“Marian!” Her boss’s voice grumbled through his office and out to her desk by the doorway. She perked up, for maybe the fiftieth time that day, and rose to her feet.

“Yes, Mr. Thomas?” She glided into his office, an eyebrow lifted. He’d been so needy today—exceptionally needy. As his executive assistant, she was used to all the rumbles and rhythms of his routine, but today, all day, she had felt a strange energy in the air. Like an unexpected punctuation mark.

She stood in front of his desk and scanned the piles of papers littering the surface. Ever since the merger with Almasi Holdings, the company in Parsabad, he’d been more of a mess than usual. Secretly, she thought it had something to do with his losing his only daughter—her own best friend—Annabelle to the sexy foreign guy. Or maybe he was just growing senile. He was getting old, after all. And maybe that’s part of what she liked about her job. The chance to excel and really keep things together.

“We have some things to talk about.” He gestured to the seat facing his desk. “Sit.”

She plopped down into the seat, her ruffled skirt lifting slightly as she did. “I didn’t see this on our agenda for today.”

“It wasn’t on our agenda.” He barely looked at her as he finished scribbling something down. “I have a proposition for you.”

Marian stiffened. This was job talk. She didn’t like things that might change her job, which she loved and was perfectly comfortable with. “What is it?”

Mr. Thomas stopped writing and set his pen down, eying her. “Almasi-Thomas needs you in Parsabad.”

Marian stared at her boss for a few moments, unsure how to respond. Too many thoughts swirled there, and this proposition seemed so sudden. She and Annabelle had been joking for months that sooner or later, her work as executive assistant might take her to Parsabad but…it had been funny. Not an actual possibility.

“Seriously?”

“Our Chief Technology Officer needs an assistant on his upcoming trip,” Mr. Thomas said with a sigh. “There’s nobody else who can do it but you.”

“But—”

“You’ll be able to see Annabelle, too. That will be nice.”

Marian nodded. “Yes. But I imagined my first visit to her might be more of a vacation. Not a…work trip.”

“Does the fact that it’s a work trip make it different?”

“No, of course not. It’s just…” She glanced at the ground, struggling to find the right words. I just love New York a lot, and change makes me nervous, so maybe you could just not subtly threaten my job with unexpected shifts?

“You know Kelly is a bit…” Mr. Thomas floundered for the word. “Brusque, let’s say. I’m worried he won’t fare well over there, especially after what Annabelle has told me about the company he’ll be negotiating with. So I need you there to keep him in line. Smooth him out. You’re good at that.”

She sat up straighter, smiling. “Yes, I am.”

“So you’ll do it.”

Marian deflated into the chair again. “Yes, I suppose.”

Mr. Thomas grinned a little—an uncommon sight for him. “The flight will be next week. I’ll need you to help Kelly finalize a deal with an oil technology company in Parsabad, National Oil. It shouldn’t take longer than a week.”

He turned to his computer, a subtle way of dismissing her that she knew exactly how to read. She could read this man like a children’s book. But the CTO, Kelly? She’d seen him when he’d come through the office to meet with Mr. Thomas and at C-level executive meetings. He’d acted like she was just this side of non-existent. “Brusque” didn’t begin to describe him.

So, this is gonna be a fun trip. Marian sidled back to her desk, immediately reaching for her phone to text Annabelle.

“Guess what girl…I’m coming to see you a lot sooner than I expected.”

Marian fought a grin. That, at least, was exciting. Only six months apart and it felt like she hadn’t seen her best friend in a decade. They were more sisters than friends, and not being able to see her friend daily, especially during Annabelle’s new, exciting relationship, made the distance feel immense. Annabelle’s response was quick, even though it was almost ten p.m. in Minarak, the capital city of Parsabad.

“My father told me he had some new offer for you. How long will you be in Parsabad?”

Marian tapped out a quick response. “A week. Not bad. Enough time to get into trouble with my girl.”

“Plenty of trouble,” Annabelle wrote back. “I can show you all around…maybe snag you a Parsian boyfriend before you leave.”

Marian giggled as she reread the text. Yeah, a foreign boyfriend. Just what she needed for her life in NYC.

She stuffed the phone back in her desk and got to work, mind on fire with thoughts of what her first international trip in almost five years might end up being like. And if Imaad’s brothers were anywhere near as hot as he was…well, maybe a Parsian fling wouldn’t be so bad after all.

A week later, Marian touched down in Parsabad for the first time in her life. She eyed the cityscape from the back seat of their car. The city glittered like a jewel in the night sky, all spotlights and steel angles. The road followed a river winding through the city, well-lit promenades along its bank. The city didn’t seem asleep so much as ready to party.

She glanced over at Kelly, whom she’d detested within the first three minutes of their trip. Not only did he look down his nose at her, he only listened to her when she prefaced her words with “Sir” or spoke with urgency. Otherwise, he barely acknowledged her existence.

Marian hated feeing small more than anything else in the world. And even though Mr. Thomas had given her a pay bump for this deal-making mission to the Middle East, she couldn’t help but feel as if he were punishing her for some reason. Yet another pompous man to handle and tolerate in the business world.

Like there weren’t enough of those already.

Kelly was a stinging thorn in her side, a constant irritant who actively stole her joy and fascination at experiencing the new world around her. She had no idea what to expect of Parsabad other than the snippets she’d caught from Annabelle’s first six months. But now, with Kelly attached to her hip, she had a growing suspicion she could expect pure kickback and condescension.

