“Sarah.”
Sarah jumped and turned, meeting Barr’s—or Saafir’s—dark eyes.
“Sarah, I owe you an apology.”
Standing in the alley outside the office building between the Dumpster and the street was the strangest place for the emir to be. He shouldn’t be out here. He belonged in the meeting. Adham lingered near the door, looking around.
She should have told him it was fine, even though it wasn’t, and that he should go inside, but she had one question. “Why didn’t you tell me who you were?”
“I didn’t figure out that you were the trade summit event coordinator until my security told me.”
“At what point was that?” she asked.
“After we had slept together,” he said.
Sarah folded her arms across her chest. “This job is important to me.” She didn’t want to be fired over her decision to sleep with him. If it was awkward between them, would he want her replaced?
“I know it is and I will not do anything to interfere with it,” Saafir said. He touched her upper arm. “You look gorgeous this morning. I was disappointed that you left without saying goodbye.”
Her pulse beat erratically. “I wasn’t sure of the protocol. What should I have done?”
He smiled and ran a finger lightly down her cheek. “You’re asking me? I don’t know the protocol for how to behave when I meet someone who brings me to my knees with a look.”
Her? She had that power over him? “This hasn’t happened to you before?” Or all the time, every time he traveled.
“Never before. Do you have this lure over all men?”
She had to smile at that. “You’re the first.”
“The first. I like that.” He winked at her.
If she entered into an ongoing affair with him, she wouldn’t come out of it unscathed. Her professional ethics and her heart were vulnerable.
“Have you been thinking about that night as much as I have?” he asked.
His open flirting was something she wasn’t accustomed to. He was playful and fun and almost made her forget she was working. She remembered her apartment. “I should tell you that my apartment was broken into Saturday night.”
His face registered shock. “I’m so sorry. Were you hurt?”
“It happened while I was out with you.” Was there a connection?
“Why didn’t you call me?” he asked.
Was he serious? Why would she have called him? They didn’t know each other well enough for her to expect him to come running when she had an emergency. “I called the police. They’re investigating.”
“You believe I had something to do with it.”
She wasn’t good at hiding her thoughts. Never had been. “It seems like a strange coincidence.”
“I have my share of enemies. If you believe your association with me was the reason for this crime, please allow me to make reparations and look into the matter.”
He seemed sincere and honest. “Don’t worry about it. I called the police and my insurance will cover it.” The insurance company wouldn’t clean up the mess, but they were sending her a check so she could replace some of her items. It wouldn’t cover everything she’d lost. Some things couldn’t be replaced.
“That’s unacceptable. I will send someone over to—”
Adham stepped closer. “They’re waiting for you, Captain.”
His guard was a good reminder of what they were dealing with and the complications that stood between them. He was more than a traveling businessman and she had a lot at stake with the trade summit meetings.
Saafir held up his hand. “One minute more. Please, Sarah, let me take care of your apartment.”
Sarah shook her head. “That’s really not necessary.” If she relied on him, it would make it harder when he left. “I’m handling it. I’m not sure why I brought it up.”
“You brought it up because you were concerned,” he said. “We’re friends. You can talk to me.”
Friends? An interesting word and not the one she would have chosen. “What happened this weekend puts us in an awkward position. But we can keep our distance so it doesn’t happen again.” The words made her sad, but she had to be clear about her boundaries.
The corner of his mouth turned up. “How can you stay away from me when you’re the coordinator for the event?”
His smile could have disarmed her, but she would stay strong and stand behind her principles. “From now on, we’re keeping this professional.”
Saafir frowned. “I’m disappointed to hear that.”
Sarah jammed a hand through her hair. “I’m sorry. I don’t want any more trouble for either of us.”
* * *
Saafir felt like a perfect idiot. He could pinpoint a number of moments after learning Sarah was the event coordinator for the trade summit when he could have told her who he was. The emir of Qamsar. Four simple words. She had slipped out early in the morning while he’d been sleeping and neither of his guards had stopped her, although Adham had trailed her home to be sure she’d arrived safely. He hadn’t mentioned anything about her apartment. He must have left before she’d discovered it.
Saafir had made the mistake of thinking he could step out of his role as emir for a night and that being the emir wouldn’t matter to Sarah. He wanted to be himself—no title and no responsibilities. Of course that wouldn’t turn out well. Denial about his position seemed to creep in at the strangest times. Saafir knew his responsibilities, but some part of him clung to his old, inconspicuous existence. Before becoming emir, he had gone about his day-to-day life with little interest from the public. He could focus on those topics that meant the most to him, like prison reform and social progress, without comment from his family or countrymen.
Now he couldn’t speak aloud what he was thinking, not without it becoming a sound bite to be used to cause further instability in the country.
He should let Sarah go. She had made it clear that she wasn’t interested in continuing their personal relationship. By sleeping with him she had become someone’s target. Her home had been invaded. His enemies would stop at nothing to harm him or find a way to exploit a perceived weakness. Saafir wouldn’t let them hurt Sarah. If he stayed away from her, his enemies would lose interest in her and she would be safer.
He was disappointed with the conclusion. Spending time with the spirited American had made him feel more relaxed than he had in months. She was fun and beautiful and different from other women he had been with.
Sarah adjusted her black suit jacket and drew his attention to her waist—likely not her intention. “Saafir, I think we need—”
Gunfire crackled into the crisp morning air, sending a loud echo through the alley. Saafir instinctively reached for Sarah, his protective instincts triggering an immediate reaction. He drew her close and to the ground.
“Shots fired!” Adham yelled.
Adham hovered over them, trying to shield them. Another loud burst of gunfire and Saafir tucked Sarah further under him. She felt small in his arms, and his military training roared to life. Protect. Defend. Retaliate. He shoved her behind the Dumpster, hoping it