Modern Romance September 2016 Books 5-8. Natalie Anderson

      She had recovered from the faint-inducing sight of Kedah in a suit, but here in Dubai he wore traditional attire and each day was a delicious surprise to the senses. On this fine day the angels had chosen for him a robe in cool, completely non-virginal white, and such was his beauty and presence that he turned every head as he made his way over.

      His keffiyeh was of white-on-white jacquard, with knotted edges, and was seemingly casually tied. He was unshaven, but very neatly so. His lips were thick and sexy, the cupid’s bow at the top so perfect one might be forgiven for thinking it tattooed. But this was all natural. Felicia had inspected that mouth closely enough to be very sure of that.

      He looked royal and haughty and utterly beautiful, from his expensive cool head right down to his sexy leather-clad feet. Then his eyes lit on her, and the beautiful mouth relaxed into a warm smile—one that didn’t just light up his features, but his whole being.

      Auras were supposed to be indistinguishable, even non-existent, yet Kedah wore his golden glow like a heavy fur coat.

      He was a wolf in prince’s clothing. Felicia knew that.

      Such delectable clothing, though!

      And such a stunning man...

      Of course it wasn’t only the women who noted his suave arrival—inevitably the head waiter came dashing over, clearly troubled at the inadequate seating arrangements for such an esteemed guest.

      ‘You didn’t say that you were dining with Sheikh Kedah,’ he admonished her.

      ‘I did say I was meeting an important guest,’ Felicia said sweetly.

      ‘Then please accept our sincere apologies. We have given you the wrong table—it is our mistake. Allow me...’ He was gathering up her phone, her tablet, the whole mini-office that she set up whenever she met with Kedah.

      ‘Of course.’

      Felicia smiled to herself as she was bundled over to a stunning table—one where there was no chance of hearing their neighbours’ conversation. The only sound was the gentle cascade of a fountain, the view of the marina was idyllic, and here the floor was entirely theirs.

      ‘You played your game again,’ he commented as they sat down opposite the other.

      ‘I did.’ Felicia nodded, and then met and held his gaze.

      His eyes were thickly lashed, and he had a way of looking at her that honestly felt as if she were the only person present on the planet. He gave his absolute full attention in a way that was unlike anybody Felicia had ever known.

      ‘Why don’t you just say in the first place that you are meeting me?’ he asked, because this happened rather a lot when Felicia booked their meetings.

      ‘Because I like watching them fluster when you arrive.’

      Kedah would like to see Felicia fluster—and yet she was always measured and poised and gave away so little of herself.

      He would like to know more.

      The thought continually surprised him. Kedah did not get involved with staff, yet over the past few weeks he had found himself wondering more and more about Felicia and what went on in her head.

      It was a pretty head—one that was usually framed with shoulder-length hair. But today her hair was worn up. It was too severe on her, Kedah thought. Or was it that she’d lost a little weight? And he could see that she’d put on some make-up in an attempt to hide the smudges under her eyes.

      Gorgeous eyes, Kedah thought. They regularly changed shade. Today they were an inviting sea-green, but he would not be diving in.

      He did not want to muddy things—he needed her on board and, given that his relationships ran to days rather than weeks, he did not want to risk losing her over something as basic and readily available as sex.

      Yet all too often they tipped into flirting. Kedah usually didn’t bother—there was little need for it when you were as good-looking and as powerful as he. Yet he enjoyed their conversations that turned a seductive corner on occasion. Though Felicia had promised him discretion, there were times when he wanted her naked in bed beside him. He wanted to laugh as she told him tales about her former bosses.

      Or ‘clients’, as Felicia referred to them.

      That irked him.

      He had seen her list of references, and some of the names there had had his jaw gritting. And, yes—he’d wondered all too often how close Felicia might have been to them. That was another thing that irritated him, but it would hardly be fair to question her about it.

      He remembered now that he was cross with her for last night.

      ‘Felicia, when I ask you to make a theatre booking for my date and myself, please do better in future.’

      She knew he was referring to the previous night. At five, he had suddenly decided he wanted two of the hottest tickets in town.

      ‘I got you the best available seats,’ Felicia said. ‘And I had to call in a favour to secure them.’

      ‘Again...’ he sighed ‘...you declined to say for whom you were booking.’

      ‘You told me at my interview that you expect discretion.’

      ‘I expect the best seats,’ Kedah said. ‘Had they not recognised me, I’d have been stuck behind a pillar. When you ring to make any booking in future, you are to tell them that it is for me.’

      ‘That will ruin my game.’

      ‘Tough,’ he said. ‘Right, let’s go through my schedule. I want you to arrange some time for me to go to the States in a couple of weeks.’

      And as she stared at him a thought suddenly occurred to her. Maybe he was already married—maybe that was the scandal that was about to hit.

      ‘Do you go to America a lot?’ she asked.

      He nodded.

      ‘Where?’

      ‘All over. Though mainly New York. My friend Matteo lives there.’

      ‘The one with the motor racing team?’

      Kedah nodded.

      Wild Matteo, who was known for his penchant for gambling and high-octane living.

      ‘Have you ever been to Vegas?’ she asked him.

      ‘Felicia...’ Kedah sighed again. ‘Where is this leading?’

      ‘I just wondered if you’d been to Vegas with Matteo...’ She gave him a smile. ‘And perhaps done something there that you might regret?’

      ‘I don’t waste time with regrets,’ he said. ‘And I don’t like wasting time—which we are. Let’s go through tomorrow’s agenda.’

      They were saved from that, though, as the waiter somewhat nervously approached with mint tea. As Kedah looked up she felt the shifting of his attention. He was polite and engaged with the waiter, and as they spoke in Arabic she watched as he put the young man at ease.

      He was arrogant, and yet he was kind.

      Arrogant in that he expected the best and most often got it.

      But then he could also be very kind.

      ‘What would you like to eat?’ Kedah asked Felicia.

      ‘Fruit,’ Felicia said. ‘Something light.’

      ‘Sounds good.’

      He ordered, and when they were alone again he asked her how she was finding the hotel. Given he had not just designed the hotel but owned it, Felicia knew this was no idle enquiry.

      ‘It’s amazing,’ she told him. ‘Though I’d love to have some time to actually enjoy the facilities.’

      Instead rather a lot of her time had been spent driving around