When the driver slowed to a stop in front of their five-star hotel, Kelly was out the door before the car had even stopped completely. She hurried after him, eager to mediate should Kelly be an asshole. Given his behavior at the airport check-in counter, the security line, the boarding gate, and ground transportation in Minarak, she could safely assume he had another spectacular quip waiting to fly out of his sorry mouth.

The driver delivered their suitcases a moment later, cheerfully saying something in Farsi that sounded like a happy send-off. His tone said more than his words.

“Is it too much to ask for a driver that respects my time? And speaks English?” Kelly muttered it more to himself than to Marian.

Marian sighed. “He’s being helpful, Kelly.” She received her luggage with an overdone smile, as if to make up for the negative vibes from her unpleasant companion.

Kelly snatched his luggage and bolted toward the sliding doors of the hotel, leaving her in his dust. Marian gaped after him, then turned to the driver.

“I’m sorry about him.” Marian pressed a bill into his hand. “Please accept my apologies.”

Marian strutted into the hotel, distracted by the opulent surroundings. White tile gleamed and stretched around her, the entire west wall of the foyer a gently whooshing waterfall. The wall behind the reception desk, where Kelly stood, boasted rows of live plants. Marian stood behind him, blinking at her surroundings, trying to relish this awe and wonder before he wiped it away again.

As she approached Kelly pocketed his room key.

“Did you check me in too, or…”

“I’m pretty sure you’re able to do that on your own,” Kelly snapped. “See you at the dinner.”

He stomped off, his rolling luggage clacking behind him. Marian set her jaw, taking a breath before addressing the receptionist. She received her key card and headed for the elevators, checking her watch. Only ten minutes until the dinner with the executive from Almasi Holdings. Could that be the bug up Kelly’s ass? Seems like he has more than a bug up there. An entire colony, maybe. Of fire ants.

Marian’s belly rumbled on her way up in the elevator; she was ready for some exciting foreign food. She pushed into the room, taking only a perfunctory glance before scurrying around to freshen up. New shirt, a splash of water on her face, a new layer of deodorant…ready to go. She stepped off the elevator again with one minute to spare and ran into Kelly heading for the restaurant at the same time.

“Did the Almasi rep make the reservation in his name or—” she started.

“I’ll be there in a minute,” Kelly said, condescension dripping from his words. Marian gritted her teeth, approaching the hostess podium at the hotel restaurant while he veered off elsewhere. Hopefully to go flush his head in a toilet.

“Hi, do you have a reservation for Gunther?” She paused. “Or it may be under Almasi?”

The hostess consulted her sheet and then nodded. “Follow me, please.” Marian, wedge heels clicking against the wood floor, followed her through the moodily lit restaurant. The hostess led her to a table set for two where a gorgeous man sat alone, flanked by empty tables and turning an empty glass in circles.

The hostess headed straight for him, and Marian slowed, unable to rip her eyes off him. That can’t be our executive. Her mouth parted slightly as she took him in—dark brows set in a straight line, plump lips, a skin tone that exemplified caramel candies. He wore a dark gray suit with a skinny, trendy tie. He looked up at her just as the hostess gestured his way.

“Enjoy your meal,” the hostess said in heavily accented English as she stepped away. The god man stood up, offering a large hand. Marian gaped at it.

“Pleasure to meet you. You must be the CTO that I’ve heard so much about.”

Marian slid her hand into his, a rush of warmth coating her insides. He felt heavenly. Like a glove she’d been looking for her entire life. “Hello. And you are…?” She knew his name—had it in her carefully researched notes a million times—but every thought left her brain at his touch.

“Omar Almasi.” He flashed a bright grin, showcasing perfect white teeth, and gestured toward her seat. “Your technology-deal facilitator and unofficial tour guide while you’re in Minarak.”

A giggle escaped her, completely unsanctioned, as she sank into the plush dining chair. Polished silverware glinted at the edges of an enormous silver plate. A candle flickered between them. This had all the makings of a rom-com date, if only Kelly weren’t on his way.

Shit. Kelly. The memory of his existence came to her like a surprise quiz in high school. She swallowed hard, unwilling to relinquish the private time with this handsome stranger.

“Are you Imaad’s brother?” She batted her eyes a little, toying with a ringlet by her face. The two place settings screamed at her, but she ignored it. Just for a bit longer.

“I am.” Omar’s dark eyes glinted like he had a secret. “Do you know him?”

“Not personally, not yet. But Annabelle is my best friend.” She said it proudly, as if name-dropping a celebrity. Omar nodded, the corners of his lips turning up.

“So we have Annabelle in common.” He shifted in his seat, his tone growing husky. “Very interesting.”

Someone cleared their throat, and Marian whipped around to see Kelly looming over her, his crooked nose looking like a sloppy Mr. Potato Head from this angle.

“Were you planning on allowing me to attend my own dinner?” Kelly’s voice made her wince.

“Oh, yes. Of course. Sorry, Kelly, I just…” Marian hopped up from the seat, her cheeks burning at the disdain in his voice. And the fact that she had failed to mention she wasn’t the CTO. Damn his distracting good looks. “I’ll ask the hostess to bring you a seat and place setting.”

“Good.” Kelly eased into the seat she’d vacated, but Omar rose.

“Wait.”