The Cost Of The Forbidden. Carol Marinelli

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СКАЧАТЬ just that you don’t often bring your PA to our dinners.’

      That was true, Sev thought. Generally he rustled up a date, promising her that if she would sit through the very tame dinner, he would make it up to her later that night.

      It had been easier, though, to take Naomi lately.

      She really was exceptionally good with his clients.

      For all her faults, for all her little digs about his lifestyle, Naomi certainly knew how to smooth the feathers that he tended to ruffle along his decadent way.

      Finally they got around to work and, yes, Sev agreed, he would need to come to Dubai. ‘I really am booked out, though, Allem,’ he explained. ‘I need four clear days at least and I don’t have anything like that until March.’

      ‘Which is when the baby is due,’ Allem said. ‘Sev, I know you are busy but I have been asking for a while now.’

      Sev nodded and pulled up his diary onto his computer screen.

      This week he had to go to Washington DC and there could be no getting out of that. Next week he was heading off to London, which, despite earlier thoughts about not going, really was non-negotiable to him. But maybe he was growing a conscience—Allem had been asking him to come to Dubai as his guest for months, as well as do some work for him.

      And he had been inexcusably late today.

      ‘I’ll get Naomi to reschedule some of my clients,’ Sev offered. ‘We can be there on Saturday.’

      ‘Excellent.’

      * * *

      Naomi looked up when the two men came out of Sev’s office. Allem was all smiles.

      He came and thanked her for the tea she had made and for taking care of Jamal.

      ‘We’re looking forward to dinner,’ Allem said.

      ‘So am I.’ Naomi smiled.

      Instead of only seeing Allem as far as the elevator, which was as far as Sev usually went when saying farewell to clients, he was clearly going to see Allem to his car.

      Were they friends? Naomi pondered.

      They seemed such an unlikely mix.

      ‘I shan’t be long,’ Sev said to Naomi on his way out, and, behind Allem’s robed back, he made a gesture with his hand that was Sev language for Pour me a cognac.

      Naomi went in to his office and poured him a drink but then, unable to help herself, she slid open the drawer and took out the bag. She looked at the pretty robin-egg-blue box wrapped in a white bow and tortured herself with images of engagement rings.

      Was that why he’d flown to Rome?

      Oh, God, the white roses were bad enough but she could not stand the thought of Sev actually getting serious about someone.

      He had never bought anyone jewellery in all her time here; it had been white roses and that was all.

      ‘Snooping?’ Sev asked as he came, unheard by Naomi, into the office, and she was just too tired of it all to jump or even blush.

      ‘I wasn’t sure if you wanted me to wrap it.’

      ‘You think you’d do a better job than Tiffany’s?’ Sev teased.

      As she went to put the box back in the bag Sev held out his hand and she handed it to him.

      ‘I think I’ve changed my mind about them.’

      He tore off the bow, opened the box and stared for a moment then handed it to Naomi for her thoughts.

      She’d rather not share them.

      Silently she stared at the earrings—two heart-shaped, pink-diamond-encrusted studs.

      They were gorgeous.

      Seriously so.

      ‘They’re beautiful,’ Naomi said, but Sev wasn’t sure and he took back the box and looked at them again.

      ‘I think that they’re a bit too pink, but then again she’s young and the guy who served me said that was what they all wanted at the moment.’

      So, no white roses for Miss Roma, Naomi thought.

      ‘You don’t look very convinced,’ Sev said, noting Naomi’s lack of enthusiasm.

      Just how hard did she have to act?

      ‘Sev, they’re stunning.’ Naomi spoke, she hoped, with conviction. ‘Any woman would be thrilled to have them.’

      Especially from you.

      She looked at the little frown line between his eyes as still he examined the earrings. This man who cared so little for other’s feelings really did seem to care about this gift and its reception, Naomi could tell.

      And so it really was time to leave.

      ‘Okay, let’s run through my schedule,’ Sev said, snapping closed the box and leaving it for Naomi to re-tie the bow. ‘It’s changed. We’re going to be flying to Dubai on Saturday and then from there straight on to London. I have to be there for the twelfth.’

      ‘In the morning?’ Naomi checked.

      ‘No, no,’ Sev said. ‘I want to get there on the eleventh, just to allow for delays and things.’

      Naomi raised her eyebrows—Sev was usually the delay.

      ‘I know that you’ll have to rearrange a few things but I can’t not go to Washington and I really can’t keep putting Allem off.’

      ‘I get that,’ Naomi agreed. ‘Did he like the statue?’

      ‘He loved it,’ Sev answered, which only confused her more.

      ‘Sev, could I have word with you?’

      ‘Can it wait?’ Sev asked. ‘We’ve got to meet Allem in less than an hour.’

      ‘No.’ Naomi shook her head. ‘It can’t wait.’

      If she didn’t do it now then it would just get harder and, given they were going to be in Dubai, if there was going to be even a hope of finding her replacement she needed to get things under way soon.

      ‘You’ll have to watch me get changed, then,’ Sev said, picking up the drink she had poured and taking a long sip as he started to undo his tie.

      ‘Hardly a first.’ She didn’t take a seat, she was too nervous to, and so instead Naomi stood and leant on his desk.

      Tie off, he pulled open a door to a dressing room and selected a fresh shirt with no thought as to how it had got there.

      It wasn’t his problem.

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