amazing, and after that, Berry realized that her boss was wrong. It wasn't a meet and greet; instead the floor was cleared for some dancing.
Berry and Farnsworth toured the group for a short time, but when he got involved in speaking with some men who were heading up the mall proposal, she felt comfortable doing a bit of wandering on her own. She wondered how solid that deadline was and whether there was any getting out of it any time soon. After all, it looked like Farnsworth had things fairly well in hand.
Berry was just congratulating herself on getting out of a potentially risky situation with a fairly small amount of fuss when she heard a soft laugh that was absolutely far too unfamiliar.
"So when it comes to worshipers, do you prefer them old and rich?" he asked, a slight bit of acid in his voice.
Berry spun around to find Rasul standing behind her. In his tuxedo, he looked even handsomer than he had at the souk. This time, though, his smile was definitely a little less friendly.
"I beg your pardon?" she said, slightly bewildered.
"I saw who you came in with, and I saw you whispering to each other at the table," he said, stepping a little closer. "With your ideals, and that clear sense of right and wrong that you had, I'm a little shocked at who you are with."
"Who, Michael?" she asked. She was starting to get an idea of what he was hinting at, and it was ugly.
"Yes, Farnsworth. Does he please you well? I would have thought that if you were someone who would balk at having money spent on you that perhaps you would draw the line at marrying old and rich …"
For a moment, she was so stunned at what he was saying that she couldn't think of a response. Then, when the shock blew away, it left behind it a clear rage that made her smile. "Oh, well, the truth is that I was just unimpressed," she cooed. "I mean, five thousand? I don't get out of bed for that."
Something strange crossed his face then. She couldn't tell whether it was sadness or fury or some strange mix of the two.
"Ah, well, I suppose I was more curious about what it might take to get you into bed, not what it takes to get you out of it …"
"Sorry, that's for my husband to know and you to find out …"
He studied her for a moment, and for the first time, he merely looked baffled instead of contemptuous. "Really, what is it? Why are you together?"
"Well, it could be that I love him no matter what he looks like, but the truth is that he's just great in bed," Berry snapped. For a heartbeat, she had no idea what she had just said, but then it crashed down on her.
Oh my God, she thought distantly. I just told the Sheikh of Alamun that I'm a gold digger …
Thankfully, at that point, Farnsworth, who had always said that he had a sense for things going south, hurried over.
"Sheikh Rasul," he said. "I see you've met my assistant."
To her relief, Rasul only raised his eyebrows. She wasn't sure exactly what kind of black mark baiting the head of a country was, but she couldn't really assume that it would be less than getting fired.
"Your … assistant?" he asked.
"Yes. Berry is one of my most trusted agents," he said rather fondly. "Tonight she's acting as my assistant and my escort, but most of the time, she's a bit of a treasure hunter. There is no one I trust more in this part of the world; she has an amazing eye for real art and history."
"Well, what a coincidence," Rasul said smoothly. "You know, I just found this piece in the marketplace, a stunning piece that I think might be two centuries old or more. Do you think there is a chance I could borrow her from you?"
Farnsworth's eyes shone as if someone had lit him up from inside. With a wince, Berry could almost hear the old-fashioned cash registers going off in his head.
"Well, of course! One of the great things that having a truly international shopping center would do is bring along professionals of all kinds and put them right at your disposal."
Berry couldn't stop herself from staring at
Berry and Farnsworth toured the group for a short time, but when he got involved in speaking with some men who were heading up the mall proposal, she felt comfortable doing a bit of wandering on her own. She wondered how solid that deadline was and whether there was any getting out of it any time soon. After all, it looked like Farnsworth had things fairly well in hand.
Berry was just congratulating herself on getting out of a potentially risky situation with a fairly small amount of fuss when she heard a soft laugh that was absolutely far too unfamiliar.
"So when it comes to worshipers, do you prefer them old and rich?" he asked, a slight bit of acid in his voice.
Berry spun around to find Rasul standing behind her. In his tuxedo, he looked even handsomer than he had at the souk. This time, though, his smile was definitely a little less friendly.
"I beg your pardon?" she said, slightly bewildered.
"I saw who you came in with, and I saw you whispering to each other at the table," he said, stepping a little closer. "With your ideals, and that clear sense of right and wrong that you had, I'm a little shocked at who you are with."
"Who, Michael?" she asked. She was starting to get an idea of what he was hinting at, and it was ugly.
"Yes, Farnsworth. Does he please you well? I would have thought that if you were someone who would balk at having money spent on you that perhaps you would draw the line at marrying old and rich …"
For a moment, she was so stunned at what he was saying that she couldn't think of a response. Then, when the shock blew away, it left behind it a clear rage that made her smile. "Oh, well, the truth is that I was just unimpressed," she cooed. "I mean, five thousand? I don't get out of bed for that."
Something strange crossed his face then. She couldn't tell whether it was sadness or fury or some strange mix of the two.
"Ah, well, I suppose I was more curious about what it might take to get you into bed, not what it takes to get you out of it …"
"Sorry, that's for my husband to know and you to find out …"
He studied her for a moment, and for the first time, he merely looked baffled instead of contemptuous. "Really, what is it? Why are you together?"
"Well, it could be that I love him no matter what he looks like, but the truth is that he's just great in bed," Berry snapped. For a heartbeat, she had no idea what she had just said, but then it crashed down on her.
Oh my God, she thought distantly. I just told the Sheikh of Alamun that I'm a gold digger …
Thankfully, at that point, Farnsworth, who had always said that he had a sense for things going south, hurried over.
"Sheikh Rasul," he said. "I see you've met my assistant."
To her relief, Rasul only raised his eyebrows. She wasn't sure exactly what kind of black mark baiting the head of a country was, but she couldn't really assume that it would be less than getting fired.
"Your … assistant?" he asked.
"Yes. Berry is one of my most trusted agents," he said rather fondly. "Tonight she's acting as my assistant and my escort, but most of the time, she's a bit of a treasure hunter. There is no one I trust more in this part of the world; she has an amazing eye for real art and history."
"Well, what a coincidence," Rasul said smoothly. "You know, I just found this piece in the marketplace, a stunning piece that I think might be two centuries old or more. Do you think there is a chance I could borrow her from you?"
Farnsworth's eyes shone as if someone had lit him up from inside. With a wince, Berry could almost hear the old-fashioned cash registers going off in his head.
"Well, of course! One of the great things that having a truly international shopping center would do is bring along professionals of all kinds and put them right at your disposal."
Berry couldn't stop herself from staring at
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