The Sheik's Reluctant Lover Page 0,22

since she’d grown up without a mother and Lucy didn’t have any children. For as long as Rachel could remember, Lucy had been the woman she’d gone to when she needed a woman’s advice.

“I just saw His Highness pass by, honey. I’ll go get him,” she said.

Lucy didn’t have the same kind of relationship with Rais as Rachel and her father had, so there was much more formality between her and her employer. But Lucy still enjoyed working for Rais and made all of his favorite dishes whenever he came to town, spoiling the man in a ridiculous fashion, in Rachel’s personal opinion. When she’d been a kid, Lucy’s efforts had been amusing. Now, with Rachel’s adult perspective, she considered it just another way that Rais charmed women to get what he wanted.

A moment later, Lucy transferred Rachel’s call to Rais who apparently was in his office. She could just see him, kicked back in that huge leather chair, his booted feet up on the massive oak desk in his office that was almost always covered with documents and contracts covering the wide range of businesses Rais had in the United States.

“Rachel, what can I do for you,” he said cheerfully, that deep voice sending shivers through her body even from a distance. “The helicopter is on its way to pick you up for our meeting this afternoon. I hope you have some good wines for me to choose from.”

Her hand gripped the phone almost painfully as her anger with him welled up at his cheerful tone. “I can’t believe you’re messing with my job like this. I really don’t like this one little bit, Rais.” She was furious with him for putting her job in jeopardy.

He laughed softly, enjoying her spitfire attitude. “I would have thought working for me was quite a coup in your line of work, my dear. So what wines are you bringing me to taste?” he asked.

Rachel was gritting her teeth, furious that he was purposely missing the point. “Don’t do this, Rais. I’m begging you to leave me out of whatever you have planned.”

“I have to include you, my dear. It’s the only way I can see you. If things were left up to you, I’m guessing that it will be another six years before we accidentally ran into each other again.”

“You’re right!” she hissed, unafraid of angering him. Others might cater to his whims and moods but she wasn’t going to take it from this arrogant man.

“So I’m not leaving things up to you,” he countered, his voice deep and husky, but firm with his intention. “I’ll see you at one o’clock, my dear. We’ll have lunch with the wines.” With that, he disconnected the call and Rachel was left staring at her phone with rising anger. He was manipulating her and she didn’t like it at all!

A shadow appeared in her doorway and Rachel wiped the fury from her expression just in time to see a livid Marissa to stand there, framed by her door and shaking with fury. “Just so you know,” Marissa said with an angry voice as she stood inside Rachel’s office, “This isn’t over! You’re not leaving my team five days before the big event.”

Rachel stared wide eyed at the empty door where Marissa had just stood, wondering what the older woman had been told about the change.

A moment later, Derrick was on the phone. “Rachel, could you come to Marissa’s office please?” Things were flying through the gossip mills in spectacular fashion today, Rachel thought as she put her phone back in the cradle once again.

Normally, Mondays were a more relaxing day around here as the coordinators recovered from whatever party they’d organized over the weekend. But apparently Marissa’s wedding was putting everyone on edge with the stress of such an important event looming.

Rachel understood Marissa’s doorway comment now. And in a way, it was flattering that Marissa was so angry that Rachel was being pulled off of the big event. It meant that Marissa valued Rachel’s contributions and wanted her to remain on the team.

Or it could mean that someone had gotten wind of the newest events and Marissa was jealous. That wouldn’t be good, she thought as she made her way back down the hall with shaking knees.

As Rachel walked down the hallway to Marissa’s office, she could hear the yelling even from several offices away. Others in the offices looked up, curious to know what was happening and what the blowout fight was all