Free Loved by the Sheikh by Eve Jordan

Chapter One
    "Thank you for your time, Sheikh Zahin."
    Though the interview had been a complete waste of time, Sadiq forced a smile as he shook the reporter's hand. "Anytime," he lied and cursed himself inwardly.
    He shouldn't have let Rishi talk him into doing the interview, but his assistant had been strangely adamant about it. Unfortunately, instead of talking about his company's acquisition of Grocer Dan, the reporter had asked a series of senseless questions.
    How did he like his coffee? If he was stuck on an island...
    As if the way he took his coffee would endear him to the American people. I start the day with a cup of coffee as well. I guess the Sheikh can't be all that bad.
    He would've loved to give this "reporter" a piece of his mind, but he couldn't. Ever since his purchase of the grocery chain, he'd been vilified by the media and a mad reporter would only fan the flames.
    Apparently, the American people would rather have their beloved grocery chain file bankruptcy than be owned by a Middle Eastern. Never mind the fact that he'd lived in America for more than half of his life and that Grocer Dan's board had been the one to approach him.
    He opened the door to guide the reporter out and saw a petite brunette who was busy with her camera just a few feet away. As if sensing them, she looked up her, her brown eyes locking with his.
    Mine .
    He didn't know where the thought had come from, but he had to have her.
    She smiled as she straightened. As if his legs had a mind of his own, he walked towards her.
    "And this, as you've probably guessed is the photographer, Jenny Carr."
    Sadiq stopped to look at the portly man. For a second, he had already forgotten the ill-fated interview.
    "Photographer?"
    "For the article."
    Okay. So maybe the interview hadn't been such a bad idea. Agonizing through an hour long interview was nothing if it meant that he got to spend some time with this beauty.
    He smiled inwardly. His assistant had stock photos of him that could be used for the magazine, but the idea of this beauty with all her attention focused solely on him for an hour or so had an allure all on its own.
    "Jenny, this is Sheikh Sadiq Zahin."
    "Call me Sadiq," he offered as they shook hands.
    "Jenny. Nice to meet you, Sadiq."
    His grip tightened at the sound of his name on her lips. If things went his way, she'd be moaning his name over and over again that night.
    She opened her mouth to say something else, but the damn reporter interrupted her. He was about to chide the man for showing such a lack of respect to a woman before he heard the wonderful words that came out of his mouth. "I actually have to leave now. I have an appointment at noon. It was nice meeting you."
    They shook hands again, but this time Sadiq was in a much cheerier mood.
    "George isn't usually like this," Jenny said apologetically after he left. "He's just excited about this lead he has."
    "I hope that he asks the right questions this time."
    Jenny scrunched her nose. "Did he ask you the coffee question?"
    "Yes and his other questions weren't any better."
    "And they were all about you, weren't they? Nothing about your Grocer Dan acquisition?" He shook his head and she shrugged. "Well, at least he didn't touch on anything too personal. I know it sucks, but George is just catering to our readers."
    Sadiq couldn't explain the sudden bout of jealousy that rose inside of him at her words. What exactly was her relationship with George that she should be defending him so?
    Oblivious to his thoughts, Jenny continued, "Especially since you're royalty. People would rather hear about you than any of the businesses you run."
    "I'm not really royalty," Sadiq corrected. In the olden day, yes, but the new Atal presidential system had no room for kings and queens.
    She laughed. "Your grandfather was the king and your father is now president. Your not being technically royalty is more of a family decision than anything else." She tilted her head towards her camera. "Where