‘That’s hardly my staff’s fault.’
‘Well, they should monitor what’s said. If a woman’s upset...’
‘As far as my sex life goes, you would just have to deal with the bookings and the brochure, Felicia...’
‘Brochure?
He didn’t enlighten her. ‘What I am saying is that you do not police comments or apologise on my behalf. I am quite grateful for “the glossies”, as you call them, for if women expect anything more from me than a night in bed, possibly two, then that is their own foolish mistake. They cannot say they haven’t been duly warned.’
No, not shy, Felicia decided as he continued to speak.
‘But I do expect discretion from all who work for me. Naturally you will have to sign a confidentiality agreement.’
‘I told Anu yesterday that I shan’t.’
Kedah, who had gone back to going through the papers, glanced up.
‘Nobody would employ a PA without one.’
‘If you look through my references you’ll see that they do.’ She gave him a smile, as if she was asking if he took sugar with his coffee—one lump or two? ‘You either trust me or you don’t.’
‘I don’t,’ he responded. ‘Though please don’t take it personally. I don’t trust anyone.’
‘Good, because neither do I.’
Kedah was fast realising there was nothing apart from her appearance that was delicate. She was actually rather fascinating, and any doubts he might have had about her being up to the job were starting to fade.
He had no intention of telling her his situation just yet, of course, but he had decided that he wanted her onside. ‘We can’t go any further without you signing one.’
‘Well, we can’t go any further, then,’ she said, and reached for her bag.
He didn’t halt her.
‘Thank you for wasting my time,’ she added, and gave him another flash of that stunning smile.
Kedah noted that it didn’t quite reach her eyes. They were a dazzling emerald-green—a shade that was one of a forest reflected on a lake...emerald, yet glacial.
He watched, quietly amused, as she began to flounce off.
‘Sit down, Felicia.’
There was such command to his tone that it stopped her.
His voice wasn’t remotely raised. If anything his words were delivered with an almost bored calm. But he might as well have reached for a lasso, for it was as if something had just wrapped around her. Oh, Felicia heard his words—yet she felt them at the base of her spine, and it tingled as he continued speaking.
‘I haven’t finished with you yet.’
IF EVER A voice belonged in the bedroom, it was Kedah’s.
Not just a bedroom.
A boardroom would do nicely too.
For the second time in an hour Felicia was transported to that headmaster’s office—but it was a far nicer version this time!
He was utterly potent. She almost wanted to keep walking towards the door, just for the giddy pleasure of finding out that she had a scruff to her neck as he hauled her back.
What she could not know was that the very controlled Sheikh Kedah was actually thinking along the same lines.
Felicia was absolutely his type.
He stared at the back of her head and then took in her rigid shoulders, let his dark eyes run the length of her spine. Her face was heart-shaped, and so too were her buttocks, and his eyes rested there for a moment too long.
Then he forced them away.
Kedah did not need the complication of a fake PA who turned him on.
He liked softness on his pillow and sweet, batting eyes, and he didn’t care if his women lied as they simpered.
It was, after all, just a game.
And then he thought of the games he might play with Felicia.
He wanted to haul her to his knee and give her the job description as he ravished that mouth.
Know my hotels inside out, meet my staff, handle the press, and keep my world floating as I fight for my title. Now, let’s go to bed.
Of course he did not say that.
This was business, and Kedah was determined it would remain so.
‘Take a seat,’ he said.
Felicia breathed out through her nostrils as he mentally undressed her. She felt as if he had even seen what colour knickers she had on. Flesh-coloured, actually. Not because she was boring, she wanted to hasten to add, but because of the white dress.
Oh, help!
And though common sense told her to leave now, to get out while she still could and most definitely should, neither had Felicia finished with him.
She wanted to know why he’d brought her here. She was positive that he didn’t really want her working as his PA. So she turned around.
‘Why are you so against signing a confidentiality agreement?’ he asked, in such a measured tone that Felicia wondered if she’d misread the crackling tension.
‘They’re pointless.’ She fought for professionalism and cleared her throat as the interview resumed. ‘If, as you’ve stated, you trust no one, then a confidentiality agreement, no matter how watertight, cannot protect you.’
‘It offers some level of security.’
‘Well, it doesn’t for me,’ Felicia responded. ‘What if something is leaked and you assume that I was the source?’
He didn’t answer.
‘I’m pretty unshockable, but what if you do something abhorrent?’ she challenged. ‘Am I supposed to turn a blind eye just because I’ve signed up for silence?’
‘I’m bad,’ Kedah said. ‘Not evil.’
That made her smile, and this time it reached those stunning cold eyes.
‘Sit down,’ he said again. ‘We can discuss it at the end of your trial.’
‘There’s nothing further to discuss on that subject—and also I don’t do trials.’ Felicia did sit down again, though. ‘A one-year contract is the minimum I’ll sign.’
‘I might not need you for a year.’
That was the first real hint that there was more going on here. Maybe he felt awkward about telling her about his past—but that made no sense. There was nothing chaste about that blistering gaze. Perhaps there was something big about to come out? A huge scandal about to hit?
Felicia was tired of playing games. She wanted to know what she was getting into before she signed.
‘Kedah, I’m not a defence lawyer.’
He simply stared back at her as she spoke, and she thought that never before had she had a client so able to meet her gaze.
‘You can tell me whatever it is that’s going on.’
Still he said nothing.
‘I’m quite sure I already know.’
‘Do tell,’ he offered.
‘I think you need me to restore your reputation,’