Her Sheikh Boss (Harlequin Romance) (Mass Market Paperback)

by Carol Grace (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
His secretary's secret…

Claudia Bradford has a secret: she's head-over-heels in love with the most unsuitable man possible—her boss, gorgeous sheikh Samir Al-Hamri. And he's taking her on a business trip to his desert home.

Her boss's desert proposal?

Samir knows his sensible assistant is captivated by the exotic sights of Tazzatine. In his desert oasis, he sees Claudia in a new light. Spirited and fun, she makes him feel alive. But Samir's always vowed to only marry for duty.…

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
Good news."

Claudia looked up from her desk to see her boss, Sheikh Samir Al-Hamri standing in the doorway to her office, his arms folded over his chest, a smile on his devastatingly handsome face.

"The merger's going through?" They'd been working out a deal for months with a rival shipping company in his country of Tazzatine.

"Finally. It's been a long road and I couldn't have done it without you."

Claudia blushed at the compliment. She knew he appreciated her input, her willingness to work long hours and her devotion to the job. What he wouldn't appreciate, if he knew about it, was her devotion to him personally. She tried, heaven knows she tried to treat him like any other boss, but how could she when he wasn't like any other boss?

He was a sheikh, a member of the ruling family in his country, with more money than anyone could spend in a lifetime, dazzling good looks, the best education in the world and even a sense of humor. And generous. How could she forget generous, when he gave her large raises without her asking? The one thing he wasn't generous about was vacations. He didn't take them and he didn't see why she should, either.

Claudia didn't care. If she was on vacation, she wouldn't get to see him every day. Wouldn't get to discuss new shipping routes, the GNP of developing countries, or fluctuating petroleum prices. Who else would want to talk about alternate sources of energy or the future of container ships? Nobody in her knitting group or her book club. But who would have thought these subjects would interest a twenty-eight-year-old former English major like Claudia?

When she first took the job it was just a job. High-paying, demanding and high-energy. But working for Samir had been an eye-opener. His enthusiasm for the field of international shipping, the field he'd been born into and raised to inherit, was contagious. Now she took a real interest in the workings and the future of his family's business.

"Your family must be pleased," she said.

He hesitated a moment then walked to the window of her office and looked out across San Francisco Bay sparkling in the morning sunlight to Alcatraz, Angel Island and the Golden Gate Bridge.

"They are," he said. "Very pleased. It's the end of an era, the end to hostility and competition between the Al-Hamris and the Bayadhis, but…"

She waited for him to finish his sentence. He didn't. Something was wrong. She knew him so well, knew he should be on the phone, calling friends, making plans, sharing the news with everyone including the press. Instead he was just standing there lost in thought.

"What about the papers?" She held up the file with the contract in it. "Nothing's been signed yet." Maybe that was it. He was afraid to count on the deal until it was official.

"That will happen in Tazzatine in our home office on the twenty-first of this month." He looked over at the photograph of the high-rise, waterfront headquarters of the Al-Hamri Shipping Company surrounded by residence towers, a sports complex and a shopping plaza. "For now, they have our word, we have theirs."

"You should be celebrating. Should I book a table at La Grenouille for tonight?"

He turned to face her. He rubbed his hand over his brow and didn't speak for a long moment. "Sure," he said finally. "Why not? And get two first class tickets to Tazzatine on…" He crossed the room to look at the calendar on the wall. "Say, the fifteenth. Leave the return open."

Claudia scribbled the date on her notepad. "Two?"

"Two. You and I."

Her mouth fell open. "I'm going with you?" She'd never gone anywhere further than an hour or two away to meetings in Silicon Valley or Sacramento with him in the two years she'd worked there. Now she was going halfway around the world? "You're not serious."

"Of course I am. You're the one who wrote up the proposal in the first place. You have the details of the contract in your head. You don't think I'd sign anything without your being there, do you?"

"I…uh…"

"Especially something this important. Who knows what could go wrong at the last minute? Changes to be made? Objections? I need you there.You know I'm no good at details."

He was right. He was the one with the big plans, the overview. He was the rainmaker. She took care of the details. They were a team.

"I think I should stay here in the office. If you need me, you can always call me," she said.

"No good. You have to be there. Don't worry, it's a very modern country. You don't have to wear a veil. Women drive, go shopping, swim, play golf. At least in the capital."

She wasn't worried about wearing a veil or being able to play golf, which she didn't do, she was worried about being in his country, seeing him with his family and knowing beyond a doubt, once and for all, that she was a fool for falling in love with her boss. Any boss, but especially a boss who was in line to rule a small country one day. Whose family had certain expectations for him.

