sea floor.”
“We will have to try that before you go,” he said politely.
She studied him for a moment. “I can go by myself, you know. You don’t have to take time away from your busy work schedule. It’s not as if—”
His raised eyebrow had her stopping abruptly.
“What?”
“We do not know who can hear our conversation,” he cautioned.
She glanced around. No one appeared to be paying the slightest bit of attention to them, but she knew it would only take a few words to cause the charade to collapse and that would undoubtedly cause Rashid a lot of trouble.
“So how goes the deal?” she asked, leaning a bit closer and lowering her voice.
“We should sign soon, if certain parties don’t cause a glitch.”
“The father?” she asked, feeling as if she were speaking in code.
“No, he’ll come round. It’s some of our own internal people who are against the proposed agreement who could still throw a wrench into the works.”
“And your mother?”
Rashid leaned closer, covering one of her hands with his, lowering his voice. “My mother has no interest in politics or business. She only wants her sons married. Our personal lives have no interest to anyone, unless it causes a breach between me and al Benqura. That’s what we are guarding against.”
Bethanne knew to others in the restaurant, it must look as if he were whispering sweet nothings. Her hand tingled with his touch. For a moment she wished she dared turn it over and clasp his. The Quishari culture was more conservative than Americans and overt displays of affection were uncommon in public. Still, he had made the overture.
“Do not be concerned with my mother. She will not cause a problem.”
“I wished she liked me,” she murmured.
“Why? You’ll hardly see her before you leave. She will be at the polo match and perhaps one or two events we attend, but her manners are excellent, as I expect yours to be.”
Bethanne bristled. “I do know how to make nice in public,” she said.
Amusement danced in his eyes. “I’m sure you do.”
Their first course arrived and Bethanne was pleased to end the conversation and concentrate on eating and enjoying the view.
“This is delicious,” she said after her first bite. The fish was tender and flavorful. The vegetables were perfect.
He nodded. “I hoped you would like it.”
Conversation was sporadic while they ate. Bethanne didn’t want to disturb the mellow mood she was in as she enjoyed the food. She glanced at Rashid once in a while, but for the most part kept looking at the sea.
When the sugared walnuts appeared for dessert, she smiled in delight. “I didn’t know restaurants served these,” she said, taking one and popping it into her mouth.
“I ordered them specially for you,” he said.
“You did?” Amazing. She’d never had anyone pay such attention to details and then act on their knowledge. “Thank you very much. I love these.”
She savored another then asked, “So what happened to your brother? Did he get the fire out?”
“He did. He heads a company that specializes in putting out oil fires as well as acting as consultants for wells around the world.”
“Sounds dangerous.”
“Putting out the fires can be, but the rest is consulting work.”
“Isn’t he part of the family business?”
“He is, but more a silent partner in the day-to-day operations. He prefers not to be stuck in an office, as he puts it.”
She studied him, taking another walnut and savoring it as she put it in her mouth. “I don’t see you as stuck in an office. I expect you love pitting your mind against others.”
He smiled slightly. “One way to put it, I suppose. I find it satisfying to make deals to benefit the company. Pitting my wits against others in the field and continuing to expand the company beyond what my father did.”
“How did your father die?” It was a bold question, given what she’d learned this morning, but she would never have a better opportunity.
“Heart attack. He was only sixty-three…far too young to die.”
“I hope heart problems don’t run in your family.” Nothing said about what caused it. Maybe the timing was coincidental to the disappearance of her father and the plane. She hoped so. It was bad enough they thought her father a thief. Surely they didn’t blame him for the old sheikh’s death.
“No. He had rheumatic fever as a child and developed problems from that. The rest of us, including two of his older brothers, are fine.”
More than fine, she thought, looking away lest she gave him insight into her thought process. Really, Bethanne, she admonished, you’ve seen other gorgeous men before. Just not so up close and interested in her—even if it was only pretend.
“Ready to leave? We can take the walnuts with us. I want Teaz to drive us up the coast. There are some beautiful spots along the way. And some ruins from ancient times.”
Settled in the luxurious limousine a few moments later, Bethanne knew she could get used to such treatment in no time. And she could gain a bazillion pounds if she kept eating the sweets. Just one or two more and she’d stop. Until later.
Rashid gave a running commentary as they drove along one of the major highways of Quishari. With the Persian Gulf on the right and huge family estates on the left, there was a sameness that gradually changed as they went farther from the city.
Soon they were surrounded by the desert, stretching from the sea to as far to the west as she could see.
“The ruins are best viewed walking through them,” he said when Teaz stopped the car. The place was lonely, sandy and windswept, only outlines of the buildings that had once comprised a thriving village.
“Lonely,” Bethanne said, staring west. Nothing but miles of empty land. And the memory of people now gone.
“Once it was a lively trading port. You can see a few of the pilings for the piers in the water. It’s estimated these are more than two thousand years old.”
“Makes America seem like a toddler. Most of our history goes back four hundred years—once the Europeans settled in. I’d like to see this from the air. Tell me more.”
By the time the sun was sinking lower in the sky, they’d gone north almost to the border and turned to head for the villa. Bethanne enjoyed every moment. It was obvious that Rashid loved his country and enjoyed sharing his devotion with his guest. She learned more about the history of the area in their
