The Sheikh's Secret Bride (The Adjalane Sheikhs 1)

Pack first, then call and see if the hotel room she’d vacated the day before was still available. It wouldn’t do her budget any good to end the project, but that was the price she’d pay for her indiscretions. She tossed her toiletry bag on the bed, then headed for the closet to haul out her large suitcase. The thing wasn’t particularly heavy when it was empty, but it was cumbersome. With the handle in one hand, she turned to wheel it toward the bed and promptly ran smack into a solid wall of muscle. “Oomph!”

“Good morning, Janna,” Nassir said, looking entirely cool and collected and entirely too sexy.

She shook off his grip on her shoulders and attempted to step around him, forcing a chipper tone she didn’t feel. “Good morning.”

Nassir crossed his arms and watched her struggle with the awkward bag. “Where are you going?”

“Home.” She dared to meet his gaze and then faltered. “I think it’s best.”

The rest of her sentence—after last night—hung heavy in the air between them, unspoken.

He exhaled and shoved his hands in his pockets. “I came to apologize for what happened. We both had too much to drink. It was a stupid mistake and best forgotten.”

Janna looked away. “May I ask you something?”

“Do you love your bride?”

Nassir seemed to choose his words carefully. “I…am falling for her.”

“I see.” She unzipped her suitcase and began piling clothes into it. “Then do us all a favour and don’t lie to her. Things with this wedding are awkward enough as it is. Tell her what happened last night and if she is still okay with me acting as your event planner, then I’ll carry on. If not, I’ll book a flight home tomorrow.”

Nassir nodded. “Fine. I will tell her. In the meantime, why don’t you leave your things here. I promise there will be no more… awkwardness between us.” He waved his hand. “From a business standpoint, it makes no sense to move at this juncture. Things will proceed much smoother and faster if you are on premise.”

Janna looked at him and wished she could argue, but couldn’t. “Fine. But no more treehouse rendezvous. Understand?”

“Understood.” He bowed slightly then left.

Alone, she wandered into the small sitting room attached to her bedroom and sank into one of the overstuffed armchairs. Her head still thumped from the wine last night and if she licked her lips she could still taste Nassir there. Eyes closed, she curled into a ball. She felt sick and not just from the alcohol she’d consumed. How could I have kissed an almost-married man?

Chapter 8

Nassir left Janna’s room and strode toward his office, feeling less than chipper due to a slight headache from his overindulgence with the wine the prior evening. Still, business and a meeting with his brother beckoned. As per the old saying, seemed there really was no rest for the wicked.

“What’s up?” Adilan asked, as Nassir walked in. much later than usual. His brother made a show of staring at his watch then back at Nassir to emphasize the point.

Tired and restless, Nassir didn’t bother ignoring Adilan’s unspoken question. “I had something to take care of this morning.”

“Hmm.” Adilan took a seat on the couch along the wall of the office and crossed his ankle over his knee “I heard you had lunch with Hazim yesterday?

“Yes. He offered to broker me a bride. Seems he doesn’t think me capable of procuring my own in time to meet the board’s demands.”

“Who did he have in mind?”

“Nehla.”

“What?” The amusement in Adilan’s tone quickly turned to shock. “You’ve got to be kidding?”

“I wish I were.” Nassir rubbed his eyes then pinched the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger. “Anyway, I sent them both packing.”

“Why do you still seem troubled then?” Adilan uncrossed his legs and leaned forward.

“Janna arrived while Hazim and Nehla were leaving and now she believes Nehla is my fiancée.”

Adilan burst into laughter and Nassir wanted to punch something. Namely, his brother.

“It is not funny. Even worse is the fact Janna and I had dinner in the treehouse last night where we shared two bottles of wine between us.” He sighed and stared at the ceiling. “Things got out of hand. I kissed her.”

His brother cleared his throat and seemed to do his best to school his features into something resembling decorum, but his twitching lips still betrayed his underlying mirth. “Yes, I can see how this would be a problem. Kissing the woman you intend to marry. Why, it’s positively unheard of.”