Read Online Sheikh's Pregnant Lover by Sophia Lynn, Jessica Brooke - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Sophia Lynn, Jessica Brooke
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dinner to apologize and explain my motives a little more clearly. I hope you’ll accept.”
Madeline frowned. Explain his motives? She’d thought they’d been pretty clear, but maybe there’d been something she was missing. “I suppose so. Where did you plan on meeting?”
“There is an Italian place a few blocks away from where you work. They make excellent ziti. Does that work for you? In thirty minutes?”
Madeline’s lips twitched at the idea of eating baked ziti with an Arab royal in Dubai. “It does.”
***
Madeline couldn’t remember the last time she’d cleaned up the lab so fast. She flew through her end-of-the-day rituals, tapping out her report at the speed of light, wiping down counters and putting specimens and solutions away. Kirin had overheard she was meeting someone for dinner, and she subjected Madeline to some friendly teasing but helped her get everything done.
“Good luck with your date!” she called as Madeline walked out the door.
“Thanks!” Madeline decided not to mention that it wasn’t a date—that would only raise more questions. Sighing, she looked down at her clothing and smoothed some wrinkles from her blouse. She’d chosen a sapphire-blue top with short sleeves, black slacks, and low heels, looking far more like she were ready to go out to a business meeting. Which suited her just fine, because in essence that’s what this was—a business meeting.
Madeline said good evening to the night guard as she left the building, then pulled out her phone to look up the address that Zayid had texted her. It was only a five-minute walk, so she chose to skip taking a cab and hoofed it instead. As she walked up the street, the scents of exotic spices wafted through the air, coming from local ethnic restaurants, and people of all ethnicities traveled up and down the sidewalks. The bicycle lanes were well used, and there was plenty of vehicle traffic toward the end of the day, though nothing like rush hour in Manhattan. People smiled and nodded as they passed, and as she returned the gestures, a pleasant warmth spread through her. The people here were quite friendly. It didn’t seem to matter to any of them that she had light skin or didn’t wear a hijab; they treated her just like a normal human being.
The Italian place was a cozy but tastefully designed red brick building located at the next street corner. The picture windows allowed her to see the square tables inside, with their checkered cloths and the candles that sat atop them. As she walked in, her eyes roamed over the dark wood paneling and the colorful red carpet that cushioned her footfalls, eventually coming to rest on the host, a balding man with a mustache dressed in a suit and bow tie who stood behind a type of podium.
“Good evening!” he cried in true Italian fashion, though his dark skin and Arabian accent marked him as anything but. “Welcome to Ameci’s. Table for two?”
“Actually I’m meeting someone.” She hesitated for a moment, wondering if Zayid was here yet. “Zayid Tuma.”
“Oh!” The host stood up a little straighter as his eyes widened. “Yes, Miss Anthony. He told me to be on the lookout for you. Please, come right this way.”
The host turned smartly on his heel, and Madeline followed after him, feeling a little nervous for some reason. She wasn’t really sure why . After all, Zayid had asked her to meet because he wanted to apologize to her , not the other way around. But still, she couldn’t help the anxiety jumping in her veins.
As she caught sight of Zayid, sitting at a table by one of the windows, the anxiety turned into something more, and she thought she realized why she was so jumpy. It was the idea of being alone with him again. True, they were in a public place, and this meeting was supposed to be platonic. But he gave off a kind of energy that she couldn’t quite explain—it drew her to him, and she knew that without Adir and Vanessa here it was going to be difficult
Madeline frowned. Explain his motives? She’d thought they’d been pretty clear, but maybe there’d been something she was missing. “I suppose so. Where did you plan on meeting?”
“There is an Italian place a few blocks away from where you work. They make excellent ziti. Does that work for you? In thirty minutes?”
Madeline’s lips twitched at the idea of eating baked ziti with an Arab royal in Dubai. “It does.”
***
Madeline couldn’t remember the last time she’d cleaned up the lab so fast. She flew through her end-of-the-day rituals, tapping out her report at the speed of light, wiping down counters and putting specimens and solutions away. Kirin had overheard she was meeting someone for dinner, and she subjected Madeline to some friendly teasing but helped her get everything done.
“Good luck with your date!” she called as Madeline walked out the door.
“Thanks!” Madeline decided not to mention that it wasn’t a date—that would only raise more questions. Sighing, she looked down at her clothing and smoothed some wrinkles from her blouse. She’d chosen a sapphire-blue top with short sleeves, black slacks, and low heels, looking far more like she were ready to go out to a business meeting. Which suited her just fine, because in essence that’s what this was—a business meeting.
Madeline said good evening to the night guard as she left the building, then pulled out her phone to look up the address that Zayid had texted her. It was only a five-minute walk, so she chose to skip taking a cab and hoofed it instead. As she walked up the street, the scents of exotic spices wafted through the air, coming from local ethnic restaurants, and people of all ethnicities traveled up and down the sidewalks. The bicycle lanes were well used, and there was plenty of vehicle traffic toward the end of the day, though nothing like rush hour in Manhattan. People smiled and nodded as they passed, and as she returned the gestures, a pleasant warmth spread through her. The people here were quite friendly. It didn’t seem to matter to any of them that she had light skin or didn’t wear a hijab; they treated her just like a normal human being.
The Italian place was a cozy but tastefully designed red brick building located at the next street corner. The picture windows allowed her to see the square tables inside, with their checkered cloths and the candles that sat atop them. As she walked in, her eyes roamed over the dark wood paneling and the colorful red carpet that cushioned her footfalls, eventually coming to rest on the host, a balding man with a mustache dressed in a suit and bow tie who stood behind a type of podium.
“Good evening!” he cried in true Italian fashion, though his dark skin and Arabian accent marked him as anything but. “Welcome to Ameci’s. Table for two?”
“Actually I’m meeting someone.” She hesitated for a moment, wondering if Zayid was here yet. “Zayid Tuma.”
“Oh!” The host stood up a little straighter as his eyes widened. “Yes, Miss Anthony. He told me to be on the lookout for you. Please, come right this way.”
The host turned smartly on his heel, and Madeline followed after him, feeling a little nervous for some reason. She wasn’t really sure why . After all, Zayid had asked her to meet because he wanted to apologize to her , not the other way around. But still, she couldn’t help the anxiety jumping in her veins.
As she caught sight of Zayid, sitting at a table by one of the windows, the anxiety turned into something more, and she thought she realized why she was so jumpy. It was the idea of being alone with him again. True, they were in a public place, and this meeting was supposed to be platonic. But he gave off a kind of energy that she couldn’t quite explain—it drew her to him, and she knew that without Adir and Vanessa here it was going to be difficult
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