The Di Sione Secret Baby

Tucking her briefcase closer against her body, she dragged her gaze away, silently thankful for the reminder of Sheikh Rahim’s playboy reputation. He was probably a man who saw every woman as a potential conquest.

‘It’s a shame I won’t be here long enough to find out what they are,’ she said, faking a smile as she slid into the back seat.

The door shut with a soft, decadent whoosh, and she watched, almost against her will, as he walked around to the opposite side from which he’d emerged to slide in next to her.

Outside, in the arid desert air, Allegra had only been visually aware of Rahim Al-Hadi’s presence. Tucked in close proximity to him, his scent washed over her. Spicy, exotic, with a touch of sandalwood, the scent was powerful and overwhelmingly male.

She’d dated during her college years and afterwards, although none of her relationships had gone beyond the casual phase. She’d even indulged in a brief physical relationship when she’d been curious to see what she was missing that wasn’t fulfilled by her work.

None of the men who’d crossed her path had had the effect that Rahim Al-Hadi had on her now. She surreptitiously drew in another breath and again sensations bombarded her.

Reassuring herself that she was blowing things out of proportion, probably due to lack of sleep, she cleared her throat. ‘Your Highness, I’m grateful to you for agreeing to see me on such short notice. I promise I won’t take up too much of your time.’

He sent her a wider, even more devastating smile, and in that moment Allegra knew her emotionally dazed state had nothing to do with lack of sleep. The man was sexual charisma personified. While the men she’d dated had had charm going for them, what this man wielded in his small finger alone would flatten them. She stared as his even white teeth gleamed in the brilliant sunshine. ‘You’ll be pleased to know I’ve rearranged my schedule to accommodate your visit. For as long as you’re here, my staff and I are at your service. Any luxury you wish for will be yours with just the asking.’

And with that, Allegra was brought back to earth with a hard bump. The reminder of Rahim Al-Hadi’s unspeakable wealth made her bristle. ‘Thank you, but the luxury of my hotel bed and a cup of strong coffee are all I’ll need once I’ve discussed the reason for my visit with you. My return flight is booked for tomorrow, so I hope you won’t think me rude if I insist on our meeting as soon as possible?’

Straight black brows clamped together in a thunderous frown. ‘You’re leaving tomorrow?’ he rasped, the gleam of his teeth disappearing as his full, sensual lips compressed in a displeased line.

‘You did mention you would only be available for a short time, did you not, Your Highness?’

‘Rahim.’

‘Excuse me?’

‘You may call me Rahim when we are having a one-to-one conversation,’ he elaborated, but his smile this time lacked its previous warmth. It was almost as if she’d done something to offend him. ‘May I call you Allegra?’

For a moment, she lost herself to the sensual intonation of her name. While his accent was mostly American—due to his having spent over a decade and a half in the US—every now and then the exotic tones of his homeland’s dialect curled around his words, lending them a mesmeric quality.

‘I... Yes, of course.’ In a distant part of her mind, Allegra knew she should be thankful that this meeting was going better than she’d hoped it would.

‘Allegra, I confess to not giving our telephone conversation the careful attention it deserved.’ Another blinding smile that slammed lightning straight to her midriff. ‘After we spoke I had a change of heart. I’ve already prepared rooms in my palace for your convenience. My trip has also been postponed to Sunday, which means I will devote myself to you until then. Tonight, I’m holding a banquet in your honour.’

Her mouth gaped. ‘A banquet? But I’m only here to discuss...’

He waved her protest away with a flick of an elegant hand. ‘We’ll discuss your business here later, after you’ve had a chance to rest. For now, allow me to give you a brief tour of Shar-el-Aman, my country’s beautiful capital.’

Allegra swallowed her surprise, although the notion that there was more going on here than met the eye didn’t dissipate.

‘I really wasn’t expecting you to go to all this trouble,’ she started.

‘But you will humour me nonetheless, yes?’

Unable to think of a way to dissuade him, she nodded. ‘If you wish.’

‘I wish.’

The satisfied smile her response produced drew her attention to his mouth. As male specimens went, Rahim Al-Hadi had inherited more than his fair share of good looks. It was no wonder he’d been voted the world’s most eligible bachelor more times than Allegra cared to count. It was probably also why he thought that smile could win any man, woman or child round to his way of thinking.

It’s won you over, hasn’t it?

