you.’
‘
Shukran
. That’s very generous. Please convey my thoughts regarding his family and my gratitude to Sheikh Qasim on behalf of myself and my wife.’
The words ‘my wife’ felt strange and foreign on his lips but Jordan shook off the odd discomfort and disconnected with a smile. His would-be business partner had not changed his mind as Jordan had briefly feared. He’d given a show of faith and arranged something special for their honeymoon.
Pushing up from the desk, he punched the air and thanked whatever good luck demon had been riding on his shoulder when he’d decided an accompanying ‘wife’ would be a clever tactical move.
Meanwhile, he had a surprise evening of his own to plan,which included sand, sea and celestial sights. He walked to the bathroom to shower and change before Chloe returned. Sex might also be on the agenda if he played his cards right.
But his anticipation in sharing the evening with his woman of the moment was marred somewhat when he recalled his sheer stupidity in answering a call without checking caller ID. He
never
answered without checking caller ID. Thoughtful, he narrowed his gaze as he stripped off and stepped under the spray. Was his fascination with Chloe interfering with his work?
No. Fascination equated to captivation, which implied a weakness on his part. That he wasn’t in full control, that Chloe wielded some sort of power over him. Switching the spray to cold—and full power—he let it pummel his back and assured himself what he felt was lust. Honest to goodness lust.
And women did
not
interfere with his work. This small blip was nothing to worry about. It was just his pent-up libido demanding action. He set the lather to his hair and worked his fingers hard. Soon everything would return to normal. It would all settle down once they’d had sex. Then he could focus on what he’d come to Dubai to do.
CHAPTER EIGHT
‘I’ M GOING TO knock your socks off tonight, husband of mine,’ Chloe announced when she returned late in the afternoon with purchases trailing behind her, carried by staff who discreetly disappeared as soon as they’d set the bags down. ‘At least I hope I am.’
He was rather hoping she’d be knocking—or, rather,
taking
—more than his socks off. When she plonked herself on the nearest brocade chair, kicked off her shoes and massaged a foot, he couldn’t help but notice the slender shape of her ankle. His groin tightened. He wanted to put his hands there. His mouth. He wanted to kiss his way over that sexy arched instep and up her calf. Her thigh. All the way to paradise … ‘Let me do that for you.’
He half rose but she shook her head and waved him away, hugging one knee to her chest, whisky eyes flashing a warning. ‘Uh-uh. You do
not
want to smell my feet after a day in the desert.’
He grinned. There was that. ‘Okay. Later maybe.’
She didn’t look at him, chin resting on her knee as she squeezed and flexed her foot. ‘I’m going to need an hour to get ready for this romantic dinner package you arranged for your devoted wife, and you need to be somewhere else while I do.’
‘Ah, a little mystery, I like that in a relationship. Keeps it alive, wouldn’t you agree?’
‘No.’ She yanked the band from her hair and shook it out like a cloud of curly sunshine but thunder darkened her expression. A moment later she shrugged and lost some of that vehemence as she met his eyes and acknowledged, ‘It depends on the mystery.’
‘And the man. Don’t let one bad experience with a Mr Despicable spoil everything for you, Chloe,’ he told her softly.
‘Jordan …’ She stopped, then said slowly, ‘Mr Despicable hasn’t spoiled everything.’
‘Glad to hear it.’ As she turned away to fiddle with her hair he got the distinct feeling Despicable wasn’t the only man who’d hurt her.
Grabbing his suit jacket and a tie, he went downstairs to wander the plethora of fountains and gardens in the hotel complex
‘
Shukran
. That’s very generous. Please convey my thoughts regarding his family and my gratitude to Sheikh Qasim on behalf of myself and my wife.’
The words ‘my wife’ felt strange and foreign on his lips but Jordan shook off the odd discomfort and disconnected with a smile. His would-be business partner had not changed his mind as Jordan had briefly feared. He’d given a show of faith and arranged something special for their honeymoon.
Pushing up from the desk, he punched the air and thanked whatever good luck demon had been riding on his shoulder when he’d decided an accompanying ‘wife’ would be a clever tactical move.
Meanwhile, he had a surprise evening of his own to plan,which included sand, sea and celestial sights. He walked to the bathroom to shower and change before Chloe returned. Sex might also be on the agenda if he played his cards right.
But his anticipation in sharing the evening with his woman of the moment was marred somewhat when he recalled his sheer stupidity in answering a call without checking caller ID. He
never
answered without checking caller ID. Thoughtful, he narrowed his gaze as he stripped off and stepped under the spray. Was his fascination with Chloe interfering with his work?
No. Fascination equated to captivation, which implied a weakness on his part. That he wasn’t in full control, that Chloe wielded some sort of power over him. Switching the spray to cold—and full power—he let it pummel his back and assured himself what he felt was lust. Honest to goodness lust.
And women did
not
interfere with his work. This small blip was nothing to worry about. It was just his pent-up libido demanding action. He set the lather to his hair and worked his fingers hard. Soon everything would return to normal. It would all settle down once they’d had sex. Then he could focus on what he’d come to Dubai to do.
CHAPTER EIGHT
‘I’ M GOING TO knock your socks off tonight, husband of mine,’ Chloe announced when she returned late in the afternoon with purchases trailing behind her, carried by staff who discreetly disappeared as soon as they’d set the bags down. ‘At least I hope I am.’
He was rather hoping she’d be knocking—or, rather,
taking
—more than his socks off. When she plonked herself on the nearest brocade chair, kicked off her shoes and massaged a foot, he couldn’t help but notice the slender shape of her ankle. His groin tightened. He wanted to put his hands there. His mouth. He wanted to kiss his way over that sexy arched instep and up her calf. Her thigh. All the way to paradise … ‘Let me do that for you.’
He half rose but she shook her head and waved him away, hugging one knee to her chest, whisky eyes flashing a warning. ‘Uh-uh. You do
not
want to smell my feet after a day in the desert.’
He grinned. There was that. ‘Okay. Later maybe.’
She didn’t look at him, chin resting on her knee as she squeezed and flexed her foot. ‘I’m going to need an hour to get ready for this romantic dinner package you arranged for your devoted wife, and you need to be somewhere else while I do.’
‘Ah, a little mystery, I like that in a relationship. Keeps it alive, wouldn’t you agree?’
‘No.’ She yanked the band from her hair and shook it out like a cloud of curly sunshine but thunder darkened her expression. A moment later she shrugged and lost some of that vehemence as she met his eyes and acknowledged, ‘It depends on the mystery.’
‘And the man. Don’t let one bad experience with a Mr Despicable spoil everything for you, Chloe,’ he told her softly.
‘Jordan …’ She stopped, then said slowly, ‘Mr Despicable hasn’t spoiled everything.’
‘Glad to hear it.’ As she turned away to fiddle with her hair he got the distinct feeling Despicable wasn’t the only man who’d hurt her.
Grabbing his suit jacket and a tie, he went downstairs to wander the plethora of fountains and gardens in the hotel complex
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