The Arabian Billionaire, Book Two Read online

  Chapter 5

  Josie ignored Caroline's whining while she got ready for the field inspections. Caroline kept complaining about how it was not fair that Josie was getting this opportunity to be with the sheikh while she got nothing. Josie did not see what so special about it, and that really bothered Caroline.

  She got ready really quickly and ran out of the lodge. On her way to meet the sheikh, she stopped for a second to examine herself. She was wearing jean shorts, a t-shirt and military boots. Her hair was tied up in a messy ponytail. She knew the sheikh was not going to approve of her look, and it made her smile.

  The sheikh was leaning against a black Range Rover when he looked up and saw Josie marching toward him with her legs bare again. He actually realized that her walk was terrible; there was nothing feminine about it. She also swung her arms slightly when she walked. He stared at her analyzing her. Josie noticed his gaze, and it made it uncomfortable to walk toward him. She kept her straight face. She too could pull off an expressionless face. She was not going to let him read her.

  The sheikh was actually not wearing a suit for once. He wore khaki pants and a white polo shirt. Josie was a little surprised to see him dressed down. It looked nice on him. It made him look less serious and more playful. His face on the other hand was still as hard as stone.

  “Sheikh Jamal Zahid,” Josie said as soon as she approached him. She had recently learned his name from Caroline. The sheikh slightly raised an eyebrow. She had said his full name. She never did; in fact she did not refer to him at all. She usually just said what needed to be said. He did the same.

  “Miss Josie Pierce,” the sheikh said. He gestured for her to get into the car. It was surprising; they were not in a limo today. The sheikh was driving himself. Wait—this meant she had to sit in the front with him. Sitting in the front with him was new to her and was going to be awkward. She had seen men driving and while shifting the gear, they often grazed past the woman's knee. She was thinking too much. Josie shook the thoughts out of her head and got in the car.

  “You can drive?” she asked as the sheikh pulled out of the lot.

  “What kind of a question is that?” he asked plainly.

  “You get driven around everywhere. There isn't a need for you to drive.”

  The sheikh did not offer a response. He just grunted and carried on driving. Josie looked out of the window. It was going to be long, quiet and awkward drive. She reached out to switch on the radio.

  “Don't,” the sheikh said without even looking. Josie's jaw dropped open.

  “Oh, come on; are we supposed to just sit here in silence?” Josie switched on the radio anyway. “You need to learn how not to be so serious all the time,” she added. She looked out of the window.

  “My demeanor has nothing to do with you,” the sheikh answered and stopped at the traffic lights.

  “You are always so cold and rude to me.” Josie stopped and took a deep breath. The sheikh turned to look at her. She pressed the button, and the window rolled down. “I don't even want to argue. It's a beautiful day,” she added. She folded her arms over the window and stuck her head out. The sheikh didn't say anything. He just drove off when the lights turned green.

  It was a long drive, and no one spoke. Thank heavens for the radio. The music muffled the tension and awkwardness in the car. They finally reached the fields. Josie was relieved when they arrived. She was feeling a little carsick. She practically jumped out of the car when they pulled up. The sheikh looked at her like she was strange, and, well, she was strange. Is it that bad being in the car with me? the sheikh asked himself. He pulled the keys out of the ignition and got out of the car. He slipped his hands in his pockets and started walking toward the others. Tariq and his brothers were already there.

  People! Josie's subconscious screamed out in joy. She was relieved to be in the company of other people. Normal people, she thought at first, but she stopped there. She did not want to be too quick to judge. After all those two were the sheikh's brothers. What if they behaved the same? This worried her. She comforted herself with the thought that no one could be like the sheikh.

  Tariq was suppressing a laugh when the sheikh and Josie approached. They were walking miles apart even though they came out of the same car. He assumed that something had happened, some sort of argument. The sheikh was not that fond of Josie, and he made it no secret. She definitely was not fond of him either. They all greeted each other.

  “Where do we start?” Josie asked Tariq. Her face was lit up with excitement, and she rubbed her hands together. Tariq laughed at her softly. He never got tired of seeing her like that.

  “Come with us,” Amir said to Josie. The sheikh shot a warning look. He knew that his younger brothers would be up to no good. Amir put his arm around Josie's shoulders and pulled her with him. Malik followed.

  “You look worried,” Tariq said to the sheikh who was watching Josie walk away with his brothers.

  “What would I be worried about?” the sheikh said and started walking, attempting to conceal his emotions but failing. Tariq knew him too well.

  “You tell me. You seem to not like the idea of your brothers with Josie.”

  “When will the engineers and architects get here?” the sheikh changed the subject. Tariq just went with the flow and spoke about the engineers. He was used to the sheikh changing subjects so easily. He knew there was something else that bothered him in regards to Josie, but whatever it was, he was going to say it when he was ready or when he found out what it was. He knew his friend.

  Their other two colleagues arrived. They met up with the sheikh and Tariq. They began to look around the fields. If that field had oil, it was definitely going to expand their business. It would bring large profits, but it would also bring large losses if they drilled and found no oil. It was a huge risk to take.

