The Royal's Obsession (15 page)

Her job as an archivist was designed to protect artifacts and collections just like his. The fact that the precious things of his culture and history had been recovered after all this time touched her heart in a way that she tried to put into words for him.

"When I was young, my family moved around a lot, " she found herself saying. "Dad was an admin in the Navy, and that meant that we traveled all over the place. A year here, six months there. It kept us on the go. I liked it, in some ways. I got to meet all sorts of interesting people and to see so many things. However, it gave me a real reverence for the idea of home. These things that you have been collecting and getting ready to have shipped back to Adima, well, it feels as if those are things that are trying to return home. I want to help them. "

For a long moment, she was shocked at what had come out of her mouth. She was stunned that she had said all of that. She must sound like a lunatic. She looked at Majid, who had gone as still as a statue. She was just bracing herself to be thanked for her time before being shown the door when he stood suddenly. God, but the man was tall.

"Welcome aboard, " he said, offering her his hand.

Her eyes went wide. She just stared at him for a second, unable to believe that she had been given this opportunity. It was unprofessional in the extreme, but she asked him almost timidly, "Really? "

Majid's grin was white and sharp. Suddenly she remembered the smooth operator from the club, and the way his charm had made her feel as if she were dancing on air.

"On one condition. "

"Name it, " she said immediately.

"That if you want to kiss me again, you will tell me about it, " he said with mock solemnity. "The last time you did that, I was not able to enjoy it as much as I should have. It was simply too hurried. "

"Oh, would you have liked to linger more? " she asked. The moment she did so, she knew that she had made a mistake. There was something dangerous here. She knew that the situation was a risky one. It was too easy to get pulled in, carried away.

Majid came around the desk towards her. She knew that she should have been backing away, but instead she stood stock still, staring up at him. She realized that his black eyes were fastened squarely on her lips. Without thinking of what she was doing, she licked them, making him smile.

"Linger … yes, that is a good word. So is savor. So is toy with …"

She swallowed hard because right now, all she wanted to do was to lean up to him and kiss him again. A small and insane part of her brain insisted that she had not had enough before. They had not kissed long enough, they had not touched enough.

Instead, Angie made herself take a large step back, holding up her hands.

"All right, " she said, sounding a great deal more brisk than she felt. "We need to put the brakes on. If I'm correct, you just offered me a job. I really hope that job wasn't contingent on my ability to flirt and to look good in a gold dress? "

Majid looked horrified that she had even mentioned such a thing.

"Of course not! "

She grinned. "Good. I didn't think so. Then I'm your employee, and we're going to have a proper employee–employer relationship. I'll do my work, you'll tell me how to do it better, and I'll live up to your every expectation. How's that? "

He looked distinctly regretful about that, but chastened, he nodded. They shook hands as solemn as judges, and his easy smile returned.

"I have a few things to take care of here. If you go down the hall and take a right, Bashir will get your paperwork set up for you. "

"Thank you, Mr. al Said, you won't regret this. "

"Sheikh. "

She blinked. "I beg your pardon. "

"The proper term of address for those in my employ is Sheikh Majid. It is how things are done in Adima. "

"Sheikh Majid …" she tried experimentally. The distance that she had gained in calling him mister abruptly disappeared. This title was something else. It was ancient, and there was a sense of lordliness about it, nobility and honor.

"But that is honestly a bit formal, I think, " he continued. "Better just make it Majid. "

She blinked at him before grinning ruefully. "That was neatly done, " she observed.

"I know. Will you stick with it? "

"Yes, Majid, I think I will. "

"And what may I call you? "

She was tempted to say
Ms Marsh
, but she didn't truly want to be so cold.

"Angie, " she said with a sigh, and she didn't know whether it felt like a victory or a defeat.

***

When the door shut behind her, Majid was left staring thoughtfully after her. If he was honest with himself, he didn't know what to think. There was no doubt in his mind about hiring her, none at all. She was clearly the best candidate for the job, and he wouldn't change that for the world.

As to his attraction for her …

Last night, he might have been willing to call it a quirk of chemistry, something quick and rare and strange. Now that he had seen her again, that spark of attraction had changed into a bonfire.

If he was smart, he would leave her to her job and continue on his way to Adima. He wished for home, and he knew that the longer he was away, the greater that desire would grow. There was nothing holding him in New York, though he knew that there were always things he could do here that would be legitimately official for his rank and his position.

Finally, he reached for his phone and contacted the woman who took care of his travel arrangements.

"Hello, Maryam? Yes, it's Sheikh Majid. Everything is well, thank you for asking. Look … just cancel my flight home. No, I'm not going to worry about getting a replacement flight any time soon, I don't think. Yes, that will be … actually, on second thought, let's see about getting me a new car for the remainder of my visit. No, nothing so flashy. A current Mercedes sedan will be perfect …"

***

As Majid's secretary searched for the right papers to offer her, Angie vibrated with excitement. She knew how unspeakably lucky she had been to get this job, but more than that, she swelled with pride.

Someone as educated and clever as Majid had recognized her work and wanted to make sure that she took care of his treasures. He had paid her all sorts of lovely compliments last night and today, but there was something even more flattering about his trust.

Angie reminded herself that this was a job, and that she couldn't get too invested. It was short-term work that might lead to long-term work if she was very lucky, but at the moment, she had to assume that she would only be engaged for a few weeks.

In that time, there was a good chance that she might not even see Majid. There was a chance that he would simply send her off to do her job and that would be it. She told herself that if that was what was going to happen, she would be content.

Bashir gave her the paperwork to sign, smiling at her.

"Your credentials look well-suited for the work, " he said. "When do you think you can start? "

She grinned at him. "Honestly? I've been going over your catalog for the last week. I can start as soon as you give me a place to hang my jacket and plug in a laptop. "

He laughed at her eagerness. "Actually, that's something you should be aware of. The collection has grown and continues to grow. People are returning artifacts at an alarming rate, and it is already more than the catalog that was released with the job offering. "

She shot him a shrewd look. "I suppose the people who had the artifacts finally looked up Adima and realized how rich it and Sheikh Majid were? "

Bashir's smile was narrow and slightly predatory.

"Yes, indeed. And now they wish to curry favor. Well, it is not to you or I how that might go. All we need to do is to make sure that things don't go horribly, horribly wrong. Here, this is the new catalog. There's an office that is meant to be yours down the west hallway, across from the atrium. If you want to head down there to get centered, that would be a good choice, I think. "

Knowing a dismissal when she heard one, she took the surprisingly thick printout and headed down to her new office.

The large manor where Majid and his staff had set up shop was a charming building in upper Manhattan, tall and stately and likely ludicrously expensive for where it was and for its size. With her key in hand, Angie felt like she was ten feet tall. Peter had always told her she was too flighty to get a job like the one she had just gotten. He had said that no one took her seriously enough. For the first time in a long time, when she thought of her ex, she felt something besides rage or that bone-wearying sadness. Now she felt vindicated, and she knew that soon enough, she wouldn't need to think about him anymore.

When she got to her office, she grinned. It was small, rather dull, and more or less completely without personality, but she knew it was hers. She wouldn't be there long enough to get her name on the door, but it was all hers.

Angie walked in, closed the door behind her, and opened up the catalog.

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