Free The Prince and the Working Woman (Desert Prince Book 1) by Kat Attalla Page A

end. He stopped off at the office just to check in. He was on his way out when his brother entered.
    “When did you get back?" Hamid asked.
    "Today. I thought you were at the Paris Summit until next week." Rashid countered.
    "I returned for the weekend." Hamid wanted to get the hell out of the office and head across town to see his reason for returning. Ignoring his brother had been a way of life in his youth. He wasn't a jealous child any longer. He could spare five minutes. “How was the trip?"
    "Great. I am sure you’ll hear all about it at dinner."
    He shrugged apologetically. "I won't be there."
    "Really?"
    Neither of them ate at the palace except on holidays. Why the surprise? "I have plans."
    "All right.  Should I send your regards to Amanda?"
    "What?"
    "She and Mona are making dinner for father tonight."
    Why hadn’t she told him? Because you didn’t call her, fool! She had not been out of his thoughts all week. He deliberately refrained from contacting her for that very reason. He checked in with her driver instead. Since she dismissed the man for the weekend he figured she'd stayed in. It would've served him right if he had showed up to surprise her.
    "I guess I'm going home for dinner. Need a ride?"
    "No I have to get the puppy. My wife worries more about her dog than me."
    At least the princess wasn’t convinced that all men were dogs.
    Hamid made his way to the palace a mere mile away from the government complex. His father was tied up in a meeting so he went straight to the kitchen, pausing just outside the entrance.
    Mandy stood at a butcher-block table with her back to him. Hair pulled back in a ponytail and dressed in slacks and an embroidered tunic she had apparently picked up at the Bedouin marketplace, she was a sight for his tired eyes.
    His sister-in-law joined her at the table. “Don’t cry, Mandy.”
    Her spine stiffened. She raised her hand, which held a long, sharp knife and turned. Why was she upset? Very little bothered her or so he’d believed.
    She lifted her chin and wiped her free hand across her tear streaked face. “Then you peel the onions."
    Hamid stifled a groan. He needed to get her out from under his skin. In the middle of their cooking chaos the awkward puppy came barreling into the room, yelping and jumping on her feet.
    "No Zuzu." Mona clapped her hands but the boisterous puppy ignored its mistress. "I know you have allergies. I'll put him in another room"
    “He got so big.” Mandy reached down and lifted the pup into her arms. It licked her face. She didn’t blink. "It's all right. My allergies seem to be gone. I think I owe my doctor an apology. He told me to move to a dry climate and I called him an idiot."
    Hamid chuckled. She had called him an idiot and hadn’t felt the need to apologize. Mandy never treated him like a prince and he relished every minute of their time.
    "I need to check out the pantry again." She placed Zuzu on the floor, washed her hands and headed out of the kitchen.
    "Stop sniffing the spices. You don't fool me," Mona called after her.
    He followed, sending a silent warning to the princess not to give him up. He thought Mandy’s friend was teasing but there she stood in front of the spice cabinet inhaling the spices like a junky snorting coke. Plunging the spoon in and out of the saffron held her spellbound. He wished she gazed upon him with such lust in her eyes. His body reacted. He let out a low whistle.
    With a frightened shriek she spun around. The spoon flew from her hand. Yellow powder landed on his foot.
    "Holy shit." She glared at him. Her face flushed. "That's about a hundred dollars’ worth of saffron."
    "On my $400 leather shoe. What’s your point?"
    “You scared me.” She sucked in several calming breaths. “What are you doing here?"
    "Me? I live here." He cupped his hand on her slender neck and urged her closer. A combination of onion, saffron, and lemon gave her a surprisingly alluring charm.
    "I need to get back to the