industry?
“I suppose it is,” she hedged, carrying on the conversation as she tried not to stare at his perfectly angular jaw.
A whiff of his cologne travelled into her nostrils on the breeze, and her skin tingled at the scent of it. There was something so masculine about him, so alluring. Rachelle found herself completely uncaring that he was likely a man she would never see again. For once in her life, she opted to live in
the moment, even if it meant she would pay for it later. To feel the way she felt, something she had never experienced in her life, somehow seemed worth it.
They walked past a vendor, and Darian stopped, ordering them two cold drinks with what looked like tapioca drops at the bottom.
“Are those bubble teas?” Rachelle asked as he handed her one.
The fluid inside was a creamy brown, almost the color of iced coffee.
“They are not. This is a Zaradi specialty. The balls inside are actually created from one of our local fruits, which has a bit of a citrus flavor. It is wonderfully refreshing. Please, try it.”
Rachelle eyed the drink warily for a moment. For something that looked like a combination of coffee and tea to taste like citrus sounded a bit wacky, but as she took her first sip, she bit into one of the fruits, and an explosion of cool, crisp flavor enveloped her senses.
“Wow!” she said, taking another sip. “That’s so cool!”
Darian chuckled, taking his own sip as they strolled on.
“And to think, you would have never known such a specialty had you stayed in the conference center.”
“Yeah, yeah. I get it. I need to let loose a little. You happen to be suited up yourself, you know.”
Darian laughed, and it was a rich sound. It danced along the gentle breeze, catching the glances of a pair of women passing them by in the other direction. One of them looked at Rachelle with jealousy in her eyes, and Rachelle bit back a smile. What a feeling it was to be treated to a tour by a prince in a foreign land!
“Yes, I’m just giving you a hard time. The truth is, I could do with getting out a bit more myself. Ah, here we are.”
They had reached an entryway that appeared to be the opening to a small amusement park. A towering Ferris wheel circled before them, slowly turning as people got on and off again, smiling as they headed back out toward the city.
“Shall we?” Darian invited again, holding out his arm.
She grinned up at him, not hesitating for a moment as she wrapped her arm around his, happy to have her hand touching his warm skin once again. Before they got in line for the wheel, Darian bought them two cones filled with a cream-colored, sticky-looking dessert.
“And what is this delicacy?” Rachelle asked, excited to try more local cuisine.