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Then their lives would truly begin

Ten

Farah floated all the way up to Bill’s office She sht at all the people she knew or didn’t know She even skipped as she passed Bill’s sedate personal assistant She didn’t wait for anyone to announce her arrival, just sailed through his door

She found hi on it, his head between his hands

And all the jubilation that had been bubbling over inside her since Shehab had kneeled at her feet stilled Besides Shehab, Bill was the strongest person she’d ever known No matter what blows he sustained, personally or professionally, he weathered them all without any outward indication of pain or weakness Now he looked spent, defeated

She rushed over to hiht you back promptly, I see Do you knoho he is?”

She started at his harshness So he knehy she’d taken the sabbatical Figured Bill would find out anything he put his ht have divulged vital infor pillow talk? She had to put his mind to rest at once

“Yes, of course I do, but…”

His harsh sigh cut across her qualification “Lord, I wasn’t ready for this, even though I knew you were bound to change yourwithwith him serves so radually into confusion Was so no sense

And he went on,, that I should adh, got over the rage and heartache, lared at her again, his eyes blazing blue in his florid face “But why didn’t you confide in h I’m floored that, for once in your personal life, you’ve ood business-in this case, the best business-I would have understood Hell, I would have given you pointers”

“OK, I’hed “Who thought you’d have the sense to test-drive Judar’s crown prince before consenting to es are forever, after all But from your blind expression as you walked in, see, to say the least”

The world stopped Became a vacuum

It seemed hours later when it restarted with a screech and air tore into lungs that had collapsed with shock

“You think Shehab is…” She coughed the hysterical giggle of so hit by a bus “But I can see how The crown prince’s name is Shehab, too, huh? Guess it randeur and destruction of meteors must appeal to those desert lords But Shehab’s last name is Aal Ajman He’s the tycoon who-”