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‘Need for what? Who were you phoning?’
‘Rafiq. You remember my Chief Adviser?’
‘Of course. I love him. I would have offered him a job on my team if I’d thought there was any chance that he’d leave you. So what completely unreasonable request have you placed in the poor man’s lap this time?’ As the words left her mouth she heard the sound of a helicopter approach and looked up, her brows lifting as she saw the Sultan’s insignia. ‘I see you and discretion have parted company.’
‘There is no longer a need for discretion. There is, however, a need to get the next part of the journey over as fast as possible.’
‘You’re leaving in style, Mal, I have to hand you that.’
‘We’re leaving in style.’ His grip on her hand tightened. ‘You’re coming with me.’
It was a command, not a question.
Avery’s heart stumbled but whether that was because of his unexpected words or the feel of his fingers locked with hers, she wasn’t sure. ‘What about Kalila?’
‘Can we stop talking about Kalila?’ His tone was raw. ‘She has my protection and I will do my best for her, but right now I don’t want to waste any more time thinking about it.’
‘I really ought to get back to London. I have the Senator’s party to run and I can’t just take time off.’
‘Of course you can. You’re the boss. You can do whatever you like. Call Jenny and put her in charge for a few days.’
‘I couldn’t possibly do that.’ Her mouth was dry and her heart was pounding. ‘It’s out of the question.’
‘Really? The advice you give others is to face your fears—’ ebony eyes glittered dark with mockery ‘—and yet I don’t see you facing yours.’
‘There’s nothing to face. I’m not afraid.’
‘Yes, you are. You’re terrified. So terrified that your hands are shaking.’
‘You’re wrong.’ She stuffed her hands in her pockets. ‘So if you’re such an expert you’d better tell me what it is I’m supposedly afraid of.’
‘Me,’ he said softly. ‘You’re afraid to be alone with me.’
CHAPTER SIX
MAL was braced for her to throw a million arguments why she couldn’t do this but she simply lifted her chin in the air and walked briskly by his side to the helicopter and he allowed himself a smile because although she would have hated to admit it, she was totally predictable. Because he’d challenged her, she just had to prove him wrong.
As the ever loyal Rafiq appeared, Mal delivered a series of succinct instructions, threw him the keys to the vehicle and followed Avery into the helicopter.
There were a million things that demanded his attention, but only one that he cared about right at that moment.
And suddenly he was grateful for her pride and stubbornness because it was only those two things that had her stepping into his helicopter without an argument. It was pride that kept that back straight as she settled into her seat, pride that had her greeting his pilot with her usual warm smile and no visibl
e evidence of tension.
As the doors closed, she turned to him, her gaze cool. ‘So here I am. By your side and unafraid. Sorry to disappoint you. You’ve lost.’
‘I’m not disappointed.’ And he certainly hadn’t lost.
‘So where are we going?’
‘Somewhere we can be sure of privacy.’ He watched as her shoulders shifted defensively and her mouth tightened as she instinctively recoiled from the threat of intimacy.
‘I’m surprised you don’t just want to return to the palace. Your wedding plans have fallen apart. Shouldn’t you be talking to your father?’
‘I’ve already spoken to him. I told him I will be back in a few days and we can discuss it further then.’
‘I would have thought the cancellation of your marriage would have taken precedence over everything else.’
