He shrugged, his humour fading abruptly. ‘Let’s not go into details. I’ll just say that the idea of being closely connected to that family doesn’t appeal.’
Rosanna wondered what the older princess had done.Pushymade it sound like she’d made an effort to ingratiate herself with Salim.
Had she set out to snare him? Maybe seduce him?
Rosanna’s teeth ground at the thought. Until she realised what she was doing. Yet the feeling of outrage persisted. Why? Not out of protectiveness. Salim was a powerful man who could look out for himself.
It couldn’t be...jealousy, could it? That was impossible.
Yet the ache in her jaw, the hot flush in her belly and the tension from her nape to her shoulder blades signalled something unprecedented. Something she’d never experienced before.
Horrified, she jerked back, one arm flying out in an instinctive gesture of protest, and the laptop slid off the table.
Rosanna crouched down, reaching for it, and collided with Salim, doing the same thing. Their shoulders bumped, their hands meeting on the metal surface.
Rosanna froze as his hand covered hers.
Suddenly she couldn’t hear anything over the harsh sound of her breathing and the pound of her pulse. Her fingers twitched as long fingers circled her wrist.
The air caught in her lungs as she forced herself to look up. Those midnight eyes were on her, bright but enigmatic. He was so close she felt the warm waft of his breath on her cheek. Could see the tiny individual dark hairs of his night-time stubble just beginning.
Her palms itched to reach out and touch him there, run her hand over his jaw and feel the raspy friction against her flesh.
The thought of it sent a luxurious shiver tumbling down her spine and rolling through her belly.
All the feelings she’d tried to suppress around this man burst back into roaring life. Breathless anticipation. Desire so profound she felt it as an ache in her womb and a dampness between her thighs.
She needed to break this stasis. She told herself mere seconds had elapsed, that all she had to do was move. But it felt like she was in a bubble, encased in a space where nothing existed but her and him, not even time.
Salim swallowed and Rosanna followed the movement of his throat muscles as if mesmerised. How could such a simple thing be so deeply arousing?
Desperately she moistened her lips, trying to find sensible words. Instead she heard, ‘Rosanna,’ in a deep, hoarse voice that drew her nipples tight.
Her rush of yearning jarred her free.
She stumbled to her feet, grabbing the lounge to pull herself up then wobbling on her heels as if her ankles were made of jelly and these weren’t her most comfortable, familiar work shoes.
By the time she straightened Salim was standing, holding out her laptop. His face was unreadable as she took it, careful not to touch his hands.
‘It’s late.’ His voice was firm and easy. She must have imagined that rough edge to it. ‘Send me the profiles and I’ll look at them in my own time and get back to you.’
‘Of course.’ She fought a cringe and instead pulled her mouth up in what she hoped looked like a smile. She nodded, her gaze on a point near his ear. ‘Yes, that’s good,’ she gabbled. ‘I’ll...wait to hear from you.’
Sheer willpower helped her walk from the room, head up and back straight. All she could do was hope that Salim had no idea how close she’d come to ignoring pride and her job and the fact he wasn’t interested in her.
That she’d almost thrown herself into his arms and begged him to make love to her.
CHAPTER FIVE
‘IMUSTCONGRATULATEYOU, Your Majesty, on your plans for the upgraded medical facility.’
Salim met a pair of blue eyes in a smiling face. ‘Thank you, Doctor. I have hopes it will make a difference to Dhalkur.’
The doctor shook her head, her golden hair slipping around her shoulders. ‘Please, call me Ingrid.’
‘Thank you, Ingrid.’
In her elegant, red dress and high heels she looked more like a model than a paediatric specialist. And, he was pleased to see, she’d been at ease at this evening’s reception to welcome visitors to the first of the capital’s festivities.