Erin looked at her cousin, who was all smiles. She was happy that Shira had finally gotten Kale’s attention, and being a third wheel in their little celebration was unthinkable. Grinning at Shira, she gave her a thumbs-up as Kale escorted her to a waiting limo.These guys sure know how to travel.
“I guess I should probably head home as well.” Erin didn’t want the evening to end; she had really enjoyed talking with Kam.
“I will have my driver take you home.”
Shaking her head, she declined. “There’s no need. There’s a Metro station a block up. I’ll catch it and be home before you know it.”
Kam took her hand, kissing the back of it. “The thought of a beautiful woman taking the subway is appalling. It’s full of dangers and miscreants this time of night. No. My driver will see that you arrive home safely.”
Erin laughed. “Kam, I know you’re not from around here, but the subway is perfectly safe. I take it all the time.”
“Humor me in this. I will feel much better if you let me see you home.”
She stared into his dark eyes for a moment and then gave in. “Okay. I’ll let you drive me home. Besides, I’ve never been in a limo before. It’ll be an adventure.”
4
KAMAL
The ride to her condo had taken on a life of its own. Kam had instructed his driver in Arabic, telling him to drive around the National Mall first. He watched Erin as she realized they weren’t going straight home, and saw her eyes light up as she turned to look outside. After her comments about her love of historic places in DC, he thought she might enjoy the tour from the safety of the limo, and it also gave him more time with her.
He watched, enchanted by her delightful smile as she pointed out the different monuments while she told him about her first trip to see them as a child. When she turned towards him, she seemed surprised to see his gaze focused on her instead of the sights outside.
“Don’t you want to see the monuments?” she asked, blushing at being the object of his attention.
“I believe I would rather look at you.”
Erin’s blush deepened. She watched him for several minutes, and he could guess what she was thinking by the emotions that seemed to cross her face. When she smiled again, it had become seductive as she leisurely took inventory of him, from his Armani gray suit, which had been tailored to fit him perfectly, to the way his hair curled slightly along his shirt collar. He had intended to get a haircut before coming to the US but had decided to wait until after he returned, and the appreciative look on her face made him glad he had.
Kamal let her look her fill, used to being the object of scrutiny. In his position as Sheikh of Jawhara, he was accustomed to attention from both the media and his countrymen. As an unmarried man who ruled one of the richest countries in the Middle East, he was no stranger to female attention either. At the age of thirty-one, he knew his advisers were anxious for him to choose a bride, but he would not be hurried.
Having gained his title at the young age of twenty, he’d spent the last ten years learning to be the best ruler possible and honoring his late father’s memory. The late sheikh had died of a heart attack at the age of fifty-nine, leaving Kamal and his brother, Khalil, to pick up the pieces. Negotiations with the West had only just begun, and Kamal had quickly focused his attention on making those a lucrative proposition for his country.
Per capita, Jawhara was now the wealthiest country in the world. Success had not come without its problems, but Kamal had addressed the problems as they arose with a tenacity that had earned him the respect and trust of his people.
“So tell me, what made you choose to work at this Charity Foundation?” Kamal asked, truly interested in learning more about the woman who had captured his attention unlike any other.
“When I went to law school, I had dreams of changing the world. I wanted to help people.”
“So, you’re a lawyer?”
Nodding, she said, “Yes, but once I graduated and passed the bar, I realized that the positions that were open had less to do with helping people and more to do with making money. I’d started at a major firm, and from the moment I walked through their doors, I was unhappy working there.”
“Understandable. It is a demanding field.” Kamal watched her throat as she swallowed.
“Oh, it is. On one of my lunch breaks, I was wandering around trying to get up the energy to go back to work when I came across the Charity Foundation. Something about it had me opening the door to walk inside.”
Her voice trailed off and Kamal was eager to hear more. This woman was intriguing and charming. “And?”
Erin shrugged as she smiled. “I guess you could say it was kismet. The foundation’s director happened to be there, and we started talking. The next thing I knew, she was offering me a job. It was less pay, but it felt like exactly what I was looking for. So I gave notice that afternoon and started with them two weeks later.”
“And you’ve been there for how long now?”
Erin smiled. “Four years. I don’t spend much time in a courtroom. Most of my day is spent filling out paperwork and filing documents with the courts. Plus, I get to interact with people who need the services the foundation offers.”
“And this fulfills you?” Kamal asked, trying to understand what drove this beautiful young woman to place herself in potential danger.
“Fulfilling?” Erin seemed to ponder her answer. “To a degree. Yes. The bureaucracy can be frustrating, especially when the situation is urgent or potentially life threatening. But if I didn’t work for the Foundation, I would definitely want to work somewhere where I knew that I was helping others.”