The Sheikh's Green Card Bride by Holly Rayner, Lara Hunter Page B

pilot grinned back at him.
     
    “At least a hundred more, sir. It’s how I was raised, you see.”
     
    “I do,” Bahir agreed amiably.
     
    Nicole watched the exchange, bemused. It would seem Bahir wanted a personal level of contact with everyone he worked with. It was always so fascinating to watch him interact with others. He was so confident, so poised. So friendly—at least, when he wanted to be. When a business deal wasn’t going the way he wanted, he could turn cold and calculated. That side of him was the least favorite of hers.
     
    The pilot turned to Nicole with a bow. “Miss Calvert. It is a pleasure to meet you in person.”
     
    Nicole smiled at the older gentleman. She’d had pleasant dealings with him on the few occasions when Bahir had needed his private jet to go on an excursion. Usually she just stayed behind at the office, steering the ship in his absence. It was good to put a face to the voice.
     
    “And you. Thank you for your willingness to fly for us on such short notice.”
     
    “It’s no trouble at all. Anything for the Sheikh. Now if you are both ready, we can prepare to depart. The weather is perfectly clear, and the island should be beautiful today.”
     
    Bahir glanced down at Nicole, his eyes intense. “Ready?” he asked.
     
    He was giving her one last chance to back out. Once they were on that plane, there would be no turning back.
     
    Nicole gazed into his amber eyes, and nodded.
     
    She noticed his hand twitch, as though to take hold of hers, but he dropped it before he could. She wished he hadn’t. She could have used some support from her future husband at that moment. Anything to make it feel more like a wedding and less like a business deal.
     
    Bahir nodded to Jamil, who escorted them to the private plane, sitting proudly on the large tarmac. Jamil took their bags and stored them in a luggage compartment before ushering them inside.
     
    Nicole had never been inside Bahir’s plane before. She had known luxury since working for him, of course. They had gone to many glittering galas, events and hotels, but for some reason being in a jet with reclining leather seats and rich mahogany surfaces stocked with top-of-the-line liquor took her breath away. It was always interesting catching a glimpse into how the other half lived, but Bahir was on a whole other level. He was the cream of the other half, living on top of the world, looking down. She wondered how she would adapt to this kind of life, if their marriage really became something real.
     
    Better not to think about it, she told herself. Overthinking killed everything.
     
    Nicole slid into one of the large, comfortable seats, gazing out the window at the distant city, glistening in the rising sun. Bahir took the seat across from her, pouring himself a glass of vodka and orange juice.
     
    She grinned at him. “It’s a little early to start the festivities, isn’t it?” she asked, and Bahir gave her a shy smile.
     
    “Maybe just a little liquid courage,” he replied, holding out a mini bottle of vodka for her to take.
     
    Looking at it, she realized it might not hurt to take the edge off a little, and accepted the bottle from him.
     
    Their fingers brushed lightly during the exchange, sending waves of awareness through Nicole’s body. It took everything in her not to gasp at the sensation. She busied herself pouring the rest of her drink, not noticing Bahir’s burning stare as she worked to ignore the masculine presence sitting so close, yet so far.
     
    The pilot’s voice came over the speaker, letting them know they’d been cleared to take off.
     
    The jet rushed forward, the force of the motion pushing them back in their seats. Nicole swallowed as her ears popped, the plane rising higher and higher into the air until it leveled off.
     
    With the noise of the plane, it was impossible to hold a conversation, so Nicole slipped on a pair of headphones and listened to a podcast she’d downloaded for