Trusting A Sheikh (Playgrounds of Power 1) by Rosie Pike Page A
Authors: Rosie Pike
Tags: Fiction, Suspense, Romance, Contemporary, Crime, Adult, London, romantic suspense, Danger, Bachelor, Betrayal, Restaurants, choices, Protection, dollars, Prince, Forever Love, Single Woman, exiled, forbidden affair, Playgrounds Power, Private Hotels, Thousands, Kingsland Group, Billionaire Clients, Gloucester Hotel, Arms Deal, Defense Minister, Saudi Diplomat, Playboy Prince, Arms Trading
Ads: Link
seen the time?"
The discreet but undoubtedly expensive watch on Tariq's wrist freed itself from the confines of his shirt cuffs as he stretched out to check. "Three o'clock! How the hell did that happen?"
"Well, you did look busy…” Chloe deadpanned. "Listen, this has gone on far longer than I thought it would. I need to set up for later tonight – do you mind if I leave to handle that?"
"Of course not, no. I'm going to miss your negotiating expertise, though!"
"You've got this," Chloe said with more confidence than she felt – terrified that she'd made a huge misstep in telling him what she thought about the owner of Bodytech Corp.
9
" T hanks for helping me out with this, Olivia," Chloe gushed gratefully. "It's my first big client, you know?"
"Oh hell, girl – you haven't got a thing to thank me for. You practically did my job for me half the time when you worked here!"
"Oh, no I –."
Olivia, the Kingsland Group concierge at the Park Lane Hilton just down the road from the Gloucester hotel, cut Chloe's self-deprecation off immediately. "Don't tell me you didn't, we both know it's true!”
Chloe turned a shade of beet red that was noticeable even through her unusually tanned skin. "Well, thanks anyway, Olivia. I really appreciate it."
"Man, it's really no bother. Tell you what, if I'd have had to post a reception for the Saudi embassy in my first week here, I'd probably have crapped my pants! Why couldn't you just have got some rich Nigerian princess who wanted to go shopping, eh?"
Chloe giggled at Olivia's crude humor, which reminded her of the many happy months she'd spent training under the attractive and precociously intelligent young woman. "I know, right!"
"When do they get here? The Skyline Bar is closed to guests this evening, so you should have free run of the place, and the staff all know to expect VIPs, so there shouldn't be any problems on that front."
"I'm pretty sure the Prince will be here by about seven – what time is it?"
"Coming up on half six now," Olivia replied, checking the watch strapped to her tiny little wrists. "Not long."
"Great – I'm exhausted! The sooner this day's over, the better…"
----
" J UST REMEMBER , whatever you do, don't ask anyone for money . Got it?" The assorted bar staff nodded in unison as Chloe finished up her briefing. She had no doubt that they were all perfectly capable of doing their job without her needing to butt in, but she did it anyway – tonight was going to run more smoothly than the Swiss train system. "Great. If any of you have any problems, just come to me and I'll sort them out."
She walked over to the floor-to-ceiling windows and looked out over London's nighttime skyline. The bar lived up to its name – the view was gorgeous.
"That means I'm paying, does it?" Tariq murmured behind her quietly, giving Chloe the fright of her life – he was the last person she'd expected to hear.
"Shit! I almost jumped out my skin! Don't do that again," she remonstrated, turning to face him.
"Another great choice of location. Have you thought about doing this for a living?" the Prince joked, a charming smile on his face.
"You like the view, then?" Chloe asked, happy once again that Tariq seemed to dish out the compliments freely. While she knew deep down that she was good at her job, every now and again it was nice to get some external validation.
"It's gorgeous. My apartment in Riyadh is at the top of a skyscraper –." Tariq began.
"Of course it is," Chloe said drily, feeling as though she could push the boundaries a little with this particular client, and be a little bit sarcastic, and it'd go down well.
"As I was saying," he began, a curious little smile on his face. "But this view is much better – you get bored of seeing mile after mile of sand."
"It's one of the best things about London, you know," Chloe said, her face lighting up as she got to talk about one of her passions.
"What is?" Tariq asked, bemused.
"Oh, sorry." Chloe
The discreet but undoubtedly expensive watch on Tariq's wrist freed itself from the confines of his shirt cuffs as he stretched out to check. "Three o'clock! How the hell did that happen?"
"Well, you did look busy…” Chloe deadpanned. "Listen, this has gone on far longer than I thought it would. I need to set up for later tonight – do you mind if I leave to handle that?"
"Of course not, no. I'm going to miss your negotiating expertise, though!"
"You've got this," Chloe said with more confidence than she felt – terrified that she'd made a huge misstep in telling him what she thought about the owner of Bodytech Corp.
9
" T hanks for helping me out with this, Olivia," Chloe gushed gratefully. "It's my first big client, you know?"
"Oh hell, girl – you haven't got a thing to thank me for. You practically did my job for me half the time when you worked here!"
"Oh, no I –."
Olivia, the Kingsland Group concierge at the Park Lane Hilton just down the road from the Gloucester hotel, cut Chloe's self-deprecation off immediately. "Don't tell me you didn't, we both know it's true!”
Chloe turned a shade of beet red that was noticeable even through her unusually tanned skin. "Well, thanks anyway, Olivia. I really appreciate it."
"Man, it's really no bother. Tell you what, if I'd have had to post a reception for the Saudi embassy in my first week here, I'd probably have crapped my pants! Why couldn't you just have got some rich Nigerian princess who wanted to go shopping, eh?"
Chloe giggled at Olivia's crude humor, which reminded her of the many happy months she'd spent training under the attractive and precociously intelligent young woman. "I know, right!"
"When do they get here? The Skyline Bar is closed to guests this evening, so you should have free run of the place, and the staff all know to expect VIPs, so there shouldn't be any problems on that front."
"I'm pretty sure the Prince will be here by about seven – what time is it?"
"Coming up on half six now," Olivia replied, checking the watch strapped to her tiny little wrists. "Not long."
"Great – I'm exhausted! The sooner this day's over, the better…"
----
" J UST REMEMBER , whatever you do, don't ask anyone for money . Got it?" The assorted bar staff nodded in unison as Chloe finished up her briefing. She had no doubt that they were all perfectly capable of doing their job without her needing to butt in, but she did it anyway – tonight was going to run more smoothly than the Swiss train system. "Great. If any of you have any problems, just come to me and I'll sort them out."
She walked over to the floor-to-ceiling windows and looked out over London's nighttime skyline. The bar lived up to its name – the view was gorgeous.
"That means I'm paying, does it?" Tariq murmured behind her quietly, giving Chloe the fright of her life – he was the last person she'd expected to hear.
"Shit! I almost jumped out my skin! Don't do that again," she remonstrated, turning to face him.
"Another great choice of location. Have you thought about doing this for a living?" the Prince joked, a charming smile on his face.
"You like the view, then?" Chloe asked, happy once again that Tariq seemed to dish out the compliments freely. While she knew deep down that she was good at her job, every now and again it was nice to get some external validation.
"It's gorgeous. My apartment in Riyadh is at the top of a skyscraper –." Tariq began.
"Of course it is," Chloe said drily, feeling as though she could push the boundaries a little with this particular client, and be a little bit sarcastic, and it'd go down well.
"As I was saying," he began, a curious little smile on his face. "But this view is much better – you get bored of seeing mile after mile of sand."
"It's one of the best things about London, you know," Chloe said, her face lighting up as she got to talk about one of her passions.
"What is?" Tariq asked, bemused.
"Oh, sorry." Chloe
Similar Books
