A few days later, Jasmina was in her father’s old office, trying to puzzle out just how he had managed to be so misled by his former advisory team. Adir had provided her the entire series of files on the investigation, and she shifted a pair of black rimmed glasses a little higher on her petite nose as her eyebrows narrowed.

She was scowling when there was a knock at the door, and she glanced up and called out for the person to come in. Asha opened the door with a small cup of tea on a silver tray in her hand.

“You need some sustenance, Jasmina. This will do you no good.”

Jasmina gestured to the papers angrily.

“How could this have happened? This is outrageous! We must find these men and bring them to justice, immediately. I’m so mad I could just spit!”

Asha approached the desk, brushing aside files to make room for the tea, which steamed slightly as she set it on the mahogany wood.

“Just try not to spit into your tea, dear.”

Jasmina forced herself to calm down. It would do no good flying into a rage. She knew that there would be many instances where she would be met with less than happy facts, and she would have to handle it with dignity and calm resolve.

It’s what her father would have expected of her.

Lifting the cup to her lips, she took a delicate sip and released a breath. She glanced up at her old confidant.

“Thank you, Asha. This is just what I needed.”

Asha shook her head.

“What you need is lunch. I’m here to tell you that your business prospect has arrived at the palace, and is waiting for you in the main atrium.”

“Jenson Black?”

“That’s the one,” Asha said, her lip twitching. The small movement didn’t make it past Jasmina.

“Why are you smiling?” she asked.

Asha shrugged, feigning nonchalance. She stepped away from the desk and headed toward the door.

“Let’s just say I haven’t seen a man that looks like that since the last time I went to the cinema,” she said, winking at Jasmina before closing the door behind her.

Jasmina blinked. Did Asha just call the CEO attractive, like that was what mattered? The welfare of El Jayiah could rest on that man’s shoulders! It didn’t matter if he looked like a toad.

Squaring her shoulders, Jasmina took one last sip of the soothing tea before she made her own exit, her black heels clicking against the mosaic tiled floors as she made her way across the sprawling estate to the main entrance.

When she arrived, a man was standing with his back to her in the far corner. He appeared to be admiring a portrait of her great-grandmother, and even Jasmina had to admit that the back of him alone was…admirable. Broad shoulders were encased in a tailored black suit, his trousers perfectly displaying his…assets. Jasmina cleared her throat, to get his attention as much to regather her wits; checking the man out was hardly the best way to start the meeting.

He turned, and even from across the room Jasmina could see how emerald green his eyes were. She had seen her fair share of gems, but these were brighter and more stunning than any she had come across. Paired with his light brown hair, the man certainly had a celebrity quality to him, which, Jasmina mused, likely helped his business.

She knew firsthand that people could be terribly shallow. Even as she thought it, she remembered that she had reacted to him just by entering the room, and she chastised herself.

She was a Sheikha, and one in dire need of funds. That was the focus. The fact that the man was a stunning human specimen was irrelevant.

He approached her, sticking out his hand for her to shake.

“Your Highness. I appreciate you taking the time to meet with me today.”

Jasmina instinctively placed her hand in his, ignoring the soft feel of his touch. She would be shaking hands for the rest of her life with a million strangers a day. This was no different than any other diplomatic meeting. His eyes bored into hers, as though he was measuring her up, and she held onto his hand a little tighter before releasing it.

“I see you were admiring a portrait of my great-grandmother,” she said, and he glanced back before turning to face her with a nod.

“She was quite a lovely woman. It’s clear to me that those traits are genetic.”

Jasmina brushed off the compliment.

“We are here to discuss matters of state, Mr. Black. My appearance has nothing to do with it.”

“You don’t like being called lovely?”

“I don’t like being judged for my appearance over my substance. I am a Sheikha, Mr. Black, but if my face were plain I would still have the same mind.”

“So what you’re saying is you think you’re attractive.”

Jasmina could feel her cheeks reddening. How had she lost control of the conversation so quickly? She had to keep a cool head.

“I’m saying I would like to discuss our terms with you without you objectifying me because of my gender. Do you think that will be something you’re capable of, Mr. Black?”

He smirked at her comment, and Jasmina cursed the fact that she had ever found the man attractive. He was clearly a brute used to getting whatever he wanted because he himself had a pretty face. He wouldn’t find himself getting away with that on her watch!

“I will certainly try to keep my admiration to myself from here on out, Your Highness. Do forgive me for complimenting you.”

