The Sheikh’s Tempted Prisoner by Holly Rayner Page 0,11

and press her lips against his and fall into him, pressing his perfectly tailored suit against her body.

He shook his head.

“You should wear whatever is comfortable. I just so happen to like a suit that fits.”

“So, not a jeans and T-shirt kind of guy?” Lily asked, testing to see how much about himself he was willing to reveal.

Atnan shrugged.

“I suppose there is a time and place for that kind of clothing, but I was raised to dress up for every meal, so now I feel uncomfortable not doing it. I was also raised to respect other cultures, so I have no issue if that is your clothing preference.”

Lily glanced down at her rumpled interview attire, feeling terribly uncomfortable. Her eyes darted into her room and then back to the Sheikh.

“Give me two minutes?” she asked.

He nodded, stepping away from the door as she closed it with a promise to be right back.

Turning, she caught sight of the closet he had mentioned and opened the door. Inside, the space was the size of her bedroom at home, the walls lined with clothing for every occasion. Lily was fully aware of Atnan waiting at the door as her fingers skimmed the line of dresses before landing on a light yellow sundress with a 1950s cut.

“You look appropriate,” she said, tugging off her suit as she slid into the light cotton dress.

A white ribbon was attached to the dress around the waist, and she pulled it behind her, tying it in a bow before glancing in the mirror. Her hair was slightly askew, and she tugged it out of her professional up-do, allowing her blond tresses to cascade over her shoulders. It wasn’t the best she could do, but it was a far cry from the rumpled mess she had been just moments before.

Trying on a few pairs of shoes, she found all of them to be just a size too large, so she opted to go barefoot, counting on Atnan’s respect for her culture. When she opened the door, she found him staring wistfully at one of the paintings along the wall. When he turned, his expression froze as he tried to control his features.

Lily smiled.

“I hope this is okay,” she said. “None of the shoes fit, unfortunately.”

Atnan visibly swallowed, and Lily felt a swell of triumph. Two could play at this game, and she didn’t want to be the only one affected by her palace-mate.

She reminded herself that she shouldn’t want to impress Atnan at all. Chances were, in the end, she would either be deported or forced to go home and live with her parents until she paid this escapade off, all the while listening to them scold her for her reckless behavior.

Suddenly, life with Atnan didn’t seem quite so bad.

Chapter Five

As they walked down the hallway together, Lily breathed in a new cologne he hadn’t been wearing before. She considered commenting on it but thought better of it. She didn’t want him to know that he affected her so deeply. Besides, who said that?

Hey, you know you smell good, right?

Once again, she thought about why she hadn’t dated enough. She had no idea how to conduct herself around the opposite sex; she had spent most of her time writing about them. She had been an English major, after all.

They passed through the dusty open foyer and into another hallway that led to a large kitchen that looked like it belonged in a restaurant.

“This place could serve an entire army!” Lily exclaimed, her eyes wide as she took in the sheer size of the place.

“I suppose,” Atnan replied. “Though it hasn’t served anyone but myself in quite some time.”

“I’m a little surprised that a sheikh knows how to cook. Then again, I don’t know why I should be when I imagine this palace isn’t exactly where a sheikh would choose to live in the first place.”

He ignored the second half of her statement, instead answering only the first.

“When I was young, I used to sneak into the kitchens for sweets. Eventually, the cook set up a stool for me and let me spend my days down there, first watching, then helping prepare and cook the food. I learned quite a bit from that man. He was a good friend.”

“You are speaking of him in the past tense. Is he…”

“Alive and well, I believe. At least, the last time I saw him.”

“And how long ago was that?”

Atnan’s eyes sparkled as he turned toward a large fridge and began pulling ingredients out.

“Oh,