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the softer side of Samine.
    As the guide announced that the tour was over, Adil reluctantly pulled away from her. “Is there anything else you wanted to do tonight before we head back?” he asked politely as he helped her out of the boat.
    Her response was to pull him down for another kiss, and he ran his hands down her body. A soft moan escaped her lips, and she pulled away suddenly. “We need to go back,” she said with a smile. “Before I do something that’s really going to embarrass me.”
    He laughed and waved down a taxi. On the ride back, he couldn’t keep his hands off her. “Your guards are getting an eyeful,” she said as she leaned back to look out the back window.
    “They’re used to it.”
    Just like that, the air around them grew cold. He cursed his stupidity as she pulled away. “I’m sure they are,” she said with a short laugh.
    “Samine,” he started.
    “You don’t need to apologize, Adil. I should apologize. I’ve let you flirt with me, and I’ve flirted back because it turned my head that a sheikh would show interest in me. But the truth is that I’m not the woman who has one-night stands with the rich and famous like some sort of groupie. I know that you’ve put all this effort into a romantic evening with the idea that it ends in your favor, but I don’t think I can do this.”
    “I didn’t plan a romantic evening to guilt you into sex,” Adil growled as his body grew rigid. “And I’m offended by the implication.”
    “I didn’t mean...” she sighed. “Actually, maybe I did mean it. I don’t really know you. I just know your reputation. We should just put tonight past us and focus on the work ahead.”
    “What work?” Adil asked softly. He was angry, but it had nothing to do with her pulling away from him and everything to do with how she saw him.
    “Seeing that the Louvre has everything they need for the show? My article? Have you forgotten already?” she asked angrily.
    The taxi pulled up to the hotel, and he got out without even looking at her. “We’ll talk again in the morning. Good night, Samine.”
    He didn’t bother to make sure she was following as he continued up to their suite. It wasn’t until after he shut the door to his bedroom and stripped off his suit that he realized that he’d never heard the door to the suite open. Samine had never returned to her room. She was obviously sulking somewhere in the city. He felt a pang of guilt until he remembered that she spoke French better than he did. She would be fine.
    The shrill ring of a phone surprised him, as he looked at the time. He must have fallen asleep. Grabbing the phone from the nightstand, he glanced at it. Bruce. What did he want now? He sighed before answering. “Summers. This better be good,” he growled.
    Bruce was panicked. “There’s something wrong with the shipment.”
    The man was such a pessimist. Pressing his hand to his temples, he rubbed them. “There is nothing wrong with the shipment, Bruce.”
    “The manifesto is wrong. I just looked it over, and the crate numbers on the manifesto don’t match the numbers on the shipment label. You have to check them right now, Adil. I’m telling you. Something is wrong.”
    “Fine. I’ll go check them,” he muttered. “I’m sure it’s just a clerical error.”
    “I hope you’re right. Call me back as soon as you’re there,” Bruce said tightly before hanging up. Adil took a deep breath to settle his temper. That man pushed his buttons.
    Grabbing a t-shirt, he tossed it over his head and stretched it over his chest. He wanted to get this over with as quickly as possible and didn’t dare bring his guards with him, since they actually worked for his father. So, he left word with the guards to let Samine know that he’d stepped out, he left the hotel and whistled for a taxi. It was only a ten-minute drive to the warehouse. Paying the driver, he told him to wait, as he walked toward the building.
    He didn’t see anyone around