Read Online Sheikh's Pregnant Lover by Sophia Lynn, Jessica Brooke - Free Book Online Page A

humming with alertness, just waiting for Zayid to walk back in here, but as she turned her head toward the doorway she saw it was just a security guard doing his rounds through the hall. An exasperated sigh slipped from her lips, and she returned her attention to her microscope to study the sample in front of her.
    “Are you alright?” Kirin, one of her fellow coworkers, asked. She lifted her head from the laptop screen she was studying, her dark curtain of hair falling away from her oval face as she glanced over at Madeline with concern. “You seemed stressed yesterday, and you seem stressed today, too.”
    Madeline smiled, trying her best to shrug it off. “I just slept badly, that’s all. No need to worry.”
    “Oh well I guess that’s not surprising with the jet lag and all.” Kirin’s expression turned sympathetic. “I’m sure you’ll adjust in the next couple of days.”
    “I sure hope so.” Madeline smiled again, then ducked her head back down toward her microscope to end the conversation. Jet lag had absolutely nothing to do with her lack of sleep last night, or the night before. She’d been tossing and turning, thinking about Zayid and his visit to the lab the day before yesterday, and wondering what the hell she was supposed to do about it. How was she supposed to concentrate on her work when she had to worry about keeping him at arm’s length while simultaneously not offending him so that he would donate money to the project? Dammit, she should have never slept with him.
    If she were honest with herself, part of the reason she was so on edge was because she’d expected Zayid to pop in yesterday, but he hadn’t. She hadn’t heard a single peep from him, not even a phone call or text message. And it was already midafternoon today and he hadn’t made an appearance. Had he changed his mind about trying to pursue her? Maybe she’d been more effective with her attempts to spurn him than she’d realized. He’d seemed so confident and cocky when he’d strolled out of the lab with his promise to come back that it hadn’t occurred to her that he would change his mind. And it made her worry, because she knew that if he didn’t come back soon her boss would wonder why, and she might blame Madeline if they lost the potential funding Aisha was hoping to secure from him.
    What’s the big deal? It’s not like you’re going to get fired if you lose Zayid’s support. They need you, which is why they hired you, and the project is short term, anyway, since it’s almost wrapped up.
    Still, she’d seen how excited Aisha was at the prospect of gaining funds from a member of the royal family, and she didn’t want to disappoint her. Madeline had only been here a couple of days, but she already really liked her boss and coworkers. She didn’t want to let them down.
    Please, please call me, Zayid.
    Another hour rolled by, and then two, and finally Madeline decided to stop holding her breath. It was nearly time for her to clean up the lab, log her daily report, and lock up. Zayid wasn’t coming. She’d driven him away, and she was going to have to deal with the consequences of that.
    Just as she was drying a pair of beakers, her cell phone vibrated in the pocket of her lab coat. Hurriedly, she yanked it out of her pocket. Her heart leapt in her throat at the sight of the unfamiliar Dubai number scrolling across her screen.
    “Hello?” she answered, setting a beaker down.
    “Hello, Madeline.” Zayid’s smooth, exotic accent sent a ripple through her. “Do you have a minute to talk?”
    “Why the phone call?” Madeline tried to sound suspicious instead of relieved. She didn’t want Zayid to think she’d been hoping for his phone call. “I figured you’d just come by the lab again if you wanted something.”
    “Yes, well, about that. I called because I wanted to apologize.”
    Madeline’s mouth popped open. “Huh?”
    “If you’re not busy working at the lab, I’d like to take you out to