She suppressed the irritating observation and followed his finger as he pointed out a sprawling group of buildings nestled on a hilltop. ‘That’s our state university. Dar-Aman University boasts world-class academics and state-of-the-art facilities.’

Within ten minutes he’d drawn her attention to several more of Dar-Aman’s highly regarded treasures. When he pointed out yet another monument, whose sole purpose was to provide superficial pleasure, she couldn’t hold her tongue.

‘Fountains and memorials with gold-plated plaques are all very nice to look at, I’m sure, but Dar-Aman’s current economic situation is a little bit more pressing, don’t you think?’ Allegra’s earlier anger began to resurface.

The arm he’d raised to indicate yet another statue dropped a fraction. ‘My mother loved beautiful things. And my father couldn’t say no to granting them to her. As to my country’s economic situation, I have it well in hand, Allegra.’

‘Do you? Not according to world views,’ she replied before she could curb her response.

He stiffened, his eyes narrowing as his gaze zeroed in on her. ‘And do you believe everything you read in the papers?’ His voice had turned arctic.

Allegra cleared her throat, the knowledge that the information in the report she’d read on the plane had been hastily put together by her assistant suddenly flaring in her mind and giving her pause. ‘I didn’t mean to cause offence.’

‘On the contrary, I think you meant to make an exact point. Perhaps you want to elaborate on what you mean?’

They stared at one another for a charged moment, the tense atmosphere burning between them. Allegra shook her head to clear it, and also to backtrack a little before things got out of hand.

‘I didn’t mean to put it quite that way. Trust me, I’m a lot more diplomatic than that usually, or I’d be out of a job by now.’ She gave a little laugh in the hope of alleviating the tension, but his continued stony regard tightened her skin. Almost afraid to breathe in case she’d done irreparable damage to her chances of retrieving her grandfather’s treasure, she continued hurriedly. ‘I simply meant I know that not everything is shiny and rosy in the Kingdom of Dar-Aman so this tour really isn’t necessary.’

His mouth tightened. ‘Look around you, Allegra. My country is in the middle of a rebirth, yes, but things are far from dire. The tour wasn’t intended to pull the wool over your eyes. I was merely extending the hospitality that is afforded any invited guest. Unless things have changed in the States since I lived there, your president doesn’t parade his state guests through the ghettos on the way to the White House, does he? In all things he puts his best foot forward, does he not?’

Feeling chastised, Allegra nevertheless cursed the heat washing into her face. ‘No, he doesn’t, but I can’t help but mourn what was once a unique and powerful kingdom...’ Her voice drifted off when she realised she was letting her personal feelings cloud what should be a clinical transaction. What Rahim Al-Hadi chose to do with his wealth and about his people’s suffering wasn’t part of her visit. ‘I just didn’t want you to waste your time with all this...schmoozing.’ She bit her lip when his eyebrows elevated and a mildly censorious look crossed his face. Then his face turned thoughtful before he nodded. Pressing an intercom next to his elbow, he spoke rapidly in Arabic.

‘We will head to the palace now. When you’re better rested, I hope you’ll be more receptive to what my kingdom has to offer.’

She frowned. ‘I’m not sure I know what you mean.’

‘It’s clear you have preconceived notions where my kingdom and I are concerned.’

‘Do you blame me?’

His jaw tightened briefly before he exhaled. ‘No. And while it’s understandable, I assure you that some situations—as well as individuals—are not irredeemable if things are handled expertly.’

‘I think that depends on who does the handling, don’t you?’

To her surprise he nodded readily. ‘Indeed it does. And I prefer to think of this period as the darkness before the light shines once more on my people.’

She firmed her lips. ‘True change comes not with words but with actions.’

‘Then I look forward to showing you what I mean.’

He’d once again become the charming host whose smile upset the regular rhythm of her heartbeat, but Allegra didn’t miss the shrewd and assessing gleam in his eyes each time he looked at her, or miss the fact that his gaze lingered on her face, and brushed down her body a few more times than her flailing senses could deal with.

By the time their convoy rolled through wide pillared gates manned by armed soldiers, Allegra understood why women fell over themselves to be his playthings. Rahim Al-Hadi wielded his voice, his body and his keen intelligence the way a composer wielded his baton.

Had she not vowed a long time ago never to get involved in relationships, especially volatile ones like the one that had ultimately seen her parents dead at a young age, Allegra was sure she’d have been swayed by Rahim’s magnetic charm.