Sharif raised a sexy, inky brow. ‘I take it you’ve seen one before?’
‘Of course, but—’
‘Helmet?’
‘Thank you.’ She buckled it on.
And yes, there were outriders. And yes, there was an armoured vehicle that might have contained anything from a rocket launcher to a mobile café, but it wouldn’t have mattered, because none of the following posse could keep up with Sharif.
Riding a bike was hot without any additional inducements, like jean-clad sheikhs she had to cling to. Sharif was a great rider. She felt safe and yet in terrible danger—in the most thrilling way. By the time he stopped the big machine outside the university he could have had her on the street.
Fortunately, Sharif had more control than she had and led her through the beautifully groomed grounds, explaining that he wanted to talk to her before he introduced Britt to the students.
‘You’ve got another idea,’ she guessed.
‘You know me so well,’ he said, his dark eyes glinting.
I wish, she thought as Sharif ruffled his hair. ‘So, what’s it about?’
‘We’ve talked about this before, in a way,’ he said, perching on a wall and drawing her down beside him. ‘If you agree, I’d like you to start thinking about plans to bring our two countries together by arranging exchange trips between students.’
‘Is that why you’ve brought me here?’
‘That’s one reason, yes. I want you to see where your diamonds are going.’
She couldn’t pretend she wasn’t excited. Her world had always revolved around Skavanga, but now Sharif was offering her more—so much more and her heart soared with hope.
‘You’re the best person for the job,’ he said. ‘You’ll be reporting to me, of course—’
‘Oh, of course.’ She tried to keep it light.
‘Don’t mock,’ he warned.
He touched her cheek as he said this, and stared deep into her eyes. It was impossible to feel nothing. Impossible, but she tried not to show it.
‘Your first task is to work on a way for our people to learn about each other’s culture.’
And now the dam finally burst and she laughed. ‘Birch twig switches and harem tents? That should go down well with the students—’
‘Britt—’
‘I know. I’m sorry. I think it’s a wonderful idea.’ And she could tell that it meant a lot to Sharif. This wasn’t a whim on his part; this was a declaration of sorts—and maybe the only one she would ever get. But they were close. Deep down she knew this. And she wasn’t fooling herself this time, because Sharif was sharing some of the things closest to his heart with her, and when he squeezed her hand and smiled into her eyes, she knew how much this meant to Sharif and was honoured to be a part of it.
‘You would have to come back to Kareshi, of course,’ he said, frowning.
‘Of course,’ she said thoughtfully.
‘Once the changes have been implemented in Skavanga and everything has settled down here, I want you to tour our universities and colleges with me—art galleries, concert halls and museums. I want to share everything with you, Britt.’
‘For the sake of the exchange scheme,’ she clarified, still lacking something on the confidence front.
‘Absolutely,’ Sharif agreed. ‘We have some fascinating exhibits in the museums. You might even recognise some of them.’
‘But you don’t expect me to explain those to students, I hope?’
‘I don’t think they need any explanation, do you?’
She stared into Sharif’s laughing eyes, remembering everything in the fabulous pavilion where she had lost her heart. It had never occurred to her that Sharif might have lost his too.
Or was she just kidding herself again?
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
HE STOOD BACK to watch Britt, wanting to remember every single detail as she met and mingled with the students for the first time. He wished then that he had been less preoccupied and more open from the start, so he could have showered her with gifts and told her how he felt about her. But he had been like Britt—all duty, with every hour of every day filled. They had both changed. He had maybe changed most of all when he had discovered that a month away from Britt was like a lifetime. He’d realised then how much she meant to him and had concluded that it must never happen again.