Chapter 6
Goblin had decided the engagement ring belonged to her.
The closed black box sat on the low table beside my chair. She planted both front paws against it, shoved, and watched it slide toward the edge.
I caught it before it fell.
“That isn’t yours.”
Goblin looked at me.
Then she put one paw on the box again.
I moved it to the table beside me, well beyond her reach.
She stared at the new location for several seconds.
“You’ve got enough toys.”
That accusation meant nothing to her. Three small mice were scattered across the sitting room, one beneath a chair and another beside the leg of the sofa. Goblin ignored all of them and leapt onto the cushion I’d just removed the ring from.
Her tail flicked.
I narrowed my eyes.
She blinked slowly.
I’d negotiated hotel acquisitions with less stubborn opposition.
A member of the household staff crossed the room, saw Goblin preparing to climb onto the table, and changed direction without breaking stride.
“I’ll take her, Your Highness.”
Goblin immediately flattened herself against the cushion.
I almost laughed.
“You’re welcome to try.”
The woman reached for her.
Goblin launched herself neatly over the arm of the sofa and disappeared beneath the next chair.
The attendant stopped.
I looked at her.
She looked at me.
Neither of us spoke.
Then Goblin’s paw shot out from beneath the chair and hooked one of the toy mice.
Goblin swatted the mouse into the open and pounced after it, apparently satisfied with that victory. She chased it beneath the sofa, came out the other side with her tail high, and nearly collided with the attendant’s shoes.
I picked up the ring box and turned it once in my hand.
The guest-wing door stayed closed.
I didn’t go near it.
I set the box on the higher table beside me and opened the report on my tablet again. I’d dressed for the day in tailored trousers and an open-collar shirt.
I made it through half a page.
Goblin streaked past carrying the mouse in her mouth.
I made it through another paragraph.
Someone brought breakfast into the adjoining dining room. I heard china touch the table and the quiet movement of staff, nothing more.
I answered one message from Samir about an afternoon call and declined another meeting entirely.
Then I stopped pretending I was reading.
The guest-wing door opened.
Chrissy stepped into the shared sitting room.
My breath deepened at the sight of her.
She wore the cream linen trousers from the estate and the pale coral blouse she’d worn earlier in the week. Her hair fell loose over her shoulders in soft strawberry-blonde waves, and there was no makeup on her face that I could see beyond whatever she’d done to her lashes.
She was carrying her phone.
She wasn’t carrying her suitcase.
That meant nothing.
I stayed seated.
Chrissy saw the ring box on the table.
Then her gaze came to mine.
“Good morning.”
“Good morning.”
She walked farther into the room.
Goblin abandoned the toy mouse and ran to her.
Chrissy bent automatically and scooped her up.
“Oh, hi.”
Goblin climbed against her chest and immediately pushed her face beneath Chrissy’s chin.
Chrissy laughed softly and kissed the top of her head.
I watched her for one second too long.
She caught me doing it.
Her smile faded.
“I need to talk to Amanda.”
I stood.
“Of course.”
“Before I answer you.”
“I understand.”
Chrissy shifted Goblin into one arm.
“I need to do that first.”
“You should.”
Her shoulders lowered slightly.
I crossed the room, but I stopped several feet away from her.
“Do you want to use your sitting room?”
“Yes, I do.”
“No one will disturb you.”
“Thank you.”
Goblin began chewing lightly on a strand of her hair.
Chrissy pulled it free.
“You’re not helping.”
The cat stared at her.
I smiled.
Chrissy glanced at me.
“That was directed at Goblin.”
“So I gathered.”
“You looked suspiciously pleased.”
“I often am.”
She shook her head, but the corner of her mouth moved.
Then she handed Goblin to the waiting attendant.
“I’m going to talk to my boss.”
The woman accepted the cat.
“I’ll keep her occupied, Ms. Campbell.”
“Good luck.”
Chrissy looked at me again.
“I may be a while.”
“Take whatever time you need.”
She nodded.
Then she returned to the guest wing and closed the door behind her.
I went to breakfast.
I ate because there was no reason not to.
I drank coffee because I wanted coffee.
I read the same page of a report three times because apparently there were limits to discipline after all.
Eventually I gave up and took a call from Samir in my private office.
We discussed a property issue in London, a contract question in Cairo, and three things that had been urgent until I decided they weren’t.
Samir finished his update.
“Is there anything else?”
“No, that’s all.”
Samir paused.
Then he said, “Understood.”
He’d known me too long.
“You’ve got a question.”
“I’ve got several. None of them are currently my business.”
“That’s never stopped you before.”
“It occasionally slows me down.”
I leaned back.
“The offer remains open. So does the proposal.”
“I assumed that.”
“She hasn’t answered.”
“I also assumed that.”
I glanced toward the closed office door.
