The Prince and the Working Woman (Desert Prince Book 1) (5 page)

"Sure it does if you know what you're doing."

Prince Know it All
. She gave it to him. "Go ahead make a call."

He scrolled through the menu. "What's the password to download apps?"

“Oops.” She held out her hand. “Give it to me. I'll put it in."

Mild annoyance crossed his face. "What's the password? You can change it after I give it back."

She didn't want to answer but he gave her no choice. "M E N R D O G S."

He let out a deep rich laugh "Yes, we are."

He played with the phone for several minutes. When he finished he dialed a number. The phone in his pocket rang. "And now I have your number."

"How did you do that?" she asked

"Skype. Only works when you are in a Wi-Fi area but that is almost everywhere in the Middle East."

"Thank you."

"Not all dogs are bad."

They were downright cute as puppies. But when they grew into wolves, no woman was safe.  "Why were you looking for me?"

"I need to find out how much you are going to cost us."

She grinned and shook her head. "You better not expect me to work cheap just because I'm a woman."

"It has been my experience that women cost more in the end."

He was everything she knew she should avoid.  So why did her body react to this alpha dog like a poodle in heat? "I am not going there with you."

"All right. Business first."

She hadn't realized how much she needed to consider when working abroad. Hamid handed her a stack of paperwork, some from the American Embassy in Touzar. She had to decide if she wanted to receive her salary in dollars, euros, or T pounds as he called their money. Did she want to pay taxes to the host country or America? Surprisingly she had a choice. By choosing local taxes she would be covered by free healthcare. No brainer.

He ran the entire business negotiation without his usual double entendre, but when he left her with the contract to read over, the meeting ended and the devil returned.

* * * *

Hamid ordered two cappuccinos while Mandy glanced through the paperwork.  According to the director of the center she had been here daily. He’d had doubts when his sister-in-law suggested her college roommate for the position. Allah knew they had more than one ‘figure head’ on the payroll but those were royal relatives who were safer than in a position of power. Her resume showed real ambition. She would not be the first American working for the kingdom, but she would be the most beautiful. Yes, it had nothing to do with her qualifications, but he would be blind not to notice.

"Should we negotiate the other matter between us?"

She lowered her head but he still saw the barely visible blush. "That doesn't require negotiations."

"I beg to differ."

"You can beg all you want. Whatever happens between us does not involve our working relationship right?"

"Right," he said

"It’s sex. Nothing personal. And we walk away when it’s over without hurting each other.”

The very words he’d spouted hundreds of time, but it sounded different when repeated back to him.

“It doesn't involve money," she added.

Not a cash payment but she must want something out of the deal. "What do you expect from me?"

"I don't expect anything more than your time.” She leaned in and whispered, “Oh, and your body once in a while."

A jolt of electricity shot straight to his groin. He shifted in his seat. A woman who wanted nothing? Hard to believe. While he would oversee the opening and running of the center she did not work for him. All foreigners served at the pleasure of the king. No quid pro quo. How could he keep control?

"When do you think you'll be ready to go?"

She looked up from the papers. "I thought I started next month."

Thirty more days. Too damn long. He wanted her there now. "I'd prefer sooner."

"I still have to find an apartment. Mona was going to help me when she got back."

He knew the capital city better than his sister-in-law. Most ex-pats lived in the area called Embassy Row for obvious reasons. With foreign embassies came more security. Not that Touzar had high crime issues but they’d had their share of purse snatching, street brawls, and religious protests and of course political corruption.  "You will want to be near your work right?"

"Of course."

"Well until you decide on a suitable compound you don't know where that will be."

"I will choose the compound?"

"I thought you would want to be involved. There are a few places that would work if you want me to just pick one."

She sat a bit taller. Her smile returned. "No. I'd rather see them."

No doubt in his mind. Whatever it took to get her there. If he waited for her friend to return he would lose the advantage. “So tomorrow?"

She swallowed hard. "I still need to find a hotel to stay in for a few weeks."

"You can stay at the..."

"No!" she said quick and adamantly.

“You don't even know what I was going to say." But she did. She was stubborn and determined to do everything on her own. He had no experience in dealing with an independent woman. Did he really want to take on this aggravation right now?

Hell yes.

"The kingdom has several apartments for visitors. You can use..."

She shook her head.

"You can
rent
one until you find an apartment."

She paused before warily nodding her agreement. He would almost think she had no interest in him at all. Except that was the only boundary she did not set.

* * * *

For the second time in two weeks Mandy prepared to board a private jet. Prior to this she had only flown once. Shoving her five foot ten inch frame in a coach seat for six hours had turned her off of flying. Would life ever start to feel real again? She pulled her rolling suitcase behind her as she walked from passport control to the diplomatic boarding area.

Hamid met her near the gate. "Where's the rest of your luggage?"

"This is it."

"One bag?"

She shrugged her shoulders to relieve the tension. "When I left home I was only planning to be away for five days."

"You can go on a spree at the mall when we arrive."

Did he think she was independently wealthy? She agreed to travel with him now to be on the clock four weeks early. She had limited funds to hold her until her first pay check a month from now.  Her checking account was already close to empty and her saving account non-existent. Thank heavens for credit cards. She couldn't blame him. He grew up with the proverbial silver spoon. Or maybe in was 24 karat gold.

