"Our plane would have landed by now."
"A long time ago. It's night." He gestured to the window, where darkness eclipsed the swirling sand. The cabin still had small lights on along the floor and ceiling. Probably battery powered. "I'm sure people are wondering where we are."
"I hope they are. Do you have a wife or girlfriend to worry about you?" She half
hoped he did. That would make it easier for her to stop noticing every artistic curve of his physique.
"Nope." He took a swig of Evian. "It's times like this when I wish I did. Even my brothers won't wonder where I am. They're not expecting me back in Ubar for two days. How about you? Do you have someone to worry?"
She looked down at her bottle, then thumbed the smooth glass at the top. It was Friday night. "Except for your friend Najib, who's pretty busy with his wedding, no one will even notice I'm missing until I don't show up at my office on Monday. Even then, my assistant will probably assume I'm meeting with a client and forgot to tell her."
"You don't have any family?"
"Not really. No one that would miss me." She didn't remember ever feeling like she'd had a real family. She wouldn't know how to make one if she tried.
"Don't look sad. We're going to be fine. I find it hard to believe you don't have a husband or boyfriend."
She cocked her chin. "I'm married to my work."
"Oh." A mischievous smile snuck across his mouth. "I'm glad to hear that." "Why?" She lifted a brow.
"I'd like the architect for my palace to be utterly devoted to the project, of course."
"I haven't said I'll design your palace."
"Indeed you haven't, but I can be very persuasive."
"You haven't even seen my work."
"I feel confident that it's stunning and memorable in every way." The way he said the words, slowly and softly, with a deft appraisal of her face and body, made her feel as if he was talking about her. Worse yet, she liked it.
Which was ridiculous. Men didn't exactly fall at her feet. She was tall and skinny and was the only black girl in the world who didn't have a butt. And she was cold and stuck-up, or at least that's what people said. She knew it was just shyness.
"You're sweet." She smiled. She was lucky to be stuck with someone nice, let alone gorgeous, out here in the desert.
"Sweet enough for you to let me soothe your skin with these luxurious wipes?"
Her skin heated further the prospect of his big hands on her. "Okay."