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‘You can call her,’ the Sheikh advised

It was too late; Miss Francine would be in bed

Bed

The single word ricocheted around Millie’s head Where was she going to sleep? The thought of spending the night—, to say the least

‘You’ll feel better when you’ve had so to eat,’ Khalid predicted

‘I doubt that sorumbled on cue

‘You’ll eat withthe way down the corridor

With little choice, she followed hiine that a party had taken place Everything had been cleared away and calnificent room

She stared blankly at the phone as he handed it to her ‘Miss Francine,’ he pro her out of the trance ‘Make your call and leave a e for refreshments’

Miss Francine was not only awake, Millie discovered, but both thrilled and ae ‘Make the most of it,’ she said to Millie’s amazement

‘But I’lance at the Sheikh

‘Wonderful,’ Miss Francine enthused ‘A world of women will envy you’

‘What are you saying?’ Millie asked in the same hushed tone

‘Just that life is full of choices, and you haven’t gone wrong so far, Millie Dillinger’

‘I wish I had your confidence in me,’ Millie admitted ‘When I boarded the Sapphire, I seemed to leave my common sense on shore’

‘That’s your opinion,’ Miss Francine said firht do you a lot of good’

By the time Millie ended the call, she felt that, if she hadn’t exactly been given a licence to maybe break a few boundaries, she did have the confidence of someone she trusted implicitly

A knock on the door heralded the arrival of stewards bearing platters of delicious-looking food ‘I can’t eat all this,’ Millie protested as they laid it out on the table

‘Don’t worry I’m here to help,’ Khalid assured her

He took hold of a plate and handed it to her, but when she gripped it he held onto the other side so they were joined by a fragile china bridge ‘I’m not—’

‘Hungry?’ he suggested When her cheeks fla a stoay on my ship?’

‘I thought I was your guest?’ Should his stern look be sending her pulse off the scale?

‘My guests have all left,’ he reminded her ‘All except one Don’t look so worried There’s no charge for this cruise’

And at least they’d get the chance to talk, Millie thought as he urged, ‘Eat You need to keep up your strength’

For what reason? she wondered ‘Are you sure the Sapphire won’t be docking at a closer port than Khalifa?’ Her badly rattled nerves were cla for a solution

‘Enjoy the trip,’ Sheikh Khalid recoe for a private jet to fly you home e’re done’

‘When we’re done?’ Millie queried hoarsely ‘I can’t just disappear off the grid I’ve got a college course to coly memories to move past

‘You’re on holiday froe,’ the Sheikh observed

She was no longer surprised by what he knew, only that he cared enough to find out

‘And as I said, I will place a private jet at your disposal You can leave Khalifa whenever you choose’

‘I’d rather take a co herself in the Sheikh’s debt ‘And if you can let me off at a closer port, that would be even better’