They didn’t leave the hotel for the rest of the weekend. Khalid fucked her on the floor, in the shower, and against the wall. He licked her on the couch, and he spread her across the chair. He couldn’t keep his hands or his mouth off her. He’d never felt so addicted to anything in his life.

He wanted to paint her.

The idea terrified him, and he immediately started to distance himself on the plane back.

She stared out the window the entire time and didn’t press him. He could see the wheels in her mind turning.

When they landed, he made sure that there were two cars waiting for them: one to take him back to the palace and one to take her home. “Feel free to stay home on Monday,” he said softly before she got into the car. “I know you’re probably tired.”

“Night and day, remember?” she said as she forced a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “One has nothing to do with the other. I’ll see you tomorrow, Sheikh Khalid.”

The word was an invisible slap, and he flinched. Angry, he slammed the car door behind her and stalked to his own car.

The foul mood followed him for several days. She showed up to work during the day, but she always skipped out before he could have a chance to seduce her at the gallery. It wasn’t that she didn’t want him. He could see the desire in her eyes, but that weekend had changed everything. Their quickies in the museum weren’t enough for her, either.

On Thursday, she approached him nervously. “The girls have invited me to dinner at the palace tonight. I accepted.”

What did she want from him? “Okay.”

“That’s it? That’s all you have to say?” she demanded.

He wanted to shake her and tell her that it wasn’t okay. He didn’t want to share her with anyone else. He wanted her in his bed. “If you wanted my permission, you would have asked before you accepted. Since you didn’t, I assume that you don’t care for my opinion.” He looked at her quizzically. “You don’t need my permission to hang out with your friends.”

“You’re damn right, I don’t!”

“So why are you so angry?”

Her mouth opened and snapped shut. “I don’t know. I guess I just thought you would care. I guess that I was wrong.”

“Asad and Rashid already got in touch with me. I already knew that you were coming. I’ll be there as well.”

She immediately straightened and backed up a step. “You will?”

“I will. Do you have something to say about that?”

“No.”

He shrugged and returned his focus to the computer screen.

His pieces were arriving tomorrow, and his usual appraiser was out of town. He didn’t want to wait for the man to return to get the pieces appraised for the collection, but he was having trouble finding someone he trusted. “Okay, then.”

“Okay, then.”

As she walked away, he lifted his gaze and stared after her. The strange rift between them needed to come to an end soon. He was tired of satisfying himself with just the memories of her. He needed her again—and soon.

Tonight.

Amira, who had returned only last night from a trip of her own—she’d been away in London with their parents for the opening of some show, or was it a charity gala with the young royals?—was waiting for him in his suite when he returned home to change. “How was your weekend with Katie?” she asked immediately as he stripped off his tie.

“Go away,” he growled. “I’m tired, and I want a drink before dinner.”

“I heard the Batuk collection is rather eye-opening. When do I get a chance to look?”

“If Father has his way, never.” Amira might enjoy the attention of men, but Khalid knew that his sister was still innocent. It had nothing to do with his father’s strict demands or even her religion. He knew that Amira had high standards when it came to men, and she hadn’t found anyone that she thought might satisfy her.

She perched on the table and examined her gold manicured fingernails. “I was thinking of getting some girls together and hosting a private party once it’s on display. I bet we’ll find it educational. Katie, especially. She really knows how to appreciate fine art.”

Khalid rolled his eyes. She was trying to bait him. He stripped off his shirt and reached for a clean green button-up. “You are not having a chick party in my gallery.”

Amira didn’t miss a beat. “I had lunch with Katie today,” she said, elaborately casual. “I tried talking to her about the weekend, but she just said that she enjoyed meeting Batuk and observing his collection. I can’t imagine that anyone actually enjoys meeting that man. Is she okay?”

“She’s fine.” He buttoned up his shirt and turned to face her. “Amira, I am her boss. I’m not privy to her personal thoughts and life. That’s what her friends are for, and I do not appreciate you using me to get more information about her.”

Her eyes grew cold. “Maybe I’m just worried that you did something to hurt her.”

His body stilled. It hadn’t even occurred to him that Katie might be hurting. “I don’t know how. All I did was give her an opportunity to learn more about acquisitions,” he lied.

“Good.” Amira hopped down from the table. “You’re not like Asad and Rashid. They may have been against love in the beginning, but they were made to love. You’re not quite there, yet.”

What the hell did that mean? He stared after his sister as she left his suite. This whole time, he’d been assuming that Amira had been trying to set him up with Katie, but maybe he was wrong.

Maybe his sister didn’t think that he was good enough for Katie.

Suddenly, she stuck her head back in at the door. “I forgot to ask—has she mentioned any of the guys from our dinner party that she met? I think she might be lonely, and I’m trying to set her up.”

“No,” he snapped.

Amira blinked. “No, she hasn’t mentioned anyone?”

“No, she’s not lonely. Why don’t you quit meddling in other people’s business and just let things be?”

Her face fell. “Why are you so angry?”

“I’m not!” He yanked at the buttons on his sleeves.

He felt like an ass. First he was upsetting Katie, and now he was attacking his sister. “I’m just hungry. I’m sorry, Amira. I didn’t mean to upset you.”

Straightening, she walked back in and gently buttoned the sleeves on his shirt. “Are you okay, Khalid?” Her eyes darkening with concern, she added, “You seem colder than usual. I say that with love. I just worry about you. I thought . . . never mind.”

“You thought what?” He kept his voice gentle so he wouldn’t upset her again.

“This past month, you’ve seemed happier. I thought that maybe you’d met someone, but I didn’t want to pry.”

She finished, and he dropped his arms to his sides. “It’s like you said, Amira. I’m not built for that.”

“I didn’t say that. I said that you weren’t there, yet.”

“Right.” He smiled tightly. “Come on. Let’s go downstairs so you can fuss over the dinner.”

With a mock gasp, she gently punched him. “I do not fuss.”

“Nitpick?”

“I will uninvite you.”

“I live here. You can’t uninvite me.” He closed the door to his suite and followed her down the hall. Although he was upset by what Amira had said, he was still looking forward to seeing Katie again. If he was lucky, maybe he’d actually get to see her smile at dinner.

If he was even luckier, maybe that smile would be for him.