The Oil Tycoon and Her Sexy Sheikh by Ros Clarke Page B

doing it.”
    “What does your father say?”
    “He says it is my decision. He is not well enough to think about it any further.”
    “I’m so sorry.”
    He shook his head. “It is not your fault.
    Olivia swallowed hard, unsure why she was suddenly overcome with emotion. Khaled’s voice was weary and his eyes were hooded. She stood and held out her hand to him, to shake on their agreement, but he ignored her hand and put his arms around her waist.
    “Khaled?”
    “I know it’s not allowed. I just… I need you, Livvy.” He rested his head on her shoulder and pulled her closer.
    “I’m here,” she murmured. “I’m here. It’s going to be okay.”
    “It’s my father. He’s getting worse.”
    She held him tighter. “How bad is it?”
    “I don’t know. The doctors won’t say how long, but he’s getting weaker every day. They say there’s no pain.”
    “That’s good.”
    “Yes.” He sighed. “Yes, it is.”
    “What’s the matter, Khaled?”
    He closed his eyes. “I’m so scared. He’s going to die and I… I don’t know what I’m doing. I should have been here. All those years in London, I should have been here, with him, helping him, learning from him.”
    “You can’t blame yourself,” she told him earnestly. “Your father agreed. He knew your work was important.”
    “Djalil would have been here.”
    “You’re not your brother.”
    “I know. That’s the problem.”
    Her heart broke for him. “You’re tired, Khaled, and worried for your father. There’s been a lot to take on board in the last couple of weeks. You need a break.”
    “I can’t.”
    “Not even a visit to the research center? Couldn’t we take a day, just the two of us, and drive out there? You could show me a dugong.”
    He managed a smile at that. “I could, but you’ll be disappointed.”
    “Never.”
    “I can only take a day. We’ll have to leave early. It’s too far to travel there and back in one day, really, but I’d rather not stay overnight.”
    “I understand. It’ll be cooler if we’re not driving during the middle of the day.”
    “Yes. Very well, I’ll tell Jamil to make the arrangements.”
    “Good.” Still encircled in his arms, she looked up at him. “Better now?”
    He dropped a light kiss on her cheek. “Yes. Thank you.”
    “You’re welcome.”
    Khaled let her go. “I’ll see you early on Saturday, then.”
    “Great.”
    “And Olivia?”
    She turned back to see him grinning at her. “Yes?”
    “Don’t forget your bikini.”
    …
    Khaled was wearing jeans. Old faded jeans that were perfectly molded around his muscular, lean legs. Jeans that dared Olivia to reach out and touch them and feel their buttery softness for herself.
    Not fair , her brain screamed.
    It was one thing to have to resist Khaled while he wore his Western-style business suits or his crisp white robes of state. It was quite another to resist him in jeans.
    “Ready to go?” He pushed his shades back onto his head and smiled warmly at Olivia.
    She nodded. He led her out to the Jeep, but it was no better sitting in the passenger seat where she was acutely aware of every shift of his muscles beneath the denim when he shifted gears or slammed on the brakes. In fact, it was much worse. Sitting this close to Khaled, she couldn’t help but breathe in the deep seductive scent of him. In desperation, Olivia turned away and determinedly stared out at the landscape they were speeding through.
    The drive out to the research center was stunning, so Olivia had plenty else to look at. The road followed the old coastal path, with gently sloping platinum white sand dunes and beaches to the right, and richly luxuriant olive groves and palm trees to the left. Occasionally, they passed a small settlement with half a dozen or so houses, a few goats and chickens, and always a motley collection of small children with wide, staring eyes. Khaled took the time to stop at each hamlet to wave and speak to the children. He had