The Sheik's Reluctant Lover Page 0,52
client was Rais. He’d hijacked her career and, until now, she hadn’t cared because it had been nice to just be around him. She’d been happy organizing his parties and acting as his hostess. She’d been proud of the work he was accomplishing during those events and had been excited that they’d gone off so well.
She couldn’t go back to work, she thought sadly. She didn’t have anything to do now. For the past several weeks, her whole life had revolved around Rais. She’d have to quit her job, find another one within the industry because Derrick would be furious that she wouldn’t work with Rais any longer. He’d even be angry that she’d become personally involved with a client, which was a big no-no in the industry and for Derrick’s employees especially. He’d told her what would happen so nothing was a surprise.
She’d broken so many rules, she couldn’t even count them, she realized. She’d just been happily going about her life, pretending that things would all work out in the end. And they hadn’t.
She picked up her tea and carried it back to her car. She started to unlock the door so she could drive to her apartment, but she hesitated. Did she really want to go back to her apartment? Sleep in the bed where she and Rais had made love? Could she do it?
No, she thought with a pain that shot through her body. She didn’t want to see her apartment just yet. She couldn’t do it. She pulled open the door and considered her options. It was a Friday night, where could she go?
She drove down the street a ways and found a hotel. She parked in the lot, picked up her lukewarm tea and walked into the lobby. She wasn’t even sure about the name, just walked up to the desk clerk and asked for a room.
The man behind the counter must have seen something on her face because he didn’t ask any questions, just quickly clicked on his computer and brought up a room. Within moments, her credit card had been charged and a plastic key card handed to her.
“Do you need help with your luggage?” he asked gently.
Rachel only shook her head and bit her lip so she wouldn’t start crying again. “Thank you,” she whispered.
She took the key and followed the man’s instructions, going to the elevator and the fifteenth floor. Inside the room, she didn’t even turn on the lights. She simply curled up in the overstuffed chair by the window and let the tears flow down her cheeks once again. This time, she didn’t even try to stop them, allowing them to just flow as they came.
Rachel stared out at the night, watching the traffic flow on the major streets. She wasn’t aware of the traffic slowing down, and then by the early hours of the morning, the traffic was almost non-existent. She wasn’t aware of the planes taking off and landing at Reagan National Airport, and then by midnight they slowed to a halt as well. She didn’t see any of it, her mind not even thinking. She cried, she went numb and cried some more. When the sun rose over the horizon, she blinked and cried some more.
She ordered room service, asking for coffee to be delivered to her room. When she couldn’t sit on the chair anymore, she showered, but putting her clothes back on again wasn’t the most pleasant feeling. She didn’t have an alternative though.
With a sigh, she picked up her purse and walked out into the hallway. She still didn’t want to go home, wanting to avoid life for a little while longer. She was being a coward, but facing her apartment would hurt too much.
This wasn’t what she signed up for, she thought as she unlocked her car and slipped into the driver’s seat. She pulled her phone out and realized that it had run out of power. No wonder she hadn’t heard it last night, she thought as she plugged it in and started her engine.
As she turned it on again, she glanced at the message indicator. She almost started crying again when she saw that there were fifteen messages from Rais. She couldn’t listen to them now so she skipped through those. When she reached the end, she found several from her father as well. She dialed his number and waited, relieved when his voice mail picked up. She didn’t want to talk to him right now, tired of crying