“I’ll tell you when there’s something to tell.”
“I’ll wait.”
“You sound amused.”
“I’m not.”
“You’re a poor liar.”
“That’s why I rarely bother.”
I ended the call before he became more entertaining.
When I returned to the sitting room, Goblin was asleep in a patch of light near the windows, curled around one of her toy mice as if she’d hunted it herself.
The ring box remained where I’d left it.
So did I.
Nearly another hour passed before the guest-wing door opened again.
Chrissy came out holding the employment folder.
She’d put shoes on.
She’d dressed, talked to Amanda, gathered the paperwork, and come to me when she was ready.
Chrissy stopped across from me.
“I resigned.”
I drew one slow breath.
I didn’t move.
“How did Amanda take it?”
“She was surprised.”
“I imagine she was.”
“I told her I’m accepting the Al-Hadid position. I thanked her for sending me here, which she said was a strange way to resign from a company.”
My mouth twitched.
“That sounds reasonable.”
“She also pointed out that technically she sent me because nobody else could come.”
“That sounds like Amanda.”
Chrissy nodded.
“It does.”
She looked down at the folder briefly.
“I offered to help with the transition. She wants me to finish the handoff with her before she leaves, and she’s going to work with StayWell’s people on the partnership side. She said the rest can go through the appropriate teams.”
“That works.”
Her eyes lifted.
“She asked whether I was sure.”
I waited.
“I told her I was.”
A slow pressure built beneath my ribs.
Chrissy crossed the room until only the low table separated us.
“I want the job.”
“The job is yours.”
“Then I’m taking it.”
“You’re still reporting through brand leadership.”
“I remember.”
“You’re still free to disagree with me.”
“That may be my favorite part of the benefits package.”
My mouth curved.
Her eyes warmed.
“I’m serious, Tariq.”
“So am I.”
“I don’t want to become the woman everybody assumes got a title because she’s sleeping with the owner.”
“You won’t.”
“You can’t actually control what everybody assumes.”
“No. But I can control whether the role is real.”
She held my gaze.
“It’s real.”
“Yes, it is.”
“I’m going to do it.”
“I know.”
“And I’m going to be good at it.”
“You already are.”
Her lips parted slightly.
I continued before she could dismiss that.
“You’ll have more to learn. So will anyone taking a larger role. That isn’t the same as being unqualified.”
Chrissy’s fingers tightened around the folder.
“You’re going to be annoying when we work together.”
“I’m sure you’ll recover.”
“I may have to complain to my manager.”
“I’ll be devastated.”
She smiled.
Then the smile faded.
Chrissy set the folder on the table.
“I didn’t only come out here to talk about the job.”
“Go on.”
Her cheeks warmed.
I wanted to touch her.
I kept my hands at my sides.
She drew one breath.
“I’m staying in Dubai.”
Everything in me went completely still.
Chrissy kept going.
“I’m staying because of the work. This gives me the chance to do something bigger than what I was doing before, and I’m not going back to Omaha just because that was the plan six days ago.”
I held her eyes.
“I’m choosing Dubai,” she said. “This ridiculous hotel, the job, your absurd breakfasts, and a cat who already thinks she owns your furniture.”
Goblin opened one eye from the rug.
Chrissy pointed toward her.
“I’m including you.”
Goblin closed her eye again.
I smiled.
Then Chrissy looked back at me.
“And I’m choosing you.”
My throat tightened.
“I want you when you’re being a client and when you’re being a sheikh and when you’re being bossy at lunch.”
“That last one may be unavoidable.”
“I figured.”
Her eyes glistened.
“And the part we’ve been talking about in bed? I’m choosing that too.”
I didn’t breathe.
Chrissy came around the table.
She stopped directly in front of me.
“I want to marry you.”
My pulse hit hard.
“I want a family with you.”
My fingers flexed once at my side.
She reached for my hand.
“And I’m staying because I chose all of it.”
I closed my fingers around hers.
“You’re certain?”
“I am.”
I searched her face.
Her cheeks were flushed high, and she swallowed.
But she didn’t look away.
“Yes,” she said again. “I’m sure.”
I pulled her against me.
Chrissy came willingly.
Her arms wrapped around my waist, and I buried my face in her hair for one second.
She squeezed me harder.
“You’re not saying anything.”
“I’m trying not to frighten you.”
“That’s not ominous at all.”
I lifted my head.
“I love you.”
Her expression softened.
“I love you too.”
I cupped her face.
“Say that again.”
Her smile widened.
“I love you.”
I kissed her slowly, once, then rested my forehead against hers.
“When did you decide?”
“I think I knew last night.”
“That wasn’t what I asked.”
Her eyes narrowed.
“You really do that a lot.”
“It works.”
“Yes, unfortunately.”
She slid one hand up my chest.