Sheikh's Ex-Girlfriend (Khayyam Sheikh Series #1) Read Online Free PDF Page B
Author: Sophia Lynn
nodded. If it wasn’t for Amira, she wouldn't have gotten settled in Dalal so quickly, so if Amira said she had to attend a masked party, she would believe her.
“It's for the release of Yusef Bhandari's work. His new novel is centered around a masked ball, so for the new release, his publishers are throwing a party. You're invited, as much because you are part of the industry as because they want to check out who their new competitor is.”
Ella sighed, because if she had been in Dalal just a few months earlier, she would have had a shot at signing the man who was sure to be making waves in the Middle Eastern literary scene in just a few short months. As it was, she might as well go and make nice while making sure that the local publishers knew that she wasn't just going to tuck her tail between her legs and slink away.
“That sounds interesting. I don't suppose I can send you in my place?”
Amira shook her head with a grin. “Sorry, but if you’d like, I'll make sure that you're properly dressed for it.”
Amira had proven invaluable in more ways than one. The younger woman had taken it upon herself to help her employer get acclimatized to Dalal in all ways, and that included taking care of her wardrobe and setting her up with an account with a local grocery for food delivery. It looked as if going to the party was just going to be one more thing that Amira handled with aplomb and confidence.
I'm going to miss her when she transfers to New York, Ella thought. She was under no illusions about why Amira was helping her so much. She knew that her assistant wanted badly to transfer overseas, and even if she didn't take such good care of Ella, Ella would have recommended her for a position anyway. Pointing that out had only made Amira frown, and no matter what Ella said, she couldn't make her stop. Finally, she had simply decided to give in and enjoy the care.
The evening of the masked party was dark and rainy. Khayyam was a desert state, but sometimes, dark storms rose up out of the desert like malevolent spirits, soaking the city hard. Ella wasn't looking forward to making the run from her apartment to the cab.
Amira had left her a package hanging from the door of her apartment, and when she pulled it open, she was pleased to see that her assistant's tastes were as sharp as ever.
Inside the bag was a subtle tunic and trousers in dull gold, stitched with a scatter of bright bugle beads. It was eye-catching without being over the top, and though it clung to her curves, it was cut high, giving her a rather severe look. The mask was a lovely domino that was made to match, though rimming the edges of the eyes were shining green pasteboard gems. When she glanced at herself in the mirror, she looked like a phoenix woman come to rest.
For a moment, she imagined a tall, dark man standing behind her, his hands pressing against her hips, leaning her against him. She shook it off. It had been almost a week since she had dined with Nasim, and every time she approached the topic, her mind shied away from how shameless she had been. She couldn't remember their kiss without a flush coming to her cheeks, and when her mind strayed, she thought of how it might have been if she hadn't stopped them, if she hadn't realized how foolish it was to continue on such a dangerous path.
You've been burned before. If you have to go through that again, you will char to a crisp.
She shook those dark thoughts from her mind. There was work ahead of her. Not only was it a social occasion, it was a professional one, and she should go in with her wits about her. To do otherwise was to court failure.
I'm ready for this, Ella thought, heading downstairs to where the cab awaited. This is what I'm here for.
***
In the penthouse he kept in the luxury hotel his family owned, Nasim took a deep breath. The tuxedo he wore was perfect down to the very last crease, and the black domino mask he wore concealed his identity perfectly. It would be a source of
“It's for the release of Yusef Bhandari's work. His new novel is centered around a masked ball, so for the new release, his publishers are throwing a party. You're invited, as much because you are part of the industry as because they want to check out who their new competitor is.”
Ella sighed, because if she had been in Dalal just a few months earlier, she would have had a shot at signing the man who was sure to be making waves in the Middle Eastern literary scene in just a few short months. As it was, she might as well go and make nice while making sure that the local publishers knew that she wasn't just going to tuck her tail between her legs and slink away.
“That sounds interesting. I don't suppose I can send you in my place?”
Amira shook her head with a grin. “Sorry, but if you’d like, I'll make sure that you're properly dressed for it.”
Amira had proven invaluable in more ways than one. The younger woman had taken it upon herself to help her employer get acclimatized to Dalal in all ways, and that included taking care of her wardrobe and setting her up with an account with a local grocery for food delivery. It looked as if going to the party was just going to be one more thing that Amira handled with aplomb and confidence.
I'm going to miss her when she transfers to New York, Ella thought. She was under no illusions about why Amira was helping her so much. She knew that her assistant wanted badly to transfer overseas, and even if she didn't take such good care of Ella, Ella would have recommended her for a position anyway. Pointing that out had only made Amira frown, and no matter what Ella said, she couldn't make her stop. Finally, she had simply decided to give in and enjoy the care.
The evening of the masked party was dark and rainy. Khayyam was a desert state, but sometimes, dark storms rose up out of the desert like malevolent spirits, soaking the city hard. Ella wasn't looking forward to making the run from her apartment to the cab.
Amira had left her a package hanging from the door of her apartment, and when she pulled it open, she was pleased to see that her assistant's tastes were as sharp as ever.
Inside the bag was a subtle tunic and trousers in dull gold, stitched with a scatter of bright bugle beads. It was eye-catching without being over the top, and though it clung to her curves, it was cut high, giving her a rather severe look. The mask was a lovely domino that was made to match, though rimming the edges of the eyes were shining green pasteboard gems. When she glanced at herself in the mirror, she looked like a phoenix woman come to rest.
For a moment, she imagined a tall, dark man standing behind her, his hands pressing against her hips, leaning her against him. She shook it off. It had been almost a week since she had dined with Nasim, and every time she approached the topic, her mind shied away from how shameless she had been. She couldn't remember their kiss without a flush coming to her cheeks, and when her mind strayed, she thought of how it might have been if she hadn't stopped them, if she hadn't realized how foolish it was to continue on such a dangerous path.
You've been burned before. If you have to go through that again, you will char to a crisp.
She shook those dark thoughts from her mind. There was work ahead of her. Not only was it a social occasion, it was a professional one, and she should go in with her wits about her. To do otherwise was to court failure.
I'm ready for this, Ella thought, heading downstairs to where the cab awaited. This is what I'm here for.
***
In the penthouse he kept in the luxury hotel his family owned, Nasim took a deep breath. The tuxedo he wore was perfect down to the very last crease, and the black domino mask he wore concealed his identity perfectly. It would be a source of
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