The Sheikh’s Pretend Fiancée: The Sharif Sheikhs Series, #1

By Leslie North

Liyah Reed returns to the Middle East hoping for something more than her humdrum life back at home, but what she finds is beyond her wildest dreams...

Five years after her first stay as a foreign exchange student, American librarian Liyah returns to the Middle East. The move goes against her practical nature, but even a plain jane like herself sometimes thirsts for adventure. When a favor for a friend thrusts her into the path of beguiling billionaire Asad Sharif, Liyah's sensible life may become something far more…sensual. Liyah is ensnared by Asad's seductive charm, but she's way out of her depth. However with a push from Asad's meddling sister, Liyah is soon leading the lavish lifestyle of a sheikha. 

Billionaire businessman Asad Sharif has willing women falling at his feet on multiple continents, but what he needs is a wife...or at least the appearance of one. To convince investors that he's a dependable man, what Asad needs is a fake fiancée. The bookish American Liyah is the perfect choice, and when she accepts his pretend proposal, Asad's sister is eager to help Liyah look the part. When his shy wallflower unexpectedly blooms into a stunning beauty, Asad will have to work doubly hard not to lose himself in Liyah's strawberry blonde hair and enticing curves.  

In the playground of the wealthy Middle Eastern elite, things are getting hotter than ever for the sheikh and his would-be sheikha, but all fake marriages must eventually come to an end...

• Language: English
• Publisher: Leslie North
• Release date: Jan 1, 2018
• ISBN: 9781386163909

Book preview

The Sheikh’s Pretend Fiancée

The Sheikh’s Pretend Fiancée

The Sharif Sheikhs Series Book 1

Leslie North

Contents

The Sharif Sheikhs Series

Copyright

The Sheikh’s Pretend Fiancée

Blurb

Mailing List

About Leslie

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Epilogue

End of The Sheikh’s Pretend Fiancée

Thank you!

The Sharif Sheikhs Series Book Two Sneak Peek

Sneak Peek

The Sharif Sheikhs Series

The Sheikh’s Pretend Fiancée

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The Sheikh’s Tamed Bride

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The Sheikh’s Stubborn Assistant

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or locales, is entirely coincidental.

RELAY PUBLISHING EDITION, JANUARY 2018

Copyright © 2018 Relay Publishing Ltd.

All rights reserved. Published in the United Kingdom by Relay Publishing. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Cover Design by LJ Anderson of Mayhem Cover Creations.

www.relaypub.com

Blurb

Liyah Reed returns to the Middle East hoping for something more than her humdrum life back at home, but what she finds is beyond her wildest dreams...

Five years after her first stay as a foreign exchange student, American librarian Liyah returns to the Middle East. The move goes against her practical nature, but even a plain jane like herself sometimes thirsts for adventure. When a favor for a friend thrusts her into the path of beguiling billionaire Asad Sharif, Liyah’s sensible life may become something far more…sensual. Liyah is ensnared by Asad’s seductive charm, but she’s way out of her depth. However with a push from Asad’s meddling sister, Liyah is soon leading the lavish lifestyle of a sheikha.

Billionaire businessman Asad Sharif has willing women falling at his feet on multiple continents, but what he needs is a wife...or at least the appearance of one. To convince investors that he’s a dependable man, what Asad needs is a fake fiancée. The bookish American Liyah is the perfect choice, and when she accepts his pretend proposal, Asad’s sister is eager to help Liyah look the part. When his shy wallflower unexpectedly blooms into a stunning beauty, Asad will have to work doubly hard not to lose himself in Liyah’s strawberry blonde hair and enticing curves.

In the playground of the wealthy Middle Eastern elite, things are getting hotter than ever for the sheikh and his would-be sheikha, but all fake marriages must eventually come to an end...

Mailing List

Thank you for purchasing ‘The Sheikh’s Pretend Fiancée’

(The Sharif Sheikhs Series Book One)

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About Leslie

Leslie North is the USA Today Bestselling pen name for a critically-acclaimed author of women's contemporary romance and fiction. The anonymity gives her the perfect opportunity to paint with her full artistic palette, especially in the romance and erotic fantasy genres.

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To discover more about Leslie North visit:

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1

The sun lit up the kitchen, making the slowly moving older woman into a shadow of her former self. Liyah watched quietly from her spot in the doorway as Sahaar dutifully stirred the pot of boiling water on the stove. Sahaar was different than Liyah remembered from the last time she had been here. Five years ago, her exchange family had been bubbly and laughing. There had always been something happening in the small household, and whether filled with music or peals of laughter, the house had never been quiet .

With the exception of the bubbly sound of the simmering water, the house was achingly quiet. Liyah’s exchange-mother had lost her husband several years earlier, and the sadness was still etched into Sahaar's face. Her skin was drawn and paler than Liyah remembered, and the older woman moved as though she were trudging through sand.

Liyah was only too sorry that she hadn’t learned of Ibrahim’s death until after the funeral arrangements. Not that she would have been able to fly back and see them—she’d been in over her head studying for her finals, but she would have found a way to communicate with Sahaar, even all the way from Connecticut.

