Free Sheikh's Stand In by Sophia Lynn Page B

moment, he wanted to come up with another handful of expos and luncheons she had to go to, one after the other, and he knew that she was good enough and decent enough that she wouldn't have left. That would have been one of the most unworthy things he could have done, however, and he kept silent.
    At least she hadn't objected to him coming with her. It felt a little like a cold comfort, a bone a careless woman might toss a starving dog.
    Or that the prom queen tossed to the geek, he thought with a wince, but he squared his shoulders against that thought before it could take root. He was a different man now. He knew he was.
    Now he only wished that she could see it.

CHAPTER SIX
    Viviana had expected to simply make her own way to Paris. After all, it was for her job, and it should have been all on her dime. When she had started to make the arrangements though, Mikal stepped in with that calm control and confidence that seemed to be second nature to him.
    "I have an appearance to maintain," he said with a grin. "After all, I can't have my wife-to-be flying in anything less than style."
    Viviana had grinned at the time, but she was getting a bigger and bigger twinge whenever he started talking about the charade that they were putting on. The issue, she decided, was that he was simply too good at it. When he looked at her with those bottomless green eyes, and when he smiled at her like that, it was just too easy to think that it was a permanent thing that would end in a wedding.
    She was an independent girl who never went in looking for the wedding ring or the bells and whistles, but there was definitely something strange about all of this for her.
    However, Viviana pushed her fears aside because, after all, she had a job to do, and never let it be said that Viviana Johns backed down from fun.
    She had to admit, flying to Paris in Mikal's jet was fun. There was no masseuse this time, but there was a fine five-star meal cooked by Mikal's chef, and when she grew a little sleepy, there was a closed compartment that was basically a wall to wall bed. There had been time for an excellent nap, and after that, when Mikal came to sleep next to her, there had been time for some other fun …
    In her mind, Viviana was starting to call Mikal the one-night stand that was lasting for weeks at a time. She knew that eventually the ride would end and they would both get off to go on with their lives, but perhaps they could stay on for just a little longer.
    When they landed in Paris, Mikal directed the driver to a beautiful building in one of the residential areas.
    "I thought we would stay at one of the hotels," she said, mystified.
    He grinned. "My family likes having properties all over the world. This is one of our Paris properties, and this is where I like to stay when I'm in town."
    Delighted, she went up the winding staircase to find a large airy flat that was decorated in a surprisingly sleek, austere style. The walls were painted a gorgeous powder blue, and she suspected the gold on the fixtures was real.
    "If you want something more modern, I can take you to our Rive Gauche property …"
    "No," she said forcefully, turning to throw her arms around him. "I love this property. I want to live here. I want live here during the times of Hemingway and Baker and be completely dissolute and debauched …"
    Mikal's grin warmed her up as he caught her up in his arms.
    "I can't really turn back time, but debauchery, that I can handle …"
    She let him pull her into a passionate kiss for a moment, but then she had to push him away with regret.
    "I'd love to fulfill my dreams of being a Parisienne, but I don't have that much time to get ready for the event. You can come if you can scare up a tuxedo, but I'm going to warn you, I'm going to be in work mode. I like my work, but it's probably not that interesting for someone who's actually not in the industry."
    Mikal sighed theatrically as he let her go. "Well, as long as you don't mind having an ardent