The Sheik's Secret Twins Read Free

hoping Gary would also take the hint and start eating.  His boss appeared to be moving out of the bored range and into the irritated. 
    “Gary, that looks delicious.  What did you order?” she asked, only to be polite. 
    It didn’t work and Gary shifted back to philosophy after declaring emphatically that agnostics, like he claimed to be, shouldn’t limit their world after rejecting the existence of a divine being. 
    Siri actually choked on her water with that one and her eyes went once more to the man at the next table.  Sure enough, he was looking right back at her with an eyebrow raised in question.  She tried very hard to smother the amusement at Gary’s confusion with agnostics versus atheists, but she kept quiet and just prayed to the divine being that she sincerely believed in, that this dinner would end quickly and their dinner companions were unaware of Gary’s gaffes. 
    When the meal was finally over, Gary’s exuberance over his performance was astounding.  The four of them were walking out of the restaurant and Siri pulled her wrap closer around her.  It wasn’t that it was chilly so much as she didn’t want Gary to touch her bare skin.  She was so repulsed by his ignorance that she couldn’t deal with any kind of affection from him. 
    She turned to the side and once again, she found herself caught up in the stranger’s gaze.  He was surrounded by his dinner companions, but he wasn’t paying any attention to them, just as she was in an island that seemed to contain only herself and the man standing ten feet away.  He was much taller than she’d originally have guessed and in the brighter light of the valet area, she could see that his eyes were genuinely a light grey and weren’t a factor from the dim lighting of the restaurant.  He was handsome, in an off-hand kind of way.  It wasn’t so much his looks though, but something that was alluring about his appearance, something that drew one’s eyes towards him. 
    He wouldn’t release her eyes and she felt captured, unable to look away, unable to hear anything that was going on around her and she wasn’t sure if she was standing or sitting, just too transfixed to do anything other than stand there until he released her. 
    F ortunately, she didn’t really mind the hold he had over her .  This stranger’s gaze was much more enjoyable than anything that was going on around her. 
    Until Gary realized that she wasn’t paying attention to him.  He grabbed her arm and nudged her.  “Are you okay?” he asked in an almost angry tone. 
    Siri blinked and that seemed to break the magic.  She looked away, noticed where she was, that three pairs of eyes were waiting on her expectantly.  “I’m sorry, I dazed out for a moment.  Did someone ask me a question?”
    Gary puffed up like some angry cave man.  “I asked if you knew that man over there.”
    Siri glanced back, but the tall man was getting into a large, black sport utility vehicle, disappearing from her sight. 
    “No.  I’ve never met him before,” she replied honestly.  “He was sitting at the table next to ours during dinner.”
    “Then why were you staring at him like that?” he demanded.
    Siri glanced away, feeling slightly guilty.  “I apologize.  He was just….” She shook her head, unable to explain what had gone on between herself and the stranger.  She couldn’t explain it in her mind, so putting words to her feelings and reactions wasn’t really possible. 
    Gary cursed under his breath and turned back to his future boss.  “I’m sorry, Mr. Meyers.  Siri isn’t usually this rude.  I suppose I simply made the wrong choice in companions for the evening.”
    Siri looked at the man who had been boring her all evening, her mouth falling open in astonishment.  “Excuse me?”
    “You heard me,” Gary replied, shaking his head in disdain.  “You’re rude and inconsiderate and I don’t think we’re going to work out well together.”
    Siri