Free Bought For One Night: The Sheikh's Offer by Holly Rayner

explored the temple, Zane wanted me to see the modern Al-Dali, too, and decided the best place to do that was its science center and conservatory. Tucked in the middle of the bustling downtown metropolis, it was a sleek modern building that housed a natural history museum, aquarium, astrological observatory, and botanical garden. It ran entirely on green energy, with solar panels and a rooftop garden that visitors could access. Even though it was a weekday, the place was bustling with activity, including several groups of schoolkids on field trips.
     
    The sprawling complex was more high-tech than anything I had seen in LA or New York. As well as being one of the main funders of the non-profit organization behind the center, Zane explained that he had assisted in selecting its board of directors, making sure to hire the best and brightest minds in their fields and paying them what they were worth. He wanted to make a serious investment in Al-Dali's future, and educating its children, he maintained, was the best way of doing that.
     
    Every new thing I learned about Zane only made him more attractive. I knew guys who had charm and talent and who gave to charity, but Zane was literally building the future of his country one step at a time. Hollywood men weren’t even close to that level of selflessness.
     
    As the day went on and hunger finally overcame the excitement of tourism, Zane was all too happy to take me to one of his favorite restaurants in the city. It was a small place that I would have called a mom-and-pop-shop had we been in the US.
     
    The owner, a short, elderly man with a wrinkled face, was delighted to see Zane and spoke to him with some familiarity. Zane didn't hesitate in embracing him like an old friend, and we were directed to a dark booth in the back of the small restaurant, the most private place he could provide. Zane's security took up nearby locales, but the place was mostly empty. The handful of diners that did share the space with us were trying not to stare at the famous dining party in the back. I saw a fair share of smartphones being raised as people tried to get pictures of us, but decided I didn’t really care. I was happy being out with Zane, and there was no reason to hide it.
     
    “I love coming here,” Zane said with a smile as he placed his napkin in his lap. “It's been too long since I've gotten away from the palace for a meal in the city.”
     
    “I'm sure it's difficult considering your chef can make you basically anything you want, and you don't even have to get out of your pajamas,” I joked.
     
    Zane chuckled. “That's true. But as talented as my chefs are, there is no way to duplicate another person's special recipes, and this place has some of the most special flavors in Al-Dali. I keep trying to convince the owner to come work for me so I can have his food all to myself, but he will never accept my offer.”
     
    “Why’s that?”
     
    “He says he likes his life the way it is. He just keeps his little restaurant and spends the evenings with his wife and grandchildren.”
     
    It was a sweet answer. “I can’t say I blame him. That sounds really lovely.”
     
    “Exactly, how can I try to talk a man out of that?” agreed Zane. “So instead I just visit here as often as possible and recommend it to everyone I can. That way, he can keep saving for retirement so he can hire someone else to run this place and be with his family all the time.”
     
    I looked at him and felt my heart warm. “You’re really an amazing guy, you know that?”
     
    Zane shook his head bashfully, his cheeks turning a flushed red. “I’m not. Just a hungry one.”
     
    I let him rest in his humility and gave him a flirty nudge with my shoulder instead. Zane returned it playfully, making us both smile.
     
    I unfolded the menu before me, and realized quickly that I was in a bit of a pickle. With an embarrassed smile, I leaned over to Zane and said, “I think I'm going to need your