Sheikh's Revenge by Jessica Brooke, Ella Brooke Read Free Book Online Page A

family, and if I had any job at all, I think I’d love to work with animals.”
    Addison finally had enough pause to collect her thoughts. Slipping off of his thighs and back to her seat, she tried to get the conversation back into normal territory. “Animals, really?”
    “We have horses at the palace. Mother raised Arabians. I also had a pet falcon and I was quite adept at hunting with them. I just have always had an affinity for the wild and nature. I think a job working outdoors and with animals would have appealed to me quite a bit,” he said, smiling back at her. “Yes, I think you can say about me that I love a wild time.”
    She felt heat flare through her belly.
    Oh man, I’m definitely not going to last the night.
    ***
    “Wow this place is huge,” she said as they sat down at the black-lacquered table at Buddha Bar.
    He nodded. “It’s a bit kitschy in the décor. I’m not sure I’m a fan of the giant, Andy Warhol-style Buddha pictures, but the food here is excellent and the beverages even more so. Of course, if you’d rather try an actual delicacy of Dubai, then we can go to a more traditional place.”
    Addison shook her head, and he loved the way the long curls of her hair escaped every attempt she’d made to tame them. They were now falling free and were as delectable as always. “No. I’ve been here over two weeks. To be honest, I can afford the local eateries near my apartment. I’m getting to like the gyros and the lamb and the hummus, but it’d be nice to try something new. I mean, when I’m home in the States, I don’t always eat just Americana and burgers.”
    “True, no man or woman could live on beef alone.”
    “But you can try,” she pointed out. “I don’t have anything against it.”
    He nodded back at her as the waitress came by. Maybe he was being a bit of a show off, but why learn a variety of dialects for business if he couldn’t show off. With slightly accented—even he’d admit that—Korean, he asked for the assortment of delicacies of the house, including some intense sushi options and kimchi. He also ordered warmed sake, that rare Juyondai that he could only get here unless he wanted to journey forth to Tokyo.
    When she was gone again, Addison was glaring at him.
    So there is truth behind that legend of redheads and tempers. I never would have known that.
    “What?”
    “Did you already order for me? In Chinese?”
    “No.”
    “Oh good then.”
    “I did it in Korean. Most of the owner’s family is from there; it’s why truly delicious kimchi is on the menu.”
    “So you did order for me!”
    “I wanted to give you a traditional time. I almost always order for my dates,” he said, setting the menu down and tenting his hands. “Why wouldn’t I? Maybe you wanted to go Dutch and split the tab at the end of the night as well?”
    “I couldn’t begin to afford that,” she admitted, blushing brightly and looking down at the table. “I just meant that I can order for myself, and this is a date then, isn’t it?”
    “I think it’s just a casual gathering of people who want to know each other better, take that as you would. Perhaps I let my chivalry get the better of me. I’ll ask next time, but I promise you that you’ll find everything else completely delightful. If you don’t like what I’ve ordered, then you can try anything else on the menu.”
    “Good then,” she said, her eyes growing wide with curiosity when the sake pitcher and the small, clay cups were delivered to their table. The chefs had also been kind enough to get them a couple of rolls, including eel and tempura shrimp. “So that would be the wine?”
    “The sake, yes. Have you ever had any?”
    “Some not great stuff heated up in the microwave back in college. I have a feeling it’s as much real sake as a Slim Jim is meat.”
    “Then,” he said, accepting the sake from the waitress, “you’re in for a treat. This brand has a surprisingly fruity flavor but packs a