Never Seduce a Sheikh (International Bad Boys Book 2) by Jackie Ashenden

remained silent, staring at her. Then he stood abruptly to one side, held out a hand towards the banquet tent, exquisitely formal. “Certainly. After you.”
    The rest of the banquet passed without incident.
    She buried the anger she felt. Anger at herself for letting Dan and what he’d done to her affect something as important as this oil deal. She put all her efforts into regaining the ground she’d lost by leaving so precipitously, making her personal apologies to each and every one of the chiefs present, including the dancers. She thought it made a difference.
    She would even have been satisfied with her progress if it hadn’t been for Isma’il.
    Because things had changed between them, she’d sensed it as soon as they’d returned to the tent. No longer charming and teasing, his manner became distant. Formal. The way he looked at her guarded. Watchful. Like a shepherd over a lamb.
    Whenever one of the dancers came close, he somehow managed to divert them away from her. And whenever one of the chiefs became too blunt in the questions directed to her, he would step in, smoothly changing the subject. Protecting her.
    She hated it, his behavior deepening her anger at herself for letting the past get to her once already this evening. She should never have told him. Should have kept it secret, kept it buried. Because only now could she see how much she’d appreciated the way he’d never pulled back with her. How he’d challenged her. Treated her as an equal. Even when he’d pushed her up against the wall back in the palace, touched her mouth, a part of her had revelled in it.
    But now things would be different. Things would change. He would see her as weak. Vulnerable. A woman in need of protection. A victim.
    Damn Dan. She thought she was over this. She should be over this.
    The rest of the evening became a battle, as she struggled not to let her anger show, not wanting to jeopardize things even more. The past had threatened this deal a couple of times already and she couldn’t allow it to do so again.
    Eventually, after the banquet had officially ended, she finally excused herself, wanting to just get out. Get away from Isma’il and his chiefs and be alone for a time.
    Escaping the banquet tent into the cool night air, she began to walk in the direction of her own tent, only to hear a footstep behind her.
    She turned to find a tall figure in robes following her. “What is it? I thought I was allowed to go this time?”
    “I will see you to your tent.” He said it flatly, as an order, no hint of his usual charm.
    The cold anger inside her tightened and she had to force herself to keep her voice level. “Thank you, but I don’t need you to do that. It’s not as if the tent is very far away.”
    “I do not care whether you need me to or not. I will see you to your tent.”
    “Why? I don’t need a bodyguard. I’m not likely to get raped walking twenty meters.” She said it to shock. But he didn’t even flinch.
    “It is not a request.”
    “And I’m not one of your subjects to be ordered around.” She pulled at her tunic. “I don’t want or need your protection, Sheikh.”
    “I am not protecting you. I am being courteous.”
    Lily took a frustrated breath. “And I don’t suppose this sudden courtesy has got anything to do with what I told you earlier by any chance?”
    “Yes.” The expression on his face was like beaten bronze, cold and smooth and hard.
    “Why? It shouldn’t. The assault was a long time ago. It’s got nothing to do with the present.”
    “If it did not have anything to do with the present, then you would not have walked out on that dancer.”
    “That was an aberration.”
    “Was it?”
    Her nails dug into her palm and she realized she’d clenched her hands. With an effort, she relaxed them. “If I’d know you were going to start treating me differently, I wouldn’t have said anything.”
    “But you did. And I can’t help but treat you differently because of