  Malik and Amir took turns asking Josie about herself. The more she spoke, the more they found how opposite she was to their older brother. It was no shock that Josie and Jamal did not get along.

  “How old are you?” Amir asked her.

  “Twenty-two, you?” Josie replied. Amir was shocked by her boldness. Clearly their family name meant nothing to her. Most people did not dare to be so bold.

  “Twenty-five,” Amir replied. Josie turned her head to look at Malik and awaited his answer.

  “Twenty-seven,” he replied.

  “Jamal is thirty-two,” Amir replied to the question she was asking herself. She looked at him with confusion. He smiled her.

  “You really don't know about our family?” Malik found it hard to believe. Josie shrugged her shoulders.

  “I know about the company, but I don't google rich tycoons and their families,” she replied. Malik and Amir laughed at her. They liked her; she was different. Most women would have been planning weddings in their heads by now.

  They walked around looking at the fields. Josie had a small notepad with her. She took notes. She bent over the touch the soil. Amir raised his eyebrows. She was not scared to get dirty. She really was different than most women.

  Chapter 6

  It was finally time to leave. Josie had enjoyed herself, but it was getting hotter and hotter. She needed to get out of the sun. She also felt hungry. Tariq handed her a bottle of water to wash her hands. She asked him to pour water on her hands for her while she rubbed them together, washing off the dirt. Tariq poured the water slowly for her. The sheikh watched her wash her hands. When she looked up she saw him frowning.

  “You're looking down on me,” Josie said to the sheikh.

  “Am I?” he replied.

  “You always do.”

  The sheikh put his hands in his pocket and walked off. Josie rolled her eyes. “Bastard,” She whispered and followed him. If it was not far, she would rather have walked than be in the car with him. She could not even go with the others because they were all going in different directions.

  “Are they always like this?” Malik asked Tariq.

  Tariq
sighed before answering. “Cat and dog,” he said.

  “She does want to get on his bad side. I kind of like her,” Amir said.

  “I think she can handle him,” Tariq said. He had seen more of her than those two had.

  “No woman can,” Malik said.

  “That is what I thought also until I met her,” Tariq said and headed for his car.

  “Let's bet on it,” Amir called out after him. Tariq agreed to it. He had never seen such a person like Josie in the sheikh's company. He could see that her presence affected him. He was not sure in which way yet.

  Josie opened the door and got in the car. She buckled her seatbelt and just sat there silently. The sheikh started the car and drove off. The silence was killing him also. It was really intense and awkward. Strangely he'd rather be arguing with her than to be sitting in this silence. So he broke the silence and asked her what she thought about the fields, what she had observed.

  “Do you really care what I think?” Josie snapped.

  “I am asking, aren't I?” the sheikh replied. He could see why she would snap at him. He did not want her to come in the first place.

  Josie sighed, and then she started telling him what she had observed. She pulled out her notes and read some of it out to him. He hated to admit it, but she was going to be of great use to their project. He looked at her while she was talking. She looked so innocent. How was it possible to look like that and talk to him the way she did? His eyes dropped to her legs, her bare legs. He quickly returned his gaze back on the road.

  “You don't favor trousers?” the sheikh asked.

  Josie frowned.

  “What does that have to do with anything?” she asked him.

  “You're always wearing shorts.”

  “So? It's more than thirty degrees out here. It's way too hot to be wearing trousers.” She was getting angry again. The sheikh smiled to suppress a laugh. Josie saw the smirk on his face.

  “You just love to annoy me, don't you?” Josie shook her head. She put the notes on the dashboard. She reached out and put the radio on. This time the sheikh did not stop her. She kept pressing the buttons, changing from station to station.

  “Pick one,” the sheikh said.

  “I am trying,” Josie replied with her head down. She was not even sure what kind of music was played on what channel. She heard a familiar song. “Hmm, this one will do,” she said and sat back in her seat. Josie saw the sheikh slightly frown.

  “What, you don't like the song?” Josie asked.

  “Sounds awful,” the sheikh replied as he turned a corner.

  “Because it's not classical music,” Josie said sardonically.

  “There is nothing wrong with classical music.”

  “I never said there was,” Josie defended herself.

  “Your tone.”

  Josie burst out laughing. “It's boring though,” She said.

  “What?” The sheikh turned sharply and looked at Josie like she was crazy. Josie laughed even harder. She had never been a fan of classical music. It was boring, so boring that you could even fall asleep to it.

  “Eyes on the road, sir,” Josie said.

  “Even in driving I am an expert.” The sheikh shifted the gears and hit the acceleration paddle. Josie held on to her seatbelt.

  “Because you're an expert in everything?”

  “I am indeed. Whatever I do, I have to be good at it. Mediocre is not in my vocabulary.”

  Josie raised her eyebrow. Even though he was showing off, she was impressed. In that moment, the sheikh seemed attractive. For once they were not bickering. She smiled and looked outside the window.

  “You can slow down now,” Josie said when she realized the sheikh was still speeding. He did not say anything; he just smirked and drove even faster. “Are you crazy?” Josie shouted and laughed.

  “Are you scared?” the sheikh asked her.

  “No,” Josie said and looked straight ahead.