"Mona will be picking up my stuff when they stop in Boston."

The steward standing outside the door took her suitcase and stored it in the overhead compartment. As she walked into the cabin she still expected to see the rows of seats. The oversized leather recliners and tables in between reminded her of a salon. The black and silver interior reeked of masculinity. She shouldn't be surprise. The royal family consisted of seven sons and no daughters. She doubted she would find pastel colors anywhere in the kingdom.

"Where should I sit?" she asked.

"What does your ticket say?"

She expelled a small grown of frustration.
Freaking smart ass.

"We are the only two flying tonight. Sit wherever you'd like."

She slid into the first seat. It was wider than her bed at home. Buttery soft leather cushioned her. "How long is the flight?"

"Ninety minutes."

For an hour and a half she would've sat on the darn toilet. Looking on a map hadn't given her a sense of distance between the two capital cities.

The steward hovered in doorway and motioned towards Hamid.

"Do you want a drink?" he asked.

"Water."

"Nothing stronger?"

"Diet Coke?"

"I meant alcohol."

"I know. No thank you."

He waved the waiting attendant off. "You don't drink?"

"Not anymore."

He dropped into the seat next to her. Damn the man smelled good—spice and a hint of musk. "Is there a story in that?"

"Rashid never told you anything?"

"He refused to tell me anything about you."

She grinned. "I knew I liked that man."

He drummed his fingers on the plush arms of the seat. "Are you going to tell me?"

She didn't want to. Reliving a painful and foolish experience was not how she planned to spend her time. As he stared, waiting for an answer, she couldn't find a way to avoid it.

"During Homecoming, Mona, Angie and I went to a fraternity party.” Mandy was not a football patron and until that year had never participated in the festivities. She only went because … surprise, surprise, a guy. Proving once again she had no taste in men, her date, along with his frat buddies, spiked the drinks.  “The light beer was weighed down with Rohypnol."

"Princess Mona was drinking?" He sounded more surprised than judgmental.

"No, she had more sense than the rest of us. But when she realized we had been drugged she locked us in the bathroom and called for Rashid to get us. He was there in a minute. No cops. No press. And no hospital bill. I don't know how he did it."

"It was his job to protect the princess."

"He could have yanked her out and left us on our own. He didn’t."

Her marriage to a violent and angry drunk turned her off to anything more than a beer or small glass of wine. But after the trauma of having her stomach pumped in the ER she didn't ever want to drink again.

"Besides I thought it was frowned upon in Touzar."

"But not illegal. Except for drinking in public."

She took out her notepad and wrote down another fact she would need to pass on to the future members of the service center. She kept her eyes averted even after she finished. She needed to focus on the job and not the dark hypnotic stare of her sexy traveling companion. Easier said than done.

The seatbelt light turned on with a ping. The pilot locked the outside door and took a seat in the cockpit. Her stomach clenched with anxiety, excitement and downright fear. She glanced out the window. Hamid rested his hand on her thigh. If he meant to comfort her, he failed. As a turn on, he scored. 

Five minutes later the Lear jet took off into the fiery sunset. Was this really the chance of a lifetime or the biggest mistake of her life?

Chapter Five

Mandy closed her eyes for just a moment. When she opened them again the lights of the city filled a small corner of the otherwise darkened landscape. The plane began its descent.

"Did you have a nice rest?" Hamid asked.

Had she really slept the entire flight? The jet was more comfortable than her bed. If she wasn't careful she could get used to this luxury. "I apologize. That was rude."

"A silent woman with the wandering hand? That's not my idea of rude."

She looked down and yanked her hand from his lap as if she’d been burned. Thankfully she wasn't holding anything she shouldn't. At least she hoped she hadn't. But his shit-eating grin left her wondering.

After several minutes of taxiing down the runway the plane came to a stop.  “Welcome to Touzar.”

“Thank you.” She grabbed her purse and followed Hamid toward the door. The steward had already taken her bag down the exit ramp. Other than the terminal lights, she couldn’t see the city. She crossed the hot tarmac quickly and headed for the modern, air-conditioned building. A text message notification binged as soon as she stepped inside.

WHAT HAPPENED? CALL ME WHEN U LAND

Mandy did not want to call Mona while on her honeymoon, but she didn't want to worry her friend either. She motioned for Hamid to wait. He paused but didn't leave enough distance to give her privacy.

"What’s going on?" Mona asked before even saying hello.

"What do you mean?" Mandy asked.

"Why did you leave?"

Hamid acted like he was distracted but she knew he listened to every word.

Mandy leaned against the cool granite wall, "HRH needed me sooner."

"Who?"

"His Royal Highness.”

He tilted his head and arched an eyebrow in question.

"Yeah we're talking about you."

Mona giggled. "I guess you can't speak right now."

"Sure I can. If he doesn't like it he can walk away."

He did step away but only because his own phone rang and he apparently wanted privacy for himself.

"Are you sure you’re alright?" Mona asked.

"Of course."

"I just wish..."