“Feel free to compliment me by not insulting my intelligence. I am not a woman who can be swayed by pretty words. I have a nation to run here, Mr. Black. I don’t have time for shameless flirts.”

Jenson put up his hands in a defensive gesture.

“All right, all right. Sensitive subject. I get it. Maybe we can start over. I’m Jenson Black, here to meet with you about that delightful supply of lithium you have.”

He crossed his arms, waiting for her to take her turn, to play into his game. When she simply stared him down, he glanced back at the picture of her great-grandmother.

“I would love to hear about all the accomplishments of your ancestors, without discussing their personal appearance, since that topic is clearly so disgusting to you.”

The man was arrogance personified. Jasmina continued to stare at him in silence, wanting him to squirm beneath her gaze. Seeing her game, Jenson crossed his arms again and stared right back at her.

“As much as I love a good staring contest, there is business we need to attend to. Are you quite finished?” he asked.

Jasmina bit back a retort. Her people were counting on her, and this swaggering brute was her only ticket to salvation. Taking a bracing breath, she reminded herself that she was a diplomat, and that refusing to speak with him wasn’t going to resolve anything.

“Now that your little game is finished, I would love to sit down and discuss terms. If you’ll follow me,” she said turning.

“You know,” he said, drawing out the last word as he stayed in place.

Jasmina turned back to face him with a lifted eyebrow. He seemed entirely unaffected by her obvious annoyance.

“We could have a much better time discussing business over dinner in the city. What do you say? Come out with me tonight instead?”

Jasmina blinked. Her disbelief was so overpowering it left her momentarily speechless before she walked up to him to look straight up into his eyes. She instantly regretted that decision, because the man had a delicious smelling cologne that permeated her senses and left her feeling slightly dizzy.

“This is not a date, Mr. Black. You are here to negotiate terms that will benefit both our parties, and I am here to ensure that those negotiations take place in a timely manner. I do not have time to waste going out to a public place to discuss private national matters. We have a luncheon already prepared here. You would not want to offend my chef by walking out on his careful preparations?”

Jenson grinned, and Jasmina wanted to slap that smile right off his smug face.

“Nice power play. I can see this isn’t your first rodeo, Sheikha, in which case we’ll do things your way. Please lead the way to lunch, Your Highness.”

She nodded once, turning and walking out of the room, beyond caring whether it was rude that she chose not to walk beside him. The man was rude and bullish, and she wanted to finish the negotiations as soon as possible so she could leave him in the hands of her advisors for the rest of their commitment. The meeting couldn’t end soon enough as far as she was concerned.

A pair of wide glass doors opened up to the royal gardens, which were peppered with sweet smelling flowers of all shades and hues. A table for two had been set up beneath a white gazebo, loaded with local delicacies and fresh-squeezed juice. Jasmina took a seat, and Jenson followed suit.

“I take it back. This is far more romantic than a dinner out. I see what you did there,” he quipped.

Jasmina’s blood was beginning to boil. The man refused to address her as a monarch, instead trying every tactic to flirt with her like they were at a bar in Manhattan. She thought back to her time in New York, and was grateful for it. Without having dealt with American men in the past, she wouldn’t know just how to handle this one.

“Mr. Black, before we begin this meeting I’d like to be very clear about one thing: I would never in a million years consider a romantic engagement with someone like you. Now that we’ve got that out of the way, let’s discuss what we’re actually here for, okay?”

Her tone was the perfect mixture of disgust and condescension, but to her despair Jenson seemed in no way put off. He simply shrugged, grabbing a roll off the table and taking a bite. Fighting the urge to roll her eyes, Jasmina began her prepared negotiation.

“I understand that you’ve agreed to hire only local workers to mine this supply, while also offering to use your own equipment to complete the extraction. I am perfectly willing to grant you access to the lithium mines for as long as this process will take, but from what I’ve read you should be able to mine the supply over the course of the next ten years. We can renegotiate your status in my country at that time, but I think ten years of promised employment will be enough for now, with the inclusion of your initial payment for the lithium itself.”

Jenson continued to chew on his bread. Even though he wasn’t slovenly about it, something about the gesture annoyed Jasmina beyond understanding. It was as though he wasn’t listening to a word she was saying. After swallowing another huge bite, he finally looked at her directly, and there was a hunter’s gleam in his eye.

What on earth was he up to?