  They arrived back at the lodge sooner than expected. Even though the ride back was not as bad as the ride there, Josie was glad to be back. It meant that she could finally eat. She was starving, and she wasn't going to ask the sheikh for food. She bid the sheikh farewell and jumped out of the car. For a moment the sheikh watched her walk away. Josie being herself tripped on her own foot. She threw her hands in the air trying to hold onto something, but there wasn't anything. She quickly regained her composure and carried on walking. The sheikh smiled to himself and drove off. That girl could never make it five minutes without nearly falling over.

  Josie walked into the lodge and headed for the kitchen straight away. Fiona, Caroline and Jasmine were sitting on the sofa watching some fashion show. Josie shook her head. Must have been Caroline's idea. Josie made herself something to eat and joined the others on the sofas. They were all looking at her already waiting to hear how it went.

  “Didn't they feed you?” Fiona asked Josie as she practically inhaled her food.

  “No!” Josie said with her mouth full.

  “Josie, that's nasty. Don't speak with your mouth full,” Caroline complained. Josie opened her mouth to show her the food in her mouth. Caroline frowned and threw a pillow at Josie. Josie ducked and started laughing. Jasmine gave Josie a high five.

  Josie stopped laughing and stared at the television wide-eyed. “It's her,” she said looking at the gorgeous woman on the show. She was wearing a long, tight-fitting, green dress. She had her long, black hair curled. She wore sparkly earrings. Her skin was silky and flawless.

  “Aaliyah, you actually know a super model?” Caroline asked.

  “What about her?” Fiona asked Josie.

  “She was Miss El-Safar a few years back and one of the only models that have actually been to a university. She has also done runway modeling and catalogue modeling. She's amazing,” Caroline replied. Jasmine looked impressed. Fiona was still confused.

  “She's the sheikh's ex-lover,” Josie said and bit into her sandwich.

  “What?” Caroline, Jasmine and Fiona said at the same time. Josie nodded and carried on eating. Fiona looked at the TV.

  “She and the sheikh?” Fiona asked.

  “Well, of course a handsome man like that would go for the best looking woman in El-Safar,” Caroline said and frowned.

  “Men are shallow,” Fiona said.

  “Well, Aaliyah is not exactly a bimbo. She went to university,” Caroline said.

  “To study what? Hair and beauty?” Jasmine asked sarcastically.

  Josie did not say much. Talking smack about people was not her thing, even though this Aaliyah woman was rude to her. Finding out that she was a model did not surprise her. That's the impression she had gotten from her when they met. Watching this woman on TV made Josie want to smack the sheikh in the head. Why did he go for a woman like that? He definitely could do better. A man of his status needed a woman of integrity. Anyway judging from the scene in the restaurant, he was the one who left her or ended it.

  Chapter 7

  Josie got the shock of her life when a finely dressed woman came to her and told her that Amir and Malik were inviting her over for dinner. She kept asking her why they had invited her over. The woman assured Josie that it was a business dinner. It made her relax a bit, but she had absolutely no idea what to wear. She had no idea why they would want to have a business dinner with her; couldn't they just discuss whatever there is to discuss in one of the offices? Josie also worried that the dinner was not going to go smoothly. She would pick the wrong fork again or drop the fork on her white top or spill something on herself. She always did something like that to embarrass herself.

  Josie sighed and went upstairs to find something to wear. She couldn't find anything suitable. She didn't know whether to dress down or dress up, formal or informal. She opened her bedroom door and jerked her head out. “Fi, come in here,” she shouted out. Fiona got out of her bedroom and went to Josie.

  “What happened?” Fiona asked as she walked into Josie's bedroom.


  “I need something to wear,” Josie said.

  “Okay, for what?” Fiona looked at Josie with confusion. There was a pile of clothes on the bed.

  “The sheikh's brothers invited me for a business dinner. I don't know what I should wear.”

  Fiona's eyes widened. The sheikh's brothers? It was all happening so fast. She took a moment to digest it all before she spoke.

  “His brothers?” Fiona asked. Josie nodded. “You go to meetings with the sheikh, and now his brothers are interested in you. Wow, that is amazing. We have to dress you up well.”

  “Not amazing, Fiona. What if I do something embarrassing?” Josie slightly panicked.

  “You probably will.” Fiona started laughing.

  “Fi!”

  “Okay, I'm sorry, chica. You will be fine.” Fiona rubbed Josie's head. She walked toward the pile of clothes of the bed. She started sorting through the clothes. “You want to look serious but not too serious,” Fiona said as she went through the clothes. Josie just stood there and waited for a verdict. She was no good with these types of situations.

  At last Fiona found something suitable for Josie to wear. It was a plain, black, tight-fitting dress. The dress could either be formal or informal depending on how it was worn. It was perfect for the situation; both formal and informal.

  “Is the dinner going to be in restaurant?” Fiona asked.

  “I have no idea,” Josie replied. As she answered, it occurred to her that she had not asked more details about the dinner. She was not sure where it was going to be. She was not even aware of the dress code. She shrugged her shoulders and took the dress from Fiona who was handing it to her.