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

been wrong when he’d ranted about it the other night; the thing was, he wasn’t going to be the one dealing with it.
     
    The oven beeped, signaling that the muffins were ready to be devoured. Nicole pulled a container of spreadable butter from the fridge and set it on the counter, pulling the tray of perfectly baked little muffins out of the oven and breathing them in. Baking was something Nicole loved to do, but rarely found the time. She was placing a couple of them on a plate, ready to eat, when there was a knock at the door.
     
    Nicole licked butter off her fingers as she walked over to the door and peeked through the hole to see who on earth was paying her a visit so early in the morning. Her eyes widened when she saw who it was. Pulling the chain from the lock, she opened the door to find Bahir standing in front of her, looking disheveled.
     
    “Bahir?” she asked, glancing down at his well-built form. He was still wearing his slacks and shirt from the day before, and his hair was in disarray.
     
    “Yes, I know, I look like a hobo. Can I come in? I’ve got something I need to discuss with you.”
     
    “Um, sure?” she said as he whisked by her and into her apartment.
     
    Nicole crossed her arms self-consciously over her chest. Her boss was in her apartment while she was in nothing but her pajamas. The week just couldn’t get any weirder, could it?
     
    Bahir took a deep breath. “What is that amazing smell?” he asked, and Nicole grinned.
     
    “I made blueberry muffins. Would you like one?”
     
    “One? I’ll take two!” he said, taking a seat on the living room sofa and watching intently as she unwrapped two more muffins and placed them on a plate for him.
     
    “Butter?” she asked, holding up the knife, and Bahir nodded.
     
    “Slather away.”
     
    “I wonder how you stay in such good shape with your eating and work habits,” she mused aloud, bringing the plates over and sitting across from him before taking a bite of the hot, fluffy dough. She repressed a groan of delight, and was proud of herself for keeping her embarrassment to a minimum.
     
    “I work out at night. I find it’s the best time to collect my thoughts for the next day,” he said before taking a bite and closing his eyes. “Mmm,” he said. “These are outstanding, Nicole. You never told me you could bake.”
     
    “I don’t normally get the time,” she said.
     
    “We’ll have to add this to your job description, so we can make the time.”
     
    Nicole sighed inwardly. Oh good, another thing I love ruined by work , she thought flatly.
     
    She put her plate down and looked at Bahir. “Was there a reason you needed to come to my apartment just after dawn, before I could meet you at the office?” she asked, her tone sharp. It was one thing to have to see Bahir at pretty much all hours of the day or night, but sometimes she just wanted one moment to herself to think. Not to mention that his day-old scruff and tousled hair made him look even sexier than usual—something Nicole was trying desperately not to think about.
     
    “There is!” Bahir said, sitting up a little straighter. “You remember our little chat yesterday, when you mentioned that I was rich enough to solve this little visa issue? You said I just needed to think a little creatively.”
     
    “Yes, I do remember, as that wasn’t even twelve hours ago,” Nicole said, impatiently waiting for him to get to his point.
     
    Bahir lifted a finger in an aha gesture. “Well, I’ve managed to come up with the perfect solution to this problem, hopefully for good.”
     
    He paused for dramatic effect, and Nicole crossed her arms again and waited.
     
    “I’m getting married.”
     
    Nicole stared. After a moment she realized her mouth was hanging open, and she closed it.
     
    “You’re…you’re what?” she sputtered.
     
    “Do you have tea? I see there’s a mug on this table. Is there any fresh?” Bahir asked casually, like he hadn’t just