The Sheikh's Christmas Present (Shadid Sheikhs 2)

Rolling off the bed, she opened her laptop and stared at her accounts.

One million dollars. That was what Jarik had offered to give Christmas Crates. Of course, after she’d pushed him out the door, she doubted that he’d actually give her that money.

And she had. She’d pushed him right out the door.

Sighing, she was about to shut the laptop when she got an email notification. Opening it up, she leaned down and gasped.

It was from Jarik. He wanted to meet to discuss the terms of his donation.

“No. No, no, no.” She couldn’t accept his donation. Not after everything, they’d been through. A clean break. That was what she needed. She and Jarik were t

oo different to make anything work, and she didn’t think she could be near him.

But a million dollars could go so far in helping others. Could she really be selfish enough to deprive her charity of all that money because she didn’t think she could face Jarik? That wasn’t the kind of woman she was.

She kept the reply short and businesslike, but it didn’t make her feel any better about sending it. Now, instead of relaxing, she twisted and turned and thought about Jarik.

The memory of his touch haunted her. It wasn’t only the pleasure that he’d brought her body, but it was the way that he’d comforted her when she was upset and protected her when she was in trouble.

Maria remembered the way his arm had tightened around her at night as though he was desperate to keep her close. This whole time, they were playing two very different games. She’d been looking for a little fun, but he’d wanted something more from her.

She couldn’t give it to him, could she? She couldn’t live in that world, and he’d never live in hers. What was the point in even trying?

Maria smoothed her hand over her skirt and button-up blouse before taking a deep breath. She had only a handful of outfits that were appropriate for her to meet with donors, but she’d left them all at home. A quick shopping trip that morning had her dressed in grey and cream. Simple. Sophisticated. For most people, it was business attire.

For her, it was armor.

Jarik sat at the edge of the bar and swirled his drink. He’d wanted to meet her at a small cafe, but she knew that this was his domain. As long as she thought of him as a donor, she might be able to get through this without any emotional wreckage.

“Jarik,” she said as she smiled stiffly. “It’s good to see you.”

He looked surprised when he slipped off the barstool, but he shook the hand that she’d extended to him. “Maria. I’m glad you agreed to meet with me. I wasn’t sure if you were going to.”

“Well, your offer is extremely generous, and I’m sure with all the news circulating about Christmas Crates, you’re concerned about the use of your money. I want to make sure that you’re still comfortable with your donation.”

“Right.” His voice was neutral as he put his hand on the small of her back. “I got us a table. Let’s go sit down.”

Her body warmed under his touch, and she tried not to focus on how close they were. It had only been a few days since she’d seen him, but her body reacted like it was starved for his touch. She fought her desire to lean into him and tried to remember the mantra she’d repeated over and over again.

It’s only a business meeting.

When he pulled out her chair for her, he bent down and whispered in her ear. “I like the skirt.”

A delicious shudder ran up her spine, and she fell like a stone into the chair. What was he doing? Was he trying to flirt with you?

Clearing her throat, she tried to ignore the heat in his gaze. It was like meeting him all over again, only this time, she knew how dangerous it was to play. “So, I have an idea about how I can put your mind at ease. I know Sebastian is no longer part of the charity, but you should feel that your money is going where it needs to go.”

“Why didn’t you tell me that your brother had a gambling problem? You have to know that your issue with money stems from your brother’s obsession with it.”

“Oh, wow,” Maria shook her head. “I actually think this might go much easier if we don’t try to bring our personal lives into it. I mean, I know that my brother’s gambling issue is public now, but I don’t really want to talk about it.”

“I do.”

This was not going well. “Jarik, I’m getting help for Sebastian, but if you’re still worried, I was thinking that we could keep the money in your account and allocate it for certain bills. That way we only use it when we need it and each transaction will be transparent.”

Rather than commenting on her idea, he leaned back and studied her. “How long has he been gambling?”

“Jarik, you’re not listening to me. I don’t want to talk about this.”