In the Arms of the Sheikh by Sophie Weston

Author:Sophie Weston
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2013-12-15T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER EIGHT

NATASHA kept a change of underwear at the office, along with an elaborate sequinned jacket. The jacket was fun rather than elegant, but it had got her through more than one cocktail party. She did not have a clean blouse. But her underwear drawer gave up a velvet basque that had done sterling work at a teen-magazine disco.

So—if Kazim al Saraq could face being seen with a racy party girl, then he could take her out to dinner. And if he didn’t like it, then she would know that the warmth in his eyes had been deliberate deception.

She whisked into the small cloakroom and hastily changed into the evening finery. Then she looked at herself in the mirror and despaired. Nothing could hide the expert cut of her blonde hair, but it looked dusty and lifeless. There was not much she could do about that now, nor the shadows of weariness under her eyes, she thought. She shrugged. Oh, well, this was not the first time she had had to go on the town straight from work and she could make a reasonable fist of it, if she tried.

Concentrating, she brushed subtle colours onto her eyelids with swift, practised strokes. Then she darkened her lashes, blotted her skin and dashed matt foundation and a glimmery silk powder over it. A touch of blusher to highlight her cheekbones, a carefully chosen crimson to make her mouth look voluptuous, and she was ready.

Or nearly ready. She hesitated over the shoes. But then something in her said, ‘Go on. If you’re going to be a party girl, be it right.’ So she dug out the high, high heels with sexy ankle straps. And then she really was ready for anything.

Kazim took in the transformation without expression.

‘I don’t need to go home to change. If you want to take me out to dinner, this is how I come.’ It was a blatant challenge.

‘So I see.’

He strolled over to her and parted the technicolor jacket. The basque gave her a spectacular cleavage.

‘That top is verging on the illegal.’

Natasha put her head on one side. ‘Are you complaining?’

He shook his head slowly. Very slowly.

‘Thought not,’ said Natasha.

She caught up her briefcase and led the way out of the office, head high.

Kazim, she thought wryly, had come out of the first round this evening a whole lot better than she had. Sure, she had made a good stab at style, done her best with paint and glitter, but anyone who looked closely would see how artificial it was. Whereas Kazim was the real thing.

He was wearing another of his well-cut dark suits with a blindingly white shirt. Platinum gleamed discreetly at his cuffs. His tie was silk, of course, a shadowy design of grey and silver. The contrast with golden brown skin was stunning. Natasha had no doubt at all that he knew it. He gave off a scent of clean laundry and shoe polish and that expensive cologne. And he looked gorgeous.

I am not going to feel outclassed, Natasha vowed silently as she got into his car for the second time in her life.

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