The Sheikh's Green Card Bride Read Online Free PDF Page A

reached out for a moment, then seemed to think better of it, and placed his hands back at his sides.
     
    “You should go inside. It’s chilly, and you’ll need rest for our adventure tomorrow,” he said.
     
    “You should, too. That is, if you even sleep?” she asked, her tone playful.
     
    Bahir’s grin was sheepish. “Sometimes, though not terribly often. As they say, I’ll sleep when I’m dead.”
     
    Nicole thought about that for a moment. She wondered if Bahir would regret a life spent inside an office, rather than out experiencing the world and all its beauty. Maybe that was enough for him, but was it for her?
     
    “Goodnight, Bahir,” she said, giving him one last wave before turning towards the door and stepping inside.
     
    “Goodnight,” he replied, watching her as she disappeared from sight at the elevator before walking back to his own apartment, not five blocks away.

 
     
    THREE

Bahir’s apartment was modern and sleek, with minimalist décor throughout. He had a freshly made bed, a desk with a laptop, and a sparsely stocked kitchen. Usually he ordered food in and ate on the fly while he worked—sitting down to eat was too much of a time suck.
     
    As he opened the door, he felt a wave of weariness hit him. It had been a long and bitter battle with the visa office before he had finally thrown his hands up in the air in frustration and stormed out. No one said no to Bahir Al-Jabbar. It simply didn’t happen. It was why he was such an exceptional businessman. He knew how to negotiate anything. He’d tried bribery, and had been threatened with arrest! Him! The son of a sheikh!
     
    Bahir had been beside himself by the time he’d got to the office, and never had he been more grateful to see Nicole.
     
    As ever, she’d looked stunning, even though she’d clearly been expecting to be alone at the office; her long blond hair had been tossed on top of her head and she’d been wearing flats. Bahir had never seen her wearing flats before.
     
    When he’d seen her, her face so forlorn in the reflecting computer screen light, he’d wanted to ask her what was wrong, but couldn’t. He was too enraged at what had just happened to him. Being told no. Did they have any idea who he was?
     
    But she’d been able to calm him down, like she always could. There was something about Nicole that was different than her predecessors. She had a combination of inner drive, intelligence and resiliency that Bahir rarely came across, and he knew a lot of very successful people. Still, Nicole didn’t wear her strength on her sleeve, ensuring everyone could see it. She bore it quietly, ensuring that all was taken care of without a complaint. When she spoke, it was true and honest, and Bahir loved that about her.
     
    He was trying not to think about what it might have been like to kiss her worries away, when he realized he was not alone.
     
    Stepping back, he glanced at the chaise longue in the corner of the apartment, by a window overlooking the sea. A scantily clad woman was stretched out on it, looking at him expectantly.
     
    “Bahir. You didn’t tell me you were back,” the woman purred, and Bahir groaned inwardly. For once in his life he was tired of negotiating. Couldn’t he just go to sleep?
     
    “Cassandra. I don’t remember giving you a key to this place,” he said, his voice tight with annoyance.
     
    “You have a new doorman,” she purred, rising and strolling closer, attempting to seduce him.
     
    At that moment Bahir had a hard time remembering what he had seen in this woman in the first place. Her long brown hair was draped over thin shoulders, her blue eyes sparkling in the reflected city light. She was beautiful, yes, but what did she have going for her beyond that? Besides the ability to break and enter, of course.
     
    “I’ll have a word with the management,” he replied, taking a step back.
     
    Cassandra frowned, trying to make even that gesture erotic, and it took everything