Page 21 of Boss

“I want to be useful.”

“Oh you will be.”

“Do you trust anyone Mr.... Tarek?”

“Tarek? No more formalities.”

“Answer the question please.”

“I trust everyone to be who they pretend to be. Including myself.”

“And you pretend at what? Being an upstanding businessman. A good Texan? A good son and brother? What?”

“I pretend to be whatever it is I need to be. I have since my father plucked me out of the orphanage.”

“Orphanage?”

“I’m adopted,” he said.

“I didn’t know that,” Kassidy frowned.

“Buried little fact money can buy.” Tarek said and the bitterness in his tone was biting. Silence settled between them as the car sped along a dark road. They arrived at the restaurant. He reached and took her hand. He brought it up to his lips.

“What if I told you I lied when I said I would keep my hands to myself.”

“I’d tell you that I’ve known you were a liar from the very beginning.”

She stared directly into his eyes. Tarek frowned. “Who are you Angela?”

“Your employee. And right now I’m a lady you haven’t fed anything but crackers and grapes all day.”

He nodded and let go of her hand. Kassidy left the car first with the aid of the driver. Tarek followed. They went through the doors of the hotel and bypassed registration. He was met by someone on the staff and escorted to an elevator. She thought they’d have dinner first. She was so hungry she felt weak. But the time difference had it light outside instead of dark. And the snow storm had covered the sun so she could only see grey and not much else. Tarek said a few things to the young man and a door was opened.

“My room?” she asked.

“Our room,” he said and went inside the suite. She paused for a moment and then followed. And to her relief the first thing she saw was the dinner set up.

“So you had this planned?” she asked and shed her coat.

“I had it arranged when you were asleep on the plane. We have to eat. With this storm not many places are open. Besides the food here is good.”

Kassidy surveyed her surroundings. The suite had two separate bedrooms. In the center were two large sofa’s a coffee table and television mounted on the wall. There was a bar and a desk with a computer on top of it. He tipped his driver who left the luggage. And then they were alone.

“Fish or steak. Your choice?” he gestured to the table. She was hungry enough to eat a horse so she chose the steak. She sat and he walked away to one of the bedrooms. He was talking on his phone again. He’d been on the phone several times since they landed. She considered waiting for him but her hunger overruled. She ate several swallows of her dinner before he returned. Half of her meal was devoured. And she wanted to taste his fish.

“Everything okay?” she asked between chews.

“Looks that way. We are clear to leave in eight hours.” He said.

“What time will that be here?” she frowned.

“Six in the afternoon.”

“Oh? Well at least the curtains are closed to make us think it’s night time.”

He sat down and she reached over with her fork and swiped some of his fish. He looked at her with an amused smile. He didn’t object. “The weather should be clear enough for us to helicopter in.”

Neither of them bothered with the wine. He sipped his water and dropped his napkin over his lap. She cut her steak into thin slices and ate before lifting her gaze to catch the way he watched her.

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