A Christmas Together by Tara Quan

Author:Tara Quan [Quan, Tara]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Liquid Silver Books
Published: 2014-01-28T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 6

“I realize it’s all-you-can-eat, but isn’t three hundred bucks a bit steep for lunch?” Karl scanned his surroundings. The busy restaurant was situated on the twenty-seventh floor of the Burj Al Arab. A six-star luxury hotel in the shape of a sailboat, the beachside high-rise boasted three hundred and sixty degree views of the ocean and its own helipad. Their location public and the security impressive, he allowed himself to relax. Even Riad wasn’t dumb enough to attack them here.

Both the hotel lobby and their current space were covered in Christmas decorations uncommon in most Muslim countries. Dubai’s ruler numbered among the few Middle Eastern leaders who faced the encroaching Western world with excitement rather than fear. All service staff, most of whom were Filipino, wore green pointed shoes, glittering red bow ties, and furry elf hats. He’d heard “Merry Christmas, Ma’am, Sir” more times here than would be expected in the States. Ever since political correctness came into vogue, seasonal greetings had shifted to the secular “Happy Holidays.”

Brennan toyed with her champagne flute. “The per-head includes free-flowing champagne, and this is one of the few places serving whole-roasted turkey.”

“But I have to pay for beer by the pint.”

“Considering it’s the day before Christmas Eve, you should make an exception and drink the bubbly.” She nudged her glass in his direction.

He looked askance at the fizzy gold liquid. “This is one hell of a racket they’ve got going. Only girls like this stuff, and your stomachs don’t fit much food.”

“It’s why we bring men to balance the scales.” She retrieved her beverage and sipped. “Friday Brunch is a Dubai tradition. We were lucky they could squeeze in an extra chair.”

He let the subject drop, though he couldn’t help but calculate the potential cost for a six-person table. With service charge, they’d easily spend two grand. But his sour mood had nothing to do with the price of their meal. Quite a few pairs of male eyes currently feasted on his wife’s lithe body, and there wasn’t a damn thing he could do about it. She turned heads in a green square-necked dress that matched her eyes. Her shiny red-soled shoes were the same light tan as her clutch, and the way those high-heels presented her toned legs should be illegal.

Accompanying her in public proved to be one of the most aggravating experiences of his life. “Where is everyone else?”

She patted his hand. The contact sent a heated lance straight to his crotch. His resolution to keep things platonic until he sorted shit out was going to be a bitch to keep. “Fashionably late. I told you there’s no point to being on time.”

Punctuality had been pounded into him since he joined the Air Force Academy. Being in the Middle East wasn’t about to change the habit. “Are they coming soon? I’m starving. You told me to skip breakfast so I can eat my money’s worth.”

With perfect timing, a white-gloved server arrived to present an aggravatingly small portion of food. Self-service seemed lost on this place.

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