“What would you like to call me?”
He’d walked right into that one. “Jackass?”
He had the audacity to grin. “I believe I have been called that before.”
She had the utterly stupid urge to kiss that grin off his face. “I don’t doubt that a bit. And where did you come up with A.J.?”
“My given name is Adan Jamal. My classmates called me A.J., but as an adult I do prefer Adan.”
“I would have preferred you explain all of this to me last night.”
His expression turned serious. “When I discovered you were involved with the water project, I was completely thrown off-kilter.”
Not a valid excuse, in her opinion. “And after learning that, did you seriously believe you could hide your identity from me indefinitely?”
He sighed. “No. I had hoped to speak with you before takeoff. Unfortunately, traffic detained our driver on the way to the airport and I had to adhere to the original flight plan.”
She couldn’t reject that defense when she’d experienced the same delays. Still... “You still should have told me before I left your room, at the very least.”
He leaned forward, draped his elbows on his parted knees and studied the carpeted floor. “Do you know what it’s like to be judged by your station in life even though it has nothing to do with who you really are?”
Actually, she did—the rich girl born to a spoiled, partying socialite and an unknown father. “I can relate to that in some ways.”
He finally raised his gaze to hers. “Last night, I wanted you to see me as an average man, not a monarch.”
There was absolutely nothing average about him. “I don’t base my opinions on a person’s social status.”
He straightened and streaked a palm over his shadowed jaw. “I believe I recall you mentioning you have an aversion to wealthy men, and specifically, the Mehdis. Is that not so?”
Darned if he wasn’t right. “Okay, yes, I might have said that. My apologies for making generalizations.”
“And I apologize for deceiving you. I promise it will not happen again, as soon as I tell you something else I omitted last evening.”
Just when she thought she might be able to trust him. “I’m listening.”
“I’ve been celibate since my eldest brother’s wedding.”
“When was that?” she asked around her surprise.
“Eight months ago and approximately two months following the dissolution of my relationship.”
Piper couldn’t imagine such a vital, viral man could go that long without sex. “Your breakup must have been really devastating.”
“Not exactly,” he said. “My brothers have always seen me as being less than serious when it comes to my role in the family. I decided to prove to them that my entire life does not revolve around seeking the next conquest.”
She so wanted to believe him, yet wasn’t certain she could. “I admire your resolve, but I’m still having a hard time with the trust issue where you’re concerned.”
Adan came to his feet, crossed the small space between them, clasped her hands and pulled her off the chair. “I must see to my responsibility now as captain of this ship. But before I go, I have a request.”
Who knew what that might entail? “Go ahead.”
“If you will allow me to serve as your personal host in Bajul, I will prove to you that I am not only a man of my word, but I am an honorable man.”
That remained to be seen. But right then, when Adan Mehdi looked at her as if she deserved his utmost attention, she couldn’t manufacture one reason to refuse his hospitality. And if she didn’t keep a cool head, she worried he could convince her of anything.
* * *
“Ms. Thorpe is here to see you, Emir.”
Great. He’d barely walked into the palace with Piper at his side only to be greeted by an unwelcome visit from his past in the form of a persistent, self-absorbed ex-paramour.
The entire travel party scattered like rats on a sinking ship, including the turncoat Deeb. Only the messenger of doom remained, an extremely perplexed look splashed across his bearded face. “Did you know she was coming, Abdul?”
The man revealed his discomfort by wringing his hands. “No, Emir. I attempted to ask her to return tomorrow, yet she would not hear of it. She is currently in the study with...uh...those who accompanied her. It would be in your best interest to speak with her.”
Leave it to Talia to bring an entourage. And if she created a scene, he would never earn Piper’s trust. Therefore he had to find a way to keep the two women separated.
With that in mind, Adan turned to Piper and gestured toward the towering staircase leading to the upper floors. “This shouldn’t take too long, Ms. McAdams. In the meantime, Abdul will show you to your quarters and I will meet you shortly in the third-floor sitting room. Abdul, put her things in the suite across from mine.”
After Abdul picked up her luggage, she didn’t make a move other than to give Adan a decidedly suspicious stare. “I have a room reserved at the inn in the village, so it’s best I keep those arrangements, Your Highness,” she said, prompting the houseman to set the bags back down.
He had to encourage her to stay at the palace, and he had limited time to do so. After signaling Abdul to gather the bags again, he regarded Piper. “The inn is small and will not allow you to have what you need in terms of your business. They currently do not have internet access or an office center. We have all that here.”
Abdul bent slightly as if prepared to return the luggage to the floor while Adan tamped down his impatience over Piper’s delay in responding. “I suppose you have a point,” she finally said. “As long as it’s not an inconvenience for your staff.”
He would be inconvenienced if he didn’t have her nearby, and in deep trouble if the old girlfriend suddenly made an appearance. “I assure you, the staff is accustomed to guests. So if you will follow Abdul—”
“It’s about time you finally showed up, you inconsiderate arse.”
Adan froze like an iceberg at the sound of the familiar voice. Trouble had definitely arrived.
He could pretend he hadn’t heard her, or he could face the unavoidable confrontation like a man. Taking the second—and least palatable—option, he turned to discover Talia Thorpe standing at the entry to the hallway wearing a chic white dress, hands propped on her narrow hips and her green eyes alight with fury.
A compliment should help to diffuse the possible verbal bloodbath. Or so he hoped. “You’re looking well, Talia.”
She rolled her eyes. “Why haven’t you returned my emails or calls? I’ve sent you at least a hundred messages over the past month alone.”
He ventured a fast glance at Piper, who appeared to be somewhat taken aback, and rightfully so. “Might I remind you, Talia, we broke off our relationship a year ago.”
Talia tossed a lock of her long platinum hair back over one shoulder. “You broke it off, and it’s been ten months. If you hadn’t ignored me, I wouldn’t have been forced to disrupt my schedule and make this beastly trip.”
When he’d told her they were done after their on-and-off six-year relationship, he’d meant it. “Perhaps we should continue this conversation somewhere more private.”
She flipped a manicured hand in Piper’s direction. “Are you worried your new chicky will be exposed to all the dirty details?”
As a matter of fact... “For your information,