Sheikh's Ex-Girlfriend (Khayyam Sheikh Series #1) Read Free Page A

wasn't like it was hard to find out who she was and what she did.
    “I'm establishing a branch for Quill here. We're putting a lot more work into finding interesting manuscripts from this part of the world, and Joe Vega wants me to be right here and recruiting.”
    “Ah, your work,” Marid nodded, and then he shot her a sideways glance. “You know, I had thought that there might be another reason that you were in town …”
    “Not that one,” she said sharply, and then she reined herself in with an apologetic smile. “Sorry, I just meant that it's only for work.”
    Marid nodded, and if there was something bright and gleaming in his eye, Ella chose to ignore it.
    “It has not been easy for him over the last few years,” Marid said casually, but of course Ella knew who he was talking about.”
    “No?”
    “Nasim, well … he was never prepared to be sheikh. He was the third son, and there was no way to realize that the seat would be his.”
    “What happened?” she asked in spite of herself. She could tell herself all she wanted that she didn't care about what had happened for Nasim to become sheikh, but a part of her longed to know.
    “A boating accident—Azim and Mumin were on the water, and something happened to their fuel line. They were pronounced dead, and Nasim had to be called back from France to take his place.”
    Ella bit her lip. She had not liked Nasim's brothers, but it made her stomach twist to think of them dying so badly.
    “How is Nasim doing with it?”
    She meant with the grief, but Marid ignored that part.
    “He is a fine sheikh. He works hard, sometimes I think he has forgotten how to enjoy his life, but that is neither here nor there. If I'm honest, I would say he hasn't truly enjoyed himself since—”
    Ella cut him off with a sudden glance at her phone.
    “Oh, I'm sorry, I don't mean to cut you off, but I need to get going. I have a manuscript I need to go over before this evening and if I put it off too much longer, I am going to be terribly, terribly late. You don't mind me taking my leave, do you?”
    Marid's eyes fairly danced, and she could tell that he wasn't taken in by her ruse.
    “Of course not, Lady Literary. Good luck with your endeavors.”
    He took her hand for a gentle kiss, but suddenly she was remembering a man who had taken it in a similar way. She remembered the brush of lips over the delicate skin of her knuckles, and she remembered the way he had looked up straight into her eyes, sending a deep shock through her soul.
    She pulled away from Marid before she could remember any more, and she turned to make her way through the crowd. Even as she became lost among the people, she could feel his dark gaze boring into her back.
     I think things are going to get complicated, she thought helplessly.
    ***
    That evening, Nasim was working at his desk when a servant announced through the intercom that Marid Faheem was there to see him. He happily left off his work for the moment, but he drew back when he saw the devilish gleam in Marid's eyes.
    “Whatever you have in mind, I want nothing to do with it—” he began, but Marid cut him off.
    “Not a what, but a who, and this time, you are completely wrong.”
    Nasim knew what his friend was like when he got that look on his face. The best thing to do was to be patient until it passed, and so he crossed his arms in front of his chest and waited.
    “Quill Publishing is setting up shop in town, and I think that their representative is someone that you know very well …”
    For a moment, the name meant absolutely nothing to Nasim. Then, with the force of a blow to his chest, he remembered a fluff of short blonde hair, bright blue eyes that he could drown in, and a mouth that seemed made for kisses and laughter. When he remembered those eyes darkening with confusion, her sweet face reddening with humiliation, he came to his feet.
    “No,” he snapped. “No, I will have no part of this.”
    Another man looking at Nasim's dark