Straightening, Sahaar suddenly turned her head and narrowed her eyes. Liyah! What are you doing? You should be resting after such a long trip.

Liyah had only flown into Dubai twelve hours ago, and the plane trip, as usual, had been grueling. Despite craving the excitement of an exotic city, Liyah was still uncomfortable around crowds. I’ve been resting, she said with a warm smile as she enveloped her exchange-mother in a hug. Let me help.

During her senior year of high school, Liyah had been afforded the opportunity to join a studies abroad program for three months. Living with her single mother, Liyah had never even been outside her state, and she couldn’t resist the call to adventure. The trip had been mesmerizing, and Sahaar and Ibrahim had made her feel right at home. Now, five years later, she knew she had to return—if for no other reason than to step out of her comfort zone once again while she decided what to do with the rest of her life.

You’ve come here to relax and enjoy yourself, Sahaar chided. You did not come here to wait on me. Now go, go, go.

It was nice to have someone fuss over her, but Liyah wanted to help Sahaar as much as Sahaar had helped her five years ago. Yes, but this time I am not your exchange student. I am a guest in your home, and I will help out, even if I have to annoy you to do it!

A small smile crinkled over Sahaar's face as she gave in and handed Liyah a knife to slice the pita on the counter. While she set the oven, the older women swept critical eyes over Liyah. You’ve lost weight, she fussed. Please tell me that you have not been on one of those ridiculous Western diets that all you drink is dandelion tea and lemon slices.

I don’t think that’s a thing, Liyah said with a chuckle. And I assure you, I have not been dieting. She didn’t point out that Sahaar herself had lost some weight.

Then it is stress, and that will simply not do, Sahaar declared. Mila has been here three months. Took like a duck to water; she’ll bring you around. You should be having fun at your age, the older woman assured her, eyes on the boiling pot of chickpeas. Liyah licked her lips at the thought of homemade hummus. For five years, she had tried the store-bought brands, and she had even tried making it herself, but for some reason, it didn’t compare to Sahaar's delicious dip. Between that and the moujedhra, Liyah might never leave.

As if the independent woman had heard them talking about her, Mila threw open the door and rushed in. Liyah barely had time to brace herself before her old friend wrapped her in a bear hug. You’re here! Mila shrieked in her ear.

Of course I’m here, Liyah laughed. You picked me up from the airport!

Yes, but you were half-dead, and I was afraid that if I hugged you too tightly, you’d just pass out. And then you were sleeping, and then I had to go to work—but now I can greet you properly! Mila released her and took a step back to eye her critically, and Liyah knew that her friend was seeing her the same way that Sahaar did.

It wasn’t that she meant to lose the weight. It was just that her life wasn’t exactly following the plans that she’d so carefully laid out for herself four years ago when she’d started college. She had met Mila during her previous trip to Dubai, and Mila had always planned to return. Even though the past five years had separated them, she and Mila had kept in touch, and it was Mila who’d suggested that she take some time and return to Dubai where the temperature was hot enough and the sights gorgeous enough to steal her breath away.

It hadn’t taken much arm-twisting.

Are you rested?

Rested enough to be bothering me, Sahaar complained with a smile. Mila, won’t you please take her out of here so she can have some fun? I want to see a bronze sheen on that pale skin and hear some laughter in that girl’s voice.

You heard her, Mila said, her whole face lighting up. Come on. We’ll walk through the market bazaar. They’ve got the most gorgeous things there, today.

"They have the most gorgeous things there every day, Liyah laughed, but she grabbed her bag from the counter. Sahaar, we can go later, if you want me to finish helping you here."

Nonsense. You two young ladies have fun, and this hummus will be ready and waiting for you when you return!

There were no other excuses, so Liyah quietly followed Mila out. It was a quick walk to the main road where Mila expertly hailed a cab. The driver greeted them with an enthusiastic grin, probably hoping that they were just tourists who wouldn’t know if he took the long way around. Mila exchanged a small smile with Liyah and gave him specific instructions to their destination.

Happy to let Mila take charge, Liyah settled back and tried to get comfortable on the hot leather. It would appear that most of the cabs here still didn’t have air conditioning.

As though her friend knew that she was still getting acclimated, Mila talked a mile a minute about what she’d been doing for the past three months. The lounge is obviously not my dream job, but it helps me get to know the locals, she chattered. "Plus, it’s been great to catch up on the gossip. My language skills are still a bit rusty, but when they discover that you’re American, they assume that you don’t know it at all and speak freely in front of you. Girl, I have heard the most salacious stories."

Mila’s giggle was infectious, and even Liyah cracked a smile. After leaving the cab, Liyah tried to relax as they walked through the marketplace. Everything felt so alive. Men and women alike talked over each other, some excitedly and others in intense haggling with the merchants. Smells mingled in the air from the sweet fragrances of perfumes to the tangy aromas of spices. For a moment, she felt a little lost. The marketplace was so vibrant and loud, and