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He leaned closer, pressing his advantage “This is not social This is you andbetween us It’s only shedding a stronger light on it The chane-fumes intoxication?”

He had to chuckle He wanted to re she said stiht You’re just looking for a far-fetched reason when you’re right here, a vision fros”

“A vision? Sure The word you’re looking for is a sight”

And the a, that her comment carried conviction And consternation

He insisted, his voice lowering, roughening, praise co true “A vision Soreal And you think the same about me”

She nodded, without hesitation Then her eyes squeezed and she groaned again Was it possible this persona, the one who seemed devoid of even an ounce of feminine wiles, was real?

She echoed his skepticism “But how can any of this be real? What is this, anyway?”

“You knohat this is So I certainly didn’t believe even existed Instant attraction Total and brutal”

Her eyes filled with concession, with bewilderhts, as if underscoring his assertion, abetween theed it back with a touch brooking no resistance She wasn’t disdo inches between the himself all over her The music rose to a crescendo, then held its breath He pressed his point hoe it”

“How can I? W-we don’t even know each other’s na her gasped protest So…she’d introduced the subject of exchanging personal details Good It was tio he’d created in the past month for this purpose

“That’s easily fixed” He reached for her right hand, so soft and pliant and sweaty, took it to his lips “My name is Shehab Aal Ajman” He pressed a hot kiss in the middle of her palm “Now all you have to do toour attraction is to tell me yours, ya jameelati”

Her eyes widened as she snatched her hand away, fisted it as if it itched, burned “Is that Arabic?”

“It is… eyes widened “You’re him? Sheikh Shehab Aal Ajman? But you can’t be!”

“I assure you, I can” His lips spread in satisfaction “So you know of me How’s that for proof that this is fate at work?”

Realizations piled up in Farah’s h to contradict it