She'd feel like an outsider. Oh, no doubt they'd be nice to her. She'd heard tales of their legendary hospitality. But she was an outsider and it would finally sink in as it never had before.

Maybe that's what she needed.A reality check. Time to stop fantasizing that one day he'd look up from his desk, see her and gasp. "Claudia, you're beautiful," he'd say. "What's wrong with me? I never knew it before but I'm in love with you."

She shook her head to clear it from this daydream. It wasn't going to happen. He wasn't in love with her and never would be. As far as she knew he'd never been in love with anyone though not from a lack of opportunity. There were plenty of women who would be only too happy to fall in love with him. Women who were stunningly beautiful and socially prominent. She saw their pictures in the newspaper in the society column. She fielded their phone calls.

If he hadn't fallen for any of them, how did someone like her have a chance with him? She was far from beautiful. She was downright plain. His dates wore glamorous designer clothes, hers were practical and straight off the rack. They had their hair and nails done at salons downtown, she did her own. Their families were the crème de la crème of San Francisco society. Hers was far from that.

She had no intention of changing. Even if she wanted to, how could she? What was the point? Imagine what he'd say if she suddenly turned up like some fashionista in a clingy, form-fitting dress, her hair colored and cut by some high-priced stylist, her face covered with makeup and her feet in stiletto heels.

It should be enough that he respected her, counted on her, depended on her. It had to be enough because that's all it ever would be.

"What's wrong?" he said, leaning over her desk to look into her eyes. "You were a million miles away. Have you heard a word I've said?"

"Yes, of course," she said, pushing her chair back and standing. She had to get away from that penetrating gaze of his. Away from six feet plus of masculine charm. Away from that voice tinged with just a hint of a foreign accent despite his schooling here and on the continent. This was not the time to argue with him about going to Tazzatine. Not when she was light-headed and dizzy. "I just don't see the need…" she blurted.

"I don't know what you're worried about. The flight is quite comfortable and it's a fascinating country, a blend of old and new. Full of possibilities."

"I know. You told me about the modern city and the desert, the oases and the horses you raise. I'm sure it's beautiful, but…" She held out her hands, palms forward, as if to push him away. As if she could.

"It's a different world from this," he said. "You have to see it to appreciate it. See everything, not just the offshore rigs or the new skyline, not just the desert, or our family villa in the Palmerie. You'll also have the opportunity to meet the people like my family. And the Bayadhi family. And you'll realize what this deal means to everyone. Yes, you're coming."

All right, maybe she did have to go. Maybe it was the chance of a lifetime to see his world through his eyes. How could she turn him down when he looked at her like that? Those brown eyes so deep and dark a girl could get lost in them. His dark hair falling across his forehead until he brushed it back with an impatient gesture. His jaw clenched tight with determination. Determination. He had enough for ten men. Some called it arrogance, because when Samir AlHamri wanted something, he always got it.

"Okay, I'll go," she said.

"I knew I could count on you."

Of course he knew that. When had she ever turned him down for anything whether it was working late, running errands or making excuses for something he didn't want to do? No one said no to Sheikh Samir Al-Hamri. The very idea was preposterous.

"Now I need some coffee," she said, feeling a desperate need to get away and out of his orbit where she was in constant danger of being sucked in and never getting out.

"Can I bring you some?"

"Yes, thanks. Cream and two sugars."

She smiled weakly. After two years, he thought she didn't know how he liked his coffee? Thought she didn't know he liked mustard rather than mayonnaise on his sandwich? Thought she didn't know he preferred Merlot to Cabernet, the circus to the opera, Schumann to Stravinsky?

"Oh, and Claudia?"

She turned and paused at the door.

"Another thing. While we're in Tazzatine…I'm getting engaged."

She grabbed the doorknob with one hand while the room spun around so fast she thought she might pass out. She took a deep breath and forced herself to stay standing and remain calm.

"Congratulations," she blurted. What else could she say?

"This is a…a surprise."

"Not really. It's been in the works for a long time. Our families are old friends. This is just a formality."

"Just a formality," she murmured. "How nice." Claudia made it to one of the smooth leather chairs against the wall of her office and sat down. Just for a moment. Just to catch her breath. Just until her legs stopped shaking. It was all she could do to keep her features arranged in an expression of polite interest, no more, no less.

...

• Mass Market Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Harlequin (May 13, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0373175140
• ISBN-13: 978-0373175147
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.3 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
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• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #923,857 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)
  
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